Chapter 60: The Mysterious Phantom Thief, Always Teasing

While Luna wreaked havoc, Lynette and Lyney had already distanced themselves from the scene.

Listening to the distant commotion, Lynette murmured, "Why did she become a Phantom Thief?"

"So it was Luna after all?" Lyney confirmed.

"Yes, there's no mistake, but I still don't understand..."

They had left the House of the Hearth behind.

Left their family, then became a Phantom Thief White Cat, finding joy in stealing treasures. Why would she do this?

She was still a popular actress, a rising star in the entertainment industry.

On stage, she was a dazzling, shining star; off stage, she was the renowned Phantom Thief White Cat. Which one was the real her?

If it was the latter, then she had once again deceived everyone.

"Are you alright?" Lyney asked, his voice filled with concern.

"...I'm fine. If she's not coming back home, then it doesn't really matter to me anymore." Lynette clutched her arm tightly, her cat ears drooping.

Her words say she's fine, but her body tells a different story, Lyney observed silently. So, she does care after all.

"At this point, there's no way we can infiltrate unnoticed," Lyney continued. "Luna seems determined not to pass the information to the Special Task Force. Perhaps we should—"

"I'm not going."

"I know, I know. I'll go with Freminet. You stay home and wait for us..."

Lynette's eyes flickered indecisively. She parted her lips slightly, but only a faint breath escaped.

After a few seconds, her expression finally settled back to normal. Her cat ears twitched. "No, we can't. She's very cunning, and although our brother is equally crafty, she's a wicked woman. I have to go, even if you don't come. Besides, Freminet's thoughts are too simplistic..."

Lyney could see through her excuses. He firmly believed that even if Luna had not returned home, she would not harm anyone from the House of the Hearth, let alone betray their "father."

For he knew one thing for certain: Luna was the child who loved their "father" the most. Without a doubt.

Meanwhile, on another side.

Chevreuse gripped her long spear tightly, leaped high into the air, and ignited its tip.

"You've nowhere left to hide, Phantom Thief White Cat!" Her purple hair danced in the sky, forming a breathtaking scene with the flames.

Then she became a shooting star, stabbing straight towards Luna.

The bursting flames nearly burned Luna's clothes, but she still managed to dodge this thunderous strike at the last moment.

As if she had calculated the distance precisely.

What a nuisance, Chevreuse grumbled inwardly. Where is she getting all this combat experience from?

"Is Miss Chevreuse running out of steam? This level of attack can't even faze me. Remember, real flames need to be kindled with passion."

Buzz— The flames on Heat of Passion grew even brighter.

Luna lowered her body, spread her arms wide, and slashed towards Chevreuse like a low-flying meteor, dragging the massive sword with her.

"Don't underestimate me!" Chevreuse lowered her spear to meet Luna's strike. The force of the impact traveled up her arms.

"I assure you, I'm not underestimating you, Miss Chevreuse. It's just that you seem somewhat distracted."

"Don't get too full of yourself."

She Brandished her long spear, fending off Luna's relentless dual-sword assault.

Fire and water, great swords and longs, their elegant footwork wove these into an unbreachable web of blades, faster and faster...

But it wasn't without gaps to exploit!

Chevreuse's feet pushed off, and she slipped through with a clean backflip.

The blade streaked past her chest.

Landing, Chevreuse spun and kicked out.

Her blow, wrapped in a fiery whirlwind, missed its mark. A thunderous bang echoed as the scattered gusts kicked up a cloud of dust.

Chevreuse squinted, looking at Luna who had simultaneously unleashed an anemo kick.

"Don't you feel we're quite in sync?" Luna smiled.

Chevreuse didn't speak, instead charging in close.

At this range, grappling and entrapment would be most effective...

...But assuming she'd do so was a mistake. She swiftly drew a pistol and fired directly at Luna.

Bang!

But the bullet fell wide.

For in the instant before shooting, Luna had deflected the gun barrel with her palm.

Bang! Another shot, this time from Luna's pistol. But it also missed its mark, not because of anything Chevreuse did.

On the contrary—Chevreuse did nothing at all.

"I knew it... You never had any intention of taking this seriously, did you?" Chevreuse accused.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're just stalling for time, so that your companions—"

Even if she stood still, Luna wouldn't have actually hit her.

Luna murmured, "They are not my companions."

Nor could they ever be.

She gathered up the anemo elements and kicked towards Chevreuse. Chevreuse braced herself with both hands but still flew backwards from the force of the blow, sliding until she stopped in front of her own subordinates.

"Are you trying to say that the Phantom Thief White Cat truly is alone?"

"Well, perhaps there might be someone out there who would accept me?" Luna smiled.

"I highly doubt that."

"How heartless. Could it be that Miss Chevreuse is angry with me now?"

"Perhaps."

Chevreuse drew her firearm. "Fire grape grenades!"

"Yes ma'am!"

The members of the Special Task Force had been ready with grape grenades all along. At Chevreuse's command, over a dozen grenades were fired into the air, tracing arcs before descending. The explosions covered Luna's figure entirely.

By the time Luna leaped into the air, reappearing before their eyes, Chevreuse was already prepared.

She pushed off the manor's wall, launched herself into the air, and thrust her spear.

The timing was flawless.

The angle was perfect.

There was no possibility of missing.

Yet despite the attack coming from behind her, Luna suddenly accelerated. Harnessing the power of the Anemo element, she dodged the strike with a grace as light as a feather.

"Captain, you should know that those who have danced with death's embrace become keenly attuned to danger."

"And I, unfortunately, am among their number."

Luna seemed to step on an invisible surface, pressing her legs down as if solid ground beneath her feet.

Then, with a ferocity that belied her delicate appearance, she lunged at Chevreuse!

"Captain!"

Realizing Luna couldn't easily adjust her stance midair, Chevreuse steeled herself for the impact, choosing to weather the strike rather than attempt a futile defense.

Her world went dark.

"I may not fear my own demise, but I won't let any harm befall you, Captain," a gentle voice whispered.

A soothing scent, warm and soft, filled her nostrils.

As Luna removed her hand from Chevreuse's eyes, she realized she had somehow returned to the ground, nestled in Luna's embrace.

"...Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why didn't you give me the evidence? If you truly hope for the best for our Special Task Force, you shouldn't have done this. You're obstructing us from administering justice."

Luna twirled a strand of Chevreuse's hair around her finger before letting it go, standing up with a wistful smile.

"Do you really need a reason?"

"....."

Luna turned to the others, bowing respectfully before them.

"That's enough for now. I've certainly enjoyed my evening's entertainment. May we cross paths again, witnessing each other's valiant deeds. Wishing you all a pleasant slumber."

Her figure transformed into a water bird, disappearing from the night sky in the blink of an eye.

Chevreuse gazed quietly at her departure before looking down at her own hands.

As expected, she couldn't comprehend it all.

She couldn't understand Phantom Thief White Cat's motives, couldn't make sense of her code of conduct, and couldn't fathom her moral limits. But one thing was crystal clear now:

She wasn't strong enough just yet.

Enacting justice required power, and her strength was insufficient to apprehend this "criminal" known as the Phantom Thief.

Whether through unraveling the psychology behind her crimes or matching her in physical combat, Chevreuse had fallen short.

"People who have narrowly escaped death become particularly sensitive to danger."

Could it be that she's flirted with death before? Chevreuse wondered as she rose to her feet and looked back at her teammates.

"Captaaaain! Are you alright?! Did... did nothing happen to you, Captain?"

Chevreuse smiled faintly. "No."

But there was no denying it—this time, they had lost overwhelmingly.

"... All units, fall back."

"W-What about Alkien?" Turenna asked urgently.

"We have no reason or way to stay here any longer. After all, we came to forcibly protect the 'victims'."

"Of course, our investigation must also be temporarily suspended... The most important evidence is now in the hands of the Phantom Thief White Cat. There's nothing we can do but contact the Court of Justice to arrange for compensation."

Without evidence, there could be no conviction.

Order and justice are often spoken of together, but sometimes this balance is lost, Chevreuse thought, gazing at the mansion.

The guilty party was right there.

"Yet now we have no choice but to leave."

Turenna and the rest of the team looked towards the mansion.

"... Justice truly is not easy to achieve," Turenna murmured.

"It's always been this way," someone replied.

Luna wandered beside the river, her thoughts swirling as she leafed through a notebook in her hands.

"Luna."

Her steps faltered involuntarily.

The familiar voice from behind her belonged to her former family. She didn't find it surprising, knowing they would come for her—whether out of lingering affection or because of the information she held.

"Luna!" Freminet exclaimed, his voice filled with delight.

Lynette remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Lyney smiled, "It's been a long time. You seem to be... doing very well. Your younger siblings miss you dearly. Luna, since 'Father' has no plans to punish you, it means—"

Luna didn't respond. Instead, she casually tossed her notebook over her shoulder, and it landed in Lyney's hands.

He caught it anxiously, the confusion plain on his face.

"Luna, what does this mean...?" Lyney began tentatively.

Lynette tried to gauge Luna's emotions, but the mask hid her expressions completely.

"You're not going to say anything?"

"....."

Lynette's cat-like ears flattened, her voice dipping low. "Why... aren't you talking?"

"Luna, come back," Freminet pleaded. "We've kept your room just as you left it..."

Luna turned away from them, bounded into the night sky, and vanished into the boundless darkness. From start to finish, she hadn't uttered a single word.

Lynette's cat ears drooped again as she lowered her head in silence.

Freminet also bowed his head.

Lyney looked at the notebook in his hand and sighed softly. "Since you still care about home and even 'Father,' why not at least say 'long time no see'?"