Chapter 80: The Blonde Lady Who Brought the Phantom Thief to Their Knees

The railboat came to a halt; the final station had been reached.

Yet, Navia still lay with her head resting on Luna's lap, sleeping soundly.

Though Luna felt a bit guilty about it, to be frank—her legs had gone numb.

"Nana, we've arrived."

"Mmm… Just a little longer…" Navia mumbled drowsily, clearly still half-asleep.

She shifted her position, burying her face into Luna's stomach.

Luna patted her head. "Get up, my legs are numb."

"..."

Luna sighed softly. Since it had come to this, she had no choice but to tug gently on Navia's ear.

"Ow, ow, ow! What—what's going on?" Navia finally snapped awake, blinking her eyes open.

Looking up past the soft curve of Luna's lips, she met the other girl's gentle smile.

"My legs are numb. Sit up and let me stretch for a bit."

"Ah… Sorry, sorry."

—So I actually fell asleep on Lulu's lap. Navia suddenly felt her face heat up and hurriedly sat up straight.

A quick glance downward, and she caught sight of the red marks on Luna's legs.

From the pressure.

And… was that moisture?

Moisture?

Navia quickly covered her mouth. "Did I drool!?"

"Yes."

That's so embarrassing!

She immediately wiped at the corners of her mouth, but there wasn't any sign of wetness.

Instead, she felt a damp sensation at the corner of her eye.

"Lulu." Navia placed her hands on her hips, speaking in a serious tone.

"Technically, tears count as drool too," Luna said with a teasing smile.

"No, they don't! A lady mustn't drool. And… tears shouldn't be shed in front of you, either." Navia fidgeted with her fingers, averting her gaze.

It was fine to show weakness to someone she trusted.

But being comforted in return was always a bit embarrassing.

"Still, I feel a lot lighter now—"

Navia looked up, about to express her gratitude again, but before she could react, slender fingers gently brushed her cheek, lifting away the last trace of a tear.

Then, those fingers brought it to Luna's lips.

"…Mmm."

Navia blinked repeatedly, momentarily stunned.

Luna murmured, "So this is what tears taste like…"

A mix of sorrow and relief, with a lingering trace of nostalgia. Like a slightly bitter tea that, when savored, carried the comforting warmth of home—like the gentle breeze at sunset.

Of course, that was probably just an illusion.

If she could really decipher so many flavors from a single tear, she should go be a professional tear sommelier.

No—more specifically, a beautiful girl's tear sommelier.

"Lulu…" Navia finally snapped out of her daze, her face turning an unprecedented shade of red.

Then, she raised her hand.

And under the utterly stunned gaze of Luna, she delivered a firm slap to Luna's back.

"Don't go tasting other people's tears so casually!"

For the first time, Luna felt as if her soul had been slapped right out of her body.

It was as if she had been hit by multiple shotgun blasts at once.

A While Later…

"Sorry, my mind went blank for a moment, and my hand just moved on its own. Did it hurt?" Navia asked anxiously as she rubbed Luna's back.

Luna shook her head. "No, it's my fault—I should have asked first."

The Phantom Thief White Cat had nearly met their end at the hands of a shotgun-palm.

Kids, this is no laughing matter.

"That's not the point. It's just really embarrassing," Navia grumbled, the blush still lingering on her cheeks, though it blended softly into the hues of dusk.

Despite the residual awkwardness, she gazed at Luna's face for a few moments before shifting her hand from Luna's back to the nape of her neck.

Then, she pulled her closer, pressing their bodies together.

"…But it really does feel like you took away all my sadness."

"Nana, you should consider becoming a poet."

Navia chuckled. "I don't have that kind of talent. I'm just speaking from the heart."

They were still outside, after all.

They could have taken the aquabus back to Fontaine, but since they were already here, Navia suggested they take a walk instead.

Spreading her arms wide, she let the evening breeze wash over her.

"Actually, before I found you, Chevreuse came to me first."

"She said she'd obtained crucial evidence, and soon, there would be a major breakthrough in my father's case. She told me everything."

Of course, she left out what the Phantom Thief had done to her.

Some truths didn't need to be spoken.

"…The Phantom Thief White Cat is such a strange person," she muttered.

Luna smiled. "If they weren't strange, they wouldn't be a phantom thief."

Navia adjusted her hat, sighing.

"That's… true. But still, I really don't get what they're thinking."

"Chevreuse told me to keep a low profile for now to avoid drawing attention from our enemies."

"They're still wary of the 'bomb' my father left behind, but that doesn't mean they won't come after me."

"I'm not afraid of them. But they're cunning, and we only have one chance to take them down. So, I'll endure for now to seize that opportunity."

"An old friend once told me that the most important thing in hunting is patience and timing."

"Wait. Aim. Pull the trigger—one shot, one kill. But patience doesn't mean doing nothing. I'll still be keeping an eye on the Confrerie of Cabriere."

"Doubt everything. And together, we'll uncover the truth!"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "I'm included in that 'we'?"

Navia turned to face her, bending down slightly to press a finger against Luna's lips.

"Of course! We're partners!"

"To share life and death, to celebrate together and endure hardships together, our bond is unbreakable, and victory is inevitable. That's the 'Lulu-Nana' duo!"

Luna thought, What a name.

But if Navia liked it, she didn't mind.

As long as they weren't calling themselves the 'Twin Gold' duo, or else they'd attract a truckload of trouble.

"So, let me be your manager!"

"Hm? That's a bit of a leap in topic. Why bring up being my manager all of a sudden?" Luna blinked.

Navia clapped her hands, laughing. "I heard you need one, right?"

"…That's true."

"I think I'd be perfect for the job! Plenty of artists have their friends or family as managers, don't they?"

Luna looked skeptical. "But aren't you the leader of the Spina di Rosula? The president, no less? And you want to be a manager?"

Navia crossed her arms, puffing out her chest confidently.

"Well, you're not just any artist, Lulu! A star who shares the stage with a god deserves a manager who's worthy of them!"

"What about your work?"

"I'll handle it as usual."

Navia stepped forward, took Luna's hands, and swayed them playfully.

"Oh, don't worry about me. A manager's job is all about promotion, networking, and finding opportunities."

"And those just so happen to be specialties of the Spina di Rosula. Hehe."

Not that Luna needed to go looking for opportunities.

Opportunities would come to her.

The towering stack of invitations at home was proof enough—whether it was film, advertisements, fashion modeling, or music, Luna had no shortage of choices.

"Of course, if you don't think it's appropriate, I can find someone else for you. But!"

Navia beamed, eyes filled with anticipation.

"If you choose me, I'd be absolutely thrilled!"

That left Luna with no real choice at all.

After all, was there any treasure in the world more dazzling than the radiance of Navia's smile?

In that case, there really wasn't any other choice.

It was true that this would tie her identity to the Confrerie of Cabriere, but there was nothing bad about that.

After all, what treasure could compare to such a dazzling smile?

Luna took a keychain from her pocket and unhooked a spare key.

"Take this."

"Hm? What is it?"

Luna placed the key in Navia's hand. "The key to my place. But just because you're my manager doesn't mean you can wake me up early in the morning. I do get a little grumpy when I wake up."

Navia's head shot up. "Does that mean—"

"Do a good job, my manager and assistant."

Navia's eyes sparkled, gleaming with delight.

Even though the sun was nearly setting, her radiance was so brilliant that Luna almost believed it was still high in the sky.

How dazzling.

"I thought only Chiori had a key to your place," she murmured.

Luna pressed her fingertips together and smiled. "I don't mind having one more."

Navia gazed at the key in her hand, eyes twinkling.

It was an utterly ordinary key, yet it looked as though it had become a priceless treasure.

"Alright..." she murmured softly.

With great care, Navia attached the key to her keychain—then took off two others.

She placed them in Luna's hand.

"This one's the key to my room! This one's for headquarters, and this one's for the safe house."

"Are you sure?" Luna asked, surprised.

Navia nodded. "Of course. If you ever need anything, just come find me. Looking after my partner's needs is part of my job, after all."

Luna didn't really need a key to enter, but since Navia was offering, she accepted them anyway.

"Looking after your partner's needs, huh..." she murmured.

"Mhm! Just like you did for me today. If you're ever feeling down, come to me—I guarantee a full recovery! You'll feel lighter than air and spend the whole day happy."

Luna looked at Navia.

"Then, can I kiss your cheek?"

A-again?

Navia really couldn't understand why Luna liked kissing her cheek so much.

"Ah, well, I mean, I suppose you can... I just thought you'd say something else."

But it was just a kiss on the cheek. They'd done it before.

"Go ahead!" Navia smiled, a rosy blush dusting her face.

The moment Luna leaned in, Navia felt the familiar warmth on her cheek—soft and gentle.

For an instant, she thought she understood why Luna liked doing this.

Because it really did make one happy.

"My turn."

And this time, Navia's kiss lingered far longer than before.

"If you ever cry, I'd love to taste your tears and see what they're like," Navia suddenly said.

"I refuse."

"Why not?!"

"It just feels weird."

"...Says the person who did it herself." Navia sighed.

"Besides, I don't cry," Luna added.

Navia smiled. "You never know. Maybe you just have a high threshold. We should go see a really emotional film sometime—maybe that'll make you cry!"

"I'd be more likely to cry from laughing."

"Hmph, big words... Just wait. Next time, I'm taking you to one."

There was still time left in the day.

Navia took Luna's hand. "But right now, I just want to take a walk. Come on, let's enjoy the evening breeze. The last ferry is still a long way off."