Chapter 84: A Phantom Thief is, of course, Omnipotent

"If you cannot understand why the other party acts as they do, it simply means you do not understand them well enough."

-

It was another new day. Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, Lynette recalled these words once spoken by Arlecchino.

Not understanding Luna enough?

Ever since she, Luna, and Lyney had joined the House of the Hearth and become part of this place, they had practically always been together.

And Luna had always been by her side... or rather, she had always been by Luna's side.

After all, if given the chance, the first person Luna would seek out was undoubtedly Arlecchino—their "Father."

If Arlecchino was home, then no matter where she went, there would always be a small figure trailing behind her.

That was Luna.

But in terms of time spent together, Lynette was confident enough to puff out her chest and claim the top spot.

Yet "Father" still said they did not understand Luna enough.

"But it's true..." Lynette turned over, her tail drooping off the bed, as she slowly opened and clenched her hand.

They had lived together for so many years, yet still hadn't fully understood each other?

Burying her face into the pillow, she let out a muffled groan.

"Ugh—ah—stupid woman—if you won't let me understand you, how am I supposed to?"

Had Luna never truly opened her heart?

Or had she only opened it to "Father"? After all, "Father" seemed to understand her...

As her thoughts grew more tangled, the door suddenly sounded.

"Lynette, are you there?"

"The user you are trying to reach is not at home..."

Lyney sighed from the other side of the door.

"Where do you even learn to talk like that? Don't worry, it's nothing troublesome. I was just wondering if you'd like to go see a performance with us."

"Whose performance?"

Not 'what,' but 'who'... Lyney exchanged glances with Freminet and shrugged.

"Well, not Luna's."

"…Not interested."

"I'm kidding, it is Luna's."

"Don't want to go."

Which is it?!

Lyney massaged his temples. Was his sister going through a rebellious phase?

"Alright, if you're not going, that's fine."

"…Then I'll go."

"…Sigh."

Freminet scratched his head, unsure of what to say.

Before long, Lynette opened the door. She was already dressed, her expression as indifferent as ever.

A closer look at her cat ears and tail…

Hmm, normal. Clearly, her enthusiasm was low, Lyney observed.

"What performance?"

Freminet said softly, "A musical one. It's the 'Harpsichord Grand Ceremony.' It seems Lady Furina will also be attending as an audience member, so it should be quite grand."

"Music is a great way to relax once in a while!"

In truth, it was because the gramophone at home had been broken by Lynette, and it would take some time to repair.

Lynette always managed to break machines, though never intentionally.

This mechanical misfortune kept her away from technology—except for the time she learned Luna was the Phantom Thief White Cat. That was the one time she picked out a record.

And, true to form, the gramophone promptly collapsed.

"I didn't do anything." Lynette had looked so aggrieved at the time.

Lyney figured she might want to listen to some music, so he simply bought tickets.

One for each of them.

"…Why is there an extra ticket?" Lynette asked.

"Oh, that's for 'Father.' She seems to be deep in thought lately, so maybe listening to some music will help."

Lynette recalled that it was true.

Arlecchino had indeed been preoccupied these past few days, though any attempt to ask her about it led nowhere.

It likely had to do with the major events about to unfold in Fontaine.

And afterward, they would undoubtedly receive new assignments from Arlecchino.

"But will 'Father' actually go?" Freminet asked, puzzled.

Arlecchino didn't dislike the idea of family gathering together.

But inviting her to a music concert? That was another matter entirely.

"It's fine, we can try."

After all, "Father" wouldn't be angry about it.

—

The three of them entered the lounge, where Arlecchino sat in a single-seater, gazing at the extinguished fireplace, lost in thought.

"'Father,' we're going to a concert. Would you like to come? We have an extra ticket."

Arlecchino snapped out of her thoughts and raised a hand.

Lyney handed her the ticket. She was silent for a moment.

"Let me see the participant list."

"Huh?"

"The list of performers."

"Oh, here..." Freminet pulled out a sheet.

Arlecchino scanned it briefly.

Then, she stood up.

"Let's go. Music is indeed a good way to relax, especially when there's a child who has infiltrated the stage."

The three exchanged glances.

Who?

—

At the same time, Navia narrowed her eyes.

She looked at the participant list, then at the bewildered Sally.

"You signed up again?"

"How could I? My hands still can't play." Sally raised both hands and shook her head.

Then the "Sally" listed here must be…

Navia had her suspicions. She folded up the list, tucked it away, and handed a mask to Sally.

"Put this on, and let's head inside the opera house!"

There was no mistake—the "Sally" performing tonight was the Phantom Thief White Cat.

But why was she impersonating someone else?

If she claimed to be taking hold of the future and hope… was this how she meant to do it?

Navia already had trouble understanding the Phantom Thief White Cat.

Now?

Completely incomprehensible!

Was she actually a cat in disguise?

Too bad Lulu wasn't here…

Navia muttered, "Well, she is an actress by profession."

Acting was a job, being a detective was life.

That she was even willing to give her this much of her life—Navia was already quite satisfied.

Sally, full of doubt, still put on the mask to hide her face.

"Is the Phantom Thief White Cat trying to fulfill my wish?"

"I doubt she's that kind-hearted."

"Maybe she's unexpectedly gentle..."

Navia sighed.

"That's exactly how she deceives people."

—

Inside the opera house, the audience took their seats, and the judges settled in as well.

"Good evening, my beloved citizens!"

This was always the moment when she made her grand entrance.

Furina walked to her designated seat with Clorinde at her side, spreading her arms wide: "Cheer! Applaud! For I, Focalors, have descended upon this place!"

"Even though you just walked in," Clorinde muttered under her breath.

Furina decisively ignored the remark.

"Tonight is a grand festival dedicated to the harpsichord! The melodies born from the touch of the keys shall grace your ears, the passion of the performers shall be witnessed by all—so do not hold back your praise and admiration!"

"—For tonight, the title of Harpsichord King or Harpsichord Queen shall be bestowed upon the most dazzling performer!"

"Now, let the festivities begin!"

Furina's exaggerated enthusiasm drew waves of applause from the audience.

The host on stage: "..."

Perhaps they should just hand over the hosting duties to Lady Furina.

After an awkward chuckle, the host picked up where Furina left off.

"As Lady Furina said, the audience's applause and the judges' approval will determine the champion of this harpsichord gala. Who will claim the title? Let us wait and see."

"First up..."

Furina plopped down in her seat, stifling a yawn.

Clorinde muttered, "A music competition, huh..."

"Just don't put me to sleep. I won't hold my hopes too high." Furina said casually. When it came to music, her standards were also quite high.

"Besides, this feels more like a showcase or an exam… If I were the host, it would be far grander and much more entertaining. Such a shame." Furina propped her chin on her hand.

For example, the judges could sit with their backs turned and hit a button with an "Oh?!" whenever they heard a good performance—

And then their chairs would dramatically spin around.

She had already thought of the perfect name: "I Am a Harpsichordist!"

"Well, you are already preparing for a performance with Miss Luna."

"Even if I weren't performing with her, I might not have hosted this anyway. Speaking of which, Luna should do well in film too, right?"

"Perhaps." Clorinde nodded.

Furina smiled, "Then next time, I'll have her star in a film."

What should it be about?

She pondered idly while listening to performances that were passionate, sorrowful, or lighthearted and moving.

"8 points!"

"9 points!"

"I think 7."

The judges gave their scores.

And Furina's rating?

"Not bad." She nodded.

A god does not need to give scores.

The contestants bowed in gratitude.

"Now, the final performance—Miss Sally will be playing 'To Alice, Swaying in Solitude in Wonderland.'"

That piece? Furina's interest piqued. "That one's quite difficult."

The audience began murmuring.

"Isn't this Sally the one whose hands were broken?"

"Did she recover? Or is she forcing herself? Please, no…"

"If she wants to chase her dream, this isn't the place to do it."

The chatter grew.

"I recall her hands were broken," Clorinde whispered.

"Is that so?"

"It's only hearsay, but likely true. Yet here she is, about to perform such a challenging piece…"

Either she had fully recovered and was brimming with confidence—

Or she was a moth flying into the flame.

Success would bring admiration and accolades; failure would turn her into a laughingstock. Choosing a high-difficulty piece was, after all, a statement of self-assurance.

No one respected those who were all confidence but lacked skill.

Furina's intrigue deepened.

"Now this is interesting—whether she wins or loses, it'll be interesting." She shifted her posture, fixing her gaze on the stage curtain.

She wanted to see what kind of person this "Sally" was.

Then, a woman with long, flowing hair stepped onto the stage.

…Huh?

Her features and appearance looked nothing like the Phantom Thief White Cat in Furina's memory, but something about her…

Perhaps her presence?

Somehow, Furina had a vague feeling—this woman bore a resemblance to the Phantom Thief White Cat.

…Must be her imagination.

Taking on the identity of "Sally," Luna gracefully stepped forward and gave the judges a small bow.

Her gaze passed over the judges, the audience, and finally landed on Navia and the real Sally—both of whom had complicated expressions.

She smiled slightly.

At the same time, she felt another intense gaze.

Following it, Luna blinked in slight surprise.

Sitting there was Lynette. And not just Lynette—Lyney, Freminet, and—

Arlecchino: "..."

Their eyes met. A flicker of astonishment crossed Luna's eyes—

But she quickly masked it beneath a composed gaze. She turned, walked toward the harpsichord, ran her fingers lightly over its polished surface, and let a faint smile curve her lips.

Luna sat down softly, raising both hands.

Then, she played the first note.

Furina's eyes suddenly widened.

"This sound..."