Chapter 203: The Final Drama

Inside the Spina di Rosula's headquarters in Fleuve Cendre...

"Young Miss, if you don't sleep soon, we'll have to dance for you," Silver said, pushing up his sunglasses.

Navia sighed in exasperation. "Where did you two even learn to say things like that?"

Melus replied tersely, "From films."

"Stop watching those weird things! Honestly, I'm trying to think, but my head is a jumbled mess. How am I supposed to sleep?"

"Then perhaps you should enjoy our dance after all!"

Navia rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "You fell on your back... how did you manage to hit your head too?"

She picked up the letter on the table and reread it.

It was a handwritten note from Neuvillette, simple in its message: he wanted to invite a few trusted allies to a secret meeting to discuss how to resolve Fontaine's prophecy.

Of course, she would attend.

Poisson had already been attacked, and the countdown to the prophecy's fulfillment was dwindling. They had to act.

Yet a nagging intuition warned Navia that this matter wouldn't be as straightforward as it seemed.

"President, we have a situation!" A Spina di Rosula officer burst into the room.

Navia immediately stood up. "Has Poisson been attacked again?"

"No, Poisson is safe. It's... it's the Phantom Thief!"

"Huh?"

The Phantom Thief? What's going on?

Navia rushed forward and snatched the card from the officer's hand.

"Every grand drama needs its warm-up. As the final act draws near, allow me to deliver a prelude before the curtain rises. When the Twin Swords unite moonlight and water, I shall claim the title of Lady of the Lake, bestowed upon me by the Gods themselves, and take into my hands the treasure that heralds both an end and a revelation—the Tears of the Lady of the Lake."

Signed: Phantom Thief White Cat.

Why would White Cat strike now? She knows this is a critical moment for Fontaine! Is this treasure so irresistible that she must steal it? Navia sighed deeply.

And... the Tears of the Lady of the Lake? The name sounded strangely familiar. Navia pondered.

"Isn't the Tears of the Lady of the Lake Lady Furina's treasure?" Melus suddenly exclaimed.

That's right! The Tears of the Lady of the Lake is a clockwork masterpiece created for Lady Furina by the Leport Clockwork Shop. She even named it herself.

"What should we do, Young Miss?" Silver asked.

Phantom Thief White Cat had once saved the people of Poisson.

"...Let's go."

She had something she needed to say to the Phantom Thief.

Frankly, what Furina found most baffling was Phantom Thief White Cat's peculiar modus operandi.

She refused to accept treasures offered freely. She only seemed satisfied when people guarded their treasures with full armaments, ready to attack her on sight.

Could White Cat simply have a peculiar taste for this kind of challenge?

Regardless, having made a pact with Phantom Thief White Cat, Furina had to honor it. She would exchange a treasure—just this once—for the phantom thief's assistance.

-

Inside the Opera Epiclese, Furina, now changed into her performance attire, stood on the stage. Below her sat Neuvillette, Navia, Chevreuse, Clorinde, Chiori, and others.

Normally, in such a situation, the Special Task Force would secure the area and prepare for countermeasures. But Furina declared:

"For my defeated foe to dare return and covet my treasures is an insult! Therefore, I shall meet her challenge with the most dazzling spectacle!"

This was perfectly in line with everyone's impression of Furina.

So no one found anything amiss, except for those who had already begun to suspect her.

Neuvillette sat quietly in his seat.

"I didn't expect you to come, Neuvillette," Furina said with a faint smile.

Neuvillette frowned slightly.

What's going on? Just moments ago, Furina had seemed distracted and listless, but now she appeared to have regained her composure.

Or is this just another act of forced resilience?

If there was one thing Furina excelled at, it was maintaining a façade of strength.

"The situation is critical. We can't afford any missteps from you as an Archon," he said.

"So, Neuvillette, you're questioning me?"

"I question you because I want to save Fontaine. To be frank, I have no desire to stand against you."

Furina certainly had her flaws, but her brilliance more than compensated for them. In fact, it was precisely her imperfections that made her the beloved "God" she was.

"You just need to trust me," Furina said.

Navia murmured, "We don't want to sit here and wait helplessly for our fate."

"...I suppose you're right."

Furina was acutely aware of how unconvincing "God Focalors" currently seemed, but she had no choice but to continue.

"Actually, I've always longed for a grand theatrical drama," Furina confessed.

This longing had burned within her for five hundred years.

Her reflection in the mirror had promised that everything would culminate in a spectacular, dramatic judgment, where everyone would be saved.

Furina sensed that moment was drawing near.

But as Phantom Thief White Cat had written in his advance notice:

Every great drama requires a warm-up, and this is precisely that—a prelude announcing the opening of the final act. Everyone present will be an actor, and I, of course, will be one of the main players.

"Though this isn't exactly the drama I envisioned, I don't mind it too much," she said.

She retrieved the Tears of the Lady of the Lake.

The Tears of the Lady of the Lake was a clock so small it could be set into a ring. Tick-tock... its hands finally aligned, the hour hand pointing to 12 and the minute hand to 6.

The moment to connect the moon and water had arrived.

"The curtain rises!" Furina declared, pressing a hand to her chest and raising her other arm. "Lights, focus on us!"

The spotlights converged on her and the empty space on the opposite side of the stage.

"Music, let your triumphant fanfare resound!"

A powerful symphony suddenly erupted from the gramophone. But... it could also have been Phantom Thief White Cat activating her stage apparatus.

"The lights are set, the music is playing, and all that's left... is the actors!"

"I know you're here. I know you've been waiting for this moment. Now is your time to step onto the stage!"

Furina approached the mirror, extended her hand, and called out, "Come forth, Phantom Thief White Cat!"

A hand emerged from the mirror, grasping hers.

Huh? Someone's inside the mirror...? Navia gasped in disbelief.

Luna's figure gradually materialized from within the mirror, stepping out into full view of the audience.

"As you wished, Lady Furina," Luna said.

She turned to the crowd and bowed. "Phantom Thief White Cat has arrived as promised."

White Cat... Chevreuse's expression was complex.

Furina smiled faintly, clasped her hands behind her back, and twirled gracefully. "Miss White Cat, if you wish to claim my treasure, you must accept my challenge."

"The victor takes all, the vanquished loses everything."

"Do you accept?" Furina placed the Tears of the Lady of the Lake on the pedestal.

Everyone knew that Phantom Thief White Cat would never bypass the challenge and simply snatch the treasure outright.

And indeed, she didn't.

Luna laughed. "Why not? I'll show everyone that no one can outshine my brilliance and glamour—not even you, Lady Furina."

"Then let the challenge officially begin!" Furina raised her hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, please take the stage."

Chevreuse hadn't anticipated this turn of events, but upon reflection, it wasn't particularly surprising. She simply needed to fulfill her duties and obligations as always, guided by her own sense of justice. The others felt the same.

Climbing onto the stage, Chevreuse paused briefly in silence.

"White Cat."

"Miss Captain."

Chevreuse said, "I know why you killed those people." She took a deep breath. "But you still committed a grave crime."

Luna smiled faintly. "You wish my hands were clean, but they've been stained with blood for a long time."

"I understand... I'm sorry," Chevreuse replied.

What was that apology for? Neuvillette wondered.

Navia glanced at Chevreuse and Luna, then focused her gaze on Luna. "White Cat, you must know this isn't the time for treasure theft. I didn't understand you before, but now I see you still have a sense of justice and kindness deep down."

"You want to resolve this Prophecy too, which is why you guided us to find the Slate, isn't that right?"

Furina stared intently at Luna.

Luna merely smiled faintly. "Miss Navia, are you inviting me to join your group? I regret to inform you that I have no such intention."

"Why not?"

"Do I need a reason?"

How familiar, Navia thought.

Navia sighed. "You must have your reasons. I just don't understand why you always say things like that."

Clorinde raised her sword. "Phantom Thief White Cat, I cannot condone your past actions, but I offer you the utmost respect due a Champion Duelist."

Luna raised her sword in response. "Of course, my dear Miss Clorinde."

Dear... Clorinde's gaze faltered momentarily.

Chiori clicked her tongue. "Why did I even have to come here?"

Furina crossed her arms. "After all, you've been here before!"

But this was actually Phantom Thief White Cat's request, for reasons unknown. Could it be that she simply wanted to be surrounded by these girls?

"What a pain," Chiori muttered.

Luna smiled brightly. "Miss Chiori is certainly lacking in enthusiasm."

"If you were in my place, would you be any more enthusiastic?" Chiori scoffed.

"Of course I would!"

"Oh, well, that's your problem. Hurry up; I want to go home." Chiori unsheathed her twin blades.

"Too bad, this is just the opening act," Luna said, igniting her Greatsword of Passion. "But allow me to present a perfect warm-up performance for everyone!"

On the stage, sword light flashed, and elemental power intertwined, clashed, and erupted. Though the battle appeared fiercely contested, the outcome was already predetermined: Phantom Thief White Cat would emerge victorious.

Later, Neuvillette would realize he should have noticed it sooner.

He should have recognized the reason for Furina's sudden revitalization.

He should have understood Phantom Thief White Cat's motives for staging this "drama."

And most importantly, he should have seen the connection between them.

"...Winner: Phantom Thief White Cat!"

"As agreed, the treasure is yours," Luna said, picking up the Tears of the Lady of the Lake.

[Tears of the Lady of the Lake]

[Intelligence: The Tears of the Lady of the Lake is a timepiece specially commissioned for Furina by Caron, the proprietor of Leport Clockwork Shop. Exquisitely small, about the size of a teardrop-shaped gem, it houses an incredibly intricate clockwork mechanism—a masterpiece of Fontaine's horological engineering destined to be remembered in the annals of both horological and art history.]

[Rarity: A-Rank]

[Fixed Points: 500]

This was the final treasure, completing everything she needed.

[Action Successful]

[Security Level: High]

[Treasure Rarity: A-Rank]

[Action Notoriety: Universally Known]

[Splendor: Archon-Worthy]

[Total Points Earned: 500 (A-Rank Treasure) x 3 (Security Level) x 4 (Action Notoriety) x 3 (Splendor) = 18,000]

The points she earned were enough to fully level up "Steal" and another skill, essential tools for executing her plan.

[Steal (LV: 5/5)]

[Masked Puppet (LV: 2/2)]

The warm-up was over.

It was time for the real, final performance.