Chapter 209: Where Sin and Punishment End

The final act is underway.

The stage is set, and the actors are all in place. What's missing?

The answer: the audience.

"Even though the narwhal scared away most of the theatergoers, the seating isn't limited to the Opera House."

Even without the Hydro Archon's Authority, Luna can transform any place in Fontaine into an auditorium if she wishes.

Luna called out loudly, "Come, my dear audience! It's time to take your seats!"

A blinding light continued to erupt from the Oratrice.

Navia suddenly noticed, "Wait a minute—where are Neuvillette and White Cat?"

Her words snapped everyone back to attention.

They scanned the surroundings, but neither Neuvillette nor Luna could be found anywhere.

It was as if they had vanished into the recent burst of light.

Only Arlecchino kept her gaze fixed on the Oratrice. She finally understood the source of the voice emanating from within.

It was the true Hydro Archon.

Luna and Neuvillette were likely trapped inside the Oratrice now.

But why hadn't the execution been carried out yet? The Oratrice continued to operate relentlessly, as if its directives had suddenly shifted.

Could it be Luna...?

"Hey, what the—?!"

A commotion erupted outside the still-open door, as if someone had witnessed something utterly inconceivable.

Could it be the Whale?!

But the hole in the wall was still there... Navia shook her head, exchanged a glance with Clorinde, and they both rushed outside.

When they reached the exterior, they were equally stunned by the sight before them.

"What is this...?"

"A declaration of intent..."

A blizzard of Announcement letters rained down from the sky.

Nearby, Chevreuse listened to her team's reports in silence.

Just moments ago, the Maison Gardiennage had discovered strange launching devices planted in hidden locations throughout Fontaine.

Before they could report their findings or request reinforcements, the devices had activated, relentlessly firing "shells" packed with announcement letters into the air.

These "shells" soared into the sky, exploding into showers of countless cards.

Each card bore the declaration of the Phantom Thief White Cat.

Chevreuse snatched a falling letter and examined its contents.

"The final act has been rewritten. You are all cordially invited to witness it."

"When the ultimate prophecy comes to pass, I shall seize the lives and hopes of all Fontainians, claiming Fontaine's destiny and possibilities. I will present you with the most breathtaking and historically unique performance ever conceived."

"Even if you bloom in obscurity, you will inevitably be unable to withstand my brilliance."

Signed: Phantom Thief White Cat.

-

A bewildered officer asked, "Captain, at a time like this, why won't the Phantom Thief White Cat just give it a rest?"

Chevreuse stared at the card before tucking it away.

"Perhaps she's been waiting for an opportunity like this all along."

Lifting her gaze, Chevreuse saw nothing but a sky filled with cascading cards. They seemed to proclaim that Fontaine's fate had already fallen into the Phantom Thief's hands.

The Sword of Judgment still hung in the air, slowly spinning.

But Neuvillette could clearly sense that its tip no longer pointed at Focalors, but at Luna.

Having seized the Hydro Archon's Authority, Luna had also claimed her right to bear the divine Judgment.

And with it, she had taken Focalors' sins upon herself.

Focalors clutched her chest, the pain now gone.

Luna had taken her Authority, but only that.

"You've stolen the Hydro Archon's Authority, but not my other powers..." Focalors murmured.

Luna simply smiled faintly, offering no reply.

The power of a God? Tempting, to be sure, but it was no treasure. Pure power was merely a tool.

And the Phantom Thief only needed tools.

And only what she needed.

"Hydro Archon Luna—don't you think it's a beautiful name?"

Luna raised her hand, the Hydro Element responding to her will. With a soft snap of her fingers, ethereal figures materialized beneath the crumbling stage.

She conjured a conductor's baton and flicked it upward.

Music filled the air.

"All living beings will compose symphonies in my honor, chanting my name. All waters will welcome my arrival, embracing me in their depths. At this moment, I reign supreme over all of Fontaine."

"But alas, true gods must remain hidden from Celestia's gaze, mustn't they?"

"Condemned to languish on this empty, tedious stage."

"Still, the audience has already taken their seats. The pre-show announcement served as their invitation. They must be eagerly awaiting the performance, don't you think?"

Audience? Pre-show announcement?

Could it be that she had sent invitations to everyone in Fontaine?

"Before the main act, a little warm-up is in order."

"Allow me to share a story with you all," Luna said, pressing her fingertips together with a serene smile.

And so, she began to weave her "truth."

"Long ago, the beloved Lady Furina became the new Hydro Archon of Fontaine. But even as a god, a deep unease lingered in her heart, for she knew the source of her fear."

"It was the crisis foretold by the ancient prophecy."

"All of Fontaine would dissolve into the sea."

"This was the consequence of the 'original sin' committed by the previous Hydro Archon, Egeria. It was also the culmination of Egeria's 'justice'—her decision to respond to the Oceanids' pleas and allow them to be born into the world in their idealized forms."

Luna raised her hand, conjuring a spectral figure.

Simply telling the story seemed too dull. It would be more engaging to create puppets to assist in the performance.

She materialized a phantom of "Furina."

"'What should I do?' Lady Furina asked her reflection in the mirror."

"She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, even losing her appetite for her favorite pastries."

"Finally, she devised a plan—to harness the power of faith."

This isn't right.

This isn't the truth.

Furina's phantom whispered, "Indeed, all I needed to do was exploit everyone's faith in justice. After all, Fontaine is the nation of justice!"

"And so, the clever and resourceful Lady Furina created the Oratrice, entrusting all her power to it. This was so that one day, when the Prophecy came to pass, the accumulated energy could shatter any crisis."

"Alas, this act rendered her unable to wield Hydro Elemental Power ever again. Even gods have their limits."

"The power she entrusted to the Oratrice materialized into an entity identical to herself."

"'You shall be called Focalors!'—Lady Furina declared."

"After saving Fontaine, Furina relinquished her divine status, becoming an ordinary mortal devoid of power. She descended from the Divine Throne to forge a new future."

This was fundamentally wrong.

Furina was the one who had been created, not Focalors.

She was weaving a false "truth," fabricating a divine history from half-truths and half-lies!

Neuvillette recognized this, yet struggled to fully comprehend it.

"Why?"

Focalors seemed to see through everything, her words hanging unspoken in the air.

"From today onward, this is the 'truth' of the gods," Luna declared, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward with a smile. "Proclaim it to the world, Neuvillette. This is the Hydro Archon's command."

At that moment, Neuvillette understood her intent.

Only a lie can conceal another lie.

Furina's identity was a fabrication, a lie sustained for five hundred years. Luna intended to help her bring this elaborate deception to a perfect conclusion, just as they had initially agreed.

"Though my life has been filled with betrayals, I can still honor this one promise," Furina had resolved. She was determined to maintain her performance until the very end, and Luna would support her until the final second.

For an actor, the stage is never abandoned until the final curtain falls.

Neuvillette's lips moved slightly. "Then... what about the Phantom Thief's 'truth'?"

"Your question is utterly pointless," Luna replied, straightening up.

"What you see is the truth."

The Hydro Archon, Focalors, was determined to save the people of Fontaine, but the Phantom Thief had stolen her Authority.

"People tend to believe only what they see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears. It's precisely through these gaps that lies find their way in."

Luna strode forward.

"What is truth?"

"What is falsehood?"

"—But to me, such questions are meaningless."

"Just now, I sent a pre-emptive notice to all of Fontaine. At this very moment, I will claim three treasures."

Luna's voice rang out, clear and vibrant.

The curtain had risen, the warm-up was over, and the moment to take the stage had arrived. All that remained was the unpredictable drama of Fate.

"First: The sins and future of the Hydro Archon Focalors!"

Focalors stared at the letter in her hand.

"Second: The sins and future of Furina!"

Outside the Oratrice, Furina's fingers twitched slightly, as if sensing something faintly.

"Third..."

Luna raised her hand high and declared, "—Fontaine's very destiny!"

There is nothing I cannot steal.

Buzz... The Sword of Judgment glowed faintly, signaling the imminent execution of the Hydro Archon.

Countdown:

Focalors shook her head, pleading, "No, this isn't your sin to bear..."

"You shouldn't have to endure this—"

Luna raised a finger to her lips. "Shh. Those unworthy to grace this stage..."

"...are fit only to be my audience."

The music swelled to a crescendo, and the spotlight focused solely on her. Luna rose onto her tiptoes, beginning a light and agile dance, gracefully stepping into a position that was never meant for her.

This was never her place to take.

Her name should never have appeared on this stage.

"But if I don't leap onto the stage, the story will only drift toward its predetermined end."

"Everyone craves a stage where the ending is unpredictable."

The chill of death crept closer, coiling around her.

Fear? Luna felt none.

Instead, in that instant, a fleeting yet deeply etched memory flickered through her mind...

And so, Luna closed her eyes.

-

"Father," Luna asked, "if I can't become a King, then what can I become?"

The last rays of sunset faded as night fell.

Yet Luna, still clinging to her childish innocence, remained nestled against Arlecchino's lap, showing no sign of moving.

If she could, she would stay like this forever.

But that was impossible.

Even "Father's" legs must be getting numb.

Arlecchino murmured softly, "That's an excellent question."

Her fingernails continued to gently scratch Luna's neck.

It tickled, but it also felt strangely comforting... Luna luxuriated in the sensation.

After a brief pause, Arlecchino continued:

"You can't become a soldier, because you would never obey anyone's commands."

"You can't become a hunter, because your heart burns too fiercely, forever glowing with a calm intensity that lacks the absolute ruthlessness required to stalk prey."

"...Luna, you are extraordinary."

Arlecchino's fingertips brushed through Luna's hair as their eyes met.

"You will only follow the path etched by your own heart, moving straight ahead."

Her voice softened slightly. "Like a ray of light that never looks back."

"But my child, you will shine brighter than anyone else—brighter even than a shooting star streaking across the night sky."

As the memories resurfaced, a face materialized in Luna's mind.

It was Furina.

Am I truly the most dazzling, the most radiant presence before this adorable "God"? Luna wondered absently, then chuckled softly.

But perhaps that wasn't so strange.

After all, we were rivals on the stage.

Luna halted her dance, pressed a hand to her chest, raised her arm, and bowed deeply—the traditional curtain call for opera performers.

But there was no applause, no cheers.

Only her final, softly spoken words lingered in the air:

"Good night, Lady Furina."

The nightmare was finally over.

-

The Sword of Judgment fell.

Crack... A flawless white mask shattered on the floor.

Outside the Oratrice, Chiori, Lynette, and Arlecchino looked up at the machine. Sensing something amiss, Navia, Clorinde, and Chevreuse also turned their heads.

"...White Cat?" Furina murmured thoughtfully, a sudden tightness in her chest, a dull, agonizing ache that made it hard to breathe. An overwhelming sadness and void washed over her, engulfing every corner of her heart. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered.

Why did it hurt so much?

Leaning against the Divine Throne, Furina sobbed uncontrollably. The Announcement Letter slipped from her grasp, landing face down to reveal the message on its back:

"Farewell, Lady Furina."

Suddenly, dark clouds gathered overhead, and a torrential downpour began.

In that instant, a beam of light shot into the sky.

Neuvillette appeared in the air, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Focalors had survived, but at what cost?

The Hydro Archon's Divine Throne had been destroyed, and the Authority that once belonged to the Ancient Dragon had returned to him.

Now as a Complete Dragon, he could finally deliver the final Judgment upon the sins of the Fontainians.

There was only one verdict.

"I, Chief Justice Neuvillette, hereby declare—" His voice was deep and solemn as he raised his hand. "I absolve all Fontainians of their sins."

The Dragon had rendered his Judgment. The surging power erupted forth, merging into the ceaseless rain, transforming into countless shimmering motes that fell like stardust.

-

Inside the Oratrice:

"To casually steal someone's future like that... how utterly audacious, Miss Phantom Thief," Focalors sighed softly.