Ever since Furina acquired her Vision, allowing her to summon the infamous "Salon Members," household chores had become significantly easier.
Washing floors, mopping, hanging laundry... even the water bill was cut in half!
This newfound ease allowed Furina to focus on dating Luna and indulging in her favorite pastime: staying home and having fun... or rather, "gathering inspiration."
Is what a creator calls "play" really just play? No! It's research!
Traveling = field research;
Slacking off = indoor research;
Sleeping in = absorbing dream elements...
Whenever Furina was free from work and Luna was home, she would lie with her head on Luna's lap or stomach, reading novels, scripts, or occasionally joining Luna's rehearsals.
Even after leaving the Troupe, Luna still needed to rehearse at home from time to time; otherwise, she felt restless and out of sorts.
"It must be Furina's enthusiasm that has made my body crave the stage," Luna mused.
Furina blushed, "Don't say such strange things! ...Not that I'm not happy to hear it."
She no longer resisted performing on stage, but she preferred to observe from the sidelines—experiencing the world through the eyes of both the audience and the backstage crew.
The number of jobs that piqued her interest could be counted on one hand.
Without exception, they were all utterly boring!
"Luna, when will our troupe be ready?" Furina asked, her head resting on Luna's lap as she kneaded Luna's stomach.
Lately, she'd found the texture of Luna's belly irresistibly soft and warm. She even entertained the idea of burrowing beneath Luna's clothes to bury her face against it, but she wasn't Luna, whose eccentricities didn't extend quite that far.
"Soon," Luna replied. "The paperwork is nearly complete. We just need to choose a venue before submitting the final documents. Let's look at some options together later."
"Mhm! We definitely need a big place!" Furina exclaimed eagerly.
Our troupe! The very thought filled her with excitement and anticipation, didn't it? After all, nothing beats owning something yourself.
Furina had even sketched several interior design concepts and dragged Luna into an all-night discussion, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. Eventually, she succumbed to drowsiness and drifted off in Luna's arms just before dawn.
Luna smiled gently. "Of course," she murmured. "Only a stage grand enough to match our ambitions will do."
Luna patted Furina's head, signaling her to get up.
"What's wrong? Did your legs fall asleep?"
Furina, however, seemed reluctant to move, clinging to Luna's lap like a small animal being driven from its den.
"I need to go out for a bit."
Furina perked up suspiciously. "To see which woman?"
"Just to mail a letter."
Mail a letter?
Furina's eyes widened in realization. "An Announcement Letter?"
"Exactly."
"Oh... alright then! It just so happens I need to go out later too."
After a moment, Furina added earnestly, "Just so you know, I'm not doing anything suspicious! Don't even think about following me. If I catch you sneaking after me..."
Her warning would have been better left unsaid. Now Luna was intrigued.
"If you catch me... what?"
Well... what could Furina really do about it?
Whether in bed or out of it, Furina lacked the confidence to go head-to-head with Luna. Unless Luna willingly took the submissive role, Furina stood no chance.
After mulling it over, Furina crossed her arms and declared, "I'll ignore you for an entire day!"
"Now that's a truly severe punishment."
Luna chuckled.
"After all, people get lonely, don't they?"
Luna murmured softly, "Yes, I get lonely very easily too."
Luna didn't ask what Furina was planning to do. Even if she did, Furina wouldn't answer.
"Then I'll head out for a bit," Luna said.
"Wait a moment," Furina said, fidgeting.
"Hm?"
Furina hesitated before asking, "That... the usual thing? The one you do before you leave. Aren't you going to do it this time?"
The usual thing before leaving? Luna pondered for a moment, then leaned in close to Furina.
She gently kissed the necklace just below Furina's lips.
"Like this?"
"...Hmph, you're so sly," Furina huffed, turning her face away.
She's definitely doing this on purpose.
Fine, if Luna won't do it, then I will! Furina hesitated for a few seconds, then made up her mind. She grabbed Luna's necklace, pulling her close.
The Seafood Three Overlords silently turned away.
Furina, flushed like crimson wine, exhaled deeply. "This is how it should be... Say, were you just waiting for me to do this?"
"Maybe?"
Luna laughed.
Furina couldn't help but wonder, "Do you prefer to be the one taking the initiative, or do you like being pursued?"
"Both."
"So, you're just a pure-minded person obsessed with... that kind of thing," Furina said, her face flushing.
Luna replied lightly, "Because it's you, Furina, standing before me."
Furina chuckled softly. "Indeed, who could resist my charm? I forgive you. Go on! And don't miss me too much while I'm gone—I won't be back for quite a while."
She needed to find Focalors for a proper discussion.
-
Not long after, at the House of the Hearth:
Lyney watched Lynette hum softly to herself and secretly asked Freminet, "I can't believe she's been like this all week."
"Yeah. I saw her catch up with Luna earlier and they seemed to talk things out..."
"Did they reconcile?"
"Maybe. If they did, that'd be great."
Lyney crossed his arms and nodded repeatedly. "Right? As her big brother, I'm really relieved too."
"Brother's being too loud."
"..."
Freminet patted Lyney's shoulder silently. Lyney sighed inwardly, thinking, My little sister's all grown up now. One day she'll leave my protection.
Lynette poured tea and pushed the cups toward them.
"...Lulu told me a lot of things I didn't know."
She traced the rim of her cup. "If I had taken the initiative to properly talk to her sooner, to truly understand her, maybe things wouldn't have escalated so late."
Nor would Luna have ended up surrounded by women who were so fond of her.
Especially Chiori.
It's likely that Chiori, the tailor, was the one who unraveled Luna's emotional knot.
Their easy familiarity made it clear they'd known each other for a long time. Luna probably went to Chiori right after leaving the House of the Hearth.
Can her blade even cut through Lulu's emotional knot?
Freminet lowered his head. "It's not your fault, and it's not Luna's either. Sometimes things just... happen. Even when no one's at fault, situations can spiral out of control beyond repair."
"Yeah, but at least you and Luna are back on good terms."
Back on good terms? I suppose you could call it that.
Back to the way things were before? Not necessarily.
Luna has changed so much, and so have I... We can never truly go back to how things were. A flicker of confusion crossed Lynette's eyes at the thought.
But at least we still have a future, she reminded herself.
After all, she was Luna's childhood friend—a unique and irreplaceable bond.
"I'm going to check the mailbox."
Luna's earlier words had deeply preoccupied Lynette. For days, she had been obsessively checking the mailbox.
She wanted to send them an Announcement Letter.
What treasure could the House of the Hearth possibly possess for her to steal?
And why would she steal treasures from her own home?
Is this what it means to be a Phantom Thief? So strange, so utterly incomprehensible.
Lynette opened the mailbox and found a card inside.
"When did this...?"
Lynette narrowed her eyes, glancing around, but saw nothing.
The Announcement Letter had been delivered silently, without a trace.
She picked up the card.
Born of the breeze, melted in the hearth's fire, standing beneath the new moon. I, Luna Snezhevna, also known as Phantom Thief White Cat, shall return the treasures of the past the moment the hearth's flames flicker and fade. This grand welcome ceremony demands your presence—do not miss this spectacular feast.
Not stealing treasures, but returning them?
Had she ever taken anything from the House of the Hearth? No, Lynette was certain. On the day Luna vanished, nothing was missing.
Lulu's gone bad... Such a cryptic riddle...
I can't understand this.
Lynette decided to report the matter to Arlecchino.
Though she was reluctant to admit it, Arlecchino understood Luna better than anyone else in the House.
She had seen through Luna's temperament, anticipated her decisions, and discerned her innermost desires, including her burning ambition to grow stronger.
No one knew Luna better than Arlecchino.
After listening to Lynette's report, Arlecchino picked up the card and read it carefully.
"...Tell all the children," she said, setting the card down. "Luna is coming home. Prepare yourselves."
"Prepare for what?" Lynette asked.
Arlecchino smiled faintly. "Prepare to ambush her."
"Eh? Ambush?"
"Exactly. This is what Luna wants—she's still tormented by her abrupt departure. Words can't bring her closure, but action can."
"Don't hold back. Use all your strength and try to capture her."
Lynette still couldn't grasp it.
Did this mean Luna wanted them to beat her up? No, no matter how she looked at it, they couldn't possibly defeat Luna. Surviving Arlecchino's executions unscathed—that level of power was beyond what all of them combined could match.
Sensing Lynette's bewilderment, Arlecchino elaborated:
"Do you remember the House rules?"
"Rules? Are you referring to a duel?"
"Exactly. She's provoking you into challenging her to a duel. Once she's dismantled all your strategies, she'll come to me, deliver a gift from the past, and then return to the House of the Hearth."
This was both a duel and a welcoming ceremony.
Lynette seemed to grasp the gist of it, her expression subtly shifting. "...So that's how it is."
Uncommentable.
"But what exactly does 'the gift she once received' refer to?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Arlecchino smiled faintly, offering only a brief reply:
"A small box."