Furina, Please Let Me Steal Your Heart!

Click!

The camera's flash illuminated the corpse's ghastly form.

The security team combed the crime scene for any trace of evidence, while outside, a cacophony of voices swelled.

Turenna, her voice weary, asked, "We just dealt with the Phantom Thief yesterday. Why another murder case this morning?"

"Technically, it's twelve murders."

"Huh? Twelve?"

Chevreuse's face showed not even a hint of fatigue. "That's correct, including Alkien, there are twelve victims. The Marechaussee Phantom estimates the time of death to be between 2 and 3 AM last night."

That means twelve people were killed within an hour?!

Turenna, uneasy, asked, "Were the fatal injuries... all the same?"

"Pretty much. All died from a sharp object piercing their hearts—a single, lethal blow. The strikes were remarkably clean and brutal. It reminded me of several highly similar cases that occurred before."

Such a series of murders had once plagued the city of Fontaine.

Overnight, numerous individuals fell to the swift and deadly hand of an unseen killer.

Not a single clue or trace of the perpetrator was left behind.

Though still bewildered, Turenna couldn't help but admire her captain: "You're practically a machine, Captain! Aren't you even a bit tired?"

"I haven't slept."

"No wonder... Wait, what?! You haven't slept at all? That's not healthy!"

Chevreuse glanced at her with a reassuring look. "Don't worry, my mind is still sharp as a needle. I can't sleep only because..."

Because a certain Phantom Thief keeps lingering in my thoughts, refusing to fade.

"...I've had too much coffee. I'll catch some sleep later. No need to fret."

"That's a relief!"

Turenna gazed at the corpses and remarked, "Still, Alkien got what he deserved!"

Chevreuse hesitated before responding, "...True, he received his punishment. But his punishment should have been through Fontaine's legal system, not vigilante justice."

"But we didn't have the evidence to arrest him!" Turenna countered. "Letting him roam free out there, isn't that also a failure of justice?"

Chevreuse crossed her arms. "That's true, but you can't think like that."

"Why not?"

"Because we represent Fontaine's order and justice. Vigilante justice cannot, and should not, exist in the courts of Fontaine."

"We have the authority to carry firearms, but this does not mean we can replace the law and judge criminals in our personal capacity."

"Don't let your emotions control you, Turenna."

Chevreuse's expression remained cold, her tone calm, but her gaze seemed to pierce through the present, returning to a distant past.

These were words born from experience, and they marked her bottom line.

Turenna scratched her head. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. You still have much to learn."

"... Captain, do you think the Phantom Thief could have done this?" Turenna asked, shifting the conversation to something more comfortable.

The Phantom Thief? Chevreuse immediately dismissed the idea. "No."

"Why do you ask?"

"... Gut feeling."

That woman might be infuriating, but she's not the type to do such things, Chevreuse thought. If she truly wanted to settle a score, she'd probably tie up her target, package them as a gift, and deliver them to the doorstep of the security forces—a surprise no one would find amusing.

But perhaps this is just wishful thinking, Chevreuse acknowledged to herself.

After all, I don't truly understand the Phantom Thief White Cat at all.

Maybe it was those two men in black Turenna mentioned...

"Step aside, I'm Charlotte, a journalist from The Steam Bird!"

Hearing this name, Chevreuse felt a twinge of impending doom.

Oh god, not her again.

-

Three days later.

The next day.

Fountaine Staged Serial Murders? Mr. Nice Guy Reveals Dark Side?

Last night, twelve homicides shook Fountaine; the deceased included Alkien... and others. The cause of death: a sharp object piercing through their hearts. The motive remains unclear.

Yet, beyond the murders, a stunning scandal has come to light:

Behind his benefactor facade in the music industry, Mr. Nice Guy Alkien secretly coerced young talents to satisfy his and his accomplices' desires.

These "desires" included, but were not limited to: playing music naked... (details omitted).

Refusal meant facing a series of brutal assaults. Many victims who endured his predations have since spoken out, expressing relief that justice has finally arrived.

Multiple artists have come under suspicion. Investigations reveal that Alkien and his accomplices bribed judges of certain music competitions. Some authoritative figures in the music industry are now suspected of accepting these bribes...

Without a doubt, this was a case of vigilante justice.

The Court of Justice stated: "The culprit should be tried in a court of law, not die at someone's hand."

-

Within the Palais Mermonia.

Furina set down that day's newspaper and sighed. "Hasn't Fontaine become increasingly chaotic lately? Could this be another sign of the prophecy?"

Disorder always precedes calamity—many stories illustrate this pattern.

Furina's thoughts spiraled as she involuntarily hugged herself, feeling uneasy.

It was already nighttime, and with all her daily tasks completed, Furina finally had a brief moment to rest.

Considering her upcoming schedule, she should immediately go to bed to conserve energy.

But sleep eluded her.

It wasn't due to nightmares; she simply couldn't drift off.

Everyone experiences such sleepless nights now and then, especially someone like her—an ordinary person?

"....." Furina stood up and approached the mirror.

She gently caressed its surface, and the reflection revealed her expression.

Her face showed a mind weighed down by worries and exhausted beyond measure.

This was not a look she could afford to show before her "audience," but at this moment, she was utterly alone.

There was no stage, no spotlight, and no viewers.

"Not a Archon, yet I must play the part of one... How much time has passed since that fateful day?" she murmured.

She was not a Archon.

Though by no means could she be considered an ordinary person... after all, she had lived for so long without aging at all—still, she was certainly not Fontaine's Hydro Archon.

Long ago, when the first glimmer of consciousness flickered to life within her, she gazed into a mirror and beheld a visage that was both familiar and alien.

Snow-white hair cascaded down her shoulders, while eyes of two distinct hues—like twin constellations in the night sky—peered back at her. The image in the glass was undeniably her own reflection.

Yet, the figure within the mirror unexpectedly spoke:

"The calamity of Fontaine will come to pass, for all shall unfold as foretold by the prophecy."

The augury foretold a tempestuous fate: all souls would dissolve into the sea, leaving only the Hydro Archon, the Goddess of Water, to weep solitary tears upon the divine throne. Only then, it was said, would the sins of the Fontaine people be washed clean.

This ancient prophecy, once but a distant echo of the past, now seemed to reverberate with an ominous urgency.

For centuries, the waters surrounding Fontaine had been steadily rising. It was only a matter of time before the cataclysmic events foretold by the sages came to pass.

The figure in the mirror continued:

"I possess a means by which all may be saved, yet... it will require you to endure some measure of pain."

Why me? This thought echoed through Furina's mind.

The scales of fate balanced precariously. On one side hung the fate of an entire nation—their very existence erased from the tapestry of time. On the other,stood a singular soul beset by suffering—a horrifically asymmetrical equation, yet equality prevailed.

The choice was stark: if by shouldering such anguish she could forge a future diametrically opposed to the darkness prophesied, then the decision was clear—time for deliberation was a luxury she could ill-afford.

Thus, she acquiesced to the mirror's enigmatic inhabitant: "Fontaine has just lost its Hydro Archon," he bid her. "I require you to assume the mantle of 'God'."

To act—it meant to put on a pretend performance.

To deceive everyone by posing as a divine being.

And so you'll endure countless ages until a grand, theatrical Judgment brings it all to an end. Only then will Fontaine embrace its true future.

Whatever you do, don't let anyone unveil your true identity. For if that happens, the last glimmer of hope will vanish alongside it.

Innumerable days and nights had passed since that fateful day.

The prophecy seemed to be unfolding little by little, and no matter how she tried, she couldn't halt its approach.

What did the mirror truly mean by "the end"?

"When will this all end?" Furina whispered softly.

Of course, there was no answer.

Furina sighed, turning away in frustration. "Honestly, couldn't you at least grant me some other ability?"

She was expected to embody the Hydro Archon, yet she lacked even the simplest water-elemental powers.

Were they really expecting her to hide two water guns up her sleeves?

"...How utterly stifling."

Unable to sleep and with nothing to do, Furina decided to take a stroll. She didn't plan to venture far; just a leisurely walk along the beach outside Fountaine would suffice.

Composure is key to playing one's part.

The moment it cracks, the performance will collapse.

And when the act falters, it's no laughing matter – it spells disaster... in every sense!

Meanwhile, on another street...

Luna set down the newspaper and gazed out the window, taking in the sights of Fountaine. She knew exactly who the article referred to.

Arlecchino, her "father," master of the House of the Hearth, and fourth-ranked Harbringer of the Fatui – known as "the Knave." She was also her benefactor and family.

She's just as charming as ever.

She had the children gather intelligence, marking their prey.

Then, she hunted them down.

A significant portion of those she killed were indeed criminals of the worst kind, and her actions were often labeled as vigilante justice.

Alkien and his accomplices were merely twelve among the countless souls she had claimed.

Luna would never forget that night when Arlecchino's blood had splattered across the entire floor. Nor could she ever forget all that she had done for her.

-

"You have nice ears," Arlecchino remarked, stroking Lynette's feline ears with one hand, his voice ice-cold. "They're useful for listening in. From now on, learn to make the most of them. As for you..."

Their eyes met.

Arlecchino's gaze was steady, devoid of any discernible emotion.

"Well done," she said simply.

Then, she gently placed her hand on Luna's head, her fingers softly stroking a few times.

Luna retracted her straying thoughts, returning them to her mind as she gazed silently into the distance.

Luna remained speechless.

Though it was late at night, perhaps due to sleeping too much yesterday, she still felt wide awake. Alternatively, memories of the past seemed to linger, making it impossible for her to even begin drifting off.

Yet if asked what she ought to do, she couldn't provide an answer.

Chiori must be asleep by now; it wouldn't be appropriate to suddenly drop by and squeeze into her bed.

Sis, let's snuggle! I'm feeling lonely."

Saying something like that would surely earn Luna a scolding from Chiori.

Navia should also be in slumber's embrace by this hour.

"Hmm... I'll just take a stroll outside instead."

A bit of distraction might help her sleep. She decided to wander about, thinking she might even uncover some information on hidden treasures.

"Ah, I still haven't used my reward points. But there's no rush."

Since she'd be searching for treasure intel, she needed to venture out in her Phantom Thief guise.

Changing into the Phantom Thief costume and donning the mask, Luna leaped into the night sky.

After a short while, Luna hadn't found any treasure but did discover an unexpected figure.

"Isn't that... Furina?"

Why is she out so late by herself?

Curiosity piqued Luna's interest. She hesitated for a mere half-second before deciding to change her target.

Treasure? What treasure could possibly compare to Fontaine's Archon?

The answer was clear: none!

"Heh heh..."

Furina suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

Am I being watched? Is this just my imagination?