The crisis had passed. Martinat, leader of the Romeuf Gang, and all his members were arrested by the Maison Gardiennage.
Although Romeuf himself didn't appear to have participated in the operation, he wouldn't escape justice.
No one could provoke the Spina di Rosula and walk away unscathed.
Before pursuing Romeuf, however, Navia still had something she wanted to say to Luna.
"Please transfer them directly to the opera house for trial," Navia requested. "I want them judged according to the Law."
"Understood, Miss Navia!" The Maison Gardiennage escorted the prisoners onto the ship bound for Fontaine.
Only the Law's Judgment awaited them.
"I thought you'd give them a few extra bullets for good measure," someone commented.
Navia shook her head. "The Law is what's needed to judge criminals. I won't resort to vigilante justice. As President of the Spina di Rosula, I must uphold our principles."
"You sound just like Miss Captain," Luna remarked.
Hearing the familiar voice and tone, Navia turned to look upward.
Luna sat on the hillside, swinging her legs and smiling down at her.
"...Lulu," Navia murmured.
"Hmm?" Luna replied.
Navia hesitated, words catching in her throat.
Luna's response was an undeniable confirmation. Her suspicions were correct: Luna was indeed the Phantom Thief White Cat.
Whether they were battling each other, fighting side-by-side in the Court of Judgement, or standing opposed during the Judgment of God, the truth remained:
The Phantom Thief White Cat and Luna could not coexist.
There was only Luna.
Now, Navia struggled to speak, unsure what to say.
Luna leaped down, her hands clasped behind her back, and tilted her head slightly. "Can't think of what to say?"
"Yeah."
There were so many questions she wanted to ask.
Why become a Phantom Thief? What really happened during the final Judgment?
But at this moment, only one question truly mattered:
"...Am I still your partner?"
Luna's tone remained light and cheerful: "That depends on how you see it. After all, you were the one who initially invited me to be your partner."
Navia suddenly remembered. It was true; she had been the one who first suggested becoming partners with Luna.
I warned you, those who expect anything of me will always be disappointed.
You might have thought I was some virtuous Miss Detective, but I'm not. On the contrary, I'm Fontaine's most terrifying and vicious Phantom Thief.
From the very beginning, Luna had warned her: You'll be disappointed.
"Then why did you accept in the first place?" Navia couldn't help but ask.
"Because Nana said it didn't matter."
Perhaps Navia had initially initiated out of ignorance, but now she fully understood Luna's true identity.
"Can you still say it doesn't matter now?" Luna countered.
Navia slowly shook her head. "No... How could I possibly say it doesn't matter?"
You've been hiding this from me all along. Every smile, every glance that had surfaced in my mind, was built on this lie. The face beneath the mask is still a mask.
"It does matter. It matters a lot."
Navia stepped closer to Luna.
Luna watched her silently, unmoving, as if she would willingly accept whatever Navia chose to do.
"The person I cherish most, the one closest to me, is my rival, my enemy—how could I possibly say it doesn't matter? I can't. You've been hiding this from me, lying to me all along."
Navia raised her hand. Luna braced herself for a slap, but instead, Navia gently removed Luna's mask.
"...But at the same time, your feelings for me are genuine. I can feel it."
Navia pinched Luna's cheek.
"Honestly, I've never met anyone whose false and true selves are so intricately intertwined, yet coexist without conflict within the same person."
"Have you ever felt discomfort about deceiving me?"
Luna murmured, "No."
"That's too much," Navia sighed.
Wearing a mask, yet showering her with genuine affection.
Uncaring whether she was disguised, never stinting on her attention, kisses, care, and embraces.
Unmasking Luna's true identity was a formidable challenge, but figuring out how to confront someone who seemed so complex, yet was ultimately so simple and pure, proved the most difficult question of all.
Still, she'd come up with a rough idea last night.
The hazy answer had already surfaced in her heart. Navia took Luna's hand.
"...Let's go!"
"Go?"
Navia tipped her hat, her smile radiant. "First, we'll catch that Romeuf fellow, then we can have a proper talk!"
Luna gazed into Navia's eyes, reached for her hand, and lightly bit her fingertip.
The sharp sting didn't make Navia flinch or struggle.
No resistance, no repulsion—people often struggle to conceal their true feelings for others, especially under stimulation.
"I see." Luna put on her mask, satisfied.
"Then let's go."
Navia rubbed her fingertip, muttering, "You're truly cunning."
She had managed to see straight through her heart, directly reading the answer she was about to give Luna.
Yet she felt no resistance whatsoever.
Instead, her heart raced uncontrollably, warmth flooding her body.
Oh well. Navia pointed forward. "Let's move out, partner! Lead the way!"
By tracking Romeuf's gang from their base, they could find his whereabouts.
"Aye, aye, Captain."
-
Romeuf glanced back at the receding coastline, wiping the sweat from his brow.
I wonder if the operation succeeded.
But first, escape. Being targeted by the Special Task Force now is no joke.
Once they lock onto us, Chevreuse will charge in, Pyro blazing, and blow us all to smithereens.
After the Phantom Thief White Cat died, the Captain of the Special Task Force became even more ruthless; and since the Phantom Thief White Cat's resurrection, she's become nine, no, even ten times more ferocious... truly terrifying.
Yet in this "Nation of Justice," evil never ceases to be born.
Once the heat dies down, I'll return to rebuild my forces.
If Poisson is destroyed, all the better.
If I can't have it, I'll destroy it!
And if that damned Daughter of Callas dies in the chaos, even better.
"That fool Clementine... why even give birth to her if this was how it would end? If it weren't for that old Callas bastard, would the Spina di Rosula have ended up like this?"
If I were President, the Spina di Rosula would have been invincible long ago! Romeuf shook his head and sighed.
"Boss!"
"What is it?"
"There's something in the sky!"
Something? Romeuf looked up at the sky. Beneath the blinding sunlight, a swift, dark shadow dove from above!
Boom! The shadow slammed into the ship's hull, sending waves crashing high into the air, which briefly transformed into a shower of spray before raining back down.
The raised umbrella shielded them from the falling droplets.
Beneath its shelter stood two familiar figures.
Navia removed her sunglasses—borrowed temporarily from Silver—and smiled. "First time meeting you, Monsieur Romeuf. Or perhaps... long time no see, you traitor to the Spina di Rosula?"
"Navia, and..."
Luna smiled but remained silent.
That mask, that outfit... it's Phantom Thief White Cat!?
Ahhh, why is the Phantom Thief here?!
Romeuf was terrified, his face draining of color. How could he possibly antagonize a Phantom Thief who dared to defy even the Archons?
After exchanging panicked glances with his men, he made a difficult decision.
"I... we surrender!"
Luna whispered, "What do we do now?"
Navia smiled faintly. "What else can we do? I've already made my intentions perfectly clear."
She put her sunglasses back on and racked the slide of her umbrella, chambering a round.
Then she pointed the umbrella at Romeuf and his men.
"No respect? Eat lead!"
"Frontal ambush!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the end, the Meropide Medical Office joyfully received several prisoners with "minor injuries" all over their bodies.
Though they wouldn't be executed, she made sure to land a few extra blows to etch fear into their hearts, ensuring they understood that the Spina di Rosula was not to be trifled with.
That's what it means to be truly safe.
Of course, Navia had to admit she was indeed "a little bit" angry.