This was truly... unexpected.
The Phantom Thief White Cat, a descendant of knights?
Luna's emotions were complex. "Does that mean my mother was a Favonius Knight?"
"More precisely, your grandfather was. Your mother didn't inherit the family tradition. She met your father, who came from Liyue, in Fontaine, and eventually gave birth to you."
From this account, it seemed Arlecchino had thoroughly investigated her entire background.
It still feels so unreal.
The Knights of Favonius serve as Mondstadt's defense force, similar in nature to a city guard but also part of Mondstadt's administrative system.
The renowned Acting Grand Master Jean Gunnhildr is often described as the pillar supporting Mondstadt, a sentiment hardly surprising given her near-superhuman capabilities.
For a sinner like me to be descended from knights... Luna was momentarily speechless.
Arlecchino continued, "When I took you in, I thoroughly investigated your background."
"If you ever wished to know the truth, I would have told you, but you never seemed to care about your heritage."
Until now.
"It seems the people around you have changed you somewhat," Arlecchino remarked.
The people around Lulu... Lynette thought, referring to Chiori, Furina, and Navia, perhaps? Lynette glanced at Luna's necklace, its blinding brilliance grating on her nerves.
"If you decide to follow in your parents' footsteps, to understand their past and learn their fate, I will take you with me."
Luna and Lynette both gasped in shock.
With me?
"You're coming with me?" Luna asked, unable to contain her surprise.
Arlecchino replied calmly, "The children of the House of the Hearth are all homeless souls. Some lost their parents long ago, others were abandoned, and still others were caught up in tragic events..."
"As your 'Father,' I took you in. So when you decide to confront your past, I will offer my assistance. This is also one of the duties of a 'King.'"
This is also how she, as our "Father," shows love to her children.
A duty, huh? Luna felt a pang of disappointment, having hoped she was special and that's why Arlecchino was doing this.
"—Besides," Arlecchino added, "you are my special child. Both sentimentally and logically, I should accompany you to uncover the truth."
"...Mm." Luna nodded, her heart swelling with contentment.
But Furina probably wouldn't be pleased. Not only had Arlecchino invited her for afternoon tea, but now she would have to travel to Liyue and Mondstadt with her.
That's right, Luna had made her decision.
Hearing secondhand accounts felt hollow. Only by witnessing events firsthand could she truly grasp the emotions buried beneath the truth of the past.
And she had already confirmed it through Arlecchino's words.
The ending... most likely meant her parents were dead.
"It's getting late. Do you plan to stay or return?" Arlecchino asked.
"Return."
Because Furina was waiting for her.
"Give my regards to Lady Furina," Arlecchino said with a slight nod.
Luna returned a smile and casually left the room.
Lynette hesitated, unsure of what she should do in this moment. She knew Luna's past—Luna had confided in her about her story on their very first night at the House of the Hearth.
Luna possessed nothing but the name "Luna."
"Aren't you going to chase after her?" Arlecchino asked.
Lynette snapped out of her reverie.
"Good night, Father!" she called, hurrying to catch up with Luna.
Before closing the door, Arlecchino caught a fleeting glimpse of a petite figure flitting past the window.
"..."
The sight was identical to the "she" Arlecchino knew so well—but only as she had appeared in her childhood.
Merely a "ghost."
Arlecchino ultimately closed the door.
Luna wasn't walking quickly, so Lynette soon caught up with her.
But when it came to finding something to say, Lynette drew a blank. She'd never been good at socializing, always leaving such matters to her brother. Her usual role was simply to stand by and offer occasional "Mm-hmm," "uh-huh," "yes, exactly," and "that's right." Now, faced with a real situation, she froze up.
Lynette: "..."
Luna: "..."
Why did I even chase after her?
The question flashed through Lynette's mind, but it didn't stop her.
Luna had indeed betrayed their agreement, but that was all she had done.
Just that... Lynette thought absently.
Yet at first, she had been utterly unable to forgive her.
Her footsteps suddenly halted.
Because Luna, who had been walking ahead, had also stopped, turning to lean against the railing. The cool moonlight revealed her face: downcast eyelids, constantly flickering gaze, and a mouth that had lost its usual polite smile.
"Back when we faced life-or-death crises, I used... the specialized Delusion the Doctor gave me."
Then, a pillar of fire tore through the night sky.
Lynette remembered that night vividly.
She leaned against the railing, her head bowed. "Yes... and then you were bedridden for a long time."
"That's right. I've never feared death."
Luna raised her hand, her slender fingertips seemingly touching the moonlight streaming down.
Even as she recalled every detail of that night, there wasn't a trace of fear or regret on her face.
"Before joining the House of the Hearth, I believed my true home was the moon in the sky. Even if I died, my soul would simply return to its rightful place. This conviction stemmed from my name—'Luna.'"
"It means 'moon,' but it's also the name my parents, who abandoned me, gave me."
"I don't fear death, nor do I fear pain. All of this is by my own will. I will never regret my choices, but I do fear loss."
"Back then, I had lost all my strength and could only lie in bed to recover. You had to spend time taking care of me."
"I couldn't help but think: perhaps I had become a burden, a potential danger to your existence—a 'weak point' or 'vulnerability' within the House of the Hearth."
Lynette couldn't hold back any longer.
Her voice urgent, she protested, "No one ever said that!"
"No one said it, but I saw the dissatisfaction in some of the children's eyes."
"You know not everyone in the House is united," Lynette said softly.
That's why conflicts arose, sometimes even requiring duels.
"I know, but once those thoughts started, I couldn't stop them."
"So... is that why you left?"
Lynette's expression was complex. Luna had never told her any of this before.
Luna smiled faintly.
"Later, someone told me: 'You hate your own weakness.'"
"She made me realize they were right. I was indeed afraid of losing things, of being abandoned, but the real reason I left the House was simply because—I hated my own weakness."
Just one use of the Delusion, and she turned out like that.
And to think she could have such fragile thoughts.
Perhaps that's why Arlecchino had always treated her like a child.
"I'm far from mature or strong enough."
The Phantom Thief White Cat was glamorous, flamboyant, and perfect.
But beneath that mask lay only her: a troublesome, awkward, immature, and far from perfect woman.
If the "audience" who came to admire the Phantom Thief ever uncovered her true self, they would surely be disappointed.
The entity known as "Luna" was nothing more than this.
"Even you, Lynette, I don't dare face. I broke my promise to you and have no face to show you. I even think—it might be better if you just hated me completely."
"Hatred is always easier to embrace than affection, and it lasts longer."
People may forget whom they once loved, but they will always remember the objects of their hatred.
Lynette remained silent, her hands clenching into fists.
"I thought I wouldn't care about my origins. Even if I found out, I believed it wouldn't affect me much."
"But..."
"A heinous criminal, yet a descendant of a knight."
"Perhaps my parents never intended to abandon me, only to meet their 'end'."
Luna closed her eyes. "This gift of a name... I never realized how heavy it would be, how disorienting. What must my birth mother have felt as she left me at the orphanage door?"
More importantly:
"If they knew the countless sins I've committed, what would they think?"
Hatred?
Regret?
Disappointment?
It couldn't possibly be relief, satisfaction, or joy.
She was the most infamous Phantom Thief in Fontaine's history, her crimes beyond redemption by any Judgment.
"'Father' taught us: anger breeds impulsiveness, sorrow leads to hesitation."
She shouldn't let this disturb or influence her.
"Yet this hazy, oppressive feeling... I can't shake it off, no matter what I try."
Luna opened her eyes slightly, murmuring again, "I can't shake it off..."
Lynette pressed her lips into a firm line.
Having finally understood Luna's true feelings, the last vestiges of blame and lingering resentment dissolved. They should have had this open conversation long ago.
As childhood friends, they should have understood each other better than anyone else.
If only she had been more proactive, more assertive back then... they wouldn't have waited so long to finally reach a day of mutual understanding.
But this wasn't the end.
She couldn't change the past; no amount of regret could undo it.
I didn't hold onto Lulu's hand, Lynette thought.
But this time was different.
Lynette stepped closer to Luna, clasping her hands behind her back.
"Ears," she whispered.
"Hmm?"
Lynette lowered her voice. "You can touch my ears."