All the children of the House of the Hearth had once been homeless.
"My mother abandoned me."
"Me? I was sold by my original family..."
"My parents suddenly disappeared..."
Abandoned, sold, parents vanished, parents killed—every child carried an unspeakable past.
"What about you, Luna?" a child had once asked.
"I..."
Maybe I was abandoned.
But it didn't matter anymore.
She had Arlecchino now, and Lynette, and her friends Lyney and Freminet... Her origins didn't matter.
Knowing she was a half-blood was enough.
At least, Luna told herself she didn't care. But the thorn remained lodged in her heart. Forgetting the pain didn't mean the wound had vanished.
That was why she had chosen to leave when she was at her most vulnerable.
To possess something is to fear losing it, and that fear makes one want to sever all ties.
The root cause of it all was "weakness."
Not strong enough physically, not strong enough mentally—but no amount of strength could answer why she had been given the name "Luna" only to be abandoned at an orphanage's doorstep.
Now, she might have found the answer.
"To my dear daughter, Luna."
"I don't know if you will ever see this final letter. I hope you don't, because it means we failed. The enemy took our good friend hostage."
"We couldn't rescue him, nor could we defeat the enemy. We can only write this letter before losing consciousness. Though the enemy demanded it, we truly wanted to leave something behind..."
"I'm sorry, Luna."
"But if you are reading this, I'm actually quite happy."
"As an infant, you couldn't understand our words, and you probably won't remember our faces or voices. We left no trace in your memory. This letter is our first and last chance to communicate with you."
"I'm sorry, Luna."
"You probably resent us for abandoning you. We brought you into this world, only to leave you behind. It may sound like an excuse, but we didn't want to drag you into our fight against these gangs."
"These gangs are utterly ruthless. They wouldn't spare even an infant."
"A friend recommended an orphanage, so I left you at its doorstep. They should take good care of you."
"your father always said you'd grow up to be even more beautiful than me. Of course you would! Back in Mondstadt, everyone praised my looks, so my daughter would naturally be just as lovely."
"I wish I could see you all grown up."
"I'm sorry, Luna."
"We failed. We couldn't come for you. We weren't strong enough, and your grandfather's sword fell into enemy hands. If you're reading this letter, does that mean you've reclaimed it? That would be wonderful."
"The Azure Radiance of Hydrell is a sword only our family can wield. The Crimson-Eyed Knights—that's what people used to call us. Sounds cool, doesn't it?"
"Are you an adventurer now? Or perhaps a member of the Special Task Force? As our child, you're bound to achieve great things. We believe you won't lose to anyone."
"Looking back, we argued so many times over what to name you."
"Your father's name ideas were all so plain. A daughter deserves a name that's both elegant and lovely."
"Then I remembered you were born at night, and the moonlight that evening was so beautiful. That's why I named you 'Luna.'"
"Luna Hydrell—it sounds both cool and beautiful."
"Luna, when you grow up, you'll realize this world is filled with much evil and may not seem beautiful. But it also holds many shining souls, like stars scattered across the night sky."
"You'll be one of them—perhaps even the brightest of all."
"I really wish I could have seen you become that person with my own eyes."
"I'm sorry, Luna. I can't write any more, but there's still so much I want to tell you..."
"Please forgive us. And know that we love you."
"Goodbye, our dearest Luna."
It was less a final will and more a letter.
At least, she had written it like a letter to her daughter, but many sentences were blacked out, their original words lost forever.
Helplessness? Resentment? Rage? Pain?
Luna remained silent.
This was the truth. The truth of why she was named Luna, yet "abandoned"—it was all the result of others' sins.
She gently stroked the paper, speechless.
"I..."
I won't let you see the person I've become.
I'm not part of the Special Task Force, nor the Maison Gardiennage. Luna felt the weight of the mask on her face and slowly closed her eyes.
I was never abandoned to begin with.
It was the result of others' sins, but how ironic—I myself am a sinner. At this thought, Luna felt her blood boil once more.
"Thank you. I love the name Luna," she murmured.
"You never did anything wrong that needed my forgiveness."
Heat surged through her body, churning within.
What is this feeling? Luna found it unfamiliar, but she quickly understood.
It was rage.
A burning rage.
"I cannot inherit the name of Hydrell. The descendant of a hero should not be a sinner. But with this sword—I will cleanse every sin from this place, at this very moment."
Then Luna felt it. Something had answered her will.
The next second, a blinding white light erupted!
The dynamite had exploded! But Luna was prepared. She knew it was here. Arlecchino knew too. They hadn't disarmed it for one specific reason.
She pressed the pocket watch.
"Your pathetic tricks will never lay a single scratch on me!"
She was faster than the blast. Snatching Malo, she shot toward the exit, bursting back to the surface just as the inferno threatened to swallow them whole.
And then...
A Vision appeared.
Flames surged, engulfing Luna. She tossed Malo aside and gazed up at the Vision, which shone with fierce brilliance even amidst the raging storm.
Visions were said to manifest in response to intense desires.
But Luna had no such desire at this moment.
This felt more like... a validation.
Luna raised her hand, letting the Vision settle into her palm. The gale whipped her cloak and hair as she felt the Vision's power, the fury surging within her. She took a deep breath.
Then she clenched her fist around the Vision!
Her pure white mask ignited with flames, yet they did not burn her face.
The gang members who rushed to the scene froze in shock.
Didn't they say the Phantom Thief was buried alive? How is she not dead—and she even got a Vision!?
"To all the audience members who have arrived, you've come at the perfect time!"
Chevreuse stared blankly at Luna.
"The stage is set. Now, enjoy the show—"
Her fingertip pressed against the flaming mask. A spectral image materialized above and behind her. She raised her other hand, gripping The Azure Radiance of Hydrell, and pointed it at her enemies.
Then, a smile spread across her face.
"—my performance of The End of Sin!"
"I am the Phantom Thief, the one who steals all treasures! Your twisted desires and pathetic wishes—I shall claim them all!"