After this, Luna visited the House of the Hearth daily, seizing the memory-reset Clervie and recounting past events again and again, repeatedly taking her to see Arlecchino.
Arlecchino showed no sign of weariness, patiently explaining everything alongside Luna.
Remember—forget. Clervie's state fluctuated endlessly between these two poles.
This cycle repeated for two weeks.
Inside the Opera Epiclese:
Furina stood with her hands on her hips. "Today is our troupe's first stage performance! But don't be nervous—just perform as usual!"
"Yes, Lady Furina!"
"Lady Furina... How many times have I told you, you don't have to use such formalities?"
Furina shook her head and sighed.
Luna smiled faintly. "Indeed. After all, Furina doesn't exactly exude the aura of a great person, does she?"
Furina scoffed lightly. "As if you're any better."
Furina found herself longing for the days when Luna still addressed her as "Lady Furina." At least back then, she held the upper hand in terms of title.
Now? Luna dominated her in both title and demeanor.
But one day, Furina vowed, I'll make Luna cry and beg for mercy!
"Your injuries are healed now, right?"
"Long healed. Want to feel?" Luna whispered into Furina's ear.
Furina blushed furiously. "D-don't say such things here!"
Say it in private, she thought.
Two weeks earlier, Furina had lifted Luna's hem only to find it riddled with wounds—clear evidence of a fight.
Enraged, Furina had pushed Luna down!
Only to wake up pinned beneath her.
Even a wounded or sick cat like Luna proved to be more than she could handle.
Furina puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "I've told you countless times not to get yourself hurt! And what do you do? You run off and fight that woman again!"
"There was a reason."
"Having a reason doesn't mean I'm happy about it!"
"Well, Furina will always take care of me anyway."
Luna smiled.
Furina crossed her arms. "So, my taking care of you has made you grow arrogant? Then..."
There seemed to be nothing she could do about it.
She couldn't just abandon Luna. The more Furina pondered, the more displeased she became. How can I possibly correct Luna's stubbornness?
Unable to find a solution immediately, Furina sighed.
"There won't be a next time, you hear me?"
"Yes."
Only after receiving this response did Furina's expression brighten slightly.
"Speaking of which, that woman came too, didn't she?" she asked.
"Yes, I invited her. I wanted to use this performance to fulfill a wish for one of her old friends. Even if, in her mind, she can never escape that dark home, the dazzling stage lights can guide her toward the afterlife."
Luna had already told Furina about Arlecchino and Clervie—with Arlecchino's permission.
Furina smiled slightly. "And, to put it classically—"
"—snatching away the darkness that cloaked her," Luna finished.
"Wow, starting with such a significant performance right off the bat? But that's even better! It gives me even more motivation!"
As they chatted, Focalors and Clorinde finished changing into their costumes.
"What are you chatting about?" Clorinde asked, walking over. This time, she was playing the stern-faced maid.
Luna, Focalors, and Furina's eyes all drifted to her chest.
Chiori, you're a lifesaver! No awkward buttons this time—just a zipper hidden under the collar.
"Nothing much," Furina said. "Luna was just telling me that this performance isn't just for our loyal fans, but also to fulfill a child's wish."
Clorinde nodded. "I see. Then we can't afford to mess up."
"You... you should indeed be worried about that," Furina said with a peculiar expression.
Has she grown even bigger? Luna seems to have as well.
Why?
Why am I still the same?
Seeing Focalors, Furina felt a momentary sense of relief.
Wait! Why am I relieved? Our bodies are the same! If Focalors hasn't changed, that means there's no chance I'll grow either!
"Don't worry, I'll thoroughly enjoy my part," Focalors said with a radiant smile.
Furina shook her head. "Don't just focus on enjoying yourself! You've been improvising all over the place during rehearsals. If it weren't for Luna and me rehearsing with you, we wouldn't have been able to keep up."
Focalors declared proudly, "Which means my acting is quite impressive, wouldn't you say?"
"True, but still no match for us! I'm a 500-year-level superstar, after all!" Furina puffed out her chest.
"I've been an actress for 500 years too," Focalors retorted, "just playing the Oratrice."
Furina scoffed, "That doesn't count! What's the difference between that and being a cardboard tree in a kindergarten play?"
"The difference is, this isn't a kindergarten."
Furina sighed, "Same idea, though!"
Her eyes lit up. "But you know what? I actually would like to play an inanimate object sometime—or maybe just scenery. After being in the spotlight for so long, I occasionally crave blending into the background."
"Like being a cute, glowing star, or a darling starfish..."
And Luna could play the sand beneath the starfish.
Hmm, having Luna under me in the play still counts as domination.
The thought was absurd, bordering on comical.
"Then I'll play the person who eats the starfish," Luna grinned.
"Dream on! The starfish might just eat you instead," Furina quipped.
Clorinde mused, "That sounds like some kind of horror film."
Amidst their banter, they finalized their preparations. Once the previous troupe finished their performance, it would be their turn to take the stage.
"Attention, Blubberbeast Troupe! Ten minutes until curtain!" A Melusine peeked her head through the door to announce.
"Got it," they replied.
-
In the audience, Arlecchino and Clervie sat side by side.
"Has Luna's performance started yet?" Clervie asked.
In her mind, Opera Epiclese probably still resembled the House of the Hearth from her memories. But based on her earlier reaction, she seemed capable of perceiving the stage.
Arlecchino nodded slightly. "It should begin soon."
"Um..."
"What is it?"
Clervie whispered, "Have you been repeating telling me about what happened before?"
"You haven't said it outright, but I can sense you've been doing the same thing many times."
Arlecchino admitted, "For two weeks."
So it was true.
Upon learning the truth, Clervie felt a mix of relief and guilt.
She said apologetically, "I'm so sorry for causing you and Luna so much trouble. Since I'm already dead and this is just an echo, you can just let me disappear."
"That's Luna's request."
"A request... then there's no helping it." Clervie forced a smile.
Yet she still couldn't understand why Luna insisted on this. What was the point?
The real Clervie was already gone. She looked down at her small hands, then up at Peruere, who seemed even larger than she remembered.
"Peppy..."
"Shh," Arlecchino said, raising a finger to her lips. "The performance is about to begin. Enjoy the show."
Clervie reluctantly fell silent and turned her gaze to the stage.
She caught a glimpse of golden light as the stage lights came up.
[ "This is a house that endlessly repeats the tragedies of the past, where all scenes emerge and vanish like phantoms. Thus, it is known as the Phantom House." ]
Navia's voice rang out as the narrator. As it was the Blubberbeast Troupe's debut, she refused to merely sit in the audience and watch. She had insisted on taking the role of narrator herself.
And Chiori?
Chiori was playing a corpse.
It was undeniably an easy role, but why... Why did it have to be me? Lying motionless on the floor, Chiori couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
The most captivating figures on stage were Luna, Furina, and Focalors.
"So the rumors were true... Lady Focalors has indeed joined the Troupe."
"But which one is Lady Furina?"
Once the performance began, the audience couldn't distinguish between Furina and Focalors.
But there was no need to differentiate, for both delivered equally stunning performances.
Clorinde's presence, however, truly surprised them. They had heard the Champion Duelist was one of the main characters in a film, but they never imagined she would join Luna's Troupe!
The Troupe's talent roster seemed almost excessive.
Clervie's eyes remained fixed on Luna.
As the lead, Luna's performance resonated deeply with the audience, capturing their hearts with her vulnerability and sorrow, her unwavering resolve, and the tender stirrings of first love.
It felt utterly real!
"It was worth every Mora."
"As expected, Miss Luna and Lady Furina together are simply invincible."
"I'm so desperate! I need to pee, but every scene is so captivating... Damn you, Fonta! I shouldn't have drunk so much before the show!"
Clervie's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Peppy, did you see her? Her costume is gorgeous, her acting is superb, and most importantly—the story isn't as cold as the ones 'Mother' reads."
Arlecchino nodded slightly. "I saw. She was born to be on stage."
"Mm, I agree."
Clervie leaned forward, trying to absorb every detail of the musical, but she felt one pair of eyes simply wasn't enough. This was the most perfect play she had ever witnessed!
Though it was her first time watching a play, Clervie, like the rest of the audience, shuddered during the suspenseful scenes and gasped softly at the dramatic moments, utterly immersed in the world unfolding on stage.
Even though the spotlight never shone on her, she felt waves of warmth wash over her. There was no "Mother," no bloodshed, only the dazzling, radiant characters singing at the top of their lungs.
Until the play reached its climax.
"You are untouched by darkness, a ray of sunlight belonging to the vast heavens. Do not look back; depart now! Farewell, Young Miss Clervie!"
This was the first and last time the protagonist's true name was spoken in the entire performance. Throughout the play, the other characters had only addressed her as "Young Miss."
Clervie murmured, "So that's what it meant..."
She finally understood Luna's intention.
This was a farewell ceremony. Now, apart from Arlecchino, Luna, Furina, and the Fatui—or perhaps just a fraction of the Fatui—no one knew the existence Clervie's name represented.
Furina raised her hand. "Esteemed guests from beyond the stars, please join us in bidding farewell to our beloved Young Miss!"
"Farewell, Young Miss Clervie!" the audience shouted in unison.
They merely thought it was a moment of audience participation, never suspecting that, beyond the blind spot of their gaze, a true farewell was indeed taking place.
Arlecchino murmured, "Clervie."
"Mm-hmm."
"In my capacity as the Harbinger 'The Knave,' I hereby declare you banished from the House of the Hearth. From this day forward, you are no longer one of us."
Clervie smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Peppy. I'm perfectly content now, with no regrets at all."
"...Then that's good. Farewell, until the next life."
"Of course. When we all meet again in the next life, I'd love to be Luna's older sister. She's such a wonderful child—please take good care of her, Peppy."
Clervie's figure gradually faded away, leaving behind only an empty seat.
Arlecchino didn't turn to look at the vacant seat. Her gaze remained fixed on the stage, on Luna's face glistening with sweat.
Then, along with the rest of the audience, she clapped and applauded.
Lynette had once remarked that Luna was growing more like her.
Arlecchino had dismissed the notion. Compared to herself, Luna resembled Clervie far more, but only partially. Now, however, that seemed entirely wrong.
Because only Luna could have done something like this.
Only a Phantom Thief could have stolen the deeply entrenched darkness from Clervie, whisking her away from the House of the Hearth of the past and into the Phantom House upon this stage.