"[Snow Queen]!"
"[Eros]!"
Rinto and Kasumi cut a swift path through the lavish, decadent halls of the Palace, the [Snow Queen] in her dazzling gown and the radiant deity loyally clearing the way.
Perhaps because Sumire's Palace had only just formed, its internal structure remained unstable. Reality continually bled through the fantasy, twisting the hotel-like corridors into fragments of the original stadium, creating a surreal, dreamlike experience.
Sumire's desires attracted numerous Shadows, manifesting as hotel attendants and acclaimed sports stars swarmed by adoring fans. Many attendants who saw Kasumi shouted excitedly, "Princess!"—much like Shadows in Kamoshida's Palace when they encountered Ann. Yet, this time the meaning differed drastically.
The deeper they ventured, the clearer the celebratory banners became:
[Congratulations to Gymnastics Champion Yoshizawa Kasumi!]
Even the looping video now clearly depicted Kasumi's face, celebrating her endless victories.
Kasumi had been unusually quiet this entire time, prompting Rinto to gently speak up for her:
"It seems Sumire's deepest desire isn't to surpass you—it's to become you."
"She idolizes you, her big sister, so intensely that it's turned into envy. In response, this Palace completely lacks any trace of 'Yoshizawa Sumire.' She hates herself, wants to vanish, thinks she shouldn't even exist… It's tragic."
"Yeah," Kasumi answered softly.
She stamped sharply on the polished floor with her bladed ice-heels, instantly conjuring a ring of massive, razor-sharp ice crystals around her.
Her Persona, [Snow Queen], hovered regally above, snapping her fingers as icy winds froze all Shadows in the vicinity solid, reducing them to glittering statues.
Yet despite her majestic dominance, Kasumi's expression held no joy:
"Sumire is smarter than me, sweeter, more obedient. Our parents always call me the wild tomboy, but they only praise Sumire as their perfect daughter."
"I've always been proud to have a wonderful sister like her—I never thought I'd envy her... Actually, no. That's not true."
"I do envy Sumire. That's why part of me hoped she would envy me too."
To admit that honestly required courage. Rinto nodded understandingly:
"You envy Sumire. So when you realized she felt inferior to you, part of you wanted things to stay that way, right?"
Kasumi pouted slightly. "Well, I am the big sister."
"Sumire already surpasses me in almost everything else. If I couldn't at least stay ahead in gymnastics, wouldn't that be too humiliating?"
Realizing what she'd just confessed, Kasumi's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she quickly turned away, hurrying onward. Rinto couldn't help but smile warmly at the delicate sensitivities of adolescence displayed perfectly by these two sisters.
But they were truly good-hearted kids. Their envy stemmed solely from mutual love, each desperately wanting to match the other.
If only he'd supported Sumire better, Rinto silently regretted.
Continuing through the Palace, even Rinto had to acknowledge Kasumi's remarkable skill. It was her first battle, yet her mastery of her Persona and enhanced physical prowess far exceeded Ann's initial attempts. Perhaps her natural acceptance of her powers played a role: Kasumi had awakened effortlessly, completely unified with her inner self, as if she'd been born a Phantom Thief.
Her unwavering confidence was her greatest weapon—no wonder she was exceptional. Not to mention, this Palace belonged to the sister she cherished most.
"Hey, Rinto-senpai?" Kasumi suddenly asked, as they approached the extravagant main bedroom at the Palace's peak. "After we steal the Treasure and force a change of heart, what usually happens to the Palace's ruler?"
"I get that bad people repent, but Sumire hasn't done anything wrong yet, right? She just struggles with anxiety because she's shy. So will nothing really change? Will she just become happier and more confident?"
Rinto smiled reassuringly, "I'm sure she will."
He left it at that.
So far, Rinto's Phantom Thief targets had all been individuals guilty of wrongdoing, naturally leading to repentance. But there were occasional cases—stalkers, for instance—who were driven by obsessive love. After stealing their hearts, those people generally forgot. They'd lose their unhealthy fixation completely, unable to understand why they'd behaved so irrationally in the first place, thus prompting genuine regret.
Sumire hadn't done anything extreme yet. That's precisely why Kasumi had acted immediately, asking Rinto to infiltrate her Palace. She didn't want Sumire impulsively committing something unforgivable or being labeled a criminal.
But Rinto had already realized:
If the core of Sumire's Palace was indeed her love for him, then after they stole the Treasure, Sumire would likely lose that feeling entirely, forgetting she'd ever loved him.
This must be the right thing to do, Rinto convinced himself, carefully burying a small twinge of regret deep inside, never allowing it to resurface.
"—We finally made it!"
With Rinto's experienced guidance, they reached the Palace's highest floor in about two hours.
The room was a lavishly decorated master bedroom: a large canopy bed dominated the center, beneath a dizzyingly high, crystal-studded ceiling.
This dreamy princess bedroom inspired awe even in Kasumi:
"It's gorgeous... I'd love a room like this! It'd really match my [Snow Queen], like that famous movie. You've seen it, right, Senpai?"
"The one about the magical older sister and her ordinary little sister? Yeah, it's pretty famous—"
Rinto's sentence abruptly cut off.
He'd only intended idle chatter while looking for the Treasure, but now he sensed powerful killing intent. From high above, a white-cloaked figure suddenly leapt from the crystal chandelier, sword poised directly at Kasumi!
"Kasumi!"
Before she realized the danger, Rinto grabbed Kasumi and rolled aside. The spot she'd stood moments before exploded into rubble as the cloaked figure's sword struck down violently.
The white-caped figure straightened, revealing itself—a faceless doll-like automaton with joints resembling a ball-jointed marionette. It wore a birdlike mask identical to Rinto's, its chest glowing faintly with the unmistakable aura of the Palace's Treasure.
Kasumi gasped, still trembling in Rinto's arms:
"That's Sumire's Shadow? But it's clearly male... And those clothes look oddly familiar..."
"So this is what she chose, huh?"
Rinto felt a strange mix of admiration and embarrassment.
The doll's identity was clear—it was him. Sumire's cognitive image of Rinto was the Palace's Treasure itself.
"It's me," Rinto explained solemnly. "This is how Sumire sees me. Meeting me led her down this painful path… so it's my responsibility to free her from it."
Releasing Kasumi, Rinto faced his duplicate head-on.
If he'd cared for Sumire more, or accepted her confessions, could all this have been avoided? Could she have been spared this torment and never formed a Palace?
"I'm sorry, Sumire."
Rinto raised his glowing sword, assuming his familiar battle stance:
"I'll give you freedom—so you won't suffer anymore."
The marionette mirrored him precisely, even spreading metallic wings from its back, just as Sumire envisioned her guardian angel—Rinto, who'd saved her once.
Real and fake clashed fiercely, sparks flying impossibly. The doll's power equaled Sumire's idealized strength of Rinto, forcing him to summon [Eros] to shield against the metal feathers slicing through the air.
Steel feathers exploded violently around them, shredding the once-beautiful Palace interior.
Kasumi could barely open her eyes against the blasts but suddenly cried out urgently:
"Senpai, careful! Its chest is glowing brighter!"
"What—?!"
In close combat, Rinto couldn't react in time. The Treasure's light surged wildly from the doll's chest, erupting outward—
—a person?!
Rinto stared dumbfounded as Sumire herself emerged from the Treasure.
She entered her own Palace? How?!
Without hesitation, Sumire raised her hand fiercely—
—SMACK!!
She slapped Rinto across the face so hard it stunned both him and Kasumi.
"Stop deciding things for me!" Sumire's tears burned as she screamed passionately:
"Who said I was mistaken?! Who asked you to take responsibility? I chose to love you on my own! I don't need your permission or your pity! Don't look at me like I'm some pitiful creature… I just want you to love me back—not pity me!"
"Sumire... I'm sorr—"
Stunned, Rinto stepped back instinctively, preparing to apologize, but immediately halted as brilliant white flames ignited around Sumire.
The flames transformed her clothes into a sleek, dark Phantom Thief outfit—part gymnast, part ballet dancer, stylishly bold yet unmistakably inspired by Rinto's silver-knight attire. Even the rapier at her waist closely resembled his.
This was Sumire's rebellion made manifest—admiration for Rinto clearly mixed with fierce defiance.
Her next move shattered the doll-like duplicate beside her, its scattered fragments forming a black birdlike mask reminiscent of Rinto's.
Without hesitation, Sumire gripped the mask, boldly declaring:
"I don't want your apology! I want your love!"
"If you won't say it willingly, I'll lock you away until the day you belong to me forever! Steal the prince's heart—[Cinderella]!"
Was Cinderella always this aggressive? Rinto never imagined it.
As Sumire's Persona majestically materialized, Rinto stood speechless next to an equally stunned Kasumi.
Kasumi nervously whispered, "Senpai… what now? I lied to Sumire about having the app, then secretly brought you here—she won't be mad, will she?"
"You actually considered this a romantic date? Even a honeymoon?" Rinto gave Kasumi an astonished thumbs-up. "You're even scarier than Sumire."
"But honestly," he sighed, truly bewildered, "I have no idea what to do next."
"HEY, FATSO!" Sumire yelled furiously.
"F-fatso?!" Kasumi gasped, near tears from shock at her sister's unprecedented cruelty.