After exchanging brief pleasantries, the host's young female assistant enthusiastically continued her praise of Kamoshida:
"Kamoshida-san, your popularity has only grown since retiring! Under your leadership, the men's volleyball team brought home our country's first Olympic gold medal in this event—you're truly a national hero!"
"Not only that, I've heard that even though you've starred in numerous commercials after retirement, you've generously donated more than half of your earnings to your hometown's school, sponsoring the construction of athletic facilities such as sports fields and gymnasiums to support future athletes. That's incredibly admirable—most people couldn't do that!"
"Ah… it's really not that impressive…"
Kamoshida's forehead was drenched with sweat, his smile awkward yet seemingly humble.
His eyes shone brightly under the studio lights, embodying the simple-minded, diligent athlete the public wanted him to be.
"I'm just a simple man from a rural village who happened to be physically strong, so I trained hard in sports. After joining the national team, my performance wasn't very good for the first few years, and by my final Olympics, I'd already planned to retire… I never imagined we'd win gold. It was truly thanks to my teammates."
"Compared to me, someone who just got lucky, I'm sure there are many talented athletes around the country who haven't yet discovered their gifts. If I can help these kids even a little, encourage more people to enjoy sports, and draw attention to volleyball… um, well, that's pretty much it."
"Oooh…"
Kamoshida's speech was so earnest and inspiring that even Ann and Ryuji, who hated him deeply, were momentarily stunned.
The beautiful assistant grew even more excited:
"Kamoshida-san, you truly are amazing! Not only talented and handsome, but your spirit is noble as well! Honestly, it was my admiration for you that inspired me to pursue a career in sports broadcasting! Would you please give me your autograph?"
The audience erupted with cheers at her request.
Even the host chimed in, jokingly egging them on: "Truly befitting a charismatic hero athlete—now you're stealing away my assistant! You're truly the king of the volleyball world, our beloved King Kamoshida!"
Kamoshida stammered awkwardly, "Ah… I-I'm not that amazing…!"
…Thump.
The Phantom Thieves watching this memory clearly felt their hearts beating heavily.
A surge of vanity and satisfaction flowed through them, as Kamoshida's deepest desires resonated clearly within their minds.
Sweat streamed down his face, flushed with embarrassment yet unable to hide a delighted smile.
When the vision faded, everyone felt disoriented for a moment.
Morgana leaped onto Rinto's shoulder, his round face solemn:
"That guy, Kamoshida—he became twisted precisely because of flattery like that, gradually inflating him into the person we see today."
"He was originally just a humble athlete, yet he succumbed completely to his own desires… It's truly pitiful."
Ryuji stomped his foot angrily. "Even if that's true, he's still scum!"
"Yeah, exactly."
Rinto nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with Ryuji.
"Very few people are born evil. Kamoshida really did achieve great things in sports, which would have required intense dedication."
"But that doesn't excuse the terrible things he's done. Understanding why he became this way is important—not to forgive him, but to stop others from following his path, to protect future victims."
Everyone's eyes brightened again, understanding Rinto's meaning perfectly.
He continued firmly:
"Let's keep going. This was just the first crystallization of desire. I'm sure this palace still has more. Let's find them."
At Morgana's suggestion, the team decided to call these crystallized desires "Desire Stones."
They were like critical turning points, helping the thieves understand exactly how Kamoshida's twisted desires had taken root.
"Found another one! It's hidden in a similar room!"
Ann scaled a high wall using her whip as a rope, discovering another Desire Stone tucked away in the attic of one of the castle's spires.
Repeating their earlier approach, the Phantom Thieves again witnessed a sealed memory from Kamoshida's past—though this one was far more troubling.
The scenery shifted, revealing Kamoshida on his knees, desperately bowing before a woman.
Ann recognized her first. "Hey, isn't that the assistant from earlier—the woman who admired him so much?"
Kamoshida was repeatedly bowing to her, weeping bitterly:
"I'm so sorry! I was drunk… I never intended for this to happen! I—I didn't realize it was your room… You were so nice to me before, always saying kind things at the dinner… I—I misunderstood your intentions… I'm truly sorry!"
Ah…
Even without Rinto explaining, the Phantom Thieves quickly grasped the situation.
Ann held her head painfully:
"My modeling senpai warned me about things like this. It happens often in these circles—celebration parties used to lure people closer. Some genuinely misread signals; others even drug people… and then there's those infamous 'entertainment' arrangements from TV networks. It's disgusting."
Ryuji cocked his head, still confused: "Huh? Wait, what exactly happened here? Leader, why's Kamoshida apologizing to this lady? Did all of you get it already?"
Morgana sighed. "Ryuji, this cluelessness is your problem!"
Being an insightful feline, Morgana jumped up and landed a swift paw-smack on Ryuji's head, silencing him instantly.
Meanwhile, Kamoshida's memory continued to unfold.
The TV network's manager entered, reassuring Kamoshida calmly:
"Please don't worry, Kamoshida-san. Leave this matter to us—you're our hero, after all. We'll make sure it's handled smoothly."
…Thump.
Relief, shock, and a sense of fortunate escape filled Kamoshida, overwhelming him. He'd barely evaded disaster.
Yet, at this point, a lingering trace of guilt and responsibility still remained within him.
Rinto quietly pocketed the second Desire Stone.
"Let's continue, everyone. We're almost finished."
The Phantom Thieves nodded firmly, determined to witness exactly how far Kamoshida had fallen.