Chevreuse opened her pocket watch. It was 8:00 AM.
Dressed in casual clothes, she stood at the corner of the plaza, sighed, and closed the watch. She wouldn't consider this a "date."
It was merely an opportunity to learn more about Phantom Thief White Cat.
Just a private meeting.
Chevreuse crossed her arms and surveyed her surroundings.
Chevreuse seemed agitated, but not because her "date" hadn't arrived. The "package" she'd just received had thrown her off balance.
"Excuse me, could I ask for directions?" A young girl, elegantly dressed and with impeccable manners, approached and asked timidly.
"Hmm? Sure, go ahead."
"Well..." The girl smiled faintly. "How does one reach Miss Chevreuse's heart?"
Chevreuse studied her intently. Another face? How many does this one have?
"Perhaps you never will, White Cat," Chevreuse replied.
Luna looped her arm through Chevreuse's and chuckled softly. "You saw right through me! Did my dear Miss Captain receive the gift I sent you?"
Chevreuse tried to shake off Luna's grasp, but Luna held firm. A slight frown creased her brow, clearly displeased by the unwanted contact.
"If this is a date, shouldn't we act like one? If you keep rejecting me like this, Miss Chevreuse, even I might get hurt."
"This isn't a date," Chevreuse clarified.
"I think it is."
"I don't."
Luna abruptly released her arm, feigning disappointment. "It seems we have conflicting opinions. If Miss Chevreuse insists on rejecting me, I suppose I'll have to take my leave."
Seeing Luna turn to leave, Chevreuse's frown deepened. She grabbed Luna's wrist.
"What do you mean by that?"
Luna murmured softly, "Miss Chevreuse is always so unapproachable. It's quite discouraging."
Chevreuse disliked the feeling of having the initiative so easily snatched away. I can't just let this opportunity slip away.
She knew this was one of Luna's little tricks. If the Phantom Thief White Cat retreated at the first sign of rejection, she wouldn't have had to work so hard to catch her today.
"...Then what do you suggest we do?"
As if waiting for those words, Luna looped her arm through Chevreuse's again. "Naturally, this."
Chevreuse felt the soft pressure on her arm. She lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact.
"Rest assured, Miss Chevreuse. Since this is a date, I'll prioritize your comfort."
Then why are you doing this?
Before Chevreuse could voice her thought, Luna raised a slender finger. "But Miss Chevreuse must also take good care of me. A date isn't a one-sided affair."
"What benefit could you possibly gain from acting like this?" Chevreuse asked.
"Plenty."
Luna pressed closer. "Being with Miss Captain is the greatest reward of all."
Chevreuse sighed, abandoning the pretense. "I don't believe a word you say."
Knowing the White Cat's nature, she must have uttered similar lines to countless others. Anyone foolish enough to take her every word at face value would surely be lured into the Abyss.
"Any plans?" Chevreuse asked casually.
"What plans does Miss Captain have?"
She had considered suggesting a day trip to the Fortress of Meropide, but quickly dismissed the idea. I need to learn more about the White Cat.
...Of course, that was purely to capture her. It would be best to investigate her past as well. If the Phantom Thief was born from past sins, uncovering her history might reveal her true identity. And if those sins remained unjudged, unresolved...
Chevreuse glanced at her. I'll resolve them for you myself, then deliver you to the Fortress of Meropide.
Their eyes suddenly met.
Luna studied Chevreuse's attire with interest: practical casual wear, but beneath it, a familiar Special Task Force undershirt.
"Do you have to wear your uniform even on your day off?"
"It's not my fault the person I'm with is a major criminal," Chevreuse said nonchalantly.
In reality, it was just a precaution in case she needed to be deployed urgently. She was on vacation, but criminals wouldn't wait for her to finish resting before striking.
"Then take my arm and hold on tight, okay? If you take your eyes off me—"
Luna winked playfully. "I might just vanish into thin air right before your eyes, you know?"
"You don't need to tell me that."
When there were no other criminals around, as Captain of the Special Task Force, Chevreuse only had eyes for Luna. She wouldn't take her eyes off this one.
"Moving on," Chevreuse said, changing the subject. "If you don't have any plans, how about we catch a movie?"
"What kind of movie?" Luna asked curiously. "Action? Suspense? Romance?"
"If it's a romance, I'll pass," Luna declared.
Chevreuse looked genuinely surprised. The Phantom Thief White Cat, who always loved to tease, wasn't interested in romance movies?
"You look surprised?" Luna remarked.
"I thought you had... special feelings for women," Chevreuse admitted.
Luna's eyes widened in mock outrage. "How dare you define my preferences! Maybe treasure is my type!"
She hooked a finger under Chevreuse's chin.
"It's just that Miss Chevreuse happens to be the ultimate treasure," Luna said.
Chevreuse ignored her teasing and pressed further. "You said you wanted to possess the woman who saved you."
"That's right," Luna replied, her smile gentle. "I wish she would show me more affection."
But Arlecchino still saw her as a child. And if Luna ever betrayed the House of the Hearth, they would become enemies.
The House of the Hearth would never abandon her, never betray her, never disappoint her. Unfortunately, she couldn't promise the same in return.
Of course, she could vow never to leave the House of the Hearth. But what else? She couldn't guarantee anything more. She suspected Arlecchino already understood this.
"I suppose that's what you'd call having a special preference," Chevreuse said.
"Oh my, I didn't expect Miss Chevreuse to jump to conclusions about me so quickly," Luna replied. "If I really did have such inclinations..."
Luna's fingertip gently traced the beauty mark on Chevreuse's face. "...the things I'd do to Miss Captain wouldn't be limited to simple kisses on the cheek. I'd devour you completely."
Chevreuse expressionlessly pushed Luna's face away. "All you'll get is my bullets."
"Ooh, Miss Captain's special 'peanut shot'!" Luna chirped with a grin, her eyes twinkling.
The familiar throbbing headache returned in waves. Chevreuse pressed a hand to her forehead.
Endure. That was all she could do for now.
"Not a romance film. I'm not interested in stories like that either."
Ironically, love was often a crucial ingredient in brewing murder cases. Once Chevreuse thought of it that way, romance stories would sour in her eyes, becoming merely the prelude to suspenseful crime mysteries.
That's why she didn't think it was a good choice.
"Then what should we watch?"
"How about the Maison Gardiennage's One Hundred Stories of Legal Awareness? You could use a refresher."
Luna couldn't help but laugh. "I know every single law in Fontaine by heart."
"And that won't stop me from doing what I want."
True enough, Chevreuse thought.
Phantom Thief White Cat would always act according to her own whims, just like a real cat.
She cared nothing for justice or the opinions of others. She didn't delude herself into thinking she was doing good, nor did she dwell on it.
"Yet you're still watching, still hoping for justice," Chevreuse murmured.
What a hopelessly contradictory person.
"...Let's watch a crime thriller instead."
Having a phantom thief critique these stories would surely be uniquely entertaining.
Luna looped her arm through Chevreuse's as they entered the cinema and settled into their seats.
After enduring a tedious hour-and-a-half film, Luna gave it a scathing review: "Five points. Not a single point more."
"Agreed," Chevreuse replied. Whether viewed from the perspective of the Special Task Force or the Phantom Thief, the plot was utterly absurd and unengaging.
"Now it's my turn to suggest something," Luna said with a smile.
They hadn't explicitly agreed to take turns suggesting activities, but Chevreuse simply nodded silently.
"Let's grab some food first," Luna suggested.
She knew Chevreuse's culinary preferences perfectly:
Oily Sweet
And plenty of both—no skimping. After all, the Special Task Force was a physically demanding job that required plenty of energy. She couldn't possibly let Chevreuse subsist on vegetarian fare.
But just as they were about to enter the fast-food restaurant, a whistle pierced the air.
"Uninvolved parties, please step back! Do not interfere with the Maison Gardiennage's investigation!"
Something was clearly happening.
Luna took Chevreuse's hand. "Let's go," she said.
"You're remarkably decisive," Chevreuse remarked, offering no resistance. She had been considering investigating the scene herself, but hadn't expected Luna to share her curiosity.
"As I said before, this is a date, and a date isn't a one-person affair." Luna brushed a strand of hair aside. "I'll cherish you, Miss Chevreuse, and support whatever you want to do. But..."
"In return, you won't refuse me later, okay?" She tapped her lips, the implication unmistakable.
I knew she was up to no good.
Still, a straightforward transaction was far more palatable than a sudden, unsolicited act of kindness.
"Your hand."
"I'd prefer your face or feet."
"Absolutely not."
Reaching the source of the commotion, the two women stared intently into the alley.
Yellow police tape sealed off both ends, enclosing members of the Maison Gardiennage, Melusine from the Marechaussee Phantom, and a blood-soaked corpse.
It was a murder.
If the perpetrator had already been apprehended or a suspect identified, all the better. If not, it was time for the Special Task Force to mobilize immediately.
Chevreuse stepped forward.
"No entry beyond this point!" a Maison Gardiennage member shouted, halting them.
Chevreuse chose to...
Present her Special Task Force badge!
"I'm Captain Chevreuse of the Special Task Force. What's the situation here?"
"Ah, Captain Chevreuse! Our apologies, we didn't recognize you. As you can see, it's a murder case with three suspects. And who might this be?"
Their eyes fell on Luna, standing beside Chevreuse.
Don't even think about saying, "I'm Phantom Thief White Cat!" Chevreuse warned with a sharp glance.
Luna smiled sweetly. "I'm Turenna, Captain Chevreuse's subordinate."
Chevreuse took a deep breath. At least use a fake name. What if the real Turenna showed up?
It would be disastrous if it were discovered that the Captain of the Special Task Force was secretly meeting with the Phantom Thief.
Her Special Task Force members wouldn't question it. They trusted their Captain. It was precisely this trust that had allowed them to survive countless life-or-death situations and uphold justice.
Still, she didn't want to risk overhearing her subordinates gossiping about her behind her back.
The two Maison Gardiennage members showed no suspicion. Turenna was a new recruit they hadn't heard of. If she'd given the name of a seasoned veteran, they would have surely grown suspicious.
"Hello, Miss Turenna," one of the guards said.
"Please come inside to discuss the details of the case," the other guard added. "We wouldn't want the reporters to overhear; they can twist the truth with a single stroke of their pens."
Chevreuse nodded. "I understand. One incident, ten 'truths,' a hundred emotional entanglements, and a thousand rumors." She glanced at Luna, who was smiling faintly, and sighed. "...Let's go, Turenna."
"Right," Luna replied, her tone dripping with hidden meaning. "My... Captain."
"......"