"The scenery in Liyue is completely different from Fontaine," Furina remarked, sighing in awe.
"Mm," Luna hummed in response, resting her head on Furina's shoulder. "Thank you," she added softly.
Wow, she figured it out already? Furina's cheeks flushed crimson.
"For what? You're my girlfriend, of course I'm going to take good care of you!" As she spoke, she picked up the Phantom Thief Mask from Luna's hand.
Since Luna has already seen through my disguise, I might as well get straight to the point.
"Are you thinking about what you heard the day before yesterday? About your biological father?" Furina leaned closer to Luna.
"Yes." Luna took back the mask and aligned its eyeholes with the moon.
"If my birth father was such a righteous man, he would surely despise what I've done. No amount of justification can change the objective truth: Phantom Thief White Cat is a grave sinner."
Furina countered bluntly, "So what?"
She grasped Luna's hand, their fingers entwining.
"No matter what others say, you'll always be my greatest Phantom Thief."
"Even though the current Law no longer allows for atonement through deeds, your status as a sinner will never change. But everything you've done for me, for Focalors, for Navia, for all of Fontaine—that will never disappear either."
"There's no need to care about any of that!"
Furina wasn't skilled at comforting people, but she knew that the most sincere and genuine words were the best balm.
Luna removed her Phantom Thief Mask and smiled faintly. "You're right."
No need to care.
But even if she did care, her actions wouldn't change.
Many people had been disappointed in her before, so adding her parents to that list wouldn't make much difference.
Besides, what truly mattered were the people by her side.
Luna lifted Furina's hand and placed her fingertip in her mouth.
"Wait, why are you suddenly doing this again...?" Furina blushed.
"Do I need a reason?"
"No... no, you don't."
Do what you want, when you want—that was the kind of relationship they shared now.
"I just suddenly felt like biting something," Luna said again.
It was fortunate Luna didn't have claws, or it would have turned into a sudden urge to scratch something instead.
But when they were doing... those things, she would occasionally lightly scratch Furina's back.
A simultaneous, alternating mix of damp warmth and dull pain.
"Fufu."
"Why are you calling me that name again? What do you want?"
"My tongue feels a little itchy."
Furina's blush deepened. She knew exactly what Luna meant and could only use her fingertips to suppress the itch.
Luna returned the gesture with a soft kiss to her fingertips, then asked, "Did you have fun in Liyue?"
"Hm? It was alright, I guess!"
Though it would have been better if they were together, being surrounded by so many lively people wasn't bad either.
Even if they were all rivals for Luna's affection, including that woman.
Even if they were all rivals for Luna's affection, including that woman!
Even if they were all rivals for Luna's affection, including that woman...
Important things should be repeated three times. But as they walked side by side, Furina had come to realize Arlecchino's attitude toward Luna—she cared deeply for her.
Whether Arlecchino was a qualified parent, Furina couldn't say.
The House of the Hearth was inherently an anomaly; none of its members could be considered normal, least of all Arlecchino, the Head of the House and its "King."
For this reason, Furina now found herself slightly more accepting of Arlecchino.
Of course, only slightly.
"But while I was accompanying you to that village the other day, something suddenly occurred to me."
"Hmm?"
Furina murmured, "That's death."
Such a fitting yet unexpected word.
"Feeling nostalgic?"
"Well... how do I put it?"
Luna gently cupped Furina's face, their gazes meeting, allowing them to feel each other's breath and the warmth of their eyes.
Furina gently stroked Luna's cheek. "You know, in the past, Focalors cursed me with eternal youth. My body never changed."
"The daily pressure and torment of impersonating a god consumed me entirely. For five hundred years, my body remained unchanged—death seemed like a distant, abstract concept."
"Until that woman leaped out of the bushes."
Furina's voice dripped with resentment.
Faced with imminent danger, her body finally remembered the primal instinct all living beings share: fear. In that moment, death felt as though it had suddenly materialized right before her eyes.
Even after learning Arlecchino's target was the God's Heart, not her life, the terror lingered.
Fortunately, Luna stole away her fear and anxiety.
"Now that the Curse is gone, my hair grows longer, and my stomach... occasionally! Occasionally, I even develop a tiny bit of extra weight."
Luna chuckled. "What about your chest?"
"...Do you really have to bring that up?" Furina protested, clearly annoyed.
"What's wrong with being flat?"
"Even if you're flat, you still like..."
Furina trailed off, remembering how she had melted into Luna's warmth, her mind hazy. Her gaze darted quickly between Luna's lips and hands.
Even if she's flat, Luna still likes... things, right?
Hmph.
Luna murmured softly, "Doesn't Furina also really like my chest?"
"I—I was just..." Furina's indignation vanished instantly, replaced by bashfulness and embarrassment. But unable to bear Luna's teasing any longer, she took a deep breath.
"...I like all of you. Is that so wrong?" Furina huffed softly.
That should shut her up!
"Of course not. After all, I feel the same way," Luna replied gently.
Furina's expression softened. "I can tell. Oh, and that Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? She's just as flat as me! Though her legs might be a tiny bit fuller."
How astonishing! To think someone in distant Liyue could be as flat as me and Focalors!
"Alright, let's get back on track—we've strayed too far from the topic!"
"Okay, okay."
Luna stroked Furina's cheek with delicate fingers, the gentle touch causing Furina to narrow her eyes in contentment.
But she grew serious again. "I'm just an ordinary person now. One day, I'll face death too."
"Me too," Luna smiled softly.
Luna asked, "Furina, if you had the chance to gain eternal life, would you take it or not?"
"Hmm~ I don't know. After all, I no longer need to play the Hydro Archon, and I have you by my side. If this happiness could last forever, that wouldn't be bad at all! Most importantly—I'm rather afraid of dying."
Their eyes met, and their breaths synchronized unconsciously.
Furina gently bit her lip. "But more than death, I fear loneliness now. I don't want to become lonely, nor do I want you to be alone, Luna."
The warmth of her breath brushed against Luna's lips. Luna's eyes flickered slightly, and she tightened her embrace.
"Luna..." Furina whispered. "You've taken everything from me—my life, my love, my body and soul, and even my eternity—let me take yours in return."
"We'll live together. And if death approaches, we'll face it hand in hand."
Luna closed her eyes. "Yes, I promise."
Furina smiled radiantly, saying nothing more as she and Luna continued to gaze at the night view of Liyue Harbor.