"So, 'manually replenishing sugar levels' meant this, huh?"
Luna held out the drink bottle, bringing the straw to Lynette's lips.
"Mhm," Lynette murmured, pursing her lips around the straw and taking small sips.
"I thought I'd be feeding you candy instead."
"That... wouldn't be bad either."
Though that would only be a one-time thing.
Sipping it slowly like this was the best way. As Lynette thought this, she pulled out a small dried fish and dangled it in front of Bonnie, who snatched it in one bite.
All that patience paid off.
Luna propped her cheek in her hand, then flipped her wrist, conjuring a cat teaser wand to play with Bonnie.
"Remember to play with your cats at home sometimes too. They miss you, you know."
"You've done so much for them, taking them in and caring for them. People say cats don't remember human kindness like dogs do, but humans forget things too... those kids still remember you."
Luna leaned over the table, lifting the cat wand and waving it in front of Lynette's face.
"Lynette too?" she asked with a teasing smile.
"...Mhm."
Though her reply was barely audible, it was clear enough.
There was no reason for them to bicker anymore.
Lynette could now speak her mind with as much openness as possible—well, as much as possible. Some things were simply too difficult to say.
"I know. I'm not a child anymore, after all."
Luna put away the cat toy.
Their eyes met, and they held each other's gaze for a moment.
Lynette desperately wanted to ask, "Do you still want to... kiss me on the cheek or something?"
But such a question was impossible to voice in public.
"Shall we head back after we finish?"
"...Alright."
After settling the bill, they walked back to House of the Hearth. Lynette cradled her cat, but her gaze kept drifting to Luna's empty palm.
It hovered just inches away, close enough to close her hand around it.
But what would happen after she closed her hand?
What would she say then?
Silence could aid contemplation, but too much silence seemed to make her forget how to speak. Lynette mused absentmindedly, and before she knew it, they were standing at the entrance to House of the Hearth.
"It's clearly my cat!"
"You're mistaken!"
Lynette's cat ears drooped. "Ugh, it feels like trouble's brewing again."
And she loathed trouble more than anything.
Luna stepped forward to inquire, "What's going on?"
"My friend's cat—he's claiming it's his."
The woman, her voice raised, looked visibly annoyed, her presence imposing.
Meanwhile, the well-dressed man beside her looked troubled, pointing at Bonnie. "To me, this looks exactly like a cat that went missing from our Caring Heart Society."
The Caring Heart Society was a renowned stray animal adoption organization in Fontaine, with decades of history.
They once had a sterling reputation, but in recent years, news of their activities had dwindled, overshadowed by the rise of other adoption groups.
"So, you both think Bonnie belongs to you?"
"Bonnie?"
Lynette interjected, "That's the name I gave her."
"Oh, right... She's my friend's. I'm just taking her back for him. I'm Elodie."
"She might be the one we lost. Allow me to introduce myself—I'm Benoit, the president of the Caring Heart Society."
Benoit added earnestly, "I have an unusual request. Could I take a closer look at her? If she's not the one we're looking for, then she belongs to this lady..."
Elodie crossed her arms. "She's my friend's."
Luna's lips curled into a mischievous smile. Lynette immediately knew she'd figured something out.
But Lynette could also tell that neither of them was telling the whole truth. Their eyes, their breathing, their subtle movements... every detail escaped her keen observation.
This was precisely how she had first identified Luna as the Phantom Thief White Cat.
After examining Benoit for a moment, he shook his head.
"Unfortunately, it's not the one. The fur color is slightly different. My apologies for the interruption. I'll go look for our society's cat now."
Benoit sighed and left.
Luna smiled slyly. "Now that our suspect has left, Officer Elodie, would you like to reveal your identity?"
"Officer? What are you talking about..."
Lynette narrowed her eyes. "Lying won't work. Lulu and I can see right through you."
Elodie fell silent for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.
"As expected of Detective Luna and Miss Lynette. Yes, I am indeed a member of the Maison Gardiennage, currently investigating a transnational smuggling case."
Lynette was about to say they already knew this, but Luna gave her a meaningful glance: Listen.
Understanding, Lynette fell silent, listening intently.
"The cat's owner is the criminal, but he seems to have fled to evade justice. His name is Pierre, a former researcher at the Fontaine Research Institute..."
"The Marechaussee Phantoms discovered his cat and a pendant in Poisson. The pendant belongs to the infamous Lefebvre Family... Pierre is a member of this family who forged his surname to infiltrate the Academy."
"I came here on a hunch, hoping Pierre might try to retrieve his cat, but my efforts proved fruitless. I'm familiar with your exploits, especially Miss Luna's. If you could keep an eye out, I'd be grateful. I'll take my leave now."
Elodie strode away with steady steps, disappearing from their sight.
"Did you notice?" Luna asked.
"It was hard not to. She's definitely with the Maison Gardiennage. That much is clear."
Luna nodded in agreement.
After all, she had been pursued by the Maison Gardiennage and the Special Task Force since her debut—a woman they could never catch.
Luna said, "But she was so adamant, so certain that Pierre is a Lefebvre..."
Lynette sighed. "Either she's incompetent and unprofessional—someone like that wouldn't make such a definitive statement, at least they'd say 'suspected'—"
"Or she has ulterior motives. Think about it: after her entire family was wiped out, why would a Lefebvre descendant let the Marechaussee Phantoms see the family crest? It's almost as if she's trying to say—"
"'Pierre is a Lefebvre'... right?"
Lynette nodded.
It's almost as if she's deliberately trying to lead us to this conclusion.
"And Benoit's shifty eyes, lack of confidence, and obvious nervousness just now were also noteworthy," Luna pointed out.
"Plus, he mainly touched Bonnie's stomach, pressing down hard several times, as if checking for something inside," Luna added.
"...What should we do now?" Lynette asked again.
Luna snapped her fingers. "If we want to investigate further, we should split up. I'll go question Benoit, and you go find Miss Chevreuse."
"Mm-hmm," Lynette replied. Then she suddenly asked, "Can you do that?"
"Do what?"
"...Head pats. I remember when we first started taking on missions, you used to pat my head whenever I felt nervous."
Luna smiled gently. "Are you feeling nervous now?"
Lynette shook her head. "No, Lefebvre is in the past. I don't feel anything when I hear that name. But just because I'm not nervous doesn't mean you can't do it."
It was rare for them to have this time alone together.
Even though they had both changed, Lynette still wanted Luna to treat her the same way she used to. At least in terms of the gestures that mattered—not a single one could be missing.
Luna chuckled softly. "Lynette still loves to be pampered, just like old times."
"...Not really."
Luna raised her hand and gently stroked Lynette's head and cat ears until Lynette closed her eyes in contentment. Only then did she withdraw her hand.
"See you later."
Lynette watched Luna walk away, Bonnie mewing forlornly in her arms.
"I understand," Lynette murmured, patting Bonnie's head.
But this time, they would never be separated again.
-
Back at the Caring Heart Society, Benoit exhaled deeply.
Thank goodness Bonnie's belly was empty. Otherwise, the Special Task Force would have kicked down my door in a heartbeat and hauled me off to jail.
Meow! Woof! The animals caged inside barked and meowed incessantly.
Benoit rubbed his forehead wearily. "Quiet, quiet! My head's already pounding. Honestly, Dad, what's with you? Spending all your money on these cats and dogs, leaving your own child to live worse than a stray."
If you have the money to adopt stray cats and dogs, why not give a little more to your own kid?
He pulled out a bottle of wine, uncorked it, and took a long swig straight from the bottle.
"It's good to be charitable, but you need to know your limits."
Pfft! Benoit spat out the wine.
"Who's there?!"
He whirled around to see a hooded figure sitting on the sofa. Their face was obscured by the hood, and their voice and build made it impossible to tell if they were male or female.
"It's me," Luna said tersely.
"You're... Pierre?"
That was easier than I expected.
That saves me the trouble. Luna chuckled inwardly, a slight smile playing on her lips. "That's right."
"The Marechaussee Phantoms were after you, weren't they? You've been hiding, haven't you?"
"That's right. But they tracked me down and almost caught me. I'm just here to lie low for a bit. Don't worry, I'll be gone soon."
"Over there!"
A whistle cut through the air outside, followed by hurried footsteps rushing past the window, sending Benoit scrambling to the ground.
Fortunately, the footsteps faded into the distance.
Benoit snapped, "You're drawing the heat onto me!"
"What, you made your money and now want to wash your hands of it? You can't have it both ways."
"I... you're right," Benoit conceded, rubbing his temples.
He lowered his voice. "What's the next move?"
"Stick to the original plan, just be more careful."
"Do you really think the old method will still work?"
"Tell me why it wouldn't? It's efficient, dirt cheap, we just need to change how we transport the goods..."
Benoit nodded. "You're right, the waterways are out. What about using balloons? We could select lightweight animals, pack the goods into sealed pouches, and stuff them into their stomachs, just like before."
Waterways... sealed pouches... stomachs... It all clicked into place.
The Maison Gardiennage and Special Task Force had models with highly sensitive olfactory sensors that could distinguish a wide range of scents. By using samples of Counterfeit Sinthe, they could track its scent.
Masking the scent had become a crucial part of Benoit and Pierre's operation.
The solution was simple: conceal the goods inside animals and transport them that way.
Benoit prepared the animals and airtight "containers," while Pierre handled the "Counterfeit Sinthe" and distribution channels.
Animal odors could interfere with the sense of smell.
And they couldn't be corpses either, as the stench of decay would equally attract attention.
Ah, it's an anesthetic.
After analyzing the situation, Luna continued, "It's a decent plan, actually. But my cat seems to be in someone else's hands. You..."
"I checked the place. It's empty—they won't trace it back to us so quickly. But what about you? You've been communicating with me through letters. Weren't you worried about them being intercepted?"
"Of course. I burned all your letters... including the one from last night telling me to be careful. No need to worry."
Letters?
Pierre hadn't met Benoit in person?
That opens up a world of possibilities. Forging letters wouldn't be difficult... or perhaps Pierre never sent them in the first place...
Just then, BANG! The door burst open.
"Freeze! Special Task Force!"
"Maison Gardiennage here too!"
Benoit's face went deathly pale as he collapsed to the ground.
"Pierre, did you leave a trail...?"
"First of all, my name isn't Pierre."
Luna removed her hood, revealing her true face.
"You're—?!"
Benoit's expression shifted dramatically.
A detective?! He had been deceived and manipulated all along!
What kind of despicable detective would stoop to such tactics?!
Luna rose to her feet, a smile playing on her lips. "Secondly, I don't need to expose my own tracks. Lynette and Captain Chevreuse will undoubtedly uncover the truth themselves."
Lynette hurried to her side and whispered a few words.
As expected.
Then... Luna raised her hand. "Finally, the truth is always singular!"
"Elodie, you're the one who disguised yourself as 'Pierre' and wrote letters to Benoit. You're the third accomplice in this international smuggling operation, and also Lefebvre's descendant—Elodie Lefebvre!"
Chevreuse sighed softly. Of course, it would come to this.
Whether as a detective or a phantom thief, Luna had always craved the spotlight.
-
Elodie looked utterly bewildered. "What? I'm a descendant of Lefebvre? Miss Luna, you must be joking... Pierre is the Lefebvre, isn't he?"
Lynette, holding Bonnie, chimed in, "Just like Inky the Criminal in the film—even when the Detective has solved the case, he's still stubborn as a mule!"
"Because I'm not," Elodie retorted, frowning.
Then she opened her mouth and asked, "What evidence do you have to prove that I'm the so-called third party in this case?"
Lynette set Bonnie down and gave a double thumbs-up.
"Of course we have evidence."
Luna picked up the thread. "First, there's the cat and the pendant Pierre left behind. This pendant is the Lefebvre Family's emblem for illegitimate children."
"The Lefebvre family was massacred by an unknown assassin years ago, and that assassin has never been brought to justice. Given Pierre's involvement in smuggling, how could he be certain the assassin wouldn't target him next?"
"For years, Pierre has issued orders to Benoit through letters, demonstrating his extreme caution. A cautious person would never leave such obvious clues, especially after his family's massacre."
"Then why were the pendant and the cat left behind?"
"The answer is simple: the perpetrator wanted the Marechaussee Phantoms to notice them. But it wasn't this third party who left them—it was Pierre, acting under the third party's instructions."
"The third party sent separate letters to Pierre and Benoit, instructing one to prepare the medicine and the other to prepare the 'container.' Given the inherent danger of this 'work,' neither Pierre nor Benoit suspected anything."
"Little did they know, the third party had already prepared a clean getaway before even setting the plan in motion."
Lynette nodded in understanding.
She continued, "Pierre received a letter saying, 'You're under suspicion. Quickly bring the cat and pendant to this location. An inside contact from the Maison Gardiennage will handle the situation.'"
"The person who arrived was indeed from the Maison Gardiennage, but she made Pierre 'disappear.'"
"The Marechaussee Phantoms, in their pursuit of Pierre, would inevitably notice the cat and pendant, linking Pierre to Lefebvre and tracing the investigation to the Caring Heart Society..."
"With Benoit's confession, it would be easy for people to assume they were the only perpetrators involved in this case."
Luna said, "But this plan has its variables."
"1. The Maison Gardiennage and Marechaussee Phantoms might not uncover the Caring Heart Society. 2. The Special Task Force has also joined the investigation. You need to race against time, quickly shift suspicion onto Benoit, and then use his testimony to erase your own involvement."
"That's why, as soon as you learned of Bonnie's existence, you immediately sought her out. And Lynette and the others' investigation into the hideout and the harbor's shipping records all point to one conclusion: the Caring Heart Society is using exported animals to smuggle Counterfeit Sinthe."
"You knew Lynette was connected to Lefebvre and wouldn't abandon the case. You tried to manipulate us into intervening, drawing the Special Task Force's attention to Bonnie."
"To close the case, you'll likely have Pierre 'commit suicide out of guilt,' letting the dead man take the fall for all your crimes. And finding where you've hidden him will be a simple matter of investigation."
"I believe Captain Chevreuse should detain her now, don't you?" Luna smiled faintly.
Indeed, Elodie now faced overwhelming suspicion.
Chevreuse produced handcuffs. "It seems you'll have to come with us. I never imagined there were corrupt members even within the Maison Gardiennage..."
Elodie took a deep breath.
"Do you know what it's like to be sent in as an undercover agent?"
"None of the Lefebvres ever acknowledged me because I was illegitimate! I didn't even deserve my own name and had to live in constant fear of enemies coming for me day and night!"
She snarled, "Do you know how I've spent all these years? As the last 'Lefebvre'!"
"I'm not interested," Luna said flatly.
"Me neither," Lynette replied, equally composed.
Bonnie meowed, as if saying, Me too.
"Damn you!"
Elodie whirled around to flee, but Chevreuse's foot shot out.
Thud! A dull thud echoed as Elodie was sent flying, crashing unconscious to the ground.
"You're too slow," Chevreuse scoffed. "Train until you're as fast as the White Cat, then try escaping under my nose." She clapped her hands, signaling her team to secure the scene.
The dust settled.
After giving her statement, Luna emerged from the Maison Gardiennage Headquarters.
"They actually let the White Cat—the one they've been dreaming of capturing—walk right out the Headquarters gate," Lynette remarked, leaning against the railing and stroking the cat.
"They couldn't catch me anyway. Where are you planning to take Bonnie?" Luna asked, leaning against the wall beside her.
"Home. An extra playmate. The cats there will be delighted."
"I see."
"Mm."
A moment of silence passed between them.
Lynette murmured softly, "After bringing Bonnie home, I want to go somewhere."
"Where?"
"To the hill where we used to play."
Lynette looked up, her cat ears twitching. "I still remember the first time I called you Lulu."