"Father, we've brought them here."
Luna turned around. Filliol, Nanteuil, Soto, Tardier... all children of the House of the Hearth.
Also in the group were Lyney, Freminet, and Lynette.
And Clervie.
Their faces were pale and grim, but Clervie's eyes lit up the moment she saw Arlecchino.
"Luna..." Lyney noticed her.
"Did you betray us, Luna?!" Filliol suddenly shouted.
How else could they have been captured so quickly? If Luna had been secretly observing and eavesdropping on them at Arlecchino's behest, it wouldn't be impossible.
Luna calmly replied, "I did nothing. 'Father' will never assign me any tasks again. You all know that."
Clervie exclaimed joyfully, "Peppy! You've grown so big!"
Arlecchino raised a finger to her lips.
"Shh. Save the reminiscing for later. It's execution time now. Lyney, step aside. The ones who deserve the harshest punishment—the most severe punishment—are those who have completely abandoned the House in their hearts."
Filliol's face went white.
Nanteuil stammered nervously, "Father, please let us explain—"
"During your third night meeting, you said:"
"'If only our Father hadn't taken us in,' Nanteuil said."
"Soto chimed in, 'Who wouldn't want to live a normal life? I'm completely fed up with this life.'"
"Filliol was even more vehement. 'Only a freak like Luna could tolerate this!'"
"'How did she catch Lady Furina's eye? When she came back last time, she even made us play that stupid game with her... But any Father who'd take her in must be crazy.'"
"'There isn't a single normal person in this house besides us. We're birds trapped in a cage, and the only way out is to break free.'"
Arlecchino recounted their every word with detached precision.
Lynette frowned, aghast that they would speak so ill of Luna. After all, Luna had nearly died saving them, risking everything.
"How chilling," Lynette murmured.
Luna merely smiled, offering no response.
She couldn't care less about their words. The Phantom Thief White Cat's name would be infamous for centuries—these petty insults had no sting.
"No, that's not it. We just couldn't bear living on the knife's edge any longer..." Filliol hastily explained.
As she spoke, Filliol suddenly understood why Arlecchino had brought them to Poisson.
The real purpose wasn't to search for some nonexistent child, but to make it easier to expose them!
At House of the Hearth, their conversations had been few and brief, each exchange carefully guarded, making it difficult to gather solid evidence.
But in Poisson, out in the world, their guard dropped, and their communications became more frequent. That was precisely when Arlecchino seized her opportunity.
It turned out Arlecchino had planned to send them to the execution ground all along.
Nanteuil clenched his fists, then let out a deep breath. "Enough, Filliol. We crossed the line. Our actions could lead to the deaths of more of our family."
"I'm sorry, 'Father'," Filliol whispered.
Arlecchino nodded. "Then let the executions begin."
She stepped forward, approaching Filliol and the others.
"Wait, 'Father'!"
But Lyney stepped forward, shielding them.
"Please reconsider, Father," he pleaded. "Can Filliol and the others' actions truly be considered betrayal? Ever since we joined the House of the Hearth, our greatest hope has been to build a true 'home' here."
"But no one knows what a true 'home' is like. I don't have the answer in my heart, but I believe that executing Filliol and the others like this will only push us further away from that ideal!"
Freminet stood beside Lyney.
"Even though what they said made me uncomfortable... Filliol also stayed up all night to watch over us when we were injured, changing our bandages and dressing our wounds," he said, his voice tense yet earnest.
Lynette likewise sided with Lyney. "I agree with what Brother said."
"We do too," the other children echoed in unison.
No matter what, Filliol and the others were their family, people they had lived with day in and day out for over a decade or even two. They weren't cruel enough to stand by and watch them be killed.
Besides... who's to say they wouldn't be next?
The only one who hadn't spoken was Luna.
Arlecchino watched them in silence before her gaze settled on Luna.
"And you, Luna?"
All the children turned to look at Luna. If anyone in the House of the Hearth had a chance to defeat Arlecchino, it would undoubtedly be Luna. Anyone else would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"I have a question," Luna said.
"Ask away."
"Is Clervie on the execution list as well?"
"Yes. She also violated the rules, and I will give her the punishment she desires."
The punishment she desires...
If there was one thing Clervie desired most, it was perhaps a single word: release. Or perhaps, more accurately, freedom.
Arlecchino had killed Clervie, yet Clervie remained here, existing as a phantom.
This meant that the core of this "Clervie" now resided within Arlecchino herself.
Whenever Arlecchino wished, Clervie could be released.
Yet Clervie's phantom had persisted for so long. Luna gazed into Arlecchino's eyes, finding no flicker of emotion within them.
"The execution is today?"
Luna asked again.
"Today is the execution," Arlecchino replied.
Luna smiled softly, her voice gentle. "I understand."
Arlecchino: "..."
Luna drew her sword and walked slowly toward Lyney and the others.
"Luna, you..."
"Are you saying you'll carry out Father's execution yourself?"
Luna merely chuckled softly. "Oh dear, it seems no matter where I go, no one can ever understand me. But I don't mind."
Because her beloved Lady Furinas understood her perfectly.
She stopped and twirled gracefully.
"It's been so long since I last clashed with 'Father.' Don't you think this is the perfect opportunity?"
Luna's smile radiated brilliance.
Arlecchino showed no surprise. "So, you're siding with Lyney?"
"To be honest, not exactly."
"Families may tolerate each other's minor flaws, but what happens when someone crosses the line? Over the years, I've witnessed countless families fractured and even shattered by conflicts."
"Gambling-addicted fathers or mothers who sell their children, families torn apart by greed, even those driven to accidental murder... When the line is crossed, the label 'family' loses its meaning."
"Filliol and the others have already crossed our family's line. Every word they speak, every thought they harbor, influences the other children."
Luna stroked the sword's blade. "When hunters lose their unity, not only will they fail to capture their prey, but they risk being devoured themselves."
"Their longing for freedom is understandable. Not everyone can tolerate the House of the Hearth's way of life, seeing us as freaks, as madmen."
"But if they truly possess the courage, if they genuinely crave freedom, then—"
Luna cast a deep glance at Clervie and whispered, "—they shouldn't just sit there and talk about it."
"How to break free from the cage, whether they're prepared to act even if it means enduring grievous wounds—these are the preparations they should have made."
"Freedom is a priceless treasure, one that can only be grasped through blood and tears."
She turned her head.
"But you clearly haven't made such preparations. That is the true crime that deserves punishment."
Luna's voice was icy, sending shivers down the spines of Filliol, Nanteuil, and the others.
Luna plunged her sword into the ground.
Ding! The razor-sharp blade pierced the floor effortlessly, emitting a crisp, metallic ring.
"I stand here not for Filliol and the others, but for Lynette, Freminet, Lyney... my comrades."
Lynette: "!"
Lulu... she murmured Luna's name, feeling a warmth bloom in her chest.
"And—I want you to reconsider something."
Arlecchino: "What?"
"Postpone Clervie's execution."
Postpone? Arlecchino was puzzled. What would postponing it accomplish?
Clervie was already dead; the figure here was merely a Phantom.
With a snap of her fingers, searing flames erupted, engulfing Luna's form. When the inferno subsided, what emerged before their eyes was...
Lustrous golden hair, its tips dyed in vibrant hues. A dazzling cape shimmered with otherworldly beauty, and the ornamental crown had transformed into a genuine regal crown, tilted jauntily on her head. Her open eyes swirled with the colors of polished glass. This was the Radiant Mask in its complete form!
Luna raised her sword's tip.
"Come, 'Father'! It's showtime!"