Furina, Please Let Me Steal Your Heart! (Genshin Impact)

Whenever the Lavelle Prize was mentioned, people would sigh.

"The Lavelle Prize is still a joke."

"Even after the reorganization, calling it authoritative is laughable!"

The reason was simple: most of its former executive judges had engaged in financial transactions with certain individuals, resulting in biased evaluations and unfair rankings. The entire system was deeply tainted.

Many journalists had suffered, some even having their reputations unfairly tarnished.

Thanks to Charlotte's exposé, justice and fairness finally prevailed.

The Lavelle Prize committee had been reorganized, but no one wanted its trophies anymore.

Lavelle Prize Trophy

Info: Its sole value lies in bearing witness to the justice and truth Charlotte brought to light. Beyond that, it's worthless.

Treasure Rarity: D

Fixed Points: 150

It was barely worthy of being called a treasure, something even Charlotte herself cared little about.

Luna found it uninteresting and decided to return it tomorrow night.

The trophy's only value was sentimental. Its poor quality and crude craftsmanship made it unworthy of the "treasure" label; if sold, it would likely only fetch a price by weight.

Action Successful

Security Level: High

Treasure Rarity Level: D-Rank

Action Notoriety: Universally Known

Splendor: Breathtaking

Points Earned: 150 (D-Rank Treasure) x 3 (Security Level) x 4 (Action Notoriety) x 3 (Splendor) = 5400

Adding this to the 28,600 points Luna had accumulated, she now had a total of 34,000.

She still needed 16,000 more points to max out her Steal skill.

This time, Luna decided not to spend any points on skills and continued saving them.

"Let's get back to filming," she said.

Filming was nearing completion, with the wrap party just around the corner. Luna eagerly anticipated the film's premiere, confident that every seat would be filled.

But her mind was preoccupied with the Wilger case.

"I truly didn't come to harass you! Please believe me!"

The familiar voice caught her attention. Luna turned to see Charlotte standing at the door of a house, sighing deeply, her face etched with worry.

"Miss Charlotte, are you having some trouble?" Luna approached.

Charlotte blinked, scrutinizing the young girl in sunglasses. "Who are you?"

Luna removed her sunglasses and smiled faintly.

"Ah, Miss Luna!" Charlotte exclaimed, her voice tinged with surprise and delight.

Expecting an immediate request for an exclusive interview, Luna was taken aback when Charlotte instead grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously.

"You've arrived just in time! I need Miss Detective's help!"

Seeing Charlotte's eyes sparkle as if she'd found a savior, Luna glanced at the house. "Are you trying to win over the residents, Miss Charlotte?"

"Being welcomed would be nice, but it doesn't matter. What matters is uncovering the truth behind this case!" Charlotte pulled out a newspaper and pointed to a corner.

Secretary Embezzles Over a Hundred Million Mora, Then Takes Her Own Life?

This was clearly not a report Charlotte had written.

"You mean the Wilger case?" Luna asked.

Charlotte nodded, impressed. "I knew Miss Luna would be interested. This is actually Wilger's family home."

"I'm going to tell you something, but you have to promise to keep it a secret." Charlotte's expression turned serious, and she lowered her voice.

"A few days ago, someone calling herself Phantom Thief Black Cat tried to steal a treasure, but the Special Task Force and Phantom Thief White Cat teamed up to stop her. Guess what?"

Luna feigned curiosity. "What happened?"

Charlotte snapped her fingers. "That girl's real name is Ester Wilger! She's the younger sister of Wilger, the man who committed the massive embezzlement. Apparently, she had a terrible life before being adopted, but I don't know the details..."

"My intuition tells me these two cases are connected," Charlotte said.

"I wanted to interview their parents to investigate, but the moment they heard I was a reporter, they told me to get lost without another word..." Charlotte sighed deeply.

This wasn't surprising.

They must have been harassed relentlessly by unscrupulous reporters from other news outlets recently. No wonder they reacted so violently to the mention of journalism.

It was almost a relief they hadn't shouted, "Reporters should be killed!"

Luna fell into deep thought.

"Miss Charlotte wants to use my reputation," she concluded.

Journalist? OUT!

Detective? YES!

They would never willingly allow their son to bear such a stigma. If Luna, a figure of considerable renown, were to visit, their attitude would undoubtedly change.

"Um, don't worry, I'll make it up to you later! I know big stars are always busy, but please, just this once!" Charlotte clasped her hands together, her eyes pleading with an almost pitiful expression.

Luna smiled gently. "Alright, I don't mind."

"Yay! You're a lifesaver!" Charlotte exclaimed.

Instinctively, Charlotte grabbed her Kamera and snapped a photo of Luna. The moment she felt the urge to capture a moment, her finger would involuntarily press the shutter.

"What a stunning photo!" Charlotte exclaimed in admiration.

In the picture, the young girl's posture was elegant, yet her gaze and bearing radiated a unique, indomitable presence. If displayed in an art exhibition, it would undoubtedly draw countless viewers and earn endless praise. Yet Charlotte handed the photo to Luna without hesitation.

"It's not much of a gift, but here you go. If you ever need a photographer for your paintings, I'd be happy to take on a private commission."

"You'll have to ask Chiori and Nana about that," Luna said casually, accepting the picture card. She was Chiori's exclusive model, and Navia was her manager. No matter what, she couldn't escape the women in her life.

Luna approached the Wilger residence and knocked softly on the door.

"I told you—"

"Hello, I'm Luna. I'm here as a detective to ask you some questions."

"Luna? The one who solved the Serial Disappearance Case?"

Luna smiled modestly. "Yes, but I can't take all the credit."

After a brief silence, the door swung open. A weary-looking man with graying temples stood in the doorway.

"Why is there a reporter here too?" he frowned.

Luna explained concisely, "This is Charlotte, the journalist who exposed the truth about the Lavelle Prize committee. Rest assured, she's on the side of truth."

The man paused, as if trying to recall something. "...Come in."

"Thank you very much," Luna said, removing her hat and bowing before stepping inside. Charlotte hurried after her.

This was too easy!

Still, solving the Serial Disappearance Case of the young girls certainly made her trustworthy, Charlotte thought as she surveyed the room.

A woman, looking equally exhausted, sat slumped at the dining table, her eyes glazed over.

"She's been like this ever since she learned about Rainer's death," the man whispered. "Please don't mind her too much."

The curtains were tightly drawn, blocking out almost all sunlight. In the dim light, the couple sat together like mere flesh draped over skeletons, utterly devoid of vitality.

"Miss Charlotte, why don't you start asking your questions?" Luna suggested.

"Hmm? Alright."

Charlotte noticed Luna's gaze sweep across the room before settling briefly on a particular box. Luna then casually averted her eyes, making the movement seem natural and inconspicuous. Sensing Charlotte's scrutiny, she offered a faint smile and a nod.

Charlotte opened her notebook. "Do you believe your son was innocent?"

"Yes."

"On what basis?"

"...As parents, we naturally know what kind of person our children are. We know our daughter did something foolish..."

No evidence, Charlotte noted.

"Before the incident, did he leave any messages or signs?"

"No..."

Charlotte asked several more questions, but to no avail. The parents genuinely seemed to know nothing. Since their son, Rainer Wilger, had joined the Court of Justice as a secretary, he had stopped sharing any information about his work with them—a common practice, as this was one of the explicitly stated rules.

"What do you think, Miss Luna?" Charlotte asked.

"Regardless of the method, if Monsieur Rainer Wilger truly committed this crime, he wouldn't have needed to take his own life. Fontaine has never sentenced anyone to death."

"He would have been sent to the Fortress of Meropide."

"Deliberately leaving behind a so-called confession before dying, publicly revealing the details of his crime and the evidence—similar cases have occurred in the past, but they're rare."

Charlotte pressed further, "Meaning?"

"It's possible your son was killed by him, but the case remains unclear. I urge you to remain calm and not do anything rash," Luna emphasized.

Why did she deliberately stress "not doing anything rash"?

Did she suspect they might seek revenge?

This... it didn't look right. They seemed more like living corpses. Charlotte felt a deep pang of sympathy.

"What happens if the culprit is caught?"

"They'll be put on trial."

"And then?"

"Exiled to the Fortress of Meropide."

"And then?"

Luna tugged at her gloves. "Depending on the Duke's attitude, they might find prison comfortable, or they might die in some 'unfortunate accident.'"

"Might?"

"Might."

The couple fell silent. Hesitation and grief flickered in their eyes as Charlotte lowered her head, unsure of what to say.

Luna stood abruptly, adjusting her hat. "Let's go, Miss Charlotte."

"Huh? Oh, right."

"Oh, and Miss Ester wanted to convey her apologies to you both."

They remained silent.

Their fate is sealed, Luna thought. Without looking back, she strode out of the house. Charlotte quickly packed up her notebook and hurried after her.

"Miss Luna, did you discover something?" Charlotte asked.

"Sort of." Luna smiled reassuringly. "But there's no need to worry."

There's nothing I can't steal.

"Captain! Another Announcement card from the Phantom Thief!"

Again?

Chevreuse frowned as she took the card. She was still trying to figure out how to investigate the Wilger case. How could the White Cat be planning another heist so soon?

Or could there be more to this than meets the eye?

Chevreuse suppressed her speculation and impassively read the message:

The final act draws near—shall we waltz beneath the gaze of moonlight?When tears unite the realms of Radiance and Shadow, I shall awaken the slumbering treasure: the 'Golden Hound of Ronat,' sealed within its gilded chamber.Look to the silence between heartbeats—there, I shall make my entrance.

Signed: Phantom Thief White Cat.

Another cryptic riddle, but the location and target were clear, just as Chevreuse had anticipated.

She set down the card and glanced at a newspaper headline:

"Loyal Hound Deeply Mourned - Monsieur Ronat Overcome with Grief"

The crudely written article detailed the recent funeral held by Monsieur Ronat, a high-ranking official of the Court of Justice, for his beloved deceased dog. Several other newspapers had picked up the story as well.

Without Ester's information and the Wilger case, Chevreuse might have seen nothing amiss. She would have simply assumed Ronat was a genuinely devoted pet owner.

But now, things were different.

Chevreuse had already found the funeral peculiar, but she hadn't been able to investigate further. Now that Phantom Thief White Cat had targeted the deceased, however...

"We now have the right to intervene," Chevreuse declared, rising to her feet. "Special Task Force, move out!"