Although Luna had received the key to Navia's bedroom long ago, this was her first time actually entering the room located within the Headquarters.
The decor was bright and refreshing, a stark contrast to the building's austere exterior.
"Eat up! Freshly baked macarons paired with a pot of sweet, fragrant black tea—perfect!" Navia placed a plate of macarons on the table.
This light snack wouldn't fill them up, but there was no need to stuff themselves. It was just a casual afternoon tea.
"Delicious, right?" Navia asked, resting her hands under her chin with a gentle smile.
"Perfect score," Luna replied.
"Hehe, these are my heartfelt creations!" Navia said, caressing her teacup. The thin wisps of steam rising from the cup blurred her expression.
"When I heard they were building statues of my father and mother, I... well, how do I put it..."
"You missed them?" Luna suggested.
Navia smiled bitterly. "I never even met my mother in person. How could I miss someone I never knew? All I know about her comes from what others have said and historical records."
"I told you before, didn't I? To my father, my mother was like a brake—a grounding force."
"Unlike my Dad, who had unrealistic expectations of me when I was young, which often made me disobey him."
"But as you know now, everything he taught me has proven essential in my life..."
Navia rested her cheek in her hand, her other hand gently tapping the rim of her cup.
"According to Melus and the others, Mother only had one wish for me—to grow up happy and carefree."
Luna nodded slightly. "Perhaps Nana inherited part of Ms. Clementine's personality."
"Hmm, if I inherited anything... maybe! Children always resemble their parents in some ways—it's proof of our blood ties."
Navia pondered this thoughtfully.
Though she felt she would never become either Callas or Clementine.
She smiled again, her expression filled with nostalgia.
"That's why everyone was always willing to indulge my whims. And when I got into trouble, they never sided with my Dad, leaving him to fume alone and feel embarrassed."
Navia lowered her gaze.
"But sometimes I wonder... if Mother hadn't died in childbirth, what would things be like now?"
-
Meanwhile, Melus, Silver, and Colter arrived at the Spina di Rosula headquarters' reception room.
Here, they no longer needed to worry about eavesdroppers.
Colter immediately bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Melus! We had such a bitter argument back then, when Mr. Callas proposed funding the Aquabus..."
He had called Melus narrow-minded, blindly loyal, and hopelessly devoted;
Melus had accused him of lacking foresight, acting impulsively, and being easily swayed by others.
Thus, the two men who had been close friends since the founding of the Spina di Rosula had fallen out.
Colter was later imprisoned, and it wasn't until many years later, today, that the two were finally reunited.
Melus shook his head. "That was all long ago. Welcome back to the Spina di Rosula..."
"You've forgiven me?"
"The past is like smoke. Besides, you must have heard about the benefits that came from Mr. Callas's persistence."
Colter frowned slightly.
Benefits? He couldn't help but retort, "The only benefit is that the once-bustling roads are now deserted?"
"Because technology has advanced."
With the Aquabus now available, who needed to deliver goods on foot anymore? Continuing to do so would be unnecessary hardship—like being bored enough to deliberately suffer.
"Poisson is a shadow of its former self..."
Colter spoke again.
"It might seem unseemly so soon after the disaster, but we finally have hope, and that's largely thanks to the Young Miss, Miss Luna..."
...and Phantom Thief White Cat.
Colter sighed. "I don't mean to speak ill of the Boss, but perhaps she's too young."
"It won't be us old-timers who usher in a new era," Melus said earnestly.
Silver pushed up his sunglasses. "Youth means limitless potential. Besides, the Young Miss has Miss Luna by her side."
Colter countered, "But Miss Luna isn't from Poisson, is she?"
Silver bristled. "What? Do you look down on our Luna Caspar Association?"
"...What association?" Colter asked, completely bewildered.
Silver launched into an explanation, but Colter remained utterly confused. He only grasped one thing: Navia and Luna shared an extraordinarily close bond.
This is truly troublesome.
Colter cut him off. "Stop. I understand now. You're saying the Boss and Miss Luna are incredibly compatible. But if Ms. Clementine were still alive..."
He shook his head and sighed deeply.
"Melus, you remember the glory of the old Spina di Rosula!"
Navia pushed the macarons around with her finger, sometimes stacking them into precarious towers.
"If Mother were still here, the Spina di Rosula wouldn't have been in such a sorry state when I took over, would it?"
"And perhaps Dad's illness could have been delayed by a few years—with Mother's support, after all."
She pressed her hand to her chest, knowing firsthand what it meant to have someone to lean on.
Peace of mind, security, contentment, happiness... If the heart is strong enough, even incurable illnesses can be slowed.
"Without me as his weakness, Dad might have captured Vacher himself. He was already so close to cracking the case."
"Nana."
"Even though I desperately tried to find a way to avert the Prophecy, I failed and nearly hurt Furina."
"Faced with the rising tide, I was powerless. People I cared about dissolved into the water."
"Just as I said earlier, I'm still no match for Dad and Mother..."
Navia continued talking to herself.
Her will was undoubtedly resilient, yet she couldn't help but feel sorrow and self-reproach.
If I hadn't been born, Clementine wouldn't have died. Navia was certain she was thinking that.
And once that thought took hold, her mind would spiral into endless hypotheticals.
An if always leads to another if, but none of it mattered anymore.
"You're impossible," Luna said, removing Navia's hat and gently pressing her onto her lap in the manner of lifting a skirt.
Warm skin and a sweet fragrance enveloped Navia. She froze for a few seconds, only then realizing she was now lying with her head on Luna's lap.
"Wait, Lulu! What are you doing?! Let me up right now!" Navia exclaimed, her face flushing crimson.
But Luna held her firmly in place, showing no intention of letting her go.
"Don't worry, I'm wearing safety shorts. You can do whatever you want, Nana," Luna said, lifting her leg slightly to press her skin more tightly against Navia's face.
"That's not the point! Lulu, this is just too..."
Too unguarded? Too shameless? Too much like... a pervert? Navia couldn't find the right words.
If this was flirting, it was far too bold and over the line.
"I'm only doing this because it's you, Nana," Luna murmured.
Navia pressed her lips together, her face growing even redder.
"I don't know how glorious the Spina di Rosula was in the past, but I know your will, your determination, and your desires. They fascinate me, captivate me... As your partner, I know your strengths better than anyone."
"And even if Ms. Clementine were to rise from the dead and claim she regretted giving birth to you, I would refute her with every ounce of my being, forcing her to abandon her delusion and return to the dust from whence she came."
"There are no 'what ifs.'"
Luna gently bit Navia's fingertip.
The slight sting forced Navia to focus her attention on her fingertip, making her feel the warm, gentle breath that moistened the pad of her finger.
"Don't dwell on 'what ifs.' You're here with me, and I'm right here beside you."
The soft touch slid down to the first knuckle.
"Perhaps Fate didn't guide us to meet, but choosing to accept your invitation, becoming your partner, continuing to be your partner, wanting to cherish and protect you—that is my will."
Then to the second knuckle.
"If you feel guilty about this, you're trampling on my will."
Finally, to the third.
Navia couldn't speak, her face flushing crimson, her heart pounding so hard she felt feverish, the heat rising from her skin making her even more uncomfortable.
She genuinely wanted to pull up Luna's skirt and hide her face, but that would be utterly inappropriate.
Nor could she continue resting her head on Luna's lap.
Otherwise... Navia feared her "drunkenness" would only worsen, becoming unbearable.
"Hmm... Lulu always knows how to cheer me up."
Navia rose casually to her feet.
Their eyes met unexpectedly, and Navia's gaze shimmered like rippling water.
Luna gently drew Navia's face closer, meeting no resistance. Navia instinctively held her breath, closed her eyes, and waited with bated breath for a tender kiss.
But just as their lips were about to touch, a knock sounded at the door.
"Young Miss," Melus's voice called from beyond the door.
Navia's eyes snapped open in fright, and she leaped up with a startled cry: "Ah! EEk?!"
"What the hell was that noise?" Silver's surprised voice called out.
"Uh, ahaha, nothing, nothing! I just accidentally stubbed my toe on the table corner. Sss, it hurts so bad—" Navia's blush remained intensely crimson as she frantically winked at Luna.
Help me cover up the lie!
Luna understood instantly, smiling gently. "Please don't worry, you two. I'll take care of Nana."
"...Let's just leave now," Melus suggested.
"Agreed," Silver replied.
Their hurried footsteps faded away from outside the door.
Silence returned to the bedroom.
Navia's gaze darted around the room, avoiding eye contact with Luna.
"Nana—"
"I, I'm going to wash my face!"
Before Luna could finish, Navia fled into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
Standing before the sink, she stared at her reflection in the mirror—her skin flushed a deep crimson, her heart still pounding wildly. She pressed a hand to her chest, then couldn't resist touching her lips.
Just now, Lulu was going to...
Kiss me?
No... Navia pressed her lips together, utterly flustered. And I wanted to kiss Lulu too...?