"All the information you requested is here."
"Excellent."
Shortly after accepting Luna, Lynette, and Lyney as new members of the House of the Hearth, Arlecchino received the Fatui's investigation results into their backgrounds.
Lynette and Lyney's parents were deceased, leaving them with no ties.
Arlecchino skimmed the documents and nodded slightly.
But when she reached Luna's file, she paused slightly.
"...A relative of the Gunnhildr Clan?"
"Yes... though a distant relative, they were indeed once one of Mondstadt's noble families."
"In the past, they joined the Gunnhildr Clan's descendants in resisting other nobles, paying a heavy price for their rebellion."
"But they also earned the respect of the Mondstadt people. After the Knights of Favonius were established, they were chosen to become Knights themselves."
"Miss Luna's maternal grandfather was a Knight of Favonius, but her mother broke with family tradition and became an adventurer, wielding the clan's heirloom sword."
Arlecchino flipped the page and examined the file. "Her maternal grandparents and paternal grandparents have all passed away?"
"Yes, she died peacefully in her own bed."
"A fitting end."
Mondstadt had long since abandoned its Noble era, and the Knights of Favonius now governed the city.
Could Luna be a descendant of the Knights of Favonius?
"We might be able to exploit this connection," a Fatui agent whispered.
Arlecchino didn't reply, merely flipping through the report.
Once she finished reading, she finally spoke: "No amount of connections can surpass absolute power. I will nurture her well—provided she desires to grow stronger."
The Fatui agent said no more, bowing respectfully before disappearing from the office.
Clutching the intelligence report, Arlecchino's thoughts drifted back to the night she had annihilated the Lefebvre Family.
Luna's small fingers had wiped the blood from her face.
"...Aren't you afraid of me?"
She set down the document.
"Perfect. I'll destroy the orphanage that sheltered her while I'm at it. Any place that engages in human trafficking with scum like the Lefebvre Family deserves to be wiped off the map."
That very night, Arlecchino launched a swift strike against the orphanage where Luna had once lived.
-
At noon, silence enveloped House of the Hearth.
The children were all sound asleep—it was nap time at the House of the Hearth.
Afternoon naps weren't mandatory, but the children all understood that adequate rest was essential for maintaining their stamina.
Arlecchino sat in her office, quietly pondering.
A silk ribbon lay on the desk.
Luna had tied it around her neck earlier to conceal a bite mark she had left.
The wound wasn't deep, and the bleeding had stopped quickly. It healed rapidly, leaving no trace by today. Arlecchino gently touched her neck.
Yet she had kept the bloodstained ribbon.
Why? There was no particular reason.
Luna might come to retrieve it.
Having been away from home for quite some time, a reason for her to return would help her adapt to the House of the Hearth more quickly.
In a few days, Arlecchino planned to send the children to Poisson to settle some lingering matters from the past.
It was time to eliminate the vulnerabilities within the house.
Arlecchino: "..."
She fell silent for a moment, closing her eyes to rest.
Suddenly, a breeze drifted through the window, carrying a familiar scent. Arlecchino didn't open her eyes, but she knew instinctively: Luna had arrived.
True to form, Luna silently leaped from the window to the floor.
Her first instinct was to call out "Arlecchino," but she stopped herself. Arlecchino's eyes were closed.
Was she resting her eyes or actually asleep?
I've never seen her sleep before, Luna thought. Not even the slightest memory.
Luna took a few cautious steps closer, suppressing her aura.
Arlecchino remained motionless on the sofa, her eyes still closed, seemingly oblivious to Luna's presence.
Could that be possible? Or has she sensed me but simply doesn't care?
Luna glanced at the ribbon on the table.
She had indeed come to retrieve it—not for some absurd keepsake, of course, but merely as an excuse to visit the House of the Hearth.
But now, her focus had shifted entirely.
Luna took another step closer.
"Father?" she whispered softly.
Arlecchino remained silent.
She could hear Luna's voice.
She could also feel Luna's aura drawing closer. No matter how well Luna concealed herself, Arlecchino could still sense her presence.
Yet Arlecchino chose to remain silent and keep her eyes closed.
Curious about what Luna would do when she was completely unguarded? A little.
Not wanting her contemplation disturbed? Also a little.
"...Arlecchino?"
Luna switched to a different form of address.
Only Luna, her "good daughter," dared to call her by name within the House of the Hearth.
If Luna knew her true name from the past, she would likely adopt yet another form of address, perhaps even calling her... Arlecchino's mind conjured the face of another child.
And that child's phantom might still be wandering somewhere within the House.
"..."
Luna said nothing, merely drew closer.
A faint sensation brushed against Arlecchino's skin—Luna clearly intended to touch her; her hand must be very close. At the same moment, deliberately suppressed breaths drew nearer.
Even if she's been asleep, it's impossible she'd still be out this deep, right? Luna thought.
So Arlecchino was likely just resting with her eyes closed.
She simply wasn't paying attention to Luna's actions.
Even at this distance, she doesn't care?
That makes sense, after all. I'm just her "special child," her "daughter."
Luna thought again.
Therefore, she had the right to be affectionate.
Arlecchino would only see it as a foster daughter's affection.
This realization suddenly made Luna feel resentful. Now that she had taken the first step, she naturally wanted to take the second and third. She didn't want to remain just a "special child."
Luna wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with Arlecchino.
When she embraced her, she didn't want to be seen as a child being affectionate.
When she kissed the corner of her lips, she wanted to make Arlecchino's breath quicken and grow hot.
But achieving these goals would be incredibly difficult.
Perhaps I don't understand her well enough, haven't gone deep enough, Luna mused.
But that's for later.
She wasn't about to let the opportunity before her slip away.
Luna leaned in closer to Arlecchino's lips, her sparkling eyes reflecting Arlecchino's closed eyes.
As Arlecchino's eyelashes fluttered, Luna thought, It would hurt terribly if she rejected me at the last moment.
But if—
Luna pressed her lips lightly against the right half of Arlecchino's lips.
"The other half of this kiss I will offer you once I've won your heart," she whispered against Arlecchino's ear.
Arlecchino's eyes snapped open involuntarily.
The ribbon had vanished, and Luna's figure had vanished from the room, leaving only the lingering warmth of that half-kiss.
She gently touched her lips, then retrieved the Announcement Letter from earlier.
When I can stand shoulder to shoulder with you, I will claim your heart.
The final line of the card read.
Arlecchino stared silently at the card.
The other half of the kiss... She tucked the card away and leaned back against the sofa.
"Such a mischievous child."
She opened the music box, and its slightly tinny melody filled the room. Arlecchino ran her fingers over the card tucked inside the lid.
Only those who possess both unwavering will and formidable strength have the chance to attain everything they desire.
If this "everything" in your eyes includes me, then grow stronger.
You want me as your prize?
Very well.
But no wonder she never wanted to be King...
She aspired to be the reigning Queen all along.