The party atmosphere wasn't bad.
In front of the stage being prepared for the performance, people moved through the party hall. Gentle music from the orchestra, drinks and food, expensive clothes and decorations, a splendid interior and elegant atmosphere.
In one corner, gifts for the 3rd Princess were piling up like a mountain.
"Ohohoho!"
The laughter of 3rd Princess Claria, who was once like a parrot, rang out right next to Lancel.
Yes.
Until then, Lancel had felt that today's party would proceed smoothly. No unexpected events, incidents, or changes. The thief wasn't here today.
"So they're not showing up after all?"
"How disappointing."
A few nobles looked somewhat disappointed, but the rumored phantom thief would not appear here today.
"Look around. If someone were bold enough to appear in a place like this, they'd be a monster, not a phantom thief."
The party hall was surrounded by hundreds of knights.
Not only the 6th Prince's arrest squad, but also the 1st Princess, 1st Prince, 2nd Prince, and even the 5th Prince had brought their knights.
They had just one goal.
—If the phantom thief appears, we'll catch them.
To become the one who captured the phantom thief.
But it was all for nothing.
There is no thief, I tell you.
At least not today.
'That's right. Even if Mary is thoughtless, she wouldn't steal on a day like this.'
Lancel brought champagne to his lips with a relieved expression.
===============
—Status Ailment Kleptomania: 'Bad Hand' is activating.
===============
"Pfft!"
"Eek! Lancel, I gave you the seat next to me and this is what you do?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Your Highness."
Lancel hurriedly wiped his mouth and looked at the 3rd Princess's chest area.
'When on earth...!'
Her necklace was still there. Except for the jewel set in the center, the Aria of Purity.
"The performance 'Empire of Flowers' will now begin. The party hall will be dimmed slightly during the performance, so please understand."
"Ooh!"
"Finally starting."
"Is that the famous..."
As all the nobles took their seats, led by young ladies with sparkling eyes.
The Court Knight Commander approached silently.
"As you instructed, we've completely sealed off the party hall, Princess."
"Well done. I was hoping they'd show up and get caught, but what a shame. Hehe."
"Even a phantom thief wouldn't be foolish enough to appear at an event like this. Especially for the Princess's jewel... Your Highness?"
"Yes?"
"The Aria of Purity... was it always this shape?"
"What are you saying? 'Was it always this shape?' The Aria of Purity is, as its name suggests, a pure white transparent jewel..."
Lancel, the Court Knight Commander, and 3rd Princess Claria. The three pairs of eyes simultaneously turned toward her chest.
Silence.
"...What is this?"
The 3rd Princess's expression went blank.
Lancel, wiping his face, spoke up.
"It's candy."
"Candy...?"
"Yes, candy."
The sacred relic Aria of Purity had been replaced with honey candy.
.
.
.
"Wh-what do I do, what do I do, Pina?"
"I knew you'd cause trouble, miss! They say old habits die hard, and your hand just had to move on its own!"
"I-I didn't want to steal it. My hand just moved on its own..."
"That's even worse!"
Marigold, preparing for the performance, couldn't control her trembling hands as she looked at the jewel inside the candy wrapper.
"Sh-should I throw it away?!"
"Of course you should, miss! It's hot, hot! Hurry and throw it away and play dumb. Come on, quickly."
"Yes, that's right?!"
"Did you forget what Sir Lancel said? If you get caught, you'll spend the rest of your life eating gruel in prison?"
"That's right!"
Marigold was about to throw away the jewel, candy wrapper and all.
"Mary, you rascal!"
"Eeeeeek!"
If only the playwright Jean Sirre hadn't suddenly appeared behind her.
"The performance is starting and the first character to appear is doing what here! Go change your clothes right now! There's no time!"
"Ah, m-my stomach hurts so I just..."
"Endure it! Endure it with all your might! A first-class actor should be able to handle that much! Now, hurry and change! Shar, Winnie! Get this sluggish fool dressed quickly so he's not late!"
"Yes!"
"Mary! Follow me, hurry! What day is it today that you haven't even changed yet!"
"Aaaaargh..."
"What's this? Honey candy? Can I eat it?"
"Nooooo!"
Marigold desperately protected the paper wrapper containing the honey candy, or more precisely, the Aria of Purity.
Afraid someone might see it, she quickly pushed it into her mouth.
"Ugh, my ears hurt. Just eat it all, eat it all!"
===============
—Sudden Event!!! You have come into contact with the sacred relic 'Aria of Purity'.
Judgment: Pure and impure simultaneously.
Record: Currently pure in body and mind, but in past lives, discovered to have had 21,861 instances of physical relations with the young noble 'Lancel Dante'.
â»The Aria of Purity observes the 'contradiction' and emits a faint light. No, perhaps this is true purity? Marigold, from today you are the owner of this jewel. The Aria of Purity will shine eternally from now on. At this moment, receive the light of praise!
===============
"Mary! The performance is starting! Get ready and come out!"
"Yes, I-I'm coming now!"
With the jewel pushed into the corner of her mouth, Marigold rushed to the stage.
"What are you going to do, miss! We're completely ruined!"
"I don't know anymore...!"
"I can see the gruel meals in that dreary prison now!"
"Waaah!"
A soft light emanated from Marigold's mouth as she despaired.
A warm, faint light that could barely be seen if one looked closely.
26.
"Lisenne, do you like it?"
"Yes, it's truly a dazzling and beautiful scenery. In this Empire of Flowers where Casablanca and lilacs bloom, I want to stay with you all day!"
"Empire of Flowers. As you say, this empire is full of flowers, Lisenne. Would you dance with me?"
The 3rd Princess's necklace had been replaced with honey candy.
Perhaps because of the commotion that would break out when this news spread, the party hall was still quiet.
Most people were also distracted by the performance.
But.
"What's happening with the theater troupe members?"
"We're examining everyone preparing behind the stage."
"The only commoners here are those people. Obviously, the phantom thief must be one of the troupe members. Search the actors thoroughly and find them."
"Yes, Commander."
'As expected.'
Lancel turned toward the stage.
"Lisenne! Even if death stands in the way of our love, I will love you!"
"The closer you come to me, the more you will be ruined. Like this cursed fate!"
"It doesn't matter, Lisenne. If my love is a curse, I will gladly descend into hell."
The sniffling sounds of young ladies who were completely immersed in the story could be heard.
"What a moving story."
"So this is why it's a masterpiece...!"
Even the most thoughtless knights would know that if the phantom thief was here, they were more likely to be a commoner than a noble.
And the only commoners present today were the theater troupe members. So it was only natural that they would be the first to be investigated.
What was happening behind the stage curtain was obvious without looking. They would be searching the actors one by one, those not currently performing.
'So Marigold is now...'
What should I do?
What if they discover that she's the Phantom Thief Honeycandy?
"When the performance ends, we'll interrogate everyone one by one, nobles and royals alike, Lancel, Theater Director. I'll give you, the most trustworthy, full authority."
The 3rd Princess's cold voice.
"How dare someone touch my belongings, hmph."
'She's furious.'
What should I do?
Should I just cause a scene? Should I go in right now and turn everything upside down? Or should I at least take Marigold and run away?
Yes.
There's nothing I can't do.
It's not like I haven't done it once or twice before.
I can certainly do it again.
"Lisenne, all this tragedy happened because of your lingering attachment! Because you dared to desire happiness beyond your station!"
"Why, I just...!"
Passionate voices erupted from the stage.
Lancel's trembling hand was already moving toward his waist.
Where his ceremonial sword was attached. It was a decorative blade without a sharp edge, but that was enough for him. It would be sufficient to fend off pursuers until they could escape far enough.
"Foolish Lisenne!"
"Arrogant Lisenne!"
"Stupid Lisenne!"
The atmosphere on the stage grew intense.
"Lisenne."
Let's do it.
Just do it.
There's no time now.
Even as he hesitated, the investigation behind the stage would be closing in on Marigold. To catch the phantom thief. To catch Marigold.
"Princess. I'll be stepping out for a moment."
"Where are you going, Lancel Dante?"
Despite the 3rd Princess's voice, Lancel stood up. He walked steadily toward the dim edge of the party hall.
"Your desire for peace and happiness, which you dared to wish for, has thrown this entire world into chaos. Lisenne. Poor child..."
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Lancel's heart was pounding.
'Is there no other way?'
So what.
It's not like I haven't run away before.
I'll go in, check things out, and if necessary...
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
"Lisenne!"
That's when it happened.
A spirited voice burst forth.
"I have returned, Lisenne! Noi, the name of death, has returned to this place!"
It was Marigold's voice. It resonated loudly across the stage.
Lancel stood frozen, staring at her.
"I told you, Lisenne! That only I am with you. That only I have this wretched love! How many times must I tell you!"
'...?'
How to put it...
An ordinary person might have missed it, but Lancel immediately noticed her slurred pronunciation.
'Could it be.'
With a suspicious mind, Lancel narrowed his eyes.
"My woman, Lisenne!"
A faint light was flowing from Marigold's mouth.
A light so faint that an ordinary person wouldn't notice.
'Could it be. In there...?'
It was evidence that Marigold hadn't been searched yet.
If the knights weren't fools, they would check inside her mouth, wouldn't they?
'So, when this act ends?'
Yes.
She'll be caught.
She'll definitely be caught.
"Lisenne. Poor child. There is no meaning in the happiness you seek away from me!"
She was now alone on the stage.
Only about two lines of dialogue remained.
Marigold's performance was coming to an end.
BANG-!
By the time he came to his senses, Lancel's body was already moving.
27.
Lancel was running through the backstage area.
To sweep away the knights and extract Marigold?
No, that wasn't it.
"Sir Lancel?"
"Sir Lancel, why are you here...?"
"I'm borrowing this."
"Pardon?"
Lancel put on a hat and cloak from the stage costumes, leaving behind bewildered knights and actors.
He was leaping onto the stage in one bound.
"Lisenne...! Even if death separates us!"
The stage flooded with light.
On the platform watched by all nobles and royals.
Where only Marigold remained, passionately acting.
"My original sin, my love... Eek!?"
Marigold's eyes widened in shock as she saw Lancel. Their wide-open eyes met.
The nobles watching the stage had the same reaction.
Starting with the 3rd Princess wearing the honey candy necklace, all the young ladies who had been watching "Empire of Flowers" for a long time raised their surprised eyes.
"Was there such a role?"
"That's... someone I've never seen before."
"Did the script change?"
"What is this?"
In the midst of the stirring atmosphere, Lancel could only see Marigold.
'I've done it now.'
It was too late for regrets.
"Me..."
Lancel stopped speaking.
"Noi."
"...?"
Suddenly.
His first meeting with Marigold came to mind.
When he first saw her back then, could he have known it would turn out like this?
That their connection would be this long and persistent.
That they would be entangled so endlessly.
Could he have anticipated it?
Memories of past Marigolds kept flashing through Lancel's mind.
Marigold the stranger, Marigold the mercenary, Marigold the tycoon, Marigold the administrator, Marigold the magician... and now Marigold the thief.
Memories with Marigold who kept changing between countless beginnings and endings.
—Even if death separates us.
Lancel, who had climbed onto the stage, set aside his brief sentimentality.
He grabbed Marigold's shoulders.
"Sir... Lancel...?"
"I heard there's a kiss scene."
"What?"
"Jean Sirre told me."
"...!"
Lancel wrapped his arm around Marigold's waist.
Her wide-open eyes came incredibly close.
"Whoa!"
Exclamations erupted from the nobles all around.
A soft sensation enveloped his lips. Lancel pulled Marigold's waist firmly to hold her in place. With such force that it seemed he might crush her, afraid she might run away.
It looked like a kiss scene, but the reality was different.
This was more like...
A chase between a thief and a knight.
'Hand it over!'
The two struggled inside their connected mouths for quite some time.
"Mmm...!"
'I'm telling you nicely, hand it over.'
He persistently pursued her as she dodged around, hiding something in her mouth. Until he finally snatched that hard object.
It was a kiss that lasted over three minutes.
The last thing he saw was Marigold's comical expression, her face flushed red and her eyes nearly rolling back.
Marigold staggered as her legs gave out. She had lost almost all strength to resist and had the jewel taken from her.
'You should have handed it over nicely.'
Sparkle.
A pure white light leaked between the two as they separated their lips.
It was the light left by the fleeting moment when the sacred relic 'Aria of Purity' passed to Lancel Dante.
The 3rd Princess's jewel thus changed hands in front of everyone.
"Phew."
A sigh of relief.
The stage curtain slowly descended.
"To think there would be a kiss scene in the Empire of Flowers..."
"But aren't both roles... men...?"
"Huh?"