I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Kirino: "..."

Now she believes that the seemingly 'unruly' person in front of her, dressed in denim, is herself.

She hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"If you want me to become your power... then so be it."

"But...you, answer one question for me first."

"what is the problem?"

Kirino turned her head to the side, gazing into the distance where the view was blurred by the yellow sand.

"Will you... always uphold the 'honor' in your heart?"

"Will you... continue to commit 'evil deeds' in the name of justice?"

"Do you...think you can get along with everyone?"

"You... will feel that this path is bound to be fraught with hardship..."

"Does the salvation you seek truly exist...?"

Kirino listened attentively at first, then gradually became confused, then puzzled, and finally somewhat bewildered.

"This is no longer a problem..."

Kirino smiled faintly, her expression enigmatic.

Amamiya, who hadn't spoken up, saw it all very clearly.

Kirino in the shadows said so much... seemingly asking many questions, but in reality, she only asked one question.

Do you believe your sense of justice is "just"?

Kirino's cowboy attire itself symbolizes a special kind of "symbolic label".

It is often associated with elements such as "Western gold rush", "wild streets", "revolver", "unruly", "both good and evil", and "peacekeeping sheriff".

Cowboys are "heroes on horseback," fearless and passionate pioneers of the wilderness.

Their actions are difficult to evaluate using keywords like "justice" or "evil," and even the term "both righteous and evil" is somewhat of a stretch.

They can annihilate an entire gang for revenge, or charge fearlessly on horseback with guns drawn for the sake of friendship...

They are also willing to risk their lives to uphold their own sense of "justice" and spontaneously challenge powerful enemies.

Ultimately... everything they did was for their own "honor".

……honor.

The word itself may sound utilitarian.

However, it must be said that it is biased towards the positive and does exist for various 'positive achievements'.

Amamiya knew how to answer such a question... but he couldn't answer it for him.

This is because it is a kind of 'persona awakening ritual', which is part of accepting one's inner struggles and reconciling with oneself.

You need to figure it out yourself, rather than simply seeking answers from the outside world.

"How...do you intend to answer?"

After waiting for a while without receiving an answer, Kirino in the shadows grew slightly impatient and urged, "Hurry up... give me your answer before I completely lose patience."

The five questions are condensed into one, and then an answer is given to that one question...

After being urged and questioned, Kirino's mind became surprisingly clear.

No, that's not right...

These questions cannot, and should not, be understood simply from their literal meaning.

I should answer...

Kirino took a deep breath, dispelling the confusion and hesitation in her eyes.

"I...believe."

Having received an answer, Kirino in the shadows took off her cowboy hat.

"Very good. I could feel your emotions... Your heart is pounding."

"You still retain the freedom to control your own life and will...that's good."

She walked towards Kirino, her figure gradually enveloped in starlight as she walked.

After placing the cowboy hat on her real-world self, the shadow Kirino's form became completely unsustainable, turning into a gradually gathering ball of light.

The ball of light gradually condensed and converged onto a tarot card depicting Kirino's own portrait and marked "VI".

"I am you...you are me."

"The contract is now complete..."

"From now on, I will serve as your mask..."

"Fight for the 'honor' you seek."

Kirino reached out and took the semi-transparent tarot card in her hand.

"My name is 'Arthur'... Call my name whenever you need it."

After leaving behind those words, the tarot cards in Kirino's hand turned into specks of light and disappeared completely.

【Psona - Arthur (Arcana: Justice)】

[Introduction: Arthur Morgan, a Western gunslinger, the last cowboy.]

This legendary cowboy, in his search for his own 'redemption,' offered redemption to countless fellow countrymen and innocent people. His own redemption, however, was only found on his deathbed.

Bearing the name Arthur, possessing the obsession of a 'king'. He doesn't want others to misunderstand him, nor does he want others to know too much about him.

[He wasn't always a chivalrous hero; he might even have been a bloodthirsty villain... yet many of those he helped hailed him as a champion of "justice."]

'It's a Persona mask like this...'

Having witnessed the entire process of Amamiya's awakening to "face her own shadow," she felt a sense of "unexpected yet reasonable."

Unlike the awakening of 'burning one's rebellious soul'... the awakening of reconciling with one's own shadow is generally very peaceful and gentle.

Ultimately, it's about accepting your own power.

Therefore, Kirino did not feel any 'exhaustion' at all; on the contrary, she felt refreshed and invigorated after a good rest all day.

Kirino tried to take off her cowboy hat, and then the cowboy hat turned into a tarot card with a whoosh, and she seemed to have a premonition.

"Is this... the Persona?"

Kirino has a very special feeling right now...

You can crush this card at any time and summon your Persona whenever you want.

Or... turn this card into a mask, a phantom thief's outfit... and attach it to yourself.

However, Kirino did not do that.

The essence of the 'power' skirt is not about showing off.

Even if it's not all about upholding justice, there's no need to vent meaninglessly.

As soon as the cards were tossed away, the tarot cards naturally transformed back into a cowboy hat and returned to Kirino's head.

"call……"

Facing the western wilderness streets where the sun was gradually setting, Kirino stretched lazily, feeling refreshed.

In this way... he himself became a 'phantom thief'.

To uphold justice more...

At the same time, it will be able to help Sensei more, instead of just causing trouble for Sensei...

I felt Kirino's sense of "justice."

[COOP Improvement!]

【Kirino Nakamatsu (Justice) ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆】

After stretching lazily in the sunset, the girl turned around with a bright smile and a smug look, glancing at Amamiya.

"Sensei..."

"So, are we going back now?"

Chapter 82 The Last Straw That Broke Valkyrie's Back

Dusk is precisely the time when the collective unconscious is most relaxed.

Why did "The Phantom Thief Who Stole Hearts" choose to embed itself in another world during the time after school?

The answer isn't just because the 'phantom thieves' are all students...

Furthermore, this period is also the time when the collective unconscious is most active and most relaxed before it becomes inert and falls into dormancy.

"Hey--"

The Valkyrie students stationed at the warehouse entrance shouted, "Dinner's almost ready—is it still not done?"

Saori, who was inspecting a box, straightened up when she heard the sound and exchanged glances with Misaki, Hiyori, and Akiko, who were nearby.

Then, Yajinzi hurriedly ran out from between the shelves, putting on an awkward and unnatural expression, saying something like, "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"I'm sorry... as we are newcomers trained by our seniors, our professional skills are still relatively inexperienced..."

"I might need to be busy for a little while longer after dinner..."

With her only relatively normal negotiation skills in the squad, and her natural affability with her 'princess' aura, Akiko's coy expression, though still a little unnatural, was enough to prevent the Valkyrie students from noticing anything amiss.

"Newcomer..."

The silver-haired Valkyrie student glanced sympathetically at Akiko and her group, then sighed with a touch of melancholy, "...I can understand."

"Back in the day, I was just like that, always causing my seniors trouble, a newbie from the Bureau of Life Safety..."

"It wasn't easy to get promoted from the Bureau of Life Safety to the Police Department... Although I'm not yet a senior who can mentor juniors, I'm already..."

After reflecting on her feelings, she sighed and shook her head.

"Hey……"

"I never expected to be troubled by this kind of problem before I even had a chance to become a senior..."

"Alright, put down your work if you need to. It's lunchtime now. If you miss this time, you won't get to eat."

With a sigh, she opened the warehouse door behind her, then waved to Saori, Misaki, and Hiyori, who were not moving, signaling them to follow.

'We can begin now...'

Watching the Valkyrie student's long silhouette against the setting sun, Saori silently apologized to herself.

Next, we might have a "small impact" on you, and on the future of the entire Valkyrie Police Department...

But all I can do is apologize to you.

As they left the warehouse, Saori and her group followed the Valkyrie student at a respectful distance, with Akiko bringing up the rear. At the same time, Akiko quietly picked up the "Star" card hidden in her skirt pocket.

The ability to fulfill a reasonable wish only once... was meant to be used to defuse a crisis.

However, this card can be used in ways that go beyond simply resolving crises.

Arius's team will not make mistakes.

Therefore, this card can be used in another very luxurious way—by adding a global "field effect" before the 'action'.

With a snap of her knuckles, she crushed the tarot cards in her hand, and then felt a cluster of starlight surrounding her.

Just like... back in the "Hall of Roses and Thorns," when I was enveloped by 'unfulfilled hope'.

Looking up, closing her eyes, and clasping her hands together in prayer, Ajinko began to make a wish upon the stars.

"On this night of falling stars... I hope that everyone in the Valkyrie Public Security Bureau can have a beautiful dream that they don't want to wake up from even when the sun is up."