The Black-Clad Boss looked displeased at the uncooperative Phantom Thief. "At this point, you're still playing dumb? Of course I mean the 'Phantom Lady' who disappeared after committing a crime in Paris eighteen years ago, known as the Twelve-Faced Lady."
Kid's expression changed slightly. "Phantom Lady..."
...Wasn't that my mom?
Eighteen years ago, compared with "Phantom Thief Kid," who never hit anyone and only ran away, the codename "Phantom Lady" was clearly more hated by the police—though she never killed anyone either, she never held back when beating people up, often leaving officers who came after her battered and bloodied.
At the time, a wealthy businessman held an exhibition at the top Lookout of the Eiffel Tower. Phantom Lady made a flamboyant appearance there, and it also became her final appearance before the world.
...Not because she died, but because the previous Phantom Thief Kid had played hero saves the beauty there. She then washed her hands of the business, started a family, and retired from the scene.
"No wonder this situation felt so familiar." Kid suddenly understood, thinking to himself, This is exactly like the love story Mom told me! Back then, she was tracking down a batch of counterfeits that had exploited her reputation. She followed the trail to a motorcycle exhibition at the top of the Eiffel Tower, then got set up by the organizers and had her hand cuffed to a motorcycle—just like that unlucky guy next to me.
"Theft was also a business. I heard the organizers back then deliberately let Phantom Thieves steal treasures, then mass-produced counterfeit versions and sold them on the Black Market under the claim that they were 'the genuine articles stolen by Phantom Thieves,' reaping enormous profits...
"But whether it was Dad or Mom, after a successful theft, they