1 Find me... Please.

There are many tales to be told across the land. Some are poems and songs told by bards, while some are told by storytellers.

From the legend of the Archons to the impending doom that the Abyss is prophesizing— tales of yore and now appear where there are minds to hear them.

And the Nation of Hydro— Fontaine— wasn't an exception.

There are various tales circulating in this nation, but the most popular one is undoubtedly the prophecy that the previous Hydro Archon foretold.

This prophecy was a dreadful one— it foretold a disastrous calamity that would take away every life of those whose roots came from Fontaine.

None have yet to have discovered a clue though, as such, the prophecy had been pushed back to being just a "rumor."

However...

Overshadowed by the tale of the prophecy, there is a new tale floating around in Fontaine.

The tale of the illusive Phantom.

---

"Yeah, it's been a problem." A man with a bushy mustache said as he rubbed his nose. "Someone's been stealing my apples!"

"It can't be that bad, right?" A fellow merchant whose stand was right next to the one who spoke earlier said. "It's just a few apples... Right?"

The man with the bushy mustache clicked his tongue in disdain. "That's the problem. It's been happening for a week now!"

"The worst part is that I still haven't found the dang culprit!"

"Geez, since when did we have a serial thief in the Court of Fontaine...?" The merchant shook his head with a sigh.

He then turned his head and looked at his products. At this very moment, his eyes suddenly widened. "Wait— what?!"

"What's wrong?" Hearing the merchant's sudden surprised yell, the man with the bushy mustache couldn't help but ask.

"M-My product! My dairy product!" The merchant said as he frantically counted the white milk cartons. After counting, his face couldn't help but grimace. "Dang it! I had twenty-four milk just a minute ago! There's one missing!"

"Guess a thief got you..." Seeing the merchant's dilemma, the man with the bushy mustache crossed his arms and shook his head. "A thief— no, perhaps it's the same thief that stole my goods."

"A thief that goes unnoticed..." The man with the mustache cliched his tongue as he looked around. "Seriously, I hope the Maison Gardiennage would handle this soon..."

"I swear, when I find that thief, I'll make them pay!" The merchant said with a fuming face.

What these two didn't know, however, was that the supposed "thief" was still within the vicinity.

"Heh, now that's a good laugh..."

Not far away from the two merchants, on top of a roof, a young man can be seen sitting cross-legged.

This young man wore eccentric attire. He wore a white long-sleeved shirt with an olive-green vest on top. Over it was a black cloak. He also wore black trousers and a pair of black shoes.

He had black hair with some traces of white in it, with a pair of cerulean-blue eyes that seemed to reflect the darkness of the sea.

Contrary to his appearance, his facial expressions and mannerisms pointed out that he was still quite young.

On his right hand was an apple, while the other held an open milk carton.

With an amused smile, the young man couldn't help but observe the two merchants. He then took a bite of the apple he was holding. "The Maison Gardiennage? Haha... Even Captain Chevreuse can't do anything to me!"

The young man then sighed as he said this. With a gentle somber smile, he couldn't help but observe the scene in quiet.

After a while, a few words escaped his mouth. "But it would be nice for someone to finally see me..."

With these words, the young man couldn't help but rest his head on his palm. He then gazed at the distance.

"What's the point of having a second life if no one even notices me..."

This young man's name was Lucas Haydn. Long story short, he died of drowning and found himself transported into the world of a game he used to play a lot in the past.

With this brand new chance in life, he thought he would be able to enjoy the new opportunity.

However, he soon found out something very cruel.

No one can see, hear, and sense him.

No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he tried to get someone's attention, they'll just carry along as if he never existed.

He even tried to mimic a ghost by taking a blanket, but the blanket just turned invisible at his touch. It seems like everything he touches turns invisible.

With no way of finding money to feed himself, Lucas resorted to stealing. He stole to eat and live.

He already can't be seen, so he might as well take advantage of his situation to survive, after all.

"It's been a week since I found myself here... When will this end?" Lucas laid down the roof and looked up the skies of Fontaine which was slowly darkening— it was about to rain.

Tap—*

Tap—*

A few moments later, the drips of rain started pouring down the Court of Fontaine.

Many citizens who were out suddenly began to find shelter to protect themselves from getting soaked, while some opened their umbrellas and parasols.

Lucas, however, stayed motionless as he looked up the sky.

Suddenly, a white flash of light appeared for a brief second before disappearing. What followed was a loud noise.

Boom!*

It was a lightning storm.

"Hah..." Drenched in the rain, Lucas didn't move and just closed his eyes. He then remembered something and opened his eyes. "The sky raining means Neuvillette is upset..."

With a light smile, he continued. He spoke softly,"O Hydro Dragon, O Hydro Dragon... Don't cry."

This was one of the tales of Fontaine.

It was said that a Dragon of Hydro was hidden within Fontaine, and whenever it got upset, it would rain.

This made the people correlate the rain with the dragon crying. As such, the local tale of trying to console a sad dragon is well-known around Fontaine.

Albeit, this legend rarely works as no one even knows where the hydro dragon is.

Of course, other than a few people in this world, only Lucas knows that the Hydro Dragon was actually the Chief Justice of Fontaine, Neuvillette.

"O Hydro Dragon, what makes you upset? Is it the human nature you see every day or..." Whilst speaking, Lucas hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Is it because of our dear God of Justice?"

Having said this, Lucas quickly sat up. His entire clothes were soaked in water, but it didn't matter the slightest to him.

He lifted his hand and parted his long hair which was blocking his vision.

His cerulean-blue eyes then darted towards a particular area in the Court of Fontaine.

"Come to think of it... I haven't met Focalors physically yet..." Lucas said as he bit his thumb. "Should I go...?"

Focalors— widely known as Furina— was Fontaine's Archon. In other words, she was their god. Her other title is the God of Justice.

Unlike the other nations, the people of Fontaine see their Archon not as a god, but as a super celebrity. As such, she is always in the spotlight.

Lucas' eyes darted and looked at the milk and apple he was eating a while ago became soaked in rain. He then sighed.

Standing up, he made up his mind. "Yeah... I guess I'll give it a try."

"Who knows? I might even be able to steal some pastries from Focalors, heh..." With a mischievous smile, Lucas stretched his limbs for a bit.

"Alright, let's do this again." He mumbled to himself. He then bent down and reached for a glass window below him.

Woosh—*

The moment Lucas' fingers made contact with the glass windows, his silhouette suddenly vanished.

A moment later, Lucas' figure appeared on the window.

"Still can't control it..." Lucas clicked his tongue as he looked at his palm. He then shook his head. "Once I make contact, it instantly sucks me in..."

Yes, other than having the cursed ability to not be seen, Lucas had also gained the ability to enter reflective surfaces.

Be it a window or a mirror, as long as Isaac makes contact with it, his figure would inadvertently enter it. He has no control over this ability.

"I should really try to find a way to control it..." Lucas mumbled. He then looked at Palais Mermonia, where the Chief Justice and God of Justice reside. "Alright... Here we go..."

His figure then disappeared from the window and appeared on another window not far away.

His figure kept disappearing and reappearing from each window, gradually approaching Palais Mermonia.

Lucas calls this ability— Reflective Leap!

---

After a few minutes of leaping through each reflective surface he sees, he finally arrives near Palais Mermonia.

Exiting a glass door he leaped into, Lucas' figure appeared in the real world once more. But of course, no one could still see him.

Looking at the grand palace in front of him, Lucas couldn't help but admire it as he shook his head. He walked forward, unnoticed by any of the guards on patrol.

He walked leisurely without any care of being discovered. In fact, he wanted to be discovered.

Finally, he arrived and held the door which led inside the Palais.

Lucas looked at the handle of the door with a solemn smile for a few moments. "..."

"...I wonder if the Iudex and Lady Furina are inside?" Lucas lightly smiled to himself. "Perhaps... Perhaps I might get the chance to be seen if it's Monsieur Neuvillette..."

If there's only one thing Lucas wants to achieve— it's to be seen. To not be forgotten.

"Forget me not..." Lucas said under his breath with a faint smile before entering the Palais Mermonia.

The door behind him then closed.

Tud—*

No one heard the noise.