After seizing the flintlock pistol, Stéphane Breitwieser and Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus flee in panic, expecting to be caught. At home, Breitwieser polishes the pistol with lemon juice and waits for news. Weeks pass without mention of the theft, fear ebbs, and pride and joy take over. He keeps the pistol close, even sleeping beside it, and feels his bond with Anne-Catherine deepen.

Resolved to repeat the thrill with fewer risks, they target a vast, sparsely visited mountain castle in winter 1995. A cashier remarks on the cold, confirming few visitors. Equipped with a backpack and a large purse, they enter aiming for a specific prize.

In the weapons hall, Breitwieser spots a walnut-and-bone crossbow hung too high to reach. He carries over a chair, unhooks the suspension wire, then realizes the weapon will not fit in any bag. Improvising, he finds a window above bushes, forces it open, maneuvers the crossbow outside, and drops it.

They exit casually; Anne-Catherine waits in the car while Breitwieser circles the ramparts to retrieve the undamaged crossbow. Days later, a newspaper notes the theft with no suspects. They scrapbook the article, their anxiety quickly transforming into satisfaction and confidence.

Soon after, his parents’ divorce finalizes. His mother buys a suburban house and allows the couple to live in the attic, cooking for them but keeping distance. His grandparents gift a four-poster bed. The pair display the pistol and crossbow, abandon Ikea aesthetics, and commit to building an old-world sanctuary, though their many blank walls hint at how far they plan to go.