Leaving The Hearth, Columbina prepared to return to Sandrone’s home.
After all, she had made an agreement with her that she could come to her home for every meal from now on.
she had to keep her promise to Sandrone.
Although it might be a bit troublesome, given that her home was some distance from Sandrone’s, it wouldn’t be a bother if she could eat such delicious meals every time.
The moment she thought about being able to eat those delicacies at Sandrone’s home again, the thin haze that had clouded Columbina’s heart since she left Sandrone’s home dissipated.
It seemed that good food really could affect a person’s mood.
Or perhaps, it wasn’t just the food?
Columbina hummed a tune as she slowly walked into Sandrone’s home.
” ♪ ♪ ♪ ～ ”
So, what was Sandrone doing at this moment?
It was quite miserable; she wasn’t as leisurely as Columbina.
she was originally responsible for researching various machines needed by the Fatui, managing the Adventurers Guild, and she still needed to study the final equation left behind by Alain Giyodan.
Recently, because of Columbina, she also had to take risks to collect information on the Doctor.
she barely had any time to rest.
Because it was approaching lunchtime, Sandrone still remembered her agreement with Columbina, so even though her workload was heavy, she returned home early from the Laboratory and arranged for her subordinates to cook.
Of course, Sandrone wouldn’t be idle.
Although she couldn’t conduct experiments while away from the Laboratory, she could still look at Alain Giyodan’s manuscripts.
Naturally, she had already destroyed the original manuscripts according to Alain Giyodan’s will, but no one said she couldn’t rewrite a copy from memory, right?
To deal with the Doctor, Sandrone was actually under a lot of pressure; she needed to understand Alain Giyodan’s vast wisdom more deeply.
Before the real confrontation, one could never do too much preparation.
“Hmph…
Columbina!
You really owe me a huge favor!”
“Let’s see what you’ll use to repay me when the time comes!”
Lying on the chair, Sandrone rubbed her brow with some fatigue.
After seeing Columbina off this morning, she had personally gone to the Adventurers Guild to coordinate and arrange the investigation into the Doctor, at least to figure out the strength and distribution of all her current the slice.
Then, without stopping, she returned to the Laboratory to prepare to continue the experiment from last night.
But she had been busy all morning, and that experiment was still at a standstill.
Now she had to keep going in circles within the maze left by Alain Giyodan…
Others work 996, but she was almost at 007.
Even for a machine, such non-stop work was exhausting, not to mention she hadn’t rested well last night.
With a wave of dizziness in her brain, Sandrone had to put down the manuscript and pick up the espresso on the coffee table to refresh himself.
And just at this moment, as Sandrone’s vision shifted, she suddenly caught sight of Columbina, who had appeared at the doorway at some unknown time.
“Oh…”
Seeing Columbina, Sandrone recalled the things they had said to each other that morning, as well as the hug Columbina had given her before they parted…
“Damn it!
Why would I think of that!”
A flash of panic crossed Sandrone’s eyes, and she hurriedly closed them, pretending to drink the coffee.
But perhaps it was because she was too anxious, or perhaps the coffee was too hot, the cup containing the scalding coffee slipped from Sandrone’s hand.
Sandrone widened her eyes quickly.
If it were any other time, as the Seventh Seat, she would have been able to react in time and dodge such an unexpected situation, but not today.
she was really tired.
Sandrone was certainly not that kind of backward machine that was afraid of water; right now, the only thought in her mind was…
“Tsk…
I’m going to lose face in front of Columbina again.”
Sandrone’s worry did not come to pass.
After a flash of blue Lunar Rectangular Force halo, Sandrone vanished from in front of that chair.
To be precise, she had been teleported elsewhere by the space authority of the “frost moon”.
Right in front of Columbina.
However, because Sandrone had maintained a sitting posture after being teleported, she was now suspended in mid-air and naturally began to fall backward due to inertia.
Sandrone didn’t need to worry about falling to the ground, because Columbina wouldn’t allow it.
“Watch out!”
Columbina quickly raised her hand to catch Sandrone’s hand, pulling her back with force.
After neutralizing the gravity, Sandrone finally stood steady.
It was just that…
the current posture was a bit wrong.
Perhaps Columbina had used a bit too much force; now, Sandrone was almost pressed against Columbina’s front.
Looking at Columbina, who was so close, Sandrone’s mind went blank.
she could even smell that light and ethereal scent, like the moon, coming from Columbina.
This was much more intimate than the hug this morning.
“Who am I?
Where am I?
What should I do?”
It completely crashed Sandrone’s system.
“Sandrone?”
Columbina tilted her head, feeling a bit strange; why did Sandrone’s expression feel so odd?
Being addressed by Columbina, Sandrone’s mind finally regained a bit of clarity.
she hurriedly broke free from Columbina’s embrace and even took a few steps back on purpose.
“Columbina!
What are you doing!
Who allowed you…”
Sandrone couldn’t continue halfway through her sentence, because she realized she couldn’t seem to find a reason to “accuse” Columbina.
Just now, it seemed she really was just trying to help.
she even seemed to need to thank her.
But for some reason, Sandrone was just very angry inside.
Unable to accuse Columbina, Sandrone could only sulk by himself.
“Tsk, how embarrassing…
Pulonia, come over and clean this up!”
Sandrone walked quickly to the place where she had just been sitting to retrieve Alain Giyodan’s manuscript, preparing to change places to continue her research.
When she passed by Columbina, she stopped again, struggled for a moment, and spoke.
“Um…
Columbina, I still have to thank you for just now.
Uh…
if you want to eat lunch, you’ll have to wait a little while.
You can wander around near my home first.
By the way, don’t go to the top floor.
That is all.”
After Sandrone finished speaking, she didn’t dare to look at Columbina again and walked quickly toward another small table.
Columbina thought for a moment where she stood, then followed.
When Sandrone sat down and prepared to continue her research, she found that there seemed to be someone beside her.
Sandrone looked up.
Sandrone’s anger level rose.
Sandrone sighed.
I am very busy right now, I don’t have time to listen to you sing, can you please not disturb me?”
she had been exhausted all morning by various things.
Sandrone really had no energy left to argue with Columbina.
Originally, this should have been her time to catch up on sleep.
And to Sandrone’s surprise, Columbina shook her head.
“It’s not that, Sandrone.
I just think you don’t look very well right now.
Is it because you are too busy with work?”
Hearing this, Sandrone felt a little comforted, and her tone was not as harsh anymore.
“If you know that, then just go out and don’t add to my trouble.”
Columbina continued to shake her head, “Sandrone has always done very well and is a very serious person, but even you should rest properly; your body won’t be able to handle it.”
“Ah…
Columbina…”
Sandrone’s eyes immediately cleared up a lot, the touch of hostility that had been lingering in them faded away, and she murmured involuntarily.
This was the first time Sandrone had felt concern from someone else.
The Empress only cared about her performance, Regrator only cared about her research funding, the Doctor only cared about her research ability…
she was even evaluated by a certain Harbinger as “doing the heaviest work and suffering the most losses”.
Although the words were unpleasant, Sandrone admitted that she was right.
Everyone only cared about her results; who would care about what she had paid to achieve that result?
Of course, Sandrone knew that the Fatui was just that kind of organization.
But unfortunately, she also had reasons why she had to stay in the Fatui.
But…
who wouldn’t want their hard work and their efforts to be understood by others?
“So, Sandrone, do you need to rest now?
Do you need me to accompany you?”
Columbina suddenly spoke again and offered her suggestion.
Sandrone had originally been quite moved, but upon hearing this sentence, she completely broke composure.
What on earth was this guy Columbina saying!
Who wanted her to accompany her to rest!
“Co-lum-bi-na!
Don’t talk nonsense!
I don’t need it!”
“Eh?”
Columbina remained innocently confused.
“But just now, when I went to The Hearth, I heard someone say that as friends, if you are tired, having someone accompany you makes it more comfortable.”
“Columbina!
That ‘accompany’ is not the meaning of the ‘accompany’ you’re talking about!”
Sandrone gnashed her teeth and said, then paused, “Where did you say you just went?”
“The Hearth.”
“What did you go there for?”
“To find Arlecchino.”
“…”
After a moment of silence, Sandrone opened Alain Giyodan’s manuscript and continued her research.
“I will rest, don’t disturb me.”
Her tone was devoid of any emotion.
Columbina was puzzled by this; they had been chatting happily just a moment ago, so why did Sandrone suddenly seem like a different person?