Winter Palace.
“Hey, did you hear something just now?”
“What noise?”
“It seemed to…
come from Lady Sandrone’s Laboratory.
Should we go check it out?”
“Haha, brother, is this your first time patrolling here?”
“Yeah, but does that matter?
By Her Majesty the Tsaritsa!
That noise just now might be…
yes, an assassin!
It’s the sound of an assassin!
Lady Sandrone must be fighting that assassin right now.
It’s our duty, we must go check!”
“Hmm,” the Fatui Soldier accompanying the recruit held back a laugh, clearly not intending to go with her.
“You can go and try to take a look.”
The recruit looked like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, even giving the veteran a look of utter disdain.
“I will report your cowardly behavior truthfully to Lord Childe!
By Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, you are not fit to be a brave and steadfast Fatui warrior!”
With that, the recruit strode quickly toward the direction of the strange noise—the Sandrone’s Laboratory—without looking back.
The veteran didn’t argue further, sighing with emotion as she watched the green recruit.
Back in the day…
Sigh, better not mention it!
she then leaned directly against the wall.
Just as she was about to light a cigar, she suddenly realized she was still on patrol.
she helplessly lowered her hand and began humming a song leisurely.
she’ll be back soon with her tail between her legs.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, the recruit returned.
Well, with a few “minor injuries” on her.
The veteran looked the recruit up and down.
It seems Lady Sandrone is in a particularly bad mood today.
“Haha, brother, how was it?
Did you catch the assassin?”
The veteran greeted the recruit with a laugh, but her tone was entirely that of an old hand teasing a rookie.
Soldiers selected for the Fatui have at least some brains.
By now, the recruit had naturally realized how foolish her actions were.
It was simply the ultimate folly.
Should one expect any less from a Fatui Soldier?
“Don’t mention it.
I only saw a robot.
Hiss…
it hurts…”
“Hahaha!”
As soon as those words were spoken, the air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
One person’s happiness.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll have to tell Anthony and the others all about this.”
The recruit looked a bit embarrassed; it really wasn’t something to be proud of.
But now, she wanted to figure out exactly what had happened.
“Want to know why, right?”
The veteran’s eyes darted around, and her expression suddenly turned serious.
The instantaneous shift left our green recruit dumbfounded.
“I can tell you what follows, but you must never let those big shots hear!
Especially Lady Sandrone!”
The recruit nodded blankly.
“Hmm, quite sensible.
Tell me, were you thinking of seeing the true face of Seventh Seat just now?”
“!”
Having her thoughts exposed, the recruit appeared shocked.
she had only recently joined the Fatui.
So far, she hadn’t even seen a subordinate Captain, let alone the more noble Harbingers—especially one as high-ranking as Seventh Seat.
That’s a Harbinger!
Great heroes that almost all Snezhnayan children have grown up hearing about!
Powerful, majestic, ambitious…
Which Snezhnayan wouldn’t want to see one with their own eyes?
Of course, mentioning “Childe” just now was purely the recruit’s fantasy and attempt to intimidate.
her squad leader had told her that only the most outstanding soldiers have the chance to become a direct subordinate of a Harbinger.
she most wanted to be under Lord Childe.
Although her seat was the lowest, she was young!
she heard she’s always on the front lines, so there would definitely be many chances to fight side-by-side!
To fight side-by-side with a Lord Harbinger…
Just thinking about it makes one’s blood boil!
Of course, it didn’t have to be Lord Childe; any Harbinger would do.
Uh…
I heard…
Never mind, Lord Dottore won’t do.
Hmm, Lord Balladeer doesn’t seem very suitable either…
On the other side, if the veteran knew what this bold recruit was thinking, she certainly wouldn’t have escaped another round of teasing.
But unfortunately, she didn’t; she just patted the recruit on the chest.
“We’ve all been there.
You’ll be fine once you have a few more years of experience.
Back to business.
First, never speak of Lord Pulonia like that again.
It…”
The veteran whispered to the recruit.
“So that’s how it is!” The recruit realized.
“Then that noise just now…”
“It was probably Lady Damselette.”
“!!
That seems to…
be the third seat, right!”
“…The things that follow have been passed down by the seniors.
Let’s go further away to talk…”
The veteran mysteriously pulled the recruit further away.
They were supposed to patrol tonight, but they were heading straight for the most remote part of their assigned area.
The recruit was also made nervous by the veteran.
her originally “upright” posture now became sneaky as well—she had been successfully “trained.”
“Okay…”
The two walked away together, whispering occasionally and letting out a few gasps of surprise.
And behind them, in Sandrone’s Laboratory…
“Co-lum-bi-na!”
Sandrone clenched her small fists and bared her teeth at Columbina, though Columbina, being treated this way, didn’t show the slightest expression of being hurt.
She was even faintly smiling.
Upon keenly noticing this, Sandrone became even angrier.
“Columbina, what were you saying just now?
You should know what I want you to say.”
Columbina tilted her head in confusion.
“Hmm?
I’m not Sandrone, so how would I know what Sandrone wants me to say?
It’s just that Sandrone was talking about things related to me just now, so I thought Sandrone was looking for me.”
Sandrone was directly hit by these words, her interrogating momentum softening instantly.
“Who…
who was talking about you…”
“Hmm?
Sandrone doesn’t remember?”
Columbina began to recall.
“Just now, while Sandrone was doing her experiment, she said it was a pity Columbina didn’t come to sing for her tonight and couldn’t see her experiment.
Was Sandrone planning to come find me tomorrow?
Well, I’m here now, so Sandrone doesn’t need to go through the trouble.”
After hearing Columbina’s long explanation, Sandrone had only one thought.
What kind of interpretation is this?!
Can she really not tell that I dislike her?
Fine, Columbina, you can’t tell, right?
Then I’ll be even more blunt.
“Sandrone.”
Columbina interrupted what Sandrone was about to say, making her instinctively freeze.
“Huh?”
“Sandrone, I missed you so much.”
Simple, ethereal, yet emotion-filled notes drifted from Columbina’s slightly parted lips, but they sounded completely different to Sandrone’s ears.
What on earth is she saying?!
Threads of complex emotions surged in Sandrone’s heart, and in an instant, her face turned a bit red.
Never mind that fool Columbina, Sandrone, what’s wrong with you?
When did you get an emotional module like this!
Sandrone had intended to turn around to hide her abnormality, but then she remembered that Columbina seemed to be a blind girl and there was likely no need, so she simply gave up on the idea.
“Columbina, what exactly are you saying?”
Trying hard to compose himself, Sandrone crossed her arms and questioned with a face full of anger.
“Hmm?
Sandrone didn’t understand?
I said I missed Sandrone very much.
It should be an easy thing to understand…”
“…Argh!
Columbina!!!”
Sandrone really couldn’t control her expression anymore.
Why was talking to her always like this?
It’s really…
infuriating!
“Hmm?
What’s wrong, Sandrone?”
Over there, Sandrone was already preparing to “claw and bite” to teach Columbina a lesson, but here, Columbina seemed not to notice at all, reaching out her hand toward Sandrone’s face.
“It’s a bit hot…
Does Sandrone need to dissipate heat?
Staying in the Laboratory all the time can be very stuffy.”
Sandrone:…
she was just about to explode and slap away Columbina’s annoying hand, but she didn’t expect Columbina to pull away first this time.
she walked straight to Sandrone’s workbench.
“Ooh…
it looks like Sandrone’s experiment isn’t going very smoothly; it seems it hasn’t even been completed yet.”
“Who said it’s not completed!” hearing this, Sandrone immediately retorted.
When it came to experiments, this was her expertise!
she absolutely would not allow others to criticize it.
Especially this annoying Columbina!
“It’s only one last step away!”
Columbina turned back, “looking” at Sandrone with a face full of worry.
“But, when I came just now, Sandrone was doing the last step, and it hasn’t succeeded yet…”
“Sandrone, the level of your experiments has dropped quite seriously.
Have you been paying attention to taking care of your body lately?
You could try sleeping early and waking up early, and then there’s what I recommended before…”
“Co!
Lum!
Bi!
Na!”
Sandrone really couldn’t hold back anymore and interrupted her sharply, “If you dare say one more word, believe it or not, I’ll snap your neck!”
Is Sandrone saying “harsh words” to me?
This was Columbina’s first thought.
So, Sandrone wants to be friends with me.
Originally, I thought I’d never have the chance to say a few harsh words back to you…
Sandrone, it’s so good to see you again and hear you say these harsh words to me.
And…
I can’t help but want to keep listening to them forever…
Columbina was just about to speak and return a few “harsh words” to Sandrone, but Sandrone clearly wasn’t going to give her the chance.
“Pulonia, please escort our third seat, Lady Damselette, out for me.”
Sandrone emphasized the words “please” and “Lady” particularly heavily.
Although Pulonia didn’t think now was a good time for its appearance, out of absolute obedience to Sandrone’s orders, it still stepped forward, blocking the space between Sandrone and Columbina.
Columbina didn’t get angry either, only nodding slightly.
“I understand.
Is Sandrone tired and wants to rest?”
Sandrone closed her eyes, tilted her head, and looked proud and stubborn as she gave a light snort.
“None of your business!”
Columbina nodded with an “I understand everything” look.
“Then rest well, Sandrone.
The ‘Moon’ will bless you with sweet dreams.”
“Who wants…”
“Also, dear Sandrone, could you not call me ‘Damselette’?
I have a name.
My name is Columbina Hyperselenia.”
“Huh?”
Hearing this, Sandrone snapped her eyes open, only to find that the girl who was just in front of her had already left.
For some reason, looking at the empty Laboratory, Sandrone felt a bit disappointed.
she talked to himself for a while.
“Columbina Hyperselenia?”
Then Sandrone shook her head again.
“…Hmph!
Who would want to remember such a complicated name.
Pulonia, let’s go!”
Sandrone jumped onto Pulonia’s large hand and sat down, closing her eyes, who knows what she was thinking.
But what she didn’t know was that after she left, Columbina “returned.”
Or rather, she hadn’t left at all; she had just hidden her form using the power of the ‘Moon.’
“So this is what Sandrone looks like…”
Columbina closed her eyes again.
Because the False Sky cut off her connection with her home—the Moon—Columbina had decided long ago that she didn’t want to open her eyes to look at this false world.
There were other reasons, of course.
But that was the first time she had opened her eyes in many years.
Only because she was suddenly a bit curious about what Sandrone actually looked like.
Not relying on the Lunar Rectangular Force, but with her eyes, seeing for herself.
Now, I know.
Sandrone’s appearance is like that; it will be remembered in my heart.
“♪♪♪～”
Columbina left ethereally, humming a song.