I won’t mention the score; I’m afraid Sandrone will fume.
(Just kidding, even if she fumes, I’ll say it: 124:0.)
Now Sandrone and Columbina were sitting back on the windowsill.
Sandrone was resting her head in her hands, looking completely hopeless.
Too embarrassing…
And it was embarrassing in front of Columbina…
“Sandrone,” Columbina slowly approached Sandrone, her tone very light, but carrying a hint of craving, “Is it time for me to blow your head off?”
Sandrone:!!!
Sandrone immediately covered her head and retreated backward, but the windowsill space was only so large; where could she retreat to?
“Columbina, what…
what are you doing?”
Sandrone had never felt Columbina’s smile was so terrifying.
Under her gaze, Columbina’s large hand slowly descended, and then…
“Hey!”
Sandrone didn’t feel her head being blown off.
she looked up and realized Columbina was just tapping her head.
But…
why did it feel even more shameful!
But would Sandrone resist?
That was definitely not going to happen.
Losing was losing; if she didn’t admit it, wouldn’t it be even more shameful?
So Sandrone could only close her eyes, accepting the punishment from Columbina with an annoyed and embarrassed face.
Because 124-0 = 124, according to the bet, Columbina could tap Sandrone 124 times.
When she had tapped halfway, Columbina chuckled and said: “Sandrone’s expression looks a bit bad.
Do you need to tap me a few times as well, Sandrone?”
“Shut up!
Don’t laugh!
I don’t need it!”
“It’s fine to tap a few more times; after all, Sandrone didn’t hit me with a single snowball.”
“Arghhh!
Columbina!
I’m doing just fine!
I already said I don’t need it!”
Since Sandrone had already said she didn’t need it, Columbina had no choice but to continue tapping.
After a long while, Columbina finally tapped enough times and sat back up straight.
“Hmph!” Sandrone also sat back up straight.
“Look at you, you’re quite practiced at tapping…”
Columbina sat there, swinging her small feet slowly back and forth, just like her mood at the moment—quite good.
“Because I have also tapped Sandrone’s head ‘in the future’.”
“Huh?”
Columbina smiled lightly and casually packed another snowball.
Columbina certainly didn’t intend to keep throwing snowballs at Sandrone; she just threw this snowball into the courtyard.
“It was on that Moon Prayer Night, I played a game similar to this snowball throwing with Arlecchino and the others.
It was throwing water-filled balloons.”
“…” Sandrone was silent for a while, then sat back down.
“Tsk…
you guys had fun.”
Hearing this, Columbina suddenly turned her head again, looking at Sandrone with a smile.
“I’ve also played games with Sandrone.”
“How is that possible?” Sandrone immediately retorted.
“Who would play games with you.”
“It was biting the Frost Fin Whale; we played it many times together.”
“Tsk…
that was probably just out of pity for how lonely someone was, so I mercifully played with her.
Um…
so, what was the result?”
“The result was that Sandrone never won against me once.”
“…”
Sandrone was completely silent.
she didn’t want to talk to Columbina anymore; she wanted some quiet.
But Columbina didn’t seem to want quiet.
she raised her hand and pointed to the sky.
“Look, Sandrone, the sky is truly beautiful.”
Columbina’s voice seemed to always have a kind of magic, so light, so ethereal, like clear moonlight soothing away the annoyance in Sandrone’s heart.
Sandrone turned to look at Columbina and found her looking up, “watching” the night sky outside, her expression one of pure longing and curiosity.
Tsk…
how childish, when it’s clearly just some big rocks…
That’s what she thought in her heart, but Sandrone still followed what Columbina said, imitating her appearance and looking up at the sky.
Tonight, the night view was indeed beautiful.
Countless stars, like crushed diamonds, surrounded the bright moon in the center.
Set against the thick black curtain of the sky, they were stunningly bright.
In the northernmost part, there were even faint, colorful bands of light hanging high above.
That was the aurora unique to Snezhnaya.
“How is it?
Does Sandrone like it?”
Columbina tilted her head, gently “watching” Sandrone.
“Mm…
it’s beautiful,” Sandrone also tilted her head.
That eye, which was originally filled with starlight, fell onto Columbina and was quickly filled with…
the image of Columbina.
Looking at Columbina, Sandrone’s heart couldn’t help but tremble.
“Mm…
Columbina, actually I wanted to ask you as soon as I came in.
Don’t you think it’s not very good for you to live here?
Or rather, have you thought about moving out?”
“Eh?”
“Oh my, I mean I’m helping you go talk to The Rooster, to have her arrange a better and bigger house for you; I don’t mean anything else.”
Seeming afraid that Columbina would misunderstand, Sandrone hurriedly explained.
Upon hearing this, Columbina lightly tapped her lips with her fingertips, smiled lightly, and then shook her head.
“No need, I’ve gotten used to living here, and…
my paintings are here too; I can’t bear to part with them.”
Sandrone didn’t seem very satisfied with this answer.
she scratched her head lightly with her left hand and snorted softly, “Hmph!
Suit yourself then!”
After speaking, the atmosphere fell silent again.
The two sat side-by-side, looking up together, enjoying the night sky tonight.
Columbina “watched” the night sky, her heart stirred, and she turned her head to gently “gaze” at the one beside her.
Yes, the sky, the stars, and the moon are all fake.
But, Sandrone, this feeling of watching the sky, the stars, and the moon with you is incomparably real.
This kind of emotion, is it…
what the novels call “like”?
Columbina wasn’t entirely sure yet.
she gently shook her head, then continued to look up, quietly enjoying this beautiful and vast sea of stars together with Sandrone.
Light snow fell, fluttering like willow catkins caught in the wind.
The night breeze brushed past, causing a chill.
I don’t know when, but Columbina had already gently rested her head on Sandrone’s shoulder, and Sandrone was completely unaware of it.
After a long while, Sandrone was a bit tired.
she turned her head, only to find Columbina resting on her shoulder, her breathing shallow, her small face innocent and pure, making one unable to help but feel a hint of protectiveness?
Sandrone tried to softly call Columbina’s name, but there was no response.
“Tsk…
as expected, she’s already asleep.”
Sandrone smiled bitterly, picked Columbina up with both hands, and in her eyes…
there was actually a hint of doting.
“Even if you are the Moon God, don’t you think you’ll catch a cold sleeping on the windowsill?
If you catch a cold, I won’t come to see you!”
Sandrone carried Columbina toward her bed, laid her down securely, covered her with the quilt, and tidied up her hair that had been ruffled by the wind.
“Rest well.”
After doing all this, Sandrone closed the window and didn’t forget to take away those “evil and vulgar” books on the table.
she and Pulonia walked to the door, finally looked back at the sleeping Columbina, her gaze carrying a hint of lingering affection.
“Good night, Columbina.”