Arlecchino helplessly glanced at Columbina.
Had these two started squabbling again as expected?
She didn’t press any further; perhaps this was just their unique way of getting along.
“In any case, Columbina, if there is anything I can do, feel free to ask me for help,” Arlecchino said from the bottom of her heart.
“It’s getting late.
You should rest.”
“Mm,” Columbina hummed in response.
When darkness completely swallowed the room, exhaustion swept through her limbs like a tide.
Columbina sank softly into the mattress, falling into a dreamless peace.
Meanwhile, in a certain corner of Zapolyarny Palace…
The laboratory of Sandrone, the Seventh Fatui Harbinger, “Marionette,” lay quietly dormant.
Ordinarily, due to Lady Marionette’s fierce reputation, few people passed by here, but Columbina was an exception.
Even after receiving repeated cold warnings from Sandrone, she still came day after day, humming songs through the door that no one could understand.
Thus, a rumor circulated among the Fatui that the singing of the Third Harbinger, “girl,” possessed a special ability, which might be why the Tsaritsa bestowed her rank upon her—it was truly terrifying.
Sandrone, however, did not think so.
In her eyes, Columbina liked to sing probably because it helped ease her loneliness.
Many said that Columbina possessed an aura of detachment from the mortal world—mysterious and aloof.
Like the bright moon in the sky, beautiful yet impossible to approach.
Perhaps this was why she always walked alone.
As for why Columbina stubbornly came to her door?
Sandrone recalled that distant afternoon.
Out of mere politeness, she had casually said, “Your singing…
isn’t terrible.”
Yet Columbina’s heart had been filled by those insignificant words.
As if she had received recognition and acceptance.
From then on, like a moth drawn to a light source, Columbina came here every single day without fail, right on time to sing.
Pulling her thoughts back, Sandrone glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and calculated the time.
“It should be about time, shouldn’t it?”
Sandrone whispered.
She was already prepared with an excuse to harshly scold Columbina away this time.
The clock hands ticked down minute by minute, second by second.
The time slot when Columbina usually sang had long passed.
The familiar singing did not come.
The relief Sandrone had imagined didn’t appear; instead, a trace of disappointment and worry settled on her face.
Could it be because she had gone too far with what she said during the day?
An emotion that even Sandrone herself hadn’t noticed quietly swept across her face.
She grabbed a pen and forcefully scratched a few lines on the manuscript paper, her tone still stiff: “Even better if she doesn’t come.
Saves her from disturbing my experiments.”
Only, she didn’t notice that the crumpled, discarded manuscripts had already piled up like a mountain at her feet.
Just then, the morning light softly pierced through her cluttered thoughts and flooded into the room, dyeing the mess on the floor and her profile in a tranquil pale gold.
“♪♪♪~”
A clear, melodious song drifted into Sandrone’s ears through the gap in the door.
Sandrone froze, her restless heart finally calming down.
How strange; she clearly remembered she hadn’t installed an emotional core system.
Sandrone stood up, and only after concealing the excitement deep in her eyes did she slowly open the door.
She was still in the same old spot.
The girl in blue and white attire waited quietly at the doorway, humming a lovely tune.
“Hello, Sandrone.
It looks like you’re still not in good spirits today, even though I didn’t disturb you last night.”
“Columbina, why didn’t you sing last night?” Seeing Columbina’s innocent look, Sandrone swapped her whole planned scolding speech for a slightly dissatisfied question.
“Do you have any idea I was waiting for you the whole time?!”
“Waiting for me?” Columbina tilted her head in confusion.
Why wait specifically for her when she clearly found her annoying?
“It’s all your fault!
Because of you, I didn’t have the stomach for research at all last night!” Sandrone said, pouting angrily.
“I’m sorry.” Columbina’s head drooped in disappointment.
Although she didn’t know why Sandrone had lost her temper again, apologizing first was always the right thing to do.
Seeing Columbina’s pitiful look, Sandrone suddenly felt a pang of discomfort in her heart.
As expected, doing this still wasn’t right.
“Columbina, that’s not what I meant.” Sandrone’s tone softened a bit.
“I just…
I’m a bit unaccustomed when you’re not around.”
“Then were you worried about me?” Columbina looked at Sandrone with a smile.
Sandrone met her gaze, looking at that innocent face, and slightly turned her head away, her voice trembling with embarrassment and anger.
“N-No, I wasn’t!”
“It’s just that stopping you from singing is already part of my daily schedule.
If you’re not here, it breaks my plans.”
“Is that so.” Columbina felt a bit disappointed, swallowing back what she was originally going to tell Sandrone about her body.
“Then Sandrone, do you have anything to eat here?
I’m hungry~”
Sandrone took another look at the pleading Columbina and sighed.
“Come in.”
“But don’t go touching anything in my lab.” Her eyes were full of warning.
“Thank you, Sandrone.” Columbina grabbed Sandrone’s hand gratefully.
“Honestly.” Sandrone reluctantly led Columbina into her laboratory.
“Stay here for a moment.
I’ll go find you something to eat, though whether it suits your taste, I don’t know.”
While Sandrone went to fetch food, Columbina finally had time to properly observe the laboratory.
Precise mechanical components were arranged on long steel tables.
Display shelves held bottles of elements and energy.
And in this spotless laboratory, a mountain of discarded manuscripts stood out glaringly.
[Eh, what’s this?]
Driven by curiosity, Columbina forgot Sandrone’s warning and walked toward the small mountain.
[It’s just a discarded draft; Sandrone probably won’t blame me.]
Columbina picked up a sheet of draft paper, took a curious look, and froze.
Written on it were neither complex formulas nor arcane symbols, but Columbina’s name written all over it.
Except it was covered with crosses everywhere.
[Is this how I really am in Sandrone’s eyes?]
It was exactly the same as the last sheet, and the crosses were drawn with even greater force, as if trying to tear through the paper.
“Hey!
Columbina, don’t just touch my things!” Sandrone, holding a piece of cake, happened to catch sight of this, panic plainly visible on her face.
“Sandrone, do you hate me?” Columbina set down the draft in disappointment and sat back down on the small sofa.
For some reason, when Columbina said those words, Sandrone actually let out a sigh of relief.
Perhaps she wanted to cover up the fact that she had already grown dependent on Columbina.
Sandrone looked down at Columbina’s lowered eyelashes and tightly pursed lips.
She was still more accustomed to facing the naive girl, rather than this young woman looking sad over a few discarded drafts.
“I…” Sandrone’s throat felt a bit tight as she set the cake on the lab bench.
“It’s not really hate.”
“These were actually just meaningless characters needed to boost my focus while contemplating problems.”
“Then why was it my name?” Columbina raised her head and looked at her.
Why?
Sandrone felt as though her language processing system was about to explode.
Where did all these “whys” come from?
“Columbina, the cake is going to melt.” Sandrone handed the cake over, temporarily diverting her attention.
Columbina’s gaze landed on the delicate porcelain plate.
With several berries dotting the cake, a smile returned to her face.
“Thank you, I really like it.”
She picked up a small silver spoon, scooped up a small bite, and put it into her mouth.
The rich, sweet cream melted on her tongue; that childish, joyful expression made Sandrone, who was stealing glances at her out of the corner of her eye, miss a heartbeat.
“Is it good?” Sandrone asked casually, her hands still fiddling with a gyroscope that had already been calibrated three times.
“Mm!” Columbina nodded vigorously, scooped up another spoon, and held it out toward Sandrone.
“Do you want to try?”
Sandrone pulled her hand back sharply like a startled cat, almost knocking over a reagent bottle nearby.
“N-No!
I don’t need to consume such inefficient energy supplements.”
“But it’s very sweet,” Columbina insisted, holding up the spoon.
“Sandrone is always doing such brain-draining work, right?
Eating something sweet will make you feel better.”
“I already said I don’t want it.” Sandrone turned her head away when suddenly, a sweet and sour taste spread through her mouth.
Without her realizing it, Columbina had already fed the spoon to her lips.
Instantly, Sandrone’s face flushed red like an Apple.
Seriously, can this Columbina even understand plain language?!
“How does it taste?” Columbina chuckled softly.
Sandrone kept her head down, not daring to look at her.
After finishing the last bite of cake, Columbina gently put down the spoon, but didn’t get up immediately.
“So, Sandrone, can I still come here to sing in the future?”
Columbina fixed her gaze on the somewhat stiff Sandrone.
“Suit yourself.”
“Though…
don’t be late again.”