Time slipped quietly away through their fingers like this.
Ever since that time, Columbina had also become a frequent visitor to Sandrone’s room.
The laboratory, which used to hold only the sound of turning gears and mechanical hums, now occasionally echoed with scattered singing or a few bickerings.
“♪♪♪～”
“Columbina!
Can you be quiet for a moment?” Sandrone’s hand holding the pen trembled slightly.
The singing stopped.
“So Sandrone, is there anything I can help with?” Columbina lay on the edge of the desk, turning her head to look at her.
Is there anything to do?
Sandrone glanced at Columbina.
This girl in front of her seemed truly useless except for singing, didn’t she?
“Columbina, could you please help me deliver these tea party invitations to Arlecchino and the others?”
Sandrone thought for a moment and finally found something suitable for her to do.
After all, every time this girl appeared, she was like a gentle breeze, coming and going without a trace.
Having her run errands couldn’t be more fitting.
“Invitations?” Columbina took the stack of exquisite cards, feeling a little confused.
“Is there none for me?”
“You?” Sandrone looked at her slightly disappointed expression, feeling a small sense of smugness in her heart.
“If you’re willing to call me ‘the Great Lady Sandrone’, I might consider giving you one.”
“Then, Great Lady Sandrone, would you be willing to invite me to your tea party?” Columbina said with exceptional sincerity.
“You…”
This trick seemed particularly effective on Sandrone.
She turned her head away and gently pushed a special invitation in front of her.
“I prepared it for you a long time ago,” she whispered.
“Actually…
you don’t really have to call me that.”
It was unclear whether Columbina heard it clearly or not.
She carefully took the invitation, her fingertips brushing over the surface; it was indeed somewhat different.
It was an invitation exclusive to Columbina.
Delicately sketched moon patterns outlined the edges of the invitation, looking as if meticulously drawn with icing sugar.
The entire card was made of Chocolate, and in the center, the four Chinese characters for “Columbina” were pieced together with cookies.
“Thank you, Great Lady Sandrone.” Columbina smiled slightly at her.
“I like it very much.”
“Columbina!”
“Can you stop calling me that!”
Sandrone stood up, looking at the smiling girl in front of her, trembling slightly despite herself, her tone filled with helplessness.
“Sorry, I thought you’d like that title.”
“Who—who likes it?!” Columbina’s casual attitude made Sandrone blow her top instantly.
“Alright, goodbye.
“Huh?
I’m not a cat!”
Before Sandrone could blow a fuse, Columbina had quietly vanished from where she stood.
Honestly…
Sandrone sat back down on her chair in a huff, grabbed her pen, and scratched hard across a piece of scrap paper.
Every time, coming and going without even saying hello.
…
The training grounds of Zapolyarny Palace.
Capitano stood like a mountain at the highest point of the grandstand, his gaze quiet and sharp as he watched his subordinates’ daily drills.
Perhaps because he was making long-term plans for his future trip to Natlan, his thoughts sank into the past, and he didn’t even notice that a cold, quiet girl had quietly arrived behind him.
“Capitano.”
Columbina walked up to her side.
“What are you thinking about?”
Capitano raised his eyes and looked at the girl standing quietly beside him, his voice steady:
“Nothing, just some old matters.”
“Columbina, did you come looking for me for something?”
Columbina handed over an invitation with a smile.
“Sandrone’s tea party, tomorrow afternoon.
Remember to come.”
“Understood.” He took the invitation, not much emotion showing on his face.
Not until Columbina left did Capitano’s expression loosen slightly.
A tea party?
Such peaceful times—who knows if there will still be any in the future.
After that, Columbina delivered the invitations to Arlecchino and Tartaglia in turn.
There was even a little episode at Tartaglia’s place.
He thought Columbina had come to spar again, and didn’t come out of his room until he saw clearly that it was an invitation.
Tartaglia watched Columbina’s departing back, secretly planning in his heart: it was time to ask Her Majesty the Tsaritsa for a vacation.
This kind of match where he was completely crushed really held no fun for him—especially when it was himself being crushed.
When Columbina returned after delivering the invitations, she found Sandrone sitting on a garden bench drinking tea.
“You’re back.”
Sandrone was sipping newly arrived Liyue tea, speaking without even looking up.
“Mm, I’m back.” Columbina responded verbally, but her gaze fell onto the teacup in Sandrone’s hand, without moving an inch.
“Want a drink?” Sandrone seemed to notice that direct stare and raised her eyes to glance at her.
“Mm.” Columbina nodded vigorously.
She was very curious about what kind of tea a picky person like Sandrone would drink.
“Here you go.”
Sandrone brewed a cup for her and gently pushed it in front of her.
Columbina took a cautious sip, her brows instantly knitting together slightly.
So bitter, so bitter.
How could anyone like this taste?
Watching her expression, another touch of smugness flashed across Sandrone’s face.
She had known all along that Columbina hated bitterness, so she had deliberately switched to the most bitter tea.
Seeing her look so disgruntled, Sandrone’s mood inexplicably turned great, even her eyelashes trembling softly.
Who told her to say I was like a cat.
“Sandrone, wait for me a moment.”
Columbina put down her teacup, her figure disappearing from the spot in the blink of an eye.
…Gone again?
The unwitting smile curling Sandrone’s lips quietly faded away.
She lowered her eyes and continued to enjoy this rare moment of leisure.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Columbina pulled out her phone and opened the system mall to quickly flip through it.
Found it, this one.
[Lao Da Brand Iced Tea (3 System Coins)]
She wondered how Sandrone would evaluate this “otherworld beverage”.
She was looking forward to it.
“Sandrone!”
Before long, Columbina’s figure reappeared in the garden, with a bottle containing an amber liquid in her hand.
“Columbina, what’s that in your hand?” Sandrone glanced over.
It was something that didn’t exist in her database; the only thing close to it was Fonta from Fontaine.
“Iced tea.
You haven’t tried it before, right?” Columbina smiled.
“Iced tea?” Sandrone frowned.
Shouldn’t tea be drunk while it’s hot?
Why would anyone be stupid enough to ice it?
“How about it, Sandrone, want to try some?” Columbina offered the bottle to her, her face full of anticipation.
Try?
Hmph, how could she touch something of unknown origin?
It was nothing more than chilled black tea anyway.
“Sandrone～”
Columbina’s voice softened, as if gently pleading.
Looking at her expectant appearance, a corner of Sandrone’s heart suddenly softened.
…If it’s just one sip, it should be fine, right?
She took the bottle, and only then saw clearly that strange words and vivid patterns were printed on it.
Indeed still a bit suspicious.
But when she turned her head and saw Columbina’s longing look, she ultimately couldn’t resist after all, lowering her head to take a small sip.
Sweet?
What on earth?