“Sandrone?”
The two stopped their conversation and looked over at the sound.
Sandrone was walking toward them, carrying an exquisite teapot.
Pulonia followed quietly behind her.
Coming up to the tea table, Sandrone put the tea down, her delicate fingers moving lightly as she thoughtfully poured a cup of tea for Columbina.
“Here is the iced black tea you wanted.”
“Thank you.” Columbina took the tea and looked at her.
“So, Sandrone, you left the table earlier just to prepare this for me?”
“Who…
who prepared it specifically for you?!” Sandrone’s fingertips tightened slightly.
After giving her a fierce glare, she shifted her gaze toward Arlecchino.
“Arlecchino, this is yours.” After pouring a cup of tea for Arlecchino, she switched to a different teapot and poured another cup.
“Two cups?” Arlecchino raised an eyebrow, a questioning look in her eyes.
“Tsk, isn’t it because this fellow Columbina insisted on competing with me?” Sandrone glared with dissatisfaction at Columbina, who was sipping her tea.
“Boasting arrogantly that the tea she brought would beat my carefully crafted brew.”
“?
Sandrone, why did you heat up my iced black tea?!” After taking a sip, Columbina realized something was wrong and complained to Sandrone.
“Shut up, Columbina!”
Allowing her to bring such a strange tea to the tea party was already giving her face.
How dare she still have the nerve to demand this and that.
If drinking tea that cold upset her stomach, who would be responsible?
Wouldn’t that ruin the reputation of her tea party?
“But…
Sandrone, if iced black tea isn’t cold, the taste is so much worse,” Columbina twiddled her fingers and muttered in a low voice.
“If you don’t like it, feel free to switch to the tea I prepared,” Sandrone sneered.
“No need, no need, hot is fine too.”
Columbina frantically waved her hands; she didn’t want to drink Sandrone’s bitter and astringent tea.
“Hmph.” Sandrone sat down beside Columbina and poured herself a cup of tea as well.
However, she wasn’t about to drink that sweet tea, choosing the one she had prepared instead.
On the other side, Pulonia also prepared two cups of tea at each of the remaining vacant seats.
“By the way, what were you and Arlecchino talking about just now?” After taking a sip from her cup, Sandrone tilted her head and asked Columbina.
“Um…” Columbina avoided her gaze and whispered, “Just some trivial matters, Sandrone.
You don’t need to care so much.”
Hm…
very suspicious.
Looking at Columbina’s evasive behavior, Sandrone immediately guessed that Columbina must have done something bad that tarnished her reputation.
Could she have told Arlecchino about how Sandrone waited for her all night?
What a hateful fellow!
Sandrone crossed her arms and legs, trying to spot a flaw in Columbina’s expression.
[?
Why is Sandrone looking at me like that.] Columbina buried her head in her tea, secretly sneaking glances at Sandrone.
The atmosphere fell into a strange silence, with the girl lowering her head to sip tea and the Marionette staring intently at her. The source of this chapter is g.com.
“Sigh—”
Taking in the scene, Arlecchino sighed and shook her head helplessly.
“Sip~”
She took a gentle sip of the tea prepared by Columbina, frowned slightly, and quietly switched to the other cup.
Way too sweet.
Perhaps children would like Columbina’s tea.
Just as the atmosphere in the area was about to drop to freezing point, a steady voice came from not far away.
“Apologies.
I just finished today’s training.
I hope I haven’t arrived too late.”
Hearing that familiar voice, Sandrone finally shifted her gaze away from Columbina and looked at the tall figure appearing in the garden.
“Captain, you’re here.
There are still a few minutes before the tea party begins.”
“Compared to a certain impolite fellow, you’re not late at all.”
“Tartaglia?” Capitano looked around the tea party table.
It seemed only he was missing.
How strange.
He shouldn’t be the type who likes to be late.
It seems I need to give him a good talking-to.
Just as he finished speaking, a youthful and energetic voice echoed from outside the garden gate, drawing everyone’s gaze.
“Sorry, ladies!
An emergency came up on the way.”
It was none other than the Eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers, Childe, Tartaglia.
“Hmph!
Tartaglia, it seems I’ll have to give serious thought to whether to send you an invitation for the next tea party,” Sandrone said with dissatisfaction.
“Tartaglia, arriving on time is something that should be taken as seriously as a battle,” Capitano chimed in from the side.
Under the intense pressure of Capitano’s and Sandrone’s glares, Tartaglia quickly put his hands together, apologized, and promised he would never be late next time before they finally let him off.
“Tartaglia, you’re late~” Columbina smiled at him.
“You have to penalize yourself with two cups.”
“As I should, Senior Columbina.” Tartaglia’s tone carried a hint of respect for a formidable warrior.
Although Columbina wore a beaming smile right now, he still couldn’t forget the sight of her defeating him in an instant earlier.
“Tartaglia, which of the two cups of tea you just drank did you find better?” Columbina asked expectantly after Tartaglia finished both cups at his seat.
“Which tasted better?” Tartaglia recalled the flavor of the tea earlier and thought for a moment before saying, “I might be more interested in the cup that was slightly bitter.”
“Ah?”
“Why does everyone think that way…”
Columbina slumped her head on the table in disappointment.
“Arlecchino, what happened to Columbina?” Capitano turned to Arlecchino with an inquiring tone.
“She’s just sore about losing.”
After Arlecchino explained the whole story to them, Capitano and the others finally understood what was going on.
At their age, bitter tea was probably easier to accept than sweet tea.
“Actually, I think the tea you brought isn’t bad either, Columbina.
At least my younger brother and sister would definitely love it,” Tartaglia comforted her with a smile.
“Don’t compare me to little kids!”
Columbina raised her head and glared in his direction with dissatisfaction.
Realizing he had said the wrong thing, Tartaglia quickly shut his mouth.
Meanwhile, Sandrone, sitting beside Columbina, felt a secret sense of smug triumph seeing her look so defeated.
In the end, I won anyway.
An inadvertent smile curled at the corner of her lips.
“Hahaha~”
Watching Columbina’s reaction, the others found it quite amusing as well.
Amidst the chatting and laughing, almost all the seats at the tea party table were filled.
And the seat belonging to Rosalyne was reserved for her forever.
“Since everyone is here, let us begin today’s tea party,” Sandrone signaled with a slight nod.
“Mm, everyone relax a bit.
Just treat this as an ordinary gathering.”
“Well said!
Ladies, and Mr.
Captain, let’s drink to our heart’s content!”
“Tartaglia, can’t these refreshments stuff your mouth?
Don’t turn my tea party into one of your drinking parties!”
“Today’s refreshments are exceptionally delicious.”
“Mm, some of these were brought by Columbina.”
“Is that so?”
…
The tea party began, and Columbina tasted the cake set in front of her.
Mmm…
It was Valberry-flavored.
She wondered what flavor was on the other people’s plates.
Columbina said to Arlecchino beside her, “Hello, Arlecchino, may I taste yours?”
“Of course,” Arlecchino smiled and slid the cake on her plate over.
“In return, I’ll let you taste mine too,” Columbina said with a smile.
Sandrone watched this scene in silence.
Hmph.
Why are they swapping?
Aren’t they all the same?
While her thoughts were in a jumble…
A small hand gently pushed the parfait on her plate right in front of Sandrone’s eyes.
“Sandrone, can I swap flavors with you too?”