–+–
The fifth part was hidden deep inside the factory, in a half-collapsed room.
The box was, by far, the largest one they had found so far.
Sandrone stepped forward and checked it as usual.
She found the familiar receipt and the seal, still intact.
She straightened up, let out a long breath, and dusted off her hands.
“That’s all of them.”
“All of them?” Belle glanced at the screen.
“All five?”
“Yeah.”
Sandrone nodded, and a spark of hope rose in her chest.
Once Pulonia was assembled, she could dump all kinds of chores on him.
Just like before!
The only shame was that, because of that damn safety rope, she had to keep Columbina by her side…
Though Columbina had already been this annoying back in Snezhnaya—she was even more annoying now…
Columbina drifted forward and lifted one pale hand, giving the huge metal box a light pat.
The massive box seemed to lose its weight.
It rose in the air, calm and obedient, then hovered behind her.
“Let’s go.” She turned back to Sandrone.
“Let’s go home.”
–+–
On the way out of the Hollow, the mood in the group seemed much lighter.
Belle walked at the front of the party.
She held back again and again, but still turned her head to glance between the two figures at least ten times.
In the end, her soul as a gossip won out over her work ethic.
She slowed down, moved closer to Sandrone, and lowered her voice.
“Um… Sandrone, can I ask you something a little personal?”
Sandrone kept her eyes forward.
“Ask.”
“Well…” Belle stole a look at Columbina, who was walking beside them hand in hand with Sandrone.
“What exactly are you two to each other?”
Sandrone’s steps paused for the smallest beat.
“Colleagues,” she said.
Belle blinked.
She clearly didn’t buy it.
“Colleagues?”
What kind of colleagues held hands while strolling through a Hollow?
And they’d been holding hands ninety percent of the time.
“Former colleagues.” Sandrone pressed her lips together and added the correction with care.
“Oh—former colleagues.” Belle nodded as if deep in thought, though her gaze fell meaningfully on their linked hands.
“Looks like your old workplace had a very… warm office culture.”
Sandrone felt her cheeks heat up and said nothing.
She pressed her lips together, glanced aside, then looked back.
Was there anything wrong with that?
No, there wasn’t!
Columbina had already resigned from the Tsaritsa’s service, so what was wrong with calling her a former colleague?
Belle was about to say something else when Columbina, beside them, turned her head and leaned in close to Sandrone.
“Sandrone,” she said, blinking with a pure, innocent look, “aren’t we… family?”
Sandrone stumbled.
“Wh-what?!”
“Family.” Columbina tilted her head and began counting on her fingers.
“Look. We live together. We eat together. We sleep together. Now we’re even going into Hollows together to help you find your family—”
She paused, then leaned closer to Sandrone.
Her warm breath brushed Sandrone’s ear.
“…If that’s not family, then what is it?”
Sandrone opened her mouth.
Something seemed stuck in her throat.
She wanted to argue, but for a moment, she couldn’t find the words.
What Columbina said seemed… true.
“Th-that’s—”
The tips of her ears began to burn.
Columbina only watched Sandrone in silence.
The light in her eyes dimmed a little, and her long lashes lowered, casting a small shadow over her cheeks.
The curve at the corner of her lips faded too, flattening into a faint, almost invisible line.
She didn’t say a word.
Sandrone’s temple twitched.
She took a deep breath.
“You…” She opened her mouth.
Columbina still said nothing.
She only turned her face away and kept walking.
Her steps were still light, but the hand holding Sandrone’s seemed to loosen a little.
Sandrone tightened her grip on instinct, unwilling to let go.
She looked at the profile of the person beside her, and her mind fell into a mess.
‘Is she… really hurt?’
‘No, she has to be acting.’
‘But she’s acting way too well.’
‘What if she isn’t acting?’
Belle took in the whole scene from the side.
She almost failed to hold back a laugh.
She clearly hadn’t said anything, but that face, that look, that angle of her lowered head—every little detail made her seem so pitiful, as if you’d truly done something wrong.
Belle silently gave her a thumbs-up in her heart.
Sandrone didn’t stay silent for long.
She drew in a deep breath.
“…Anyway,” she forced out through gritted teeth, “let’s start as friends.”
Columbina’s steps paused.
She didn’t turn back.
Only her fingers moved a little.
“Really?” Her voice was very soft, with no clear emotion in it.
“…Yeah.”
Columbina turned back.
Her eyes lit up again, as if the dimness from before had never been there at all.
“Okay.”
She gave a soft reply, then turned forward and kept walking.
Only the hand holding Sandrone’s tightened a little, their fingers now laced together.
Sandrone felt the tip of her heart tremble.
Belle followed beside them and watched the whole show, a scene that was called “negotiation” but was clearly “flirting.” She couldn’t help covering her cheek.
Then she cut off the connection with Eous and started a private chat with Wise.
“Wise,” she whispered, “how is this any different from dating? This is way too obvious!”
“What?” Wise, who had been waiting in the car with nothing to do, sounded lost.
But he soon caught on.
“Don’t talk about people behind their backs.”
“I’ve heard you say that at least three times in the past two days.”
“Then hear it a few more times and remember it.”
Belle curled her lip and muttered “NPC” under her breath, but she still couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from lifting.
–+–
When they walked out of the Hollow, evening had almost settled, though the last glow of sunset had not yet faded.
By the time Wise drove Sandrone and the others back to Sixth Street, night had fallen.
The warm yellow lights of Sixth Street spread softly through the dark.
“Welcome back! Commission complete!” Belle cheered with full energy when she saw them get out of the car.
“Yeah, the commission’s over.” Wise stepped out, stretched, and yawned.
“I feel like I’ve driven enough for a lifetime.”
“You two worked hard.” Sandrone stood off to the side, holding Columbina’s hand.
“We’ll put the things away first. After dinner, we can talk about the commission fee and the Moonfall Silver.”
“Let’s have dinner together, then. I already booked four seats with General Chop, and…” Belle clasped her hands behind her back and smiled with a sly look.
“Columbina wants to eat too, right?”
Columbina’s eyes lit up, and she nodded fast.
“Also,” Belle added, “I’ve already told Nicole. She’ll be here soon.”
Sandrone looked speechless.
“Fine. We’ll be there soon. See you in a bit.”