On the same morning, in Sandrone's workshop.
This workshop is located in a corner of the Snezhnaya Palace, and is the territory of " The Marionette " Sandrone.
Sandrone sat on a high chair, her blonde hair tied up at her shoulders.
She stared at a pale blue screen in mid-air.
On the screen, countless lines of data scrolled rapidly. That was the surveillance network spread throughout the region Snezhnaya approached.
Machinery, puppets, and even some inconspicuous little mechanisms are all her eyes.
At this moment, one of the data points was highlighted in glaring red by her.
[Target: Pantalone ]
[Abnormal behavior: Retrieving " Bai You " related files; querying port flight records; accessing port resources...]
Sandrone squinted, tapped the screen with his fingertip, and zoomed in on the record.
"... Pantalone?" she muttered softly, her brows furrowing.
"What's this miser doing investigating a newly appointed Harbinger so early in the morning?"
She scrolled down the data.
Bai You, the " Water Nymph," entered the palace the day before yesterday, visited the Northland Bank yesterday, and will depart for Mondstadt tomorrow at dawn on the White Gull...
Sandrone stared at the word " Mondstadt," then suddenly seemed to remember something, and his body stiffened.
"... She's going to Mondstadt tomorrow. It seems Her Majesty the Tsaritsa didn't have that planned, did she?!"
She paused for two seconds, then snapped the light screen shut, jumped off the high stool, and strode out of the workshop.
She's going to find someone.
After walking through two long corridors, Sandrone stopped in front of a room, and without knocking, pushed the door open and went inside.
" Columbina!"
The room was warm and cozy, and the long table was piled high with all kinds of bread, all given to her by Bai You.
In the center of the table, " The Damselette " Columbina was sitting.
Her long, soft hair was loose, and she was holding a piece of bread in her arms, her cheeks bulging out.
Hearing the sound, she slowly raised her eyes, her gaze falling on Sandrone.
"... Hmm, it's Sandrone."
She mumbled something and stuffed another piece of bread into her mouth.
"Want some? This bread is really sweet."
"I won't eat it."
Sandrone stood in front of her with his hands on his hips, looking her up and down.
"I'm asking you, did you deliberately go to Bai You's place before?"
Columbina blinked, didn't deny it, and softly hummed in agreement.
"You, the esteemed Harbinger of the Fatui," said " The Damselette " Columbina.
Sandrone walked halfway around her, his tone full of annoyance and confusion.
" The Snezhnaya Palace provides you with the best resources, but you refuse to stay there and instead spend all your time in a theater's dressing room—what kind of spell has she cast on you?"
Columbina tilted her head, seemingly thinking about it seriously.
"They're all so warm and welcoming," she said, her eyes crinkling into a smile.
" Varesa can sing, Odette can dance, Bai You will give me all kinds of delicious food."
As she spoke, she pulled a piece of bread from the paper bag, her tone light and airy. "I was very happy with them."
"..."
Sandrone held his forehead and took a deep breath.
"That's not what I'm asking you!" she finally couldn't help but raise her voice.
"Who cares what you did! I'm asking, what makes her so attractive to you—you're the third-ranking Harbinger!"
"Sandrone, your expression is so cute right now."
After she finished speaking, Columbina looked at her quietly without saying a word, and slowly finished eating the piece of bread.
Sandrone was so angry at her words that he choked and sat down opposite her, puffing out his cheeks.
With a wave of his hand, the pale blue light screen popped back up, hovering between the two of them.
"See for yourself." She tapped the screen with her fingertip. "It's not just you."
Pantalone —the " Pantalone " with eyes only on the abacus—was also lured in.
"My database clearly shows that he was checking information and schedules for Bai You early this morning, and even mobilized port resources."
Columbina's gaze fell on the screen, casually sweeping over the fluctuating data.
"However—" Sandrone drawled, tapping a line with his fingertip to enlarge it.
"I also learned something else. That Bai You is going to Mondstadt tomorrow."
" Mondstadt..."
Columbina repeated the two words.
" Mondstadt," she said softly, a slow smile playing on her lips.
She looked up at the window, her voice light and airy, tinged with a hint of joy:
"How about I go find her and go with her?"
"... ah?"
Sandrone was taken aback, then realized what he meant and almost jumped out of his chair. "That's not the point!"
" Columbina, are you even listening to me?!"
She leaned forward, her blue eyes wide open.
"What I'm asking is, why are you so attached to her? Look at me—I'm smart, I can make dolls, I can single-handedly take on an army—how am I not better than her? A hundred times better! How am I inferior to her!"
As she spoke, she pointed to herself, her tone both urgent and arrogant, but the last syllable of her voice concealed a hint of grievance that she herself was unaware of—a sense of being outdone.
The warm room was quiet for a while.
Columbina looked at her, and her eyes, which were always smiling, suddenly fell silent.
She was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, her voice very soft.
"My dear Sandrone, that's not how it is."
"... She was recently injured by the Doctor."
"That was because of me."
"She might not have fully recovered her strength yet, and wanting to go with them is more about protecting her."
Sandrone stared at her blankly, opened his mouth, but all the pride and questions he had just felt were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say a word for a long time.
"You..." Sandrone scratched his cheek, his tone softening suddenly, and he seemed a little awkward.
"Are you really considering going with them?" Sandrone stared at her, confirming again.
Columbina didn't speak, but simply nodded, a gentle smile appearing in her eyes.
Sandrone fell silent.
"I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."
After speaking, she crossed her arms and rested her chin on her hand, her brows furrowed, as if she were rapidly solving a complex problem.
Columbina is going to Mondstadt.
Bai You is going to Mondstadt.
besides...
She suddenly stopped, as if she had remembered something, and her eyes lit up.
" Rosalyne." She snapped her fingers. " Rosalyne, are you in Mondstadt right now?"
Columbina tilted her head to look at her and nodded.
"It's been quite a while since I've seen her." Sandrone walked to the window, gazing outside, his speech quickening as he spoke, clearly increasingly pleased with the idea.
"I've just finished finishing up all the machines I have on hand, and now... there are no more missions. Yes, no missions."
She turned around, slightly raised her chin, and made a gesture that said, "This is a well-thought-out decision, not a spur-of-the-moment one."
I'm going to Mondstadt too.
"Find Rosalyne." She counted on her fingers, one by one.
"Let's have a tea party in Mondstadt together."
"Yes, yes, that's it."
After she finished speaking, she nodded to herself as if her decision was incredibly wise.
Columbina looked at her and suddenly chuckled softly.
"... What are you laughing at!" Sandrone's face flushed, and he glared at her.
"I'm going to see Rosalyne, it has nothing to do with you or Bai You! I'm going to a tea party!"
"Mmm, I know, I just think you're even cuter now."
Columbina smiled and didn't expose her, "Then... together?"
Sandrone's ears turned red from her laughter. He coughed lightly and resumed his composed demeanor.
"Let's go together then," she said vaguely.
"But I'm warning you, once you get to Mondstadt, don't spend all your time hanging around Bai You's place."
"Also, I can make those breads she gave you. I'll let you try them later; they're a hundred times better than hers."
"Okay," Columbina replied, her eyes curving into two crescent moons.
I didn't expect the rating to reach eight, and I'm so grateful for everyone's gifts. I didn't have much free time yesterday, but I'll try to find some time during the day to continue updating.
Thank you everyone for your support! つ♡⊂