In the afternoon,
Sandrone and Columbina left the Goth Grand Hotel together.
--
Just a few minutes ago, they were still in their hotel room.
Columbina hugged Sandrone's waist, buried her face in the crook of her neck, and suddenly looked up.
Sandrone.
"Hmm?"
"Should we... go find her now?"
Sandrone turned his head to look at her.
"Didn't you say tomorrow?"
Columbina blinked. "Since I'm free anyway, I might as well go say hello."
Sandrone thought for a moment.
Too.
I might leave tomorrow; if I wait until tomorrow, it might be too late.
"Okay." She stood up. "Let's go."
Columbina laughed, stood up, and casually tossed her her coat.
"Hold this for me."
"You don't have hands?"
"No."
Sandrone clicked his tongue and took the coat.
The two left the room and gently closed the door behind them.
Strange noises occasionally drifted from Varesa's room at the other end of the corridor.
From Odette's room, the faint sounds of practice could be heard.
Without disturbing Varesa and the others, they went downstairs and left the hotel.
--
"Which way?" Sandrone asked.
Columbina did not answer...
She stood on the steps, raised her head, and closed her eyes.
Then, she raised her hand.
A light touch of the fingertip in the air, like plucking an invisible string.
A faint, silvery-white light rippled from her fingertips, almost imperceptible.
The light trembled briefly in the air before slowly drifting away in a certain direction.
Sandrone stared at the glimmer of light without saying a word.
She knew what it was.
Kuuvahki.
Columbina's power allows her to sense unseen connections between people.
The silvery light paused in mid-air for a moment, then drifted towards the suburbs not far from the city.
Columbina opened her eyes, her voice faint, "There's a windmill in the northwest. She's there."
How far?
"It takes about half an hour to walk."
Sandrone nodded and took the first step.
"Let's go."
--
The two walked through the streets of City of Mondstadt, the main road heading south, but they turned and took a small path to the northwest.
As you walk further in, the path narrows and gradually becomes obscured by the shadows of trees.
Columbina walked ahead, the wisp of silvery-white light always hovering in front of her.
"Are you sure she's inside?" Sandrone asked from behind.
"Hmm." Columbina nodded, "Getting closer."
"Will she be unhappy to see us? We should have been at the Snezhnaya."
"I have to see you even if I'm unhappy."
Sandrone snorted and said nothing more.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, the shadows of the trees suddenly thinned out.
A small open space appeared ahead.
In the center of the open space stood a small wooden house.
The wooden house was old, but there were a few clumps of wildflowers around it, which bloomed quite beautifully.
Sandrone stopped in his tracks.
"Is this the place?"
"This is it," Columbina said.
She withdrew the faint silver light and walked to the door of the wooden house.
The door was closed.
She didn't knock, she just gave it a gentle push.
The door opened.
There was no lock inside.
The room was dark, but as soon as you opened the door, you could smell the aroma of tea.
Columbina stood in the doorway, stunned for a moment.
Sandrone looked in from behind her and was also stunned.
The room was small, with a table, three chairs, and a small tea stove.
On the table was a tea set.
Three cups, a pot of freshly brewed tea, and wisps of steam rising from the cups.
Next to the cup were several plates of pastries.
It was as if they knew someone was coming and prepared in advance.
Exactly three cups, no more, no less.
Sandrone frowned.
"Did she... know we were coming?"
She went inside, sat down at the table, and naturally picked up the teapot, pouring three cups of tea.
The tea was clear and slightly warm, probably brewed by Rosalyne.
"Sit down," Columbina said to Sandrone.
Sandrone hesitated for a moment, then went in and sat down opposite her.
The three of them waited a few seconds.
Then, the curtain in the inner room was lifted.
Rosalyne came out.
She had changed out of her glamorous Harbinger dress and was now wearing a simple dark long dress, her hair loosely tied up, and she was no longer wearing a mask.
Without that cold facade, she looked... not like La Signora ".
She seemed more like an ordinary, slightly tired woman.
She came out and saw the two people sitting at the table, but she wasn't surprised.
He simply walked to the other side of the table and sat down.
Three people, three cups, just right.
"I knew you'd come," Rosalyne said.
Her voice was softer than it had been in the square.
"How did you know?" Sandrone asked.
" The Kuuvahki of Columbina," Rosalyne picked up her cup.
"I sensed it from the moment she used her power."
She took a sip of tea and then put the cup down.
"Tell me, what brings you here?"
Sandrone and Columbina exchanged a glance.
Columbina spoke first.
"You've obtained the Anemo Gnosis."
"Hmm."
"What's next?"
"Next," Rosalyne paused, "I will send it back to Snezhnaya and give it to His Majesty."
When are you leaving?
"No rush," Rosalyne said. "There are still some things to take care of in City of Mondstadt. I'll leave after I'm done."
Sandrone looked at her and suddenly said.
"You stayed in Mondstadt, not just to wrap things up, were you?"
Rosalyne's gaze shifted slightly and landed on her.
What does """ mean?
"I mean," Sandrone's voice was a bit blunt, "Given your personality, if you were really in a hurry to go back, you would have left already."
"It's been quite a while since you arrived in the square. What are you waiting for?"
The room fell silent for a moment.
Rosalyne did not answer immediately.
She picked up her teacup, took another sip, and then slowly spoke.
"I'm waiting for someone, to see if she'll come looking for me."
Who?
"You don't need to know."
Sandrone frowned, wanting to ask more, but Columbina gently touched her arm, signaling her not to.
Sandrone swallowed his words.
She thought about it for a moment and already guessed it.
Rosalyne stayed in Mondstadt, waiting for someone...
Who else could it be but Odette?
Columbina smiled and took over the conversation.
"Let's get down to business," she said. "We came to see you because... we're also going back to Snezhnaya."
Rosalyne's gaze shifted to her.
"Are you leaving too? Should I come with you?"
"Hmm." Columbina nodded.
Rosalyne's gaze shifted to her.
"What about the Bai You?"
Rosalyne's finger paused for a moment on the rim of the glass.
"Have they left yet, or are they still in Mondstadt?"
"They're still here," Columbina said. "We... have been together these past few days."
"Weren't you two together? Why didn't you go back with them? According to my sources, you two seemed to have come on a cruise ship."