Odette's footsteps disappeared around the corner of the stairs, and the reception room fell silent again.
Columbina held a warm teacup, her gaze slowly sweeping across the small reception room.
The firewood in the stove crackled, and the orange-red flames danced on the walls. A soft knitted blanket was spread on the sofa.
Several well-worn sheet music books were piled in the corner, and an unfinished scarf lay on the coffee table, with two small fish, one blue and one white, faintly visible in the distance...
Although it's called a reception room, it feels more like another room that belongs to them.
It is completely different from the cold, exquisite, and utterly devoid of any human warmth that is the Snezhnaya Palace.
Although it is quite magnificent, it has a warm and inviting atmosphere.
She took a small sip of tea, closed her eyes, and listened to the faint sounds coming from the kitchen—the sound of a spatula stirring.
There was also Varesa's voice, which was lowered but still couldn't hide her laughter, and Bai You's occasional witty remark.
It's noisy and chaotic, yet somehow it makes you feel envious...
In the kitchen.
Wearing an apron, Varesa was standing in front of the stove, showing off her cooking skills.
Bai You sat on a small stool nearby and was assigned the task of picking vegetables.
Her little hands weren't very nimble, and she picked the vegetables crookedly, some leaves falling off, but she picked them with great care, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were completing some important task.
" Bai You," Varesa asked while stirring the stew in the pot, "Where did you go today?"
"Hmm? I just... went out for a casual stroll." Bai You's eyes flickered.
She hadn't figured out how to tell Varesa that she had become Harbinger.
After all, if Varesa said something like "I punched Tartaglia flying," she would probably think she was bragging.
"Just wandering around?" Varesa turned her head to look at her, her Kamisato filled with suspicion. "Just wandering around, and I ran into Harbinger Columbina, and she even brought her back???"
"It's... a very complicated matter," Bai You scratched her head, deciding to gloss over it for now, "I'll tell you tonight, it's hard to explain now."
Varesa stared at her for a few seconds.
"Alright," Varesa turned around and continued stirring, but her tone softened.
"But next time, no matter where you're going, you have to tell me in advance, okay? I looked for you so many times after rehearsal today, but you weren't in your room. I was almost going crazy with worry."
Bai You paused for a moment as she picked vegetables, a warm feeling welling up inside her.
"I know," she whispered, "I'm sorry, I made you worry."
"Simply saying sorry isn't enough," Varesa turned off the stove, turned around, and braced her hands on the edge of the countertop.
Slightly leaning down to look at Bai You sitting on the small stool, a sly smile played on his lips. "You have to make it up to me."
"Compensation?" Bai You blinked. "How will you compensate me?"
"Sleep with me tonight," Varesa said matter-of-factly.
"... When have I ever not slept with you?" Bai You was both amused and exasperated.
"That's different," Varesa straightened up, her face slightly flushed, but she didn't back down.
"I used to hold you while you slept, but tonight it's your turn to hold me. It's because you disappeared all day."
"Isn't this a reward? Who could resist sleeping with the sweet, soft Varesa?"
Bai You paused for a moment, thinking to herself, and then couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Fine, I'll hug you then," she said, tilting her little face up without any fear. "I thought you were going to make some unreasonable request."
This time, it was Varesa's turn to be stunned.
She had expected Bai You to blush, be shy, mutter a few words as usual, and then obediently snuggle into her arms.
Unexpectedly, the little girl agreed so readily, even with a hint of... a sense of composure as if she had taken the initiative?
"You agreed so quickly." Varesa turned her face away, but the tips of her ears turned slightly red.
"Don't curl up and burrow into my arms again then."
"Who shrank back?" Bai You jumped off the stool, patted her skirt, looked up at her with bright eyes.
"I'll hug you tonight, and I mean it."
Varesa looked at her earnest yet confident little expression, and her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something to turn the tables, but in the end she only reached out and ruffled Bai You's hair, her voice very soft. "Okay, I'll wait."
Varesa turned around with satisfaction and continued working, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
"Hey," the system's voice popped out at an inopportune moment.
[Tonight I'll hug you? Host, that's quite an ambiguous statement.]
"Could you please not show up at a time like this?" Bai You rolled her eyes inwardly.
"I'm just concerned about you," the system said cheekily.
[By the way, when are you planning to tell them you've become Harbinger? And they don't seem to have fully processed the fact that you brought Columbina back to stay for a while.]
"Let's wait for the right time," Bai You thought to herself. "Besides, how many times have I said it? What do you mean by 'bringing her back'? She wanted to live here herself."
The system seemed to laugh.
[Our host is quite sweet-hearted. Alright, you can continue picking your vegetables, I won't disturb you two.]
"Get lost."
The food was quickly served, and Odette returned just then after tidying up Columbina's room.
Cream of mushroom soup, black pepper stew, rye bread, vegetable salad, and a honey berry pudding that Varesa specially made— Bai You loves sweet things the most.
The four people sat around the dining table, the warm yellow light casting a soft glow on their faces.
"I'm starting." Columbina put her hands together, smiled gently, picked up her spoon, and took a sip of the cream of mushroom soup.
Then he grabbed a piece of bread, put it in his mouth, and then paused for a moment.
"Is it good?" Varesa asked nervously, clutching her napkin tightly.
"It's delicious," Columbina nodded earnestly. "The milk flavor is rich, the mushroom flavor is fully extracted, and the bread is very soft and fragrant."
Varesa's face flushed red, and she quickly served Columbina another bowl, then turned to pile up a small mountain of Bai You's bowl.
Although Odette appeared calm on the surface, she had been silently observing Columbina's reaction. Seeing that Columbina seemed quite satisfied with the food, she lowered her head and continued eating.
On Odette's plate, the highest pile was the bowl of vegetable salad.
She ate very politely, using her knife and fork elegantly, taking small bites, but her chopsticks reached for the salad bowl much more frequently than for the other dishes.
"Odette, don't just eat salad," Varesa said, reaching for a plate of stewed meat. "Eat some meat."
"I can do it myself," Odette, slightly turning aside and taking another big bite of salad with her fork, her tone unusually relaxed.
"You know, this is my favorite food. The sauce today is just right, the proportions are perfect, and it's not greasy at all."
"I knew you'd like it," Varesa said with a smile.
"I made extra especially for you; the bowl is full, there's plenty."
At this moment, Varesa brought the bowl of honey berry pudding to herself and took a small silver spoon.
I scooped up the top spoonful—a trembling pudding coated in purplish-red berry jam, with a plump frozen blueberry nestled within, glistening under the light.
Instead of putting it in her mouth, she scooped up the spoonful of pudding and turned to the Bai You next to her.
"Ah--" Varesa held the spoon to Bai You's lips, her voice trailing off softly, her Kamisato full of doting affection.
Bai You was drinking mushroom soup from a small bowl when she saw the pudding offered to her lips. Her eyes lit up, and she naturally opened her mouth and, "Mmm!" took the spoon in one gulp.
The pudding melts in your mouth, the rich aroma of egg and milk, the sweetness of honey, and the slight tartness of berries all blending together on your tongue.
When you bite into a frozen blueberry, there's a slightly cool, bursting sensation. The rich layers of flavor make Bai You squint her eyes in happiness as she chews with her cheeks puffed out.
"Is it delicious?" Varesa asked with a smile, looking at her expression.
"Delicious!!" Bai You nodded vigorously, her eyes curving into two little crescent moons. "It's smooth and sweet, and it even has blueberries!"
"Eat more if it's delicious." Varesa's eyes were practically overflowing with joy. She scooped up another spoonful, this time a large piece covered in jam, and held it to Bai You's lips again. "Come on, open your mouth."
"Ah--" Bai You obediently opened her mouth, and the second bite of pudding went into her stomach.
She ate so quickly that a little purplish-red jam got on the corner of her mouth without her noticing.
Varesa watched, put down her spoon, and gently wiped the jam from the corner of her mouth with her thumb.
"Little kitten," she chuckled softly, her voice filled with tenderness, "Even eating pudding gets on her face."
Bai You's face flushed instantly. With a spoon in her mouth, her eyes darted away. "I... I can eat it myself..."
"I know you will," Varesa said, but instead of handing her the bowl, she scooped up another spoonful and confidently leaned over to give it to her.
"But I just want to feed you. Hurry, the last spoonful, ah--"
Bai You couldn't refuse her, so she blushed and opened her mouth again.
Before long, almost half of the pudding had ended up in Bai You's stomach.
"You should eat some too," Bai You said, puffing out her cheeks and handing the spoon back.
"Watching you eat is sweeter than eating it myself," Varesa whispered in her ear.
Bai You's ears turned bright red instantly, and she almost dropped the spoon in her hand.
This scene caught the eye of Columbina across from her. Her hand holding the bread paused slightly, and a knowing yet gentle smile flashed in her light purple eyes.
She lowered her head and quietly tore at the bread in her hands, not making a sound to disturb them, but she had an indescribable feeling in her heart.
Odette seemed quite used to it, calmly eating her salad, though a barely perceptible smile played at the corners of her mouth.