Columbina knew absolutely nothing about this battle. If Arlecchino and the others had not told her, she would not even have known that Dottore had died here in Nod-Krai.
However, even after learning that Dottore had croaked, not the slightest emotional change appeared on her face.
Among the Fatui, the only ones who could really be called her friends were these female Harbingers. Her relationship with Sandrone, the Marionette, was the best of all, so she often sang for Sandrone.
"Columbina, could you please give us some kind of reaction?" Sandrone said speechlessly.
Although she had a very good relationship with Columbina, one thing that made her rather helpless was that Columbina's mental state was far too calm.
"What reaction? Dottore and I had nothing to do with each other."
Columbina cutely tilted her head. She even rolled around in her sleep, so what?
Besides, she simply did not feel that way. Asking that of her was a little unreasonable.
Sandrone and the others held their heads. Columbina's reaction was exactly what they had expected, but that was precisely part of Columbina's charm.
"Columbina, do you want to go home right now?" Sandrone asked.
To be honest, she would definitely be reluctant to see Columbina leave.
"No rush. Koji said that if I want to go home, he'll take me there, and I can come back anytime," Columbina said softly.
Sandrone nodded. That was good.
"Do you want to hear me sing?" Columbina asked quietly.
"Not at all," Sandrone said, deliberately pretending to resist.
Rosalyne and Arlecchino smiled. Sandrone was still such a tsundere.
Among the Fatui, the relationship between the few of them was the best. From time to time, they would have afternoon tea together. They were both sisters and comrades.
On the other side, Lumine hugged Lauma tightly, enjoying the gentle warmth of an older sister.
"Mmm… So fragrant… So comfortable…"
Lauma: "…"
Looking at Lumine, who was hanging in front of her with her face buried in her chest, Lauma's expression became somewhat complicated. This was blatantly taking advantage of her.
"Darling, do you want to try it too?"
"?"
Lumine reluctantly lifted her head from the older sister's embrace.
"No."
Lauma blushed. She could not accept that sort of thing. Lumine was one matter, but if it were a man, that would be too much.
"Lumine, I'm starting to feel embarrassed to say I know you," Paimon said.
She was too shameless. She already had a man, yet she still went around taking advantage of people.
"Shut up. You're emergency food," Lumine said, glaring at Paimon.
"I'm not emergency food!"
Paimon stomped her little feet. Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi was still the best. She called her Lady Paimon.
In this world, there was no end to the nicknames people gave her. She was about to lose her real name entirely.
"Lauma, can I touch the horns on your head?" Koji asked.
Things like horns naturally gave off a strange attraction that made people want to rub against them unconsciously.
For example, Ganyu's horns were very attractive, and Lauma's deer antlers were also very attractive.
"They're a little sensitive." Lauma shook her head. They were not some kind of decoration.
It had to be said that Lauma's figure was extremely impressive. Even the slightest movement of her body could make her slimes tremble wildly.
Raiden Ei could do the same. It was the kind of figure Hu Tao would envy.
"Lumine, could you come down now?"
Lauma spoke softly. Just how long did she plan on hanging there? Not that Lauma found it tiring.
"All right, I'll come down."
Lumine reluctantly let go. An older sister's embrace was like the blankets in the morning. It was very difficult to escape from.
"That battle earlier—was it you people?" Lauma asked.
Although it had been concealed, she could still sense some of it. Koji had not completely blocked off every trace of the battle's aura.
Lauma nodded. She did not care much about that sort of thing. The death of a Harbinger would not affect Nod-Krai, with the exception of Columbina.
"Did Varka, the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, go too?"
"He went. He got really fired up."
Koji thought back to the way Varka had fought Dottore. He had not held back at all. Every strike had been aimed at Dottore's vital points. Koji could even sense that Dottore had been rather speechless, probably because he had never really met someone who went all out to take his life before.
Lauma fell into thought. She had interacted with Varka before. He was a powerful person with a very natural affinity for others. It was hard to imagine him getting that carried away in battle.
That Harbinger was probably someone Varka hated very much.
"Is Columbina all right?"
"She's fine. You can go look for her. She should be chatting with the other Harbingers right now."
Lauma shook her head. She would not disturb that older sister.
…
"Ei-babe, I brought you some novels from another world. Want them?"
"Yes."
The moment she heard "novels," Raiden Ei immediately perked up. She had something new to pass the time with. Yae Miko had not brought her light novels for a while now.
Koji skillfully lay down on Raiden Ei's thighs. The length of her legs was just right for him to stretch out his own.
A lap pillow was not completely free of discomfort. After all, there was only so much flesh on a person's legs, and it was very easy to feel the bones beneath. But enjoying a lap pillow was not only about comfort.
Raiden Ei paid it no mind. She flipped through the light novels Koji had brought, casually picked up a pastry beside her, and placed it into Koji's mouth.
"Ei-babe, you really don't do anything godlike anymore."
"This body was never suited to being a god in the first place. My sister is more suitable. I would only handle things even worse."
Raiden Ei did not feel embarrassed about it either. If a kagemusha were also good at governing a nation, that would be far too all-purpose. Not everyone was like Morax, skilled in both civil and martial matters.
"Ei, that is not a reason for you to lie flat and become a shut-in."
Raiden Makoto, dressed in a light purple kimono, walked over and helplessly rubbed her younger sister's head.
"Makoto, you'll mess up my hair."
Although she said that, Ei very much enjoyed her sister stroking her head.
"It's not as if I can't be a shut-in. My strength won't decline anyway. If you need me, I can enter combat mode immediately," Raiden Ei said.
At her level of strength, improving further was extremely difficult. Daily training would not bring her much progress.
"That's true. But seeing my little sister so free makes me feel a little unbalanced," Makoto said with a smile.
Ei blinked. She did not believe that at all. Her sister was not that kind of person.
"Makoto, if you don't want to do it, you can make that pink-haired fox do it," Koji suggested.
Makoto thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"Forget it. Miko wouldn't do it."
Yae Miko was already constantly slacking off while managing the Grand Narukami Shrine, let alone an entire nation. She would definitely come up with every excuse possible to push it away.
Besides, if a fun-loving fox sat in that kind of position, no one could guarantee what kind of absurd stunt she might cook up. Just thinking about it was enough to make one's scalp go numb.
(End of Chapter)
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