The meeting proceeded as scheduled.
Dottore arrived second, while Columbina was the first to arrive.
"Dottore, long time no see."
"It hasn't even been half a month." Dottore glanced around the room and walked over to take a seat.
He cast a glance at the seat—it was Capitano's usual place.
A deep, resonant voice echoed from outside, "Long time no see, Dottore."
"Long time no see, Capitano. Has the Abyss been quiet lately?"
Capitano walked in. "They used to launch attacks from time to time, but for some reason, they've suddenly gone quiet recently. It's rather unsettling."
"If that's the case, you should be extra careful on your end. It's probably the calm before the storm," Dottore offered his perspective.
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind."
The two burly men began a casual exchange of words, while Columbina rested quietly, slumped over the conference table.
Shortly after, Pierro, Arlecchino, Pulcinella, Signora, and Sandrone—who had not yet officially joined—arrived. Seeing that everyone was present, Dottore spoke up, "I can temporarily lend you the project I finished yesterday." Capitano gave a slight nod, and their conversation concluded.
The ceremony ended swiftly. Her Majesty departed first, followed by the Harbinger meeting, which she would not attend.
Pierro broke the silence. "Everyone, share your recent updates."
Capitano spoke first, detailing the anomalies in the Abyss, before turning to Pulcinella. "Therefore, I am requesting funds to upgrade our equipment."
"Leave the funding to Pulcinella, and the equipment upgrades to Dottore," Pierro tossed the burden onto the two of them without a second thought.
Both of them: Oh god.
Signora piped up, "I have memorized the contents of the diplomatic handbook."
Pierro nodded.
Pulcinella said, "The situation in Snezhnaya City is stable, and there is normally nothing to report. However, if someone lacks restraint, they will surely push the national treasury to an irreversible burden." With that, he glanced at Dottore.
Dottore: .........
Arlecchino stated, "I have chosen the location for my orphanage. It will be in Fontaine."
Pierro frowned. "Why?"
"If the other six nations find out, we can frame Fontaine. That way, Fontaine's reputation as the Nation of Justice will be tarnished. We can even use this to isolate Fontaine and make it easier to strike."
Dottore thought to himself: *Does she seriously think nobody will figure it out? Even if Furina is just a figurehead, she has an elemental Dragon Sovereign as a heavyweight backer right beside her. This is like looking for death in a pitch-black outhouse.*
Pierro sighed but said nothing; Her Majesty the Tsaritsa allowed every Harbinger to handle matters in their own way.
"In addition, I will need the assistance of the Second Harbinger. After all, the things he develops are surprisingly effective, aren't they?"
"Very well, Dottore will assist Arlecchino in her operation." It was a bit unfair to burden Dottore, but if she were to do it alone, who knew how long it would take, not to mention how dangerous it would be.
Judging by the intelligence reports, Fontaine's Chief Justice, Neuvillette—though an elemental Dragon Sovereign—had only been around for two and a half years, and Dottore could certainly take him.
Dottore: ??? Suppressing the urge to curse, he nodded.
Though Columbina was still slumped over the table, from a different angle, one could catch a smile hanging at the corner of her lips.
Dottore, suddenly saddled with a mountain of work, completely snapped upon hearing a single sentence from Sandrone—the puppet.
"I want his laboratory."
"What the hell are you talking about, you idiot!!!" Dark aura billowed from Dottore's entire body.
Pierro wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, beginning to consider whether he should go ask Her Majesty if they could swap this Seventh Harbinger for someone else.
Pulcinella: Recalled the sheer pressure of Dottore kicking down doors back then.
Seeing that the situation was turning south, Pierro intervened, "Sandrone, that request cannot be granted."
"Didn't you say you would provide me with all the materials, funding, and workspace I need?"
"Haven't I already prepared one for you?"
"That place is worlds apart compared to his!" With that, Sandrone actually burst into tears and bolted out of Snezhnaya Palace.
The rest of the Harbingers (including Columbina) all turned to look at Pierro, who rubbed his temples with a headache.
Columbina whispered into Dottore's ear, "Aren't you going to do something?"
"What is there for me to do?"
Columbina simply smiled as she watched him.
Dottore: ......
PS: Sandrone shouldn't even be an adult for long yet, right? And according to the Water-Cross fairy storyline, even though some people speculate her true body is the big brute behind her, this book is definitely not using that theory.
——————————
My name is Sandrone, newly appointed as the Seventh Harbinger of the Fatui.
Back in Fontaine, a man named Pierro invited me to join the Fatui. He promised that he would fulfill all my needs, providing all the materials and funding required for my research.
Yet he failed to keep his word, so I ran away. I ran for I don't know how long until I collapsed from exhaustion and blacked out. When I woke up, I found myself in an unfamiliar room.
An ethereal voice sounded, "You're awake."
"You're the Third Harbinger, Columbina. Why am I here?"
"You passed out, so I carried you back to my place."
"And you were out cold for three whole days."
"Thank you for the trouble, I'll be leaving now." No sooner had she finished speaking than something was stuffed into her mouth.
Subconsciously chewing, she realized it tasted sweet.
"How is it, sweet right? I never knew Dottore could make desserts."
Time rewind to three days ago.
"So, Pierro, what are we going to do next? You brought back the Seventh Harbinger, you figure out how to deal with her."
"We'll discuss how to solve that later. Which of you is going to go chase her back?"
Gazing at Columbina, "I'll have to ask you for this favor."
With a smile, she asked, "Then what should I do?" Right as she finished asking, a handful of candies was shoved into her hand.
"Little girls all like eating these. If she's still crying, pop a piece into her mouth; once she finishes the candy, she'll stop crying."
Hearing how the situation would be resolved, Columbina went off to chase the puppet.
"Alright, now we need to figure out how to solve his problem."
…………
"So where are the rest of the candies he gave you?" Sandrone asked with a hint of curiosity.
"Hmm... they're in my stomach."
"Alright then, thank you, big sis Columbina, but unfortunately, we probably won't be able to be coworkers after all. Please also thank the Second Harbinger for me." With that, she walked toward the door.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave. Come with me and take a look." Without waiting for the puppet to reply, Columbina grabbed her hand and pulled her in a certain direction.
"Isn't this the laboratory Pierro was supposed to prepare for me? Why are you bringing me here?" Before she could finish, Columbina covered her eyes with something.
"Come on, follow me, be careful now, there's a surprise inside." Upon reaching the destination, Columbina removed the blindfold from her eyes.
The puppet stared at the brand-new equipment, dancing with joy.
As for how this new equipment came to be?
…………
Pierro's malicious voice rang out, "Dottore, if I recall correctly, the instruments in your laboratory were built by yourself afterward, weren't they?"
Before Dottore could open his mouth to refuse, "Then the manufacturing of the equipment for the puppet's workshop is up to you."
Dottore: Pierro, I thank your entire family.
"As for the materials needed, leave that to Pulcinella."
Pulcinella: Oh god.
…………
Titan Monitor: Did you forget about me?