Popping Candy Popcorn—
Once you put it in your mouth, it will dance, fight, drum, or do anything else it wants on your tongue!
After all, there were all kinds of little accidents before its final recipe was found. So, who knows what might happen?
This failure is a great setback—at least for Sotheby.
Vertin: Madam Z has approved our application for repair and subsidy funds.
Vertin: Also, since we've performed well in previous tasks, and solved a number of problems, the Foundation has approved some additional compensation.
Vertin: I'm thinking we could use these funds to buy daily snacks. How about that?
Twins Sleep: Yay! Finally, some real snacks to eat!
APPLe: This APPLe quite enjoys tasting snacks from various times; it is said that different snacks can have a variety of effects on our emotions.
It seems that everyone is delighted with the Timekeeper's idea of providing plenty of snacks. All except for one.
Eagle: Um, Ms. Sotheby? You look distracted. What are you thinking about?
Sotheby: Hm? Oh! I ... What was I thinking about?
Vertin: Sotheby, could you come with me for a moment?
Vertin: I don't mind about the damage to the suitcase. It won't take long to fix.
Vertin: But I do wish you would talk to Ms. Cristallo.
Vertin: She's still undergoing treatment and really needs a quiet environment to recuperate. Having explosions go off in the room next door isn't really appropriate, is it?
Sotheby: N-No, it isn't. I'm sorry!
She drops her head, the large feather in her hat quivering as she holds back her emotions.
Sotheby: I never thought my dinner party would have such a negative impact! This ... this is not very becoming of a lady!
Cristallo, who is sitting on the bed nearby, slowly closes her book.
Cristallo: Actually ...
Cristallo: I felt great when I woke up this morning.
Cristallo: I think the explosion yesterday may have given me an adrenaline rush—I feel much more energized.
Vertin: Hmm ...
Vertin: Interesting. I certainly didn't expect that.
Cristallo: Look, this is my physical examination report from this morning. Everything's almost up to standard.
A knock at the door interrupts them.
Sonetto: Timekeeper, it's time to go. Madam Z has been waiting for a while.
Vertin: Just a moment, Sonetto.
The two girls before her lean against each other, looking up innocently.
Vertin: Alright, maybe it's best if I'm not here. I hope you two can become friends.
Sotheby: Don't worry. We will!
Sotheby returns to her cheerful self. She enjoys taking on tasks.
Vertin nods, satisfied with their answer.
She leaves, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
A somewhat restrained silence permeates the room.
The two girls exchange looks, kindness and curiosity on their faces.
The pale girl breaks the ice.
Cristallo: Snacks, right?
Sotheby: No!
Her voice carries both gratitude for the choice of topic and excitement at having had the ice broken.
Cristallo: So, you know that popcorn comes from a tall plant called wild Mexican corn, right?
Sotheby's eyes widen with excitement.
Cristallo: I think it was around seven thousand years ago that these plants were cultivated by the Native Americans.
Cristallo: Each corn kernel is encased in a hard shell, and as it heats up, the core expands.
Cristallo: When the temperature reaches a certain point, the internal pressure exceeds the shell's resistance, causing it to pop.
Cristallo: When the hot starch and water vapor meet the cold air outside the shell, it cools quickly and forms a cloud-like shape.
Sotheby: Wow!
Cristallo: So ...
Cristallo: If it's not too much trouble, could I have the honor of tasting your Popping Candy Popcorn?
Sotheby looks at her for a long time.
Sotheby: W-W-Well, of course!
The Lady's Code of Conduct: Revised Edition
Chapter 2: Social Etiquette
1. Never lose composure while in company; one must always maintain a ladylike appearance.
Sotheby: Careful, careful, careful! The latest batch of experimental Popping Candy Popcorn is here!
Sotheby: This time, I've added more cinnamon and toad powder, and a little less belladonna!
Sotheby: Aren't the colors pretty? I'm certain that eating this will make you dance with joy!
Cristallo: Alright, experiment number forty-eight ...
Cristallo: If it tastes good, I'll draw a smiley face on this sticky note.
Sotheby: Great! Have any products gotten a smiley face yet?
Cristallo: Uh, we'll have some soon.
Cristallo tosses two green popcorn pieces into her mouth.
Cristallo: This batch tastes pretty good—but not as good as batch forty-seven. What do you think?
Sotheby: Forty-seven? Um, which one was that again?
Cristallo: The batch that grew blue fur, I think.
Sotheby: Oh, those ones. They did look odd, but they certainly tasted the best!
Sotheby: Let's go back to that recipe as a starting point and adjust from there.
Sotheby: I think we still have some left. Oh! They're right here!
Sotheby scoops a spoonful of blue popcorn and puts it into her mouth.
Sotheby: Oh, goodness! Is this a side effect of the sweetness?
The churning feeling in her stomach is unbearable.
Cristallo watches Sotheby, wishing she could get out of bed to help her poor friend.
And Sotheby, writhing on the floor from the abdominal pain, looks up at the ceiling.
Sotheby: Huh? Hey, hey, what's happening? Why is everything spinning?
Cristallo: Oh no, you ate too much, Ms. Sotheby. Do you remember what you added to that batch?
Sotheby: Belladonna? Yes, lots of belladonna. Hehehe!
Sotheby: Oh, goodness, am I on the Auto Island? Am I whizzing head first into the great legend of Typhon and his mythical kingdom?
Cristallo looks at her friend and then at the blue popcorn on the table.
Cristallo: Typhon's kingdom? Wait for me!
She pulls herself out of bed, gently picks up a few pieces of popcorn, and puts them in her mouth.
Cristallo: Ah, ah, Typhon?
Cristallo: Hah ... woah! So dizzy, haha ...
She wobbles around in a circle before collapsing to the ground.
She's always found it difficult to let go. But at this moment, she dares to try.
Cristallo: Ah—wait, oh!
Cristallo: Oh, yes! I see it too! It's Typhon! The little black doll.
Cristallo: Hahaha—it's spinning, Ms. Sotheby, it's spinning! How fun!
Sotheby: Yes! Ms. Cristallo! Spinning, so much spinning! Hahaha!
...
From dawn to dusk, the ecosystem in the suitcase changes multiple times.
The nightlight shines into the room, illuminating the table filled with potions and popcorn samples, the floor piled with experimental instruments, medical supplies, and colorful trash, and the two girls lying among them.
To the girls, the ceiling seems like a night sky dotted with stars, and the air smells pleasantly sweet.
Their hallucinations make the ordinary intriguing.
Sotheby: Honestly, Ms. Cristallo, you're the most knowledgeable person I've ever met. I officially declare you my most admired person—after Typhon, of course!
Cristallo: I'm not all that special. I just have a lot of time to read, given how much time I spend in bed.
Sincerity flows like water between them.
Cristallo: Actually, if you don't mind, I want to tell you something.
Sotheby: Of course, I don't mind!
Cristallo: Really?
Sotheby: Of course! You're my good friend! I wouldn't mind a thing from a good friend!
Cristallo: Well, actually, before I started helping you with your experiments, I'd never tasted a snack before.
Sotheby: Really?!
Cristallo: Yes. The nurses always told me that snacks are "bad for my health."
Sotheby: You never even tried one?
Cristallo: Not even one.
Sotheby: Wow!
Cristallo: I, I want to try them. All of them. The new cinnamon candies, cheese sauce, pizza rolls, and those gummy rings you can wear on your fingers ...
Cristallo: Sorry, am I talking too much? I suppose they're all ordinary to you, right?
Sotheby: Wow.
She pauses.
Sotheby: Actually, I'm the same as you.
Cristallo: ...?!
Sotheby: Although I've seen some of them, I've never eaten those snacks either!
Sotheby: Mrs. April, the cook, would follow strict recipes, and Mr. Karson recorded everything I ate.
Sotheby: They were ever so serious, so I never ate anything they didn't want me to.
Cristallo: So—you haven't had any of those snacks either?
Sotheby: No!
Cristallo: Not even once?
Sotheby: No!
Cristallo rolls over.
Cristallo: So, when the kids outside say, "Today we're going to buy butternut candy, or, or cinnamon candy," what do you do? How do you respond?
Sotheby: Respond? What are you talking about? No one's ever said that to me.
Cristallo: ...?
Cristallo: Those kids outside never said that to you?
Sotheby: Kids outside?
Cristallo: Yes, outside the hospital room window—or outside the room?
Cristallo: The kids outside. You know, the kids who laughed and played outside the window every day when you were younger.
Sotheby blinks.
Sotheby: You mean those goons from Jupiter's army?
A meteor streaks across the sky, and dandelion seeds gather their strength to fly. A secret is stirring in the air.
