open.

[arcaico]

x

Comments

[sluice]

[ uuuuugggghhhhhhh ]

do you want me to deface your statue, zhongli? that can be arranged

you'd be none the wiser if i said nothing, you mean
keeping secrets is something mortals do.

perhaps a god wouldn't care about such trifling matters either way

[arcaico]

Now why would you do that?

Not just mortals, as you know. I wouldn't call them trifling matters. Some of them, anyway.

[sluice]

why shouldn't i?

i've put a show on for you before, just as you wished. didn't you get all that you sought after?
so where's the harm in letting you watch now

[arcaico]

You can do whatever you wish to the statue.

But I do wonder, what exactly do you wish to achieve by it?

[sluice]

you said it yourself! i'll convey my message to you

not so far-fetched, right? do i have your blessing?

[arcaico]

If my blessing is what you seek, I'd ask to at least pay the respects of the person who built it. I do not own it, after all.

I will say, however, that I didn't think vandalizing a legacy such as this one would be worth the trouble for you.

[sluice]

fair enough. i'll humbly request permission [ to plunge his fist into your (statue's) ribs, a shallow mimicry of all that came before ] and await an answer. i doubt i'll be forgiven this time

that my presence is allowed in liyue at all never ceases to amaze

[ first treated with mockery, second handled with disgrace. if he isn't sentenced to execution, maybe he'll get exiled. ]

supposing you allow it, is it treason if you're the one witnessing me?

[ i wish i could've seen you as you were. oh, he regrets that the most, never given the chance to tear through the dripping edges of zhongli's divinity outside of reasons that concern the gnosis. even in this way, he's still denied. ]

[arcaico]

Is that what you wish for?

[To be considered a traitor? Persona non grata?]

[sluice]

responding to a question with a question is no answer at all, mr. zhongli! surely you knew that

[arcaico]

Then allow me to ask another question, to clarify:

Who or what do you wish to betray, exactly?

[sluice]

your expectations of me
my expectations of you

is that enough to satisfy you? i'm surprised you'd ask at all

[arcaico]

I wanted to make sure why you would choose to attempt to rile both of us up.

[sluice]

both?

[arcaico]

Both.

[sluice]

who'd want to rile themselves up on the threat of treachery?
i've played nice with your questions, but that's going too far

i thought you'd stop me this time, that's all
i guess not

[arcaico]

Ah, so the vandalism would not be about sending out a message, but you calling out to me?

I am not so sure I deserve such attention at present.

[sluice]

isn't that the same thing? deserved or not

[arcaico]

I suppose I would have no say on how and for whom you should expend your energy, but even gods have their limits, Childe.

[sluice]

have you hit yours then, zhongli

[arcaico]

You wish me to say you're helping me.

[sluice]

you sound so pent-up when you put it that way

we got along well before, so why shouldn't i lend a hand now?
unless you're turning me down

[arcaico]

Is that how you see it?

I wasn't aware we stopped getting along, to begin with.

[sluice]

how should i see it? wasn't it just another contract to you
business is business, i can understand that

[arcaico]

It is my understanding that even after a contract has been settled, or before it has yet to be written, a connection is present.

Ah, is it the culture of Snezhnaya that eschews personal feelings in the making of contracts?

[sluice]

after all of that, we're friends
is that how you feel

i hold no ill will towards you for taking what you sought
but friends don't do what we did to each other