open.

[arcaico]

x

Comments

[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

[arcaico]

May I remind you that you also had your reasons?

I recall that was not all we did. But just because I consider it as something separate, I hold no expectations of the same from you.

[sluice]

everything i've showed you was real.

had you told me, i wouldn't have objected. hell i might have even pitched in
not that it matters. i'm to blame for not catching on sooner

so why would i hold you accountable when i was treated with leniency
i'm not so cold that i'd demand unequal terms

[arcaico]

I showed you what I am today. Was that not real?

You sound upset.

[sluice]

[ ☎️💥 ]

you tell me

[ is he upset? are you for real? etc, etc. ]

[arcaico]

I believe so.

Albeit I'd be willing to listen if you found otherwise.

[sluice]

i'll be fine, you know that
i always have been. worry about yourself more

[ anything else is getting left on read. nice talk, zhongli. just peachy. ]