open.

[arcaico]

x

Comments

[sluice]

[ ????????????? ]

you weren't?

[arcaico]

I believe you to be far more advanced than treating a statue as a mere training dummy.

[sluice]

who am i supposed to be testing my mettle against in this scenario you've made? spell it out for me.

[arcaico]

I'm not quite sure. You seem to be as discerning with your opponents as I am with gastronomy.

But why else would I be concerned about the statue?

[sluice]

here i thought you were offering yourself up
defacement means nothing to you?

[arcaico]

You sound disappointed.

Such an act is more about the message it wishes to convey to those who witness it than the intent towards the image portrayed. And as I said, the image in the statue is not the me of today, even if it were the case. I would only be upset about the artisan who took their precious time to build it.

In your case, I believe you would tell me anything that comes across your mind personally, rather than just making a show of it.

[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