#and they've grown into such accomplished men <3

[deiscension]

﹄ ◇ ; @melodicbreeze / BALDUR'S GATE 3 STARTERS

❝ you’re plotting something, aren’t you? come on then - out with it. ❞ let him in on it!!

      ⌜◈⌟    ▌ ── "𝐌𝐞? 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐖𝐡𝐲, 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫! This respectable lady doesn't plot, she strategizes." Normally she would snap her fan open to shield the flush rising on her cheeks from view. Shame, that simple yet elegant motion would cry, shame that you would dare presume this ancestor a schemer! But the caverns of Liyue's mountains have long since swallowed that once-beloved spiritual device. She only has her mug of sparkling cider to make do with. Holding it like a scholar warming their hands with a cup of tea, she lowers her voice to a more conspiratorial level.

      "𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬' 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞. There's going to be agents dispatched in other nations attending, catering from esteemed restaurants across Teyvat, and the drinks will include plum wine from Inazuma that nobody, not even Her Excellency the Raiden Shogun, has ever tasted before. Now, I'm not one to fraternize with the enemy. Perish that thought before you even have it. But," a finger taps against the tabletop, "looking at this strategically, it's an excellent opportunity to get some insider intel. For example, what reasons they have to still be idling about in Mondstadt. And I mean the real reasons, not all those political amends excuses."

    𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢'𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨. Two masked men with Fatui insignias emblazoned on their lapels talk over a shared meal. One gestures broadly while the other offers an occasional nod, both evidently unaware of the attention they've drawn. "According to that Mister Novikov over there, his fellow 'diplomatic envoys' have grown bored of their own company. And no," she interjects despite Venti not having had the chance to get a single word in yet, "I was not eavesdropping. He's just a very loud conversationalist. Back to the point." She pauses to take a sip from a sparkling cider and internally lament the fact that it's not sparkling champagne instead. When the mug lowers, a mischievous smile has painted itself across rose-stained lips. "I know what that's code for. He wants a gorgeous stranger on his arm. Someone who will stroke his ego by laughing at all his jokes and asking him about his accomplishments. I guess the same could be said for someone higher up on the pecking order too, because that Mister Novikov also mentioned limited invitations for unaffiliated guests. I don't have to spell out what I'm getting at, do I?"

      𝐒𝐡𝐢 𝐐𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. "I have the charming good lucks." Her finger pokes Venti squarely in the chest. "You have the silver tongue. Between the two of us there's insurmountable wit to be had. We'd have at least one of those cronies blabbing within the first hour. So, are you in?"

[froghwon]

memories ♡ seventh anniversary