[ Dominion is definitely a strange way to describe it, certainly too important, too weighted for the simple nature of being given a designated chair in the restaurant. While Childe hadn't considered a tribute of that sort to be anything so... lasting (chairs were replaced over time and surely in the years it took for them to do so Zhongli would have found a different restaurant to catch his fancy or else moved away from the city altogether) it was interesting to see the consultant's thoughts on the matter. For someone like Zhongli it would seem he had no intentions of leaving the harbor.
Perhaps he shouldn't be all that surprised. Snezhnaya, after all, was filled with all manner of people who had yet to step foot beyond the Tsaritsa's borders. People tended to settle, and for all the impressiveness that Zhongli exhibited, all the intelligence that was too broad and too diverse for a recluse in Liyue, perhaps he was content to stay where he was.
The saucer looks like a suitable place to set down his popsicle stick and he moves to do so, turning it discreetly so it wouldn't be jostled every time his hand moved to pick up his teacup. If Childe catches Zhongli staring he pretends not to notice, instead folding his hands together and resting his chin atop his laced fingers as he listens to the consultant talk on.
Admittedly, despite that Childe may not have much of a vested interest in what he's saying, he finds it hard to really tune the other man out. Zhongli speaks with a richness in his voice that challenges the deposits of ores in the mountains with tones that are meant to educate and not condescend.
Mentally, he adds humble to the list of identifiers he's using to describe the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor consultant in the report he'll inevitably write up. A beat later and he reconsiders if only for the sake of appearing impartial. ]
Have you ever been to Fontaine, Mr. Zhongli? You strike me as the sort of person who's enamored with his city enough that he'd rather not be away from it.
<3 I am very patient, don't worry!!
Perhaps he shouldn't be all that surprised. Snezhnaya, after all, was filled with all manner of people who had yet to step foot beyond the Tsaritsa's borders. People tended to settle, and for all the impressiveness that Zhongli exhibited, all the intelligence that was too broad and too diverse for a recluse in Liyue, perhaps he was content to stay where he was.
The saucer looks like a suitable place to set down his popsicle stick and he moves to do so, turning it discreetly so it wouldn't be jostled every time his hand moved to pick up his teacup. If Childe catches Zhongli staring he pretends not to notice, instead folding his hands together and resting his chin atop his laced fingers as he listens to the consultant talk on.
Admittedly, despite that Childe may not have much of a vested interest in what he's saying, he finds it hard to really tune the other man out. Zhongli speaks with a richness in his voice that challenges the deposits of ores in the mountains with tones that are meant to educate and not condescend.
Mentally, he adds humble to the list of identifiers he's using to describe the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor consultant in the report he'll inevitably write up. A beat later and he reconsiders if only for the sake of appearing impartial. ]
Have you ever been to Fontaine, Mr. Zhongli? You strike me as the sort of person who's enamored with his city enough that he'd rather not be away from it.