I do not. Its presence or lack thereof changes nothing in regards to what I have said. [ Zhongli doesn't elaborate further.
Zhongli doesn't seem to understand the concept very well of the casino and all its games, although he is familiar with gambling parlors in Liyue. Luckily, for all his failings in responsible mora usage, Zhongli is not much of a gambler. He is not interested in the currency, only what the currency buys. He observes the cards for a few moments longer, attempting to discern if they are truly dealing themselves with something akin to magic or if there's some sort of supernatural entity behind the motions. It's only once Childe speaks with that unwavering loyalty that he pulls his attention elsewhere and continues wandering through the casino and all its offered flair and temptations. If nothing else, the architecture is quite interesting.
What gets him to turn his attention back on Childe are his last words once he reaches the bar in the casino where drinks and food are for the taking. There is the slightest hint of a rueful smile. ]
You and I... we are friends, and our motives for that friendship have always been the same.
[ Zhongli is careful to make it easily sound like he is saying they are really not friends at all, considering how they used one another as means to their own ends. It's an easy assumption, one that most would run with despite it no such thing being actually said. In other words, the truth is that Zhongli remains silent on their status as friends, and truly, how can he do otherwise? It's possible both of them had been sincere in the friendship despite both initiating it for their own gains. It ended in betrayal, but that betrayal can have nothing to do with an actual friendship forged. There's nothing personal. Zhongli doesn't know how sincere Childe was, however, and he certainly is not going to reveal if the "friendship" was real to him or not. He is overall emotionally inept, but not void of emotions entirely. A heart of stone is still a heart nonetheless. He can feel loss, regret, and the despair of knowing what was viewed a friendship as real was merely part of the motions for a goal rather than a curious and unexpected side effect of mutual interest.
He does suppose, however, that statement warrants an additional acknowledgement. ]
...In light of that, while you were the aggressor and none of it would have come to pass if not for your actions, reflection has convinced me that I do owe you an apology. My intent was not to betray our friendship or any trust that developed unexpectedly.
[ Again, he's careful because... he will never know what Childe is truly thinking or feeling. As much as he wishes otherwise, he understands that there are depths in that mind and that soul that even a god cannot reach—at least not any god that the Harbinger hasn't pledged his loyalty to.
(—And even then, concerning Her... who can truly say?) ]
no subject
Zhongli doesn't seem to understand the concept very well of the casino and all its games, although he is familiar with gambling parlors in Liyue. Luckily, for all his failings in responsible mora usage, Zhongli is not much of a gambler. He is not interested in the currency, only what the currency buys. He observes the cards for a few moments longer, attempting to discern if they are truly dealing themselves with something akin to magic or if there's some sort of supernatural entity behind the motions. It's only once Childe speaks with that unwavering loyalty that he pulls his attention elsewhere and continues wandering through the casino and all its offered flair and temptations. If nothing else, the architecture is quite interesting.
What gets him to turn his attention back on Childe are his last words once he reaches the bar in the casino where drinks and food are for the taking. There is the slightest hint of a rueful smile. ]
You and I... we are friends, and our motives for that friendship have always been the same.
[ Zhongli is careful to make it easily sound like he is saying they are really not friends at all, considering how they used one another as means to their own ends. It's an easy assumption, one that most would run with despite it no such thing being actually said. In other words, the truth is that Zhongli remains silent on their status as friends, and truly, how can he do otherwise? It's possible both of them had been sincere in the friendship despite both initiating it for their own gains. It ended in betrayal, but that betrayal can have nothing to do with an actual friendship forged. There's nothing personal. Zhongli doesn't know how sincere Childe was, however, and he certainly is not going to reveal if the "friendship" was real to him or not. He is overall emotionally inept, but not void of emotions entirely. A heart of stone is still a heart nonetheless. He can feel loss, regret, and the despair of knowing what was viewed a friendship as real was merely part of the motions for a goal rather than a curious and unexpected side effect of mutual interest.
He does suppose, however, that statement warrants an additional acknowledgement. ]
...In light of that, while you were the aggressor and none of it would have come to pass if not for your actions, reflection has convinced me that I do owe you an apology. My intent was not to betray our friendship or any trust that developed unexpectedly.
[ Again, he's careful because... he will never know what Childe is truly thinking or feeling. As much as he wishes otherwise, he understands that there are depths in that mind and that soul that even a god cannot reach—at least not any god that the Harbinger hasn't pledged his loyalty to.
(—And even then, concerning Her... who can truly say?) ]