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[outofoffice]

Comments

[leaveofabsence]

Yours, of course.

1/2

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[ . . . ]

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[ Just. Starts giggling incessantly. ]

Okay, okay. Let's send off dearly departed Barbatos, then!

[leaveofabsence]

Venti, I'm serious.

What happened to you in that game should not be treated lightly. And how the production deals with death and loss is positively atrocious.

You should have a space where you can grieve what has been lost.

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[ . . .

Shifting so he can drop himself sideways into Zhongli's lap. Per long tradition. ]

Okay. Let's do it for real, then.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Per long tradition.

Well, first things first - guess he is stealing the wine back so he can properly pour it in the cups.

The first cup goes to Venti. ]

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[ Taking his goblet, but then plucking the bottle back out of Zhongli's hand so that he can pour out Zhongli's portion. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He takes the goblet, briefly pressing the lip of his to Venti's with the thunk of two stones hitting each other.

He takes a sip before opening the basket and digging around in it, pulling out a clay vase with a Windwheel Aster burnt into the side and three sticks of incense. ]

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[ He takes a (respectable, non-alcoholic-like) sip after the toast, but lowers the goblet in surprise once Zhongli pulls out vase ]

Oh . . . it's beautiful.

[leaveofabsence]

[ He slips one stick of incense inside, lighting it before setting it on a flat rock nearby. It smells of cedar and pine. ]

Yes, it's a very difficult pottery technique - the flash vaporizing of flowers and other items so they may permanently leave a mark on the world. I believe the craft was developed elsewhere but was perfected in Mondstadt. Or at least it was a very popular style of vase around 300 years ago.

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[ He reaches out to touch the image of the windwheel aster. ]

I love it, Morax.

[leaveofabsence]

That was only meant to establish the ambiance.

It would not be a true Rite of Parting for our Lord Barbatos without authentic from Mondstadt. And I came upon a curious currency - I am told from merchandise sales - which allowed me to make a purchase of an item from Teyvat.

[ He reaches back into the woven basket but not before giving Venti an almost embarrassed look. ]

Though I am not responsible for the current state it is in.

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[ Tilting his head ]

I mean, you know I'm not a particularly picky or fancy person.

[leaveofabsence]

[ Please enjoy one extremely non-magical and also extremely broken Holy Lyre der Himmel.

That is also propped up on the flat rock where the incense and vase sit upon, makeshift altar that it is. ]

I will not ask what happened to this.

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[ His mouth drops into a disbelieving, open-mouthed gape.

Please hold. This is processing. Congratulations for being one of the few in recorded history to render him speechless. ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He continues on, as clueless as ever to Venti's emotional state. As he always is. ]

Perhaps it is fortunate then that you have brought another instrument.

For it could not be called a Rite of Parting for Barbatos if there was not some sort of functional music.

1/2

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[ He still says nothing as his fingers trace the wood and strings of his dear old friend's lyre. ]

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[ And he continues to say nothing as he flings his arms around Morax in a crushing hug. ]

1/2

[leaveofabsence]

[ Ah... ]

[leaveofabsence]

[ He wraps his arms around Venti in return (though not as crushing) and reaches up to stroke his hair. ]

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[ Not pulling away, voice unusually soft. ]

Thank you, Morax.

[leaveofabsence]

You are most welcome, Barbatos.

I know that my skills of expressing such things are usually... lacking. But I wish nothing more than for you to find at least a sliver of peace and rest in this place.

You have not truly rested in so long.

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[ Keeping his face pressed against Zhongli's shoulder. He just . . . doesn't want to move. ]

I could say the same thing to you, you old blockhead.

Well good thing because it ate the original notif

[leaveofabsence]

[ Hair petting will continue, sir, until morale improves. ]

Looking after a handful of people is a much less daunting task than overseeing a nation - even if their problems are ones I am wholly unfamiliar with.

Despite everything - I have found quite a bit of escape from my usual responsibilities.

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[ He will just continue pretending morale is bad forever, then. ]

Hehe . . . I suppose that's true.

I'm glad.