“Of course I am! You’re part of Chaldea, and that means you’re an ally. If I can’t hurt my enemies, I can help my allies.” Melpomene smiled, sitting up from her cushion (which vanished after she sat up, answering little questions-) and standing with a stretch, looking over Ruler some more. The way his expression softened was considered a complete success, and her own body language opened up to match it.
“No matter where or who you are, everyone deserves comfort in hard times… sometimes, I’d say even the enemy. Conflict is good for only those at the highest places, and even then, only for those who win.” Her energy trailed off for a moment, looking more through Ruler than at him.
“Reading is wonderful, I must agree! If you ever want to hear stories, I sing them- our tales were originally oral tradition, I’m sure you know, so I often do so for the little ones and whoever is interested. Gives you the chance to listen while your eyes and hands work elsewhere if you keep a busy body.” Melpomene finished stretching, letting the energy return and with her focus on Ruler, let [Entertainer of Gods] activate. Even her gaze (with those clearly inhuman eyes) became soft, almost opalescent looking as her entire body language rang with a feeling of comfort. A kind of well-meaning, harmless presence, while the skill activated.
Karumeyaki. A kind of grilled caramel, similar to honeycomb toffee-? Huh, that could work, right…? Her skill didn’t work as well with more foreign dishes, admittedly, but Melpomene felt confident she could bluff it good enough. With that information, she let the skill cease activation. A bit of a teasing look took over her for a moment.
“Catching people unaware is the best way to get at something genuine, if you do it well enough! But I can’t lie and say this was planned, Ruler, just making the best of an unexpected situation!” Melpomene winked to the Ruler, taking a couple steps down the hallway before turning around again. Normally, she’d be fine delivering it later, but right now…
“Would you like to accompany me while I bake them, Ruler?” The Muse smiled, extending the olive branch, as it were.
T e Hero’s Igno i g of I l O ns
“It’s always better to bake with company, I’d say.”
You’re part of Chaldea.
The comment, though idly made, brought the priest to pause. Was he a ‘part’ of this place ? He had certainly made no efforts to ‘integrate’ himself, simply coming when he was called--
Oh, she’d activated a skill. That snapped him from his introspection in an instant, gold eyes meeting her (uncomfortably kind) gaze. His responding smile was merely a knee-jerk reaction, head tilting as he tried to process what she was doing, exactly. Something about the way she looked at him put him ill at ease.
' Can she mindread ? '
Immediately, he knew the answer was no. She simply seemed to be-- learning. He wasn't one to show worry on his face, so the shift from concern to ease was not a visible one, but he did absentmindedly reach up to grasp at the dangle of his earring. A tic, retained from his younger days. He felt no effects to his person from her skill use, and so decided it was alright to stay where he was.
“ Usually, you try to catch someone off guard to harm them. ”
he tutted, but his tone lacked any sign of a threat.
With a polite smile, he rose. Raised to be a gentleman, he offered her his arm-- extending his own metaphorical olive branch, by allowing the other Servant to be near him. This was significant for him, especially given that he didn’t even know her name ( he seriously doubted that it was Mle ).
“ I doubt I’ll be much help-- but, ‘company’ I can do, ”
he hummed,
“ Though, it is an odd request, Caster. The ‘cooks’ I knew... didn’t like company in the kitchen. ”
there was a hesitation, like he wasn’t entirely sure if that was true.
As he let himself be led, silence fell until he grew uncomfortable with it and ventured a question,
“ You’re from Greece, and are a Caster. Were you-- a witch ? ”