“ a puppet, are you? ” she raises one hand before he can speak. “ no need to look so tense. while i do not know why you are here, in inazuma, i will not disclose your nature to any of your companions. ”
her eyes are thoughtful as she looks him over, considers his make. he is well constructed, seamless and fluid. “ your craftsmanship is excellent. your creator must be very proud, to have made you. ”
brows raise and before he could even respond, she raises a hand to stop him in his tracks. setsuna hadn't expected her to catch onto that secret so quickly, but perhaps he underestimated ei's ability to recognize such a creation — she is, after all, the one who made him. even if she currently doesn't possess that knowledge, he should have expected her to find familiarity in his presence. his lips part as if to argue — to deny it outright — but the words never come. instead, his gaze narrows just slightly as he studies her in return, searching for something in her expression that might betray recognition beyond mere intuition.
❝ . . . proud? ❞ he echoes, the word tasting bitter, almost acrid on his tongue. a quiet scoff follows, though it lacks its usual bite. arms fold loosely across the puppet's chest, as if guarding himself from her. ❝ you give too much credit to a creator you don’t even know. craftsmanship means nothing if the end result is discarded, ❞ there’s a pause then, his gaze flickering away for only a moment before returning to her, colder and more composed now. as if that fleeting crack in his demeanor never existed at all. ❝ if you intend to flatter me, you’re wasting your time. ❞