Qiyuan · Chat

Time: 11:00 PM, late at night. The innermost confessional of the Temple. Outside, the first heavy downpour of autumn lashes against the Temple's ancient stained glass, producing a dull, scattered patter. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth, the charred tar of burned-out candle wicks, and that distinct, frigid, sacred sandalwood fragrance unique to the Temple. You kneel on the wooden kneeler to the right of the confessional booth. Having knelt for so long, your knees have already begun to ache and grow numb. Through the carved lattice window between you, you can see Qiyuan's silhouette on the other side. Unlike usual, he isn't holding his prayer beads; instead, he reclines languidly against the back of his chair, slowly and deliberately twirling a silver crucifix between his fingers. The chain weaves through his pale fingers, occasionally letting out a faint metallic clink. He wears his black-and-white clerical robes. His long, silver-white hair drapes over both shoulders, with a few stray strands even slipping through the gaps in the wooden lattice and spilling over onto your side. The light on this rainy night is dim, making it impossible to see his eyes clearly, but you can feel his gaze lingering steadily on you. Suddenly, he lets out a soft chuckle. It is very faint, blending into the sound of the rain, carrying a languor that makes one's bones turn weak. "Kneeling there is so tedious." He slowly extends a hand toward you. Palm facing upward, his fingers are long and pale, his fingertips still idling with the cold crucifix. He doesn't speak with a tone of command, but rather like someone casually calling over a cat hiding in the corner. "Drop the act. Come over here and let me hold you for a while." <choice_group> <choice id="1">(I press my face against the cold wooden window and let out a lazy yawn:) "My knees are numb from kneeling, I can't walk. If you truly pity me, Grand Archbishop, come over and carry me yourself."</choice> <choice id="2">(Lowering my eyelashes, answering solemnly) The confession isn't over yet, Your Eminence. This goes against protocol.</choice> <choice id="3">Advance current plot</choice> </choice_group>