In truth, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting out of this interaction. The mere idea of a demigod simply walking into a hot spring alongside him was absurd enough already (did he not have better things to do? Did demigods truly have the time and want to partake in simple pleasures like the rest of them?) but now that it had happened… suffice to say he was underwhelmed at best. Brow still furrowed, be cast Ronin only a brief glance when he got stuck in his own clothing, but promptly shifted it away again once he was free from his self made entrapment. Thrilling. The sarcastic irony of the situation wasn’t lost on him, distaste now more freely coating his tongue. Still, he was nothing but polite, even if it felt more strained to remain so.
What a question he was posed, however. Ephrem could scarcely hold back the scoff that threatened to escape him, but thankfully managed to disguise it with a grunt instead, something easily explained away by the waters relieving his pain. It still lingered, after all, in the backdrop of their soothing powers. He usually stayed in them long enough to feel nothing at all and then some, and it hadn’t been nearly long enough to achieve that result yet. After a moment of debate, turning the question around in his mind as if to analyze all of its complex angles, he made another soft decisive sound, the precursor to his speech. ”Forgive me, if I may be so forward, I have…” he trailed off briefly, trying to reformulate the words in the best possible sequence he could before continuing, “… I know of your kind. I know of how they can be created, some of your history that’s been written down already, if not all of it, of your connection to the gods” — he can’t stop the distaste that coats his tongue at the word but doesn’t linger on it — “but I have not… I did not expect to be faced with one, especially in the given circumstances. I did not think you… I assumed you would have more important things to do.” Then, after a brief moment of silence, curiosity getting the better of him, unable to hold back his tongue: “Do you not? Have more important things to do, that is?”
— EGO NIHILITAS NON QUAESIVIT, SCINDITUR MIHI APERTIS
What a question he was posed, however. Ephrem could scarcely hold back the scoff that threatened to escape him, but thankfully managed to disguise it with a grunt instead, something easily explained away by the waters relieving his pain. It still lingered, after all, in the backdrop of their soothing powers. He usually stayed in them long enough to feel nothing at all and then some, and it hadn’t been nearly long enough to achieve that result yet. After a moment of debate, turning the question around in his mind as if to analyze all of its complex angles, he made another soft decisive sound, the precursor to his speech. ”Forgive me, if I may be so forward, I have…” he trailed off briefly, trying to reformulate the words in the best possible sequence he could before continuing, “… I know of your kind. I know of how they can be created, some of your history that’s been written down already, if not all of it, of your connection to the gods” — he can’t stop the distaste that coats his tongue at the word but doesn’t linger on it — “but I have not… I did not expect to be faced with one, especially in the given circumstances. I did not think you… I assumed you would have more important things to do.” Then, after a brief moment of silence, curiosity getting the better of him, unable to hold back his tongue: “Do you not? Have more important things to do, that is?”
