At this very moment? No, it isn't distraction-- for you.
[Folding his arms, Lorenz canted his head to the side and regarded Hubert with every ounce of the condescension he could summon from the depths of his person. If the man really was this dense, Lorenz wondered why he was even bothering.]
You told me just earlier to focus on which sentiments were only my own. This conversation-- as frustrating a conversation partner as you are-- I know for certain is entirely my own.
[He shook his head, at a loss for what else to say in that moment.]
...Neither of the Witches I am Bonded to have asked for my input in their work. Their reasons, whatever they are, I likely understand-- but after a while biding my time and lying in wait while I gather the threads of rumors and gossip I hear while on shift at DiplomaTea grows rather tiresome. Plants only go so far-- I was never a gardening aficionado.
[He was frustrated and bored, Hubert. At least give him something.]
[He doesn't even sound angry with the emphasis—just utterly baffled.]
You are a faun; that is their reasoning. Could you provide input on why a selective ward affects one subject you never intended it to? Can you point out the singular instant of lapsed concentration over a spell? Find the flaw in a conjured working that produced something eight times the size of one thing, instead of eight separate items?
[Hubert shakes his head.]
They are not discounting you, Lorenz. Even alchemy is defined by the one single thing that sets it apart from mere chemistry—magic. A Witch would be hard-pressed to include you, short of harvesting your person for components. [Like his antlers or their velvet, and blood. But it really did sound gruesome, phrased like that. Maybe busywork like weeding wasn't suddenly so dismissive.]
[Hubert scoffed quietly, a sound directed more at himself than anything, and gave a larger shake of his head.] Or perhaps Gautier is discounting you. I don't pretend to know how his hedonistic mind churns.
[He did appreciate his rapport with Sylvain for everything it was worth-- but that didn't mean he entirely understood the man's lack of manner and discretion regarding certain matters.]
Odds are that neither have thought overmuch about those matters either. Their focuses lie elsewhere.
[Who was he to break propriety and figure out where that 'elsehwere' was?]
...While I am not a genius on the matter like Lysithea or yourself, not having access to the skills we had in Fodlan has been a bigger frustration than I anticipated. I beg pardon if I've overstepped any boundaries here-- speaking with you, here and now, is simplest way to keep my focus away from what Sylvain and Lapis are doing behind closed doors.
[Still with his back to Lorenz, Hubert sighed, teeth clenching. It wasn't his strong point by any stretch, but he truly did empathize with the man—Hubert simply couldn't express such. That would be revealing matters that weren't his right to speak of.]
[After a moment of gruff silence, Hubert crossed his arms.]
Don't expect much. I was not making light of being hard-pressed to include you.
[Hubert moved to a cabin to take out a rattling dish. It's a box filled with half a dozen forks, spoons, and knives each, which he sets on the far end of the work table along with a little jar and a rag.]
Polish those. Do not get it on your skin.
[The Witch moves back to his own project, watching the bubbling liquid.]
Alchemy is utterly precise. You are creating something greater than the sum of its parts—something that has no right to be made from those parts. It is not merely transformed, as in the culinary arts, nor merely created, as in conjuration. Some undertakings are so delicate, it might fail for the extra air you breath into this room.
[Is he launching into a lecture? He's launching into a lecture. Maybe this way Hubert didn't have to listen to Lorenz' whining anymore. The liquid in the little jar provided would alter any silver or iron in the silverware into a much safer metal for Monsters.]
[Lorenz could see clearly that this was busywork-- something to do with his hands, and not ultimately be a waste of the time he was taking from Hubert by his mere presence in the quiet laboratory-- but he also heard Hubert's words and appreciated not being merely sent away due to the circumstances. Casting Hubert an inquiring look while he wondered how, exactly, Hubert intended for him to polish the flatware without touching the liquid while not having any gloves to protect his hands. He wisely kept his tongue still, instead listening to Hubert's impromptu explanation while he gingerly opened the jar to examine it's contents.]
...Is that what you were working on with your helpers?
[He asked, in reference to the rats. Looking up from the jar, Lorenz watched Hubert work for a moment before he busied himself with the rag and flatware with a fastidiousness that was well above the normal care he took with his every day affairs.]
The Alchemy, that is. It sounds so fickle that even a change in the weather might influence the outcome.
I can't entirely disprove that. The phases of the twin moons can influence some projects, and some scholars on the matter purport that other planets do, as well; though, I do not put weight in such.
[A shake of his head.] That is why I need the vermin. The grade of the material must be exact, or it will contaminate the whole thing.
[Hands stilling, Lorenz looked up from his work to regard Hubert at those words, his mind quickly latching onto the severity of the situation Hubert was in-- and the larger scale ramifications of it. If alchemical materials were suspect, what other items in the trade were tainted?]
...there was a similar situation within the bounds of the Alliance about a decade ago, [Lorenz began, taking on the pedantic tones of an accountant while he returned his attention to the flatware.] Frost had hit the orchards and vinyards outside of Daphnel far earlier than the farmers had expected, since the harvest season was still underway. Acres of grapes were affected by this and, rather than destroy the product or sell it as feed for a much lower profit, the vintners decided to take a unique approach:
They decided to try to make the frost damaged grapes into wine.
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no subject
Date: 2020-04-02 11:51 pm (UTC)[Folding his arms, Lorenz canted his head to the side and regarded Hubert with every ounce of the condescension he could summon from the depths of his person. If the man really was this dense, Lorenz wondered why he was even bothering.]
You told me just earlier to focus on which sentiments were only my own. This conversation-- as frustrating a conversation partner as you are-- I know for certain is entirely my own.
[He shook his head, at a loss for what else to say in that moment.]
...Neither of the Witches I am Bonded to have asked for my input in their work. Their reasons, whatever they are, I likely understand-- but after a while biding my time and lying in wait while I gather the threads of rumors and gossip I hear while on shift at DiplomaTea grows rather tiresome. Plants only go so far-- I was never a gardening aficionado.
[He was frustrated and bored, Hubert. At least give him something.]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-05 04:57 am (UTC)[He doesn't even sound angry with the emphasis—just utterly baffled.]
You are a faun; that is their reasoning. Could you provide input on why a selective ward affects one subject you never intended it to? Can you point out the singular instant of lapsed concentration over a spell? Find the flaw in a conjured working that produced something eight times the size of one thing, instead of eight separate items?
[Hubert shakes his head.]
They are not discounting you, Lorenz. Even alchemy is defined by the one single thing that sets it apart from mere chemistry—magic. A Witch would be hard-pressed to include you, short of harvesting your person for components. [Like his antlers or their velvet, and blood. But it really did sound gruesome, phrased like that. Maybe busywork like weeding wasn't suddenly so dismissive.]
[Hubert scoffed quietly, a sound directed more at himself than anything, and gave a larger shake of his head.] Or perhaps Gautier is discounting you. I don't pretend to know how his hedonistic mind churns.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-05 10:32 pm (UTC)[He did appreciate his rapport with Sylvain for everything it was worth-- but that didn't mean he entirely understood the man's lack of manner and discretion regarding certain matters.]
Odds are that neither have thought overmuch about those matters either. Their focuses lie elsewhere.
[Who was he to break propriety and figure out where that 'elsehwere' was?]
...While I am not a genius on the matter like Lysithea or yourself, not having access to the skills we had in Fodlan has been a bigger frustration than I anticipated. I beg pardon if I've overstepped any boundaries here-- speaking with you, here and now, is simplest way to keep my focus away from what Sylvain and Lapis are doing behind closed doors.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-06 01:40 pm (UTC)[After a moment of gruff silence, Hubert crossed his arms.]
Don't expect much. I was not making light of being hard-pressed to include you.
[Hubert moved to a cabin to take out a rattling dish. It's a box filled with half a dozen forks, spoons, and knives each, which he sets on the far end of the work table along with a little jar and a rag.]
Polish those. Do not get it on your skin.
[The Witch moves back to his own project, watching the bubbling liquid.]
Alchemy is utterly precise. You are creating something greater than the sum of its parts—something that has no right to be made from those parts. It is not merely transformed, as in the culinary arts, nor merely created, as in conjuration. Some undertakings are so delicate, it might fail for the extra air you breath into this room.
[Is he launching into a lecture? He's launching into a lecture. Maybe this way Hubert didn't have to listen to Lorenz' whining anymore. The liquid in the little jar provided would alter any silver or iron in the silverware into a much safer metal for Monsters.]
no subject
Date: 2020-04-07 01:26 am (UTC)...Is that what you were working on with your helpers?
[He asked, in reference to the rats. Looking up from the jar, Lorenz watched Hubert work for a moment before he busied himself with the rag and flatware with a fastidiousness that was well above the normal care he took with his every day affairs.]
The Alchemy, that is. It sounds so fickle that even a change in the weather might influence the outcome.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-07 04:42 am (UTC)[A shake of his head.] That is why I need the vermin. The grade of the material must be exact, or it will contaminate the whole thing.
no subject
Date: 2020-04-08 02:06 am (UTC)...there was a similar situation within the bounds of the Alliance about a decade ago, [Lorenz began, taking on the pedantic tones of an accountant while he returned his attention to the flatware.] Frost had hit the orchards and vinyards outside of Daphnel far earlier than the farmers had expected, since the harvest season was still underway. Acres of grapes were affected by this and, rather than destroy the product or sell it as feed for a much lower profit, the vintners decided to take a unique approach:
They decided to try to make the frost damaged grapes into wine.