Intro Log: February Overflow

[faileas]

Intro Log: February, Overflow

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☼ diana

[fulgency]

[continuing from...]

[Ozymandias hums lightly in what could likely be interpreted either as amusement or pleasure. It happens to be the latter. Such determination and unwillingness to let herself be hindered by the lack of an instrument is far from the wrong answer to give. Ozymandias never really cares much for the particulars of one's ambitions. All he cares about is that there is ambition and a willingness to struggle so that the ambition itself one day becomes not just fruitless dreaming.]

I imagine if what you say is not merely words, it shall not be long before you have the skill you seek.

[murowa]

No matter how long it takes, I'll put in as much effort as I have to.

[She's gone through this before. Back then, Diana was capable of much less than what she could do now. There was no talent, no results.

Nothing.

But it was a hole she crawled out of, all on her own.]

I don't think I've quite gotten your name.

[fulgency]

[His smile widens slightly at her statement as he believes in her sincerity about striving for as long as it takes to reach her potential. It is a good thing to see in someone as young as her and oftentimes a rare quality, too. He would expect that sort of conviction to emerge in a few years rather than now.]

[But he has already given his praise to her for it in his words, and moves along to introduce himself.]

Because I have not yet given it. I am the third king of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt, the King of Kings and God-King of the Sun, Pharaoh Ramesses II. You may address me simply as Ozymandias.

[It might be easy to dismiss or disbelieve such a claim, but the confidence in which Ozymandias names himself, it is apparent that what he says is a proud statement of fact.]

[murowa]

[Well, that was an introduction she wasn't quite expecting. She doesn't necessarily disbelieve him outright, nor is she overly skeptical.

The way he's carried himself at least lends credibility to the claim, even if the exact name is lost on her.

Still, it doesn't change the fact that she's apparently dealing with royalty.]

I don't mind, but are you sure that's your preference? That seems awfully informal for someone with as many titles as you.

[fulgency]

[Her question seems somewhat unusual to him. Most do not ask about his preferences in how he is referred to, assuming that what he states to be the truth or simply out of uncertainty how one might address an ancient king. (Or, on the rare occasion, an outright dismissal of his titles altogether.)]

Ozymandias is a translation of my regnal name, but it is the version of that name I am most often remembered by in the modern era. There is nothing particularly informal about it.

[Allowing her to call him Ramesses would be far more informal to him, particularly if he did not insist upon Pharaoh to precede it. And while he is willing to make some exceptions for children who seem to struggle significantly with pronouncing Ozymandias, she is more than old enough to manage.]

But if you find it too familiar still, I shall allow you to refer to me as Pharaoh Ozymandias. You may refer to me as Your Majesty and the like as well.

[murowa]

[The more she talks to him, the more she begins to...

...

Understand.]

Then I shall keep everything you said in mind, Pharaoh Ozymandias.

[It's no different than how she would address her teacher as "Professor Ursula," really. She was just dealing with, well, royalty.]

As for myself, I'm simply a witch. And my name is Diana.

[fulgency]

[In Ozymandias' experience, no one ever truly tends to be "simply" anything, but he allows for her modesty.]

It is a pleasure, Diana. [He tips his head slightly to one side.] Am I correct to assume that you were a witch prior to your arrival?

[The way she declares herself a simple witch so casually certainly makes it appear that way.]

[murowa]

That's correct. I've been studying to become a witch since I was very little, and I'm fortunate that I can continue to do that while I'm here.

[It was in her blood, even.]

Though it looks like I'll need to start from the beginning.

[fulgency]

[Her attitude is not an uncommon one, Ozymandias finds. While he has never really had much of a use in formally studying magic until he found himself in this world, he's observed enough mages in his own world to know that those who study make their very identities almost inextricable from their studies.]

You must find that frustrating to begin anew.

[Even if she's not particularly undeterred from ultimately continuing to advance her skill, this is still quite the setback in her progress.]

[murowa]

Even if I did feel frustrated, there would be little point in feeling that way. What's happened can't obviously be undone.

The way I see it, if I have the energy to feel frustrated, then I'd rather put that same energy into relearning magic.

[It's such an expected, if cold, answer out of her.]

And I'll have plenty of time for that.

[fulgency]

[It may be a little more pragmatic of an answer than Ozymandias would expect from someone her age -- certainly far more pragmatic than he likely would have been at that age in any case -- but it's not a disagreeable answer. It's an answer he can appreciate as he tends to have little tolerance for laziness or wallowing in self-pity.]

With that attitude, I don't imagine you will need all that time.