Rites

Desire and Love

Love is the most perplexing thing of all to [xiaochou.name]! It wishes to meet the one you love, for it has many questions to ask!

ID: 5000307

Type: None

Tips: None

Duration: 1 days

Waits For: 0 days

Marked as New Only on First Occurrence: 0

Starts Automatically: No

Triggers Result Automatically: No

Tag Tips: None

Tag Tips Up: None

Tag Tips Text:

Random Text: None

Random Text Up: None

Actions When Wait Expires

This rite has no actions when the wait expires.

Slots

Slot #1
The Mirror

Locks: No

Is Key: No

Is Empty: No

Is Enemy: No

Conditions:

Pops: None

Activation Conditions

This rite has no activation conditions.

Outcome

Prior

This rite has no prior outcome.

Regular

[s1.name] joined the little gathering you had arranged—perhaps due to the magic, but in any case, Maggie voiced no objections to the guest's sudden appearance. At last, [s1.name] cautiously voiced the confusion about love, and Maggie, after a moment's thought, sighed and said, "Love is a glass bead that resembles a gem—or a gem that resembles a glass bead. At times it is noble, at times cheap. You cradle it carefully, yet cannot help but doubt its worth. Still, you strive to protect it, driving away thieves who would steal it and brutes who would shatter it... You have no choice, for it is there, yours, a part of you."

You gently drew Maggie into your embrace, letting her lean against your chest. Now you had no mind to spare for what [xiaochou.name] might think.

Conditions:

Result:

Iman’s gaze lingers between you and [xiaochou.name] for a moment before he kneels opposite you, lifting a cup of jasmine tea to his lips. In the soft silence, [xiaochou.name] asked him about love.

Iman frowned slightly, lowering his eyes to the drifting petals in the teacup, then slowly offered an answer: "Love is pain," the devotee of the Immaculate Purity mused, "but not like the pain of prayer."

"But if it is pain, why do people seek it?" [xiaochou.name] pressed, bewildered.

"Because it is not a choice."

Conditions:

Result:

"Love?!" Under [xiaochou.name]'s impassive gaze, Badriyyah burst into laughter, even knocking over the pastries on the tea tray onto the carpet. "Oh, apologies, apologies!" She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and turned to you. "Where did you find such a naive friend? Listen, love doesn’t exist at all!"

She picked up a nut biscuit, popped it into her mouth with a careless shrug, and tapped [xiaochou.name]’s furrowed brow with her other hand. "Life is full of troubles—so many that one might wish for death, no? To convince yourself to keepBadriyyah living, you must tell yourself you still love this world, that someone in it loves you. What else can you do?"

[xiaochou.name] grew even more perplexed. "If the reason to live is a lie, then why live at all?" "Now you’re asking the right person! Listen—"

Badriyyah launched into her usual tirade about death being the end of toil, but you swiftly stuffed a dainty yet choking pastry into her mouth—lest she accidentally convert [xiaochou.name] into a cultist!

Conditions:

Result:

"Oh, of course I love [player.name]—he’s the most adorable person in the world." After hearing [xiaochou.name]'s words, Nayla didn’t hesitate to loop an arm around your neck and plant a firm kiss on your cheek.

You wiped the lipstick from your face with a scowl, reproaching her for her lack of seriousness. Nayla giggled, daintily picking up a nutty mille-feuille from the table, her lips curling into a sweet smile. "See, love is just like this. It’s a lie… or maybe there’s a tiny bit—just this much—truth hidden in it. What do you think?"

She winked at you, beautiful as an ever-elusive riddle.

Conditions:

Result:

At first, Qais seemed utterly bewildered—how could he not recall a close friend like [xiaochou.name]? But soon, his expression grew distant, and then he was chatting eagerly with [xiaochou.name], as if reuniting with an old friend.

After a torrent of hollow talk—ideals, realm, politics—[xiaochou.name] abruptly shifted the tide: "What do you think of love?

To your surprise, Qais tilted his head in profound confusion, as if the word held no meaning for him. "Perhaps you mean... respect? Admiration? Or...?" His voice trailed off, growing strangely faint. You watched as something swiftly darkened his pupils into an abyssal black. Then, in an eerie, fervent tone, he declared with absolute certainty, "—I love you."

[xiaochou.name] gave a pitying shake of its head and remarked, flat and without judgment, "You've ruined him."

Conditions:

Result:

At [xiaochou.name]'s question, a crack appeared in Fatuna’s ever-composed demeanor, and she blurted out, "But that’s a child’s game."

She stared at you in disbelief, as if unable to fathom you calling her "beloved," forcing her to reassess what lay between you. In her eyes, you caught a fleeting glimpse of guilt, hesitation, or something even heavier… but none of that so-called "love." Her head bowed in silent resentment—why had fate not let you meet sooner?

Conditions:

Result:

Zaki didn’t care in the slightest when you’d gained a friend to share such intimate matters with. Without hesitation, he nodded: "Love? Of course I—" His voice abruptly faltered. Under [xiaochou.name]’s piercing gaze, he suddenly couldn’t recall how to pronounce the word. Frantically, he racked his brain—why did the more he thought of it, the more alien it became?

The Mirror withdrew its gaze in disappointment—it had seen, yes, it had seen Zaki utter that word so many times, to so many people. But in truth, the boy’s heart had no idea what it meant.

Conditions:

Result:

[xiaochou.name] could hardly believe your beloved was the lowliest of Lady of Delights. It studied Junah with deep suspicion, asking: "What do you know of love?"

Junah lowered her head shyly, unwilling to reveal the longing in her eyes. "It is the most precious thing in the world," she murmured, utterly certain.

[s1.name]’s brow furrowed as it stared intently at Junah, eyes gleaming with an eerie light—it saw behind her the frail sapling of fate, the tangled branches all leading to the same withering end. Only here, did Junah stand like a fresh bloom.

"I will watch," [s1.name] ground out through clenched teeth, the words forced and jagged, twisting its expression into something almost savage. "I will watch how this ends for you.”

Conditions:

Result:

Never Fall in Love with Clients
[xiaochou.name] could hardly believe your beloved was a Lady of Delights—it even deepened its doubts about the very definition of "love."

And Jalila’s answer only confirmed its suspicions. "Love is nothing but dead weight," she said. "Of course we tell clients we love them, but we don’t believe it—because if you do, you’re finished. Your body, your emotions, your life, your work… everything you are will be ruined, and then you’ll have no choice but to die."

Her tone was detached yet sorrowful, as if she’d witnessed countless such tragedies firsthand. And you—you couldn’t prove you were the exception. But at least, once you left this room, once the magic faded, you and Jalila could pretend these words had never been spoken.

Conditions:

Result:

[xiaochou.name] could hardly believe your beloved was a fallen Lady of Delights. [s1.gender]It studied Shama with deep suspicions2.name], asking: "What do you think of love?"

Shama paused, then answered coolly, as if detached from the matter. "Love... Oh, it exists, of course. But it comes with conditions—you must fit the other’s tastes and expectations."

Seeing the gravity in [xiaochou.name]’s expression, Shama pursed her lips and added with practiced ease, "—Which is why every Lady of Delights knows how to please her clients." With elegant, practiced hands, she poured you a drink. In its lingering bitterness, you tasted something like tears.

Conditions:

Result:

[xiaochou.name] was taken aback by your decision to bring your sister along—so much so that it discarded the questions prepared in advance. It glanced between your face and Arzuna’s, so eerily alike, before finally asking Arzuna what she thought of… well, love.

"Love and desire are the same thing," Arzuna mused. "Sometimes you don’t even know what you want from the other person, so you say you want love. But in truth, it’s just the shadow of an insatiable desire… utterly ugly."

The answer left [xiaochou.name] looking oddly deflated, as if it wanted to press further—but then, strangely, the Mirror hesitated, and said nothing at all.

Conditions:

Result:

"I know, I know!" Mahir needed no prompting from [s1.name]’s magic, eagerly sharing her thoughts on love. "I love everything I create! Because I brought them into this world—they are questions, answers, reflections, fragments of my soul and wit… I love each one!"

Wait, that’s not the kind of love we’re talking about, is it? You glanced at [xiaochou.name], only to find it nodding as if profoundly moved. Later, [xiaochou.name] even told you that Mahir possessed a rare potential… and coming from the Mirror, that was high praise indeed.

Conditions:

Result:

At your summons, Inal crept forward and knelt, trembling—more timid, more dull than she had ever been as Maggie’s slave.

You signaled [s1.name] to proceed, and so [s1.name] posed the prepared question: "What do you think of love?"

Inal froze, then pressed her forehead to the floor. "I don’t know—I don’t know what it is. Perhaps I once had it, but I… I have utterly failed it."

Tears fell from the girl’s trembling eyes, darkening the thick-woven rug. [xiaochou.name] couldn’t help but touch the damp stain, then her pale cheek. Through those translucent pupils, it saw a past of simple, fleeting joy—now shattered, leaving only endless regret and pain. She kept whispering apologies, over and over.

Conditions:

Result:

You settled onto the cushions, sharing wine and idle chatter, drifting through trivial matters. Under [s1.name]’s guidance, the conversation soon turned to love and desire.

Uncharacteristically, Faraj fell silent for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Love is an incurable sickness. It hollows out the soul, gnaws at reason, and is never satisfied." He sighed faintly, staring down at his cup, his brow shadowed with helpless frustration—yet he dared not meet your gaze.

Conditions:

Result:

"Everyone wants love, just like they want prettier, rarer gems!" At [s1.name]’s question about love, Salwiyah answered without hesitation. Her delicate fingers twirled through soft curls, violet eyes flickering with practiced charm, lips curved in a meticulously crafted smile—her makeup flawless under the light. "Love is a fashionable commodity, and I can give them the very best."

Her voice carried a fierce, almost prideful arrogance and ambition. [xiaochou.name] took it all in.

Conditions:

Result:

Extra

Fixes and Patches
For days afterward, every time you saw [s1.name], it was wielding a tiny hammer, attempting to inlay minuscule gemstones into a long belt.

When you asked, it readily explained—that was a technique once taught to princes and lords’ sons, meant to temper the arrogance of future rulers with its grueling patience.

"Every time I muster the patience to understand humans better, I find you’re all so gifted at tormenting your own kind," [s1.name] declared, tossing aside the mangled belt.

Result:

Action: