"Mm. Tastes like home." Nodding to himself, Zheng Chenggong raised another morsel to his mouth. His Servant, Archer, simply watched as the man enjoyed his meal. "That reminds me, Archer." "Yes?" "What food did people eat back in your day? How would you evaluate it?" Zheng asked. "Cuisine is an art form established over many eras. A thousand years ago, even the techniques of our homeland would be a fair sight less developed than they are now." "Well now. For Zhou Yu, the commandery administrator of Eastern Yu himself, to say such a thing. I doubt even Cao Cao or Liu Bei would beg to differ." "That said, primitive though they may have been, the rudiments would have existed. A handful of dishes eaten today would be familiar to those in my lifetime."
As they went on with their conversation, each appraised the other with mildly guarded distrust. It hadn't been long since the summoning, and Master and Servant were only just beginning to familiarize with one another. Even during this peculiar Holy Grail War known as the Waxing Moon Ritual, the relationship between Master and Servant remained the same. Still, time and circumstance had fostered a mutual suspicion. These doubts came about precisely because Zheng Chenggong and Zhou Yu were both superb generals. Master and Servant alike wondered whether the other would make a fitting comrade in battle. A Master's power could be determined by measuring the magical energy one supplied, while a Servant's strength could be understood by observing one's aptitude. But a relationship between Master and Servant could not be maintained by these concepts alone—even if each developed confidence in the other's effectiveness, it would be difficult to trust one another outright. Zheng and Archer were both wise enough to know things could not continue as they were. To win the Waxing Moon Ritual, they would need to earn each other's trust. After a moment's contemplation, Zheng hit upon an idea. "I've a request for you, Archer. Will you hear me out?" "Hm? Are you issuing me an order as my Master?" "No, not exactly... This is something only you can do, as someone from the distant past of the same nation I hail from." "Oh?" Zheng lifted a bottle of alcohol from the desk and held it out. "Have a drink, my Servant." "Hm... Understood, my Master." Sitting opposite his Master, Archer gazed at the drink that had been poured into his cup. "This is not the liquor of our homeland; it's Japanese." Archer examined his cup closely. "There's no sediment. It seems that even spirits change with the times." "Ah, the cloudy stuff was popular in your time, wasn't it?" "Yes. Even a man of my rank would drink like any other soldier when it came time to take to the battlefield." Recalling the histories, Zheng asked, "Was it Zhang Fei of Shu who was known for his love of liquor?" "Well, that was something of a tall tale. Still, in my day, soldiers wouldn't have much time for anyone who couldn't hold their drink." "Fair enough." Archer took a sip of his drink, and his eyes narrowed in surprise. "This is excellent." "It certainly is. Isn't it fascinating how different the drink and delicacies are across one small strip of sea? The world really is full of surprises." "Indeed. It is one thing to hear it, but quite another to experience it in person..." Done with his drink, Archer looked up at the night sky and sighed. It was an expression of wonder at the mysterious beauty of this world and the remarkable sensation of being alive in it. For Archer was Zhou Yu, one of the greatest heroes to emerge from the Three Kingdoms period of yore. That single breath was sufficient to convince his Master, Zheng Chenggong, that Archer existed in this place and time in a real, physical form. Something then occurred to Zheng; he realized that ever since Archer had been summoned, he had considered the Heroic Spirit akin to a ghost. Of course, this was partially correct. Servants were records of historical figures, concepts from the past. But this Servant could enjoy a good drink and wonder at the mysteries of the world. There was no mistake that some part of him was alive. The man before him was a legendary hero, but not a god. "All right, no more standing on ceremony. Let us speak our minds!" If they could reach an understanding, Zheng would let go of his fears. He set his mind to trying to charm the clever and courageous general. After all, if he couldn't manage that much, how could he ever hope to restore his nation? "Well, I'm not certain that I have much to say..." Archer could see Zheng's efforts to break the ice. If this had been some conceited lord, like that Yuan Shu who declared himself emperor, he would have immediately distanced himself. "...But I must say, the drink isn't bad at all." Archer liked the drink, and he liked the food...and he even found himself liking this young hero before him who sought to restore a nation.
Ever since being summoned, Archer had kept his distance. But as Zheng Chenggong spoke openly before him, he felt his reservations fading, and a smile graced his lips for his Master.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
of zheng chenggong & archer.
Nodding to himself, Zheng Chenggong raised another morsel to his mouth. His Servant, Archer, simply watched as the man enjoyed his meal.
"That reminds me, Archer."
"Yes?"
"What food did people eat back in your day? How would you evaluate it?" Zheng asked.
"Cuisine is an art form established over many eras. A thousand years ago, even the techniques of our homeland would be a fair sight less developed than they are now."
"Well now. For Zhou Yu, the commandery administrator of Eastern Yu himself, to say such a thing. I doubt even Cao Cao or Liu Bei would beg to differ."
"That said, primitive though they may have been, the rudiments would have existed. A handful of dishes eaten today would be familiar to those in my lifetime."
As they went on with their conversation, each appraised the other with mildly guarded distrust. It hadn't been long since the summoning, and Master and Servant were only just beginning to familiarize with one another.
Even during this peculiar Holy Grail War known as the Waxing Moon Ritual, the relationship between Master and Servant remained the same. Still, time and circumstance had fostered a mutual suspicion.
These doubts came about precisely because Zheng Chenggong and Zhou Yu were both superb generals. Master and Servant alike wondered whether the other would make a fitting comrade in battle. A Master's power could be determined by measuring the magical energy one supplied, while a Servant's strength could be understood by observing one's aptitude. But a relationship between Master and Servant could not be maintained by these concepts alone—even if each developed confidence in the other's effectiveness, it would be difficult to trust one another outright.
Zheng and Archer were both wise enough to know things could not continue as they were. To win the Waxing Moon Ritual, they would need to earn each other's trust.
After a moment's contemplation, Zheng hit upon an idea. "I've a request for you, Archer. Will you hear me out?"
"Hm? Are you issuing me an order as my Master?"
"No, not exactly... This is something only you can do, as someone from the distant past of the same nation I hail from."
"Oh?"
Zheng lifted a bottle of alcohol from the desk and held it out. "Have a drink, my Servant."
"Hm... Understood, my Master." Sitting opposite his Master, Archer gazed at the drink that had been poured into his cup.
"This is not the liquor of our homeland; it's Japanese."
Archer examined his cup closely. "There's no sediment. It seems that even spirits change with the times."
"Ah, the cloudy stuff was popular in your time, wasn't it?"
"Yes. Even a man of my rank would drink like any other soldier when it came time to take to the battlefield."
Recalling the histories, Zheng asked, "Was it Zhang Fei of Shu who was known for his love of liquor?"
"Well, that was something of a tall tale. Still, in my day, soldiers wouldn't have much time for anyone who couldn't hold their drink."
"Fair enough."
Archer took a sip of his drink, and his eyes narrowed in surprise. "This is excellent."
"It certainly is. Isn't it fascinating how different the drink and delicacies are across one small strip of sea? The world really is full of surprises."
"Indeed. It is one thing to hear it, but quite another to experience it in person..."
Done with his drink, Archer looked up at the night sky and sighed.
It was an expression of wonder at the mysterious beauty of this world and the remarkable sensation of being alive in it. For Archer was Zhou Yu, one of the greatest heroes to emerge from the Three Kingdoms period of yore.
That single breath was sufficient to convince his Master, Zheng Chenggong, that Archer existed in this place and time in a real, physical form.
Something then occurred to Zheng; he realized that ever since Archer had been summoned, he had considered the Heroic Spirit akin to a ghost. Of course, this was partially correct. Servants were records of historical figures, concepts from the past. But this Servant could enjoy a good drink and wonder at the mysteries of the world. There was no mistake that some part of him was alive. The man before him was a legendary hero, but not a god.
"All right, no more standing on ceremony. Let us speak our minds!"
If they could reach an understanding, Zheng would let go of his fears. He set his mind to trying to charm the clever and courageous general.
After all, if he couldn't manage that much, how could he ever hope to restore his nation?
"Well, I'm not certain that I have much to say..."
Archer could see Zheng's efforts to break the ice. If this had been some conceited lord, like that Yuan Shu who declared himself emperor, he would have immediately distanced himself.
"...But I must say, the drink isn't bad at all."
Archer liked the drink, and he liked the food...and he even found himself liking this young hero before him who sought to restore a nation.
Ever since being summoned, Archer had kept his distance. But as Zheng Chenggong spoke openly before him, he felt his reservations fading, and a smile graced his lips for his Master.