Chapter 16

Othello explains to Lisa the recent deal made between his father and the Lord Baron, leaving out some details of course. And how after the deal was fully concluded his family would become very wealthy. Lisa didn't quite understand how money was going to help Othello on his quest to get a vision since they couldn't be bought. 

"How exactly is Mora going to get you a vision dear?" she asks, "By itself money wouldn't help me but it can give me more time to better research the subject of visions since I wouldn't have to worry about food, clothes and shelter that much anymore." answers Othello. "Also there are cases of people buying dormant visions which later regained their elemental power." he adds.

Lisa stirred her wine glass and downs the whole of it in one sip then calls the waiter again for a refill. "You really thought this through haven't you?" she says as the waiter took her glass "I can see quite clearly that you are dead set on your path and that I could do very little to dissuade you from it."she said with a bit of sadness and continued on. 

"So instead let me give you a warning, to get a vision you have to catch the attention of the gods and the gods be they Archon or otherwise aren't all benevolent and understanding."

"I am aware of that Lisa so that is not much of a warning." replied Othello. Lisa shook her head in annoyance "But you don't fully understand what I am telling you. Having a god's attention isn't a good thing most of the time."

Othello leaned back on his chair to listen as the waiter returned with Lisa's refill, she politely accepts it and returns to the conversation at hand. "The point I am trying to make here is that the gods could meddle in your life if you get them interested in you."

"They can if even grant you what you wish, hand in hand of course with some twisted condition that could ruin your life. And in the end all I am telling you to do it to tread lightly."

"Alright then, I will" replies Othello, Lisa looks at him intently as if searching for something in his eyes. Othello couldn't help but blush a bit at this since having a woman of her beauty looking at him with such interest roused some rather inappropriate feelings.

"I hear you say it Othello but I don't know if you really mean it. You have always been difficult to read." she notices the slight red on his cheeks. "Well maybe be not always."

She smiles at him and let her emerald eyes linger on his some more, Othello's cheeks grew more red as this dragged on, he didn't bother trying to hid it. After a while Lisa let out a little giggle and got up from her seat, "I wish you good fortune my dear and I hope you keep my warning in mind." she says before walk off back into the festival.

Othello didn't think the conversations would end so abruptly and didn't say the proper goodbyes to Lisa before she left. He was already half way out of his seat when he heard Lisa's unexpected good bye. The formality now meaningless he slumped back into his chair with his grape juice.

The grape juice reminded him that Lisa had left with her wine glass, would he be expected to pay for it? He hoped not, but then again Lisa could be quite conniving at times.

So he called the waiter and asked how much the total cost was for the drinks. "Oh no sir," said the waiter "you don't have to pay for any of this. The lady Lisa has told us that this was all on the Knight of Favonuis's tab."

Othello sighs thinking 'Of course it is.' before draining his own glass and thanking the waiter for his kind service. He walks back into the festive streets of Mondstadt with his mind jumbling with thought. He considers what Lisa has said and wonders if his goal was really worth the possible misfortune.

The chief librarian was someone with great experience so a warning from her couldn't be taken lightly. Even so Othello couldn't convince the other side of him to stop the pursuit. That side of him hungered for a vision, it was a craving of sorts that couldn't be reasoned with.

It formed a hole within him, a void that could only be filled by a vision so it could stop chewing away at the rest of him. The ironic thing about all this was the fact that Othello himself was the one that put the hole there.

And devoured himself from within like a snake eating its own tail, he asked himself often why he did this to himself while knowing the answer. His inner self manifested within his mind again as it often did when such thoughts came to him.

As he walked absentmindedly through the festive crowd he asked his inner self the question he had asked a hundred times before. 'Why? Why must I suffer like this? Why do you do this to me? What have I done to deserve this?'. And the answer came with contempt as it always did, 'It is exactly because you have done nothing that you deserve this you fraud!' said his inner self venomously.

'Tell me what have you done exactly to deserve any less?'

'What oh so grand thing has Othello idn Narin do to warrant praise?'

'Oh I know, you talk real nice, can get yourself out a pinch with that tongue, some times at least.'

'Well what do you know, I guess you did do something after all, applause then! Applause to you oh great one.'

 The sarcastic clapping that echoed through Othello's mind made it clear that it was anything but praise. 

"Oye, mister lawyer man." called a familiar voice but Othello's didn't respond to it, he was too observed in his weekly session of self loathing.

 "Hey, you sober idiot." called the voice again a little closer now but again Othello didn't respond.

Finally Othello felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Cassio panting with sweat dripping off his head. Cassio toke a moment to steady his breathing then said "Ahem, we need your help, Biance got into a fight over some prize money in a game."

 Othello sighs wondering how his friends always managed to get into such situations but it was also a sigh of relief at finding something to distract him from his current thoughts.

 "Of course she did." he says before following Cassio.