[ It’s something he’d been thinking about earlier in the day himself, but to hear it stated like that has him humming and leaning back in his chair with a slight frown. ]
Places like this are typically all about their profits. Which is clearly not about gold and the like, in this particular place, for all that they have a currency of chips to spread around in the appearance of wealth. So what are they actually getting from all their guests and their participation in this game of theirs? So much so that they’d bring so many of us here from faraway places.
[ Zhongli starts off listening patiently as Sylvain explains his thoughts, but by the end he's nodding in approval. ]
Precisely the question. If the kidnapping methods were mundane, I would assume they were simply charging outside observers a fee to witness the events within the casino. But since the methods aren't mundane, I suspect there may be exploiting us some other way.
[ As for what that other way may be? He has no idea. ]
[ Fortunately, he doesn't have to worry about trying to be undeniably human here, so he doesn't hesitate before he elaborates. ]
A god, for example, draws their power from the belief of their worshipers, but there are many ways to express ones belief. Prayer, the creation of art, sacrifices, monetary donations... It could be that our engagement with Game 52 is simply a form of expressing a similar belief.
[ A pause, and then he adds: ]
Of course, that's assuming that this is thanks to a god of some sort. It may be something else entirely.
no subject
Places like this are typically all about their profits. Which is clearly not about gold and the like, in this particular place, for all that they have a currency of chips to spread around in the appearance of wealth. So what are they actually getting from all their guests and their participation in this game of theirs? So much so that they’d bring so many of us here from faraway places.
no subject
Precisely the question. If the kidnapping methods were mundane, I would assume they were simply charging outside observers a fee to witness the events within the casino. But since the methods aren't mundane, I suspect there may be exploiting us some other way.
[ As for what that other way may be? He has no idea. ]
no subject
Feeding off our magic maybe? But that doesn’t explain the sex. Unless they feed off that as a sort of energy. Is something like that even possible?
no subject
[ Fortunately, he doesn't have to worry about trying to be undeniably human here, so he doesn't hesitate before he elaborates. ]
A god, for example, draws their power from the belief of their worshipers, but there are many ways to express ones belief. Prayer, the creation of art, sacrifices, monetary donations... It could be that our engagement with Game 52 is simply a form of expressing a similar belief.
[ A pause, and then he adds: ]
Of course, that's assuming that this is thanks to a god of some sort. It may be something else entirely.