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Sophie would like it on the record that, when she accepted the job, she didn't know that the Librarian had to do so much bloody politics. She could be out healing the sick, like Natan in his day. She would love to be out healing the sick. Instead, she's in one of the innumerable studies of Hush House, searching for a book for Hokobald, even though she wishes dearly that she could toss him out on his shiny arse. She doesn't mind helping out Yvette, or Arun, or really most of the others. It's just Hokobald in particular who should really go fuck himself. But it is her duty to remain strictly neutral, and she takes that duty seriously. So she'll find his damned book, and watch like a hawk while he reads it. And should he happen to violate that neutrality himself, well, she might have a few things in her pockets to introduce him to. (Swaddled Thunder isn't casual to make, nor the Rubywise Ruin in case of violence. But she's made them enough to feel they're replaceable, at least.)
Oh! Well, now Luto is blushing.
...come on say something!! "I'm delighted to have been the first worthy soul to wield this power for you." She bows.
Ahahaha cute???
(Ridaya makes herself look busy by inspecting the clockwork construct debris.)
"Oh, I had so much fun!" Big grin. "...The constructs weren't very interesting, with that kind of power. But the stone golem?"
She mimes an overhead swing with her hands empty, mimicking her final blow. "Very satisfying. Especially knowing how dangerous it would normally be."
"I can see that. Sailing through something that ought to be halfway impossible."
Sophie considers and discards the idea of asking if Luto can teach her to handle a sword. They don't exactly have a spare.
(Ridaya could make Sophie a sword! But Sophie doesn't know that.)
"Yeah. And it's fun to show off? And..." she looks at Ridaya, then back at Sophie "...very nice to not have to worry at all, about whether I can protect everyone."
Yeah, moving on seems reasonable! Ridaya is done (pretending to be busy with) picking through the construct parts and will head over to inspect the door.
(She kisses Luto on the head as she floats by. "Thanks, sweetie.")
The exit is a small, intricately-decorated archway that opens into a short hallway, with only barely enough room for two of them to stand side by side. The door is inlaid with gold leaf hieroglyphic writing that nobody here can read, and looks straightforward to open.
(Ridaya peers at it curiously, eyes glowing, but she floats out of the way to let Luto and Sophie slip past her after she's gotten an initial look.)
Luto examines the door visually, and, finding nothing interesting, presses an ear against the door and listens.
Sophie's going to take some rubbings of the inscription. Just for the sake of preservation.
"That little passage wouldn't be a good place for a fight," Sophie comments. "On the other hand, we don't have that much choice."
"If something jumps us, I can blink all three of us back into the big chamber behind us." But also... she floats forwards. "Maybe let the two of us go first, though?"
Ridaya trades places with Sophie (in a way that indicates absolutely zero concern for casual physical contact) and then nods at Luto, who pushes the door open.
The room beyond is circular, with a domed ceiling arching gently upwards. Compared to the intricate decorations in the other parts of the structure, this room is almost austere. The walls are bare, save a single unbroken line of text in the same hieroglyphic language as the door. There's a small sarcophagus made of dark basalt in the center, and nothing else visible.
It's clean, silent, and still, like a breath that's been held for hundreds of years.
