=== Zelkov & Anna ===
--- C ---


[Anna]
Hello, Zelkov! I'm Anna, but you can call me
Lady Anna for short. Nice meeting you!
[Zelkov]
What a delightful *child* you are. What can I do
for you, child? What is it you need?
[Anna]
Huh?
[Zelkov]
Is there anything I can *get* for you?
Are you getting enough to eat?
[Anna]
I'm not hungry, if that's what you're asking me.
[Zelkov]
I hope I am not *frightening* you. That is not at
all my intention.
[Anna]
Who says I'm scared? Real merchants like me
see all kinds in our line of work.
[Anna]
If I wanted sweets, I'd just buy some
from myself.
[Zelkov]
I *see.* Well...good.
[Anna]
Which brings me back to why I'm here─you
should buy something.
[Zelkov]
Yes, of course. *Show* me your merchandise.
[Anna]
Sure thing!
[Zelkov]
...
[Anna]
I'm not sure I like the sound of that sigh.
[Zelkov]
I am afraid to *say* there is nothing here
worth purchasing.
[Anna]
What?!
[Zelkov]
While it grieves me to speak so harshly to a
child, these goods are *worthless* to me.
[Anna]
Hang on just a minute! What's wrong with
the stuff I sell?!
[Zelkov]
If I must harden my heart to *explain*...so be it.
[Zelkov]
There is no *passion* in your products.
[Anna]
What's that supposed to mean?
[Zelkov]
I can see how *failing* to understand that would
lead you to sell these things in the first place.
[Anna]
Excuse me?!
[Zelkov]
A product must bear the indelible *mark* of its
creator's passion. It has no value otherwise.
[Anna]
What's the difference even between a product
with passion and one without?! Show me!
[Zelkov]
Very well. I possess *many* such wonders.
I would be happy to show them to you.
[Anna]
This oughta be good...
--- B ---

[Anna]
This is your stash of good stuff, huh?
[Zelkov]
Indeed. Behold my various *creations.*
Paintings, sculptures, candles... I *have* it all.
[Zelkov]
Each piece has been lovingly *crafted* by yours
truly. Help yourself to anything you like.
[Zelkov]
Certainly any item contained on these shelves
would fetch you a *tidy* profit.
[Anna]
Ehh...
[Anna]
Yeah... Uh, sad to say, but I don't think any of
this is salable.
[Zelkov]
I *beg* your pardon? Why ever not?
[Anna]
All of this is good stuff, don't get me wrong.
But I can tell right off that they're too fiddly.
[Anna]
A good piece of merchandise has to be simple
if you wanna sell it.
[Zelkov]
*Balderdash.*
[Zelkov]
A creator's *passion* is the literal source of the
creation's value. It is what a customer pays for.
[Anna]
Afraid not. I get why you'd think that, but that
mindset's a little old-fashioned nowadays.
[Anna]
My generation has its own tastes.
[Zelkov]
Ugh... Such *humiliation*...
[Zelkov]
Very well. Soon I will *fashion* a work which is
certain to delight you.
[Zelkov]
You will be left entirely *speechless.*
[Anna]
Haha, if you think you can pull that off, go
ahead and try. I'm eager to see it.
--- A ---



[Zelkov]
Steel yourself. You are about to witness a
*simple* design honed by artistic prowess.
[Zelkov]
Well? What is your opinion of this sculpture?
Is it up to your *standards* of quality?
[Anna]
Ehh...
[Anna]
I was hoping for better.
[Zelkov]
What brings you to say this *hurtful* thing?
[Anna]
I know I said it has to be much simpler if you
want it to sell.
[Anna]
But you're an artist! I wasn't expecting you to
cave so easily.
[Anna]
After you went on and on about passion, I kinda
hoped you'd refuse to budge on that.
[Zelkov]
Heh-heh. You are quite *mistaken.* In fact,
you could not be more wrong.
[Anna]
Huh? But...
[Zelkov]
The *appearance* of simplicity in this sculpture
is but a carefully crafted facade.
[Zelkov]
Its design is *actually* beautifully intricate.
[Anna]
Run that by me again?
[Zelkov]
I began by crafting a sculpture which contained
every layer of *intricacy* I could ever desire.
[Zelkov]
That done, I added atop these yet another
layer...to *obscure* how intricate it was.
[Zelkov]
The result is my most *complex* work to date.
One that, at a glance, appears utterly simple.
[Zelkov]
You may now stand in *awe* of its glory.
[Anna]
I had no idea. That's amazing...almost too
amazing, if you ask me. It makes no sense!
[Anna]
But─and I hate to say so─this won't sell either.
[Zelkov]
What? Why not?
[Anna]
You can't guess? It's way too intricate. I'd go
broke trying to manufacture them!
[Anna]
Plus, high production costs mean high prices,
and customers tend not to like those.
[Zelkov]
Ugh, I *suppose* you have a point.
[Anna]
But I'll buy it from you anyway.
[Zelkov]
You will?
[Anna]
I was really impressed by the way you think.
[Anna]
I never thought much about passion, but it's
incredibly important for a merchant.
[Anna]
Without it, how could I hope to make it as an
independent entrepreneur?
[Anna]
So I want to buy this from you and keep it close
at hand. That way I won't forget this feeling.
[Zelkov]
Anna...
[Anna]
Lady Anna.
[Zelkov]
Lady Anna...
[Anna]
Haha, that's better. Mind you, I can't pay much
for it. One gold's my best offer.
[Zelkov]
So *little*...
[Zelkov]
But I *suppose* it is not a matter of gold.
[Zelkov]
If this transaction will benefit you, Lady Anna,
then it is a *meaningful* one to me.
[Zelkov]
Best of luck to you, young merchant. I earnestly
*hope* for your great success.
[Anna]
Aww, thanks! You know, you're a much nicer
guy than you came off to be at first.
[Anna]
Do you want to share some sweets? I've got
a private stock of some really great ones.
[Zelkov]
I will happily partake.
--- S ---