queen of sheba voicetesting

[merchantable]

[A: Chaldea]
Hello there~ I have a business proposition for you.

[Whichever Servant you are, or even if you're a human, Bilqis can think of a marketable use for your skills!

...of course, if you're Romani, you just get treated to the Queen of Sheba staring at you intently. Jiiiii.]

[B: jamjar]
[So you're supposed to be in some kind of 50's America small town, all Christian morals and family values, right?

Then how on earth is this shopkeep getting away with dressing like that??]

Welcome to Sheba's Pawnshop! What do you have for me today?

[C: wildcard
[be gentle i'm new]

Comments

a.

[finalring]

[ oh lord, he can practically feel the stare on him. relax, roman, relax... maybe she doesn’t know yet!

....

as if the only person equal to solomon’s wisdom wouldn’t know!?

nevertheless, he gulps, trying to play it cool despite it all. ]

Ahem...is there something on my face?

[ nailed it. ]

[merchantable]

[Flawless execution, Roman. If anything that just confirmed it for her.]

Oh no, no! You're as handsome as always.

[finalring]

[ ughhhh, she knows. she definitely knows!

he gulps, trying to swallow down the shame of being seen through so easily. at least his father left him alone...

this time he looks away, scratching the back of his neck absentmindedly. ]

As always? I’m pretty sure that this is the first time we’ve met, Caster. Unless you’ve been stalking me.

[merchantable]

[david is kind of a dumbass and should not be counted]

You think so little of me. I have the eye of the spirits, you know?

As though I could ever fail to recognize you, Your Majesty.

[finalring]

Don’t say that so loudly!

[ like a frightened cat whose fur bristles on its ends, roman, does as well. he does his best to speak over the queen, practically dragging her to his room and locking the door.

not that it would do much good if anyone wanted to listen, but he hoped that he was inconspicuous enough to the other servants that they’d let him roam without questioning his motives.

he sighs, full of frustration...and embarrassment. ]

That was never the case and you know it. I’m just...trying to keep it a secret. I don’t need everyone in Chaldea knowing who I am!

[merchantable]

[Her ears fold downward when Romani scolds her, and she has the grace to look guilty, at least.]

I'm sorry, y- Roman. [that's going to take some getting used to] I just... well...

...I missed you, so...

a

[zazanzazan]

[Nitocris' ears droop a bit. This isn't the first time she's heard this pitch start from her fellow desert queen, and she knows it won't be the last.

The question is if and when this will somehow backfire, and how badly.

But she also considers her to be a friend and she wants to help.]

I'm not so sure. What is it this time?

[merchantable]

You make it sound like my business plans are always bad ideas! I put effort into each and every one of them, you know.

[Don't be mean :<]

[zazanzazan]

I-I know you do! And I know you try your hardest. I just don't want this to end like it did last time you tried to get camels here.

[She was actually hoping it would succeed. Sure it would have been a bit problematic for....well everyone else, but it would have been a nice reminder of home.]

S-so....what is your plan?

[merchantable]

[Camels would have been wonderful. But if there's any creature even more amazing than camels, it would be...]

Sphinx petting zoo.

[zazanzazan]

[Nitocris' ears perk up once more, wiggling happily.]

Oh! That would be fantastic! Lord Ozymandias' sphinx kittens are so adorable. I love touching their little paw pads!

[merchantable]

Their cuteness is irresistible!

[And that means there's money to be made!]

Can you give any advice about approaching Ozymandias? We haven't worked together before.

[zazanzazan]

[Nitocris looks off and away, tapping her chin with her finger as she thinks things over. Discussion of sphinx's and Ozymandias is causing her to let her guard down, which may not be the best thing around the scheming Queen, but really there's nothing inherently wrong with what she's being asked.]

Well....Lord Ozymandias is of course not just the Pharaoh, he is the Sun God Ra. If you are to treat with him, then you must of course show proper reverence. And you would need to offer something suitable in trade, though I cannot imagine what it is he could possibly want.

Perhaps if you have enough scarabs, lamps and chains to offer as tribute....

[merchantable]

I see, I see... The reverence will be the hard part.

[She's a very forthright person when it comes to personal relationships, not necessarily prone to sucking up.]

A fifty-fifty share of the profits seems fair.

( a )

[tabaat]

[ It's not like Romani doesn't know who he was, and it's not like he thought he'd be able to avoid people who knew who he was forever. David hadn't been a problem, since their mutual lack of concern for one another means he's not even sure if David knows he (Dr. Roman, that is) exists, and suspects he won't piece things together even if he does.

This is different, however. This is more complicated. Because there's no chance she won't realize who he was (she probably already does), but that's sort of the problem. He was Solomon. Now he's Romani Archaman. He's not sure if it'll make a difference, and he's not sure if he wants it to.

... In any case, he'd been hoping he'd have more time to prepare and not get caught in the middle of the hallway with an empty coffee cup and expression like she just caught him doing something he's not supposed to. But he's hear so he forces a smile, and it even feels mostly genuine. ]

Hello, Caster. I know Chaldea isn't what you're used to, but I hope you're adjusting well.

[ Yeah, that sounded totally normal and not at all awkward, forced, and overly formal. ]

[merchantable]

[Of course she knows who he is - was. She's the Queen of Sheba, the ruler who was a match for Solomon in wisdom. David may have paid little attention to his son in life as well as in death, but the same can't be said of Bilqis.

Besides, it'd just be embarrassing if she didn't recognize her husband.]

Your hospitality is magnificent as always, your Majesty.

[tabaat]

[ Knowing that she was going to recognize him doesn't quite prepare him for being addressed as 'your Majesty' again. He doesn't do anything as embarrassing as squawk or drop his coffee cup, but it sends an odd little frisson up his spine and has him glancing around anxiously even though he knows they're alone. ]

Ah-- please, call me Roman...

[ He's definitely not a 'Majesty' right now. He's just a doctor. And now that it's been confirmed that she definitely knows who he is... ]

... If you're not busy, I know somewhere we can talk.

[ Because he might not know if he wants the difference between Solomon and Romani to matter, but he does know he wants this much. ]

[merchantable]

As you wish.

[It'll take some getting used to, but let it not be said she's not accommodating.]

I have plenty of time to catch up with you.

[tabaat]

[ Phew, okay. He was pretty sure she was going to be reasonable, but it's nice to have the reassurance. He nods at her response and gestures for her to follow, leading her through the halls of Chaldea and towards the medical wing. They pass a few other Servants on their way by, but David isn't one of them so they don't draw much attention.

Romani's office, when they reach it, looks nothing like Solomon's luxurious yet oddly impersonal quarters. The furniture is of high quality, but also practical and built more for durability than comfort. There are medical journals, magazines, and notebooks neatly stacked on his desk, a pen caddy is full of mismatched writing utensils, a spare hair tie and an actual scrunchie, an empty but clean Magi☆Mari mug...

But he's actually not worried about how his office might look. Once the door his closed and his hands are free, he turns his attention back to Sheba. His lips curve into another smile, this one softer and more genuine than the last. ]

It's good to see you again.

[merchantable]

[It's good to see that Roman has personal effects now. He's letting himself be more human - nothing could make Bilqis happier, except.

She'd almost forgotten what it was like to have Solomon smile at her like that. Her cheeks color, and she stumbles over her words.]

L-likewise! It's been so long, and I... I missed you.