I disagree. It's less a matter of 'pretending to care' and more they will have a dry, professional conversation.
I mean...Rostam's wearing the skin of his professional, methodical persona like a slasher movie monster wears the face of his victim. Stretched too thin, starting to tear, and it's more grisly than really winning. Honestly these choices are less "socialize and work shit out" as much as it is "try to keep the emotional bomb from Actually Exploding until Karna wakes up". Like everything about the internal narration is just hammering home that Rostam's furious and self-disgusted, utterly contemptuous of what he did and how he's even feeling. If he felt like he could tell everyone to fuck off and leave him alone he probably would.
And Medea's just coming off of seeing Jason again and shooting her younger self in the face. We're straight up not equipped to be the kind of sounding board she needs right now and she's going to get frustrated when we're (somehow) less socially capable/sensitive than we are normally.
We need some more cheerfulness and accepting who we are, IMO, and he is generally a treasure, so.
I'm 90% sure Rostam might start actually beating Astolfo to death with his nearest frying pan. But honestly the concern is less "talking to Astolfo" and more "what if Marche is with him." 'Cause let's face it she probably is.
And given how dire the Marian convo was Marche is all but guaranteed to be worse.
Beyond that I thiiiiiink...I mean honestly Astolfo really isn't the worst choice. He's likely going to recognize that Rostam's in pretty bad shape but Rostam doesn't really take him seriously so any attempt to cheer him up is going to run into that bona fide Magus contempt. But I don't think Astolfo is the type to not
try. So it's mostly going to be an increasingly strained Paladin doing his best to make Rostam smile while Ros does his best Rami Malek crackhead stare and Marche is just increasingly /concerned.
But Golden Lark did just do an excellent write in for Medea which acknowledges Rostam's bad mood and I think that deserves some recognition so I'm staying the course for now.
o i c
You ought to talk to Luvia, dissect the results of the skirmish together. Stretch it out on the table and poke through its guts. She's your...second in command? Strategic support? Heh it doesn't really matter, it's not really important. What's important is that you review the battle on the beach while the details are still fresh: the initial engagement, the chaotic clash, the devastating reversal. What's important is that you inform Chaldea as to the changing conditions and the disastrous first engagement.
You ought to talk to Marche, she's your apprentice, your student, your scion. She's likely badly rattled, potentially in the midst of a crisis of confidence. Such things are lethal, dealing with them is your responsibility. It's absolutely critical that she see you as...as you saw your father heh. Aloof and calm and in absolute control. It's critical that she see how a Magus comports themselves even in the face of a catastrophic setback. Failures happen, you understand this intellectually. She should too.
Seconds tick by. Minutes. You stare at the wooden wall of your cabin, tracing the grain of the aged planks. Following the whorl of a darkened knot just across from the cot. Below you the ship rolls, creaking and groaning. A thousand little sounds chewing at the edge of your hearing. You make to grip the edges of your bed before you catch yourself. Gingerly you stand, awaiting the pain as charred skin strains and starts to crack. Quietly, clinically, relieved that it doesn't.
...Who would have had the best position to see the battle? The Archers, obviously, your brain supplies. Simple question, simple answer, all the other Servants were either in the thick of things or otherwise occupied. And you've already spoken to the one, as utterly unhelpful as it was. Pure diligence requires that you speak with the other. It'll be grand won't it? Arash seems the aloof, disinterested sort. He'll talk. You'll listen. And he doesn't know you enough to care to do anything else.
