"No."

Oh. People probably think it's rude to just ask to look at their magical things. Tomonori tries to look deferential.

"I'm sorry for asking so abruptly. I only want to examine its magical properties- my glasses can detect magical items, and yours is one of the most beautiful in this room."

"Yes."

Hmm. This feels like a puzzle, like most social interactions do. He just needs to find the right way to make everything lock into place.

"I want to help your enclave how I can," Tomonori says, because this is probably where he should have started. Flattery always works, according to his mom, on people who think they're better than you by virtue of who they are- but you never want to use it on people who think they're better because of what they do.

He can't actually tell the difference between those kinds of people just by talking to them, but maybe it'll become obvious after enough time. Some things are like that.

"Mn."

Okay, wrong tactic? Or does that mean...keep going. Mnnnn. Mn? Mn!

Tomonori does not know what 'Mn' means.

"Okay. Is there something the enclave needs besides spells?"

"Yes."

"Is it something I could help you with? I can do a lot of things."

"Mn."

There's that 'Mn' again. It seems like maybe he doesn't want to talk, but Tomonori does need to talk to someone in Shanghai and the sword is really amazing!

"I can write spells, and I know some old Japanese ones but maybe none that Kyoto won't know. I can go artificing or alchemy track. Those would both be fun."

"Mn."

Help.

Tomonori looks for any of the other boy's friends. In case they can help. He doesn't know what to do with this.

Everyone else in the Shanghai enclave seems to be involved in conversations.

-hm. Okay. Maybe he needs to prove himself somehow? Or maybe the sword is off-limits and he should never have said anything about it. Or maybe-

This is stupid. People should just say what they mean! Luckily, he can do that.

"My affinity is identification and detection. I've been working on incantations, artificing, and alchemy so I can specialize in whichever one Shanghai needs most. I want to work for whichever enclave will let me live in a tower- I won't have any kids, and I'll help train yours. If you don't want my help, just say 'Mn'."

"I don't decide things. Lan Xichen decides things."

"Oh! Okay. That's fine. I'll find him later. My name is Matsumoto Tomonori."

Tomonori has only just now realized he hadn't done that yet, but he's not sure he'll get a response. Probably introducing yourself isn't a decision?

"I don't think he'll want you."

-it really shouldn't feel like a tower falling, should it. It does, though, like a crumpling and a clenching in his chest.

"Okay. Bye."

At least he got to see the sword.