角色故事•三（解锁条件：角色等级60）
在玉阙太卜司中，她度过了自己一生中最快乐的求学岁月。关于宿命与自由意志，关于阵法演算与人择权衡…在一切与卜筮之道相关的问题上，少女记得自己与师傅总是争辩不休。这并非唇枪舌剑的相争，而是亦师亦友的较劲。尽管在大部分的问题上，少女与师傅最终达成了一致的看法，但两人却有一处无论如何绕不开去的死结——

自向博识尊处求取演算经籍以来，玉阙仙舟太卜司倾数百年全力加以解读实现，营建了联盟中夸称第一的占卜阵法。玉阙的卜者们皆以此为傲。但在符玄看来，这不过是将仙舟人的未来锁死在了阵法划定的道路上。

当人们相信阵法所示必然成真；选择便成了徒有其名的摆设。冥冥之中，卜者成了阵法的囚徒，吉时出行、凶时居停、每日所宜所忌、做什么不做什么，一应遵照占卜所示。

「难不成阵法告诉我明日死期将至，我就得自行了断不成？如此一来，卜与不卜，到底有什么分别？」

「分别在于，我们知道自己行走在昭昭天命之上。这便是开启太卜司制度的玄曜祖师所追求的至上道路。」

「在阵法协助下，卜者们只需要虔信相信，顺应启示，做出一个又一个抉择——即便它们匪夷所思、无比艰难。这一切终将让仙舟抵达它孜孜以求的伟业——铲除寿瘟祸祖，另世间无复寿瘟之苦。」男人的神色如同蒙受开示的觉悟者，坦然平静。他看向符玄，「就像我在得知你的命数后，将你收为弟子。」

不是为了我的天资？也不是为了家族人脉？只是为了实现某个预言？这…这太荒谬了！恼怒涌上符玄心头，令她一时间讷讷无言。

「你知道吗，在问卜『十方光映法界』，解读卦象后，我确信我的命运将断绝在你的手中。但我依然将你收为弟子，等候你取代我，成为玉阙仙舟的太卜。因为，这一切都是命中注定。」

命中注定？他的命运，将会断绝在我手里？

说得眼下仙舟好像仍在三劫时代，说得好像她是个渴望登上太卜之位，打算不择手段弑师的逆徒。这个混蛋师傅！

「而我…我绝不会让它成真！」

少女尊敬师傅身为卜者的一切：心智、技艺乃至为人。唯独无法接受他身为窥探命运的卜者，却自甘堕入宿命论的渊薮，并将此视为理所当然。

于是不顾家族的劝阻，不顾一切阻挠，符玄以近乎自我放逐的方式逃离了玉阙仙舟。她投身风气更自由的罗浮太卜司，寄情于卜算。她不但要远离玉阙仙舟，更要身体力行地证明这份预言不过是某人的荒谬妄想。  

Character Story: Part III

• Unlocked at Character Level 60

She spent the happiest time in her life studying in the Yuque's Divination Commission. She learned about predestination versus free-will, about matrix calculations versus human choices... The girl recalled she was always arguing with her teacher on every issue regarding divination and fortune-telling. Those were not aggressive confrontations with sharp words, but heated discussions between peers. And yet, though the two agreed on many topics, there was one issue they could not come to a consensus —

Nous had granted divine volumes outlining the matrix calculations to the Xianzhou centuries ago. The Xianzhou Yuque's Divination Commission had pored over them to interpret and manifest the wisdom within, ultimately constructing the best divination matrix in the entire Alliance. Thought this is a point of pride for Yuque's diviners, Fu Xuan felt it was nothing short of culling the future possibilities of the Xianzhou people within the narrow path set out by the matrix.

When people believe that the predictions of the matrix will always come to pass, then "choice" became an empty concept only for show. The diviners have unwillingly become prisoners of the matrix. They head to work when the hour is fortuitous, and stay home with the hour is ominous. What they do, what they avoid doing — everything was in accordance with the divination results.

"If the matrix tells me that I will die tomorrow, does that mean I should just hurry up and end myself? At that point, what is the difference between performing a divination and not performing one?"

"The difference is that we know we walk on the ordained path set by the heavens. That is the supreme path sought by Grandmaster Xuan Yao, who initiated the Divination Commission system."

"All the diviner has to do is to faithfully believe and obediently follow the guidance of the matrix, and make one choice after another in that way — even though those choices may be ludicrous, incomprehensible, or difficult. All such efforts will ultimately lead the Xianzhou to the great work that it has been seeking throughout its existence — that of eradicating the Plagues Author and rid the world of the agony of Abundance." The man's expression was as placid and calm as an enlightened disciple who had received divine revelation. He looked at Fu Xuan and continued, "just like how I chose to take you in as my student after knowing about your predetermined future."

It wasn't for my talents? And it wasn't for my well-connected family? It was just to fulfill some prediction? This... this was absurd! Rage took over Fu Xuan, and she was at a loss for words.

"Did I ever tell you that after I consulted the Deca-Light Reflection Barrier and interpreted the hexagram, I now firmly believe that my life will end in your hands? However, I still took you in as my student. I'm waiting for you to take over my position and become the Xianzhou Yuque's master diviner, because it has all been predetermined."

Predetermined? His life will end in my hands?

He was talking as if the Xianzhou was still in the Three Sufferings Era! As if she was a treacherous disciple who craved the seat of the master diviner so much, that she would even kill her teacher for it! Her teacher was a scoundrel!

"And I... I will never let that prediction come to pass!"

The girl admired everything about her master as a diviner — his intelligence, skills, and integrity. However, she could not accept how he willingly sank into the blinding abyss of fatalism and regarded it as an acceptable way of life, despite being a diviner who could peek into destiny.

Therefore, Fu Xuan ran away from the Xianzhou Yuque despite her family's dissuasion and the hurdles she had to cross. She ran away like a self-exiled escapee, plunging into the Luofu's Divination Commission with its more unrestricted culture and devoted herself to calculations. Not only did she want to part from the Xianzhou Yuque, she also wanted to prove with her own hands that her teacher's prediction was nothing but his own ludicrous delusions.

角色故事•四（解锁条件：角色等级80）
如是百年悄然逝去，战事再起，卜官符玄领命演算不休。丰饶民大军三度成形，突袭方壶仙舟。玉阙、罗浮同方壶仙舟相去不远，驰援责无旁贷。卜算结果显示，若倾全力迎击，任何参战的仙舟军队都将迎来惨烈的败局——但坚持守势，将会有转圜的余地。

但卦象并未显示转圜之机在何处。符玄反复推演，再三占算，穷观阵输出的结果依旧毫无变化。

「没有人会选择失败。」卜者能做到的，都在这里了。符玄将利害剖陈纸上，把卜算结果上呈神策府。毫无意外，帝弓天将合议的结果，侵逼方壶的丰饶联军兵力庞大，绝不能单纯采取守势。罗浮与玉阙云骑军必须迎战，为曜青部队争取赶来的时机。

那一日符玄隔着投影沙盘，见证了联盟援军的溃败。步离人不仅带来了遮天蔽日的舰队与器兽，更将古老传说中的活体星宿「计都蜃楼」召来。这邪物坠向方壶，即将为其上所有的生命带来灭顶之灾，再现苍城仙舟覆灭的惨剧。而人们只能眼睁睁见证它的降临。

卜者能做到的，真的只有如此吗？在焦灼与愤怒中，符玄心中升起一个极其大胆的念头。「我要见景元将军！」

在面见将军后，少女说出了她的想法。以云骑眼下的力量，想要取胜已不可能。唯一的转机，是令帝弓垂迹示现。

出乎她预料的，在说出这堪称亵渎和荒谬的念头后，眼前这位略显疲惫的将军并未露出任何嗤笑的神情，而是点了点头。「你想怎么做？」

「玉阙仙舟拥有联盟中观星的第一重器，瞰云镜。这座装置不仅能用来观察，它也可以向外发射讯息…我的意思是，用天艟将瞰云镜运往方壶，向帝弓光矢最后的所在处求救。争分夺秒的话，在那颗星星落下前，一切还有转圜的余地。」

「你很清楚…帝弓降世临凡的唯一征兆和可能带来的后果，对吧？」

「是的。作为方案的提出者，我愿意亲临战场，执行此事。」少女神色严肃，她十分明白自己提出的想法有多惊世骇俗。

「多谢你的建言。只是，危机之刻应当由六御勠力赴难。何况，你并无权限操作那器物。若事情因此失控，我作为进言呈辞者，会担负全部的后果，希望符小姐不必多虑。」

望着将军离去的背影，符玄突然回过神来，意识到「六御勠力赴难」的意义所在：能全权使用瞰云镜，乃至以辨读帝弓诰谕的方式发出讯号的人——

唯有玉阙太卜本人。

……

「这就是你寻求『眼界』的初衷？我读到了你的那些梦……」

少女没有睁开双眼，却能看见周遭的世界由烟雾凝成实体，所有可能性褪去，只剩下清晰无误的唯一选择。

「那些不是梦，那是我的过去，塑造了我的一切。」
「而他说的没错，其实命运从来只有一条道路。」  

Character Story: Part IV

• Unlocked at Character Level 80

Centuries passed thus, and the flames of war descended again. Diviner Fu Xuan calculated ceaselessly at her job. The grand armies of the Denizens of Abundance formed for the third time and launched a surprise attack on the Xianzhou Fanghu. The Yuque and the Luofu were close to the Fanghu, and it was their duty to give assistance. The divination revealed that all Xianzhou armies will meet a devastating defeat if they choose to face the assault head-on — however, should they keep up a defense, then there will be a chance to change the tides of battle.

What a pity that the hexagram did not reveal how this chance will come about! Fu Xuan calculated and divined over and over again, yet the results given by the Matrix of Prescience never changed.

"No one will choose defeat." This was the limit of a diviner's capacities. Fu Xuan outlined the pros and cons in writing and submitted the divination results to the Seat of Divine Foresight. However, as she expected, the outcome of the meeting between the Arbiter-Generals concluded that they must not take on a defensive position, not when such overwhelming numbers of the Abundance Axis were assaulting the Fanghu. The Cloud Knights of the Luofu and the Yuque must rise to face the enemy, buying time before the Yaoqing's army can arrive.

On that day, Fu Xuan bore witness through the Projection Sandpit to the Alliance's army being decimated. Not only did the borisin bring fleets and mechabeasts numerous enough to block out the sky, they even summoned the incarnosphere Ketu Mirage from ancient legends. This evil gravitated toward the Fanghu, hellbent on bringing annihilation to all lives onboard, recreating the tragedy of the fall of the Xianzhou Cangcheng. And the only thing people could do was watch as it neared.

Was this truly the limit of a diviner's capacities!? A bold idea surfaced in Fu Xuan's mind as she drowned in anxiety and anger. "I must see General Jing Yuan!"

The girl spoke her thoughts when brought face-to-face with the general. It was no longer possible to obtain victory with the forces available to the Cloud Knights. The only chance of victory lies in making the Reignbow manifest themselves.

She was not expecting the tired-looking man before her to simply nod after hearing her absurd and borderline blasphemous idea. The general did not even show any hints of ridicule. "How would you want to do it?"

"The Xianzhou Yuque holds the Cloudpeer Telescope, the ultimate astronomical observation device in the Alliance. Not only can it scry into the distance, it can also be used to send out information... I plan to ship the Cloudpeer Telescope to the Fanghu using a Navis Astriger, and send out an SOS signal to the last observed location of the Reignbow's Lux Arrow. If we hurry, we still have a chance to turn everything around before that living planet falls."

"I trust that you are... well aware of the singular sign of the Reignbow's descent onto the physical plane and its consequences, correct?"

"Yes. As the person who voiced this plan, I am willing to be on the front lines and execute it." The girl's expression was solemn. She was keenly aware of how unorthodox her idea was.

"I thank you for your words, but the Six Charioteers should work together to combat such a great crisis. Moreover, you do not have the permission to manipulate that device. Should this plan go awry, I will take all responsibility as the one who made the suggestion. Do not trouble yourself over this, Miss Fu."

As Fu Xuan watched the general's retreating figure, she suddenly realized what he meant by "the Six Charioteers should work together" — the only person who has the permission to use the Cloudpeer Telescope and can send out a signal in the format of the Reignbow's decree...

...was none other than the Yuque's Master Diviner.

... "Is this why you seek "The Eye"? I saw your dreams..."

The girl did not open her eyes, yet she could already see the world around her condense into solid form from nebulous mist, see all possibilities fade and leave behind the solitary, absolute, and faultless "choice."

"Those are not dreams. They are my past. They made me who I am." "And he was right all this time. There is only ever one path in destiny."

砂金

角色详情
星际和平公司「战略投资部」的高级干部，「石心十人」之一，基石为「诡弈砂金」。
个性张扬的风险爱好者，时常面带笑容，真心却难以揣测。
靠着同命运的博弈赢得如今的地位，将人生视作一场高风险、高回报的投资，而他向来游刃有余。  

Character Details

Senior manager of the Strategic Investment Department at the IPC and one of the Ten Stonehearts. His Cornerstone is the "aventurine of stratagems."
An ostentatious risk-taker, he often wears a smile that masks his true motives.
He won his current position by wagering against fate itself. He views life as a high-stakes, high-return investment, and he plays this particular gamble with masterful ease.

角色故事•一（解锁条件：角色等级20）
「关于那位新员工，我有一些情况要向您报告。」

「什么事让你这么担心，埃尔文？」

「关于他的投诉，不管是正式的还是非正式的，像纸片一样塞满了我的邮箱，我想…您或许可以重新考虑是否接纳他为战略投资部的一员。」

「他们都写了什么？」

「主要是他的身份，那双眼睛……」
「他曾欺骗市场开拓部，茨冈尼亚贫瘠的黄土藏着尚未被有效开发利用的能源。在他们投入巨额资金进行开采后，才发现根本是无稽之谈。」
「还有骇人听闻的『艾吉哈佐砂金案』，他哄骗博识学会相信那里埋藏着虫皇『塔伊兹育罗斯』的尸体——那帮学者谨慎又谨慎，却还是落入了对方的圈套。」
「还有茨冈尼亚酋长国议员来信，谴责他的部落曾破坏决议，祸乱人心，致使氏族间和平局势发生重大变化，茨冈尼亚与公司间协议条款的签订屡次延期。此人如今入职公司，其影响极为恶劣……」

「如果只是这些的话，就不必说了。」

「…您都知道？」

「每一种宝石都有独特的价值，而我们的工作就是『投资』。」
「也不用安抚那些来信的老顽固，这些风言风语迟早会传到——不，应该已经传到他耳边了。正好，就看看他到底能给我们带来多大的惊喜吧。」  

Character Story: Part I

• Unlocked at Character Level 20

"I have something to report to you about the new employee."

"What makes you so worried, Erwin?"

"It's complaints about him, both formal and informal. My mailbox has been flooded with them like countless pieces of paper. I wonder... if it's worth reconsidering his inclusion in the Strategic Investment Department."

"What do these complaints say?"

"Mostly about his origins. Those eyes of his..."
"He once deceived the Marketing Development Department by falsely claiming that there were energy sources hidden in the barren land of Sigonia, not yet effectively developed and utilized. A huge amount of funds was invested into excavating it before we realized it was all a scam."
"And then there's the notorious Egyhazo Aventurine Case. He misled the Intelligentsia Guild into believing that the remains of Tayzzyronth the Imperator Insectorum were buried there. Despite the scholars being extremely cautious, they ultimately still fell into the trap."
"And let's not forget the letters from the councilors of the Sigonian Sovereignty. They denounce his tribe for once breaking agreements and sowing discord, leading to significant changes in the balance of peace between the tribes, resulting in repeated delays in the signing of agreements between Sigonia and IPC. Allowing such an employee to join at the IPC would be a severe detriment to public relations..."

"If these are the extent of the complaints, there's no need to tell me."

"...You already know it all?"

"Each gemstone holds unique value, and our task is to make investments."
"We don't need to appease those stubborn old-timers who sent in complaints, as these rumors will eventually reach... No, they would already have reached his ears. Well, let's take this chance and see how big of a surprise he can bring us."

角色故事•二（解锁条件：角色等级40）
「小子，你真行啊…用神乎其神的手段搬光了我的产业。但我绝不会投降，大不了，我就把这里全炸咯…你能怎么办？」
伊伊玛尼喀的「疯牛」示意手下松手，他从桌子上抬起头来，拍了拍衣领上的灰尘。
「你们，高高在上的公司狗，根本看不起流浪者，对吧？但你现在在我们的地盘，就得按我们的方式。」

「疯牛」清空弹匣，往枪中装入一粒子弹，丢在他脚边。
「六次，最多六次枪响之后，生死由命。你敢不敢？」

他蹲下来，捡起枪。
「用枪指着我的人太多了，甚至有人直接扣下了扳机…但你猜，为什么我还能站在这儿？」
他站起来，逼视着「疯牛」的眼睛，举起枪，抵住自己的心脏。
「因为最后，枪都会来到我手里。」

「而现在，这个游戏令我有些厌烦了…六分之一的概率远远不够，要挑衅命运——」
六声连续的枪响在死寂的星舰中炸开，烟尘过后，他再次举起枪，朝「疯牛」走去，而弹匣里有一颗新的子弹。
「就得先学会把自己变成骰子。」
「——你不肯投降，但凭什么？就凭这拙劣的概率游戏？还是……」
他调转枪口，指向黑暗中的某处。
「她？」

枪口所指的方向，一位同样举着手枪的女士缓缓出现。看到她的一瞬间，「疯牛」仿佛抓到了救命稻草。
「翡翠女士，这和说好的不一样……」
就在同时，两人开枪，在双方各自背后的暗处，两个黑衣人应声倒下。

「公司的敌人还真是无处不在，对吧？」女士从容地收起手枪，拿出化妆镜，检视了一下自己的仪容。
「拿你我的生命作饵，让他们争相啄食，误以为这是一场内讧，却被一网打尽…不错的诡计，只不过太惊险了些。」他微笑着欢迎对方的到来，双手却微微颤抖。

「诡计？不，只是一场测试罢了。」
优雅的女士摊开手掌，一枚闪烁着奇异色泽的「砂金石」躺在她的手心。
「没什么奇怪的，被渴望，被追逐，被切割，被出售…这都是宝石的宿命。」
「但你还是有许多可做的，全凭你怎么看待自己。」  

Character Story: Part II

• Unlocked at Character Level 40

"You're quite something else, boy... I still can't figure out how you managed to empty out my entire business. But I will never surrender. If push comes to shove, I'll just blow up this whole place... What are you gonna do about it?"
The Mad Bull of Iymanika signals his followers to let go. He raises his head from the table, dusting off his collar.
"You arrogant dogs from the IPC never respected us wanderers, did you? But now that you're in our territory, you'll play by our rules."

Mad Bull empties the cylinder, putting only one bullet in the revolver, and tosses it to the other man's feet.
"Six shots. Fate will decide whether we live or die after a maximum of six shots. Do you have the nerve?"

The other man bends down and picks up the revolver.
"There are too many people who've pointed a gun at me. Some of them even just went ahead and pressed the trigger straight up... Now, guess how come I'm still standing here."
The man stands up, stares into the Mad Bull's eyes, raises the gun, and puts it against his own heart.
"It's because the gun will always end up in my hand."

"And now, this game is making me bored... One in six? That possibly is nowhere near enough. If you want to tempt fate..."
Six consecutive gunshots thunder out in the starship that is wrapped in a deathly silence. After the smoke clears, the man raises the gun again and walks toward Mad Bull. The revolver is now loaded with a fresh bullet.
"You need to learn how to turn yourself into a die first."
"...You won't surrender, but why? Because you have this lousy game of chance? Or..."
He points the gun into the darkness.
"Because of her?"

A woman holding a pistol emerges slowly from the direction the revolver points. The Mad Bull acts as if he found a lifeline when he sees her.
"Madam Jade, this is not what we agreed upon..."
At that moment, both of them opened fire simultaneously, and two figures dressed in black fall from the shadows behind each of them.

"The IPC has enemies everywhere, right?" The woman calmly holsters her pistol, takes out her cosmetic mirror, and inspects her appearance.
"You used our lives as bait, making them believe there was internal strife between us, and then you eliminated them all... A clever trick, although a bit reckless." He greets the woman with a smile, although his hands tremble slightly.

"Trick? No, it was just a test."
The elegant lady opens her palm, revealing a shimmering aventurine of peculiar hues.
"There's nothing strange about it. Gemstones are destined to be... desired, sought, cut, and sold."
"However, there's so much more you can do. It all depends on how you see yourself."

角色故事•三（解锁条件：角色等级60）
他走入走廊最深处的房间，他还记得上一次来这里的时候，自己还是个面目可憎的囚犯。现在，他站在这里，面向立于部门顶点的人们。

他听金发的女性念着冗长无趣的报告，那些冰冷的数字既无法传达他行走在生死边缘的惊险，亦无法告诉他们过程中他失去了多少，又得到了多少。他只好奇她是人类，还是智械？

而那颗象征权力与未来的「砂金石」即将被正式交予他手中——豁出性命拿到手的东西，在得到的一刹那，对他而言就失去了诱惑与价值。

「『砂金』，你还有什么问题吗？」会议的最后，翡翠——在场的人里，他只认识她——开口问道。

「茨冈尼亚的埃维金人…他们后来怎么样了？」

「很遗憾，茨冈尼亚已经没有埃维金人了。你是最后的幸运儿。」

「那在██星球上帮助过我的那些人呢？我想，现在我可以回报他们了。」

「他们也都不在了。」

……

他木然地回到自己的办公室。桌上，那颗砂金石闪动着奇异的光，仿佛在恭喜他，又仿佛在嘲弄他。
「在与命运搏斗的时候，你真的是幸运的那方吗？」  

Character Story: Part III

• Unlocked at Character Level 60

He walks into the room at the furthest end of the corridor, remembering how he was still a grotesque prisoner the last time he came here. Now, he stands with his back straight and faces those who sit at the very top of the department.

He listens to the blond woman as she reads out the lengthy and boring report. Those cold, unfeeling numbers cannot convey the dangers that accompanied him as he walked on the thin line between life and death, nor can they communicate how much he had lost and gained during the journey. He is simply curious whether she is human or an Intellitron.

The aventurine, that symbol of power and of the future, is about to be officially handed to him — Yet it would have no more allure or value in his eyes as soon he obtains it, even though he had sought it by putting his life on the line.

"Do you have any more questions, Aventurine?" Jade, the only person he knows among the presently gathered, asks at the end of the meeting.

"The Avgins in Sigonia... what happened to them afterward?"

"Unfortunately, there are no more Avgins in Sigonia. You're the last lucky dog."

"What about those people who helped me on planet ██? Now I can finally repay their kindness."

"They are no more, either."

...

He returns to his office in a daze. The aventurine stone emits a peculiar glow on his desk, seemingly congratulating and mocking him at the same time.
"Was luck truly on your side when you wrestled with fate?"

角色故事•四（解锁条件：角色等级80）
「匹诺康尼…『钻石』终于打算对它动手了？」
桌上的微缩模型不断旋转，晶莹剔透的忆泡不断泛出微小的泡沫。

「这是一笔超乎想象的历史坏账，所以背后的利益…高得惊人。」
面前的人背对着他，望着庇尔波因特黄昏时紫红的天空。

「但为什么是我？」
那人依旧背对着他，他无法用自己善于捕捉的眼睛去揣测这个决定背后的真实用意。

「本该是我。但『钻石』认为家族还有合作的价值，希望这事至少有和平解决的余地。」
「思来想去，我觉得你最合适。」

「这甚至只是我们第二次谈话，你这么信任我？」

「错了，我压根没有信过你——也许『翡翠』会，但我不会。」
「没准这一次，好运不会再站在你这边了，而你也将为自己一直以来的幸运付出代价。」

面前的人终于转了过来，远处的大楼反射出欧泊石般七彩的光芒，而一只八音盒兀自作响。
「但那不正是你所渴望的东西吗？」  

Character Story: Part IV

• Unlocked at Character Level 80

"Penacony... Is Diamond finally ready to do something about it?"
The miniature model on the table continues to rotate, the crystalline memory bubble emitting tiny spheres of foam.

"This historic debt is utterly unimaginable. So, the profit involved is also... shockingly high."
The person in front of him has their back turned to him, gazing instead at the purplish-red sky of Pier Point at sunset.

"But why me?"
The person continues to face away from him. Keen though his eyes are, he can not decipher the true intentions behind the decision.

"It should have been me, but Diamond believes that The Family still had some value in cooperation and hopes this affair still has some room for a peaceful resolution."
"So, after some thought, I've concluded that you're the best candidate."

"This is only our second conversation ever. Do you trust me that much?"

"No, I've never trusted you. Perhaps Jade does, but I don't."
"Maybe luck won't be on your side this time, and the bill for all your past good fortune will come due."

Finally, the person in front of him turns around. The distant skyscraper reflects a kaleidoscope of colors like an opal stone, while a music box plays on its own.
"But isn't that what you've been longing for?"