Your desk needs tidying up? It doesn't look messy at all. Much better than my study, hehe. Don't worry, no mess is too much for me. Truth is, I can't think straight in a tidy room.

Come on! It's just midnight, too early for bedtime. In Sargon, the days are super hot, so our 'day' only really starts when the sun goes down. Staying up messes with your circadian rhythm? Pfft, big deal. It's worth it when you see the lotuses blooming at sunrise.

My younger brother and I were born into a family of court historians, the Guardian of the King’s Secret. We grew up surrounded by stacks of scrolls handed down from our ancestors. As kids, we didn't get how valuable they were and just fought over the ones with more pictures. Thinking back, the pictures weren't half as fun as our fights.

That's a figurine of the Shah on my desk. He's basically treated like a god in Sargon. I remember trawling across the entire desert just to dig up the relics he left behind... I came back empty-handed though... But, it's okay. I still felt good about getting to bring his figurine to visit the places he'd been.

The pattern on my hood? It's my family's emblem. As the Shahanshah's personally appointed historians, our duty is to see and faithfully record everything that happens. Although... there are times when they prefer us to be silent witnesses.

Doctor, there's a Juncus pen that has been passed down for generations in my family. It has documented many extraordinary lives and left its mark on treasured scrolls and manuscripts. I'm thinking, Doctor, if I were to be handed down that pen... How about I start with the stories of all its previous owners?

Hey, Doctor! I brought back a whole bunch of souvenirs for you. A few amulets, several volumes of supernatural tales, and a golden— Hey, don't swat it! The locals consider this bug a divine emissary that keeps travelers safe on their journeys, so promise you'll take good care of it!

Doctor, excavation work isn't as exciting as everyone thinks it is. It's mostly tedious and repetitive labor. If you really want to build a career on it, the best way is to either have a kindred spirit by your side, or a good rival to push you. That’s how you achieve more, and go further.

Hey, Doctor. Wanna look around the bottom of this pit? Give me your hand. Careful! Now, this dirt might seem unimpressive, only going up to your knees, but buried under it are traces of the people who lived here centuries ago. It's difficult to explain, but the land remembers all that humanity does, and all the choices we make.

Too relaxed to say anything? Hehe, of course you are! This is the soothing incense I brought from home. One whiff is enough to… Asleep already? Did I use too much? Oops... I did... now the Doctor's gonna be out for a whole day.

Greetings, Doctor. On behalf of my exalted Padishah, I am here to negotiate with you on a collaboration project within his dominion. My name is Djerwnapekhaper Saciut Hatshepsut, but... my friends all call me Pepe.

Um, could we just hire the warrior in the recording to teach me in person? I'm not used to learning like this…

Now this is new, I was always the one giving out rewards.

A promotion? Alright, then I'll bestow an honorary title in return. Don't underestimate its power! From now on, no one will be able to hinder you in my father's domain.

With lightning and habūb, my hammer will rebuke the intruders and their greed.

Are you ready to join me on this journey to uncover history long-buried?

I have prayed to the gods, and They have revealed to me an auspicious omen! We'll find something good this time.

Whoa, you robbers actually dare show yourselves before me?!

Take note: you can never be too gentle when cleaning relics!

If we run into tomb robbers, hehe... Hammer time!

Woah, woah! Let me down more slowly. There are fragile artifacts down there!

Don't rush me! Lemme get a nice, big stretch before I squeeze down this hole.

Too late to run now, nasty little thief!

Put that down. Your filthy hands desecrate it.

You've got guts, trying to steal this!

Rawr! I'm gonna stamp a lotus on your head!

Doctor, once these results are published, your name will sit alongside mine for all eternity.

Now this is a shocking discovery! Any ideas how we might celebrate this, Doctor?

It's not much, but at least those thieves won't profane this sacred site so easily again.

How should we piece together these fragments…? Ow, my head hurts...

You better not leave me here on my own. I might get curious and go tapping around with my hammer, which could lead to me seeing stuff I shouldn't, you know.

Hey! Do NOT undo the bow on my back!

I smell nice? But I don't usually wear perfume… Oh, it's probably just this lotus.

Arknights.

Ssh, no talking. Let the new year's first ray of sunlight bathe your face and body, feel its cozy warmth and gentle touch… Hmm... Doctor, the previous year is now history, all that suffering and joy—The sun just carried it away.

Greetings, Doctor.

Doctor, if the conditions are right, some traces of us will survive long into the future. When those who come after us find the vestiges we left behind, it'll be like we’re smiling at them across time! So, Doctor, let's put on our best smiles! For now, and for our friends waiting in the eons to come.