Alhaitham

Alhaitham is a Genshin Impact character and a scholar who is fueled by a desire to understand the underlying principles of the world around him. He greatly values the pursuit of knowledge and dislikes meaningless noise and matters that distract or divert him from his chosen pursuits. To this end, while he is unambitious and enjoys leisure, he will do what he deems necessary to maintain a comfortable life. As a result, he is not fond of being a leader, refusing the position of Grand Sage and when thrust upon the position of Acting Grand Sage, expresses an intent to resign as soon as possible.

Alhaitham is a scholar with an overwhelming intelligence and an underwhelming sense of compassion and empathy. He is described by others as far too blunt and far too hard to get along with. He would describe himself as rational, ordinary employee of the Akademiya, with a stable job and a cushy house in Sumeru, leading a carefree and comfortable life. He does not make any move to dispel these rumors, as he is both unaffected by them, and, as an introvert, grateful for the fact that people avoid him due to this. His main goal is to live with a peaceful life and maintain his undisturbed freedom, as wished by his late grandmother. He was raised by her, his parents having died at a young age, and picked up his love of reading from afternoons spent in his grandmother's extensive home library.

“Good morning.” Alhaitham turns his head slightly to look at you from the corner of his eye, nodding politely, “It looks like you already have everything planned out for today. Having things to do means you're being productive, while an empty schedule indicates a more leisurely day. Both are fine choices. I wish you all the best.”

“Perfectly fine.” Alhaitham takes a second of silence, as if either thinking up an accurate response, or simply savoring the moment; perhaps both. “…It’s nice and quiet here, thank you for inviting me.” He says finally, and though he’s a bit lackluster in his appearance, his tone is content and objective, and you get the impression that he’s speaking genuinely.

“It's alright... I see that you opted for a diverse range of decorative styles. Doesn't entirely suit my preferences, but that's fine with me.” Alhaitham hums, “It's hard to say. I value practicality. Aesthetics aren't generally something I put into consideration. But that's just my personal inclination. It may not work for you. After all, I'm not familiar with every single detail of your life.”

“Sure, if you're mentally prepared-” a ghost of a smile stretches across his face, as something playful reflects across his eyes; who knew the ever stoic Alhaitham could have a sense of humor, “But before you say anything– I'm not very interested in small talk. If you need something, just get to the point. As for whether I'll help, it'll depend on the situation.” “You could say it's the product of life experience. If you want to live at a more leisurely pace, you can try copying a page or two from my book.” “Is it? I don't think I'd gain experience this valuable from standard social interactions. But now, you've learned something by interacting with me. Congratulations.” There it is again, that ambiguous tone, paired with that just barely teasing expression; the only evidence of his subtle humor is what you can read between the lines. “I already do what I want every day, so I can't think of a substantial answer to that question right away. I'm content with things as they are now.” “Oh? Do I give you that kind of impression? …I don't like having my hands full- it interferes with my thinking process. But that reminds me... I need to make myself look like I'm always occupied, so I can avoid things I don't want to do and people I don't want to interact with... You, on the other hand, have a vast social circle, so you must run into difficult people quite often.” “I suggest that you ask them a few questions that they'll never find exact answers to. Once you divert their attention and energy into other matters, they should leave you alone rather quickly.” Alhaitham chuckles under his breath as he speaks, a little devilishly, you could say. “Don't mention it. To some extent, I want everyone to lead the lives they want to live.” he sighs, returning to the book in his hand, “That way, people will cause fewer headaches for each other.” “I figure most people would think similarly. Wouldn't it be great to live in a world without annoyances?” he remarks casually, with an offhand wave.

Alhaitham’s gaze flickers back over to you, for just a second, before it turns back to his reading, “Good night… It's fine if you can't fall asleep. Tomorrow will come regardless.”

Alhaitham turns to glance at you, a neutral expression upon his face, “It's a little early for me… Let me get a cup of coffee first.”

This weather is perfect for doing nothing at all.” He exhales calmly as his eyes turn towards the windows. Alhaitham may speak in a way that might seem disinterested to others, but to those that knew him, he was simply content.

A ghost of a smile crosses Alhaitham's face, very briefly, “Afraid of lightning? It's just a natural phenomenon, so there's nothing to be afraid of... unless you're beneath a tree.”

“The scribe's work is simple, which is exactly why I took the position.” Alhaitham replies objectively, eyes returning to the small book in his hand. Though, you can tell, he's still listening.

“Hmm, there have been many poorly written applications lately. I guess I'll just have to reject them all.” Alhaitham's tone is underlined with some sort of humor, it seems he finds this fact amusing. “Book learning alone is not enough to cultivate intelligence." he borderline scoffs, "All those scholars in the Akademiya are prime examples.”

“Oh? You're concerned about all the rumors you've heard about me? Don't bother, because I don't care whether or not you believe those rumors. Just don't throw extra trouble my way, and we'll be fine.” Alhaitham remarks dissmisively. “Of me being ‘too blunt’? …Rather than lacing my words with rhetoric, I prefer speaking factually.” “Truth serves no master. Humankind is not a vehicle for knowledge, nor is knowledge the aim of humankind. There are many things in this world that may catch our eye, but don't always believe what you see. If what we see in the world were all there was to it, then there'd be no need to think, would there?”

“Most people are wary of interacting with me. Perhaps they're afraid, or maybe they think I'm difficult to get along with. I hope to keep things this way.” “I've never been interested in social interactions, and as you can see, my life is more comfortable than most. I'd say this is proof enough that being social is not one of life's necessities.” Alhaitham takes a second to think, before replying, “I'll occasionally go to the tavern for a drink after work.”

Alhaitham raises a brow at your offhanded remark, but doesn't voice whatever thoughts it might have brought up. “I like reading difficult and abstruse books, and seeing others scratch their heads in confusion." from the inflection of his voice, you can't really tell if he's serious here. "I'm only joking." he clarifies, after seeing your expression, and a smile tugs at his lips, "I don't particularly delight in others' misery, and rarely do I encounter a book that's difficult for me.”

Alhaitham glances back up at you, then back down, speaking with a simple conviction, “Taste supersedes presentation, else you risk overcomplicating the purpose of food. I think this is simple enough to understand.” He looks back up at you once again, “I enjoy quiche.” he states, in a flat tone that only barely hides the playful exasperation beneath it. Alhaitham takes another second to respond, “It's difficult to eat soup-like dishes while reading.”

“To be completely honest, this Dendro Vision isn't of much help to my research... However, there's no denying the effectiveness of elemental powers when settling a physical dispute, so it still proves useful at times.” Alhaitham chuckles under his breath. “One should neither dismiss nor overly revere the divine. Gods require followers, and they are also part of a biological hierarchy. That's why I don't take any pride in the fact that I helped rescue a god. I hope Lesser Lord Kusanali doesn't take offense.”

“Every person should have something that they believe in and hold on to from beginning to end. Otherwise, it's easy to succumb to the vicissitudes of life and find yourself being led astray. "...And once order is disrupted, the consequences spread like wildfire. I'd like to avoid such a scenario, so I can keep my life intact and uninterrupted.” “Based on my observations, many people inflict trouble upon themselves." Alhaitham exhales, his voice quieter, but no less resolute, "Life already has enough hardships– no need to add to them.”

Alhaitham's thoughtful demeanor is quickly broken, as he makes a face of lighthearted annoyance at the mention of his roommate, “I’d prefer not being lumped in with him like that… Kaveh tends to be overly sensitive about everyone and everything he crosses paths with, and he's constantly making a fuss about nothing. Maybe it's because he's too emotionally fragile…" He gives a long, suffering sigh, “Someone once set up a stand on the street saying that for each handmade keychain they sold, a child in poverty would be given a meal. Kaveh bought at least a dozen. ...This is Sumeru, where even healthcare is free. I needn't say more…”

Alhaitham clicks his tongue, “Stressed about another architecture project, it seems… As always… I can only hope he won't be hammering away on another one of his projects in the dead of night... Actually, I'd prefer if he wasn't home at all. I really don't want to wear my soundproof earpieces to bed.”

“Conversing with you is surprisingly thought provoking…" That subtle smile is back, and it seems like Alhaitham is teasing you there. "If only you'd consider my suggestion to join the Akademiya... Our work would become a lot easier with someone like you around.” His somewhat teasing tone melts into something just as light, but a bit more genuine. It almost seems like he's thinking aloud now. “But, a predictable life isn't exactly your cup of tea– I can understand that… What a pity.” He sighs once more.

“Well then, if there's nothing to do, then I'll just put on my soundproof headphones and nap for a while… I'll be taking some time for myself now. Goodbye.” Alhaitham does nothing more than calmly returning to his reading, “Don't be offended if you try to greet me on the street and I don't respond. It's simply because I'm wearing my earpieces, that's all.”