I wanted the unglamorous skill of making people understand each other when money and pride are on the line. The Lepcha-Emilian fusion came from thinking about mountain cultures meeting trade routes — where interpreters aren't translating language but translating intention, want, fear. I gave her working clothes because this isn't ceremony; this is Tuesday, and the monsoon doesn't care if you close the deal. That smile is the key — she's not performing neutrality. She's genuinely delighted by the puzzle of human reluctance, and she's about to crack it. — Lux