[ Grim...and also a blessing! He is safe and warm and about to have tea with a new friend. ]

If you say so! The offer's always on the table if you ever change your mind.

[ Not that...he really knows when any of this will happen, but still!

Either way, he settles in his chair and flips open his tome to a blank page. ]

Before we get to the mission, would you mind if I asked you some questions first?