"My lack of interest has nothing to do with my capabilities, Noodle Boy. There are fundamentals of heroics I simply will not do," he said. "But mercenary work? That I can do."

There is a pause. He knows now his parents are fine. Not so traumatized, at least, that they couldn't go on vacation. But his last image of them is still them turning into ink and flitting away into the scroll.

The thought makes his heart clench.

"We'll have to make sure you're well fed with iron then. I'd hate to see what you would do around 'Daddy Bull King,'if you apparently get flirty when low on it," he said, very much wanting to shift topics.