"So, in a way, you actually turned misfortune into a blessing?" Dox stared at Vay in disbelief.
Vay nodded, a faint blush creeping onto his face.
"I literally thought you were about to die just now," Dox's face was full of exasperation. "Totally wasted my tears."
He paused, then suddenly slapped his own forehead, looking enlightened: "Ah, I almost forgot, the one crying wasn't me. I didn't cry at all. After all, you dying would be a kind of relief for me too—at least no one would come to my tavern to freeload drinks anymore."
Vay eyed Dox suspiciously: "That's not what you said just now. You were going on about the Road to Truth…"
Dox stroked his chin and said with a straight face, "What I said back then is still true. This road is long and endless; walking it alone is indeed boring. Having a companion I can have some fun with can at least relieve the boredom a bit."
Vay: "…"
Dox: "Of course, all of that is on the premise that you're alive. If you die, then…"
