"A boon? Wow, that was a nice boon to get," he said, coming closer and trying to get a good look at what was going on. "If I'd realized what had happened with the rot sooner, I would have asked for something similar. I kind of didn't notice it for a few months..."

His voice trailed off and he looked to the side, clearly ashamed of the fact and in the next moment, went on to try and explain why. Because leaving it like that just sounded like he was oblivious.

"I mean, it wasn't that I didn't notice. Not really. I just wasn't around to notice it much. When I was last at the Station, it was the third month, March. And there was snow everywhere. And after that I went south and east and there was no rot there and then I was heading north along the Briagha... Mostly I just wasn't here to see it by the time the snow melted and the effects were more obvious."