I laughed—a soft, incredulous sound that surprised even me. Abelard's teasing had cut through the tension like a stray ray of sunlight on dark waters. Really? Does he truly believe that I had risk everything merely to save Samael? How utterly absurd, and yet, somehow, it made me laugh. In that moment, I could hardly reconcile this playful banter with the weight of my responsibilities.
I could not help but question the man before me. Is this really the Abelard I have known—a man capable of levity amid crisis? I had expected stern counsel, gravitas even, yet he had deftly spun a joke that left me both amused and exasperated. Shaking my head in disbelief, I rose and returned to the table.
"Abelard," I chided, my tone both firm and tinged with lingering mirth, "do not make me laugh like that again. The very least I expect from you is sober counsel, not these laughable jests." I offered him a wary look and curtly instructed him to take his leave.
