[...Isaac, you almost flirted with him just now. He's proud of you.

Either way, the comment about alchemy causes an involuntary tightening of his grip against Isaac's hand; he doesn't seem to realize that he's doing it, and to his credit his expression doesn't flicker too badly, if at all, but he isn't exactly happy with that topic and is pleased when Isaac moves on from it.]

Oh, I can imagine; mine aren't exactly well-suited for that, though I have been keeping my fighting strength up as well as possible.