[Hector listens, glad both to have attention shifted temporarily away from his dumb-ass past decisions and to be able to listen to Jaskier's story. The bard has a lovely voice and an engaging way of spinning his tales.

It's an amusing image to conjure up, a youthful Jaskier following around the taciturn Geralt like an imprinted duckling, quacking for adventure.]

So he saved your life and you saved his reputation.

[To the benefit of both, it seems.]

You still have your experience and expertise, so you're not starting entirely from the beginning.