Some of that is foreign to a man who was sent off alone into the frozen woods at the age of six, though time spent with those like Julie and Sam grants him context he'd have not had before. Still. There are notes of familiarity, ones that leave him contemplative for a long moment.

"The world is rarely kind to children," he replies quietly. They're either forgotten or sought after to be used. That never changes. He should know. There's a reason the mages only ever brought young boys to Kaer Morhen—abandoned, unwanted, not missed by anyone.

Sometimes, he isn't even sure the mob that burned down the keep even realized there were children inside. Perhaps they never granted it any thought in the first place. Perhaps they knew and did not care.

He refills her cup. No reason to leave it empty. "At least you've found a friend in the shadows here. That's a unique ability."