[ He wasn't interested in the thing about politics anyway so it's not like he was going to ask about that, but as soon as he heard Nero’s name, he perks up, grinning. ]

Yeah? The eastern cook? Can't believe he survived a place like this - though this is a cakewalk compared to the North— [ Ah, whoops, ] ... He’d die for sure over there.

[ Nailed it. ]