"...I feel like this says something but fucked if I know what."

"...okay, you know what? Changed my mind. I feel like the narrative's had too much exposition over the last few pages and we need to space it out or the readers are gonna get bored."

"Uh... huh?"

"By which I mean, I'll tell you my tragic backstory later, maybe when we get to the boat, that's gonna be a nice uneventful narrative moment for us all so it's a good place for the denouement of this particular scene. For now, I want to actually forget where I'm from for a little bit longer."

"...alright. Sorry for, uh—"

"No no no it's fine, don't worry about it. Not your fault."

"Okay."

And Azym almost breaks his rule of no exposition by asking what the hell a "guardian" is but he thinks he knows enough to get by for now and can move on with the relationship building subplot.

"So, blowjob or no blowjob?"

"You know, I kinda do wanna kiss you and maybe let my hand wander a bit but let's take a raincheck on the blowjob. It'll be sundown soon and the village's preparing a farewell bonfire and barbecue."

"Makeouts and handjobs sound just swell to me."

But maybe not directly under the waterfall. They can have their fun with each other in the calmer parts of the lake instead.

But soon the sun gets low enough that it's actually just cold in the water, and although both of them can cast the warming spell on themselves they should probably just get going.

"Don't suppose you have a spell for getting us dry?"

"...'course I do. Did you expect me to just shake myself like a wet dog and call it a day?"

"—okay! This whole 'magic' thing just keeps sounding better and better, honestly."

Zei casts a powered-up version of the warming spell that gets them dry in short order so they can put their clothes back on and start on their way back to the village.

"You're not making me any less curious by saying stuff like that."

"Yes but you see, the audience already knows what my tragic backstory is so I'm just teasing you instead of the readers. Which is a lot more fun."

"Your putative readers are missing a lot of context from the native Spiran!"

"So now you're claiming I'm not a native to anywhere here at all?"

"Yep. —wait, if you don't have magic how do you use that sword?"

"...I swing it? Not very well? Am I about to learn something fascinating?"

"Hoo boy you will not be able to keep up if you don't enhance your body at all—wait. You're pulling my leg."

"I am?"

"You can breathe underwater, of course you know magic."

???????????

"...okay I'm going to need more to go on than just your face of absolute confusion here."