He might have been satisfied in making Claudia apologize for her own humiliation, at least he didn't yet seem too keen on making her wail himself, so she gave a dutiful flinch at how pathetically he characterized the sound she had deigned to make and then nodded, keeping her eyes averted, of course, she shouldn't have presumed to be so noisy. She then genuinely wasn't sure if he was asking in anticipation of an answer, or to berate her for speaking up if she tried, and her cautious sidelong look wasn't really part of the game. He didn't seem to be poised to interrupt her, but he didn't seem to be thinking anything at all.

"The volcano, I saw it--I've never seen anything like it before in my life, or like those caves or those little mushroom folks," she admitted, betraying some of the wonder she felt with a bright-eyed glance toward the now dormant mountain, biting her lips like she rather hoped it would start to glow again. She was still looking at it when she said very calmly, and more enunciated, "I've seen you."