( Nico is counting the animals off in her head when Hubert has to go and mention the enchanted broom, which immediately has her pressing her lips together into a thin line as she tries to hold in a burst of laughter. It isn't so much the thing itself that's hilarious, but the idea of Hubert being chased around by an aggressive, barking broom, and she has to take a moment to press the fingers of her free hand to her lips as she quivers with held-in giggles. )

Y-You ... um. Spell gone wrong, huh?

( She's on the verge of teasing about it some more, but fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately) the rest of Hubert's reply finally catches up with her. He'd had more than a lifetime's worth of coffee ... during the war? )

Wait—

( Nico glances up at him again, her expression sobering a little. )

You're a soldier?