It's difficult to tell from the set of the older man's expression—he's a hard fellow to read, isn't he?—, but he doesn't exactly seem shocked to hear it. Disappointed, maybe? Perhaps by just the slightest measure. Never mind that he hardly expected otherwise; there is still something inherently discouraging in having confirmation that this matter of being Tevene in the south will evidently continue to be an issue requiring purposeful navigation.

(Then again, maybe the younger man is soporati or a freeman and simply has no idea how to go about talking above his station. It's possible he has landed here as an assistant to the Ambassador simply because taking down notes and doing as he is asked comes most naturally.)

"I've written a considerable number of letters. I can probably manage to write more."