There is a whip-quick instant where Sebastian is tempted to tell him that he didn't survive the war at all and that he's only here and able to talk through darkest necromancy or some such nonsense. It's a terrible idea, but one that does cheer him up a little.

"What else could I do? Painting walls and fixing windows doesn't fill all my hours and, well, with a marble knee I didn't think to take up jogging."