[For a moment, Claude considers taking one of those convenient excuses Lorenz just handed right to him-- the one about Felix is a particularly entertaining option-- but... well, he probably deserves the truth, doesn't he?

Not without a little more teasing first, though.] No, I don't recall you dallying off with anyone. [And yes, he's putting more innuendo into that than Lorenz probably intended.] I didn't realize you'd miss having me around so much.[That's supposed to be a tease but it comes out a little more... truthful.] I, uh... I went back home. To my parents.

[Surely Lorenz has at least an idea, an inkling... Claude smiles ruefully. He's dropped hints, of course, had very poorly deflected Lorenz' questioning of why exactly he was on such good terms with a famous Almyran general... but he's never said it. At this point, he could admit to himself at least, it was partially out of fear-- of the reaction he might get, both from the truth and from keeping it from them all for so long.]