"Huh? Me? Doing just fine, thanks," Peony said with an easy smile, not intending to make the poor boy nervous. Well, not too nervous, anyway. A little tension in the air was invigorating! At least, that was what Peony had always thought when happily torturing Jade's friends with those painfully cheerful ministrations.

He hadn't quite caught that the boy wasn't enjoying his meal; he'd been too busy devouring his own. 'Are you okay' was simply a good question to ask in a place like this - question that could get a lot of varied answers.

The middle-aged emperor leaned in a little. Conversationally, kind of. "Let me guess. You're preparing to embark on an amazing adventure, is that it? One that will shake the very walls of Landel's Institute?" Yeah, Peony was teasing him a little bit, but a kid like this looked like he needed some teasing, in all honesty.