[ the glowing tongue is a strange marvel, but thankfully(?) viren's thoughts are rapidly directly elsewhere. that eren answers with finality affords viren some strange relief (it's over, it would be done), and then he wants to answer that, yes: despite it all, he will probably have another drink -- when eren clarifies. the use of the word afraid has viren visibly balk. ]

[ otherwise, he'd had some time to reflect on answer, so he hopes—hopes—how he should articulate an answer shouldn't fail him. for just a moment, he struggles. ]

No one knows that that happened. No one. [ one person does, but harrow may as well be dead, and forever silent on it. it's something he prefers they both take to their graves. ] It's something that I've told everyone happened differently. ... That is all.

[ well -- it's not all, but this time viren hopes his sincerity rings true within his voice. ]

Because it's not something I can have people knowing.