Petra & Alois C

Petra
Alois!

Alois
Waaagh! Who goes there?! Oh, Petra, it's you. You appeared out of nowhere.

Petra
I have a question to be asking you.

Alois
Sure, I don't mind. I'll answer your question.

Petra
You are always surrounded by people. When you speak, they smile.

Petra
I feel envy. I want to know the secret to having a happy conversation.

Alois
Ah, you need a lesson on breaking the ice. That's a slippery subject, but I bet we can crack it!

Petra
...

Alois
Now, let's see. The crucial thing is to start conversations. Be proactive about saying hello.

Alois
Ask questions. Also, it might help to stop sneaking up on people.

Petra
Start conversations. Stop sneaking. I am understanding. Is there more?

Alois
You can always try throwing in a joke, to lighten the mood.

Alois
The trick is to keep trying, so you get practice. Put your best foot forward—and try not to put it in your mouth!

Petra
What are you saying? Why are you laughing?

Alois
Oh, I, uh... I just made a little joke.

Petra
A joke? Can you give me more explanation?

Alois
Well, uh, "Put your best foot forward," that's an expression people say that means, "Try as hard as you can."

Alois
And "putting your foot in your mouth" doesn't really mean what it sounds like...

Alois
When you "put your foot in your mouth," you are saying something rude without meaning to, and so...

Alois
Gah! What am I going on about?

Alois
There's nothing worse than trying to explain a joke.

Petra
...

Alois
Petra? You've gone awfully quiet. I suppose you've lost faith in me as a conversation tutor.

Petra
You are...playing with your words. We do such things in Brigid too.

Petra
In Fódlan, you have a strange way of playing with a word's meaning. I am admiring of it!

Alois
You admire me? Oh Petra, no need to say kind things out of pity. You didn't hurt my feelings.

Petra
Am I hurting them?

Alois
If you were sincerely complimenting me, then no. To think—you just started learning how to chitchat, and you've already got a silver tongue.

Alois
You really put your money where your mouth is!

Petra
More laughing. This must be a complex technique for word playing...