Oh c'mon, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure you have a multitude of ways you could surprise me. You surprised me by showing up here, didn't you? [ The smile which goes along with that says it is - he knows - both not a proper surprise, and a rather awful one in terms of what it could be, given that they didn't ask to be here. ] More importantly, I'm positive that's just the start of the surprises you have at the ready.

[ Much easier to dance around any seriousness at hand, especially in the midst of plans to get away from the barracks as fast as possible. Though his hope of finding a familiar face was confirmed and is a relief he hadn't realized he was missing, Claude's every bit as uneasy to be here again with the military looming. It'd be all too simple for them insist upon the Summoned staying, and there's not much they could do about it if it happened.

All this to say: Petra's affirmation she won't be staying does turn his smile more towards honesty. It never hurts to hear it again, not when there's much at stake by staying here and more to it than they'll understand - even worse in light of leaving war behind to arrive to one threatening to start - and so he nods. No reason to disagree with there being no time to waste, and Claude starts collecting his tray. ]

Let's divide and conquer, then. You find Sylvain and tell him he doesn't get to stay here, and I'll let the wagon driver know there's three of us heading into Cadens and not to leave without us. If the rooftops there don't meet your standards, you have my full permission to let me know exactly where each and every one falls short. Deal?

[ He is, as usual, (mostly) kidding. ]