[ Howl finds comfort in Liem's agreement, and then is immediately caught off guard by his questions. He raises his eyebrows and brings a hand to his chin thoughtfully. They are good questions, and he need a moment not to decide how he feels, but to decide how he ought to answer. He would not want to stumble into awkward phrasing and give him the wrong idea. ]

It's difficult to fully trust anyone. In this world, in our home worlds, or in any other.

[ At that moment, a waitress from the cafe walks past their table. Howl stops to get her attention with a raised hand. She stops to tell him that she'll be right back, her quick pace suggesting she was busy with some other task at the time she passed. He nods, thanks her, and watches her leave before looking back to Liem. ]

...I do trust Yima in a few important ways. Most importantly, I know that she has the power to keep the promises she makes to us. I've seen it for myself.