[ The question is a surprise to him, and it’s open in his expression. He had expected something about how the cold wouldn’t effect him or some little hints he had dropped while they had been speaking. So, just in that reaction, it probably answers Douman’s core curiosity about whether the word is capitalized or not, but he hums out a thoughtful note before he answers. ]

Well… A person in the employ of another, but with a particular power dynamic behind it. A servant need not feel loyalty in their heart, but they are expected to at least make a show of it.

[ It’s a perfectly earnest answer, and even in the more loaded context of Sebastian’s Covenants, he wouldn’t phrase it any differently. The stakes may be more intense, but how he carries himself will always be the same. So, naturally, he’s curious why Douman would ask. ]

If I may, does it ring differently for you?