[Well, that certainly tells Ren a bit more about what makes this guy tick, and he gives a smile that makes a token effort to be apologetic but definitely isn't actually genuine about it.]

Is this because of what happened with the dragon, or are things just that unstable here...? [What he knows of what's happened in the other cities is somewhat piecemeal and only gotten from one or two people, but it certainly sounds like this guy has some opinions he might be prodded into sharing if Ren goes about it the right way.]

It's starting to sound like a lot of the leaders are really incompetent... [That's said in almost a sighing tone, like he was expecting better.]