[Shikamaru stops, meeting that with a blank look and stretched silence. That's some misplaced faith you have.

And then he starts again.]

Honestly, I never thought about it before. [Now that he has, running the calculations he figures he'd need at least two lifetimes, maybe half less if the first went well.] Not that it matters. Changing how the Malnosso handle their own affairs is contrary to what really needs to be done.