If he were the kind of man inclined to do so, it would be at this point that he'd do a spit take and thank god he wasn't drinking any liquids. Starting with something 'fairly simple.' Right.

(Keep it cool, Strider.) He kept his gaze neutral, level, because what else could he do? Dirk sure as hell wasn't going to lose his cool over a question like that. Even if it was a pretty fucking complicated question.

"A hero? You're serious." That part netted her a bit of a stare, a slow blink lost behind his shades. It was an interesting thought for him to consider: a version of the most heroic figure in history thought that he was a hero. The legacy Dirk had inherited was, to him, a weighty one. Learning that on some level (even if it wasn't exactly him, just some version of him that had taken care of Dave and gone on to do he had no idea what) he had lived up to that Strider legacy was...nice.

If bizarre. Wasn't something he had ever thought he'd get confirmation of.

"I guess. I don't know." He shrugged, leaning back in his chair ever so slightly. "Sorry, Rose. It's kind of complicated. But I'll tell you this much: I'm definitely not disconsolate at meeting him."