The jokester's gambit failed, it failed! His internal monologue shouted to abort, to deflect, to act like it never happened, but that just wouldn't fly. So against every fiber of his anxious tendencies, he continued. He decided to explain the joke.

"You said you wouldn't trust yourself near monsters unless you had a party. Parties have cake." Hunk paused a beat, staring expectantly at Hope with a grin on his face. "So you can be in an adventuring party with me if you want! You know stuff about magic, about animals, and summons. You'd be a huge help whether you went with Chemist or a magic class or whatever else." Just not Gourmand, you need to save whatever innocence is left, Hope.

Hunk laughs and rolls his eyes. "That is, unless you don't want to fight alongside a Paladin of Voltron? People across an entire universe would kill for that chance!"