...where he can't disturb anyone? Alric pauses at that, as it seems a bit backwards, but he is here to learn, after all.

"...ah. I'm... not certain I completely follow, but I don't mean to pry, of course. I... am a new arrival, but as I've a little time to kill, if there's anything I can do to make myself useful, please, don't hesitate."

He's not going to push for an explanation or explicitly say he doesn't buy it, but he'll certainly offer a way to accept some help if it's needed without having to actually say that help is needed.