[As much as he finds the idea of fully trusting someone again daunting, as much as the bitter part of him really does want to say fuck it and never trust anyone again, he really doesn't want to close himself off further. After all, trusting Ryunosuke had been the right call, hadn't it? And having the kneejerk reaction he'd had to Genshin's perceived betrayal had been the wrong one. Things... really are so complicated. Even Klint and Gregson's betrayals had not been unilateral. Really, it had been that they didn't fully trust him, wasn't it? Enough to tell him the truth. Enough to think he could handle the truth. Even though they were so close to him, whereas Ryunosuke, who had ever right to hate him, chose to trust him and defend him against his closest friend. Why? And why is Kaspar now choosing to? Well it's because he doesn't know. He's only been given a cursory glance at Barok van Zieks, one that was for the most part, carefully curated.]

... I fear that is a choice rooted in ignorance.

[He hadn't lied, but it really hadn't been the main issue. His only reason to keep it from Kaspar was for his own sake. Is it fair of him to do that when Kaspar is choosing to trust him? No... It's really no different than what Klint did to him, save perhaps in severity of issue.]

I... there is much you do not know that may chance that decision. I do not... feel it prudent to burden you with much of it now but... I feel I should at least say this. So that you do not come to find out later and believe I have been improper in accepting your attentions.
[It's difficult, it's not something openly spoken about in polite Victorian society, and with the cultural differences among everyone here, he cannot rely on subtler statements of the facts. He turns his head away from Kaspar as he finally finishes;]

There is another issue I have in regards to the end goal of marriage... and it is that I do not personally have any interest in the fairer sex.