Lesgle lets himself laugh along with Bahorel; he'd rather that than argue out a point that brings him so very little comfort. But "it ends up the same in either case" does make him hide a wince. Yes, exactly. Things ending up the same in either case, no matter what you do.

Mesmeric forces between worlds sounds much more like something he'd want to talk with Joly about, anyway.

He puts down his bottle carefully, with the precision of someone who knows how much he's had to drink and really doesn't want to knock anything over. "I'll find another copy in the library, I expect? Or I can ask the Bar. Still, you'll be--cautious--when you bring it up with others?"