Can't be the mushrooms that's making him so cold. He's been eating at the little side table in the back room of his shop rather than taking his meals upstairs, so when he looks up it's towards the hearth to check if his cooking fire's gone out and-

He gasps, shuddering in fear as he reels back against the wall away from the spirit. There's a door to his left, he could flee through his storefront. But he's frozen, staring back at the being, with wide-eyes.

With a tiny, cautious voice, he asks, "...Nelda?"