Merlin took another mouthful as his host explained the origin of the meal, swallowing again before he spoke again. "I do, but only because if I couldn't I would have starved. I'm certainly not as good as your House Elf." He said honestly.
He found that he wasn't as nervewracked as he thought he'd be just sitting there beside Zach, and to say that he actually found himself relaxing wouldn't have been a stretch of the truth.