No hard feelings

A passage from Terry Pratchett's Jingo!, page 392, giving some dialog between a Klatchian prince (first) and his general (second):

"And why are we going out to meet [the Ankh-Moporkian army commander] before battle commences?"

"It's... it's a goodwill gesture, sire. Warriors honoring one another."

"But the man's a complete incompetent!"

"Indeed, sire."

"And we're about to set thousands of our countrymen against one another, aren't we?"

"Indeed, sire."

"So what does the maniac want to do? Tell me there's no hard feelings?"

It's interesting to me that there are three turns of "go ahead" dialog here and yet the scene still works. I think it's because, if I recall correctly, the general isn't a major character. It's also because Terry Pratchett's using the characters to make good jokes at the commander's expense. He can do this because it's funny.