[ Bastien laughs and gives it a try: the first two lines of Apotheosis, sweetly sung, with as many sounds as possible twisted the wrong way. ]

—no, [ he cuts himself off with. ] No, I was there to retrieve blackmail on her Revered Mother. Using her to get inside at night. I had it coming. I just prefer not to get what I deserve, you know?

[ A hypothetical question, but after he’s asked it he thinks perhaps Byerly doesn’t know. ]