"Please don't - I don't want you to be miserable. We'll figure out how to do better but -" Sigh. "More people being unhappy is worse, here. You being unhappy is worse."

Thank you.

He heads out.

Somewhat contrary to Econ Faery's instruction, Cam mopes around a bit and then decides to eat a pint of ice cream.

He reassures people who need reassurance and then goes to take a nap and sends someone to tell Cam

" - that things have been communicated and he can come out and apologize if he still wants to do that or petition for prisoner's rights or whatever I'm going to go take a nap, he said," she repeats dutifully.

Thank you, Cam displays rather than re-writing.

She nods and leaves.

Out he goes.

The court is somewhat subdued but some people are out and about and do not flee in terror at the sight of him or anything.

He writes up an apology and shows it to people he passes and keeps an eye out for Not A Stupid Asshole Lohte.

In his office with the door open, reading something. "Hello," he says when he sees Cam passing by.

Well, first of all, here's the apology letter, look at it.

He reads it. He nods. "A million years is - a very high bar. It'll take changes on our end to reach that level of caution too."

I will also still be around after that, hopefully.

"But the universe will no longer annihilate you and, who knows, possibly end if your summoner dies so I'll feel a lot less obliged to be extraordinarily cautious."

Nod.

"Why don't you sit down?"

Plop.

"I don't know if you made the connection but this is the mechanism by which you were expected and intended to harm us, when you arrived."

Hadn't, actually, I thought they expected me to do magic. I showed up in a gag and stuff.

"Not by talking. Hurting someone you're indebted to counts the same way as lies. More strongly, typically."

Your brother told me that doesn't usually work though?

"When there's fighting within a court the fighting won't kill anyone and the misfortune frequently will."

Oh.

"It's very common for there to be mistakes when people are learning, though, and a couple of them won't sink us. Are you all right? Did it hit you?"