Couldn't have gotten away with it.

That's part of it.

What's the rest?

There are costs to crossing the line in the first place? At this point there's not - at this point it doesn't matter whether I leave you alone one night or not, unless I'm going to swear it off forever, but in the first place - you trusted me -

Yes, I did.

Maitimo sleeps.

Cor gets back to work the next morning.

He has a necklace for Cor the next evening! "Borrowed it off somebody until the one I commissioned is finished. I have no idea if it will help you work but I'm sure you'll like it."

"They won't miss it?"

"I am sure they'll eagerly await having it back, but if it might hasten the end of the war it's an easy call, and a few months really isn't long without it, not for Elves."

"Fair enough. Thanks." On it goes.

Improved recall and working memory! Improved attentional capacity!

"Ooooooh."

"Isn't it lovely? 

Maybe now you can beat me at Governor."

"We could check."

"Oooooh." Kiss.

The necklace or possibly just experience does improve his Governor performance.

Oooooohh.

Whether it will suffice remains to be seen.

It won't possibly suffice if he has anything to say about it!

Oh really.

Oh, definitely.

How definitely?

Comes down to a dice roll again, this time at substantially better odds.

Oooh.

Cor rolls a twelve.

"Gosh," he says.