A pet does not collar its master. [ Even if Eridanus has come to be far more than a pet to him, the metaphor—and the principle—still stands. Some of his typical cadence returns to his voice as he adds, ] You're lucky that I don't take such a request as an insult and remind you of your place.

[ As his fingers reach for his glass anew, he casts a glance upward, his golden eyes sharp. ]

If you wish to leave a mark on me, become a swordsman worth wearing on my face.