Matteo, a refined Pink, oversees Darrow’s transformation beyond surgery, stripping hair and perfecting grooming. He scolds Darrow’s mineslang and accent, even demonstrating a razor disguised as a bottle and stressing Gold notions of honor and dueling. Matteo insists that manners are Darrow’s first defense until he can defend himself.

The next day, Dancer proposes a cover identity—Caius au Andromedus with a tragic backstory—but Darrow refuses to abandon his name. Matteo advances etiquette training, explaining Trimalchian feasts, bodily control, and the distinction between undisciplined Pixies and perfect, self-controlled Golds. Darrow learns to leave a portion of food to prove restraint.

Darrow practices his Aureate accent in a holomirror while resenting his golden reflection. To anchor him, Dancer nicks Darrow’s finger to reveal Red blood, and they bond over memories of blood soup and Dancetide. Dancer admits he was once a Helldiver and recalls falling into a nest of baby pitvipers, surviving with antivenom.

Dancer uses that story to warn that the Institute’s admissions, in three months, will be a nest of vipers; self-loathing or a slip will get Darrow exposed. When Darrow calls himself a weapon, Dancer counters that Eo left him a dream to build, not just a vendetta. He denies being Ares, urging Darrow to channel control and purpose as Darrow confronts the urge to do bad things for a good cause.