Keltham doesn't smile back.  One conceals feelings, perhaps, but showing a smile you don't mean is quite a step beyond that; it destroys the ability to signal later, because how can anything mean anything, after that.  "Good," is all he says.

Keltham isn't at all clear on his own ability to ignore somebody asking to be let out of chains.  He doesn't particularly want to test it while he's still such a novice.

And more importantly, if Carissa Sevar does start telling him that he needs to let her out right now, Keltham will know that something broke her will to obey him and that something is wrong with the entire setup.

Maybe it's cheating to set up a secret completely legible metasignal of meta-level failure, but then -

- cheating is technique, after all.

"Then let's go eat lunch," Keltham says.

Keltham doesn't smile back.  One conceals feelings, perhaps, but showing a smile you don't mean is quite a step beyond that; it destroys the ability to signal later, because how can anything mean anything, after that.  "Good," is all he says.

Keltham isn't at all clear on his own ability to ignore somebody asking to be let out of chains.  He doesn't particularly want to test it while he's still such a novice.

And more importantly, if Carissa Sevar does start telling him that he needs to let her out right now, Keltham will know that something broke her will to obey him and that something is wrong with the entire setup.

Maybe it's cheating to set up a secret completely legible meta-signal of meta-level failure, but then -

- cheating is technique, after all.

"Then let's go eat lunch," Keltham says.