[The significance is not lost on him, that Ardyn is willingly making contact. He acknowledges it with a look, that's all, so as to not chase the moment away.

In fact, he barks a little laugh that rings sharply in the room of the dead. (The utter fucking irony.)]

A backhanded compliment and a warning, that's impressive. Y'know, it's funny... There is absolutely nobody back home who would ever have said or even thought anything like that about me. Maybe this place is really changing me.