[ He's going to ignore "ashen" because he has no idea what it is and therefore it isn't worth his time at the moment. Considering poor Karkat's the fourth or fifth person to pick at this, Royce's patience is running thin. ]

What I don't understand is why any of you think that I want to hear about how morally superior you all are. Were you looking to secure my service?

I doubt it, considering you seem to be the type that faints at the sight of any sort of blood, including your own.

[ And that's almost said as a threat. He knows things from the conversations he's listened to, read back on - and he doesn't have the memories right now to remember why he shouldn't blackmail the people here that he cares about. ]