"The world is beautiful, but people make it ugly."

It was something Mr. Baram had told Syd many times over the years. Every time Syd came home from a punishment with stone-cold, dead eyes, every time he wished his patron would go away or at least stop misbehaving so much, every time Syd bemoaned his bad fortune of being born into such an oppressive, cruel life.

And now, as Syd watched Knox vanish before his eyes, taking a fate that was supposed to be Syd's, the quote popped into Syd's mind again. But for the first time, he wondered if maybe Mr. Baram was wrong. If people truly made the world ugly, Knox would have never sacrificed himself for Syd. If people truly made the world ugly, Syd wouldn't have the gift of a future in front of him.

He moved his hands to his lips, trying to memorize the feeling of Knox's mouth on his. Suddenly, he found himself regretting every sour thought he'd ever had about his patron. Despite all his pranks and stubbornness, Knox truly cared about Syd in the end. Though the debt system was now abruptly eliminated, Knox had still paid back his debt to Syd.

No, when all was said and done, Syd couldn't believe that people made the world ugly. The proof sat in front of him, in the boy who gave up everything to allow Syd to live the life he'd never had.