When Koumyou slings the sutra over Devero's shoulders, his aggressive posturing evaporates immediately. He startles and rocks back half a step, his hands lifting to snatch it off again. Only his fear of the power contained within the artifact stops him from flinging it away; he's more afraid to even touch it.

"Koumyou--" he protests, or tries, because now the priest has a knife between them and he's still talking and he's-- and--

"Don't!" Devero grabs at Koumyou's hands as those bony fingers test the blade. "Koumyou, stop, what is wrong with you?! You're going to hurt yourself!"