While you do make a good point on the MC not contesting the terms in those two cases, I want to add that in the case of the armband, while you make a great point in there (since that's something I that myself would think to add) its not only a show of goodwill, it's also a promise of the master to protect Asterion. I don't remenber if that's explicitly stated, but as the contrat is right know, in the case that Asterion is made go into the Valley without the master being able to help in any way it would mean that we somehow failed our promise to protect him since that's the only way for that to happend (meaning that in reallity, there should never be a escenario were both Asterion is forced to go into the valley, and the master had no way of helping avoid it). And I think the master knows this, and that's why he doesn't contest in any way. It's his way of telling and showing Asterion that's he is willing to do anything to always protect him, even if he could find loopholes or arguments in order to make it easier for him, he chooses not to. Or that's what I thinks at least lol. And I fucking loved Pedro in this chapter. Like, I already loved Pedro, but my man stole the show for me this time. When He said "I'm a piece of shit and drunk enough to be a menace" to Themba i lost it lol. And as you said, using this chance to show more of Themba both with his conversation and inner monologe was something I really liked.
Could talk about this game for so long lol. But yeah, great chapter, great game