Lemm is learning to take the quiet as a neutral, not a negative. And ordinarily he does, but ordinarily bugs have not been so unresponsive as the Hollow Knight is, and it's... different. Their particular silence leaves room for worries he hasn't had before.

After a moment, then, he just nods to allow this topic to be dismissed, and goes past them, back to his desk. On the way his hand rises to land on their shoulder again and it falters halfway, still hovers in the air after he's out of their line of sight, comes to smooth restlessly up between his horns instead with a sigh.

Lemm picks up the badge. Tilts it, to check the minimal tarnish left over. Awarded for medical accomplishment in the midst of...

"Brave thing you did," he mutters, and slips back behind his desk.