So what about Oriphos? As someone who wasn't in Cephiro when Corwin patched the oath in (and the earliest it could have happened would be when the Trinity revolutionized the world), Akio wouldn't be subject to it; and since he created Oriphos, I imagine that loophole would likely have persisted. And given that he is an agent of the Pit, he would have negative interest in keeping Balder alive.