Lady Seraphina's estate, once a quiet observation post, now served as Alaric's strategic launchpad into the heart of Temerian power. Baron Von Hertzig, emboldened by his recent "stroke of genius" in gwent and subtly influenced by Alaric's continuous nudges, began to speak more frequently of the quiet, insightful boy under Seraphina's care. He praised Alaric's "uncanny wisdom" to his fellow nobles, unaware that every compliment served to polish Aizen's carefully crafted persona.
Aizen continued his relentless study within Seraphina's modest library. His focus intensified on the specifics of court intrigue, dissecting ancient chronicles that detailed how advisors gained and lost favor, how factions rose and fell, and the psychological levers that swayed monarchs. He identified King Foltest's key traits: his strategic brilliance on the battlefield, his volatile temper, his deep loyalty to his illegitimate children, and his increasing reliance on his inner circle of mages, particularly Triss Merigold. This was the intricate mechanism he intended to manipulate.
His Kyōka Suigetsu was now a formidable instrument. He could project subtle, persistent sensations across a greater distance, influencing conversations not just in the immediate vicinity, but across large rooms, or even from one wing of the estate to another. He tested its limits by creating brief, illusory echoes of past conversations in the minds of servants, or by making trivial objects seem to vanish and reappear, fostering a quiet sense of bewilderment that was easily dismissed as absentmindedness. He was honing his ability to craft perfectly tailored realities, designed to elicit specific reactions without ever revealing his hand.
A new opportunity arose when King Foltest, in a rare display of paternal concern amidst the war, announced a small, private hunt on lands adjacent to Lady Seraphina's estate. It was a chance for him to escape the pressures of court and spend time with his bastard children and a few trusted advisors. To Aizen, it was an unparalleled opening.
Alaric subtly began influencing Lady Seraphina. He instilled in her a strong, inexplicable urge to invite King Foltest's party to the estate for refreshment after the hunt, stressing the honor and the impression it would make. He then subtly influenced the opinions of some of Foltest's minor accompanying advisors, making them receptive to such an invitation, painting it as a charming gesture that would offer the King a brief respite. Seraphina, convinced this was her own ingenious idea, eagerly extended the invitation.
The day of the hunt arrived. King Foltest, a towering figure even when dismounted, strode onto Seraphina's estate, accompanied by his personal guard, a few minor nobles, and notably, Triss Merigold, her fiery red hair a stark contrast to her composed demeanor. The air thrummed with unspoken power and political tension.
Aizen observed from the sidelines, an inconspicuous child serving drinks to the tired hunting party. His spiritual perception, now finely tuned, allowed him to perceive the fluctuating emotions of the King – the subtle shifts from weary frustration to fleeting joy when he interacted with his children, to deep concern when discussing the war. He also noted the formidable, yet surprisingly straightforward, magical aura of Triss Merigold, a powerful elementalist, but lacking the complex, deceptive depth Aizen himself possessed.
When Foltest retired to a study for a brief moment of quiet, Alaric followed, carrying a tray of refreshments. He found the King poring over a crude map, his brow furrowed in concentration. Alaric placed the tray on a nearby table.
"You're Seraphina's ward, aren't you, boy?" Foltest rumbled, looking up. His eyes, though weary, were sharp. "Quiet one. You've got an unnerving way of just... appearing."
Alaric met the King's gaze with his usual serene intensity. He didn't speak. Instead, he projected a complex, yet subtle Kyōka Suigetsu directly into Foltest's mind. He created a fleeting, powerful sense of clarity regarding a strategic point on the map, making a specific, often overlooked, mountain pass suddenly seem vital. He infused the King with an unshakeable certainty that this particular path was the key to outmaneuvering a Nilfgaardian flanking maneuver. He also projected a profound, unexplainable feeling of trustworthiness emanating from himself, a silent, deep-seated conviction that this moment of clarity was pure, unadulterated insight, perhaps even a stroke of divine inspiration.
Foltest stared at the map, then at Alaric, his eyes widening slightly. His mind raced, connecting disparate pieces of information, forming a brilliant, cohesive plan around the mountain pass. He felt an inexplicable, yet profound, respect for the silent boy before him, a vague sense that this child possessed an almost prophetic understanding. He dismissed it as a sudden burst of his own genius, perhaps stimulated by the quiet presence.
"Boy," Foltest breathed, his voice low with sudden excitement. He didn't question how such insight came to him. "Fetch my advisors! Quickly! This... this could turn the tide!"
Alaric merely nodded, his small face unreadable. He walked out of the study, leaving the King to grapple with his 'epiphany.' He had not merely entered the King's ear; he had planted the seed of a significant strategic decision. This was the true nature of his power. Not brute force, but the subtle, unyielding control of perception and thought. The pieces were now moving at the highest level of the Temerian court, dancing to the tune only Aizen could hear.