The capital's rumor mill had rarely operated with such efficiency or malicious intent.
Within days of Lord Ambrose's departure, whispered conversations in every tavern, marketplace, and noble gathering carried increasingly elaborate stories about his character, his methods, and his true motivations.
"They say he uses dark magic to control his students," a merchant confided to his companion over breakfast at a popular inn. "That the sect is just a cover for building a private army."
"I heard he made a deal with demons," another voice added from a nearby table. "How else could someone so young acquire such power so quickly?"
The stories grew more elaborate with each telling, transforming legitimate concerns about his rapid rise into fantastic tales of supernatural corruption and hidden agendas.
In the merchant district, Julius Luminaris moved through his carefully planned campaign with methodical precision.
