[ there's a little snort of laughter from him at that too, because even if this wasn't a delicate political situation to navigate, as a certified Strategy Guy, he can't imagine doing it like that. they are really simultaneously two very similar and very different people. ]

That's definitely one of the weaker points. He's very familiar with how the king's magic works, a lot more more so than old Forden was.

But he's also... well. A fuckin' loon, to put it plainly, and absolutely obsessed with Louis. Steppin' on Louis's face in front of him might be all it'd take to make him fly off the handle.