During the funeral of the late King Bozhidar, Vitale had heard the mutterings and mumblings of the noble families whilst Nikolai tended to more pressing matters. They commented on the momentum of his growth - his height and mannerisms and looks. They expressed how gazing upon him was comparable to gazing upon a youthful Bozhidar. They spoke of the strength of his vohkvojlod, a Krovic ideal that translated directly as 'breath of ice'.
They acted as though this leap of 'maturity' was a change prompted by the death of his father. As if, somehow, his force of personality was not a quality he had previously possessed. Their spurious reasoning was appalling.
The alchemist knew that he had the unique fortuity of spending every day with Nikolai - witnessing his ins and outs, his strengths, and his possible pitfalls. But the Krovs were intuitive people. They should've seen what the foreigner did.
