The morning had passed, and the sun was climbing higher, burning away the lingering mist that had coated Valenfort. Aiden stepped carefully from the shadowed alleyways toward the open streets, feeling the warmth of the city on his small, fragile body. Every sound, every flicker of movement, every breath of wind carried information he could use.
[Oh, great. More humans. More… motion. So much effort. But okay, I'll observe. Or I'll stand here looking important. Whatever.]
Stand. Look. Analyze. Too much energy. Ugh.
Aiden's first experiment was simple: a minor test of influence. A small merchant's cart sat unattended, a pile of apples stacked carefully. Aiden approached, his tiny hand hovering over the fruit. He let a single apple roll slightly forward, stopping just at the edge of the cart.
From a distance, he observed.
The merchant returned moments later, noticing the apple teetering. His eyes widened. He reached out hastily, catching it before it fell, muttering under his breath. His attention wavered, leaving small gaps in his awareness of the street around him.
[Observation: humans are easily distracted. Effort required: minimal. Perfect.]
Perfectly mundane, utterly amusing.
Aiden moved on, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He watched a guard shift his weight from one foot to another, distracted by a pair of children chasing a stray dog. Small gaps in vigilance appeared like cracks in stone. He cataloged them silently, noting potential weak points, timing of patrols, and the guard's body language.
[Yes, yes, humans are predictable. I could rearrange them if I cared. I don't. Mostly.]
Rearrange. Or not. Effort is overrated.
He found a quiet alley and leaned against the wall, pressing a finger to the cold stone. Below him, a group of children played with a small hoop and stick. Their movements were random to the untrained eye but followed subtle rhythms he had learned to notice: pauses, glances toward adults, minor adjustments to avoid collision.
He reached out mentally, testing Observation in real-time. The children's positions, their reactions, even minor fears became visible to him, flickering like lines of code in the corner of his mind.
[Potential experiment: minor mischief. Humans are oblivious. Energy expenditure: minimal. Fun factor: moderate.]
Moderate fun is acceptable. For now.
He let a stray cat dart past, knocking over a small basket of fish. The children shrieked, scrambling, the merchant cursed, and one guard hurried over. It was a simple chaos, but it revealed patterns: who reacted first, who panicked, who attempted to intervene. Every small detail was a lesson.
Aiden smiled faintly. This was what he enjoyed: the world bending slightly under observation, humans unaware of the invisible strings he began to pull.
[Experiment: successful. Humans remain blissfully ignorant. Laziness level: intact. Satisfactory.]
Satisfactory, sure. Not impressive, but it will do.
He moved deeper into the city, toward the noble districts. Here, patrols were heavier, guards more alert, and the streets narrower. His tiny feet barely made a sound as he slipped between shadows, cataloging every nuance.
A patrol turned a corner. Their attention split, one watching the street ahead, the other focused on the alley behind. Timing, distance, body language — all visible to him. Aiden tested his skill by stepping deliberately into a faint ray of sunlight, then back into shadow. The guards barely noticed.
[Minimal engagement. Humans oblivious. Energy expenditure: low. I approve. Laziness preserved.]
Preserved? Maybe. Let's see if it holds.
A commotion ahead caught his attention. A young boy had dropped a basket of goods, and the merchant bent to help, leaving the street momentarily clear. Aiden observed. He could have slipped through, hidden in plain sight, or even caused a minor distraction.
He chose the distraction.
A loose stone, perfectly balanced, shifted underfoot. It tumbled down the street with a faint clatter, catching the attention of the boy and the merchant. They both froze, eyes wide. Aiden moved past silently, unseen.
[Experiment outcome: distraction achieved. Human attention diverted. Effort: minimal. Laziness… mostly intact.]
Mostly. I might need a nap later. Or not. Too much effort thinking about it already.
By midday, Aiden had moved through multiple districts, testing his skills in Observation and subtle manipulation. The city had become a chessboard, humans the pieces. Guards, merchants, children—all reacting to stimuli he had carefully introduced.
[Assessment: data collected. Patterns visible. Young master competent. Laziness preserved. Marginally.]
Marginally preserved. Effort is already creeping in. I hate this.
He paused on a balcony overlooking the central square. Merchants shouted. Guards marched. Citizens moved obliviously. The city was alive, vibrant, and entirely predictable to him.
Aiden leaned against the railing, eyes scanning, mind calculating, heart steady. Today had been a victory—not through violence, but through influence and observation. The city had not noticed him.
And it would not be ready when it did.
[End-of-chapter thought: humans predictable, chaos manipulable. Young master competent. Laziness… still mostly intact. Excellent.]
Mostly intact, yes. But I am done for now. Effort required: too high. Not happening.