"Observe, apprentice… every mortal thinks they hold the upper hand." He gestures to a nervous client waiting outside. "They do not. Not if you know how to speak their desires, manipulate their wants, twist their fears. You will learn to charm, to persuade, to make them want what you want… without ever lifting a finger. This is subtlety. This is power. This is the art of shadow influence."

He steps closer, voice dropping to a whisper that makes the hairs on your neck rise. "And remember… the cleverest dealmakers always have a hidden hand, unseen, guiding the outcome. That hidden hand… will be yours one day. But first, apprentice… you must learn patience, timing… and how to survive the consequences of your own missteps."