King Felix II was reviewing intelligence reports in the Throne Room, which was currently configured for maximal comfort and minimal background clutter to avoid distractions from the Flow. Knight-Captain Rhea and Lord Reginald stood at attention.
"The intelligence is confirmed, Your Majesty," Rhea reported, scrolling through schematics of bulky, non-aesthetic siege engines. "Chadgardian generals are furious about Giga-Throck's Cancelation. They refuse to engage Thighland on the Fashion Frontier again."
Reginald, the GCVTD, piped up nervously. "They've shifted strategy, Sire. Instead of military might, they're sending political and magical gravity. They challenge you to a Contest of Wills at the neutral, ancient city of Apathea."
Felix raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Apathea? The city of mandated beige?"
"Precisely," Reginald gulped. "Their representative is Duke Vorlag, the Master of Temporal Stagnation. He is a traditionalist Arch-Mage who draws power from boredom, adherence to outdated laws, and sheer, crushing lack of inspiration. They believe he is immune to the Flow."
Felix accessed his system. Duke Vorlag was a unique threat. His power wasn't brute force; it was anti-aesthetics.
[SYSTEM SCAN: DUKE VORLAG. THREAT LEVEL: HIGH. PRIMARY DEFENSE: FLOW RESISTANCE. WEAKNESS: EXTREME VULNERABILITY TO CULTURAL SHOCK AND NOVELTY.]
"So, they're sending a man whose entire magical defense is based on being incredibly, profoundly dull," Felix summarized, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face. "A perfect counter to our national Rituals of Gooning."
"Reginald, what is the nature of the Contest of Wills?" the King asked.
"It is a magical debate, Sire. Each sovereign must propose and magically manifest a law to govern the neutral zone. The Duke will propose something incredibly dull, like 'The Mandatory Use of Unlicensed Parchment for All Government Documents.' You must counter, and the citizens of Apathea a famously apathetic populace will vote on which law to adopt."
Felix stood, channeling the lingering, warm energy of the Flow from the reserve. "The goal is to defeat Stagnation with pure, overwhelming inspiration. We must make the people of Apathea feel an emotion they have never felt before: aesthetic obsession."
He focused on the recently unlocked S-Tier skill.
Aesthetic Vortex: Creates a localized, reality-bending bubble of overwhelming aesthetic perfection.
"The Aesthetic Vortex is the key," Felix declared. "It costs a huge amount of DF, but it will force those apathetic citizens to experience a focus so profound, it will be irresistible. Rhea, what outfit maximizes my AI and has maximum resistance to dull, temporal magic?"
Rhea consulted her slate, her pink gauntlets clicking. "The Softcore Slayer is too 'combat.' Against stagnation, you need something that represents pure, joyful, disruptive newness. I propose the 'Digital Dawn' ensemble. It integrates Clout Crystals our nation's currency into the fabric itself, channeling the economic power of the Flow."
Felix approved the attire immediately. Before preparing the Digital Dawn ensemble, he needed one final surge of focused energy to ensure he could sustain the Aesthetic Vortex in the dull environment of Apathea.
"We need a final, targeted Flow ritual before we leave," Felix announced. "But this cannot be an aggressive, high-energy Gooning session. It must be subtle, focused, and deeply personal. It needs to generate 'Intimate Flow'—the energy of close, quiet devotion."
He looked at Chief Evelyn The royal cosplayer (RC). "Evelyn, prepare a small, discreet camera. I will record a short, high-effort 'Get Ready With Me' video a GRWM. I will discuss the nuances of my makeup application and my thoughts on the Duke's poor fashion choices. The video must be short, edited flawlessly, and dropped one hour before we depart."
Evelyn's eyes widened. "A GRWM (Get Ready With Me) on the eve of diplomatic war? Sire, the sheer volume of Intimate Flow generated by that level of vulnerability and aesthetic care..."
"It will be enough," Felix finished with dangerous certainty. "It is the perfect, focused Ritual to charge the Digital Dawn ensemble. Duke Vorlag relies on boring sameness. We will counter him with a spectacle of personal, unhinged perfection fueled by the quiet, dedicated obsession of my people. The battle is no longer about strength, but about who can command the most focused Flow."