You stand at a crossroads, the weight of Lady Katharina's unspoken plea still echoing in your mind. The flickering candlelight casts eerie shadows across the chamber, illuminating the ancient runes etched into the stone walls. As you contemplate your next move, a soft whisper brushes against your ear, carrying with it an ominous warning of impending danger. Suddenly, a figure emerges from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. 'I see you are torn,' the voice intones, revealing themselves as Freidrich, the court's master of whispers. 'Be wary of the path you choose, for not all is as it seems within these walls.' The air grows heavy with tension, thick with intrigue and uncertainty.