It has not failed to attract notice that the Emperor spent an entire concert with a gorgeous young man - un-Gifted, of low birth and no particular importance, but with an intriguingly mysterious history? And certainly bold! The odd conversation with the minister was overheard by several different people scrying it, and speculation is rampant. It's no surprise the boy is clever, the Emperor likes that, but he sounded educated, just - clearly not by the Empire.
There's a rumor that he's the younger son of the king of one of their southern neighbors, sent under a false identity to learn the Emperor's secrets (which won't work, obviously, and is relatively unlikely even to get him executed.) - no, actually he's the son of a southern king who fell in love with the Emperor from a distance and ran away in secret of his own will.
- he's a slave from a different southern country, purchased by a particular powerful and wealthy noble who noticed his handsome looks and intelligence, and saw a way to earn the Emperor's favor...
He was in fact raised by ordinary farmers, but is the secret bastard of a noble lord, who arranged for him to have lessons in seduction as well as economics.
His looks aren't natural and were sculpted by years of effort by a skilled mage-Healer outside the Empire.
...that, but also he's much older than he appears and this isn't the first ruler he's seduced.
It is remarked that Merda was involved in hiring him as a page. Merda could be working for just about anyone - though probably not the king of a southern kingdom - and, as usual, gives cryptic answers that vary widely based on who she's speaking with.
- it is also noticed fairly quickly that Caris is often unfindable to scrying? Which mostly hints that he has a powerful patron; anti-scrying wards aren't unheard of, but a page with no other interesting traits isn't going to get access to them.
Thoughtsensers are rare but Ketar isn't the only Thoughtsenser at court, and some of the others don't just report to Merda and will sell information incidentally gathered - or even take on special assignments - in exchange for favors. (Merda should perhaps warn Caris that when he's scheduled for messenger duties and scryable, probably people will be trying to read his mind.)