He first wrote to Nikolaos Skleros confessing failure to move Konstantinos X. Lightning strikes are unpredictable, affecting one person but not another. The words of Nikolaos and Psellos would draw tears from adamant, but the time was wrong and the emperor stood out alone against them. Nikolaos must be patient. In a second epistle he said that Nikolaos sent a most charming letter, but Konstantinos X, though often charmable, had a military crisis [the Uzes?], and was only charmed by arms dealers. Psellos thus kept the letter back, but charmed Ioannes the kaisar, preparing a double attack with him. A third letter announced preliminary success, but his promised sacrifices to help Nikolaos had not yet delivered full results. Psellos with Nikolaos' letter moved Konstantinos X, who gave him leave from his Aegean office to go to his estate of Mitza Kathara, sending a (preliminary) imperial letter. Psellos reassured Nikolaos that this would be confirmed, as the emperor gave his word and told him to inform Nikolaos. The latter should send a simple letter of thanks requesting confimation, and Psellos would continue his pressure. Finally he consoled Nikolaos that he was no longer krites of Aegean Sea. When Konstantinos read Nikolaos' letter to Psellos, he removed him from the office with deep sympathy. Further, Konstantinos often asked about his confiscated estate (details of his decision to follow). Nikolaos' grief needed more radical surgery which only God could provide; he should wait patiently in bed till God acted