Today was not a particularly hot day. The sun was covered by immense and varied clouds; refreshing air was blowing across wide grounds.
With the air went the rumors. The image of their talented Prince was slowly but steadily deteriorating.
But this was of no great importance to Federick. He was resting in his courtyard on a comfortable armchair; he was temporarily in penance.
He was surrounded by a lot of vegetation. The plants were varied and the flowers colorful; his fondness for cultivation had remained, traveling wide margins to cover the distance of two completely different existential realms.
Although his skin was exposed to the sun daily, there was no visible effect on his body.
"Shadow, today is a fantastic day, why don't you enjoy yourself?". Federick asked innocently.
From a far corner, in complete darkness, a figure quickly emerged. It was Shadow and he enhanced the value of his pseudonym.
"Lord, my duties are clear from my upbringing. As long as you act as my sun, and I the side effect of the shadow... I will enjoy." Replied "Shadow" modestly.
"Me a sun?" muttered Federick parchedly.
"See? you need a break to enjoy... To express yourself with such bitterness!" He expressed with madness in his eyes.
At Federick's outburst, a faint glimmer of fear appeared in Shadow's emotionless sockets. But still, he remained silent and without moving an inch.
When the madness faded from his eyes, he suddenly stood up. He walked rhythmically in the direction of some flowers, like the silent approach of a demon.
The flowers were located in a place that had previously been secluded. There grew a total of four flowers, three red and one yellow. He had planted them for half a month and they had recently bloomed.
There, she mercilessly plucked the yellow flower, pulling it even from the root. Observing it in silence, he let it rest on his forehead, where the sun's rays crashed against it.
"Take care of the immediate vicinity. I don't need any guests for the next few hours, Shadow." He announced, retreating inside his home.
The other three flowers afflicted were left unprotected against the wind.
"Yes, Lord."
...
Inside the home, Federick did not immediately place the flower in a bowl of water but left it resting on a random piece of furniture. Eventually, it would dry out to early wilting, but it was not a matter of concern.
When he entered his home, he already knew his next destination: his hiding place. The place where he kept his valuables.
It was not particularly planned, since it was in the cabinet next to his bed. But his house itself played the role of a safe.
There was the fragrant wine, the neat underwear, and the enigmatic board with its pieces.
He took the board in his fine hands, ignoring the other two objects. After returning for the pieces, he finally sat down in front of his desk, watching as the pieces fell into place without intervention.
"Interesting." muttered without any wild emotion.
Over the past few days, he had directed much of his energy into discovering relevant information about it.
Even directing much of his efforts, he hadn't discovered anything in-depth
[Chaotic game board: Probably a divine object, covered in strangeness. Extremely qualified laws converge on it, such as fate and karma.
Note: Similar to a board game, specifically of the nature of chess. Considering that it consists of a master and pieces, and the chaotic board is permeated of fate and karma; it is possible to assume that it is a divination equipment.
...
The yin and yang have been reversed, time does not exist and all mysteries disappear. It crosses untold distances, removes the veil of eternal mysteries, and calculates the future with its fingers!
(Incomplete information filled with beautiful words. Atte: System that loves omniscience.)
Stored energy sufficient for a single game]
Due to the autonomy demonstrated by the system, Federick had to act especially with scrutiny; but his words made sense... His last words he directly ignored.
But the most rewarding result was to learn of his energy that allowed a use. I would probably discover this in greater depth through practice.
Federick gently touched the thin, transparent surface of the board. Its quality was top-notch, just through his touch.
He was trying to activate the equipment but could find no way. Until he finally concentrated his intent more fiercely, a luminescent light rose from the object.
The energy was overflowing and chaotic, but in a breath, tranquility was restored.
Over myriad beings and places, where order and chaos swirled; different coercive forces were present, ancient and noble, a misty fog covered infinite space.
Federick was no longer in his room. Endless gray mist covered his surroundings with no apparent end. A figure, a board, and fog.
The figure was transparent and humanoid, with no recognizable features or factions; long black hair hung from its head, down to its thighs.
'This strange place again...' Federick thought carefully.
On a previous occasion, he had been in this fog-shrouded world. Specifically when he had been a baby of only weeks and was presented before the ancestral test of his Family.
Upon contact with the sacred artifact, he had been transported to this space. His intact memory was due to the impact this strange space had had on him.
But this time there was a difference: He had not been transported alone but had been accompanied by the board.
This space was a great mystery, which even his system could not unravel at present.
The board floated in front of him, at his complete disposal. The touch was no different than in reality; as if this body belonged to him.
Before he could prepare himself there was a reaction on the board. Suddenly it was covered with countless galaxies contained in its little space.
When these extraordinary effects disappeared from the board, the pieces changed. The old pieces of simple styles had now taken on realistic figures of people known and unknown...