Jasper looked at Raven thoughtfully. "Would you like to help me with Chess 3.0?"
Raven hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "If I can, yes."
Jasper stood up and walked over to a shelf in the alchemy room, pulling out the chessboard. He brought it back and set it down in front of them. At first, Raven thought it was just a toy, but as she leaned in and watched more closely, her eyes widened in disbelief. "J-Jasper, aren't they real people?"
Jasper shook his head with a smile. "Of course not. I made them with, uhm...magic?"
Raven leaned in, amazed, watching the miniature people go about their lives. "Wow, it's like they're real."
He then pulled out a small vial of liquid from the drawer and drank it. The moment he drank it, some kind of scar covered the area around his eyes.
He then spat into a container and drew his saliva into a syringe.
Turning to Raven, he said, "In a moment, I'm going to close my eyes, and I need you to time, how long I stay like that."
"That's all I need to do?"
"Yes, that's it."
Jasper then used the system to command the white king to look up and shout whatever he desired the most, promising him great power if he did so.
The king obeyed, and Jasper dropped the saliva from the syringe into the king's mouth. The king gagged in disgust and soon after, the area around his eyes was covered with a kind of scar, and he fainted.
Raven watched the scene with revulsion and thought "Eww, What kind of game is that?".
Then Jasper closed his eyes and opened them as the king.
He looked at his body and hands, then tried to cast a spell but nothing happened, and he thought, "The first step seems successful. I'm the king and I'm as weak as him"
At that moment, a guard barged in and bowed quickly. "My king, are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I'm fine," Jasper replied, adjusting to the new perspective.
"Your Excellency, the villagers and the accused are waiting in line in the throne room for your judgment," the guard informed him.
"Very well," Jasper said, rising from his seat, "I'm coming."
He made his way to the throne room, the guard leading the way. The room was filled with people, their anxious murmurs filling the air. As he entered, the noise died down, and everyone bowed in respect.
The king's right-hand advisor stepped forward and announced, "The King Arthur has arrived!"
The villagers and the accused stood silently, waiting for the judgment. Jasper took his place on the throne, his expression detached. The first case was brought forward – a dispute between two villagers.
One villager, a burly man with a red face, stepped forward. "My lord, his dog killed my sheep! I demand compensation."
The accused, a wiry man with a defensive stance, retorted, "That's a lie! Your sheep wandered into my land and got caught in my fence. My dog was only protecting my property!"
The burly man shook his fist angrily. "Your fence? It's barely a fence, more like a bunch of sticks! Your dog is a menace!"
"My dog is a guardian, unlike your roaming, troublesome sheep!" the wiry man snapped back.
The two began to argue heatedly, each shouting over the other and ignoring Jasper entirely. Their voices rose, filling the room with chaos.
"Your dog has terrorized the entire village, not just my sheep! He's bitten children and chased livestock!" the burly man yelled.
"Liar my dog had never done something like that and your sheep are no saints! They trample crops and steal food meant for my family!" the wiry man retorted.
The argument continued to escalate until the king's right-hand advisor stepped forward and shouted, "You are in the presence of the king! Show some manners and respect!"
The villagers fell silent, looking ashamed but still glaring at each other.
Jasper listened with apparent indifference. When the advisor asked for his judgment, Jasper made a quick decision. "The man with the dog must compensate the other for the sheep. Additionally, he must pay a fine to the treasury for causing such a disturbance in my court."
The right-hand advisor leaned in and whispered, "My lord, are you sure? This man seems like the real problem, his sheep trespassed on the other ones lands. His dog has never caused trouble before."
Jasper, maintaining his calm demeanor, responded, "I really don't care Sebastian, I've made my decision."
"My king, my name is not Sebastian. My name is---" the right-hand advisor tried to explain, but Jasper signaled him to be silent with a gesture.
"Yes, sir," the advisor said and bowed his head.
The accused man's face turned pale. "But my lord, that's not fair! His sheep trespassed on my land!"
The room erupted in whispers, the people shocked by what seemed like an unfair judgment. The advisor nodded, though, and announced, "The king has spoken. The case is settled."
The villagers whispered among themselves, clearly dissatisfied and surprised by the judgment. Jasper remained unfazed, observing their reactions with a detached curiosity.
Jasper sat on the throne, still adjusting to his new role as king. The tension in the room was palpable as the next case was brought before him.
Two men stood before the throne. The first, an older man with a weathered face, pointed angrily at the second man, a younger, more rugged-looking individual.
"Your Excellency, this man killed my child! He must be punished!" the older man shouted, his voice breaking with emotion.
The younger man immediately defended himself. "It wasn't me, Your Majesty. I swear on my life, I didn't do it. He's blaming me because we had a disagreement in the past."
The older man cut in, "A disagreement? You threatened to kill my son in front of everyone! And now he's dead! How can that be a coincidence?"
The younger man, visibly agitated, replied, "Yes, we argued, but I would never harm a child. Someone else must have done it. You can't just accuse me without evidence!"
The two men began arguing loudly, ignoring the presence of the king.
The right-hand advisor stepped forward and announced, "Silence!"
The men fell silent, their eyes shifting nervously towards Jasper.
Jasper listened to their arguments with an indifferent expression. "You," he pointed to the older man, "state your case clearly."
The older man took a deep breath. "Your Majesty, my son was found dead near the woods. This man," he pointed again at the younger man, "threatened to kill him just days before. Everyone in the village knows about their fight. He had motive and opportunity."
Jasper then turned to the younger man. "And you, your defense?"
The younger man met Jasper's gaze. "I did argue with his son, but I would never take a child's life. I was working in the fields all day when it happened. There are people who can vouch for me."
The advisor leaned in and whispered to Jasper, "Your Majesty, this man does have several witnesses who claim he was working during the time of the murder. Perhaps a more thorough investigation is needed."
Jasper, still playing his role, waved a dismissive hand. "Enough. I've heard enough. This is my judgment."
The room fell silent, all eyes on Jasper.
"Based on what I've heard, it seems clear," Jasper began, causing the younger man to tense, "That you are guilty of this crime. You will be executed immediately."
Gasps erupted from the gathered crowd. The advisor looked shocked and quickly leaned in again. "Are you sure, my Lord? This decision seems hasty without concrete evidence."
Jasper turned to his advisor, his eyes narrowing. "Shut up, Sebastian."
The advisor tried to correct him, "My Lord, my name is—" but Jasper interrupted with a wave of his hand. "I said, shut up, Sebastian."
The advisor bowed his head. "Yes, my Lord."
Jasper signaled to the guards. "Take him away and execute him."
The younger man was dragged out of the throne room, protesting his innocence, "I am not guilty! Please, please let me go!"
The older man looked somewhat satisfied but still grief-stricken.
Jasper leaned back on the throne, ignoring the murmurs of discontent among the crowd. The right-hand advisor glanced at him, concern etched on his face, but remained silent. The execution was carried out, and Jasper's reign continued with its air of injustice.
The previous case had been settled with a harsh judgment, leaving an uneasy atmosphere in the throne room.
"So, Sebastian," Jasper began, trying to lighten the mood, "have you heard about the recent developments in the neighboring kingdom? Rumor has it they've found a new way to increase their crop yields."
Sebastian, ever diligent, nodded. "Yes, my Lord. I've heard similar reports. It seems they've adopted a new irrigation technique that's proving quite effective."
Jasper leaned back in his throne, clearly losing interest. "Some rumors say they're planning to invade our lands, Is it true Sebastian?"
Sebastian hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Before he could speak, Jasper suddenly stood up, announcing, "Ah, I'm bored. I'm going to take a shi... I mean, I'll use the bathroom, You're in the charge for next case, Sebastian."
Sebastian's eyes widened in surprise. "My Lord, are you sure? The next case is about to—"
Jasper waved a dismissive hand. "I'll be fine. You can handle it. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
Sebastian watched in concern as Jasper strode purposefully out of the throne room. "My Lord, your private chamber is the other way!"
But Jasper paid no heed. "I know the way, Sebastian!"
As Jasper hastily left the throne room, Sebastian sighed deeply, steeling himself to manage the affairs of the kingdom in his absence.
Jasper stepped out into the garden and began to stroll around, lost in thought.
"This affair will take longer than I anticipated. Perhaps I should start the story with a disaster. That way, I'll have a reason to declare war on the other kingdom..."
As he wandered, he passed by a group of ladies hosting a tea party in the pergola, but he didn't even notice them.
'Hmm, maybe I could better organize the system so that time can flow faster, whenever I want... Ahh, I wonder when I'll get out of here. For that, I either need to die or kill the rival king. I hate testing games'
Just then, a woman's voice from the pergola called out,
'Arthur, darling! If your work is done early, wouldn't you like to join us?'