Premise:
In a world where power, politics, and dark magic intertwine, our protagonist, a seemingly ordinary young man named Jax, is accidentally thrown into the role of being the "Shadow" of a ruthless, cold-hearted, and downright lazy ruler—King Azgar. However, unlike typical shadows, Jax has no intentions of simply lurking in the background. He's cynical, sarcastic, and unapologetically self-serving. His job? To clean up after the king's chaotic, often ridiculous decisions—without getting caught in the crossfire of the politics and danger that come with the royal title.
With a knack for manipulating situations for his own benefit, Jax navigates a kingdom on the brink of collapse, filled with ridiculous enemies, bumbling allies, and a king who couldn't care less about anything but his own comfort.
Jax had never been one to care much for royalty. They were just people, like anyone else, except they got to eat lavishly and sleep in beds bigger than most houses. So, when he got the job as "Shadow" to King Azgar, it wasn't the glamour or the riches that tempted him. It was the sheer absurdity of it.
It all started on a Tuesday. Jax wasn't doing anything important. He never did. He had a nice little life being a half-decent thief and a full-time cynic. His luck, however, took a turn when he accidentally overheard two palace guards talking about a vacancy. A position that, unbeknownst to them, could be filled by anyone who walked by and wasn't an idiot. Naturally, Jax took advantage of this.
"Shadow of the King, huh?" he muttered to himself, still unsure if he believed in the concept. He'd heard the term before, but it wasn't exactly the kind of thing you applied for like a job at the bakery. But that's exactly what he did—because why not?
The next thing he knew, he found himself standing before King Azgar, a king who looked like he'd just woken up from a nap that started in the afternoon and ended somewhere around dinner. "You're my Shadow now," the king announced, not even bothering to lift his head from the mound of pillows surrounding him.
Jax blinked, unsure if he was supposed to bow or simply stare. His new boss, King Azgar, was sprawled out lazily, his eyes half-lidded as if everything in the world was beneath his attention. The king's indifference was the least concerning part of the situation. What disturbed Jax was the fact that Azgar had an army of people attending to his every need—and yet, not one of them seemed competent enough to run a bath properly, let alone manage the affairs of the kingdom.
"Your first task," Azgar said lazily, flicking his hand toward the pile of papers on the table, "is to… I don't know, get rid of the peasants. I'm tired of them looking at me while I eat."
Jax stared. The king was serious. In his own convoluted way, Azgar had just ordered the mass execution of peasants for no other reason than they existed and made eye contact.
"Sure thing," Jax replied flatly, rolling his eyes. "Anything else, Your Majesty? Should I go ahead and burn down the entire village while I'm at it? Maybe tell the peasants to just… leave? Or perhaps you'll want me to organize a little meet-and-greet with the heads of state while you nap your way to victory?"
Azgar barely moved, too comfortable to respond.