Lord Shadow



Turbulent Sea, Arturia

"Boris Problem" he suddenly muttered like he just remembers it

Azief is still in that room not knowing what is happening all over the world right now. 

But then suddenly he felt pain in his eyes and his eyes widened. And in that moment, vision seems to swim in his mind. 

Azief felt a surge of unease and confusion as he witnessed the vivid and disorienting vision. 

"shit" he cursed as he felt like his head is being split open 

Right now, this is a different feeling than the time he had his other vision. 

The scenes played out in his mind like fragmented pieces of a puzzle, teasing his understanding yet leaving him with more questions than answers. 

The pain in his eyes was a jarring reminder of the deal he made with Erika. 

The images of the seven individuals, the majestic scenery with clouds and griffins, and the frozen tableau all swirled within his mind, refusing to be easily deciphered. 

The cosmic-like light swirling in his pupils reflected the profound connection he had with the unseen forces of the world.

Everything stop in his vision. 

Like time had been frozen. 

Azief could not see himself right now but if he could, he would see that his left eye is turning cloudy and there is a cosmic-like light swirling in his pupils.

But then he suddenly close his eyes. 

But the vision keeps on coming

"Cut" he muttered and the moment he said it, it was like something has been cut, something intangible, something invisible.

As if severing the ethereal threads that bound him to this mysterious sight. 

As his voice echoed in the depths of his mind, the vision abruptly ceased

Azief felt like he was jerked forward

Taking a moment to compose himself, Azief closed his eyes, seeking solace and clarity within the confines of his own thoughts. 

Breathing deeply, he allowed himself a respite from the perplexing revelation, attempting to ground himself in the familiar surroundings of his study room.

Rubbing the back of his neck, a gesture of both weariness and anticipation, Azief slowly opened his eyes, finding himself back in the present moment. 

The room remained unchanged

Only he had changed. He frowned. 

"Erika" he muttered, knowing exactly why he is having this kind of vision

Then he went silent for a while and then he mutters

"Why now?"

Azief had been having this kind of interruption more frequently now. Seeing vision. Sometimes he sees the past.

  Sometimes he sees the glimpses of possible future. 

And sometimes he sees something eh could not understand at all. 

From the moment, he took Erika eyes, he was connected with her. 

He pondered the implications of this connection. Was it a side effect of their mystical exchange?

  Or was there a deeper reason behind it? 

The thought that Erika's unique abilities as the Oracle had somehow influenced him gnawed at his mind. 

The line between their consciousness blurred, creating a shared experience of visions and glimpses into the fabric of time.

And it almost felt like Erika infected him with the same kind of madness that always comes by being the Oracle

Maybe, from the moment he agreed to the price that Erika had propose back then, he also shares and bound Erika to be sane. 

"I am seeing what she is seeing. But she also sees the thing that I am seeing. Connected" he mutters to himself. 

He sighed for  a moment. He was thinking about the Boris Problem when suddenly this vision interrupted him. 

"it was not this bad when I am in the Seresian world" he mutters. 

But then he leans back on his chair and then close his eyes. He tries to recall back what he sees from the vision. 

Unlike the vision he sees in the past this time the vision he saw is not a vision of the future.

  Instead, it is what Erika was seeing. 

But what did she see? That is the question. So, Azief close his eyes, focus his mind and all the images and vision that appears in his mind before once again appears.

Only this time, he controls the speed and pace of how fast this vision moves.  I think you should take a look at

He look at it and then a few second later he opens his eyes

"Jean...you're there?" he mutters to himself. For a moment he got up from his chair and goes to the window and look toward the distance

His study is on a very high place so from where he is standing from, he could see the people below and the city and the clouds

Jean went to meet Erika. That time stopping stunt, only Jean could do it like that. Even thigh the sight of Jena in the vision is quite blurry, he is sure that Jean was there in the vision. 

He sighed. 

"Jean might have seen something I did not. Or…is it a desperate gambit? Erika knows a lot of things. Could she also know this? Then how much the price should be paid? I pay with my eye. What would you pay with Jean?" 

For a few solid minutes, Azief just look toward the distance. 

One might think that Death Monarch right now, like always is thinking of something, plotting or scheming

But, this time he just look toward the distance, looking as far as he could and just blank out. And he was like this for a couple of minutes

He did not think about why Jean was there. 

He did not care why Erika was there with that seven people. 

Of course, he knew who those seven people are. 

Even though the face is blurry in the vision, he could tell that this seven people must be the Seven Warlords of Delphi. 

He did not doubt this. 

And that mountain must be Mount Parnassus. 

While he himself had never gone there, Azief just got the feeling like that is the place

It is probably because of the connection he now shared with Erika that he had such feeling. 

He think nothing of this and only think of nothing. But then he came back. He sighed.

He sat back down at his chair and shakes his head. 

He did not know why his eyes could see that vision but right now that is not his concern

He thought about the Boris Problem. A very European problem

"I forgot about it" his mood that had just risen had gone down back to low level. 

His conversation with Hikigaya before, had made him quite jubilant

Because in that conversation, he not only knows what Hikigaya is thinking about, he also knows what he thinks about and what he thinks about certain things

It is funny that some things only become clear when you verbalize it and see it from an objective perspective

When he was determined to help Hikigaya before, he sees things from an objective perspective and so in doing that, he helped himself seeing things objectively. 

But now that he sits down, he once again think about this problem. It is not his problem. Yet, this problem is making the whole world uneasy.

The "Boris Problem" refers to the issues surrounding Boris Ivanov, also known as the Beast King and the Iron Chancellor. 

While those outside the sphere of influence of the Republic may not be familiar with this term, it holds significant meaning for the Senators and other world powers who are aware of Boris's actions.

Boris Ivanov possesses the unique ability to control monsters and titanic beasts, earning him the nickname "Beast King" due to his affinity for communicating with these creatures. 

However, his influence extends beyond his extraordinary abilities. 

He is also referred to as the Iron Chancellor, a title shared with another historical figure, Otto von Bismarck.

Boris initially garnered support by promising equality and equal representation for all who joined his Senate within the Republic. 

He assured states, nations, and kingdoms that their powers would not be diminished and that their voices would be heard. 

However, a few years ago, a change in policy occurred, leading to the emergence of the Boris Problem.

The issue revolves around Boris's gradual attempts to consolidate more power for himself, as well as for the Chancellor and the Inner Council. 

This shift in policy contradicts his earlier promises of equality and shared governance within the Republic. 

The growing concern lies in Boris's apparent desire to centralize authority and diminish the influence of individual states, nations, and kingdoms.

The Boris Problem has sparked debates and discussions among Senators and other world powers, as they observe and react to the evolving dynamics within the Republic. 

It represents a shift away from the initial principles of equality and inclusivity that Boris had championed, raising questions about the future direction and stability of the Republic under his leadership.

And also raising fear. 

Within the Republic, there is a noticeable trend towards the unification of Europe. 

However, this unification is not necessarily aligned with the desires of all Senate members. 

While the Republic technically has control over Europe, it is important to note that the Republic is not governed by a single individual.

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