The Prince Consort's First Day
Rewind a bit—this wasn't a surprise. Elowen had warned him about it before she left. The memory of their conversation still felt fresh, almost like it had just happened.
"I'm sorry, Mikhailis," she had said, her golden eyes filled with a rare mix of regret and determination as they stood at the edge of the chamber's doorway.
"Don't worry about it," Mikhailis had waved it off with a smile.
"I know this is all part of the fun game we call politics. I'm just disappointed I don't get to enjoy more of your company, honestly,"
Elowen had smiled faintly at that, but the weight of her words hadn't lifted.
"It's not that simple. For the next three days, you'll be confined to this room. It's a strategy—a maneuver. Politically, it's crucial,"
Mikhailis had raised an eyebrow, pretending to playfully mock her, though he understood what she meant.
"Confined, huh? What's the matter? Afraid I'll charm the whole kingdom while you're gone?"
Elowen had let out a soft laugh, shaking her head.
"In a way, yes. That's the issue. The title of Prince Consort isn't just ceremonial. Here in Silvarion, people are always looking for ways to take advantage of those in power, and with you being so... unknown, people will wonder how much influence you have. They'll start thinking of ways to use you, to align themselves with you, hoping to sway the crown's power."
"So this is your way of keeping them off my back?" Mikhailis had asked, his teasing tone giving way to genuine curiosity.
Elowen had nodded.
"Exactly. If they think you're stuck in this room, out of the loop, they'll drop any plans to conspire with you. And once they believe you're a harmless, no-good prince consort... well, that's when we'll strike. By the time they realize you're not what they thought, it'll be too late."
He had grinned at her then, his expression shifting from playful to serious.
"I get it. You don't have to explain everything. I might look like an eccentric anime-loving goofball, but I'm not clueless, Elowen. I'll play the part, and I'll play it well. You have my word,"
Elowen had looked at him for a moment, her eyes softening.
"Thank you, Mikhailis," she had said quietly before leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.
"I'll return every night, but it might be very late. Until then… well, try not to get too bored."
And with that, she had left him alone in the royal chamber, the door clicking shut behind her.
Now, standing in the middle of the room, Mikhailis let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Three days in this room, huh?" he muttered to himself.
"Well, at least she could've left me with a manual or something."
As if on cue, Rodion's voice chimed in from the small device resting on Mikhailis's glasses. The familiar monotone voice filled the room, always dry, always punctual.
<Shall I remind you, Mikhailis, that you've already had more than enough time to get everything set up in here?>
Mikhailis rolled his eyes, a grin tugging at his lips.
"Oh, I know, Rodion. I know. You've been pestering me about it since the day we arrived."
<It's only pestering if you ignore my perfectly reasonable suggestions,>
Rodion replied, It's interesting how the AI's voice managing to sound offended even without emotion.
Mikhailis walked over to the far end of the room, where a setup that would make any tech enthusiast's heart race awaited him.
"And speaking of setups," he muttered, more to himself than Rodion.
"Let's see how everything's looking."
In the corner of the room was his pride and joy—his PC. A beast of a machine that could handle anything he threw at it. Three monitors, all top-tier 4K displays, each curved for the perfect immersive experience. The tower itself was a masterpiece of custom engineering, built for speed and power. Equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor, 128GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card, it was designed to handle anything from AAA games to running complex simulations. The cooling system was no joke either, keeping everything at optimal temperature even during the most intense sessions.
"I have to admit," Mikhailis said with a grin, "this is a work of art."
Rodion's voice chimed in again.
<It should be. I followed your every instruction to the letter.>
Mikhailis chuckled as he moved toward the huge television mounted on the wall.
"And this bad boy," he murmured, running a hand along the screen.
It was an 85-inch OLED 8K TV with perfect black levels, HDR10+ support, and a refresh rate that made anything displayed on it look like it was happening in real life. It was already connected to his PC via Bluetooth, ready to stream anything from his library of anime, games, and... well, let's just say he had other "entertainment resources" stored away, too.
The plush couches facing the TV were perfectly placed, offering a view of the screen that was nothing short of cinematic. Mikhailis could already imagine himself sprawled out, binge-watching entire seasons of his favorite shows or diving into the latest VR gaming sessions.
And that wasn't all.
The room had been wired to perfection, all powered by a series of solar panels hidden away in the private garden just outside. Mikhailis had designed the system himself, with Rodion overseeing the installation. The solar panels were state-of-the-art, utilizing photovoltaic cells that converted sunlight into energy at an incredibly high efficiency rate. The panels were sleek and unobtrusive, blending seamlessly with the garden's natural aesthetics.
"Solar panels, a custom PC, a home theater setup... not bad, Rodion. Not bad at all," Mikhailis said, standing in the center of the room and admiring the work they'd put into the place.
<You're welcome, Mikhailis. And just to clarify, your lab tools are also set up in the adjoining room. All insect aquariums and research equipment have been arranged according specifications. I took liberty of optimizing space for maximum efficiency.>
Mikhailis grinned.
"Ah, perfect! My little bug friends are gonna be happy with that. Any issues with the temperature control in the aquariums?"
<No issues. The climate control system is functioning at peak efficiency. Your insect specimens will thrive in the conditions provided.>
He nodded, satisfied. Everything was exactly where it needed to be. His research, his entertainment, his lab—it was all here, perfectly organized and running smoothly. It wasn't the worst place to be stuck for a few days, after all.
As he let out a contented sigh, Mikhailis moved to the window, looking out at the garden where the solar panels lay beneath the dappled shade of Silvarion's towering trees. The world beyond felt distant, but he knew that, for now, this seclusion was necessary. It was all part of the plan.
"I guess it's time to start work," he said, turning away from the window and stretching his arms.
<Indeed. >
Rodion's voice chimed in again.
<I have already prepared your daily schedule. If you would like, I can read it aloud.>
Mikhailis smirked.
"Yeah, why not? Hit me with the plan, Rodion."
<First, you will begin with a 30-minute meditation session to align your mind the local magical energies. Afterward, I recommend reviewing political landscape of Silvarion Thalor through files I've compiled. This be followed by one-hour insect specimens. After lunch, you'll spend some time studying kingdom's economic reports.>
Mikhailis blinked.
"Economic reports? Really? You know me, Rodion, I'm more of a 'watch anime until my eyes bleed' kind of guy."
<I'm aware, but Queen Elowen has specifically requested that you familiarize yourself with the kingdom's economic structure. Besides, wouldn't want her to think you're just lounging around, would you? And I believe this be beneficial for our future 'endeavors' as well, Mikhailis>
Mikhailis sighed dramatically.
"Fine, fine. What's next?"
<After that, you'll have some free time, during which I assume want to catch up on your anime or perhaps... other interests.>
Mikhailis chuckled. "You know me too well, Rodion."
<And then, in the evening, I suggest a thorough review of Silvarion's history and magical archives. Queen Elowen believes it will help you better understand kingdom's culture.>
"Of course she does," Mikhailis said with a grin.
"She's always thinking ahead. But I believe she's not as harsh as you, Rodion,"
<Shall I proceed with setting up your workspace?>
Rodion replied, completely ignoring him.
"Yeah, go ahead. Let's make this day as productive as possible."