The city is positioned on the banks of Shire River that disgorges into the ocean. The so called “Old Town” developed significantly. However, the political center of Lutèce is not located there now.
It is located on the left bank of the river, rather away from the city, in the huge palace of Versailles. Not only was the palace elegant and complex, but so was the garden of Versailles, creating various shaped lines in front of the building.
This garden and building were expanded by the hands of the architects and the gardening masters invited from all over the world. All the growing cultures were used to change the outlook of Versailles.
Inside Versailles' palace, there was a building of particularly great dimensions. The royal family of Gallia had unusual blue hair color. In order to imitate this hair color, the building called the Grand Troyes was made from blue bricks.
In that Grand Troyes lived a man who had control over the 15 million lives in Gallia’s kingdom.
He was Joseph – King of Gallia.
His blue hair and blue beard framed his face, making it look breathtakingly beautiful. Tall and muscular he looked like a living statue. Though he was 45 years of age, he looked youthful in every way as if only hitting 30.
This beautiful face of a handsome man had a strange look on it.
Surrounded by two pages, he looked rather bizarre.
A lady’s voice came from the other side of the damask.
“Your Majesty…Your Majesty! The one which you looked for was found and came!”
Joseph elbowed his way towards the entrance in the room. A beautiful lady stood there surrounded by the blooming roses. Joseph’s face started to glow.
“Mrs. Molliere! Mrs. Molliere! You are the best!”
The lady who was called Mrs. Molliere presented a box to Joseph.
“Besides His Majesty’s Troops.”
With eyes sparkling like boys, Joseph opened the box. Once looking inside, his face glowed even more.
“This! This is ancient Kaap period’s heavy magic knight! Such an excellent article! Mrs. Molliere, you are a wonderful person!”
Taking out the approximately 20-centimeter sized knight doll out of the box, Joseph gave a joyful voice.
After that, he took Mrs. Molliere's hand and guided her to the center of the room.
“Saahsaah, I want you to look at this! It’s ‘My World’!”
The entire room had been converted into one huge miniature garden. Mrs. Molliere's eyes grew.
It looked like a map imitating Halkeginia. A huge model.
“Oh dear! What a beautiful miniature garden! It is wonderful!”
“Gardening masters from the whole country were called to make it! It took an entire month to complete!”
“Is this a latest play model? Have you gotten tired of chess?”
“Nononono. I am not tired!”
“Oh dear! May I ask what is it? I always thought it was strange for it to be fun.”
“Why?”
“Because, there is no opponent at hand. Enemy's horse and ally's horse move according to you, what fun is there in that?”
“Sadly as you can see there are no opponents around here.”
Mrs. Molliere laughed bitterly. Though the king was rich and had a pretty face he was often despised because he was not skillful in magic. He was called an imbecile and stupid. Therefore…the king who spent an obscure boyhood, became crazy in solitude. He highly devoted himself to chess.
“Chess has no changes from the original formula, it follows a certain pattern to focus on. But this play is different!”
Joseph said, pointing at the miniature garden.
“Geographical features are made following reality - the horses, spearmen, bowmen, musketeers, knights, dragon knights, artillerymen, warships… all made imitating the original army, fights as well! To decide cavalry’s victory or defeat dice is used! As a result the outcome is always different and gives you a feeling of an actual combat!”
Mrs. Molliere was interested in playing the war together that the king spoke so fondly about, though she couldn’t really understand it… She was glad seeing his happy face.
“Then can I too be one of Your Majesty’s bodyguard troop?”
“With pleasure. Knight of the Parterre. You‘ll make a splendid knight.”
Joseph placed the knight doll that Mrs. Molliere had brought onto the miniature garden. Jokingly, Mrs. Molliere bowed.
“Oh dear! Honorable Gallian knight of the Parterre? I will be begrudged by everyone!”
“A toast for the most beautiful knight leader in the world!”
Joseph lifted up the cup at his side. A page ran up and filled it with wine. Then the page filled Mrs Molliere’s cup as well and passed it to her.
“And in this play, Your Majesty will be both - friend and foe?”
The woman asked gracefully drinking from the cup.
“Obviously. Haven't I told you? In this Halkeginia game I am not a figure. I am setting up the strategy… A clever, exact strategy! That’s how it is. Oneself who is triumphant is crushed by the hand of oneself… Like I said I am setting a play for this sandplay stage, like a playwright.”
“Oh dear, this miniature garden is really precise.”
Mrs. Molliere who was taking a long look at it felt admiration. Hills, mountains, rivers… Ups and downs were applied to match real geographical features, even the small buildings in the city and the village were detailed. On a pass stood a soldier doll.
“What kind of drama unfolds here? Please explain it to me more.”
“Currently, that single blue army occupies this city.”
Joseph pointed at the city in a round rampart.
“Now it and the Red Army, which shut itself up in a city here, watch each others movements.”
He said pointing at the city standing on left from there. The city was lined with the building models of great dimensions. Many doll soldiers were placed there. There were also placed a few monster and dragon figurines. There were also ship models.
“Now that’s where it gets interesting. A blue army is reveling to a victory! But Red Army uses an unexpected ‘Trump Card’ and reverses it!”
Such a child, Mrs. Molliere muttered in her mind. Domestic affairs and diplomacy were neglected due to the King’s craziness… These were the rumors. And they were not wrong.
Joseph smiled and took the doll from the miniature garden.
It was a tall and slim female figure with dark hair.
Joseph placed the doll to his ear.
And, as if the doll spoke to him, Joseph nodded many times.
After that, Joseph spoke to the doll.
“That's right! Oh yes! Plans are underway! This is a colorful and fun plan indeed! Oh Muse! Muse's more than cute! Take a reward! However, now it's ‘stuffed’! I want to grab the toys, dolls, even more than I already have! I think it's time to get the plan underway!”
The look that Mrs. Molliere gave the Joseph who was talking to the doll was full of pity. He was not a king, he was not an owner of the pining pretty face, it was an eccentric behavior of the one whose heart never was never loved.
Compared to his younger brother who was good at everything... he was exposed to throne threats... to the whirlpools of political strife... which troubled Joseph's mind eventually.
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty… Aah, Your poor Majesty…”
Mrs. Molliere with a theatrical gesture patted Joseph's mandible. Joseph gently embraced Mrs. Molliere.
“Aah, Your Majesty… stop with the pranks…”
“Well, you see a dramatic reversal is the attempt to end the game. It must be decided – victory or defeat.”
While watching the two cities Joseph muttered… and called the page.