Chapter 6 Part 4

I stomp over to the doors that have a large metal ring on them. I grab one and pull it open before slamming it shut behind me.

Outside the darkness of the night is not present due to the torches lit by her servants.

In the middle of her entourage is the Red Queen. Sitting on the Bandersnatch.

She is not happy indeed.

"Thief! Off with her head!"

"Excuse you?"

She huffed and puffed her words out as her soldiers got ready to decapitate me.

"You stole my Jabberwocky!"

I roll my eyes and snort.

"He stole himself. He waltzed into and caused damage to my castle. He was so saddened by the damage he caused that he signed himself away to eternal service under me. The Black Queen."

She stops huffing for a second.

"What did you say?"

"Which part did you want me to repeat? That Jabberwock now belongs to me or-"

"You cannot be a Queen! I have never heard of such a Queen. Me and my sister-"

"Your sister is in my custody and this is my castle!" 

I can't see too clearly in the dark but I think she's reaching for something.

A whistle?

Oh no.

She blows hard, her entire wrinkled face turning red.

"JABBERWOCKY!"

"…"

"Iracebeth you're embarrassing yourself."

Please don't answer Jabberwock you'll just make this ten times worse.

"How dare you call my name?!"

"How dare you storm my castle at night?! You know the rules! Once it is daylight we might fight but keep fighting out of the night!"

"I am the Black Queen, now return to your castle!"

"I want proof!"

"Come back tomorrow in the morning!"

"But!"

"Begone now!"

I put my hand in the groove of the door when I heard the piercing sound of the wind whistling behind me.

I reach out and grab whatever projectile that was and throw it back at its owner.

A dull thud is heard behind me as armor meets the ground.

I spare a glance before I close the door. A knight tried to throw a spear at my back and I promptly pierced him right in the middle of his chest.

Is it just me or did my instincts get turned up to a thousand?

[As you increase your level your perception receives upgrades.]

My what! I have a level! I can upgrade myself!

[Of course. Would you like to see your Status Board?]

I completely forgot about that. Yeah, of course, I would just give me a few seconds. OK?

[That's fine.]

Did I get any EXP/DC from killing that knight?

[10,000 DC]

I clear my throat as I address the very scared people, one shivering bunny, and the battle-ready knights.

Nice to know they were ready to defend themselves.

"She's coming back tomorrow, be ready to receive a very rude morning greeting as well."

A young girl shivers nervously, teeth chattering as she asks.

"What does she want?"

"The Jabberwock I think and now to kill me I suppose? I never really know with her she's just mad about everything?"

A few people murmur their suspicions as Lily gets closer to Marina and throws her arms around her.

"Mom, what are we going to do? I'm scared."

Mom?!

That's her daughter?! I didn't know she had a daughter.

[Lily is the daughter of the late White King and the White Queen.]

No wonder she was so adamant about her.

"Anyway since I'm now awake. We are going to have to talk about the duties of everyone here. I'm going to call out names and everyone will form a line in front of me."

"Lily, Rabbit, and Tulula."

The three of them came to stand in front of me in a line based on the order I called them in.

Is there any way I can assign duties to them and manage them through the system?

[The service system is available and can be purchased for 50,000DC.]

Buy it and help me use it.

[It is done.]

A screen appears in front of me with profiles of everyone I've bought and commands listed next to them.

Walk, listen, loudspeaker, microphone, etc.

"You three will be in charge of the staff here. Who is proficient in cleaning duties?"

Tulula raises her hand.

"Who is proficient in the management of other servants. I mean employees?"

Rabbit raises his hand hesitantly.

"Good Tulula you will be in charge of the cleaning staff. I will assign six rank three red knights to work under you and clean the castle. Except the towers."

"Rank three Red knights!"

They come running and stand in front of me as I point to Tulula who looks like she's about to shit herself.

"This is your new boss do as she asks she's going to teach you how to clean and maintain the castle."

"Understood."

They stand behind her as I go on to separate and create a group for everything the castle needs. It's like an RPG or a kingdom building game. I wish I had a farm maybe I can make an indoor one?

"Alright Rabbit and Lily you are the new Head Butler and Maid you manage the castle resources. And you report to me only and will assist me in daily life."

They nod.

"Lily you will be in charge of six rank three white knights. You will ask them to gather things like food or any resources we might need."

"Rank Three White Knights?"

They come to stand in a line before Lily. I'm assuming they respect her a little more because of her former status so I put them together.

"You may start now. I grant the knights permission to leave but you must come back to the castle before daylight."

Which is usually from 6 to 8 o clock plenty of time for them to forage.

We repeat the same process as before and I see on the screen that my little castle system seems to be working.

I can literally see the command they've been given.

One knight has been tasked to gather as many ruptopf flowers as he can. He's heading toward White Queen's old territory and has an inventory value of 15.

I click on him and zoom in.

He's putting the flowers in his armor. First, he shoves it down the would-be mouth part of his helmet and it falls and is held in his chest armor.

Neat.

"Alright next!"

"Sequa, Keser, and Marina!"

They step forward as well eager to receive whatever orders I have. That's very convenient. I'm pretty sure they're just waiting to receive an order to leave the castle. Which is not happening anytime soon.

"I'm putting you in charge of food and the kitchen."

"You may inform Lily of whatever ingredients you need to make a meal for…"

I make a quick count of the people that can eat. Including me of course. The Knights don't and can't eat except the jokers.

"A meal for thirteen people every morning, noon, and midnight."

"You do not have to start today but you can start tomorrow."

They nod eagerly and Marina asks.

"Can we leave as well?"

"After you finish cooking you may leave for a short period and come back before you need to cook again."

"So we can leave today?"