Chapter 3: Command

'It's probably time to log off, I've been in here for quite some time. I'm actually surprised the headset is still on me.' Daniel thought to himself as he imagined a menu appearing in front of him. In the bottom left is a log-out button. Daniel clicked it and an 'Are you sure?' Notification popped up. He selected yes.

Daniel's senses faded and the next thing he knew he was waking up in his bed. He looked around his room and noticed it was still light out. 'That's strange, I thought I was in there for quite some time...' He thought as he picked up his phone and noticed only about four minutes had gone by.

'Oh, so it morphs your perception of time to allow for a more immersive experience, that's useful information...' He thought as he sat up and put his phone in his pocket. He looked around, solidifying the fact that he is in the real world.

After a few moments, he stood up and hid away the headgear and briefcase under his bed, then left his room. He went down the stairs and noticed Ashley in the living room. "Hey, Ash." He said lightly with a wave and a warm smile.

"Hi!" She said happily as she walked over to him with a bright smile.

"You seem to be in a good mood today." He said as he crouched to meet her eye level. She nodded.

"It's because everybody is happy, so there is no reason to be sad!" She said loudly.

"Is that so?" Daniel asked as he tilted his head slightly. She nodded as she widened her stance.

"I don't know what you did, but you seem to be even happier than earlier, and daddy is reading like he usually would!" She said excitedly.

"I see. Maybe we should be happy more often, then." Daniel said as he pat Ashley's head. She giggled happily.

"It's been a while since we watched something together, let's go put something on the tv!" She said as she took Daniel's hand and began to guide him into the living room. Daniel turned on the tv while Ashley tried to decide where to sit.

(Meanwhile.)

"Salamander approaching target." A man with military gear and a GoPro on him said as he balanced himself in his treetop position.

"Don't shoot until we give the command, we don't know if they have the package, all we know is this is where the text was sent." A voice responded over the intercom.

"Yeah, yeah." The man responded as he aimed down his sniper's sight, peering into the window to Daniel's home. He saw Daniel turning on the tv and Ashley looking around the room. After a moment, Ashley looked out the window and locked eyes with the sniper.

She glared at him, then closed the curtains.

"Why'd you close those?" Daniel asked.

"I just thought it'd be better if there was less light since they do that in theaters." She said with a happy smile.

"This is salamander requesting an immediate retreat." The sniper said quickly.

"Granted." The voice responded.

"You guys watching something?" Their dad asked as he entered the room.

"We're about to." Daniel said as he picked a seat. "Want to join?" Daniel asked.

"Don't mind if I do." He responded as he found himself a seat.

"Ah, daddy, I lost my camera again!" Ashley said as she climbed into Daniel's lap and sat there.

"Alright, I'll see if I can find it after the movie." He said as Daniel opened GitFlix (Yes, a Netflix rip-off) and began to browse the selection.

After watching a movie, they began to talk as they looked for the missing camera. At the end of the day, their mother came home drunk and passed out on the couch.

After confirming that everybody was asleep, Daniel once again went into the game. 'Alright, let's see if I can make the pope mine...' He thought to himself as he pressed the on button. Once he was in the main menu, he clicked continue and a save list appeared. He clicked on his only save file and continued from where he left off.

He created a piece of paper with writing on it, then handed it to a maid. "Give this to the pope." He said commandingly. The maid bowed, then entered the meeting room and gave the pope the paper as Daniel walked down the hallway.

A maid entered the room as the pope calmed herself. "What is it he told you to do?" She asked sternly. She handed the pope the piece of paper with a bow. "I see." She said as she took it. As she unraveled the paper, the maid left the room.

'It would be nice to see you again in the future, perhaps in your domain.' The paper said. She crumpled it in her hand.

"That asshole." She mumbled.

Daniel walked back to his room and as he entered a maid bowed to him. "The queen selection process is scheduled for tomorrow." She said as she bowed.

"Alright." Daniel said as a maid took his clothes off and began to change him. 'A king's life is a little too intrusive, but I should play the part for now...' He thought to himself as the maid changed him into his pajamas.

The next day, Daniel took a bath in the morning, ate breakfast, and was then brought to a large room with a stage. The stage is around sixty feet long and has roughly thirty women on it, evenly spaced and in two rows.

"During the selection process, you may choose one as the queen and any number of the others as concubines." His personal maid said as he entered. He nodded and walked up onto the stage. The first candidate appeared to be around fourteen. Her breasts are b cup and her skin is pale. Her hair is long and blonde in coloration.

Daniel put his hand on her chin and looked into her emerald green eyes. "Tell me about her." Daniel said.

"She is the daughter of a marquis. She is well trained in etiquette and understands most court matters. There are also rumors that the marquis himself has defiled her." The maid said.

"Is that true?" He asked the girl.

"Y-yes, your majesty..." She said with downcast eyes, clearly ashamed to admit it.

"She will be a concubine." He said as he moved onto the next woman. The maid nodded in response and the girl was directed off stage by other maids. The next girl is only ten, with long brown hair, blue eyes, and very pale skin. "How old are you?" He asked.

"T-ten, your highness." She said nervously.

'That's a year older than Ash... Geez, this society is a little fucked.' Daniel thought to himself. "Dismissed." He said.

"Are you certain your majesty? She is the daughter of a duke, it may look like you do not favor them if you don't at least take her as a concubine." The maid said.

'Fucking court culture...' He thought to himself as he placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Fine, concubine." He said as he relaxed his posture and moved onto the next one.

"Yes, master." The maid said as Daniel looked the next one in the eyes.

"Tell me about her." Daniel said as he looked at the fierce look in this woman's eyes.

"She is the daughter of a baron. Her skill in etiquette is lackluster, however, she is proficient in making tea and dealing with children. Currently, she is fifteen." The maid detailed the woman.

"There's something else about her... Do we have any other information?" Daniel asked.

"She would commonly try to interrupt her father's court meetings, claiming that she had useful information to provide." The maid said.

"Baron, what was that information?" Daniel asked. The woman looked down nervously.

"W-well... Your majesty... Um... M-my family was at war with another of your vassals, so I wanted to help with the war by providing possible strategies that may work... But... Nobody listened..." She said timidly as she explained hesitantly.

"What kind of strategy did you provide?" Daniel asked.

"Oh..." She said as she searched her memory for a moment. "It was a simple flanking maneuver, my plan was for us to cut off the enemy right after they crossed a river that goes through our territory, this way, the enemy army would be exhausted and still trying to get their supply lines from the other side. While they continue to wait for supplies, we could first begin using catapults to assault the main force, then later incorporate the flanking maneuver to take out the rest of the army, this way, we take very few casualties while leaving the other army in disrepair." The woman said in a mumble as she explained her strategy, seemingly lost in thought.

"That is no way to speak to his majesty!" The maid yelled, snapping the woman back to reality.

"Ahh... M-my... Apologies." She said as tears began to form in her eyes.

"It is fine." Daniel said as he tilted her head up and grabbed his handkerchief, then wiped the side of her eyes. "I would like to invite you to my court as a strategist." Daniel said with a warm smile.

"Y-your majesty, it is unheard of for a woman to become a strategist!" the maid said with uncertainty.

"It will be fine." He said as he looked at the maid for a moment. "For now, stay here, you are still in the running." Daniel said gently as he looked the girl in the eyes. For a moment, there was a glint of excitement in her eyes, but she seemed to have controlled that emotion.

Daniel moved to the next woman. She has brown skin and small breasts, her eyes are blue and her hair is black. "Tell me about her." He said.

"She is the daughter of an Earl. Her etiquette is average, as is her behavior. She does not have any special skills as far as I am aware." The maid said.

"What do you consider to be of note about yourself?" Daniel asked the woman that stood before him.

"I do not have anything of note, your majesty." She said with a slight bow.

"Dismissed then." He said. She nodded, then left through the backstage area. After a couple of hours, he chose several women to be concubines and was left with four as a queen choice.

"Tell me their names." Daniel said.

"The one on the far left is named Emily." She said as Daniel focused on the girl who had earlier been talking about strategy. Emily has light skin and emerald green eyes, her hair is long and black in coloration. Her breasts are about a C-cup.

"The next one?" He asked.

"Lilith is the girl who is skilled in diplomacy and etiquette." The maid said. Daniel's eyes moved to the girl just right of Emily. A young woman with long black hair, ice-blue eyes, pale skin, and B-cup breasts.

"I see. And the one who is skilled at teaching?" Daniel asked as he turned his focus to the third one from the left. She has blue eyes, red hair, pale skin, and A-cup breasts.

"Madeline." The maid said.

"And the last one?" Daniel asked as he turned his focus to the last one in the line. She had dark skin, large breasts, brown eyes, and black hair.

"Iris." She said.

"She is talented in etiquette and wordplay, yes?" He asked.

"That is correct." The maid confirmed. Daniel thought for a moment as he paced back and forth trying to come to a decision. After a moment, he stopped suddenly.

"Iris and Madeline will become concubines." He said as he looked at the line.

"Yes, your majesty." The maid said as the two women were directed off stage.

"So, it's come down to diplomacy versus strategy..." Daniel mumbled. He began pacing after a moment, deep in thought. Daniel sighed. "Lilith shall become queen. Emily will be a concubine." Daniel said as he walked off the stage.

"Yes, your majesty, wedding preparations shall commence in full force immediately." The maid said as she bowed, then spoke to a couple of maids. After she spoke to them, they left to get things prepared. "Your concubines will have their rooms in the hall that leads to yours. You may do as you see fit with them, no matter what it is. That is your legal right. Anything from murder, to treating them as a pet, even treating them as a venerable being is allowed, so do not hesitate to do anything to them, my lord." The maid said, then bowed and left.

As she left, a maid came by for each concubine candidate and escorted them to their rooms. (There are eighteen concubines total btw.)