Judicator jane a litrpg.., p.36
Judicator Jane: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure, page 36
As they strolled together, Vexmor delighted in describing the demons’ extensive endeavors, from constructing barracks and storehouses to the smiths’ labor, modifications to the tower’s interior, and the wealth of precious materials mined. It became evident that Jane had significantly undervalued the productivity potential of the demonic horde when their entire focus was channeled into constructive efforts.
Before long, Vexmor guided her towards a group of humans garbed in a diverse assortment of clothing, their presence starkly incongruous amid the demons.
Vexmor informed her, “Furthermore, although most of the horde has returned to the fortress, a few continue to trickle in daily, particularly from Arcadia and the lands beyond.” He snapped his fingers, and the group of humans instantly morphed into a band of tall, intimidating demons.
Ah… more infiltrators… Jane nodded in understanding. Her mind was already busy devising ways to use these former spies and saboteurs in diplomatic endeavors, a more approachable means for the humans of Arcadia to initially interact with the demons. After greeting the infiltrators, all of whom were intelligent and well-versed in their respective territories, she moved on, engrossed in thought.
Jane felt a bit of panic as the sheer scale of it all began to inundate her. She was now directly accountable for an entirely new race and populace here on Alur. She was not only unprepared for this, but she also lacked any formal training in governance! This situation demanded serious consideration. However, one thing was certain: She needed a safe and easy mode of transportation between the fortress and Arcadia.
Gesturing to Vexmor, she conveyed her thoughts. “Vexmor, I think I’ve thought of our next major project. First, begin constructing a wide road from the fortress to the Great Barrier. Next, dispatch dedicated hunting parties westward along the road. They should continue to avoid human contact, but please have them hunt as many of the Sargor and other dangerous creatures in the area as possible.”
Vexmor nodded in agreement, and thus the grand project was set in motion.
Once Jane concluded her business with Vexmor and the other demons at the fortress, she came upon Belgoth, Reyla, and Pogg engrossed in a discussion. It seemed Gareth had departed shortly after their encounter, needing to manage the armies’ return to Arcadia. Jane had not spotted Melindra anywhere, and she voiced her concern to Belgoth, asking if she was doing okay.
“Oh, yes, she is quite well, though understandably rattled by the entire ordeal. She’ll need some time to recuperate. Being amidst so many demons, especially after such a swift turn of events, was still an overwhelming leap for her. Even Gareth had to fortify his resolve before entering here. You must remember, many of the demons here were the very terrors these men and women confronted at the wall night after night.”
Jane couldn’t blame anyone for wanting to steer clear of the demons after the experiences they’d endured, and this realization deepened her respect for Gareth’s bravery in coming to see her.
“She did, however, entrust something to me for you, claiming it was yours.” Moving his hand deftly, Belgoth retrieved something familiar from a concealed pocket in his robe. It was Jane’s old ring! With a speculative glint in his eyes, Belgoth grinned, “I wonder, how did you manage to find such a remarkable artifact of antiquity?”
As she held it in her hands, fully aware now of its immense power, she turned to Pogg. “Come on, Pogg. I don’t have much use for this ring myself. Do you think you could hold on to it for me again, for safekeeping?”
Pogg looked surprised at the mention of his name, but he quickly nodded in agreement. Jane handed him the ring, and he promptly slid it on, a look of relief washing over his face.
Taking a moment, she regarded her friends. “I... think I need to remain here, among the demons to sort out a few matters. At least for a little while.”
Pogg squirmed uneasily, especially when the shrieks of the demons echoed at that very moment.
Belgoth glanced at him, “Yes, that seems reasonable. I can escort Pogg back with the Arcadian armies. We should be able to reach them without too much difficulty.” He turned to Reyla, “And you, Reyla, will you join us in our return?”
Reyla draped her arm around Jane, “No, I think I’ll stay here with Jane until she’s ready. These demons don’t bother me much!”
Belgoth nodded, “Excellent, then it’s decided.” A moment later, he addressed Jane, “And, as for Mint, do you have any message for him?”
Jane thought for a moment, and an idea occurred to her. Signaling for Vexmor, she relayed her thoughts to him, and before Belgoth and Pogg had completed their departure preparations, she held a wrapped parcel in her hands, which she presented to Belgoth.
“Give this to Mint and tell him that once the road to the Great Barrier is completed, he’s welcome to visit the demon fortress any time.”
Belgoth sneaked a quick peek into the package, a smile playing on his lips. “Of course. I’m certain he will appreciate it immensely.”
As Jane stood at the gates with Reyla, watching the pair ride off, she noticed the colossal statues standing in the distance. She hadn’t realized that they had remained after the conclusion of the event. Who were they, and why had they come? Their presence was similar to the silent observers in her Trial of Justice skill. Reflecting on her Judicator class, she noted that many skills seemed deeply attuned to the concepts of white and black, or perhaps light and dark, with her occupying the gray space in between. However, she didn’t detect any hostility or tension between the two sides. All they appeared to share was their expectation for her to provide answers.
And the stone tablet, positioned equidistant between both sides, now almost appeared as a monument to the shift in the System. She would have to visit it again and see how the changes she had intended had been inscribed, as everything had transpired so rapidly. For the moment, however, she was just happy to see her friends safe and sound, relieved with the absence of needless loss of life.
Reyla patted her on the shoulder, “Looks like it’s just the two of us now.” She glanced back at where Gral’gor was standing in the distance, “Well, and him, I suppose. Now, let’s go see if Bolg can whip up another bathtub!”
FIFTY-ONE
A NEW WORLD
The ensuing days for Jane unfolded peacefully, primarily consumed by planning and logistics. The demons had amassed a vast collection of ore, minerals, and stone from the mines. The hunting parties, too, had been stockpiling substantial amounts of materials like bones and high-quality hides that hadn’t been fully utilized. As Jane saw it, they had many resources that could potentially benefit Arcadia. If she could establish some form of trade relationship with the king or the lords, they could import the commodities they lacked and transform this area into a bona fide city.
With a smile, she wondered whether importing vegetables or other cultivatable items could potentially convert the demons to a vegetarian diet. Would they even care? The soul-binding process was still deeply unsettling to Jane. She intended to look deeper into this topic with Vexmor and some of the more intellectual demons to fully comprehend its implications. The demons with sufficiently high Intelligence stats seemed to be able to function independently, but the others almost resembled mindless servants. There must be a way to enhance their Intelligence, thereby enabling them to become functioning members of society.
Standing atop the tower and surveying the horizon, she found herself with an unobstructed view in all directions. In a way, she could understand why Ur might have enjoyed this vantage point. Did the ancient Demon Lord even possess likes or dislikes? Who could truly know? Jane liked to believe that, at some point, it might have exhibited human-like traits. Gral’gor certainly did.
Reyla interrupted her musings, ascending from the lower levels with food in hand. “Hey, I’ve got dinner. Guess what? More Sargor meat!”
Jane expressed her gratitude to her friend with a smile. Yes, they definitely needed to establish trade routes with Arcadia.
Reyla regarded Jane with a hint of apprehension. “Jane, I wanted to discuss something with you.”
Jane turned to her, noting the shift in Reyla’s tone, “Sure, what’s on your mind?”
“Remember that friend I mentioned to you back in the forest? The one who opted to re-roll his class?”
Jane nodded; the memory was indeed familiar.
“Well, his class was titled Arcanite Smith, and, as it happens, there’s no naturally occurring Arcanite in Arcadia. However, Vexmor mentioned that they’ve discovered an abundant supply of it in the mine.”
Jane connected the dots, “Ah, so you’re suggesting he might be willing to come here, potentially gaining a chance to level up in his class?”
Reyla affirmed with a nod.
Jane excitedly responded, “Of course, he can come! What else are we going to do with all this stuff?”
Reyla beamed, enveloping Jane in a hug, “Thank you, Jane!”
While they savored their Sargor meat and admired the setting sun, Jane broached a new subject, “You know, Reyla, I think it’s high time we returned to Arcadia. There are a bunch of issues to address there concerning human-demon relations, and it’s probably best if I initiate the process.”
Reyla glanced at her portion of Sargor meat, taking another uncertain bite, “Yes, I think I’d be quite okay with that.”
What Jane told Reyla was only a fraction of the truth. Indeed, she wanted to ensure that the demons could become self-sustaining and live peacefully without the threat of war. However, there was a more substantial mystery within this world that needed solving. The inhabitants remained unaware—incapable, really—of understanding how their System mirrored man-made technical programs in Jane’s world. Programming or computer science did not exist here, at least as far as she had discerned. Not only that, but she also wasn’t any closer to finding how or why she had been brought here.
With her insights from Earth and her significant powers, both through her Luck and Judicator class, it seemed as though she was uniquely suited to uncover these truths. Were the answers to the origins of the System and her own arrival into this world connected? The pieces of the puzzle were out there, and she was determined to find them.
The next day, Jane arranged a meeting with Gral’gor and Vexmor. She had reached a conclusion: There was a need for someone with complete autonomy to make decisions in her absence, and Gral’gor was perfectly suited for the task. It wasn’t that Vexmor was inadequate, but rather that he adhered too strictly to Jane’s orders and would be unable to adjust to unexpected situations. However, Vexmor was still the only one capable of directly controlling the demon masses, so they would need to collaborate.
Jane left extensive orders and guidelines for them to follow. If Gral’gor ever began to overstep those boundaries, Vexmor would serve as a check, acting as a fail-safe mechanism to ensure that he didn’t misinterpret Jane and decide to go on a world dominating rampage.
She also made a point to visit Bolg’s forge before she left. Jane had made quite a few requests before her initial departure, only to add even more while she stayed. Now, her collection consisted of items that could be both useful and convenient on her journey. There were combs, travel utensils, plates, pans, hair clips, and even a backpack reinforced with Arcanite, and covered with Sargor hides. Bolg had iterated and reiterated on many of these items after the discovery of the Arcanite vein, and she was pleasantly surprised by the material’s remarkable lightness. The System deemed Arcanite creations noteworthy, so most of these creations could be inspected. She laughed as she read the description of her new hair clips.
Arcanite Hair Clips
Think these are just your run-of-the-mill hair clips? Think again! Crafted from Arcanite, a material so ridiculously sturdy that even the world’s top-notch blacksmiths drool over it in their dreams. Yet, here we are, using it to keep your unruly bangs from poking your eyeballs out. So, next time you lose one in your friend’s sofa, remember: You’ve just casually misplaced something that could have been Excalibur’s sibling!
Reyla was already waiting at the gate when Jane arrived and was talking amiably with Gral’gor.
As she neared, Gral’gor proposed, “Would you not prefer me to fly you directly to the wall? It would cut your travel time in half.”
Jane shook her head gently, “No Gral’gor, that’s alright. We need to bring our horses anyway, and it would be good to survey the progress of the road and check on the hunting patrols.”
He nodded in understanding and accompanied them while they packed. Already, Jane could spot the early stages of road construction. They had begun the groundwork, shaping the blocks, sealing them tightly. It wouldn’t be on par with the King’s Road, but Jane intended for it to last.
Reyla tightened a few more straps, nodding in approval. “Alright, everything’s set.”
Jane swung herself onto her horse and looked towards the large demon one last time. “I’ll be counting on you to keep things running smoothly, Gral’gor. And... thank you, for everything you’ve done.”
He responded with a nod, standing strong and unwavering as Jane and Reyla set off on their journey back to Arcadia.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Rouleau writes books, makes games, and enjoys visiting bakeries. He is the husband of an amazing wife and a father to a daughter who is far more creative than he is.
JUDICATOR JANE UNIVERSE
I hope you enjoyed reading about Jane and her adventures as much as I did writing them. More books in the series are on the way! If you're interested in helping to expand this world, leaving a review on Amazon and spreading the word about the book is invaluable. Thank you so much for taking the time to join Jane on her journey!
Additionally, we have a video game adaptation in the works. If that's something you're interested in, please check out the link below.
www.judicatorjane.com
Brian Rouleau, Judicator Jane: A LitRPG/Gamelit Adventure
