S-Rank Harem: I Became My Character with Extra Control Skill

’After the demon king’s son realized that we were not going to kill him immediately, he began to train, or at least that is what he says. But he cannot use his own power, it is just as Ophelia had told. He is a defective brat, without any talent for magic whatsoever.’

That thought crossed Ryan’s mind as he walked through the wide, impeccable hallways of the new castle.

But of course, being totally analytical, Ryan knew it was not the young demon’s fault either. His incompetence was purely due to a lineage that was incompatible with his own body.

Ryan had just left the main bedroom, leaving six women completely exhausted and asleep on the messy sheets behind him. Now, he had put on some quick clothes, a full suit of dark fabric that functioned like a thick bathrobe, tied firmly at his waist and covering his body.

”Alright, let’s go,” Ryan said, adjusting his pace and walking with the imposing posture of a ruler.

”Yes... sir... Your Majesty... D-demon King...” Chloe followed him closely, walking a couple of steps behind him with her head down.

”What exactly should I call him...?” the holy knight murmured in a whisper, feeling uncomfortable around the man who massacred Rigal.

Ryan did not stop, but he looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and a faint, calculated smile formed on his face.

’This church girl is exactly as I thought,’ Ryan reflected. ’She does not have the slightest intention of fleeing the castle, not that she could anyway. And honestly, she is not exactly a good-for-nothing. I mean, she obediently takes care of the demon brat, a highly tedious task that without a doubt none of the women currently sleeping in my room would want to do.’

Ryan continued walking down the stone hallway illuminated by torches, while his mind worked at full speed, reflecting on everything that had happened in just two days after having assassinated the ruler of these lands.

’Alicia would not complain if I ordered her to take care of the boy,’ Ryan thought. ’But I already put too much heavy work in her hands, so I would not use her for something as silly as being a nanny. Ironically, this cowardly holy knight is perfect. She also takes care of feeding the giant wolves that Rigal had locked up in the outer stables. Although, I must admit it is quite funny to watch her feed them while trembling with pure fear.’

After crossing a couple more corridors, Ryan finally arrived at the door of the room where the demon king Rohan’s captive son was staying.

It was not a simple cell. It was an enormous, barracks-style room that contained dozens of perfectly aligned beds inside.

Ryan’s strategic intention was that, once the village was officially established in these lands and all the current elven and beastmen subjects of his army were reintegrated, some of them would sleep there.

Some of those soldiers would work directly on the maintenance of the new castle and could make use of these service rooms.

’And tomorrow morning the special artisans that Ophelia promised to send will arrive. They will help us forge demonic weapons. There will be a lot of work around here. I think it is about time to organize the definitive relocation of the village and to personally visit all the demonic cities that are now under my control in this nation.’

Ryan opened the door. A dense smell of burning flesh and smoke flooded his nostrils instantly.

”I do not need to be healed. Leave me alone,” said the young demon with long brown hair. He was sitting on the edge of one of the beds, gritting his teeth hard, while thick tears of pain and frustration welled up in his eyes.

Both of his hands, from the tips of his fingers to his elbows, were totally burned. The skin was blackened, cracked, and bleeding, a damage far greater than simple third-degree burns. It was an injury that would have cost a normal human his arms.

Ryan raised his right hand, looking at him with total coldness and without an ounce of paternal empathy.

”Recovery,” Ryan uttered with pure laziness.

A faint light enveloped the small demon’s arms. The sound of flesh sizzling and rapidly regenerating echoed through the room, closing the cracks and returning the skin to its original state, although the pain of the process made the boy let out a groan.

”This is already the fourth time this has happened in just two days, Your Majesty...” Chloe stated, entering the room behind Ryan and looking at the boy with a mixture of pity and horror. ”At this rate, he will end up killing himself with his own magic.”

The holy knight took a step toward the boy. ”You should at least try with another magical element that is not so destructive to you...” she suggested, trying to use her church knowledge to help.

The young demon did not respond to her advice. He simply turned his face toward the stone wall, full of shame and clenching his newly healed fists.

’That would be completely useless,’ Ryan analyzed in his mind, observing the boy’s invisible statistics with his cold eyes. ’He is only compatible with the fire element, and he cannot even use it correctly. He must be at least ten human years old, and his base attributes, at least in brute strength and mana, easily put him at the level of an ordinary Principality-class demon. But due to his zero control, the system categorizes him as Legion-rank, the lowest scum among the demonic troops. And all because his primary elemental manifestation is fire.’

Ryan crossed his arms over his chest, evaluating the magical failure as if it were a simple math problem.

’It is a fire that sticks to his own skin and scorches him every time he tries to use it. But the solution is ridiculously stupid,’ Ryan reflected carefully. ’It would only take the brat learning to use cold fire as a thermal insulator over his own skin, and then, over that thin protective layer of heatless fire, projecting the intense destructive fire of his lineage outward.’

Ryan turned around, adjusting the knot of his suit, and looked at him out of the corner of his eye one last time before leaving the place.

’The solution to that disaster of a body is far easier than the demons imagine. It might simply be because, in my original world, I already understood the physical and chemical concept behind cold fire. And to think that just for something so silly and easy to solve, the high-caste demons despise, exile, and even murder those like him,’ Ryan thought, letting out a small internal scoff at the ignorance of this magical world.

’Although, logically, it is not my duty to give him any kind of advice. For now, my only goal is to hand him over to the demon king Rohan in exchange for resources, but in the future, that brat could become an enemy.’

Ryan left the immense room without saying a single word of encouragement, leaving the frustrated boy behind.

”Go to sleep already, Chloe,” Ryan ordered from the hallway. ”There is a lot to do starting tomorrow.”

...

...

...

Many kilometers away from the cold northern lands, night had fallen over the human city.

After hours passed in silence, in the immense and prestigious headquarters of the Lunar Veil guild, the sound of knuckles knocking on wood broke the tranquility of an office.

Knock Knock Knock

”Master Sophia...” said a girl’s timid voice behind the heavy oak door.

The handle turned, and the door slowly opened, emitting a slight creak. The young woman peeked half her face in, looking quite nervous.

”What is it now, Irene? I clearly told you I am very busy,” Sophia, the strict master of the Lunar Veil guild, reproached.

Sophia did not take her analytical eyes off the immense piles of papers, intelligence reports, and casualty reports that were stacked chaotically on her large mahogany desk.

She rubbed her temples, feeling a persistent headache threatening to drive her insane.

”I am so very sorry, master, it is just that...” Irene swallowed hard, opening the door completely. ”The S-rank heroes are already here. They are impatiently waiting for you in the main reception. You asked me to let you know as soon as they set foot in the guild.”

The pen in Sophia’s hand stopped dead, leaving a small black ink stain on a piece of parchment.

”Ah... so, they finally arrived...” Sophia sighed, looking up with a highly serious expression.

Sophia set the pen aside and settled into her large leather chair.

”They arrived sooner than I thought... you better bring them here.”

”As you command, master,” Irene replied with a quick bow.

Thump.