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

Ryan raised his right hand instinctively. His gloved fingers lightly touched the small silver earring dangling from his earlobe.

”Another base material?” He asked.

The idea of completely shifting their approach caught his attention immediately, evaluating the real options they had at their disposal.

”That is correct, Your Majesty.” Runa replied, maintaining a firm stance in front of Ryan. ”Although your original idea about creating a spellbook is very interesting, we are currently limited by our materials.”

Runa raised a soot-stained hand and pointed toward the piles of scrap, various metals scattered all over the stone floor.

”But we do have the appropriate materials to create more magical relics.” Runa added, looking back into Ryan’s eyes. ”Although unfortunately, there are not as many as we would like to have.”

Ryan lowered his hand slowly and gave a slow nod.

”I see, I understand.” Ryan said, keeping his serious and analytical expression. ”So, what is it exactly that you came up with?”

Runa crossed her arms, adopting her usual entirely professional tone.

”Let’s see, what I intend to do is use the new relics to store spells inside them.” Runa explained. ”Physically, the objects would be like talismans.”

Mika nodded enthusiastically from behind, completely backing Runa’s idea.

”However, with this creation method, we could only store a single spell per talisman.” Runa continued, making the main technical limitation of her proposal perfectly clear.

”But the great advantage is that the user could activate them multiple times without the base material breaking.”

Runa closed her eyes for a brief moment, calculating the absolute best options for their party’s combat style.

”I believe that storing some defensive barrier or flight magic would be the most useful options.” Runa stated with total confidence in her own experience.

Mika took a quick step forward to support the explanation.

”That is right.” Mika commented, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.

”If we successfully combine the tremendous resistance of the metals with the correct magical formations, the container will support the heavy flow of energy without any problems.”

Ryan remained deep in thought in silence for a long moment. Runa’s simple and direct words echoed in his head, opening up a whole new range of real possibilities.

”For a long time now we have depended on Karol to travel to distant places.” Ryan mentioned, remembering their constant recent journeys.

”If we can manage to store flight magic in those talismans, we could all mobilize ourselves with far fewer inconveniences.”

Group transportation had always been a noticeable weak point for them.

”Since until now we only have one wyvern at our absolute disposal.” Ryan added.

”I want one of those talismans.” Mirian said immediately.

Mirian smiled with great excitement, clenching her fists at her sides as she imagined the massive advantage she would have by being able to fly while shooting all her arrows from the sky.

Irina also took a step forward, showing her complete approval of the project.

”I think it is a wonderful idea.” Irina said with a soft and calm voice. ”Especially for me, since I am not capable of creating magical barriers the way mages do.”

Irina fully recognized her own personal weaknesses in combat and saw the immense practical value of having additional protection.

Ivis, who was still standing to the side of the aisle filled with metallic trash, decided to intervene.

”I also want one of those.” Ivis said completely naturally, taking a step toward the center of the group.

Ryan snapped his head around.

He looked at Ivis with an extremely puzzled expression, entirely unable to understand her sudden request.

”You do not need that.” Ryan said, letting a tone of clear irony slip into his deep voice. ”I am absolutely sure there are very few things in this world truly capable of harming you. Besides, you already have your anti-magic.”

Ivis blinked a couple of times, looking genuinely confused by Ryan’s highly confident answer.

”Anti-magic?” Ivis said, tilting her head slowly. ”That is not really how my power works at all.”

Ivis let out a brief and tired sigh. Then, she raised both of her hands at the exact same time, brushing off the matter with a simple, disinterested gesture.

”Well, you can call it whatever you like.” Ivis said, giving up immediately in the face of Ryan’s usual behavior.

Ryan looked away from Ivis without giving the topic any further thought and turned back toward Runa and Mika.

”Yes, this all pleases me quite a bit.” Ryan said, confirming his final decision regarding the work. ”We can get a lot more out of this specific idea than what is currently visible at first glance.”

He thought about it for a moment longer, clearly visualizing the difficult battles to come.

’Even if we cannot store highly offensive spells. A defensive spell like Stone Skin, and a flight spell, will be more than enough for now.’ Ryan thought coldly.

Upon hearing Ryan’s highly anticipated approval, Runa and Mika looked directly into each other’s eyes.

”We will start working on that as soon as possible.” Runa and Mika said almost at the exact same time, sharing a wide smile.

Both of them were already mentally prepared to reignite the intense fire of the forge.

But before they could take a single step toward their designated work tables, a firm voice stopped them.

”No.” Irina demanded, stepping right into the middle of the hot workshop to actively block their path. ”For now, the two of you are going to take a long rest.”

Irina looked at them with a severe expression, crossing her arms firmly over her chest.

Mika opened her eyes wide in surprise and shook her head repeatedly.

”But Princess Irina, I am perfectly fine.” Mika commented, entirely unable to hide her massive excitement and her desire to start working on the new relics right now.

Runa snorted, fully supporting Mika’s stubborn words.

”Yes, it is true.” Runa added with her raspy voice. ”I could spend ten whole days without sleeping in front of the forge’s fire. I do not feel tired at all yet.”

Irina did not back down a single millimeter in the face of their excuses.

”What are you even saying.” Irina said, slightly raising her crystalline voice. ”Just look at yourselves, you even need an urgent bath. You have been inside this workshop for a long time without stepping out to see the sun.”

Irina raised her right arm and pointed toward a distant wooden shelf, almost entirely hidden within the shadows of the room.

”And look at that.” Irina added firmly.

Resting on the old, dirty wood were two plates of food.

”You have not even eaten.” Irina said with a strong reproach. ”How many days have you left those plates forgotten sitting over there?”

Mika and Runa instantly lowered their gazes, not having a single valid answer to defend themselves.

Irina turned toward Ryan immediately.

She shot Ryan an obvious pout, silently demanding that he intervene as the highest authority in the village.

Ryan looked silently back at Irina. He knew perfectly well that what Irina intended was completely reasonable for the current situation. In the long run, it was much more efficient for Runa and Mika to rest properly.

If either of them were to fall ill due to their accumulated exhaustion right now, they would end up causing serious and unexpected problems.

Ryan let out a long and heavy sigh under the collar of his clothing.

”Irina is right.” Ryan ordered with a deep voice that left absolutely no room for arguments or tantrums. ”That is a direct order. Rest today. Tomorrow morning you can return to your duties.”

Runa and Mika let their shoulders drop at the exact same time.

Neither of them dared to oppose Ryan’s direct order, but their gestures made it very clear that they took it rather poorly.

With the matter of the new magical tools finally resolved, Ryan turned around.

He stepped out of the hot workshop, leaving behind the intense smell of molten metals, and headed at a calm pace toward his house in the village.

Several hours had already passed since the meeting.

The atmosphere outside felt much calmer.

Ryan was sitting in his usual spot inside the spacious main living room, located on the quiet first floor of his house.

Ivis was sitting right across from him.

She occupied another chair, separated from Ryan only by a small wooden table.

Mirian had decided to sit directly on the thick armrest of the chair where Ryan was resting in silence.

Irina occupied an elegant chair just off to the side, thoroughly enjoying the momentary calm.

It was an unusual moment of peace for the strange party.

Suddenly, the wooden door of the main living room was thrown wide open.

”Your Majesty.” Alicia announced upon entering, shattering the room’s tranquility in a single second.

Alicia was breathing with great difficulty. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, as if she had run at top speed through the village to get there.

Every gaze in the room immediately centered on Alicia.

”Miss Helen has returned to the village.” Alicia informed them, trying desperately to catch her breath. ”She returned alongside three wyverns.”

Ryan straightened up in his chair immediately, paying absolute attention to Alicia’s highly unexpected words.

”And she brought a woman along with her.” Alicia added with pure urgency in her voice. ”A woman who belongs to the holy knights.”