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

Now that Ryan had confirmed the worst possible scenario.

The demon king Rigal’s words kept echoing in his mind as he watched how Ophelia’s tiny, small figure remained sealed in that flask.

A relic, exactly like the one he had obtained in the past and used as a core to be able to move the villa to the safety of the sky dungeon.

But he never considered that the demon king they decided to attack would have one.

That simple fact confirmed something that Ryan had not interpreted until this precise moment.

Why did the demon king decide to attack another demon king’s borders?

Why did he decide precisely to provoke the demon king Rohan?

That fact was now clear to Ryan.

’What Rigal really intended was to provoke the demon king Rohan, so that somehow, when Rohan decided to settle the score, Rigal would then seal him.’

But those plans changed, for the worse, of course.

And now, that demon king, with a hero’s relic in his hands, was speaking directly to Ryan.

”But, in recognition of your strength. Today I plan to be lenient with you. I mean, I am aware that you are being hunted by the church, I know you have killed those cowardly holy knights and my own demons alike without hesitation.”

The immense beast king, after finishing that phrase, shook the crystal flask with a lot of force, causing Ophelia’s small and fragile figure to crash violently from one edge to the other repeatedly, dizzying and torturing her in front of her ally.

”But deciding to ally yourself with this weak and pathetic woman instead of seeking out someone truly strong, was your biggest mistake,” Rigal continued, pointing his free claw directly at Ryan’s chest.

”I will tell you something interesting. Swear loyalty to me here and now, human. If you do, you can live. You and all your companions outside, replacing the useless sentinels you just murdered in my towers.”

Rigal opened his bestial arms, offering him a high place in his new and bloody regime.

”You will work solely and exclusively for me. If you do it the easy way, I will take this whole disastrous matter today simply as if you were showing your real power to earn the right to serve me. You know, as if they were the typical sentinel battles to climb ranks in my army,” Rigal proposed with a deep tone that brokered no refusal.

”You really like hearing yourself talk a lot, do you not?” Ryan asked with a deep, dark irony in his voice.

The immense beast king frowned immediately, clearly annoyed by the highly unsubmissive and arrogant attitude of a simple mortal who was about to die at his hands.

”Do you perhaps think that I would simply accept those absurd conditions of yours?” Ryan continued, keeping his cold and unwavering gaze locked directly into the monster’s eyes.

”Do you think I am going to lower my weapons like a coward, surrender on my knees, hand over my troops just to blindly believe your generous words?”

’That proposal reminded me of Udriela, she also offered me the same thing. Now that I think about it, there is only one reason for this demon king to have a relic that supposedly only humans could use.’

Ryan deduced in the face of the absurd, and probably treacherous, proposal he was receiving.

Rigal looked at him in silence for a brief moment.

”So, you are just doubting the truthfulness of my words?” Rigal questioned, leaning his massive body slightly forward.

”That is right. I do not have a single reason to trust you,” Ryan replied with total firmness and disdain. ”It is clear that you are just a lapdog of the church.”

’It may be that both sides believe they have control over the other. But that does not matter right now.’

”Be careful with your words. Brat... I am being very generous with you by proposing that you serve me,” the demon king growled.

”...”

”Ha ha ha.” Rigal laughed again, a deafening sound that echoed like thunder in the room.

”Listen very carefully, stupid ignorant brat. In my territory, the law of the strongest rules solely and exclusively.”

The demon king clenched his fist on the arm of the throne, cracking the ancient stone.

”If you and your heroines killed my best sentinels to take their place and replace them by force, I have absolutely no moral problem with that. Does your tiny human brain still not understand? You are a natural enemy of humans and demons alike in this world. You have nowhere to run anymore, no one will grant you asylum. Your only and best option to keep breathing tomorrow morning is to serve me unconditionally.”

’I understand perfectly,’ Ryan thought, analyzing the raw proposal in his mind without getting carried away by fear or impulsive anger.

’Although for him, all his subordinates, regardless of their rank, are just simple disposable tools that can be easily replaced. Even so, I have no reason to believe in his false promises of mercy.’

’And even less so knowing that he works with the church, he could even be possessed by the deity and would not know it. And even if his stupid offer of life were one hundred percent true... there is something fundamental inside me that does not allow me to accept a deal like that.’

Ryan adjusted his grip on his weapon’s heavy hilt, feeling the cold metal against his gloves.

’I am no blind fanatic of the stupid codes of ethics, nor of honor, nor of the holy church’s false justice. I will do absolutely whatever is necessary to survive in this hell. But... willingly submitting to this huge mangy dog and handing over my freedom and my group’s safety would only turn me into his eternal bitch, at his total disposal.’

”Do not be foolish, get out of here right now.” Ophelia’s tiny lips moved frantically from inside the suffocating crystal flask.

More than hearing her muffled and desperate voice through the thick protective glass, Ryan knew exactly what she said by perfectly reading her lips amidst the gloom.

Upon seeing his proud, defeated ally’s genuine concern and the infinite arrogance of the massive enemy he had comfortably seated in front of him, Ryan closed his eyes for a minuscule fraction of a second and let out a highly heavy, long, and resigned sigh.

He opened his eyes, revealing an immense lethal, dark, and concentrated glow in his green pupils. The boring time of negotiations, offers, and empty words was completely over.

”After all, there is only one damn thing that must be done in these cases...” Ryan murmured, flexing his legs and channeling his brute strength throughout his body, completely ready to unleash a true hell in that throne room.