My Hidden Heresy Skill Forged an SSS-Ranked Harem for Infinite Points

’How strange,’ Ryan thought, reviewing in his head the fleeting sensation he had just perceived in the room. That faint signal didn’t seem to match the mana level of any of the outsiders kneeling before his throne.

But that analytical thought came to a sudden halt when he heard William’s voice echoing in the hall.

"I apologize for my companion’s insubordination, Your Majesty," William apologized, maintaining a very serene tone of voice in front of everyone.

The blond hero remained kneeling on the carpet, showing no reaction to the attack he had just witnessed. He kept his head down for a few seconds and then looked up to look directly into Ryan’s eyes.

"Allow me to take responsibility for her actions," William offered with a serious and calm expression on his face. "If you wish to punish her, I will gladly take her place."

’This idiot,’ Ryan grumbled in his mind upon hearing that stupid proposal of heroic sacrifice in the middle of an enemy kingdom.

’He must think I won’t dare punish them right here,’ Ryan thought, evaluating the blond’s attitude and his false show of respect.

’Or he surely thinks I will hesitate to kill them if they provoke me.’ Ryan tightened his fingers slightly on the stone of his seat.

He let out a slight, silent sigh. Maintaining control of the situation with such unwanted outsiders was a difficult task.

’Although until now I had limited myself to imitating Ophelia’s behavior. Acting like a true king in front of other people is very exhausting for me,’ Ryan admitted in his thoughts, remembering how the demon queen managed her subjects.

Determined not to show any weakness before the heroes, Ryan maintained an inscrutable image in front of his guests. He slowly adjusted himself on his stone seat, looking for a more comfortable posture.

Ryan let his cheek rest on the back of his right hand, leaning his elbow on the arm of the throne.

"Enough, stand up," Ryan ordered with a cold, bored voice that echoed throughout the place. "All of you."

He maintained that same relaxed posture in his seat. His gestures and body language purposefully made it clear that the outsiders were insignificant beings to him.

His facial expression made them seem as if this whole visit were just a trivial matter. A simple annoyance in his workday. Although deep down, Ryan did consider William a true annoyance to his patience and peace of mind.

His neat appearance, his polite behavior, and his elegant way of speaking made everything very clear. The blond knew how to behave perfectly in any risky or high-pressure situation.

That was very different from Ryan when he first arrived in this world knowing nothing about politics or manners. And seeing that natural superiority in the hero’s behavior was very annoying to him.

Upon hearing the human king’s direct order, the outsiders obeyed immediately. When everyone stood in front of the dais, the sound of their clothes rustling broke the silence.

Except for Delia, of course, since her body lay unconscious in the snow of the outer courtyard after smashing through the thick wooden door.

Helen returned to her original position next to the throne with silent and sure steps. Alicia remained to the side of everyone present, arms crossed and observing the meeting expectantly.

"I hope you haven’t come all the way here just for me to protect you. Or that you expect me to face the church for you," Ryan warned coldly.

He looked William in the eyes without changing his bored and disinterested posture on the stone throne.

William didn’t respond immediately to the accusation. He very carefully observed the entire room and all the women surrounding Ryan.

Each of them belonged to different and powerful races of the world. And they all stood in silence awaiting their lord’s orders, ready to kill the humans if necessary.

Then, William smiled calmly. He directed his gaze back to Ryan, showing great confidence in his own words.

"No, I have come here to give you information," William replied, revealing the true motive for his long journey to the north.

The blond hero took a brief pause to adjust his posture in front of the throne.

"I must admit that you impress me a lot. I can see with my own eyes that what is said about you is very true. You are an authentic and powerful SSS-rank king," the hero added, maintaining his kind smile.

The blond hero said every word in a very calculated and deliberate manner to avoid misunderstandings.

It had already become very clear to him a few minutes ago that anything he said would be analyzed. Or any sudden movement he made would be instantly judged and punished by the impulsive Helen.

"Huh, so you plan to give me valuable information," Ryan muttered, raising an eyebrow with evident skepticism.

"And then you plan to ask me for something in exchange for it?" Ryan asked in a doubtful tone, expecting the trap in this negotiation.

"No, I don’t plan to ask anything of you," William answered, shaking his head slightly.

"You don’t plan to ask for anything?" Ryan repeated, seeking to understand the true motivation of the human in front of him.

"And what exactly would you gain from that, William?" Ryan asked, exchanging very serious looks with the hero.

Although Ryan doubted his altruistic and kind words quite a bit, he didn’t show it with any expression of surprise on his face.

The blond took a very short step forward, being careful not to trigger Helen and Mirian’s killer instincts.

"That is because, undoubtedly, we have a common enemy. You knowing what I am going to tell you will not affect me negatively at all," William continued, trying to gain his trust in the hall.

"In fact, the more things you know about the Church and its leaders, the more it benefits me in the future. And also the alliance," the hero clarified his intentions.

’Yes, I suppose he’s right on that point. Besides, he already mentioned that same alliance in the village of Eibach. I wonder how many members are in his secret group so far.’

But right at that same moment, before Ryan could continue thinking about the human alliance, something interrupted him completely.

Ryan felt that strange magical presence in the room again, although this time it was with much more strength and clarity than before.

The faint energy pulse felt closer, more alive in the middle of the throne room. And he fixed his eyes directly on the girl named Iris. Before William could continue his words about the church, the air in the room agitated violently.

Ryan had already appeared standing right in front of them. His movement speed surprised even his own strongest allies.

"How fast," William muttered, petrified in his spot by the surprise of the rapid movement.

The hero didn’t have time to blink before Ryan was inches from his face. Alina and Iris, unable to withstand Ryan’s sudden magical pressure, fell sitting onto the hard stone floor.

They completely yielded to the powerful and suffocating presence the human released when moving so fast.

"Depending on how you answer next, I will decide whether to continue with this meeting, William," Ryan said with a very serious and threatening tone.

He didn’t take his eyes off the woman trembling on the stone floor. Ryan didn’t stop looking at Iris for a single second.

"Tell me, what the hell are you hiding?" Ryan asked, raising his voice slightly in the silent hall.

Faced with that unusual situation, his companions stayed on guard; the possibility that this meeting was a trap crossed their minds.

Ryan took a slow step toward the girl, closing off any possible escape route.

"Answer right now," Ryan warned without any hesitation.

Iris’s words completely died in her throat. Terror paralyzed her before the demon king’s cold gaze. She tried to speak to defend herself from the accusation, but her legs were trembling so much against the floor that she couldn’t emit any coherent sound.

"Wait please, don’t hurt her."

A voice completely alien to everyone present suddenly echoed throughout the wide place. The tone of that voice was very soft and gentle. But it was accompanied by a peculiar echo, as if the voice was coming from several directions in the room at once.

When everyone turned their heads in surprise, trying desperately to search for the origin of that unknown voice.

A small, tiny light began to grow, floating in the empty space between Ryan’s body and the terrified Iris.

A very serene and calm energy began to take a bright physical form in front of the eyes of everyone present.

’What the hell is that?’ Ryan thought, frowning.

But before any of the girls made a rash move in the hall, one of them recognized the origin of that magical energy immediately.

"That is a spirit, there is no doubt," Chloe stated from her position, looking at the bright light with much surprise and astonishment on her face.