CHAPTER 81: TASK

Alaric exhaled softly. The rising steam from his porcelain teacup wreathed his face in fleeting silver.

Morning light pooled across the polished floor of his chamber, reflecting off the inlaid runes like rivers of brilliance flowing over ancient stone.

He sat reclined in a high-backed chair, one leg crossed lazily over the other, the collar of his dark tunic undone. Loose. Relaxed.

The rich, earthy scent of brewed leaf lingered in the air, mingling with the quiet hum of divine resonance that suffused this mansion—his mansion—nested deep within the Crydias estate.

"It’s far too peaceful,"

he murmured,

"for a man with a thousand plans."

His gaze shifted to the elegant double doors leading to the Divine Castle—the name the girls had unanimously given to the miraculous inner dimension born from his Divine Heart Core. The door stood still, but he knew the chaos beyond it was anything but quiet.

Last night, he’d stayed up later than usual, wandering through that divine space. That was when he discovered it. Something impossible.

All twenty-nine rooms—twenty-four for the new girls, five for the originals—could be linked. Not just aligned, but merged.

He’d merely stood before an invisible system interface—some mysterious fusion of divine logic and Earth-born architecture—and given it permission.

That was all it took.

The once-separated chambers rearranged themselves into a grand sanctuary. A unified living room, radiant like a palace hall. A sprawling training floor calibrated for spell testing and weapon duels. A sky-lit garden with artificial weather and a rotating celestial illusion so real it could shame the true heavens.

All of it had bloomed into existence—crafted by unseen hands of divine will.

"Sixth-grade mana crystals,"

he mused, sipping.

"Spatial stabilizers, celestial renderers... And I already had them. Sitting in my treasury."

He leaned back, brow arching.

"Just what kind of lunatic designed this? Definitely not that guy. He looked too dumb... Probably some four-eyed genius."

He chuckled at the thought, about to take another sip, when—

BANG!

The doors exploded open.

A gust of spring air whooshed in like a cyclone—and at its center stood Virellen, hair wild, robe half-tied, gray eyes sparking with indignation and early-morning fire.

"You weren’t watching, were you?!"

Alaric blinked.

"Watching what?"

She stormed forward, cheeks red.

"You know what. You said that since it’s inside your chest, you can see everything!"

Alaric sipped his tea, utterly unbothered.

"Ah, so you were up to something worth watching?"

Virellen stomped forward with purpose.

"No! I was testing boundaries!"

"I’m sure you were,"

he murmured, setting down his cup just as the rest began to trickle in.

*****

✢═─༻༺═✢═─༻༺═✢

✶ I Reincarnated as an Extra ✶

✧ in a Reverse Harem World ✧

⊱ Eternal_Void_ ⊰

✢═─༻༺═✢═─༻༺═✢

*****

Aurevia entered first, elegant even in a deep-blue robe. Cellione followed, yawning like a cat, violet eyes half-lidded but sharp. Serineth clung to a pillow, green hair disheveled yet oddly graceful. Last came Auralyne, stoic but clearly curious.

All of them still in their nightwear. All of them wide-eyed and murmuring.

"It’s too real,"

Cellione said, flopping beside Alaric’s chair.

"The garden has blooming moonveil orchids,"

Serineth whispered.

"They’re extinct in Velmora..."

"I touched the sky dome,"

Auralyne added.

"It shimmered like real clouds."

"We can train there... bathe in starlight... actual rainfall cycles,"

Aurevia murmured.

"Pervert,"

Virellen jabbed a finger at Alaric.

He looked up, unruffled.

"Guilty, perhaps. But your indignation raises more questions than answers."

Virellen let out a dramatic huff, flopped on the sofa, and stole his tea—only to grimace.

"Ugh. Too bitter."

"Refined,"

Alaric corrected.

The others giggled. Even Serineth covered her mouth.

"You all seem to be enjoying yourselves,"

he observed mildly, eyes scanning the circle of sleepy-eyed girls in bathrobes.

Aurevia folded her arms.

"We are."

"But we’ll need breakfast,"

Cellione declared.

"Something divine—to match our Divine Castle."

"So long as our Divine Master doesn’t peek into the bathing chambers,"

Virellen added with a smirk.

"I’m wounded,"

Alaric sighed.

"To be accused... after all I’ve done."

A pillow smacked him square in the face.

Virellen smirked.

"Before you all go,"

Alaric said, tossing the pillow aside, rising with a calm smile,

"if you want something divine for your divine castle, check the tables in your rooms. You’ll find what you’re looking for."

He walked toward the center of the room, his tone suddenly shifting—formal, purposeful.

"My trusted vessels,"

he began, his radiant smile carrying an unsettling undercurrent,

"this morning I requested everything you need to improve your skills. Equipment, manuals, training sets. With these, you will train in your respective paths."

His gestures grew exaggerated, like a priest delivering gospel.

"But shallow knowledge is useless to me. You must solidify your foundations. Sharpen your roots. Enlighten your understanding. To realize my vision."

The newer girls shivered. Something about the air changed.

Alaric’s voice rang again—softer, but sharper, like a blade beneath silk.

"Once the items are delivered... all of you begin. And—"

He paused.

A silence filled the room like a held breath.

"I expect every one of you to become full-fledged [Grade-5] practitioners by the end of this year. Fail, and there will be punishment."

He licked his lips.

Before anyone could react, his voice rang again—colder now, directed at the originals.

"Aurevia, breakthrough in one month. Two, at the latest. Cellione, Serineth, Virellen—you too."

His gaze landed on Auralyne.

"And you... your foundation is flawed. Fix it. Same timeframe. I won’t help you. You’re on your own. Fail, and you’re punished."

Then, the smile returned. Cruel. Mocking. Almost gleeful.

He began to laugh.

And with a pulse of divine power, he threw them all out of the room—not hard enough to hurt, but forceful enough to remind them who ruled this castle.

The door slammed shut.

His laughter still echoed in their ears.

***

They lay sprawled in the corridor, dazed. Pale.

The new girls trembled. Most were barely [Grade-1]. A few at [Grade-2]. Even fewer at [Grade-3]. He had just handed them an impossible task. Their world was tilting. What he just told them to do is impossible no matter how they looked.

Some even had the Speculation that he did this intentionally to torment them. Their happy life was crumbling in front of them in real time. Some even was hallucinating being tormented by Alaric while he laughed like he did now.

Even Aurevia and the others were stunned.

Auralyne’s task seemed the easiest. But even she looked shaken.

"Breaking through and stabilizing foundation are completely different..."

Serineth whispered. She felt it was unfair. Why this discrimination? Wasn’t he supposed to treat every one equally.

"F-Fuck,"

Virellen muttered.

"That pervert is up to something..."

Her voice dropped. A mix of fear and—reluctant excitement. A trap, she thought. He’d set a trap, and if any of them failed...

Something bad was waiting.

They composed themselves quickly and began walking toward the new living quarters.

But some couldn’t help but wonder—

Is he possessed?

Or is this what he’s truly like...?

The Divine Castle had awakened.

And so had their divine tormentor.

- To Be Continued