Construction menu is by far the coolest so far. I can expand and adjust buildings just by selecting a wall and walking. Starting with a tall rounded tower, I created a large star shaped mansion. The interior was blank but I have a tool for that as well apparently.

I selected [Interiors] and began adding bedrooms to the massive open structure.

Its exterior reminded me of an old civil war fort but the interior looked more like the royal palace when I was done with it. It was expensive, nearly every inch of floor was covered in silky carpet. A half dozen rooms were built into each point of the star. The center was occupied by a large kitchen/living room. And my room was in the tower above the kitchen.

This was by design, the scent of breakfast will wake me up. I couldn't dream of anything better.

But I'm not a designer. Triff had to point out many problems with my design. Doors hitting doors. Rooms being inaccessible. I ran into many problems.

But all I really cared about was that my bed was now larger. Much larger.

"A sink there and there, And cutting boards here. And then an oven right up here." Mirna says dancing around the open kitchen while pointing at places.

I mark each with the planning setting of the Construction menu.

"How about two ovens?"

"OOOOOH!" She says excitedly without properly answering.

I make the adjustment to her design and begin placing the items she asked for.

"Is this sink big enough?"

"It's huge!" Mirna says attempting to reach the bottom of it.

"Oh, that might be a problem, huh, you need to be able to drain it properly."

I find a lower profile sink and replace it for half a refund.

"Oh! Amazing!"

"Glad you are impressed. How's everything else, can you reach everything?"

"Barely, but you know, Mirna will keep growing. So it's no problem if stuff is high up. Mirna will grow taller!"

"Ah… Uhm… Mirna, actually you won't." I say kneeling down to face her. This was something I feel bad about so I should properly apologize and explain it. "This is something that happens when turning to a demon. Did you notice Aquarou and Zo appeared young?"

"Water lady was mom's age."

"Well sure but i think that's just Damien's preference. But you know Aquarou and Zo were both over a thousand years old. Once they met Damien and fell in love with him, they stopped aging."

"So then since Mirna loves Captain, Mirna won't grow up?"

"Mentally you will, but you will appear like this forever I believe."

"So Mirna will never grow beautiful. Mirna will never become someone Captain can love."

"That's not true. You already are someone I love. And you are also already beautiful. But I do feel terrible for doing this to you. I am sorry Mirna."

"Is Mirna attractive?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Aqua asked it, I heard you two talking. And then you cuddled her instead of Mirna." Mirna frowns and lowers her brows at me.

"I think you are adorable Mirna."

"That's not what I mean." Mirna scowls "I mean attracted."

"You are still a child though it's difficult to…"

"But Mirna is only a year younger than Aqua."

"Wha… Wait, Mirna how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"What?!"

"Hmm? Why? How old did you think I was?"

So she was conning me this whole time.

~ ~

"So you both knew?"

"Yeah, of course," Aqua says as if it were obvious.

"Same, I asked Mirna about it the day after the first incident. Once I found out she's only two years younger than us I figured it wasn't as big a deal. Are you saying you didn't know? Yet you continued that shameless behavior."

"No, if anything I continued the shameless behavior because I thought she was a child."

"What?!?"

"No, that came out wrong. I just feel embarrassed knowing I was cuddling someone around my age."

"But you cuddled with me."

"Are you saying you never saw Mirna as a woman? You treated her as if she was a child?"

"I suppose that's true. But she looks and acts so young, how could I not see her as a child?"

"It's not uncommon for the youngest child in a family to be malnourished, and as for her behavior and speech. I theorize being the youngest had effect on that as well."

Ah, I had originally purchased her for the very reason of not having enough food. I suppose I just didn't make proper connections at that time.

"Well, I will attempt to rectify my mistake. But that's not why I called you here. What do you think?"

"You built this?"

"Yeah with the help of Triff and my Demon cheat."

"It's impressive. There are lots of rooms and the living room being attached to the kitchen is interesting."

"I thought it made sense since we so often hang out in the galley on the ship."

"Mhm. It's a good idea! Now we can have the cookies as soon as they leave the oven."

"You know Mirna always warns you to let them cool first."

"But they are better when they are still gooey."

"Well, Mirna will also be able to bake cookies faster with the double oven setup. This kitchen has already gotten her approval many times over. Though I was slightly worried about the constant changes to the design. I had to ultimately draw the line when she asked me to rearrange everything for the seventh time."

"It's a nice kitchen."

"What she means to say is this is all unimportant. Show us the bedroom already!"

"Oh, right. Sorry, I suppose that is important."

After accepting my apology I showed the girls up the spiral staircase.

It's not practical but it's cool. I always wanted a house with a nice wrought iron spiral staircase. If I were a few years younger I might have opted for a fireman pole.

After stepping up the cramped stairs we enter the well-lit bedroom. Windows occupy around seventy percent of the walls. The view wasn't amazing but we took down most of the trees so you could see down to the port.

This room was different though. Another dream of mine. The girls luckily hadn't noticed yet. It's time to blow their minds.

"Check this out," I say with my smuggest of smiles.

I turn around from the landing of the stairway and fall backward.

The girls gasp when they realize my meaning. That's right. This entire room is a bed! No more worn-in groves. This is my masterpiece! The shining epitome of life!

I would like to live my life in this room if not for the massive list of to-dos in my menu.

"It's perfect," Aqua says leaping into a spot beside me.

Rou, for the first time, takes a place on the other side of me. Blushing profusely all the while.

"It is indeed nice. Will we live here forever?"

"No, this is just a first attempt really. I would like your thoughts on it while we live here. After awhile we will be rebuilding elsewhere and I want it to be perfect."

"We are moving?"

"It's part of a future plan. It's not something to worry about yet. But we will, of course, continue to travel. I want to visit the elven forest still. And we still need to stumble across your dad."

"That's right, Aquarou still hasn't lead him to us."

"It will happen eventually."

"I think it's interesting you both still have a sense of faith in her despite meeting her. Not that I'm implying she is not worthy of it. It's just, the way I see it, you are both equal entities to her."

They both blush deeply as if what I had just said was something strange.

"Meeting her increased my faith. I was able to see that her power was real." Rou says with a tone full of confidence.

"Same," Aqua adds nodding rapidly.

"WAH!" A voice shouts rounding the final step. I had noticed the presence but I was too comfortable to be concerned. "No fair! That's my spot!"

Mirna leaps onto where Rou is laying with little regard to consequences.

I, anticipating damage to both of them, extend my arms up and grip Mirna from the air cushioning her momentum into my chest.

"Ah, this works as well." Mirna purrs rubbing her face into my chest.

"So we hear the jig is finally up, Mirna," Rou says coyly to Mirna who sat on my chest comfortably.

"It was inevitable," Mirna says with a smile. "Although I am sad I will never grow older. To have a chest like Rou or Clove would surely make Captain happy!"

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"What?! What do you mean won't grow up?"

Ah, that's right I haven't really explained that part to everyone have I? I just sort of assumed they would understand after seeing Aquarou.

Don't get me wrong, they are not immortal. They simply won't die from aging anymore. The same is true for me. I will never surpass this seventeen-year-old body. My d… I will never grow taller.

"That's true, just like Aquarou and Zo, you both won't age anymore. Sorry, I thought that was clear."

"So then…" Aqua says cupping her hands onto her chest.

"Didn't Captain already tell you he prefers flat chests? What are you complaining about?"

I don't think I ever said that.

"Mirna is flat!" Mirna says pressing her body against me firmly to indicate the fact.

"I don't know how this devolved exactly but I'm too comfortable in this bed to do anything about it."

~ ~

Eventually, I reluctantly left the comfort and made lunch with Mirna. It apparently wasn't enough so I followed it up with cookies. Half of which Rou ate while gooey.

I just wish this world had milk.

Aqua requested that I join her down at the beach once everyone was filled.

Now we two walk down the spotless sand beach past the pier.

"So, what did you need?" I eventually ask after we silently pass the former resting place of Excalibur.

She stands, facing away from me, with her hands linked behind her back. A trace of wind catches her short canopy of hair forcing her to draw it back with a hand.

"Earlier a rookie at the training grounds got a splinter." She starts simply. "I healed him, but I noticed it was kind of different."

"Different?"

"Mhm, I experimented a bit, and well... look."

She extends the hand from her head releasing her hair and then she shuts her eyes tightly. After a moderate amount of concentration, a ball of white light appears on her hand. It expands quickly obscuring her hand in light within moments.

"What is that?" I ask trying to hide the awe in my voice.

I don't know much about magic but I can tell that is an abnormal amount of mana.

"I have no clue. It never happened with my old body."

"Old body?"

"Mhm, this body isn't the same. It's not just my hair that's different. My mana level is incomprehensible, I could probably maintain this level of mana use for a few hours. And my muscles feel lighter. And, the scar here," She lifts her dress and slides her panties enough for me to see a smooth buttcheek. "It's gone."

After coughing a few times to prompt her to re-dress I think about what she just told me. This scar was something I didn't know about, perhaps that had something to do with it? But that didn't explain anything else.  

"Interesting, I will do a bit of investigation. Menu."

I select [Harem] and find Aqua amongst the names. Indeed her base stat's have increased. Yet her level itself has returned to one.

Oh, did she prestige? Her level resets but she saves her stats and even increased her abilities.

Oh, yeah. I suppose I never mentioned the fact that [Party] menu tab was renamed once my status as a demon king was revealed.

Honestly, it wasn't something I wanted to admit.

"You have changed a bit. You are stronger than ever before. But you should be careful, I'm not sure what exactly this means."

"So you can change my body?" Aqua asks tilting her head and again placing hands to her chest.

"Well, I don't know about physically. But if it's something you worry about that much I can look into it."

I had planned to anyway, I feel bad that Mirna will never grow up. So the least I can do is check into it a bit.

"Will you make everyone strong like this?"

"If the process is anything like how you acquired your power then absolutely not."

"Ah, yeah I suppose that's true," Aqua says seemingly remembering the conditions of her change.

"You seem like you want to say something else."

"Ah, well… After everything," She kicks the sand and again turns her back to me. "You said it was a tie, right?"

"I did, technically we were both knocked out simultaneously. And since we are both alive I think it would be considered a tie."

"Are you ok leaving it like that?"

"Oh? I suppose not."

"I agree." She exclaims beaming at me.

~ ~

Do you really need to hear the result? I think it's fairly clear.

But I must admit Aqua is dangerously powerful now. She's quick, even in the sand she whipped around me at amazing speeds. The only stat I have that's currently above her's is strength. But I suppose it's such an insane number that even with her impressive stats, they weren't enough.

I almost think it's unfair for the most powerful of the girls to have been the one amplified. I need to figure out a way to do this to the others.

Without resurrecting them.

But that will have to wait. Today I have another mission. I need to announce, or rather request, that the full-time staff move in with me. Karlie had requested it but I really wasn't sure if it was something the employees would want.

Hadn't most just began to settle into their lives? I even heard a few had pooled their money together to buy houses around town.

So why would they agree to this? It would be crowded at this new place.

I also need to be careful how I approach it. I have noticed some still feel an obligation to receive orders from me. I have even been called 'Master' on occasion.   

I believe some are still locked into the mindset of slavery. It troubles me. It's not what I wanted, I want them to feel free. I want them to live their own lives.     

I attempt a few other ways to talk myself out of it but Karlie has already assembled the staff in the expanded meeting room. I have no escape at this point.

I pointlessly knock, before opening the door and facing the group of, twenty-five? I was sure the numbers were twelves slaves purchased from the disgusting man in Marrow, and the twelves who lost their homes from the bandits.

Why is Pina here? What does she have to do with this?

Seemingly noticing my odd glance, Karlie nods without a word.

Ah, I see. Well, it's her request, and it's not like I'm forcing this on any of them either I'm simply going to ask them.

"Well, I suppose you must be wondering why I gathered you all here."

Yes, I can finally check off another one of the lines I've always wanted to say.

"We know!" Autumn says turning to a few of the girls who nod quickly in affirmation.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that Cole. I accidentally let it slip while we were waiting for you to get here. But please continue."

"Wha… Well what's the point, I can just hear everyone's answer then."

"No, no, no," Karlie says chopping the air with her hands. "You have to do it properly."

"Wha… Mmmm. Fine." I clear my throat, noticing the checkmate Karlie has. "Well, I recently began experimenting with construction. And well, I just happened to build something much larger than I have the use for. I think it would be a waste to leave it empty, and well… if it would save you all money on rent or mortgage…"

"Oh, the bashful Cole is exquisite," Pina says in a whisper towards Karlie.

"It's indeed a rarity."

"Ah, enough. Since you all already know there's no point. That's the situation. You all are welcome to continue as you are. Or there are very nice rooms available at the new mansion. Though I must admit the location isn't ideal for going to work. It further away from both the restaurant and the port so I really don't know why you woul…"

"We will do it!"

"Mm, Mm," April says nodding to Dianna.

"To get Master and Mirna's cooking every day! It's like a dream come true."

"I want to bathe with Alice, I can finally see how she keeps her hair so shiny!"

"Same!"

"I want to see the princess!"

"Keep it in your pants, Lauren."

I have quite a lively group. I suppose living with them will be constant entertainment if nothing else. Not that I'm particularly missing that from my life.