[Nightmare]

Chapter 17 [Trauma]

"I still don't know if they were traumatized, but it doesn't surprise me if they were." Helix sighed.

"I asked how Lucas would feel if the women knew he was trying to murder someone.

It was necessary to convince him to use his fists instead of his sword and Nightmare.

I had no other options." Helix explained.

—

"If it comes out that you three tried to gang up on another person and even tried to kill him, no one will speak to you.

No one wants to be friends or love someone willing to murder people." Helix chuckled with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

—

"After the two attacked me, the spell activated.

To get them to leave, I started calling out girls' names and saying I was thankful they arrived to save me."

A tumultuous wave of complex emotions washed over Marie and Riley.

"At the time, I didn't realize how powerful the spell was.

But when I pointed out that you all witnessed the attack, they had a breakdown on the spot.

Lucas started making excuses to Leera by name.

Ethan begged Whitney for forgiveness.

I blacked out right after that.

I suspect trauma because—"

"T-Thank you…." Marie interjected with a whisper.

While he was lying about the type of magic used, he was telling the truth about what probably happened.

Still, he didn't expect Marie's reaction, which shocked him.

"What? I got you all got wrapped up in this.

Why are you thanking me?" Helix asked in disbelief.

Marie started crying, Riley started trembling, and Helix panicked in response.

He looked at Emelia for help, but the young woman was unresponsive.

She was still in shock after learning how close to death he was.

"What's wrong? Please don't cry." Helix requested with a panicked expression.

"Don't you get it? You confirmed those dangerous creeps were targeting us!" Marie cried.

"They assaulted their servants and tried to murder you two days after arriving.

I can't imagine what would happen if those two became powerful and attacked us.

We don't have any combat or magic experience to defend ourselves." Riley added

Helix grimaced when he considered things from that perspective.

"We wouldn't have known if it weren't for what you did." Marie added.

"We only learned how obsessive they were the day after they were released.

The two started confronting us in a panicked state, especially Leera and Whitney."

—

"L-Leera! You have to believe me.

I didn't want to hurt Helix. I had to!

He was threatening you women and was dangerous!" Lucas cried in a frenzied state.

—

"They were making excuses for attacking you out of the blue." Marie continued.

"We had no idea what they were talking about, of course.

That only threw fuel on the fire."

—

"I-I don't know what you're talking about…." Leera replied with fear in her eyes.

"Please don't look scared!

I saw you grabbing Helix before the Royal Guards took him to the infirmary." Lucas begged.

"N-No, I wasn't. Wait… why is Helix in the hospital? Is he hurt?" Leera asked in a haze of confusion.

"Y-Yes. But Helix's going to be alright!

He isn't going to die.

So even if you don't trust that I was trying to protect you, at least know I'm not a murderer." Lucas informed her with trembling eyes.

"M-Murder? I'm not sure what's going on, but I have somewhere to be. I'll see you in class…."

"Wait! Please don't pretend you don't know!" Lucas cried in an emotionally tumultuous state of mind.

—

"We all tried to escape the two. However, they started stalking us and approaching our friends.

They wanted to get us to convince the two to forgive them." Riley explained with tears in her eyes.

"We were so scared when the men confessed to attempted murder and stalked us.

Macron quickly detained the two again after we arrived.

However, he wouldn't explain what happened or give us details about your condition." Marie added.

"I… don't know what to say…." Helix said with a remorseful expression.

"I assure you both that I didn't intend for that to happen.

While I was only trying to survive, I wish the magic didn't get you involved."

Helix genuinely didn't intend for that to happen.

He expected them to get locked away, but their punishment was too harsh.

They were tricked into believing there were witnesses.

Then all of the women tried avoiding the two, reinforcing their beliefs.

Following that, they thought the teachers believed they were crazy.

Or they were also in on a conspiracy to avoid them and only blamed them for attempted murder.

During a period of guilt, isolation, and questioning their sanity, they were under trial for attempted murder, and women avoided them like the plague as they feared.

It probably drove them insane—permanently.

Helix knew what was possible but couldn't conceptualize it to that extent.

"Do you think they'll try to take revenge against me?" Helix sighed.

Marie and Riley shook their heads.

"Lucas and Ethan were transferred to a special army division in another city yesterday.

They also cut the blood seal from their bodies, removing the system and the Nightmares from them." Riley explained.

"As a result, us girls are safer because of what you did."

Helix cringed internally.

Myriad was now a magicless world without video games, light novels, and everything they loved.

They deserved that, but it was still brutal since they were forcefully brought to Myriad.

Either way, he was thankful they couldn't take revenge on him.

So he also sighed a breath of relief.

"While I'm not a good person for doing what I did, I don't regret it, and I'm grateful that it benefited the women." Helix said with a slight smile.

Marie wanted to argue he was a good person but swallowed her words.

"I know you don't think that you're a good person.

Perhaps you're not; we don't know anything about you." Marie claimed tactfully.

"However, you've brought safety and comfort to us girls—especially Whitney and Leera.

The servants' morale has improved exponentially because of you, especially the females.

Helix, you have improved the lives of all women here in only a couple of days.

We visited [before] the stalking and left you that card." Riley explained with teary eyes.

Helix's eyes widened when he remembered the card they left with Emelia.

Marie felt the young woman had spoken for her and nodded in agreement.

"Agreed. Helix, on behalf of all of the female Knights and the servants, we'd like to thank you!"

Marie stood up and bowed her head as she wept softly.

Riley followed and did the same.

Helix panicked and didn't know how to handle the situation.

He had terrible social skills if he wasn't engaging in conversation with a refined goal.

Helix could charm a group of women and make his servant treasure him to accomplish a strategy.

But if someone wanted to talk about their weekend or favorite video game, he was a social trainwreck.

He was useless without a goal, which made him bitter, especially in situations like this.

"You're… welcome. I appreciate your kindness and consideration." Helix replied with a forced smile.

"I hope we can all be friends moving forward if you're okay with that."

Marie and Riley's eyes shot open with positive disbelief.

"You'll be friends with us?" Marie asked in confusion.

"Y-Yes?" He replied nervously.

He accomplished his goal of leading her away from the topic, but now he was in an equally uncomfortable conversation.

"I… am someone that treasures free time, and despite my confident appearance, I'm subconscious on the inside." Helix confessed.

"I'm not the person that people think I am.

However, I appreciate honest people with good intentions.

So if you want to be friends, I'll gladly accept."

"You're shockingly relatable…." Riley muttered in disbelief.

Helix sent the two a wry smile.

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment, but—"

"No! It's a good thing!" Riley cried while waving her hands in a frenzy.

"I-I'll happily become your friend if you accept me!"

"Same is true of me!" Marie followed instantaneously.

'What's going on? I'm so lost….' Helix thought to himself.

He nodded in response and glanced at Emelia, who was quietly crying while trying to remain neutral.

Helix sighed inwardly.

"I'm glad to have friends now." Helix said with a smile.

"I do. I look forward to it.

Now that people have seen that I'm easy to kill, I doubt they'll try to kill me.

So I'm glad we can be all friends without triggering lethal jealousy." He joked.

"Don't worry. I'm not a fighter, but I promise to protect you from now on." Marie declared.

"After what you've done for us and the servants, it's the least I can do.

So I'll work hard to get strong to protect you and the weaker people as well."

Helix's eyes shot open in confusion.

"There's no—"

"And I'll do the same. We planned to tell you that before the incident." Riley said with a bright smile.

"I don't—"

Emelia started crying in happiness after hearing that people would protect Helix.

The two genuinely meant it. For whatever reason, they took an interest in Helix after he made them feel welcomed on the second night.

After seeing how he treated Emelia and how the servants' lives were improved, they increased their support.

The next day, they were shocked to find he was almost murdered.

The martyrdom magnified their feelings, made them angry, and feel a desire to protect him.

Helix didn't understand this. So he was thoroughly confused and disoriented about how his confession of malicious actions translated into gaining female bodyguards.

However, he was secretly grateful to the two, even though he felt he didn't deserve their aid.

"Don't worry, Ms. Emelia. We'll be Helix's bodyguards starting today." Marie said with a warm smile.

"We'll make sure he's safe. So there's no reason to cry." Riley followed with a warm smile.

Emelia gave them a bright smile, shutting down any attempt for Helix to refuse.

"I'll gratefully accept both of your help." Helix said in a shame-filled tone.

Marie and Riley lit up in excitement, causing Helix to become even more confused.

However, he didn't question it.

Helix was glad he had friends, especially since they would protect him.

So he made the most of it and tried to strike up conversations to get their friendship started.

—

[A/N: The next chapter intentionally skips ahead and works backward through flashbacks. Nothing is [skipped].

While his strategy is exciting, I'm afraid people will drop the novel if I don't speed up the use of Nightmares or his road to power. Thanks for reading!]