[Nightmare]

"Are you angry with me?" Marie asked.

Helix gave Marie a hopeless smile when he saw her face.

She was wearing brown leather battle armor that closely hugged her body.

Her red hair made her look like a powerful general ready to lead a battalion to war.

Yet her face was unbearably cute.

Helix shook his head.

"I'm not angry with you. I'm genuinely thankful for what you did today." He replied with a gentle smile.

"Thank goodness…. I was worried when you didn't leave the library for another hour." She replied nervously.

Helix smiled bitterly.

"I was just having a discussion with someone." He explained.

"Was it that girl you're always talking to?" She asked hesitantly.

Seeing her painfully panicked expression, Helix decided to take a gamble.

"Marie, can I kiss you again?" He asked awkwardly.

"Y-Yes!" She replied without hesitation.

Helix walked up awkwardly to her.

After some hesitation, he reached out and grabbed her leather-clad waist.

She closed her eyes, and their lips met.

The experience felt more intimate and vulnerable, and it washed over his body with a vibrant sensation.

After a moment, he released his lips and stared into her beautiful green eyes.

They were puffy from her tears and bloodshot from her frustration.

"Marie…. I like you. A lot." Helix announced awkwardly.

Marie's eyes sparkled at his confession.

"I… love you, Helix." She said softly.

"I'll gratefully accept your feelings." He replied with a gentle smile.

"Will…." He replied with a wincing expression.

"Will… I also accept the special people in your life?" She asked with a conflicted expression.

Helix sighed.

"I'm… exponentially more shameless and hypocritical than I've ever realized." He chuckled bitterly.

"If you ask me to choose between you and a harem without you, I'll choose you."

Marie's eyes glittered with shock.

"You're kind to your friends equally.

You're powerful and confident in the face of adversity.

I'm desperately attached to your beauty.

You've protected me for weeks and I've fallen for your leadership skills.

So if there can only be one person, I'll choose you." Helix confessed.

Marie gave him a bright smile and then fell silent with thought.

Helix allowed her to think patiently.

After a moment of conflicted contemplation, Marie decided.

"If... the temporary harem becomes permanent… I'm…." She began hesitantly.

"I'm okay with that. I don't want to rip you away from Emelia.

She's… special." Marie said in a low voice.

"As for Charlotte and Riley, I… enjoyed last night, and it was attractive.

But I honestly wouldn't want anyone else.

Accepting ancient lolis, cats that can transform into women, or dragon women period is a deal-breaker."

Helix burst into laughter and wiped slight tears from his eyes.

"You don't have to worry about lolis, transformers, or dragon women.

If a loli arrives, I'll call the FBI." He laughed.

Marie giggled like a schoolgirl in response.

After laughing, he gazed into her eyes and continued.

"I had fun last night too." He said with a charming smile.

"I never thought that the dynamic could be so much fun and endearing."

"Me… either. I'm surprised." She said with true contemplation.

"I'm surprised, amazed, and genuinely shocked that you share my feelings.

I'd be grateful for just you. So the fact that you're willing to accept Emelia especially means a lot.

I promise you that I won't ask for other people." He vowed.

"We'll see about that, lady killer." Marie huffed.

Helix laughed.

"So… Marie. Will you go out with me?" Helix asked with a genuine expression.

Marie burst into laughter.

Helix watched the young woman bending over, laughing with a terror-filled expression.

"This… isn't the time where you declare you were just teasing me, is it?" Helix asked with a mortified expression.

"No! No!" Marie cried between breaths.

"It's… It's just… It's just that I accepted to be part of your harem, and now you're asking if I'll be your girlfriend." She cried.

"Is… that wrong?" He asked with wide eyes.

"No! I love it!" She laughed while wiping tears from her eyes.

"It's just… that harem… hahaha." She cried.

"I've just declared that I'm willing to be a one-dimensional side character that shamelessly follows and tries to please you… hahaha!" She explained between breaths.

"And you're asking for something eight layers lower.

That's like us having a passionate night of kinky sex and then asking if you can kiss me." Marie declared while gasping for breath.

Helix gave her a hopeless smile.

"I…. don't see you as a one-dimensional side-character." He chuckled.

"You're a normal girl from the real world that I like.

I've never had a girlfriend, but I'd like to have one.

So… even if this turns into a harem, will you go out with me?" Helix asked shyly.

"Yes!" She cried while trusting herself into his arms excitedly.

After a moment of awkwardness, he accepted her grasp.

A moment later, they kissed.

The kiss was much more powerful and romantic, and they both enjoyed it.

"Okay, harem leader. What are you going to do next?" Marie asked.

"If… I told you I plan to leave Alzeria, would you come with me?"

—

"Part-time?" Charlotte asked.

"I… don't know how to answer that question." Helix replied.

"It's like… how would I explain this?" Charlotte said while putting a finger to her lips.

"It's like I'll be part of your harem, but not your girlfriend."

Helix's eyes widened, and he aggressively pulled her into the nearest room.

"Woooooah. You've gotten bold." Charlotte commented with an impressed expression.

"Wait… what? No. You understand that you'll spark a war saying that, right?

That's every man's dream!" Helix replied with a bewildered expression.

"So, is it your dream as well?" She asked with a playful smile.

Helix stared at her seducing mannerisms with wide eyes.

"It… is now." He confessed.

"How do you not hate me for this level of shameless behavior?"

Charlotte put her fingers to her lips playfully.

"What? Do you think that you're the only person that's gaining enjoyment from this? Hmmm?" She asked with a grin.

"That…." Helix replied.

He looked to the ceiling and gave a blessing to the non-Elise gods.

"Charlotte. Will you be part of my harem?" Helix asked after refixing his gaze on her.

"May~be." She replied playfully.

Helix sighed.

"Can you give me a dating sim walkthrough on how to earn your willingness to join my harem?" He asked with a wry smile.

"Hoh? Hellie has the Earth Queen and the most gorgeous, loyal woman that will do any~thing for him.

Yet you're willing to earn me as well?" She asked playfully.

Helix sighed.

"Yes. I'll try to win you over if you're interested in me.

There's a word for someone like me. [Degenerate]." He confirmed.

"I used to think that I was a Cicero, but I turned out to be Alcibiades.

A shameless degenerate that somehow attracts beautiful women and sparks violent conflict.

I now know that I should never engage in gambling or excessive drinking."

Charlotte laughed when she saw his self-deprecating smile.

"Your face is truly pitiful right now." Charlotte laughed.

"Here, I'll help you hide it!"

Before Helix could react, Charlotte grabbed his neck and pushed his lips against his.

Helix pushed her against a wall in the room, and their passion increased further.

Charlotte fed the newfound side of him that hungered for excitement and passion.

'I'll take this as a yes. Maybe. Hah, I couldn't care less.'

—

"You want [me] to be your girlfriend?" Riley asked with wide eyes.

"Well, yeah…. I'm desperately shameless and a complete hypocrite, so you'll have to accept the other three as well…." Helix replied awkwardly.

"But yeah…. I'd like you to be my girlfriend too…."

Riley gave him a gentle smile.

"I accept. What do harem girlfriends do?

Is it more like a girlfriend or more like a harem?" She asked with an honest expression.

"That… I don't know." Helix responded with a wry smile.

"I guess… can we just figure it out later?"

Riley giggled and gave him a bright smile.

"Then we'll just figure it out later.

You don't have to worry about me.

I'm just happy to join." She replied thoughtfully.

"I'm a sucker for your gentle simplicity." Helix sighed.

"Can… I kiss you?"

Riley blushed lightly.

"I see. So harem girlfriends follow a leader that doesn't dodge them." She giggled awkwardly.

Helix's eyes widened in surprise.

"If… that's what you want. I'll happily kiss you.

I was selfish before, so I'm surprised you're asking me." She confessed shyly.

Helix almost cried out in bewilderment.

He couldn't believe she accepted to be part of his harem without believing he'd pay attention to her.

"Close your eyes." He requested.

Riley complied, and a second later, she felt his lips on hers.

—

"Emelia…." Helix called out in the darkness.

"Yes, Helix?" She replied.

"If I buy your way out of royal servitude, will you still stay by my side forever?"