[Nightmare]

"That's a bold statement, Atlas. Mind filling us in on every horrible detail down to the letter?"

"Let's start with the events that have been testified to."

—

"Helix… I… I don't know what to say right now." Emelia said with puffy eyes.

"Hmmm. What about saying, [I'm happy right now]?" Helix chuckled.

The two were walking through the cobblestone streets of the Kina district at 8 pm.

"I am happy! I… feel like this is a dream that's too good to be true." She whispered after clarifying her feelings.

Helix gave Emelia a gentle gaze.

She was wearing her pink lightweave dress that they bought on their first trip to Burlow Street.

Her golden-brown hair was shimmering in the moonlight, and her pink hair clip complimented her adorable appearance.

"Well, it's the truth." He chuckled.

"But…. you spent every gold coin you had.

You could have bought over three dozen female servants with that money.

Why would you want one?" Emelia asked in confusion.

Helix stopped and guided her body to face him.

"Emelia, as of today, you're not my servant anymore." He said with a serious tone.

"Wait! Please don't leave me!" She cried in a panic.

Helix laughed in bewilderment.

"Emelia. Have you already forgotten?

I set you free so that you could join me and spend your life with me." He reiterated while shaking his head.

"You don't have to treat me differently.

You can still act as my aid if you wish.

In fact, I'm extremely selfish and I'd love that.

I love who you are, and your freedom doesn't change that."

"Helix…." Emelia whimpered softly.

"And… uh… now that you're free…." He stuttered awkwardly.

"H-Helix, are you okay!?

You're bright red!

You look like you have a fever!" Emelia cried after seeing his expression.

Except for the light blushes during the temporary harem party, she had never seen Helix get flustered before.

Seeing his red face against his silky black hair and pitch-black eyes made him look sickly.

Helix gave Emelia a gawking expression, followed by a wry smile.

"Emelia… I'm fine. I'm just… wondering…." He stuttered.

"Helix, you can tell me if something's wrong….

I promise that I won't take it to heart." Emelia promises.

Helix didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the tragic comedy playing out before his eyes.

"Emelia… please give me a second to speak before drawing conclusions." Helix chuckled nervously.

"O-Okay…." She replied while fidgeting her fingers anxiously.

"You're free now. Which means that you're not duty-bound to me anymore." Helix began.

Emelia looked at him in shock with tears in her eyes.

Helix lifted her hand to stop her with a strange chuckle.

"Now that you're not, there are no restrictions on what is acceptable between us."

"What… does that mean?" She asked with tears welling in the corner of her eyes.

"It means I can ask you a question…." He said nervously.

Helix summoned all of his courage to look at Emelia in her golden-hazel eyes.

"Emelia. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Emelia looked at him in shock.

"W-What? I…." She stuttered in disbelief.

Helix looked away from her in shame.

"The temporary harem… wants to become permanent." He said with shame-filled eyes.

"So… Marie, Riley, and Charlotte… maybe… are all my girlfriends.

So I'm hardly worthy of being your boyfriend, but…."

Emelia gazed at Helix with wide eyes and confusion.

"But… I love you, Emelia." Helix confessed with sincere eyes that reflected the moonlight.

"While my feelings for you aren't purely romantic like with Marie.

And they're not lustful like they are with Charlotte.

And they're not comfortable like they are with Riley…." He explained.

"My bond with you is… special.

I want you to stay by my side forever.

You have made this miserable life I've had here worth every second.

I cherish you, Emelia.

If you feel even a fraction of how I do, I hope you will accept me into your life as your partner."

Emelia started crying with confused tears of positive emotions.

"Will… you ask me that as your last formal request as your servant?" She asked with a conflicted expression.

"Would you like for that to be my last formal request?" He asked.

".... Yes." She whispered while holding her hands and staring down at the cobblestones.

Helix sighed and gave her a hopeless smile.

"While I would never usually order my servant to date me…." He began while giving her a pitiful smile.

"I've… learned that I'm a selfish individual who finds it extremely difficult to turn down what I want recently.

For that reason…."

Emelia gazed at Helix with her puffy eyes.

"Emelia Myiron. As my final formal request as my aid and servant, I ask you to enter a relationship with me and allow me to make you as happy as possible!" Helix declared.

Emelia panicked when she heard the extra orders.

"Helix!" She exclaimed.

Helix frowned.

"Do you… refuse me my request, trusty aid?" He asked playfully.

"I…. No! I…." Emelia whimpered.

"Moreover, I'm feeling quite selfish, so I hope you'll accept another request." He announced with a playful smile.

"I request that you continue being my aid moving forward.

As my partner, you'll naturally have to help me with various things in my life to satisfy me.

So if you continue acting as you already are, I would cherish that."

Emelia's wide eyes glittered in the moonlight.

Helix stared at her with a gentle gaze.

"T-Then, if that's what you wish….

I will fulfill my duties and become your girlfriend!" Emelia declared.

Helix reached out his left hand and caressed her cheek.

Using his thumb, he wiped the streams of tears coming from her eyes.

Emelia closed her eyes and felt his hand against her.

A moment later, she felt Helix's lips against hers.

While her first thought was to panic, she succumbed to the overwhelming positive emotions washing over her.

When their tongues met, they felt as though an incredible pressure gate exploded, and repressed emotions burst forth.

The two shared a kiss that felt like it lasted a lifetime.

It was their first kiss.

Real kiss.

Earned kiss.

It wasn't strategic.

It was genuine.

Expression.

Love.

"I… I love you, Helix." Emelia whimpered.

"I love you too, Emelia." Helix replied with a gentle smile.

"Let's go back to our room.

We need to get ready for tomorrow."

Emelia gave Helix a quizzical expression.

"What's happening tomorrow?" She asked.

"We're going on a trip outside of Alzeria." He replied with a mysterious smile.

"And you'll never have to worry about me dying here again."

Emelia's eyes went wide.

"R-Really!?" She exclaimed.

"Really. While it wasn't intentional, a very powerful person is sponsoring our trip out of Alzeria.

She will protect us. We can come back in the future when it's safe and if we wish."

Emelia's eyes glittered in the moonlight.

"I-I'm so glad! I'm… I'm… I'm so happy that I don't have to worry about you dying anymore." She confessed while trying not to cry.

Helix wiped her tears away with his thumb again.

"Trust me, Emilia. I am too." He chuckled.

"HELIX MARGRAVE!" A man's voice yelled out.

A wave of dread and fear washed over his body.

—

"I'll agree to negotiate a deal out of the city [temporarily] upon short notice.

However, you mustn't use your Nightmare or give anyone a reason to escalate things legally." Eliza explained.

"We also must act fast under the cloak of surprise.

So you must act alone without bodyguards to avoid a show of favoritism.

Negotiate a deal to buy Emelia tonight, and we'll organize your trip out of the city."

Helix gave Eliza a slight yet sincere smile.

"I cannot thank you enough, Eliza." He replied with a gratitude-filled voice.

"Now get ready, so you can hurry back and tell me about all of the fascinating things you learn on your adventures.

I demand stories as compensation!" Eliza demanded.

"Haaaaaah. I'm not one for adventures, but it's a slight price to pay for your kindness." He replied with a wry smile.

"Good. Now get out of here and keep a low profile.

I'll make some plays and get Macron to set up the details."

—

"What do you want… Walter?" Helix asked.

"Hmmm? Is that a fear-stricken voice I hear from you?" Walter laughed.

"Yeah, not so tough now are you, Helix!?" Another man sneered.

"Why are you all here? I plan to let you exile me, isn't that enough?" Helix asked.

"Is that enough? Is that enough!? Hahahahaha." Walter roared.

,m "I-I think that is enough! The worm will finally get what he deserves!" A familiar voice rang out.

"Please listen to Lina. I'm going to leave quietly and mean none of you harm." Helix claimed.

"Hah! No, that isn't enough. You can't just get out of this now that you don't have those girls to protect you." Walter sneered.

"Look, if you want me to destroy the evidence, I'll do it in front of you." Helix said.

"That's a good—"

"You think this is about evidence? Hah!" Walter roared.

"Then… what is this about?" Helix asked.

"You've offended someone that you couldn't afford to offend.

Now you're to pay the price of that—with your life!"

—

[A/N: The reality of cultivator mindset.]

Disclaimer: Grammatical mistakes and minor inconsistencies = more content.