[Nightmare]

"When the crisis cooled, there was a nighttime gathering of your peers." Elsa began.

Helix listened to her intently with his head pushed against her chest.

—

"I'm moved by the number of people that I see here today." Marie said gently with tears in her eyes.

"It's been a hard week, yet you've been willing to show your support, even though many do not feel the danger has subsided.

Thank you."

Marie bowed lightly, provoking warm smiles through the crowd in front of her.

Twenty-three of the otaku super-virgin task force were standing before her.

While most were women, seven were men, and three were previously hostile to him.

Of course, they weren't in a faction that aimed to harm Helix but would have supported the exile movement had they not heard Macron's speech.

Every servant that had been assigned to a Knight was also present.

Lastly, there were fifteen guards, three teachers, and five medical professionals.

The people were standing on a lush green hillside, and a river gently glided flower petals downstream behind Marie.

The moonlight illuminated Marie's beautiful pale skin and made her appear like a goddess that represented common folk.

"Everyone was given a Circle of Remembrance last night.

You were able to record a personal message to Helix to travel with him into the afterlife.

We have small wooden boats here that you can place your message into, and they will flow downstream.

You've been asked to speak to Helix as a conversation and say what you wish you could.

I hope you've done so.

At the bottom of the stream is a waterfall.

When the water makes contact with the chalk on those circles, it will erase them.

So your message will not be listened to by anyone else." Marie explained with a gentle smile.

"As you have already been informed, the circles will highlight any messages with malicious intent.

They will glow red in the boat before you put them in the water.

Therefore, while you can say sorry or vent your regrets, the circle will capture any malicious intent and identify you.

This event is being held for peace and closure.

Therefore, if you provide a boat that turns red, I will take it personally as an offense against me." Marie explained with sincere eyes.

"However, I will reserve judgment until after listening to the recording.

Many have conflicting emotions.

So I won't blame those who cannot express their feelings well.

Please share the recording with me, Charlotte, or Riley if you have concerns.

If you are concerned and don't wish to share, please pretend like you don't have one.

I see no ill will in any of your eyes.

I'm proud to say that I know you and what you're doing.

Once again, I thank you."

Marie bowed once again.

"Now, please grab a boat, and we'll get started.

We will wait until any concerned parties share their messages with us if they wish to.

If you see someone hesitant to share, please assume they are self-conscious, uncertain, or fearful.

We're all afraid and concerned, so please do not assume or bully people if they do not share.

Form a line, and we'll get started."

The individuals present got in line peacefully.

It was a sight filled with kindness, and it felt healing.

"You know…. This event started because Hellie made improving the lives of the servants part of his suicidal survival strategy." Charlotte commented.

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"His original intention was to create a scenario where the other Knights would take action out of jealousy." Charlotte explained.

"The idea was that they would go out into Myriad, find fascinating things, and talk about them excitedly the next day.

That way, he could disappear from the limelight.

The plan was to accelerate the growth of the Knights so their jealousy would disappear faster."

Riley gave Charlotte a stunned expression.

"That was his strategy? That worked, but it didn't help him much…."

Charlotte chucked in bitter amazement.

"Yeah, it worked alright. It was an ingenious plan, too.

The pro~blem was that he was appalled by how the servants were treated on the first night, so he purposely stuck his dick into a hornet's nest to come to their aid.

So he came up with another survival strategy that involved them." She clarified.

Riley's eyes shifted over the crowd of people in line.

Every servant was present, and they were all strained with faces of sadness and gratitude.

"I see. Helix almost died from it. I wish it would have stopped there." Riley whispered with a sad smile.

"I don't!" Charlotte announced a puffed-out chest.

Marie looked at her with bewilderment.

"Wait, why?" Marie asked.

"Because, dummy! Think about Hellie's poor casual conversational skills.

If he didn't do that, he would never have taken your hand to show you the Myriad Library that day." Charlotte chastised with a mocking smile.

Marie's face heated up, and she felt the desire to cover her face with shame.

"You should have seen your face that day.

The fearless leader, Marie Skybolt, asked permission cautiously like a docile kitten." Charlotte said with a playful smile.

Marie puffed out her cheeks, but she retracted them when the memory washed over her.

"You're right. Come to think of it, that one power-play improved the lives of the servants and attracted the attention of the girls." Riley commented.

"True…. Do you think he regrets it now?" Marie asked while looking up at the stars.

"Nope." Charlotte replied definitively.

"Why are you so certain?" Marie asked.

"Why? That man got to see Emilia's bright smile every day." Charlotte replied with a warm smile.

"Do you think that he would regret making her so happy?"

Marie smiled.

"I suppose you're right." She replied.

"Um…. Excuse me, Ms. Marie." Millie called out nervously.

"Hmmm? What is it, Millie?

If you're worried that your circle will glow red, don't be." Marie replied with a puzzled expression.

"Um…. No, it's not that. It's just…." Millie whispered.

"Millie, please tell us. We promise that we'll support anything you say." Riley promised with a gentle smile.

"Okay…. I'm just wondering if you think that… you know… Helix might hear this." Millie replied.

Marie and Charlotte froze, but Riley's expression remained gentle.

"Are you worried that you've said something embarrassing?" Riley asked.

Millie nodded bashfully, triggering sighs of relief from Marie and Charlotte.

"I see. Well, I can't say for certain that Helix will be able to find your message in the afterlife." Riley replied.

"Knowing him, he'll probably be running around reluctantly saving the world. So it might miss him."

The women chuckled, and Millie gave Riley a cute smile.

"But I'm certain he'll listen to it if it reaches him.

Instead of asking whether he'll hear it, consider this question instead.

Are you willing to hide your feelings from him, knowing there might not be another chance?"

All of the women were stunned into silence by Riley's powerful words.

"I…. Um…. What would you do, Ms. Riley?" Millie asked with wide eyes.

"I would confess to him without hesitation." Riley replied.

"This side of Riley never ceases to amaze me." Charlotte whispered in disbelief.

"I know, right?" Marie affirmed.

"Then…. Thank you, Ms. Riley. I'll share my feelings without hesitation then." Millie announced with determination.

"I'm sure it will leave him with a smile." Riley replied.

The three watched Millie scamper away with a bright smile on her face.

"Well, it's time to light the candles. Charlotte, are you ready?" Marie asked.

"Come now, Marie. Just because you're a genius doesn't mean I can't do this much." Charlotte replied with a mocking smile.

"I didn't question if—"

"Yeah, yeah. But if I can't do this much on my own, I'll never be your [permanent rival]." Charlotte replied dismissively.

She walked in front of the audience while waving her hand at Marie.

"Are you all ready to get this celebration started!?" Charlotte bellowed.

Light cheers of support rang out.

Charlotte frowned.

"Hey, now. What do you think this is, a day of mourning or something?" She asked the attendees in a low voice.

"We're not here to be sad. We're here to celebrate!"

The crowd stared at her with perplexion in her eyes.

"This is a moment to rejoice and remember all of the amazing things that Hellie has done for us!" Charlotte asserted boldly.

"So I want to hear all of the Knights, servants, guards, and teachers' voices." She demanded.

"Are you ready to get this celebration started!?" Charlotte bellowed.

"Yeeeeeaaaaah!" The crowd responded.

"Not bad, not bad." Charlotte said with a playful smile.

"But I think you all can do better.

Where are my servants at?

Today, you can feel free to let your full emotions show!

We're not just here for Hellie, but for Emelia, too!"

The servants looked at the Knights, guards, and teachers with hesitation.

Finally, their eyes landed on Marie—their new hero.

Marie had told every servant that Helix had put her in charge of protecting them.

Every servant was revitalized when they saw her bright smile and felt newfound determination.

"One more time, everyone!

Are you ready to get this celebration started!?"

"Yeeeeeeeaaaaahhhhhhh!" The audience screamed and cheered.

"Good! Then let's get started, people!" Charlotte announced while waving her hand.

As her hand passed in the direction of each boat, the candle inside lit up simultaneously.

It was one of the most beautiful and spellbinding displays of magic that the individuals present had ever seen.

"Wooooooow, beautiful." Riley commented with a gentle tone.

"You'd never believe it, but she practiced that technique for two days straight while I worked on [Shatter].

This event was her idea too.

She's not exactly a tsundere, but more like… someone deceptively aloof." Marie remarked with a smile.

"I like Charlotte." Riley said with a light smile.

"Me too… oh no…." Marie exclaimed with a laugh.

Many Knights were chanting [Fairy Charlotte!], and it took every ounce of her willpower not to clobber them with gravity magic and light them on fire.

Charlotte's Nightmare, [Exodus Blaze], locked a target in place with gravity, set the area on fire, and created pressurized heat around them.

It was a brutal Nightmare, so watching her use the magic to light candles felt like a dream.

After escaping, she met up with the other women again and watched the people push their boats into the water.

"Wheeeeew!" Charlotte whistled.

"Have you ever seen something so beautiful?"

Almost one hundred small wooden boats were drifting down the river.

Candles were flickering inside them, and each had a glowing magic circle with a unique color.

The colors represent emotions captured in the message.

"Joy, sadness, love, regret, and gratitude.

It's so beautiful to see these people's various emotions visualized like this." Marie whispered in awe.

"Are you surprised?" Riley asked in awe.

"No. Not in the slightest." Charlotte replied with a warm smile.

—

[A/N: I hope you love this scene.]