[Nightmare]

"I thought we discussed killing all of the monsters with a sword." Tyrene chastised.

"I did kill the wolves with my sword." Helix responded with a wry smile.

Tyrene flashed him an annoyed expression.

When she saw Helix shiver, she burst into laughter.

"Hah! No. You did the right thing, kid!" She cried.

Helix gave Tyrene an expression that read, [I'm not amused].

"I'm sorry! Haha. Hah. I genuinely thought you believed that killing things with a sword only involved swordplay. Haha!"

Tyrene was wiping light tears from her eyes.

"Knowing how cunning you are, getting to watch you flail around like a dying fish was a treat! Hahahaha!"

Helix's eyes glazed over, giving them a matching appearance of a dead fish.

When he realized Tyrene was expecting him to explain, he sighed.

"At first, I thought you were testing me on my swordplay.

After I was injured, I realized that you tested my ability to fight with a sword.

There's a difference between fighting with form and real combat.

It was foolish to believe fighting monsters would be a demonstration exercise." He explained with a wry smile.

Tyrene calmed down and gave him a warm gaze.

"Thankfully it only took one wound for you to realize that!" She chuckled.

Helix gave her a wry smile.

"However, damn, kid. The instant you realized it, your fighting capabilities did a one complete 180." Tyrene praised with an impressed expression.

He didn't know how to respond, so he slightly bowed his head.

"Have you researched the beasts here already?" She asked with an interested expression.

"I wanted to catch you off guard before you had time to prepare."

Helix shook his head with a slight smile.

"I researched them in the past.

I was bedridden and researched all of the beasts near Alzeria.

They just happened to be common here as well." He replied.

Tyrene's eyes glittered strangely.

"You'll go far, kid. Let's get you patched up so you get a cool scar." She said with a strange smile.

It was warm yet serious at the same time.

Helix gave her a bitter-sweet smile.

"Come along now. I know you're excited to level up, but a wound like that will hinder your training if it gets infected." Tyrene chuckled.

Helix gave her a defeated smile and walked toward her.

"We'll be going on two monster hunts per week.

So there's plenty of room for growth." Tyrene explained with a smile.

Helix's face lit up.

"You'll also have better equipment to prevent you from getting hurt."

He turned to her with a shocked expression.

Tyrene's eyes narrowed.

"Don't you dare assume you'll be leveling up for free, you hear?" She replied.

Helix shivered at her cold gaze.

"I will give you a beating for every attack that connects with you.

That way, you feel the pain without preventing your injuries from stopping training."

Helix shuttered at the prospect.

The two started walking through the forest back to Lexion.

"Master, you said I shouldn't hunt monsters without learning swordplay…." He sighed after a period of silence.

Tyrene looked at him with a strange smile.

"Hoh? You didn't avoid the topic. I'm impressed." She chuckled.

"Yes. You shouldn't go monster hunting until you know how to fight.

Your peers wouldn't be monster hunting if someone I know didn't expedite their schedule." Tyrene confirmed with a mocking smile.

Helix scoffed internally and looked away from her.

"Usually, you would train until you're Level 20 before going.

Unfortunately, your stats are too weak to train with, considering our short time together." Tyrene explained.

Helix looked at her with a pensive expression.

"I know what you're thinking. Learning to fight with a normal body is indeed beneficial." She prefaced.

"However, this isn't earth. You were likely around Level 7 when you started fighting the Liken Wolves.

After fighting three Liken Wolves at Level 17 without intervention, you will likely level up to level 13 instantly.

That sword will be three times lighter with your Earthian stat growth."

A wave of realization washed over him.

"Is that why people aren't allowed to go monster hunting until they reach Level 20?" Helix asked.

"Hoho! You're quite sharp. Most people don't catch that." Tyrene replied with genuine praise.

"It's easy to level up quickly by hunting monsters with professionals that protect you.

However, the constant fluctuations in stats make muscle memory impossible to achieve.

As a result, we train people until they reach a level where they won't shoot up multiple levels like you just did."

Helix nodded in understanding.

"Luckily, Tilo is helping me with a special magic circle that retains a constant spirit particle output for your training.

That way, we can train your technique in isolation.

It's a benefit of having teachers teaching you exclusively."

"I'm grateful you found an interest in me and took me on as your student." He replied with a happy smile.

Tyrene turned to him with a wicked grin.

"I like your gratitude. You can repay my kindness with your screams over the next four months."

Helix shuttered.

Suddenly he realized that Alzeria would be under attack soon.

After walking in silence for five minutes, he addressed the topic cautiously.

"Aren't you worried about the situation in Alzeria, master?" Helix asked.

Tyrene looked at Helix and studied his facial expressions.

"Hmmm? You saved the kingdom a lot of trouble, and that's why we've been able to take leave.

Is there something else you're worried about?" She asked.

Helix sighed.

"Master, before I say anything.

I want to reiterate that I'm not someone that wants trouble.

I just want to live life with those I love and make them happy.

I hope you'll protect my interests as Macron did after what I'm about to tell you." He prefaced.

Tyrene stopped walking and turned to Helix with a piercing gaze.

"A qualifier that ominous is serious. Especially coming from you."

Helix gave her a wry smile before sighing.

"My stats were level zero across the board because I refused a title from the Mad Queen." He replied bitterly.

Tyrene's eyes widened in shock.

"Boy, you have three seconds to start talking.

I just held myself back from throwing you into a tree to interrogate you!" She snapped aggressively.

Helix's heart started pounding, but his mind remained clear.

"The Mad Queen created the Nightmare artifacts.

It's documented that she has spoken to people in the past to corrupt them, and I was unlucky enough to be reached out to on the first day.

So please don't hurt me for something I didn't ask for when I'm about to do you a favor."

Helix's gaze was cold and steeled with resolve.

Tyrene's tense body relaxed to a normal level.

"Fair enough. Please continue." She replied with a firm tone.

"The title I was going to be given was [The Hero].

She wanted me to obtain the power to kill her as part of a sick game.

Before you ask, the title was a trap and has been known to lead everyone that has it to a very quick death.

I purposely sacrificed my stats to turn her down three times in a row.

Even after multiple assassination attempts and losing my lover, I know I made the right decision." Helix replied bitterly.

Tyrene gave Helix a complicated expression.

Like Macron, she was divided between praising Helix for turning Elise down and being bitter that he refused a calling.

However, it was hard to weigh the options when the sacrifice bombshell left her bewildered.

"She seemed excited that Earthians were arriving to provide her with amusement.

The Mad Queen was angry when I refused to play her game and locked all my stats.

However, she agreed not to directly kill me as compensation.

I think she'll play with the Knights when they've matured now that I'm gone."

Anger and bitterness trembled in his eyes.

"Since my girlfriends make up the top four fighters, their coming here will leave the Capital undefended.

So I'm…."

Helix's face flushed with helplessness and rage.

Tyrene's eyes trembled when she saw the young man express so much frustration.

"You're what, kid?" She asked calmly.

"I'm thinking about going back temporarily once I have more training.

I'm so fucking angry! I just want to live, and survive, and live normally!" He yelled.

He went to punch a tree, but his pragmatic mind warned him not to hurt himself.

So he stopped mid-way through and let his head and arms push against the truck to catch his fall.

Tyrene's eyes trembled.

She didn't know what to say to the young man.

Tilo had already approached her and warned her of his situation.

That way, she didn't forget that Helix had lost Emelia just a few days ago in his mind.

"I want to hate the people that tried to kill me!

But defenseless, anti-social men and women are afraid and alone there!" He cried out in frustration.

"It's one thing to get thrown into this world to fight a war.

It's another thing to learn that you're being targetted for a fucking game!"

Helix broke down and fell to his knees.

He didn't have tears left to shed, but he still took deep breaths.

"Come on, kid. Get up. You had some serious balls to tell me the Mad Queen contacted you.

You did so to protect us even though it'd cut your training short." Tyrene called out.

"After what you've been through, we won't just leave you behind or make you fight a battle for us."

Tyrene grabbed Helix under his arms and helped him stand back up.

"Helix. Have you eaten any real food since you've been here?" She asked.

He shook his head silently.

"Okay. Let's get some Kozen cuisine.

Then we can talk about your options.

No one will abandon you or make you do something against your interest.

So you won't get a slew of requests from me, okay?"

Helix stared into her crystal blue eyes with a sincere expression.

He nodded, and the two continued back into town.

—

"How is it?" Tyrene asked with a gentle gaze.

Helix was enjoying a bite of Zitha fish.

Kosen was a peninsula surrounded by the ocean, and Lexion was located on the waterfront.

"It's… amazing. It tastes like a supernova of happiness." He replied with genuine amazement.

"The meat tastes like it's marinated even though it's only been seared and sprinkled with salt.

Myriadian evolution is serious witchcraft."

Tyrene's eyes went wide, and she chuckled in bewilderment.

"Every word that comes out of your mouth is memorable." She laughed.

"I wish that was a compliment." He chuckled bitterly.

Tyrene gave Helix a wry smile.

"Okay. Are you willing to tell me a bit more about you?

What I know about you only comes from practical briefings, reports, and results." She laughed lightly.

Tyrene had rented out a private room in a restaurant, so they were alone.

The window was open, but the building hung over the water.

Lastly, Helix posted sound isolation circles on the walls.

So they were in a safe place to speak.

Helix gave her a complicated expression.

After a few moments of silence, he sighed.

He explained to her what happened during the Nightmare Induction Ceremony.

Then he explained how he created chaos by fighting for better servant treatment and how it snowballed into a harem.

He explained the Mirror of Helioquie to her, the purpose, and what happened.

Lastly, he explained how he obtained evidence on the cultivation culture and how it led to the current situation.

Tyrene listened to his explanations with an entertained expression throughout all of it.

However, she never downplayed the seriousness of the situations he was describing.

"Damn, kid. Your life has been a roller that passed through a volcano." Tyrene chuckled.

Helix laughed under his breath.

"It's depressing that you faked your death and traveled 1000 miles away for your safety despite being the greatest ally to the kingdom." She sighed.

"It's worse being here is causing trouble for us.

The new legal system is genius, but it's a double-edged sword, and there isn't much time to choose good successors.

Putting someone from the kingdom in charge would be worse."

Helix nodded with a bitter expression.

"But it can't be helped. We won't keep you from your loved ones after all you've done for us.

That's especially true since we didn't deserve it, to begin with.

I've been informed that preventing those girls and your friend from joining you was a recipe for disaster, even if we wanted to.

What a mess." Tyrene remarked while rubbing her temples.

"I agree." He replied simply.

A few minutes of silence passed as they ate their Zitha fish plates.

"What do you [really] want to do, Helix?" She asked.

Helix was looking over at the ocean over the pier.

The sun was getting lower, and the water was shimmering.

"Excuse me?" He asked after turning back to her.

"You're not normal, Helix." Tyrene commented with a serious expression.

She studied his facial expressions carefully as she spoke.

"You're not out to save the world, you want to survive, and I understand you're not interested in fighting our war.

But you naturally attract attention because of your interest in this world.

You may not have wanted to come here.

However, you've accepted the world, learned its culture, studied magic, and even accepted multiple women despite it being lethal.

You don't hate Myriad, and you're not avoiding it." She reasoned.

"I'm curious by nature. I've always been that way." Helix sighed.

Tyrene flashed him a serious expression.

"Helix. Your training and resolve to get stronger aren't normal."

Helix gave Tryene a quizzical look.

"You do know what happened recently. Right?" He asked with a calm voice.

She nodded.

"Yes. However, you were in a hellish situation outside of your control.

Until recently, you've been in the military, so violence isn't unexpected." Tyrene argued.

"However, you've suffered loss and fought hard to leave that behind.

You're a normal citizen now. So why is your mindset fixed on getting stronger to aid your girlfriends in a battle capacity?"

Helix's body felt as though it had been distorted.

The realization completely shifted his perspective on his current life.

While he had accepted his fate recently to protect his lovers, he realized he was preparing before they were special to him.

Tyrene saw his expression and confirmed her suspicion.

"You've accepted your fate and are preparing to fight against the Mad Queen, aren't you?"

—

Power stones and grammatical errors = more content. :)