[Nightmare]

"Would you ladies like to read a book with me tonight?" Helix asked.

"A book?" Marie asked.

"Yeah. I feel silly for saying this… but I just learned the Myriad library has fiction books." He chuckled.

"Hah. Leave it to Hellie to use the Myriad library for everything except checking out books." Charlotte chuckled.

"I'd love to listen to you read." Riley replied softly.

"Excellent. Come cuddle up." Helix requested with a warm smile as he sat on the bed.

Riley's eyes lit up.

Helix found her cute expressions endearing.

"Shotgun!" Charlotte announced.

"That's not how that… never mind.

I was already cuddling. So…." Marie stuck out her tongue.

"Tch." Charlotte huffed.

"Charlotte, let's lay horizontally.

I'll put my head on his stomach; you take his lap?" Riley requested.

"Riley, you're an angel." Charlotte declared with sparkling eyes.

Marie was very happy to be pressed against his chest.

"Alright. I was thinking of choosing a folktale or a myth.

Which one of these sounds good to you…."

—

"Good morning, handsome." Marie said with a dazzling smile.

"Are those… you ladies look… stunning." Helix gasped.

"Hoh? You're the person that drew these.

So of course you feel that way!" Charlotte snapped.

Helix gave her a wry smile.

"Therefore! We must ask what other people think, and you must show us off to as many people as possible."

Helix's eyes widened in surprise.

"You've gotten bold." Riley giggled.

"Yeah, you were the person that said, I feel too fancy just a few days ago." Marie giggled.

Charlotte's face heated up.

"Charlotte, showing you gals off right now would be a six course meal for my ego.

I will happily call in as many favors as I can to make you shine today." Helix said with a warm smile.

Every face in the bedroom had a bright smile.

"Let me see if there are any parties or events going on.

If you're going to wear designer party dresses, we need to make sure that everyone in Lexion knows how beautiful you look."

—

"Why is this so hard? Hellie makes magic circles seem fun!" Charlotte complained after messing up her 37th magic circle.

"Hoh? It's a profession. Why would you think it'd be fun?" Tilo chuckled.

"Well… how do I put this?

Hellie made us a bubble bath circle, a hairdryer circle, and two circles that work like a toaster.

Those are things that I like.

So I just figured I'd like making them too." She explained.

"... A circle that creates bubble baths?" Tilo asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Kind of. If you add soap, it becomes a bubble bath.

If you don't, it's just a 5-star hot tub with heating jets." Marie replied casually.

"Hot tub? Heating jets? Toaster? Speak sense, you two!" Tilo cried while rubbing his temples.

"Marie, Charlotte. Master Tilo doesn't know what a hot tub is." Riley explained with a gentle voice.

"Master Tilo, a hot tub heats the bathtub constantly, and it shoots pockets of hot air that massage your skin while you're soaking."

Tilo's eyes snapped open.

"What did you just say? Repeat what you just said!"

—

"I wish people would stop treating me like a hot tub maker…." Helix sighed.

"Hellie, don't be like that!

Tilo is 30% less cranky in the mornings.

Plus, you just fulfilled an order for a Duke!" Charlotte replied with sparkling eyes.

"Think of all of the joy you're bringing to 18th century—"

"Playboys?" Helix sighed.

"Well… at least we can buy a house somewhere.

We can also fall back on this business after we're retired."

The women's eyes went wide after they heard him say those words.

"Did you just say…." Marie whispered.

"Did I say something wrong?

We're spending the rest of our lives together, right?" He asked with a bewildered expression.

"Wait… no… no tears. I'm sorry.

Whatever I did wrong, I'll—"

"Shut up, you dummy! We're happy!"

"Oh…."

—

"This is Liskaberry. It's the perfect catalyst for the next evolution of Tinker." Helix explained.

The berry was golden, and it had a faint aura around it.

"Now you can evolve him one week ahead of schedule so he can train."

Helix gazed at her with a gentle experience as he handed her the berry.

"Where did you…." Charlotte whispered.

"I went with Tyrene. She made me run 50 miles yesterday, so I convinced her to take me to the spot where they are known to grow." Helix replied with a slight smile.

"You…." Charlotte whispered.

"I… what's wrong? Are you happy—"

Helix didn't even have a second to process before Charlotte's lips collided with his.

"Hey, I'm going to pay Tilly a visit.

I'll be back in a bit!" Marie called out.

"I'm going to go talk to Elsa." Riley called out sweetly.

Tears rolled down Charlotte's cheeks.

"Helix…." Charlotte whispered.

"What is it?" He asked with a smile.

"I've never said this directly…." She prefaced with a rosy expression.

Helix waited patiently with a gentle smile.

"I love you, Helix." Charlotte confessed.

"I love you, too, Charlotte." He replied with slight tears in his eyes.

"I never… thought that I could be in a relationship." She chuckled bitterly.

"I'm loud, rambunctious, and crazy."

Tears kept flowing down her cheeks.

"When I signed up for this harem, I thought I'd be part of an adventure with excitement.

Now… I honestly know that… I love you."

Helix smiled gently and wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"Charlotte. If you weren't here, there would be no us.

Any of us." He replied.

Charlotte looked at Helix with her puffy green eyes.

"I never had the confidence to confess to any of you.

You started that, remember?" Helix asked.

Charlotte shook her head.

"You would have eventually known. Everyone loved you." She chuckled with a smiling face.

Helix shook his head as well.

"You remember that night when Emelia showed up with her pink dress?" He asked with a mysterious smile.

Charlotte's eyes widened with confusion.

"Of course I do." She replied.

"Do you remember what you were wearing?" Helix asked.

"I…." Charlotte began with trembling eyes.

"No…. Everyone remembers what Emelia was wearing.

But I don't remember what you, me, or anyone else was…."

"You were wearing that pink and green jacket you ditched a couple weeks in." Helix chuckled.

"Why…. Why are you telling me this?" She asked.

"The thing is… I was extremely nervous that night.

I never talk to any women, and David and I were clamming up." Helix explained with a light smile.

"When you showed up, exposing my devious strategy, it made me want to play."

Charlotte's eyes widened, and the corners of her mouth curled upward.

"I'm not a socialite. However, I am an opportunist, and you gave me the opportunity with your spy comment to start sharing my library." He chuckled.

"It's because of you that everything spiraled to where it was."

Tears welled in Charlotte's again.

"I remember thinking—I hate trouble. I'm avoiding it.

However, I'm okay with her type of trouble.

Then you became my first friend.

Later on, you initiated the temporary harem and brought us all together.

You made me greedy, and I was willing to do [anything] to get you to join me." He confessed.

"You're loud? Rambunctious? Wild?" Helix laughed.

"Those are the traits I [love] about you!"

Charlotte started giggling as she wiped tears out of her eyes.

Helix motioned his head to the door.

"The others have gone off to do things.

Can I treat you to the gentle time you always deserved to seal our love?" He asked with a gentle gaze.

"Yes!" Charlotte cried while throwing her arms around Helix.

—

"Riley…." Helix called out before she left the room during the morning.

"Yes?" Riley asked in a kind voice.

"Tyrene gave me the morning off today.

I'd… like to give you some alone time." He explained while scratching his head awkwardly.

"Alone time? Why?" She asked in genuine confusion.

Helix's eyes went wide, and his mouth opened and closed a few times.

Her deep tan eyes radiated against her dark brown hair.

"You know… when you say [I'm feeling selfish] and you ask me for something?" Helix asked.

Riley nodded.

"Well, I want to be selfish and ask that you make a selfish request of me.

It can be anything. Food, reading, sex, walking around, having a chat…." He explained awkwardly.

"Sure. I'll do that. But will you please tell me why?

You don't seem like you're being selfish right now." Riley replied with wide eyes.

Helix chuckled in bewilderment.

"Riley. The thing I love most about you… is that you're content.

You're so kind, and you allow Marie and Charlotte to be selfish and sleep next to me.

You never ask for anything, and you're always gracious." He sighed.

He pushed his straight black hair away from his eyes to meet her gaze.

"You make our lives easier, and I sometimes feel like I take that for granted.

Since they're always sleeping next to me, I want to do something for you—just for you." He smiled.

Riley's previously confused eyes glittered with excitement.

They welled tears.

"I'm… I'm just happy to be here." Riley said while flashing him a bright smile.

"To be honest, I still can't believe that you're dating me.

It feels like a dream.

It's not just because I have a crush on you.

Rather, you treat us so well, and you're full of amazing qualities."

Riley wiped a few tears away from her eyes.

"So it only makes sense that I do my best as well.

But I'll gladly take you up on your offer…." She whispered before her face flushed with embarrassment.

Helix raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.

Riley leaned into his ear.

"For my request, I want…."

Helix chuckled in surprise and nodded.

He lifted her body princess carry style and placed her on the bed a moment later.

—

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