[Nightmare]
Chapter 23 [Level Up]

[Congratulations. Your main title [The Pragmatic Fool] has been updated.]

[Level 2 -> [The Bitter Pragmatist]: experience shame and regret following your decision to refuse the title of [The Protagonist].

—

"Don't I have a say in whether I'm regretful or not?" Helix asked himself bitterly.

Helix scanned the room again.

"My damsel stat is so broken I need three female bodyguards." He chuckled with a bitter-sweet expression.

"Charlotte, Marie, Riley… Thank you.

And it goes without saying, but I cherish you, Emelia."

Helix silently opened up his interface again.

"Let's see what happened…."

—

[Name: Helix Hellsworth Margrave]

[Age: 18]

[Level: 7]

[Defense: 25]

[Strength: 55]

[Stamina: 45]

[Agility: 50]

[SP: 350]

—

"Wait… what!?" Helix exclaimed under his breath.

There were four women in the room sleeping in visiting chairs.

When Charlotte started turning, Helix closed his eyes and prayed.

'If she wakes up, the entire ward will wake up.' Helix winced.

Luckily, she fell back into her slumber.

Helix sighed a breath of relief and decided to think quietly.

'I'm guessing I earned the stats by winning the fight.' He pondered.

'I imagine that's what that hot burning sensation was.'

Helix carefully considered what happened but quickly realized that he could get an answer immediately in the morning.

'But my increase in spirit particles feels excessive for some reason….

Let's figure out what happened with [Nightmare].'

—

[Congratulations. You've survived long enough to learn [Nightmare] isn't a skill.

It only took you 27 days, 13 hours, and 55 minutes to accept that a [skill] that can summon a person's greatest fear is broken and can do more than create suicidal illusions.

While you're an idiot for not testing it sooner, you've survived longer than everyone who realized the obvious faster than you did.

It's uncertain whether to praise you or call you a moron for your unique journey.]

[Nightmare] Level 1 -> [Nightmare] Level 2.

—

The corner of Helix's mouth twitched when he read the notification.

His natural desire to be happy and annoyed disappeared when he read the final statement again.

[you've survived longer than everyone who realized the obvious faster than you did]

'I guess that learning you can control the skill makes you feel safer using it.' Helix sighed.

'When you cautiously avoid using it, it won't kill you.

However, if you try to manipulate it and it goes wrong, it's no different than putting it on autopilot?

That's concerning.'

Helix reread the message.

'Also…. It seems everyone died even though they had overwhelming stats.

I'll never find out if I made the right decision, but it's like that having high stats could have been a trap.

Or maybe it doesn't matter, and [Nightmare] is simply suicidal.

This skill set is so messed up.' He sighed inwardly.

—

[Nightmare: [Nightmare] Level 2.

Skills:

[Nightmare]: 50% SP: Summons a non-lethal illusion of the enemy's greatest known fear.

[Nightmare Hallucination]: (?) > 75 SP: Uses [Nightmare] skill but is visible to user and victim(s).

[Summoning]: > 150 SP: Call upon an illusion of your design.

[Tracks Deletion]: 0 SP: Hide the Nightmare is an illusion by summoning and naturally releasing the illusion. Active skill with zero cost.

[???]: 10 SP per/second: you have successfully identified a use case for [Nightmare]. Requirements for unlocking unknown.

[All other skills and derivatives are locked. Requirements for unlocking unknown.]

—

Helix's eyes widened with astonishment.

—[Summoning]: > 150 SP—

'I guess I know why I ended up in the hospital again.

I'm surprised I didn't collapse instantly, given it required double my stats.

Why does this Nightmare allow you to activate skills if you don't have enough SP?

Is it just when I break through a new skill?' He thought with a worried expression.

'These skills use variable SP. I could experience SP deprivation every time I use this if I'm not careful.'

Helix sighed.

He'd try to find out in the morning.

He hoped the deprivation costs weren't unique to him like the skill.

'At least I know that I can create illusions. But….'

Helix sighed inwardly.

'I'm not sure how I did it. There's a huge difference between praying for a Kaltrop and having a mega Kaltrop arrive and act of its own free will….'

Helix closed his eyes in frustration.

'It's impossible to practice this skill and test it.

My only option is to use it on ex-convicts.

Or….'

Helix had to suppress his desire to sit up.

'If I can summon illusions, I may be able to use it without a target.' He thought excitedly.

'I'll test it out as soon as possible.'

Helix looked at the last skill.

—[???]: 10 SP per/second: you have successfully identified a use case for [Nightmare]. Requirements for unlocking unknown—

'A hint? Maybe it's saying that I didn't complete the requirements, but it doesn't want to discourage me from what I was attempting.

I'll have to think about this more.'

"Helix?" A groggy voice called out in the darkness.

Helix gave the ceiling a wry smile.

He was grateful that everyone was helping him.

However, it was midnight, and he knew he was about to be assaulted by the four women.

"Shhhh. Yes, I'm awake and alive.

Thank you for staying by my side."

"W-Wait, I'm not dreaming, am I?"

Helix chuckled softly.

"You're not dreaming, Marie.

My name is Helix Hellsworth Margrave.

You can confirm that uncommon fact with Emelia tomorrow if you think I'm a ghost." He joked with a warm smile.

"I… can't believe you're awake after only twelve hours…." Marie replied with wide eyes.

"Does everyone expect that I'll be comatose after every incident?" He chuckled bitterly.

"No…. It's just that Elsa was battling to keep you alive.

She even made me—"

Marie fell silent mid sentence.

Luckily the room was dark.

Otherwise, he couldn't see her overheating and resisting the urge to hide her face in her hands.

Reading the mood, Helix threw her a lifeline.

"I'm not sure how you helped Elsa, but thank you." Helix whispered with a thankful smile.

"... you're welcome. I was ha… glad I could be of help." She replied hesitantly.

"Let's get back to sleep.

From the sounds of things, I was in bad shape.

It's 12:15 am, and if the others find out I'm okay, this room will—"

"Uuuughhhh. Helix?

Why are you here?" A sleepy voice asked.

Helix closed his eyes with a bitter expression.

"Wait! Are you awake, Helix!?" The woman exclaimed at full volume.

'Too late…." He lamented.

"Thankful to say I am, Charlotte." Helix replied with a gentle smile.

"I'm surprised you're already awake. That shouldn't be possible…. Ahhhhhhhh, I see…." Charlotte mused with a wicked grin.

Helix sighed inwardly.

'I don't like the look of that grin.' He chuckled with depleted eyes.

"Did you realize something?" He asked.

"Hmmm. May~be. You were suffering from spirit particle deprecation, right?"

"Charlotte."

"What? I wasn't going to say anything bad.

I was just going to tell him that your magical kiss brought him back to life."

"Charlotte!"

"What? It's true. Ow! What's wrong?

This man owes you a real kiss for saving his life. Ow! Ow!"

Helix looked at Marie with wide eyes.

"H-Helix, it's not what you think!" Marie exclaimed in a panic.

"Did… you provide me with a spirit particle transfer?" He asked with astonishment.

Marie hid her bright red face behind with her hands.

"That's… amazing, Marie." Helix replied in genuine praise.

"Wait, what?" Charlotte asked.

"Marie saved my life with a master-grade magical technique." He replied.

Marie released her hands to show her surprised face.

"Judging by her face, she had never practiced it before and didn't find it difficult.

Just how talented are you?" Helix chucked in amazement.

Marie blushed furiously again, and her hands covered her face again.

Helix gave her a gentle smile.

"Oh yeah? Well, I can do it twice as well as Marie!" Charlotte declared proudly.

—

[A/N: Reminder. [Nightmare] is a harem novel by necessity, and these scenes are a parody and examination of harem cliches.

However, there is no sex in the scenes ahead.]

Disclaimer: Grammatical mistakes and minor inconsistencies = more content.

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