Heroines, Villainesses, and the Hero's Yandere Harem? I want them all! Chapter 42: What truly is a Nightmare....?

"Listen... I’m going to let go now. Once I do, grab onto my hands," she said calmly.

"Wait, no!" I scread.

Damn it.

I didn’t want to get lost in so space-dream. Who knows what kind of nightmare monster the bastard dreaming this reality cooked up ?

"Co on, scaredy cat. I’m right here," she teased, floating slightly ahead.

"All the more reason not to," I muttered.

"Alright then... I’M LETTING GO NOW!" she yelled dramatically.

And she let go.

I clung to her like my life depended on it.

Which, well... it did.

"Hww~" she purred. "You really don’t wanna let go of , huh?"

I felt irritated. I couldn’t let go.

"Co on. Stop whatever this is," I said through clenched teeth.

"Alright..." she replied, her voice suspiciously calm.

Sigh.

"...After this!" she suddenly slipped out of my grasp.

"NO!" I shouted, panicking as I flailed in mid-air.

"GRAB ON!" she yelled, her hand extended toward .

I reached out, snatched her hand like my life depended on it.

Because this ti, it really did.

She smiled. A beautiful, maddening smile.

"Fuck you and that smile!" I snapped. My heart was still racing like I’d just escaped death.

"Really?" she asked sweetly, her grin only widening.

"WAIT—please just drop . Don’t do anything stupid," I begged. That smile ant she definitely had more craziness in store.

"Shhh... I’m going to spin you now. Very fast."

God. No.

"Wait! Don’t do it! Fine, what do you want?" I asked desperately.

"Don’t worry... it’ll only be for a second," she said with a laugh—then started spinning. Slowly at first, at the sa spot.

Then—

"WAIT!"

She suddenly spun like a damn tornado.

I felt like I was going to throw up.

The already grey world blurred, then faded into blinding white.

"Haaah... haaah... haaah..." I panted, barely staying conscious as she finally stopped.

"Ugh..." I groaned, stomach lurching.

I felt sick. Like my brain had just been put through a blender.

"All done," she said cheerfully.

I realized I was on solid ground now—but I was leaning against her, still dizzy and off-balance. Her arms were around , steadying .

"Damn... you..." I muttered as she gently draped my arm over her shoulder and started walking.

Haah. I really wanted to sit sowhere until this irritating spinning sensation went away.

"Co on, stop being so grumpy all the ti," she said playfully. "You used to say there was a place you went to once... you got on a tal cart that took you into the sky and spun you around until you were dizzy. You said you’d take there one day."

She laughed softly.

Wait...

That sounds like... an amusent park.

I narrowed my eyes.

"I never said anything like that," I replied.

She just grinned.

"There you are, Miss E—"

"What is it?" she cut off the knight before he could finish her na.

Alright. She’s definitely hiding it at this point.

Which only makes more curious.

"We have a problem."

...

...

After so walking, we reached a clearing.

I could see tents being pitched—likely a temporary camp.

"This way," the knight said, leading us to a larger tent.

It was spacious. That was the first thing I noticed.

The second—

"Wait... you can walk now?" a familiar voice.

Nora.

"What’s the problem?" the girl beside asked, getting straight to the point.

Nora glanced at her, then at . She frowned.

Then looked away.

...Wait.

Why does it feel like sothing happened between them while I was unconscious?

"Can you heal him?" another voice asked.

I recognized it imdiately.

We turned toward the source—so distance away, a knight was restraining another man, pinned to the ground.

The one speaking was standing beside them.

Wait... that’s the knight from Karendel Castle—Nora’s guard.

"What happened to him?" the girl beside asked, letting go of my hand. Imdiately, the lightness I’d been feeling vanished.

Sigh.

She moved forward and knelt beside the man, inspecting him closely.

His eyes were pitch black. Completely devoid of white.

Dark veins spidered from his sockets, trailing down his face.

He was screaming.

Thrashing.

And from the way the knight struggled to hold him down—it was clear this man had beco stronger.

Sothing had changed.

"It seems whatever monster controls this nightmare isn’t passive," the knight said grimly.

"Tsk. When did it happen?" she asked.

"Just monts ago. They were sent to scout the periter. He was the only one who returned. At first, he seed normal—terrified, but normal. But as soon as he got close to one of us, he went completely berserk."

"He attacked soone?" she asked.

"Yes. We managed to restrain him before he did any major damage."

I frowned.

"Did he bite anyone?" I asked.

"...Who are you?" the knight turned to .

"He’s with ," she answered before I could.

"Wait... is he that young man...? But I thought he was crippled," he narrowed his eyes.

"Don’t overthink it," she said coldly. "Just answer the question."

"...Yes. One of the guards securing the east side of the camp."

Yeah. I knew where this was going.

"Find that guard and kill him. Now," I ordered.

"No!" a voice snapped.

Nora.

"No one is dying," she said firmly, stepping forward.

"Why not?" He asked.

"It’s obvious," I said. "He tried to bite. Of all the ways to attack, he went for a bite. I think that says it all."

The knight stared at ... then his eyes widened.

"GO! FIND AND RESTRAIN GEREN!" he barked. Five knights rushed out.

"Why do you think it’s infectious?" the girl asked . She was still kneeling beside the man, trailing her fingers gently over the black veins.

"Because it has to be," I said. "You said he was the only one who returned, right?"

"...Yes."

"Did you ask yourself why?"

He glanced between us.

"Can you heal him?" he asked her.

"Not at the mont," she said. "I’ll need to conduct so experints. Pure healing magic might not work. This feels like a curse."

"...Holy magic," he muttered.

"Yes. Or an antidote," she added.

He looked at her for a long mont... then raised his sword.

"NO! I FORBID YOU FROM KILLING HIM, LANCELOT!"

Her voice echoed sharply through the tent.

Everyone turned.

She stood there, serious for once. Eyes locked on him.

Oh.

I see now.

Maybe it was the death of all her knights.

Maybe that’s what changed her.