How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 143: Elections 5 ”To save someoneʼ-thatʼs quite a boorish answer for a man of your nature,” Clara remarked, her tone laced with a mix of amusement and disdain. ”Iʼve always been under the impression that you were more like me.” ”If I were like you, I wouldnʼt be scraping by and relying on my monthly allowances to sustain myself,” I countered, not missing a beat. Claraʼs success and natural talents had always been evident, making her more than just a prodigious merchant-she was a genius in her own right.

Claraʼs reputation as the richest student at the academy wasnʼt merely a result of her family background.

Her ascent to the top was driven by sheer will, an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and a relentless pursuit of profit.

Clara embodied the archetype of the cold-hearted businesswoman, unafraid to exploit any means necessary to achieve her goals.

She would cast aside allies, manipulate situations, and take ruthless advantage of opportunities—all in the name of gains.

Her alliance with Snow was a perfect illustration of her calculated nature.

The contract between them was riddled with loopholes, a testament to Claraʼs desire to maintain control over her interests and operations.

She was a master of leveraging situations to her advantage, expertly navigating the complex web of alliances and rivalries to suit her needs.

Her willingness to be used if it benefited her and her readiness to manipulate others for her own advantage made her a formidable, unpredictable force. ”I guess thatʼs true. Although you are both smart, strong, and mysterious, you donʼt seem to have the drive to push higher,” Clara mused, her tone a mix of casual observation and subtle critique. ”After all, you wouldʼve been ranked first in your class right now if that were the case.”

For reference my overall ranking in the class has increased, and now Iʼm ranked second and Lucas following right next to me. 1. SEO 2. RILEY 3. LUCAS 4. JANICA 5. KAGAMI 6. THEO 7. GILBERT 8. SUSAN

Unsurprisingly the twins were removed from the class record due to their unknown status.

It seemed like the academy decided to put on hold, the remaining two seats left on our class until the next semester, probably to avoid any internal complications as well as class and student adjustments, that comes with it.

Thatʼs right! in other words.... ”They were being Lazy!ʼ

She straightened in her chair, leaning back and letting the seal for the bridge disappear into her grasp.

Her posture shifted to one of relaxed ease, her gaze now more contemplative than intense. ”Still, itʼs a shame that youʼre not running for president. Your candidacy wouldʼve benefited me more in the future.” ”After all, weʼre business partners now~ But are you sure about me fully supporting Snow? Honestly, at this stage, most of the school seems to already be in support of her.” ”And If youʼre really planning to actually interfere, then me breaking off my contract with the princess would allow me to move more freely.”

I pondered her offer, the implications of which were significant. ”Thereʼs no need for that. Iʼm sure the princess is already informed about the situation with the Gatefall Bridge. Though I donʼt know the exact terms of the contract you two signed, I can guess that it relied heavily on her helping you secure the rights to the bridge. Now that that end of the deal is essentially nullified, Snow currently has no hold over you. So she would have no choice but-” ”To give me a bit more freedom?” Clara finished, her eyes glinting with a mix of satisfaction and anticipation. ”Exactly,” I confirmed.

With the contractʼs primary benefit gone, Snowʼs leverage over Clara is considerably diminished. However, this doesnʼt mean Snow wonʼt have countermeasures in place.

Knowing Snowʼs meticulous nature, itʼs safe to assume that she has prepared several contingencies in case Clara decides to turn against her.

Snowʼs reputation for strategic planning suggests that she wonʼt leave any stone unturned to protect her position and interests.

Clara, meanwhile, is navigating a precarious situation. In the original game scenario, she was supposed to align herself with Snow, and following that path now is crucial to avoid further complications in this act.

The narrative is already coursing through destabilization by my interference in the future with certain characters, and I need to tread carefully to ensure that the overall story remains on track.

As I considered the implications of Claraʼs potential defection, Clara herself broached a new topic. ”It was very surprising to see the previous president, Dorothy, running again. But itʼs safe to say she wonʼt stand a chance against such strong candidates running along with her.” ”It would probably take a miracle or two for her to win, especially with top candidates like Snow, an imperial princess, and Rose, the genius of the century.” ”Challenging Rose might be doable but princess Snow is impossible.... Do you have any information as to why sheʼs running again Riley?”

I shook my head in response, even though I had some insight into the gameʼs lore, Dorothyʼs motivations in this scenario remained a mystery to me. ”Why do you want to know?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral while internally bracing for whatever her angle might be.

Claraʼs smile was almost imperceptibly wry as she replied, ”Just a bit of curiosity, thatʼs all. After all, the ex-president is about to become a fourth year next semester. She should already be busy enough as a third year right now. It seems unusual for her to decide to run again unless youʼre a machine. Even I donʼt put my subordinates on such a heavy workload.” Her observation was pointed, and I couldnʼt help but agree with her assessment. ʼDid she purposely ask me this because of my connection to the student council last semester?ʼ ”Well everyone has their own reasons for running right? even you have your own” ”Mine are for gains and profit... for her I can only see nothing but headaches~”

From what I had gathered, being a third-year student was no small feat, with academic demands and research projects making life quite hectic.

If Dorothy was choosing to run again, it must have been due to compelling reasons or some deep-seated motivation.

Despite her casual demeanor, Claraʼs interest seemed more than just idle curiosity.

I couldnʼt shake the feeling that there was an ulterior motive behind her questions.

Her expression, a blend of curiosity and something else I couldnʼt quite place, suggested she had a deeper agenda.

I found myself scrutinizing her more closely, sensing that she wasnʼt simply making conversation.

Clara rose from her chair, her movement graceful and deliberate.

She closed her eyes briefly, as if pondering something beyond the immediate conversation.

When she spoke again, her voice carried a soft, almost imperceptible note of insistence. ”You know, Riley... Being a bit more honest with me wouldnʼt hurt.” ”What do you mean?” ”Nothing~ Anyways, Iʼve got to go now. See you soon, Riley.”

Her smile widened slightly, though it held no warmth. ”Oh, and donʼt forget to ʼpersonallyʼ inform me early on whenever you decide to make use of me, as you already know my time is of the essence~”

With that, Clara turned and walked away, her figure gradually becoming a mere silhouette against the backdrop of the falling snow. ʼEven though Iʼve already technically informed her with my letter last time.... she still wants me to personally inform her?ʼ

The caféʼs balcony was now bathed in a muted, wintry light, with snowflakes drifting lazily down, creating a serene yet somewhat melancholic atmosphere.

I was left alone, the quiet punctuated only by the soft patter of snow against the caféʼs magical panes.

My gaze fell to the cup of tea Clara had been sipping.

The delicate porcelain cup still held some tea, a hint of steam rising from it despite the cold air.

The sight of it seemed oddly symbolic, a reminder of the conversation that had just transpired. ʼThereʼs still some left...ʼ I mused, observing the remnants of her drink.

It was strange to consider why she had ordered it in the first place.

Was it just a prop for the conversation, or did it hold some deeper meaning?

Sighing, I stood up from my chair, the cold metal of the seat pressing briefly against my legs as I moved out of the café. .....

Once the new semester began, my routine remained largely unchanged. I continued my training sessions with Seo, focusing on honing my skills. The snowy field we used for practice was peaceful and isolated, a stark contrast to the chaos of the academic world. ”Riley... that new professor is creepy, donʼt you think?” Seoʼs voice cut through the silence, her tone unusually candid.

I paused mid-swing, my sword held in a poised position, and turned my head slightly to look at her. Seoʼs reaction was unexpected.

She was usually so detached, barely reacting to the people and events around her. Her sudden outburst about the professor was a stark departure from her usual demeanor. ”Creepy?” I repeated, a hint of surprise in my voice. ”I havenʼt really thought about it that way. Heʼs still technically our professor, after all.”

Seoʼs gaze was fixed on the professorʼs office from her perch in the tree, her expression one of clear discomfort. ”His gaze-thereʼs something unsettling about it...” Seoʼs comment lingered in the cold air as I continued my training.

I mulled over her words, reflecting on the new professors who had been introduced with the start of the semester.

The two new faces were Professor Luke Walker and Professor Katelyn Stars. While Professor Stars had been relatively unremarkable, Professor Walker had sparked some concern within a certain degree of expectation.

At first, Professor Walkerʼs classes on Aura Origin seemed standard enough.

His approach was textbook-like, focusing on core concepts and theories behind Aura and its distinction from amplified mana.

His teaching method was predictable, almost routine for a newly hired professor. However, over time, his behavior had started to shift. ʼIt wasnʼt until later that he slowly began to change.ʼ Professor Walkerʼs demeanor had subtly changed, moving from standard textbook instruction to discussions that bordered on sensitive topics-particularly concerning female students.

His approach became increasingly disconcerting.

Despite his initial presentation as a conventional instructor, Walkerʼs underlying intentions began to surface.

Over the weeks, it became evident that he was crossing boundaries, and his actions were becoming more inappropriate.

In a few weeks, his behavior would culminate in an egregious incident involving Janica, setting off a series of events that would become a significant part of her main scenario. The problematic nature of Professor Walkerʼs behavior was something I hadnʼt fully grasped, partly due to my perspective as a male student.

His actions were subtle and insidious, hidden beneath a veneer of professionalism that masked his true intentions.

It was likely that Seo, with her keen observational skills, had picked up on these cues much earlier.

Lucas would eventually deal with Professor Walker in the coming weeks.

But.....

Despite my confidence in Lucasʼs ability to handle the situation, I couldnʼt ignore Seoʼs discomfort.

If even Seo, the usually so reserved and detached, was disturbed by Walkerʼs behavior, then it was clear that something more sinister was at play. ʼI should probably at least plant some doubts in Lucasʼs mind about him...ʼ I thought.

Lucasʼs innate denseness meant he likely wouldnʼt recognize Janicaʼs troubles until it was too late.

Even though the scene where Lucas confronts Walker is one of those moments I found particularly gratifying-seeing Lucas fiercely defend his chilhood friend/lover-it seemed more prudent to prevent the issue from escalating in the first place.

I needed to be a bit subtle about this, Afterall that guy hasnʼt really done anything substantial yet to warrant any accusations, and talking badly about professors could give me some demerit points...

If I could get Lucas to question Walkerʼs integrity or reliability, it might help preempt the situation altogether.

I had to approach this with caution, making sure not to raise suspicion or cause unnecessary drama.

Ignoring my initial thoughts for now.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes to center myself.

I knew I needed to be in the right frame of mind to address Seoʼs reluctance. ”Seo,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm and persuasive. ”Hn?” ”I need you to use your techniques on me again,” I requested.

Seoʼs eyes, usually so impassive, flickered with a hint of surprise.

Her gaze remained steady, though her expression gave nothing away. ”... No,” she said, her refusal as direct as always.

I smiled, knowing this wouldnʼt be an easy request.

Seoʼs reluctance to use her techniques was not unusual.

She valued her privacy and personal space, and above all after what happened with our last few training sessions, I doubt sheʼll do anything thatʼll hurt me once again. ”Just once technique would be enough......” ..... ”H-how about I take you out for dinner as repayment?”

Seeing as she would likely keep ignoring me. I explained that I needed her help to clear my thoughts and strategize effectively.

I stressed that her techniques would be instrumental in helping me approach the situation with the clarity I needed.

After much discussion, Seo finally relented, though her demeanor remained stoic. ”Just donʼt faint this time....” ”Iʼll try”

It took a considerable amount of time to change her mind.