How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 375: Date Interlude...

Ignoring the sudden feeling Alice got...

Time passed...

Their date continued, and the conversation between the three girls began to flow much more naturally, their initial awkwardness fading away.

”So, what made you fall for Riley?” Rose suddenly asked, her golden eyes glimmering with curiosity.

Alice blinked, caught slightly off guard by the question.

”Well…” She hesitated for a moment before a small, sheepish smile crept onto her lips. ”Junior was just… cute?”

”Fufu~ I get what you mean,” Snow giggled, her amusement clear in her voice.

”T-Then what about you, Snow?” Alice asked, shifting the attention away from herself. ”What made you fall for him?”

Snow hummed thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her cheek.

”Hmm~ Maybe his uniqueness?” she mused, a small smile forming on her lips.

As she said those words, her mind drifted back to the first time she had met Riley.

At the time, she had intended to use him—to mold him into a valuable asset. She had even planned to charm him, to make him one of her most loyal knights.

Yet somehow, the tables had turned.

It wasnʼt Riley who had fallen for her spell.

It was her who had fallen for him.

Now, she was the one hopelessly in love, utterly captivated by his every action. Truly, fate had a way of twisting things in the most unexpected ways.

But this twist of fate wasnʼt something she hated.

No, she loved it.

Falling for Riley had been the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Alice quietly observed Snowʼs expression—the way her eyes softened, the warmth in her smile.

Snow wasnʼt the type to be overly expressive, but right now… she was radiant.

Alice felt something stir inside her.

She hadnʼt expected that opening up like this—talking about their bottled-up feelings, sharing them with people she could trust—could feel so… relieving.

For the first time in a long while, Alice realized—

She wasnʼt alone in this.

The thought of sharing Rileyʼs love and attention with other girls had once felt annoying—even unfair—to Alice.

She had always been someone who valued exclusivity, who believed that love should be hers alone to hold.

But now, interacting with Snow and Rose like this, she had begun to realize…

Being part of someoneʼs heart also had its own kind of charm and warmth.

It wasnʼt just about owning Rileyʼs affection—it was about being in this together, growing with each other, and sharing moments that none of them would ever experience alone.

As Alice mulled over her thoughts, her eyes wandered to Rose, who was currently engaged in a rather sneaky act.

Riley sat beside her, seemingly unaware as Rose took a piece of steak from her plate, speared it delicately with her fork, and brought it up to Rileyʼs lips.

Without thinking too much, Riley leaned in and took a bite, chewing absentmindedly as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Alice narrowed her eyes.

”…What about you, Miss Rose?” she asked, her tone laced with curiosity.

”Hm?” Rose responded, still in the process of feeding Riley another bite.

Alice smirked slightly before continuing, ”What made you fall for Junior?”

Rose tilted her head, as if pondering the question.

Then, without missing a beat, she casually fed Riley yet another piece of steak before finally answering,

”…Riley is just very bright?”

Riley, who had been quietly enjoying his food, finally spoke up at that.

”I donʼt think Iʼm that bright, though?” he muttered, swallowing the piece of meat Rose had just given him.

Rose didnʼt answer right away. Instead, she turned to him, her golden eyes shimmering as they **scanned him—**not just his appearance, but something deeper, something beyond the surface.

A soft smile played on her lips as she finally spoke,

”Youʼre very bright, Riley… so bright that you can light up my world.”

Riley blinked.

His usual calm demeanor faltered for a brief second, his expression betraying the slightest hint of embarrassment at the sincerity in her voice.

”…Is that so…?” he muttered, looking away, his ears faintly pink.

Alice, who had been watching the scene unfold, couldnʼt help but chuckle.

She had never really considered herself the type to get sentimental, but watching them like this…

Watching Riley react so naturally…

Watching her ever-beloved, once-distant junior and now lover show such genuine expressions…

It felt nice.

For the first time—other than the night Riley had confessed to her—Alice felt like she was witnessing a side of Riley that no one else had seen before.

He was being truly open.

Although Riley had barely spoken throughout the entire conversation—likely because he wanted the night to be more about the girls—Alice, Snow, and even Rose could feel it.

Despite his silence, he was being as truthful and genuine as he could be in front of them.

That was just the kind of person Riley was.

But even so…

”Riley,” Snow suddenly spoke up, a teasing smile curving her lips.

”Donʼt you think itʼs about time you tell us your side as well?”

Riley blinked, looking at her with a faintly confused expression.

”Donʼt give me that look~” Snow giggled, tilting her head playfully. ”Youʼve been so quiet this whole time, and honestly, weʼre all dying to know.”

She leaned in slightly, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

”Riley… why do you like us? No, rather—” she paused, her smile softening just a little—”How and why did you fall for us?”

Her question, while playful, carried a certain weight.

It wasnʼt meant to plant doubt in their relationship, but rather…

It was something they all wondered about.

Rose, who had been quietly cutting another piece of her steak, paused for a moment and glanced at Riley.

Alice, too, found herself drawn to the question.

After all, just like how their feelings for Riley had bloomed in ways none of them could have ever expected, they wondered—

How did it happen for him?

Especially Alice.

She had always been able to see the emotions swirling inside Riley—the deep, intense shades of pink that filled his very essence whenever he looked at her.

The kind of love he had carried for her since the day they met.

And now…

That same intensity, that same depth of love…

Was being shared with Snow and Rose as well.

Alice didnʼt mind.

But she wanted to hear it in his own words.

They all did.

Riley didnʼt answer right away.

For a few seconds, he simply sat there, as if turning Snowʼs question over in his mind.

It wasnʼt that he was unsure of his feelings—he knew, deep within his heart, that what he felt for them now went far beyond what he once did in the game.

Back then, they were just characters—heroines he had fallen for while playing.

But now…

Now, they were real.

Real people.

People he had met, argued with, laughed with, and grown alongside.

People he had loved—not just in this timeline, but even in the broken worlds apart.

Finally, he let out a soft sigh and opened his mouth.

”I donʼt think there really needs to be a reason for falling in love with someone,” he admitted. ”And I doubt you guys would be satisfied if I just said that I fell for you the moment I saw you—even if that is partly true...”

He trailed off for a moment, then turned his gaze toward Snow.

Snow, who had been watching him expectantly, startled when their eyes met.

Her cheeks flushed, and she instinctively tried to look away—but Riley didnʼt let her escape.

”I fell for Snow,” he said, his voice unwavering, ”because of how kind and hardworking she is.”

Snow stiffened.

”...Despite the cold and icy demeanor you always put up,” Riley continued, his expression softening, ”youʼre probably the warmest person to be around.”

Snow bit her lip.

Riley chuckled. ”Honestly… I think your mean and bratty attitude you put up sometimes, is way cuter than it is intimidating.”

At that, Snow whipped her head back toward him, her face burning red.

”H-Hey!” she sputtered. ”I-Iʼm not bratty—!”

But Riley only smiled, his blue eyes full of fondness.

”See? Cute.”

Snow opened her mouth, ready to argue back—but then she caught sight of the way Alice and Rose were giggling at her expense.

ʼI-Iʼm not bratty! Direct, maybe. I do tend to be blunt with my words... and, okay, maybe even a bit sarcastic at times when weʼre alone… b-but bratty?ʼ

Snow crossed her arms and shot Riley an annoyed glare.

In all honesty, she had always prided herself on her maturity—on how composed and refined she was due to her royal upbringing.

Yet here Riley was, her own boyfriend, casually dismissing all of that, reducing her actions to something as childish as being bratty.

It didnʼt sit well with her. Not at all.

Riley, however, only smiled.

Seeing Snowʼs irritated expression, he couldnʼt help but recall all the time they had spent together—especially in the student council.

The amount of effort she put into every little detail, the way she meticulously handled matters that didnʼt even directly benefit her...

Despite her high status, she never once used it as an excuse to slack off.

It was something no ordinary person would willingly do.

But that was just who Snow was.

Even beyond what he knew from the game, even beyond the past he had glimpsed, where she had been a young and sheltered princess who turned cold due to her upbringing...

That wasnʼt the full truth.

At her core, Snow wasnʼt cold.

She was simply an innocent girl, forced to uphold the weight of her position.

ʼCrown Princess of the Empire?ʼ

None of that really mattered to him.

Because to him, she was just Snow.

The girl he had inadvertently fallen for.

The first woman in this world who had allowed him to open up to his feelings.

Despite the constant restraint and anxiety he pushed himself through… despite being bombarded with the inevitable end of death, she was the one who kept reminding him that there was still grace and warmth in stepping forward.

She was the one who reassured him, who showed him that despite the cruel and unpredictable world they lived in, there was always something worth fighting for—something worth living for.

”Although Snow can be a bit manipulative… I actually like that part of her,” Riley admitted with a small chuckle.

At first, everything Snow did was for herself—every calculated move, every decision—she was always playing her own game.

But despite that…

Despite her self-serving nature, she had never once turned her back on him.

Even when she had nothing to gain, she helped him—over and over again.

Whether indirectly or directly, Snow had been by his side through almost every hardship he had faced so far.

Yes, most of what she had done were rather simple… but just having someone comfort you after a very tiring day…?

That was more than enough…

She was his pillar—his support.

Mentally, physically, and in ways he hadnʼt even realized until now.

And the love he felt for her…

It wasnʼt shallow.

It had taken deep roots within his heart—an irreplaceable, unshakable feeling that no words could properly describe.

”I-Iʼm not manipulative!” Snow protested, puffing up her cheeks as she glared at Riley.

Riley only laughed. ”Hahaha!”

”I-Itʼs true!” she insisted, frowning.

Riley simply smiled at her reaction. Compared to the Snow he had once known in the game, the difference was striking.

This Snow was real.

No longer just a cold, untouchable princess behind a screen—no longer just a character following a scripted fate.

She was human.

A girl who, despite her flaws, had carved her way into his heart.

”Of course,” Riley added, his voice softer, ”there are other aspects about you that made me fall for you as well… like how pretty and beautiful you are, but those things arenʼt really the most important, right?”

Snow blinked, caught completely off guard.

”Y-You think Iʼm pretty and beautiful?” she repeated, her voice a little shaky.

Riley nodded, completely unaware of the intense blush spreading across her face.

Her head felt scorching hot, and if she had a mirror, she was sure her face was practically on fire.

It was almost unfair how effortlessly he could fluster her like this.

Despite being dubbed the Frost Princess, right now, she felt more like a melting marshmallow—burning, melting, and completely defenseless under his words.

Annoyed by the sudden flirting, Rose let out a small huff, crossing her arms as she turned her gaze toward Riley. The way she narrowed her golden eyes at him made it obvious—it was her turn now.

Riley couldnʼt help but chuckle at her reaction. Even with all the intense growth and changes Rose had gone through, at the end of the day, she was still the same old Rose he knew.

”As for Rose…” Riley started, his expression softening.

”Youʼre the most reliable person Iʼve ever met.”

Rose blinked, caught off guard. ”Reliable?”

”Yes,” he nodded. ”To be honest, I feel like I could ask you for anything, and youʼd make it happen. Any help I could ever need from you would probably end in success.”

Rose tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. ”And that made you fall for me?”

”Of course, thatʼs not all of it…”

Rileyʼs gaze deepened as he looked at her, a small smile forming on his lips as he watched her curious, almost eager reaction.

”The feelings—the genuine emotion youʼve always expressed toward me…” He exhaled softly. ”Itʼs something most people would struggle to show, let alone put into words.”

Yes, it was to the point where she had seriously considered locking him away forever—but Riley chose to ignore that part.

After all…

It all came down to love, didnʼt it?

Obsession or not.

”To be honest,” Riley murmured, his voice quieter now, ”I donʼt even know why you fell for me, Rose. Why your love is so intense, despite me being the way I am… but…”

He trailed off, watching as Roseʼs expression slowly shifted—her lips parting slightly as if waiting for his next words.

”Just like I said earlier… love doesnʼt really need reasoning, does it?”

He let out a small laugh, tilting his head.

”If you keep bombarding me with that overwhelming love of yours… then really, how else can I respond?”

His lips curled into a smirk.

”I can only answer back in kind, right?”

Rose blushed at Rileyʼs genuine answer. A part of her felt slightly embarrassed—no, deeply embarrassed—as realization slowly dawned on her.

She had always known that her feelings for Riley were… intense. But only now did she fully grasp just how obsessive she had been in the past.

Rose was the type to act on her whims and impulses, paying little attention to what others thought. She never cared about consequences. If she wanted something, she took it. If she loved someone, she held on tightly—perhaps a little too tightly.

But as she sat here, staring at Riley, something in her heart shifted.

For the first time… she felt like she needed to change.

Riley might tolerate her now—but what if there came a time when he wouldnʼt?

What if he… got tired of her?

A young sense of worry settled deep inside her heart, an unfamiliar feeling that left her uneasy.

Trying to shake off her thoughts, Rose turned toward Alice, seeking some sort of distraction—only to find that Alice was in no better state than she was.

The moment Rileyʼs gaze landed on Alice, her entire face flushed a deep, burning red. Despite being the eldest at the table, she was by far the most innocent out of the four of them.

”Y-You donʼt have to say it, Junior, okay?” Alice stammered, avoiding his gaze as she covered her face with her hands. ”I-Itʼs embarrassing…”

Riley raised an eyebrow, amused. ”But werenʼt you guys curious?”

”I-I changed my mind! And— and it was just Snow who was curious…!”

Snow, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly turned toward Alice in betrayal. ”H-Hey! You were just as curious as I was!”

”Lies!” Alice blurted out, her voice cracking. ”Slander! False accusations!”

Riley chuckled. ”Really now?” He leaned in slightly, resting his chin on his hand. ”Well… Iʼm still going to express my feelings though~”

He teased her with a playful smirk, enjoying the way Alice immediately squirmed in her seat.

”W-Wait! If you say it now—m-my heart might not be able to take it—so p-please…?”

Her voice trembled, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress tightly.

Riley laughed softly. Seeing Alice like this was too cute.

Riley then smiled, his expression turning softer, more sincere.

”The reason why I fell for you, Senior, is because… you make me feel warm.”

Alice, who had been bracing for yet another shameless tease, suddenly froze.

”S-Stop—wait. Warm?”

Her ears twitched slightly, her blush deepening. She had expected something embarrassing, something flirtatious—but this?

This was different.

She looked at Riley with confusion, struggling to grasp what exactly he meant by such a simple yet profound statement.

”Yes,” Riley nodded, his voice unusually gentle. ”Warm.”

At that moment, memories of his past life resurfaced—a life where everything had felt cold, detached, and unbearably dull.

Even before he was transported into this world, even before he became Riley—back when he was just another player, mindlessly going through the motions of his previous life—there was only one thing that had kept him from completely falling apart.

The game.

[Heroʼs Legacy.]

That game had been his lifeline, his only escape from a miserable reality. His days blurred together, filled with nothing but gray emptiness. And yet…

Among the countless characters he had met in that digital world, one stood out.

One who shined through the darkness he had come to accept as normal.

Alice.

Her voice.

Her smile.

Her presence.

She was fun, bright, lively—everything his past life lacked.

And without him realizing it, she had become the perfect heroine in his mind.

A light that broke through the cold void of his existence.

Suddenly, another voice—one from a different memory, a different time—echoed in his mind.

”Hehehe~ Get up, Han! The Marshalʼs about to visit!”

”Itʼs still too early…”

”Oh, donʼt be a slothful bummer! Letʼs go~! Ah, we should also wake up Shane while weʼre at it! Hehehe~”

A sudden memory.

A voice he hadnʼt heard in so long.

A girlʼs face, intertwining with Aliceʼs.

A face he had thought he had already forgotten.

For a split second, Rileyʼs heart clenched.

Was this why he felt drawn to Alice?

Was it because her brightness reminded him of… her?

He clenched his fist beneath the table. No.

Objectively, the two were different.

This feeling he had for Alice—it was real.

The warmth Alice brought into his life was undeniable.

It wasnʼt about memories, nor was it about resemblance.

It was her.

Alice.

The girl who had saved him from drowning in the endless darkness of his past.

Riley let out a small breath, his chest rising and falling as he looked at the three girls in front of him.

His gaze swept over Snow, Rose, and Alice—each of them so vastly different, yet somehow, all of them had become an irreplaceable part of his life.

There was no hesitation in his next words.

”To be honest… I donʼt know the right answer to all of this,” he admitted. His voice was steady, yet there was a certain vulnerability in it. ”I just know that I love you all.”

He exhaled, his heart pounding.

”I love you, Snow.”

”I love you, Rose.”

”I love you, Alice.”

His words carried a quiet sincerity, and though he spoke with conviction, a faint pink had started creeping across his cheeks, betraying his embarrassment.

The three girls exchanged glances, their smiles softening as they watched him—his usual composure breaking just a little.

Then, almost in perfect sync—

”I love you too, Riley.”

”I love you as well, Riley.”

”I love you, Riley~”

Their voices overlapped, each carrying different tones—Snowʼs was firm yet tender, Roseʼs was unwavering and deep, and Aliceʼs was playful, almost teasing.

Riley had expected warmth from their words, but he hadnʼt expected the sudden overwhelming weight of it.

His face exploded into an even deeper shade of red.

A satisfied giggle rippled through the table as the girls watched his expression, their shared affection only making their bond stronger.

But while Riley was drowning in the intensity of their love, the people around them—who had been discreetly eavesdropping—were already spreading rumors at an unfathomable speed.

Whispers swept across the room like wildfire.

”Did you hear that?! Riley just confessed to all three of them at the same time!”

”And they ALL accepted?! Wait, what does this mean for the academyʼs power balance?!”

”Hold on—arenʼt those three some of the strongest students?! Is Riley trying to become the king of the academy?!”

”No dude! Look Itʼs the princess, and senior Rose as well, not to mention, a confirmed future archmage like Senior Alice as well, Iʼm telling you he has plans on becoming Emperor!”

As murmurs turned into full-blown speculation, one unfortunate truth became undeniably clear—

The number of ridiculous titles attached to Rileyʼs name was about to increase.

Much, much more than ever.