How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 578: Continental Festival 7

”Young master Riley, I have completed compiling the list of names of the foreign academy students that have just arrived.”

”Thank you, Yui.”

With her usual grace, Yui gave me a light bow, delicately raising the hem of her maid dress in the standard gesture of courtesy, then silently turned and left the room.

The door shut with barely a sound.

As meticulous as ever.

As expected of a perfect maid.

I unfolded the sheet of paper she had handed me and scanned the names.

As I thought, most of the key figures for this act were here.

That much hadn’t changed from the original storyline.

My supposed advantage — foreknowledge of the game’s future — was slipping away with each deviation, each ripple in the flow of events.

But it wasn’t entirely useless.

Not yet.

As long as the main scenario remained intact, Lucas’s fate would keep the story following its carved path.

[Act 4 — Chapter 3: The One Beyond]

In the game, this arc had only served as a stepping stone.

A setup. It was where Lucas finally glimpsed the true depths of the demonic worshippers’ madness — their willingness to sacrifice anything, anyone, in the name of their beliefs.

By the time Act 4 reached its climax, they had escalated to holding an entire crowd hostage, and Lucas stood alone against the tide.

That confrontation paved the way to [Act 4 — Chapter 5: Lightbringer], where the Demon King Asmodeus himself descended with his army.

Not a world-shaking war by scale, but by weight.

Every single person present in the arena mattered — their choices, their allegiances, their deaths all carried ripple effects that shaped the story afterward.

And in the end, when the dust settled, the world would look to Lucas. The savior. The ’hero.’

It was one of those inevitable climaxes every tale demanded — the kind that painted the stage in blood and light, a final swell before the descent into the endgame.

I crossed my leg, resting a hand on my chin, staring down at the paper.

One by one, I crossed out the names that wouldn’t serve Luca’s growth.

The weeds.

Anything that might choke him, slow him down, or distract him from what he needed to become.

There was nothing wrong with removing them first.

Still, I had to be careful.

Even weeds could hide thorns.

Choosing who to target first, and who to erase afterwards, required precision.

There were countless ways to deal with these hidden demonic worshippers, but right now, if I wanted to avoid Erebil’s or Asmodues’ direct attention, systematic elimination might be my only choice.

I knew the risks.

A foreign student disappearing would stir whispers, maybe even a scandal, especially in the academy.

I’d have to lean a little on authority—from the principals, the saintesses.

Nothing too obvious, just enough to cover my tracks.

And I couldn’t ignore Asmodues. He already knew I existed.

I could almost feel the watchful, calculating gaze of someone who’d never let a chance slip by.

He wouldn’t hesitate to strike at the Son of Light, the future hero of the world.

And yet, he hadn’t acted—at least, not yet.

Although everything revolved around Lucas, it didn’t mean the others were irrelevant. Certain players were already in motion, their roles quietly unfolding.

”Hajey Gyeoul... as expected, you’re here.”

The words hit me like a ripple. His mother. Which meant Seo’s arc was involved too.

I paused, weighing the situation with the two of them.

There was potential, complications I couldn’t ignore—but for now... I’d wait. Let things develop.

Seo had already learned a few things from me, and if these two caused troubles, she could handle it.

Cristo Kal...

For now, I should probably handle this guy first...

...

”Hm~ Hm~ Hm~”

In a quiet corner of Killian Hall, a boy with slightly wavy, curly brown hair strolled along, a light skip in his step as he hummed to himself.

The sound echoed faintly against the polished floors and high ceilings, blending into the emptiness around him.

Cristo knew he was venturing far deeper into Killian Hall than most foreign students dared—but he didn’t care.

So long as nobody noticed, there was no reason to worry, right?

He had already gathered enough information from the students in the lobbies and those roaming around earlier.

Quietly listening wasn’t necessary anymore.

His target was pretty famous, sure—but there was nothing more he could learn from other foreign students.

Actual academy students’ insights were the only thing that mattered now.

He could’ve just waited for the grand tour tomorrow, when the official introduction to the academy would bring every student together.

But by then, his overly cautious master and best friend, Hajey, would probably be ready to throttle him for being so... incompetent.

Better to risk it now than face Hajey’s wrath later.

”Seriously though... why isn’t anyone around~?” he murmured, tilting his head.

Just like in other open areas where foreign students could roam freely, Killian Hall was eerily empty.

He knew it was enormous—inside and out, it practically resembled a castle—but seeing not a single top student wandering the halls felt... off.

Even if only the top ten students from each year and department lived in Killian Hall, there should be, on average, over 160 students around. Yet Cristo hadn’t seen a single one.

”Is this the academy’s strategy? To make sure we don’t get any pre-assessment of our future opponents?” he speculated, half to himself.

It was possible—but also not likely. After all, this place had literal geniuses at its disposal.

Surely, some sort of explanation existed... though he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be simple.

He sighed, pushing the complicated thoughts aside for now.

Classes for the academy students should be mostly over...

Navigating Killian Hall felt like walking through a maze.

Every turn seemed to lead to another hallway, another twist, another staircase that went nowhere.

But the deeper he went, the more he was bound to find something—and eventually, spotting a student lying around somewhere didn’t seem impossible.

The only reason no one could detect him right now was thanks to a hidden skill quietly passed down through the servants of the Gyeoul family: Shadow Step.

A subsidiary technique of the Hidden Blade, it allowed a person to mask their movements almost completely, bending light and sound so they became nearly invisible.

Even with that advantage, he had to be careful.

Magical sensors and wards could still detect him, so he had to move with precision.

Luckily, Cristo had an innate talent for sensing presence—hidden runs, stealth movements, subtle shifts in energy—he could handle it all.

Right now, his goal was simple: gather information and explore.

He had to avoid anything that might blow his cover—entering dorm rooms, triggering magical traps, or accidentally setting off any defensive golems.

One wrong move could ruin everything.

As he wandered deeper, the hall suddenly opened into a massive, cavernous chamber.

It was a large, open ground, with beams of light shining down from above, illuminating the space like a hidden cathedral.

Towering pillars circled the field, each humming faintly with magical energy.

Cristo could sense the barrier the columns formed—they weren’t just decoration.

Each pillar acted as part of a sophisticated magical containment system.

”Is this a hidden training ground? Damn, that’s so cool~!”

Cristo’s voice was muffled by awe as he stepped closer, his eyes taking in every detail.

Another secret of the academy revealed itself—another layer of its prestige and power.

That such a massive, fully equipped training area existed, hidden deep within the building, was proof that the academy didn’t just teach—it showcased its mastery in every corner.

He couldn’t help but grin. This was exactly the kind of discovery that made risking a little trouble worth it.

He stepped closer, eager to explore the chamber further, when suddenly...

Touch.

A hand pressed firmly onto his right shoulder.

Cristo froze. Heart pounding, he spun around, eyes wide.

”Who are you?” a deep voice demanded.

”H-How...?” he murmured under his breath. Wasn’t he still invisible? Shadow Step should’ve been flawless... so how—?

Before him stood a massive man, his body built like a brick wall, broad and solid, yet with the sharp, aggressive face of someone used to intimidating others.

His hair was a reddish-brown, cut short in a neat buzz cut, giving him an even more imposing presence.

A faint eyebrow raise conveyed a mixture of curiosity and suspicion as he studied Cristo.

”Are you one of those foreign students who just arrived?”

Cristo’s throat went dry. Facing someone so large and clearly capable, he could only gulp.

By the uniform, it was clear the man was an academy student—and judging by his build, probably not someone to be trifled with.

”H-Hello...” Cristo managed to mumble.

”Did you get lost or something?”

”A-Actually... yes, haha. I was just trying to explore Killian Hall. I’m... not exactly great with directions, so I somehow ended up here,” he explained, trying to keep his tone light.

”Is that so? Well, I was like that the first time I came here too. And seeing that silky black uniform of yours... you’re not from the academy. You’re from a foreign martial school in the Eastern Empire, right?”

”Yes,” Cristo replied, surprised but relieved.

”Haha, knew it! I’m from the Eastern Empire too, so it’s great to see a fellow countryman here—even if it’s only temporary.”

Cristo felt his nervousness start to fade.

He had so many questions swirling in his mind—how this guy had seen him despite Shadow Step, how he had noticed him at all—but now wasn’t the time.

He shook off the tension and smiled.

”I couldn’t agree more. I’m Cristo Kal, by the way.”

”Name’s Kagami. Kagami Kento.”

They shook hands firmly, a sense of camaraderie forming immediately.