How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 720: Rose’s Gold 2

Riley had already noticed it on his way back—the festival was still alive, still loud in the distance—but the grand competition itself had come to a halt.

At first, he thought something went wrong.

But then he caught bits and pieces from passing students.

The interviews. Apparently, they had blown up inside the academy more than anyone expected.

People were talking, replaying moments, arguing over outcomes—it had pulled more attention than the matches themselves.

”...So the broadcast actually worked, huh.”

He muttered it under his breath.

If anything, it worked too well.

Though... how long the break would last because of that, he had no clue.

Riley let out a small breath and shook his head, deciding not to think too deeply about it. His attention drifted back to the room—to the quiet, to Seo, still fast asleep like nothing in the world could bother her.

And unconsciously, his expression softened.

They’ll probably be back soon...

Stepping closer to the bed, he leaned in slightly. Seo hadn’t moved an inch, still hugging that ridiculous miniature plush of him like it was something precious.

Riley stared at it for a second.

”...I don’t even want to ask.”

Still, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

He raised his hand, about to lightly pinch her cheek—

—and then—

A red portal quietly opened behind him.

No warning. No sound.

Just a ripple in space, like something tearing itself open.

”Huwaah~ that was so tiresome~ I need to get some rest~”

A familiar, lazy voice followed right after.

”Why don’t you rest here for a while as well, junior? You put in a lot of effort this time, I’m sure you’re tired~”

”Hehe... I appreciate the offer, S-Senior Alice, but I-I should return to my room. I’m sure Amon and Anna are wai—”

Emilia’s voice cut off mid-sentence.

Riley turned.

She was standing just behind Alice, halfway through stepping out of the portal—completely frozen. Her eyes were wide, locked onto him like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

”S-Senior Riley!? Y-you’re back!”

The surprise on her face quickly melted into a bright, genuine smile.

”...Riley?”

Alice echoed the name a beat later.

And before he could even react—

She was already in front of him.

No hesitation.

No warning.

Her arms wrapped tightly around him, pulling him into a firm embrace.

”Welcome back, Riley—hehehe~”

Riley blinked, caught off guard for half a second before letting out a quiet breath.

”...I’m back. Sorry for being late...”

”No, it’s fine...” Alice pulled back slightly, though her hands still rested on him, like she wasn’t quite done yet. ”Actually... I kind of got the gist of things.”

Riley raised a brow.

”...From Cheshire?”

She nodded.

”Yeah. Though ’explained’ might be a bit generous.” Her lips curved faintly. ”He didn’t tell me everything. Just enough to understand what’s going on.”

Riley sighed.

”...Of course he didn’t.”

”The others probably don’t know,” Alice continued. ”I haven’t told them either. Cheshire kept going on about how we should let you decide what to say.”

Riley paused at that.

Then let out a short, dry breath.

”...That’s rare.”

Alice laughed softly.

”I know, right?”

”Considering how inconsiderate he usually is.”

”Exactly.”

For a moment, the two shared the same thought—and the same quiet disbelief.

Riley’s gaze shifted past Alice and landed on Emilia.

She was half-hidden behind her, shoulders slightly hunched, fingers nervously gripping the edge of her sleeve. There was a faint tremble to her posture, her face lightly flushed, eyes darting away the moment they met his.

”...Junior.”

”Y-Yes, Senior Riley!”

She straightened instantly.

Too instantly.

Her back went stiff, her chin lifted just enough—like a soldier snapping to attention. The sudden shift was so sharp it almost felt rehearsed.

Riley stared at her for a second.

”...Why are you here?”

”T-That’s because I—”

”For that, allow me to explain~”

Alice cut in smoothly, stepping forward just a bit, her tone as light as ever—but there was something underneath it this time. Something more grounded.

Riley didn’t interrupt.

He just watched her.

And listened.

—

About fifteen minutes later...

”...So you’re saying the moment Snow and I left...” Riley spoke slowly, piecing it together as he went, ”something happened to Rose’s father... which forced her to seal him... and now he’s locked up and being monitored inside your domain?”

Alice nodded.

”And because you sensed some kind of evil energy from the duke, you brought Junior here to help deal with it using her divine powers.”

”Yes!” Emilia nodded quickly, then flinched a little at her own volume. ”W-Well... that’s the short version...”

Alice gave a small shrug.

”There was a bit more to it~ A fight broke out between Rose and her father. It got... messy. But that part isn’t too important right now.”

It is, Riley almost said.

You don’t just skip over something like that.

But he held it back.

For now.

Alice’s expression softened slightly, her usual teasing edge fading just a little.

”Right now, Rose isn’t doing so well.”

Riley’s eyes narrowed a fraction.

”She doesn’t really talk about personal things,” Alice continued, more quietly this time. ”But it’s obvious. She’s always hated her father... or at least, that’s what she made it seem like.”

A small pause.

”But now that he’s like this... sealed, unstable... not exactly himself...”

Alice looked off to the side for a moment.

”...I think things got complicated for her.”

Riley didn’t say anything.

”She hasn’t left my domain since it happened,” Alice added. ”Just staying there, alone.”

Then her gaze returned to him.

”You should go talk to her, Riley.”

The room fell quiet after that.

Even Emilia didn’t move.

Riley stood there, processing it all.

He hadn’t expected this.

Not even close.

They had only been gone for a short trip to the northern lands—and in that time, everything had shifted.

”...I see.”

A slow breath left him as he ran a hand through his hair, eyes lowering for a moment before sharpening again.

”...Alright.”

No hesitation this time.

”Take me to her.”

Alice’s lips curled slightly, like she had expected that answer.

”Of course~”

Behind her, Emilia let out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

And on the bed—

”Snooze~”

Meanwhile.

Seo remained completely undisturbed, still hugging the tiny plush version of Riley like none of this had anything to do with her.

....

Inside Alice’s domain—at the very heart of the main city—a towering castle stood, quiet yet imposing.

Deep within it, past the decorated halls and polished stone, lay the dungeons.

Sealed away from everything above.

Rose stood there, unmoving.

Her golden eyes were fixed on the cell in front of her, her expression tight—annoyed... but not just that.

Disturbed.

Inside the cell, bound in layers of celestial chains and sealing magic, was a man who looked almost identical to her.

Duke Raymond Brilliance.

Her father.

”...Why did he have to make things more complicated now...”

Her voice came out low, edged with frustration—but something else lingered beneath it. Something heavier.

She couldn’t look at him for too long.

Every time her gaze settled on him, something in her chest twisted in a way she didn’t like.

Standing near her shoulder was a small figure—no bigger than the palm of her hand. An aged man dressed neatly in a butler’s outfit, posture straight despite his size, presence calm and steady.

”Young lady,” he spoke gently, his voice carrying a quiet weight, ”I understand this is... difficult. But for now, I believe it would be best if you allowed yourself some rest.”

Rose didn’t respond.

Her eyes didn’t leave the cell.

”What happened to the duke was unexpected,” he continued, hands folded behind his back. ”However, I do not believe this changes our position as much as it may seem. There are still many paths available to us.

”....”

A small pause.

”If anything... this can be treated as an unforeseen variable. A result of the duke’s own actions.”

Rose’s expression tightened slightly.

”I know...”

She exhaled slowly, her gaze finally lowering—just for a moment.

”I understand that.”

And she did.

Logically, nothing had truly fallen apart.

Their plans weren’t ruined. Not yet.

But still...

Her eyes shifted back to the man in chains.

”...I just don’t get it.”

There was a faint crease in her brow now.

”I’m curious... what exactly pushed him to this point.”

The duke remained silent, restrained, unmoving.

Rose’s voice softened—not in warmth, but in confusion.

”I know better than anyone that my father isn’t the type to hesitate when it comes to achieving his goals. Limits don’t really apply to him.”

Her fingers curled slightly at her side.

”But even then... he’s not reckless, he wouldn’t risk something that could damage the family’s reputation. Not like this.”

Her gaze sharpened faintly.

”Getting involved with something like... demonic influence... or an evil god?”

She shook her head slowly.

”...That’s not like him.”

For a moment, silence filled the dungeon again.

Only the faint hum of sealing magic lingered in the air.

The small butler glanced up at her, observing quietly.

”You believe there is more to this.”

It wasn’t a question.

Rose didn’t answer right away.

Her eyes stayed on her father.

”...There has to be.”

It was a reasonable conclusion to come to.

For all his faults—no, even with them—Duke Raymond wasn’t careless.

He was ruthless, calculating, and willing to go further than most, but never in a way that would tarnish the Brilliance name.

His legacy meant everything to him.

It wasn’t just pride—it was the foundation of who he was.

Which is why this didn’t sit right with her.

Not even close.

Rose’s gaze remained fixed on him, her expression tightening slightly as the memory surfaced.

Back then... if she hadn’t stepped in, if she had hesitated even a little—things could have spiraled into something irreversible.

The kind of disaster that couldn’t be covered up, couldn’t be undone.

If she had been any more stubborn... who knew what state he would be in right now?

Or worse—what he might have done.

Her eyes lingered on the chains binding him, the faint glow of sealing magic flickering across his still form. Even now, a dark presence leaked from him, subtle but unmistakable.

And it wasn’t just demonic.

That much had already been confirmed.

Emilia’s visit earlier made sure of that.

This was something deeper. Heavier. More corrupted.

Something... closer to an evil god’s influence.

Rose’s brows furrowed faintly.

”...But when...”

She couldn’t remember a single instance of her father being involved in anything like that.

No signs, no traces—nothing that would suggest he was the type to worship, or even associate himself with something so unpredictable.

It didn’t match him.

At all.

Her golden eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him again, scanning every detail as if she could force an answer out of what she was seeing.

At the same time, her thoughts shifted back toward her plans—toward what she originally intended to do with him.

How to proceed from here.

How to make use of this situation.

How to—

”Rose...”

The voice cut through the silence.

Soft.

Familiar.

Her head turned almost instantly.

”...Riley?”

She didn’t even think.

The moment she saw him standing there, something in her chest loosened without permission. The tension she’d been holding onto this entire time slipped, just enough—

—and before she realized it, her body had already moved.

She stepped forward and pulled him into a tight embrace.

No hesitation.

No restraint.

For a brief moment, she buried her face against him, her grip firm as if letting go wasn’t an option.

Relief.

It came so suddenly it almost caught her off guard.

Because despite everything—despite being an archmage, despite her composure, her control, her ability to think ahead—

At the end of the day...

She was still just a girl carrying more than she should have to on her own.

And Riley—

He was one of the few people she didn’t have to carry it alone with.

Someone she could rely on.

Someone she could share the weight with... without needing to explain every little piece of it.

So for now—

She didn’t say anything.

She just held onto him a little tighter.