How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 734: Liyana’s Visit interlude

What Riley felt in that moment—standing this close to Liyana again after so long—wasn’t something he could easily put into words.

It wasn’t simple fear.

And it wasn’t just unease either.

He understood the situation clearly.

Right now, Liyana didn’t have any real reason—or even the proper means—to push things to a point where he’d have to respond with force. Logically speaking, there was no immediate danger.

And yet—

She could.

That possibility alone never went away.

It lingered quietly in the back of his mind, no matter how calm things seemed on the surface.

It was strange.

A mix of emotions that didn’t quite fit together.

Fear... and something else.

Something closer to curiosity.

Because at the end of it all, his fate and hers were tied together in a way that couldn’t be ignored.

An unavoidable thread.

One that always led to the same conclusion.

His death.

Even now, even after everything he had become—even if he could stand on equal ground with her as a being—

That fact didn’t change.

Liyana was still someone bound by fate to end him.

And that thread between them...

Was slowly tightening.

Day by day.

Getting closer.

And now—

She was here.

Right in front of him.

A variable he hadn’t planned for.

For a brief moment, his thoughts scattered, slipping out of order.

Unsteady.

’Calm down...’

He closed his eyes for just a second, steadying his breathing.

’I’ve always known Liyana can be... whimsical.’

That was putting it lightly.

She followed her own logic.

Her own desires.

Trying to predict her was pointless.

’But she’ll be satisfied... as long as I indulge her.’

That part, at least, he understood.

Riley knew how to handle her.

Or at the very least—

He knew how to keep things from spiraling out of control.

Whether her reasons for coming here were genuine, half-truths, or something else entirely...

Didn’t matter.

Because one thing was certain.

She was already here.

Right now, there were a lot of things Riley needed to think about. Too many, honestly. But out of everything, there was one thing he couldn’t afford to ignore.

Liyana meeting Lucas.

It wasn’t just a possibility to him—it was a trigger. A very specific moment he remembered far too clearly

In the game, it wasn’t anything dramatic. No grand introduction, no setup. Just an accidental encounter somewhere in the academy after Liyana officially enrolled.

But that was where it started.

The beginning of their connection.

And eventually... the beginning of Riley’s end.

Liyana wasn’t just another character in that story. She was one of the final obstacles—one of the last bosses standing in the protagonist’s path. Her role wasn’t simple either. She tested Lucas in more ways than one... and in one particular route—

She fell for him.

A hidden path.

For a long time, Riley had convinced himself that none of that would happen this time. Things were already different. The Liyana standing beside him now wasn’t the same one bound strictly to that storyline.

There were no signs of it.

Not even the slightest hint that her feelings could shift toward someone else.

If anything, everything about her now pointed in the opposite direction.

But still...

Liyana was Liyana.

And fate... wasn’t something you could just ignore.

If her heart changed—even for a moment—

What then?

It wasn’t the first time he’d asked himself that question. He’d gone over it again and again, turning it around in his head, coming up with answers he never spoke out loud. Some of them were simple. Some of them... weren’t.

Before his thoughts could go any further—

”Darling, let’s go~”

Her voice pulled him back.

Riley blinked, the tension in his mind easing just a little as he looked at her. Without thinking too much about it, he reached out and took her hand.

She smiled instantly.

Not just a small smile either—something brighter, more genuine. In the next moment, she closed the distance between them like it was the most natural thing in the world, slipping right to his side and hooking her arm with his.

”Hehe~ I’m so excited,” she said, leaning lightly against him. ”Even if a lot of unexpected things had to happen for this... I’m really glad we get to be like this, darling~”

There was no hidden meaning in her voice this time. No teasing edge.

Just... happiness.

Riley glanced at her for a moment, then answered quietly, ”Yeah... I feel the same.”

And strangely enough, that was enough.

The noise in his head settled. The tension eased. Not completely—but enough for him to breathe a little easier.

Because the truth was... none of those worries were new.

He had already thought about all of this before.

And he already had his answer.

As he looked at her—really looked this time—at the way she smiled so easily, the way she stayed close without hesitation, like there was nowhere else she’d rather be...

His thoughts slowly aligned.

If things really did go the way he feared—

If fate really tried to pull her away from him—

Then he’d deal with it.

No matter what it took.

Because at the end of it all, the answer he kept coming back to was simple.

He wanted to see that smile.

Not just now.

Not just for a moment.

But for as long as possible.

If there was an ending he would choose—

It was one where she was still there beside him.

Smiling like this.

A happy ending.

With her in it

....

As Riley guided Liyana through the academy, their pace slow and unhurried, the atmosphere around them felt strangely light compared to everything weighing on his mind.

Liyana stayed close the entire time, her arm still linked with his, occasionally leaning in as he pointed out different parts of the campus. She listened—half attentively, half distracted—her eyes wandering more than once, not out of disinterest, but curiosity.

”...So that’s the commercial district?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as her gaze swept across the lively area ahead.

”Yeah,” Riley replied. ”Most students come here when they need something... or just to pass time.”

”Hmm~ it’s livelier than I expected,” she murmured, a faint smile forming.

Shops lined the streets, vendors calling out to passing students, the air filled with chatter and movement. It felt... normal.

Too normal.

And yet—

Not far from where they were—

Another scene quietly unfolded.

—

At the center of the commercial district, away from the main flow of people, Kagami walked alone.

His steps were casual, unhurried, blending in perfectly with the crowd around him. At a glance, there was nothing strange about him. Just another student passing through.

But his eyes—

They moved differently.

Sharp.

Careful.

Scanning left. Right.

Making sure.

Only when he seemed satisfied did he stop.

In front of a small vendor.

An old man sat on the ground behind a worn brown carpet, various items laid out in no particular order. Cheap trinkets, small tools, things that didn’t stand out in the slightest. The kind of stall people passed by without a second thought.

Kagami stood there for a moment, looking like any other customer.

Then—

He crouched down, lowering himself to the old man’s level.

”Hey... gramps,” he muttered under his breath. ”Did you bring it...?”

The old man didn’t answer immediately.

His cloudy eyes lifted slowly, studying Kagami’s face for a brief moment before he gave a small, knowing nod.

”...Of course,” he said, his voice low and rough. ”You are one of my most loyal customers, after all...”

There was a pause.

Then his gaze lingered a little longer than necessary.

”But... for a young man in such fine condition to be in need of this...” the old man continued, a faint hint of curiosity slipping into his tone. ”Are you perhaps suffering from something?”

Kagami’s expression didn’t change.

”You don’t need to know, gramps.”

”...Ah.”

The old man let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

”How rude of me. I almost forgot—we are merely conducting business.” His tone turned lighter, but his eyes didn’t lose that subtle sharpness. ”This old man’s concerns are unnecessary.”

Without another word, he reached behind him, digging into a large, worn backpack.

After a moment, he pulled something out.

A small vial.

Round. Compact. About the size of a thumb.

Inside it—

A soft pink liquid swirled faintly, almost glowing under the light.

”Just mix it with your mana before ingesting it,” the old man said as he held it out, his fingers steady. ”Once you do... its effects should take hold without issue.”

For a brief moment—

Kagami’s eyes lit up.

Just slightly.

A flicker of excitement he didn’t bother hiding completely.

His hand moved almost instinctively, reaching out toward the vial—

—ready to take it.

—but the old man’s hand slipped back just as fast.

Kagami’s fingers closed on nothing.

”What?”

The old man didn’t even look bothered. He simply held the vial a little further back, just out of reach, his expression calm.

”Five hundred thousand gems...”

Kagami’s eyes narrowed slightly.

”...A hundred thousand was the original deal, wasn’t it?”

”Ahh, yes, yes,” the old man chuckled softly, like it was all very unfortunate. ”Forgive me, young man, but procuring this item turned out to be far more difficult than expected.”

He shifted slightly, adjusting the bag behind him.

”My... trusted third parties raised their prices. Transportation wasn’t cheap either. And with the recent inflation...” he gave a small shrug. ”Five hundred thousand is actually quite reasonable.”

His gaze met Kagami’s.

”In fact, I’d say I’m doing you a favor. Under normal circumstances... one million would be fair on my end.”

A short pause.

”So... what do you say?”

For a moment, Kagami didn’t answer.

His brows furrowed just slightly, his eyes lingering on the vial. There was hesitation there—not because he didn’t want it, but because of the price.

Then—

He exhaled quietly.

”...Tch.”

Without another word, he reached into his coat and pulled out a small pouch, tossing it lightly toward the old man.

”Does gold work for you?”

The old man caught it easily.

”...Even better,” he said, weighing it in his palm, the faint clink of coins echoing softly. A pleased smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

”I trust this is of equal value, young man?”

”Of course,” Kagami replied flatly. ”You can count it if you want. I’ll wait.”

”No, no... there’s no need,” the old man waved it off, already tucking the pouch away without checking. ”I trust my customers. Especially ones like you.”

Only then did he extend his hand again—

This time offering the vial without pulling it back.

”Pleasure doing business.”

Kagami took it immediately.

His grip tightened around the small glass container, his eyes flickering once more as he looked at the faint pink liquid inside.

”Have a great day, young man,” the old man added, his tone light again. ”Do come back... whenever the need arises.”

Kagami didn’t respond.

He simply stood up, turning away without another word, the vial now hidden within his grasp.

Walking away from the stall, Kagami gave a small nod to himself, slipping the vial safely out of sight.

Yeah... this was worth it.

An investment.

Not for anything long-term, not for power or strategy—

But for tonight.

For once, he wanted something to go right.

Something memorable.

’Come visit me in this building tonight, Kagami... I’ve got a surprise for you~’

Clara’s voice replayed clearly in his head, way too clearly.

He still didn’t know what she meant by that.

Not exactly.

But...

He wasn’t stupid either.

As a man, there were certain situations where you just... prepared ahead of time.

Just in case.

”...”

Kagami cleared his throat lightly, his expression stiffening for a second.

It wasn’t because he was nervous.

Definitely not.

And it wasn’t like he’d been overthinking it for the past day either.

Or imagining different possibilities.

Or—

”...Yeah, right.”

He clicked his tongue quietly, shaking his head as if trying to throw those thoughts away.

Still...

He and Clara had gotten closer recently.

That part wasn’t wrong.

And if there was even a small chance tonight turned into something more—

Then being prepared wasn’t a bad thing.

Right?

”...Yeah. Just being prepared.”

He muttered it under his breath like he needed to convince himself.

Satisfied enough with that excuse, Kagami stretched his shoulders slightly, already thinking about heading off to train a bit. He still had his own match coming up, after all.

But just as he was about to move—

He paused.

His eyes caught someone ahead

”...Hm?”

A familiar figure.

”Riley?”

Kagami blinked once, then focused.

And immediately—

He froze.

Because standing there... wasn’t just Riley.

Riley was walking casually through the district—

With a girl.

No—

Not just a girl.

A beautiful one.

A different one.

Silver hair.

Refined presence.

The kind that stood out even in a crowd like this.

And more importantly—

They weren’t just walking side by side.

Their arms were linked.

Close.

Way too close.

Kagami stared for a solid second.

”...You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

His expression slowly shifted into disbelief.

Because this wasn’t new.

Not even close.

Riley was already surrounded by girls—way out of Kagami’s league, at that.

And now?

He was just casually walking around like this... openly, in broad daylight, with another one?

”...Just how thick is your face, man?”

Kagami muttered under his breath, half impressed, half genuinely confused.

”...Seriously... you’re built different.”

He watched for a moment longer, shaking his head slightly, unable to decide whether to admire the guy or question his sanity.

Probably both.

’Now that I think about it....’

’Should I ask him for advice......?’

’Nah...’