How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 735: Liyana’s Visit interlude (2)

If someone were to see their own death—how it happens, what leads to it, how everything plays out—

Most people would break.

Fear would come first. Then denial. Then desperation.

And if they were given even the smallest chance to change it... they would take it without hesitation.

Because if you can see that far ahead—

Then it should be avoidable.

Right?

That’s how it should work.

But fate doesn’t care about ”should.”

It isn’t a suggestion.

It isn’t a possibility.

It’s a thread.

A single, unyielding line that pulls every branching path back into one end. No matter how much things change, no matter how far you try to stray—

It all leads back.

An inevitability.

Even the gods understood that much. They didn’t interfere, not because they couldn’t—but because breaking something that was meant to happen came with consequences far worse than letting it play out.

And whatever followed after that...

Was entirely on the one who chose to break it.

’I would die the moment Liyana falls for Lucas.’

The thought came to Riley as naturally as breathing.

Because that was how the world was built.

Liyana was a being designed to fall for Lucas. That was her role, her purpose—something written into the very structure of the story itself. It wasn’t just a possibility.

It was a fixed point.

Something that had happened again and again across the fragments of broken worlds Riley remembered.

Lives that had already ended.

Paths that had already failed.

Every time—

The result was the same.

And yet...

The more he thought about it, the more something didn’t sit right.

Those worlds.

Those memories.

They weren’t consistent.

Because in those broken timelines—

It wasn’t Lucas that Liyana desired.

It wasn’t him that she chased.

It wasn’t him that she loved.

It was—

Him.

Riley.

’Liyana’s obsession in those worlds... was clearly tied to me.’

He could see it clearly now, the more he went over it.

The way she acted.

The way everything centered around him instead.

It wasn’t something vague.

It wasn’t coincidence.

It was direct.

Intentional.

And if he was being honest with himself...

There was only one way that could happen.

Even if it sounded arrogant.

Even if it felt like a conclusion he shouldn’t reach so easily—

That kind of fixation...

That kind of attachment...

Could only exist if—

Liyana truly loved him.

Of course, the memories he had weren’t complete. Most of them were just fragments—pieces from a few past lives, not the full story. But even so, the fact that they existed at all meant one thing for certain.

They were real.

And if they were real, then so was the part that mattered most—

Liyana had fallen for him before.

Not once. More than once.

That alone should have been reassuring... but the more Riley thought about it, the less it made sense.

Because if that was true, then what happened after?

How did those worlds end?

If Liyana truly loved him in those timelines, then something had to go terribly wrong.

Love like hers wasn’t light, it wasn’t something that simply faded or changed directions. If anything, it was the opposite—it deepened, it rooted itself, it consumed.

So what kind of mistake did he make... to push someone like that into ending everything?

Riley’s expression didn’t change, but his thoughts slowed, growing heavier as he followed that line further.

There was only one conclusion he could come to.

Somewhere along the way—

He must have abandoned her.

Or at the very least, made her feel like he did.

Because there was no other reason for things to collapse like that. Not when it came to someone like Liyana.

If she truly loved him, then the only thing that could twist that love into something destructive... was losing it.

And that was the part that bothered him the most.

He already knew how important her feelings were. He understood, better than anyone, that her love wasn’t something you could take lightly or handle carelessly.

So why did his other selves fail?

Why couldn’t they hold onto it properly?

Why couldn’t they return it the way they should have?

It didn’t add up.

Of course, Riley wasn’t foolish enough to assume every version of his life played out the same. Each world had its own differences, its own circumstances, its own choices that led to different results.

But even then—

The possibility itself was real.

He had seen it with his own eyes.

Felt it through those lingering memories.

And among all those broken endings, there was one that stood out.

A faint one, but clear enough.

A world where things actually worked.

Where he and Liyana reached the end together.

No destruction.

No collapse.

Just... an ending where they stayed by each other’s side.

A proper one.

A happy one.

And that was what made the thought linger longer than it should have.

’...Could I not handle all her love?’

It wasn’t doubt in the usual sense. Riley wasn’t someone who lacked confidence in himself, especially not when it came to something like this. He knew what he felt. He knew he wouldn’t treat her lightly.

But those past failures were still there.

Proof that something could go wrong.

That he could make the wrong choice.

And if he ended up repeating that—

Then everything he had done up until now... would mean nothing.

His gaze shifted slightly, settling on Liyana beside him.

Still close.

Still smiling.

Still holding onto him without hesitation, like there was no question about where she belonged.

For a moment, his thoughts quieted.

Because in the end, the answer wasn’t complicated.

Right now, he didn’t need to overthink every possible future or worry about every branching path.

All he had to do...

Was make her happy.

.....

As they continued their walk through the academy’s commercial district, the noise of the crowd settled into a steady background hum—vendors calling out, students chatting, the occasional clink of metal and glass from displayed goods.

Liyana stayed close to Riley’s side the entire time, her arm still linked with his, her pace matching his without effort.

Every now and then her attention would drift, her eyes catching on small things—decorations, trinkets, unfamiliar items.

Then she stopped.

”...Riley, what is this?”

Her gaze settled on a small stall tucked slightly away from the main path. Compared to the louder vendors around it, this one was quieter, almost easy to miss.

Riley followed her line of sight.

”...Foreign accessories,” he said after a brief glance. ”From the western side of the continent, I think. Probably from Ashtul.”

Spread across a faded cloth were pieces that stood out immediately.

Golden earrings shaped in curved, flowing forms.

Bracelets layered with tiny engraved patterns.

Necklaces that looked almost ceremonial rather than decorative.

They were different—far more intricate than what was usually seen in the central or eastern regions. There was a certain weight to their design, like each piece carried something beyond just appearance.

”Hmm~” Liyana leaned in slightly, studying them more closely. ”They’re all pretty... but they feel a bit... tacky?”

Riley gave a small shrug.

”That’s because people from the west don’t make accessories just to look good,” he explained. ”They give them meaning. They call them Ishtals.”

”...Ishtals,” she repeated softly, the word rolling easily off her tongue. ”That’s kind of interesting...”

Her eyes moved again, slower this time, more deliberate.

Then she pointed.

”Well... those blue bird earrings look nice.”

A small pause.

”But that silver bracelet... the one shaped like moons... that’s nice too.”

Riley glanced over the items she pointed at, recognizing them almost immediately.

”The blue bird usually symbolizes cool rain... or heaven,” he said. ”Something like calm after hardship.”

His gaze shifted slightly.

”And the moon design... it means blessing in the dark. Though it’s closer to ’may light stay with you even in darkness.’”

”...Hoo.”

A new voice cut in.

”You know your Ishtals, young man.”

The vendor finally spoke.

He was a rough-looking man, his face partially shadowed beneath layers of white cloth wrapped around him. His eyes, however, were sharp—observant.

He had been listening.

”As a sign of respect for your understanding of our culture...” the man continued, a faint grin forming, ”I’ll offer you a thirty percent discount.”

Liyana’s eyes lit up slightly at that, clearly amused.

”Oh? That’s quite generous~”

Liyana blinked, clearly caught off guard as she looked between the accessories and Riley.

”Wow... darling, I didn’t know you were aware of this kind of stuff...”

Riley let out a small, almost awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.

”Haha... I just had a random interest in it when I was younger. Read a couple of books here and there...”

It sounded casual.

Natural.

Like it wasn’t anything worth thinking about.

But Liyana didn’t respond right away.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing just a bit as she studied him more closely.

”...But I don’t remember that.”

Riley paused.

”We were together most of the time, weren’t we?” she continued, her voice still soft, but more focused now. ”Day and night... you didn’t really have time to just sit around reading books on your own.”

For a split second—

Riley froze.

Then a quiet chuckle slipped out, a little more forced than before.

”Yeah... well,” he exhaled lightly, ”I still had some private time here and there.”

And that wasn’t entirely a lie.

There were moments—rare ones—when he was alone.

Moments where Liyana wasn’t right next to him.

Moments that felt almost... strange, in hindsight.

”...Hmm~”

Liyana hummed softly, her gaze lingering on him for a second longer before her expression eased again.

”Then you should’ve invited me,” she said, her tone returning to something lighter, though the meaning behind it didn’t change. ”We should always be together, darling.”

”...Yeah.”

Riley didn’t argue.

Because arguing that point with her—

Was pointless.

And besides...

Most of what he knew didn’t come from books anyway.

It came from something else entirely.

From memories that didn’t belong to this life.

From a ”game” he couldn’t explain to her.

Things that could influence relationships, increase affinity, shift outcomes.

Small advantages.

Things he couldn’t say out loud.

His gaze drifted back to the stall.

Then, without much thought, his hand moved again.

He picked up another piece.

A silver bracelet.

Its design was softer compared to the others—elegant, but not overly flashy. Small floral patterns wrapped around it, shaped like roses and lilies intertwined, with four small white gems set neatly along each side.

Simple.

But refined.

Riley took Liyana’s hand gently.

”Darling... this is?”

Before she could finish, he carefully slid the bracelet onto her wrist.

It fit perfectly.

Like it was meant to be there.

”...Yeah,” he said quietly, looking at it for a moment. ”It suits you.”

Then, after a small pause—

”It’s a gift.”

Liyana’s eyes widened slightly.

”A gift...?”

Riley nodded.

”Now that I think about it... I don’t think I’ve ever really given you anything like this before.”

”...T-Thank you, darling...”

Her voice softened.

And for once—

She looked... shy.

Her gaze dropped to the bracelet, her fingers lightly touching it as if to make sure it was real. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, subtle, but definitely there.

It wasn’t anything extravagant.

Not something grand.

Just a single bracelet.

And yet—

Her reaction was more than he expected.

Riley watched her quietly for a moment.

Then—

A small, genuine sense of warmth settled in his chest.

”....”

Yeah.

This alone—

Was worth it.

”You’ve got quite the eye, young man,” the vendor said with a grin, glancing between the bracelet and Liyana. ”Picking something like that for your girlfriend... with the discount, that’ll be seventy thousand gems.”

”Fiancée,” Liyana corrected almost immediately, her tone light—but firm.

The man blinked, then let out a short laugh.

”O-Oh, I see. My apologies.” He dipped his head slightly. ”Then I suppose a happy husband and wife are soon to be. I wish the both of you the greatest happiness.”

Liyana didn’t say anything to that, but the faint curve of her lips said enough.

Riley, on the other hand, simply paid without hesitation. Even with the discount, it wasn’t cheap—but he didn’t care. Not for something like this.

Once the exchange was done, the two of them moved on naturally, slipping back into step beside each other like nothing had changed.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then—

”Darling...”

Liyana lifted her hand slightly, turning her wrist just enough to catch the light. The bracelet shimmered softly, the small gems reflecting faint glints as she looked at it.

”You said each of these has its own meaning, right...?”

Her voice was quieter now.

”What does this one mean?”

Riley glanced at the bracelet for a moment, then answered simply.

”It means eternal love.”

A short pause.

”Though a more direct way to say it would be... ’I love you for eternity.’”

”...?”

Liyana stopped walking.

Not completely—just enough for her steps to falter.

”Liyana?”

”N-Nothing...” she replied quickly, a little too quickly. ”Gosh... you really are quite the sweet talker, darling...”

She let out a small, awkward laugh, her gaze shifting away from him.

”You weren’t like this before... I guess spending time with my sisters changed you, huh~”

Her tone turned teasing again, but there was a slight stiffness behind it.

”Well... I kind of liked your old, more quiet self,” she added, softer this time. ”But this version of you is... cool too.”

Riley just nodded lightly.

”I see...”

Liyana chuckled under her breath, then leaned in again, resting her head gently against his arm like before.

”...Darling.”

”Hm?”

”Could you... say that again?”

”Say what?”

She hesitated for a second.

Then, almost reluctantly—

”...You know... the meaning.”

Riley didn’t overthink it.

”I love you for eternity, Liyana.”

Liyana became quiet as they continued their walk.