How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 1: Surprises are Shit...!
'I used to enjoy surprises.'
Surprises have a way of creeping into our lives when we are least expectant, striking us like a mischievous prankster in the middle of our daily grind.
They are the uninvited guests that disrupt the party of predictability, tossing a splash of spontaneity into an otherwise mundane existence.
Whether it is a chance meeting with an old friend on a crowded street or finding a stunning sunset during a night walk, surprises remind us that life is packed with thrilling and mysterious things waiting to be unwrapped.
'Yes, surprises were entertaining… But now, why on earth are they the reason I’m on the verge of death?'
"Riley, Darling?"
'Fucking hell, I never should have played that cursed game…!!!'
I have made plenty of poor decisions in my time, but none quite as catastrophic as this.
'What did I even do to deserve this?'
That elderly shop clerk looked like he might drop dead if I didn’t purchase that game, so I bought it and played it out of pure kindness.
Since I enjoyed being surprised, I figured, why not give it a go?
And to my amazement, it turned out to be a hidden masterpiece, a truly exceptional game.
I found myself wondering why it wasn't more famous, given how few people were discussing it online.
I genuinely loved playing it.
But why...?
Why is this happening to me at this moment?
Right outside my bedroom door, a dragon was waiting for me.
"I know you're in there, Darling."
I had tried my absolute best to avoid triggering any flags with her, yet here I was, stuck in this nightmare of a situation.
'Judging by how eerily calm her voice is, I can tell she’s furious with me right now.'
[Hero's Legacy]
To put it simply, it was a romance fantasy game set within an academy. It featured the innocent drama of youth, complex and deep character writing, unique personalities and backstories, and a solid blend of action and adventure.
It wasn't a perfect title, as it relied on some rather overused archetypes and clichés.
However, I didn't really mind.
After all, clichés and archetypes are still utilized today for one simple reason: they are 'Fun.'
Overall, it was an excellent game.
The gripping narrative and the stunningly beautiful heroines kept me obsessed. I explored every corner of every heroine's route and even went out of my way to see all the bad endings for each one.
Not to mention the rather explicit erotic scenes that followed if you successfully romanced the girls at the end.
If I hadn't been pulled into the game myself, it probably would have ranked in my top 5 favorite romance games of all time.
How did this even occur?
Did that old man place a curse on the game when he sold it to me?
He isn't some kind of god, is he?
Or was it because my heart raced so fast when I finally hit the harem ending during my last playthrough?
Is it because I actually fell for each of the heroines?
'Did I suffer a heart attack while gaming all night?'
No, that’s a ridiculous thought.
Falling for a fictional character doesn't usually cause someone to fall into the game world.
Sure, I was incredibly happy to reach the best ending, which took me an eternity and countless retries to achieve.
But after finishing it, I just went straight to sleep because I was exhausted.
Only to wake up, to my shock, in a new body—and as a damn child, no less…
"Hello, Darling~ are you really not going to answer me?"
"…"
I kept my mouth tightly shut. I knew she was already aware of my presence; that woman was a fucking dragon, after all.
She could probably hear a page turning from miles away. Hearing my heartbeat and my breathing was child's play for her, especially with those overpowered eyes of hers.
Even so, I held onto a sliver of hope—hope that if I stayed silent, she might just walk away, sensing my dread and fear of her.
Snap….!!!
But that hope vanished instantly as the magically reinforced door of my room snapped like a dry twig. Its handle was crushed and crumpled like a scrap of paper in her slender hand.
"I'm sorry, Darling, you wouldn't reply, so I started to get worried…"
'Don't you mean you were getting impatient, you goddamn monster?'
I scrambled to hide under the blanket, listening as her footsteps drew closer to me.
"Mother and father, along with your parents, are already discussing our engagement at this very moment."
"…"
So we ended up engaged after all. I had been trying to stall for time, but I suppose this was inevitable.
"Don't you think it's time you accepted reality, darling?"
"…"
"Ignoring me won't alter your fate, Darling."
I felt the bed dip as she sat down, and her breathing became much clearer.
'Fuck…'
"Hiding like that only makes you look more appetizing, darling~"
She whispered into my ear. Even through the thick blanket, the allure of her voice was overwhelming.
Without giving me a chance to react, she yanked the blanket away.
Her glowing crimson eyes locked onto mine…
Standing before me was a breathtakingly beautiful woman with hair as white as fresh snow and eyes as deep as blood.
She was dressed in a black gown that accentuated her impressive figure…
'Beautiful.'
That is the first thought anyone would have upon seeing her.
But what made her presence truly terrifying was the unnatural aura she radiated.
She carried such an air of nobility and grace that just looking at her made you want to drop to your knees and kiss her feet.
No matter how many times I saw her, etching her features into my mind always felt like a new experience…
You simply never grew tired of looking at her.
She was Liyana Heavens, the ultimate final boss of the game. Known as the villainess, the ancient black dragon of ruin, and the sole reason the world is destroyed if you fail to stop her.
She was also my childhood friend and, as she just confirmed, my future fiancée.
"H-hi…?" I managed to stammer out.
"Fufu… You're still as clumsy as ever, Darling."
She gave a small smile as she traced my cheek, sending a wave of goosebumps across my skin.
The hair on my arms stood up in terror as her tone suddenly turned cold.
Most men would be thrilled to have such a beautiful woman showing them affection, but for me, this was a living nightmare.
"I've noticed this quite a bit lately, but aren't you avoiding me rather blatantly? I might be patient, but there's a limit to how long I can go without your love, you know, darling?"
"…."
'Shit…'
I was speechless.
Trying to lie right now would only make my death more certain...
The light in her eyes began to fade into darkness.
Memories of the game's CG illustrations flashed in my mind as I saw that expression.
[Bad end no.89: A Dragon's Dessert]
It was the exact same look she wore before transforming into her true form and devouring the protagonist whole.
'Fuck… she isn't actually going to eat me, is she?'
I knew that avoiding her for three weeks straight was a mistake, but what else could I have done?
I had to ensure that the incredibly dense protagonist managed to rescue my favorite heroine…
I couldn't exactly tell her, "Liyana, there's this girl I need to save, can you help?"
Given her temperament, the moment another girl's name left my lips, not only would I be dead, but that girl would be too…
Since she was a secret heroine who wouldn't even appear in the main story if not saved early on, I had to act to ensure her survival.
Of course, the odds of me actually romancing her were zero, since I'm basically a mob character in this world.
"You were missing for two weeks and no one knew where you went… Because of that, I had to take certain steps to ensure you belong entirely to me, Darling."
In the game, there was one golden rule for romancing Liyana: never, ever pursue other heroines.
Unfortunately, I broke that rule the moment I saved my favorite character.
Was it a dumb move?
Yes.
But still, as long as she was alive, I felt I could find some happiness in this hellish world of monsters and dungeons.
At least, that’s what I thought at the time... the way Liyana was staring at me now was terrifying. I knew I had blown it.
As someone who cleared the entire game and found every secret, I knew exactly how cruel and heartless this woman could be to both the protagonist and myself.
I can still vividly recall her skinning the protagonist alive for holding hands with another girl in [Bad end no.63: Skin for Love].
"Liyana—"
I tried to explain myself, even if just a little, but Liyana silenced me by placing a gentle finger against my lips.
'Her finger felt freezing... it actually started to sting a bit.'
It felt as though frost was slowly sealing my mouth shut.
Liyana then ran her hand through my hair before leaning her head against my chest.
My terror kept my body frozen in place, even though every instinct was screaming at me to run…
"You aren't cheating on me, are you?"
'Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't. Or rather, I couldn't even dream of cheating while I'm the target of your "affection."'
Haha, I tried so hard to avoid flags in this new life and live as a background character, but is this really my destiny?
My fate as Riley Hell, to be the fiancé of this literal monster—the very fiancé she murders in front of the protagonist the moment she falls for him.
"No…"
I managed to mutter a single word, and the crushing aura surrounding her vanished in an instant…
She seemed satisfied that I was telling the truth…
She pulled me closer, cuddling against me like a cat.
"Riley, you belong to me…"
Honestly, I still can't wrap my head around this situation.
To think that the woman destined to destroy the world in a few years is this obsessed with me.
I wonder what sins I committed in my past life?
With her hovering over me.....
How the hell am I supposed to survive in this romance fantasy world?