How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 720: Rose’s Gold 2

Riley had already observed it on his way back—the festival still pulsed with distant revelry, yet the grand competition itself had abruptly ceased. Initially, he suspected a malfunction. Then, fragments of conversation from passing students reached him. The interviews, it turned out, had caused a stir within the academy far beyond any prediction. Discussions, replays of moments, arguments over verdicts—all this had captured more attention than the matches themselves. '...So the broadcast actually succeeded, huh,' he murmured to himself. If anything, it had been a resounding success, perhaps too much so. He had no idea, however, how long this interruption would persist. Riley exhaled softly, shaking his head and deciding against dwelling on it. His focus returned to the room, to the tranquility, to Seo, who remained deeply asleep, undisturbed by anything. Unconsciously, his expression softened. They’ll probably be back soon... Approaching the bed, he leaned in slightly. Seo hadn’t stirred, still clutching a miniature plush toy of him as if it were an invaluable treasure. Riley gazed at it for a moment. '...I don’t even want to ask.' Still, a gentle smile graced his lips. He lifted his hand, intending to lightly pinch her cheek— —and then— A crimson portal materialized silently behind him. No prelude. No sound. Merely a distortion in the fabric of space, as if it were tearing open. 'Huwaah~ that was so exhausting~ I need to get some rest~' A familiar, languid voice followed immediately. 'Why don’t you rest here for a bit as well, junior? You put in a lot of effort this time; I’m sure you’re worn out~' '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 trailed off mid-utterance. Riley turned. She stood directly behind Alice, caught in the act of exiting the portal—utterly still. Her eyes were wide, fixed on him with disbelief. 'S-Senior Riley!? Y-you’re back!' The astonishment on her face quickly transformed into a radiant, genuine smile. '...Riley?' Alice echoed his name a moment later. And before he could even react— She was suddenly before him. No hesitation. No warning. Her arms encircled him tightly, drawing him into a firm embrace. 'Welcome back, Riley—hehehe~' Riley blinked, momentarily taken aback before letting out a soft sigh. '...I’m back. Sorry for being late...' 'No, it’s fine...' Alice pulled back slightly, her hands still resting on him as if she hadn't quite finished. 'Actually... I kind of got the gist of things.' Riley raised an eyebrow. '...From Cheshire?' She nodded. 'Yeah. Though ‘explained’ might be too strong a word.' Her lips curved faintly. 'He didn’t reveal everything. Just enough for me to grasp the situation.' Riley let out a sigh. '...Of course he didn’t.' 'The others likely remain unaware,' Alice continued. 'I haven’t informed them either. Cheshire insisted we let you decide what to disclose.' Riley paused at this. Then he exhaled a short, dry breath. '...That’s unusual.' Alice chuckled softly. 'I know, right?' 'Considering his usual lack of consideration.' 'Exactly.' For a fleeting moment, they shared a mutual understanding—and a quiet sense of surprise. Riley’s gaze shifted past Alice, settling on Emilia. She was partially concealed behind Alice, her shoulders slightly slumped, fingers nervously clutching the edge of her sleeve. A subtle tremor ran through her, her face tinged with pink, her eyes darting away whenever they met his. '...Junior.' 'Y-Yes, Senior Riley!' She straightened instantly. Far too instantly. Her posture became rigid, her chin lifted just so—like a soldier snapping to attention. The abrupt shift was so pronounced it seemed almost practiced. Riley observed her for a moment. '...Why are you here?' 'T-That’s because I—' 'For that, allow me to explain~' Alice interjected smoothly, stepping forward slightly, her tone as light as ever—yet with an underlying gravity this time. Something more substantial. Riley remained silent. He simply watched her. And listened. — Roughly fifteen minutes later... '...So you’re saying the moment Snow and I departed...' Riley spoke deliberately, assembling the narrative, 'something occurred involving Rose’s father... compelling her to seal him... and now he’s imprisoned and under surveillance within your domain?' Alice nodded. 'And because you detected a malevolent aura from the duke, you brought Junior here to assist in neutralizing it with her divine abilities.' 'Yes!' Emilia affirmed quickly, then winced slightly at her own outburst. 'W-Well... that’s the condensed version...' Alice offered a slight 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 blurted out. He felt the urge to interject, thinking they couldn’t just gloss over such a detail. For the moment, however, he held back.

Alice’s expression softened, the usual playful edge in her demeanor fading slightly. "Right now, Rose isn’t doing so well."

Riley’s gaze narrowed perceptibly.

"She doesn’t really talk about personal things," Alice continued, her voice dropping lower. "But it’s obvious. She always seemed to hate her father... or at least, that’s how she presented it."

After a brief silence, she added, "But now that he’s like this... sealed, unstable... not exactly himself..."

Alice glanced away for a moment. "...I think things got complicated for her."

Riley remained silent.

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

Her gaze then returned to him. "You should go talk to her, Riley."

The room became quiet. Even Emilia stayed still.

Riley stood there, absorbing the information. This was completely unexpected for him.

They had only been away on a brief trip to the northern lands, and in that short time, everything had changed.

"...I see."

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair, his eyes dropping for a moment before regaining their sharpness. "...Alright."

Without further hesitation, he said, "Take me to her."

Alice’s lips curved slightly, as if she had anticipated his response. "Of course~"

Behind her, Emilia let out a small, relieved sigh.

And on the bed— "Snooze~"

Meanwhile, Seo remained completely unfazed, still clutching the small plush version of Riley as if none of the recent events concerned her.

....

Within Alice’s domain, located at the heart of the main city, a majestic castle stood, both serene and imposing.

Deep inside, beyond the ornate halls and polished stone, lay the dungeons, sealed away from the world above.

Rose stood motionless, her golden eyes fixed on the cell before her. Her expression was tense, a mixture of annoyance and something deeper—disquiet.

Inside the cell, bound by layers of celestial chains and potent sealing magic, was a man bearing a striking resemblance to her: Duke Raymond Brilliance, her father.

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

Her voice was low and laced with frustration, yet an underlying current of something heavier could be detected. She found it difficult to look at him for extended periods, as each glance sent an unpleasant twist through her chest.

Standing beside her shoulder was a diminutive figure, no larger than her palm. It was an elderly man, impeccably dressed as a butler, his posture erect despite his size, exuding a calm and steady presence.

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

Rose offered no response, her gaze remaining fixed on the cell.

"What happened to the duke was unexpected," he continued, hands clasped 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."

After a short pause, he added, "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 briefly. "I understand that."

Logically, she knew nothing had truly unraveled. Their plans were not yet ruined.

Yet, her eyes shifted back to the chained man. "...I just don’t get it."

A faint crease appeared on her brow. "I’m curious... what exactly pushed him to this point."

The duke remained silent, restrained, and motionless.

Rose’s voice softened, not with warmth, but with bewilderment. "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 subtly. "Getting involved with something like... demonic influence... or an evil god?"

She shook her head slowly. "...That’s not like him."

Silence descended upon the dungeon once more, broken only by the faint hum of the sealing magic.

The small butler glanced up at her, observing quietly. "You believe there is more to this."

It was not a question. Rose didn't reply immediately, her eyes remaining fixed on her father.

"...There has to be."

It was a logical conclusion. Despite all his flaws, or perhaps because of them, Duke Raymond was not someone prone to carelessness.

Ruthless, calculating, and unafraid to push boundaries, he never compromised the Brilliance family's reputation.

His legacy was paramount, an intrinsic part of his very being, far beyond mere pride.

This conviction was precisely why her current situation felt so wrong.

Utterly wrong.

Rose’s gaze remained locked onto him, her expression subtly hardening as a memory resurfaced.

Back then… had she wavered, even slightly, the consequences would have been dire, irreversible.

A catastrophe that could never be contained or undone.

Had she been any more resolute… who knew what state he would be in now?

Or worse, what actions he might have taken.

Her eyes traced the glowing containment magic swirling around his bound form, a subtle yet undeniable dark aura emanating from him.

And it wasn't solely demonic in nature, a fact already established.

Emilia's recent visit had confirmed this much.

This was a more profound, heavier corruption.

Something akin to the influence of an evil god.

Rose’s brow furrowed slightly.

"...But when..."

She recalled no involvement of her father in such matters.

There were no clues, no hints whatsoever to suggest he would ever worship or even associate with something so dangerously unpredictable.

It simply did not align with his character.

Not at all.

Her golden eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him once more, trying to glean an answer from his stillness.

Simultaneously, her mind drifted back to her original intentions concerning him.

How best to proceed from this point.

How to leverage this unexpected turn of events.

How to—

"Rose..."

A voice pierced the quiet.

Gentle.

Familiar.

Her head snapped around almost instantly.

"...Riley?"

She didn't even have time to think.

The sight of him standing there caused an involuntary loosening in her chest. The long-held tension eased, just enough—

—and before she fully registered it, she was moving towards him.

Stepping forward, she pulled him into a fervent embrace.

Without a trace of hesitation or restraint.

For a fleeting moment, she pressed her face against him, her grip unwavering, as if letting go was simply not an option.

Relief washed over her, sudden and almost overwhelming.

Because through all of this, despite her prowess as an Archmage, her composure, her control, her foresight—

Ultimately…

She was still just a young woman burdened with more than she should bear alone.

And Riley…

He was among the select few who allowed her to share that burden.

Someone she could lean on.

Someone with whom she could divide the weight… without needing to spell out every intricate detail.

So for now…

Words were unnecessary.

She simply held him a little closer.