How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 721: Rose’s Gold Interlude

~8 minute read · 2,107 words
Previously on How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game...
Alice and Emilia arrive unexpectedly, revealing that Rose's father has been sealed and is being monitored within Alice's domain. It's explained that Duke Raymond's volatile state led to a confrontation with Rose, forcing her to contain him and prompting Alice to seek Emilia's divine power to deal with residual dark energy. Riley agrees to speak with Rose, who is struggling emotionally with her father's condition and the mystery surrounding his actions.
"So... this is the duke now..." Riley's voice was softer than usual as he peered through the bars. His gaze drifted from the heavy chains to the faint, unsettling aura that seemed to emanate from the man's very being. "Yes." Rose kept her eyes fixed forward, not sparing a glance at him. Riley narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the energy more intently. "...I can see why you said it felt off. At first glance, it seems to be demonic influence... but this—" he paused, tilting his head slightly, "—this feels different. It's heavier. Not chaotic in the typical sense." He took a step closer, his expression growing more serious. "If anything... it leans more towards something divine in its structure. Twisted, yes, but structured. So, evil worship...?" He let out a soft breath. "I don't recall your father having any connections to anything like that either." "Nor did I," Rose replied, her tone kept low. "Even I was taken aback by how things unfolded." A brief silence hung in the air before she added, "My plans with him are now ruined..." Riley glanced at her. "...Plans?" Rose's eyes flickered for a moment before she shook her head. "Forget that part. It's not important at the moment." It was important. He could tell it was. But the way she dismissed it made it clear she wasn’t going to elaborate—not now, anyway. Instead, she turned slightly towards him. "...Can you do something, Riley?" He blinked once, then offered a small, uncertain smile. "Even if you ask that... what exactly do you want me to do?" His tone softened slightly. "You don't really confide in me about these matters, but... I do know one thing." He cast his gaze back towards the duke. "You despise him, don't you?" "...I do." There was no hesitation in her response. But she didn't stop there. "...But leaving him like this..." Her voice slowed, her brows furrowing slightly. "It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth." Riley remained silent, allowing her to speak. "He hasn't suffered enough." Her eyes hardened subtly, her gaze fixed on the man bound in chains. "Being sealed away like this... or even meeting his end like this—it's insufficient. Not for what he has committed." The atmosphere grew denser with her pronouncement. "This isn't a judgment. It's merely... an end. And an easy one at that." Riley let out a slow exhale. "I understand..." He offered no argument. No questioning. He simply observed her. The steadiness of her expression, yet the underlying current in her voice—anger, certainly, but more than just anger. There was history there. Weight. 'Complicated' barely scratched the surface. And truthfully... He didn't need the complete narrative to grasp that. Riley shifted his gaze back to the duke, remaining silent for a moment. Duke Raymond Brilliance. His supposed future father-in-law. And yet— Not a trace of respect resided within him for the man. Unlike the others. Unlike the fathers of the other ladies. Because this man... He was corrupt. Utterly. The kind of individual who wouldn't think twice about crossing any boundary if it meant elevating his family's standing. Pride, prestige, legacy—these were paramount. Everything else followed. A man fixated on results. On dominion. On worth. The sort who perceived individuals less as people... and more as assets. Riley's eyes narrowed slightly. The man before him was the most detestable kind. Abusive. Manipulative. The kind who knew precisely how to corrupt others from within—all while maintaining the façade of a perfect father to the outside world. An untarnished reputation, a revered name, an impeccable image... All constructed upon a foundation of decay. Rose grew up amidst that. Dorothy did too. Riley's gaze remained on the duke a moment longer before his eyes lowered slightly. Dorothy... The instant Rose discovered the truth—that Dorothy was her sister—something within her underwent a transformation. She never spoke much about it, but it was evident. The way she reacted, the manner in which certain matters began to resonate more profoundly than they should have. It became a sensitive topic. For both of them. Because Dorothy wasn't merely someone connected to Rose. She was someone Riley had failed. One among many. His expression tightened subtly as the memory resurfaced. Back then, he didn't possess the same resolve he held now. He faltered. He held back. He didn't press hard enough. If he had possessed the same conviction he displayed when saving Alice... ...would things have unfolded differently? Would Dorothy still be among them? Riley let out a quiet breath. He had no answer. And it no longer mattered. The past was not something he could revisit and rectify. But at the very least... in her final moments, Dorothy found solace. He knew that much to be true. He clung to that, even if it changed nothing. His gaze lifted once more, returning to the duke. Honestly... he felt nothing for the man. Perhaps a sliver of pity—but even that was faint. Whether the man lived or perished held no significance for him. What mattered was Rose. Her anguish. Her sentiments regarding this entire ordeal.

That alone was enough to make him understand.

Riley’s eyes flickered, his gaze sharpening as he focused once more, piercing through the superficial layer to perceive the essence of the energy enveloping the duke.

And the instant he grasped it clearly—

His expression invariably darkened.

"...That insufferable goddess..."

The realization dawned upon him with immediate clarity.

There was no room for doubt.

But this newfound understanding only complicated matters further.

His brows drew together in a frown.

Our deal still stands... so how is this even possible?

Erebil had made it explicit—she would not interfere. Not until her full descent was complete. That was the established condition, the boundary she herself had drawn.

So, what exactly had caused this shift?

Could it be because he had wielded his divinity back within the frozen castle dungeon?

Riley’s eyes narrowed, a subtle change in his focus.

...No.

The timing simply did not align.

If Rose and the others were to be believed, the duke had already succumbed to this state the very moment he and Snow had departed.

Four days prior.

Which unequivocally meant—

This predicament had commenced even before that.

Before he had exerted his power.

Before the validity of the deal even held any significance.

A quiet exhale escaped him as the fragmented pieces of the puzzle began to coalesce into a coherent picture.

As perplexing as Erebil's nature might be... she was, undeniably, a goddess. She operated by her own distinct set of rules, her own unique logic. If she had extended a promise, it was not something she would easily discard.

Consequently, this present situation was not an instance of her direct interference—

This was an outcome she had already set in motion.

Long before Riley had become entangled in these events.

His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

...So I can’t rely on that deal at all.

The thought left a distinctly bitter aftertaste.

In retrospect, it had seemed almost too convenient back then.

Too straightforward.

Now, the underlying reasons became starkly apparent.

Riley clicked his tongue softly, a subtle sound of frustration.

"Tch..."

"...I knew it."

His voice lowered, becoming a quiet, almost inaudible murmur.

"That promise was far too good to be true."

"Did you say something, Riley?"

Rose’s voice interjected, abruptly pulling him from his deepening thoughts. She had caught his faint mumble, her eyes narrowing with a flicker of suspicion.

Riley paused for a brief moment... then simply shook his head.

"...It’s nothing important."

He offered no further explanation.

Instead, his gaze purposefully returned to the duke, his expression re-settling into a facade of calm composure—measured and controlled.

"Anyway... I believe I can suppress whatever energy resides within him," he stated after a short interval. "However, its complete removal is an entirely different matter."

Rose’s eyes sharpened, a sudden intensity in her gaze.

"You can?"

"Yeah." Riley gave a single, decisive nod. "If I manage to suppress it, he should awaken as if nothing had transpired... at least on the surface."

He cast a fleeting glance at the faint aura still subtly emanating from the duke, his tone softening slightly.

"But suppression is merely a temporary measure, not a true solution. It's simply delaying the inevitable confrontation. Whatever this energy is... it is not the kind that remains dormant indefinitely."

A brief silence ensued.

"I do not yet fully comprehend its fundamental nature, but if it bears any resemblance to typical demonic or corrupted forces... it will not remain concealed. It will inevitably accumulate strength, and when that occurs—"

He met her gaze directly.

"—it will likely erupt in a destructive rampage sooner rather than later."

Silence stretched for a second longer.

"Do you still want me to proceed with the suppression?"

Rose’s decision was immediate, without hesitation.

She nodded affirmatively.

"I never intended to fully restore him to his former state in the first place," she declared with straightforward honesty. "If anything, that would be more kindness than he truly deserves."

Her golden eyes fixed upon the duke, her gaze steady and devoid of warmth.

"This much is already an act of profound mercy."

Then, after a slight pause, she added,

"And if he does indeed go on a rampage..."

Her voice carried an unshakeable certainty.

"I will handle him myself."

Riley observed her for a moment, then released a quiet exhalation.

"...Alright."

No further questions were posed.

He advanced a step, raising his hand as a subtle yet palpable pressure began to permeate the dungeon. It was not overwhelming, but distinctly different; a palpable presence that defied the usual boundaries of ordinary magic.

Divinity.

It coalesced around him, understated yet undeniably potent.

Given that this procedure was solely for suppression, employing a minor portion of his authority would not create any significant disruptions. At least... not visibly on the surface.

The balance for causality shouldn’t be too much...

Rose’s eyes widened considerably as she sensed the shift.

"...Riley."

A distinct note of astonishment tinged her voice now.

"Since when did you possess such a considerable amount of divinity?"

Riley did not turn to face her.

"...It’s a lengthy explanation."

A brief pause.

"I shall tell you later."

Rose held his gaze for another second... then offered a small, accepting nod.

"...Okay."

However, a novel expression had begun to dawn in her eyes.

Curiosity.

No—it was more than mere curiosity.

A quiet, burgeoning excitement.

Her gaze remained fixed on him as the divine energy surrounding him continued to intensify.

Then—

Riley spoke, his voice clear and resonant.

"The duke’s energy is suppressed."

The instant his words were uttered—

Something within the fabric of reality shifted.

It was not a visible alteration.

Nor was it accompanied by any grandclamation.

But fundamentally, it was a profound change.

As if the very world had momentarily suspended its motion... and then reconfigured itself.

[The Anomaly has lied]

[The World listened]

[Conceptual Oblivion has activated]

...

"A—! Cough—! Huff...! Huff...!"

The sudden, gasping sound abruptly shattered the enveloping silence.

The duke's frame convulsed intensely as he gasped for breath, his chest heaving erratically, as if he had been violently snatched back from a precipice far more terrifying than death itself.

"Your Grace!"

A figure surged forward without delay, their voice choked with a mixture of sheer terror and profound relief.

"Roberto...?"

The duke's utterance was a gravelly rasp, each word laced with tremor, his unfocused gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

"Oh, praise the heavens—you're awake!" Roberto's features were etched with an almost overwhelming wave of relief. "We... we owe everything to Young Lady Rose! It was she who rescued you, Your Grace!"

A frown creased the duke's brow, bewilderment swiftly replacing the fading shock as his breathing found a more stable rhythm.

"...Rose?"

His eyes tapered, a hint of suspicion entering their depths.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

A brief silence descended.

Then, his gaze snapped into sharp focus.

"Explain the entire sequence of events, Roberto."

Roberto snapped to attention instantly, though the tremors of his ordeal were still evident, the relief, however, couldn't be masked. He commenced his narration without a moment's delay, divulging every single detail he could dredge from his memory, while the duke absorbed his words in stoic silence, his expression progressively darkening with each unfolding revelation.