[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game":3,"chapter-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-279":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1218771,1604,"Chapter 279: Trails of Light.....","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-279",279,"\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A great dream often comes bitter after the waking of reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Experiencing the perfect reality, only to find out that none of it was real-nothing but a cruel mirage dissolving into the harsh light of truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pen clattered onto the polished marble floor, slipping from the fingers of the white-haired girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her once radiant hair, a pristine silver that shimmered with life, had dulled to an almost ashen hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath it, tendrils of shadows writhed and coiled, dancing ominously as though alive, feeding on the darkness that emanated from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her beautiful crimson eyes, once like polished rubies brimming with light, had transformed into something distinctly inhuman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vertical slits cut through her pupils, predatory and cold, as they gazed out the grand window of her room, piercing through the heart of the city below and far beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The view outside was idyllic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sprawling main city of Hamel, nestled within the Heaven's Duchy, stretched beneath her in serene perfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden glow of the morning sun bathed the streets, reflecting off the pristine architecture, as though the entire city had been kissed by divinity itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet her eyes-her cursed, Draconic eyes-saw far beyond the idyllic landscape, reaching toward something unseen by mortal eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe - Mama, look!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Liyana...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faint echoes of the past whispered through her mind, fragmented memories clawing their way to the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cruel mockery of warmth and love, images of another life resurfaced, triggering an overwhelming surge of power within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden light in the distance, a divine barrier encasing the empire's sacred center, pulsed faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mana twisted violently, pushing against the barrier as if trying to break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression remained eerily calm, her pale face betraying no joy or sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet her body trembled, not from fear, but from the strain of her overwhelming power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden light intensified, reacting to her defiance, growing brighter and more oppressive with every second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until it happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shadowy black burst erupted from her eyes, a searing explosion of dark energy clashing violently against the divine barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sizzling pain coursed through her skull as the burst of light seared her vision, forcing her to recoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black blood streamed from her eye sockets, thick and viscous, dripping onto the floor like molten tar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn't last long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadows pulsed again, and her eyes regenerated within seconds, their eerie glow returning as though nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She blinked once, adjusting to the brief sting of divinity that still lingered in her senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips curled into a twisted smile-not of joy, but of pure irritation, laced with a seething, chaotic annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A low, guttural chuckle escaped her lips as her form began to warp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pale, delicate frame contorted grotesquely, dissolving into an abyss of writhing, gaping mouths—an endless array of fanged maws opening and closing in chaotic dissonance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sure directly interfering with our affairs was strictly prohibited... EREBIL.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana's voice reverberated, distorted and vast, as though it came from the very fabric of the world itself—a primal entity speaking through the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just sound; her words carried a weight that crushed everything in their wake, bending reality around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The space she glared at began to shift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small dot formed, pulsating like an irregular heartbeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air around it twisted unnaturally, as though rejecting the presence of the anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black spot expanded and contracted, a jagged distortion that defied existence, an omen of\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>something forbidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[**...You will die...**]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice without form or origin, deep and suffocating, slithered through the room like a tangible force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a threat-it was a declaration, delivered with the inevitability of fate itself. \"Fufu~ You think that bitch can take me on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana's lips curled into a mocking grin, her crimson eyes burning with both amusement and defiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone was light, yet laced with an undercurrent of venom and unyielding confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[**He will die **]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana's grin faltered for just a moment, her pupils narrowing into predatory slits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, like a dam breaking, her emotions surged forward, spilling out in a chaotic burst of\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>possessive rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"... He won't,\" she hissed, her voice trembling with raw intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body quivered as the shadows around her began to ripple like a stormy sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With me around... darling won't get hurt... darling won't get harmed... DARLING WON'T\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>GET STOLEN!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer force of her declaration warped the space further, the oppressive energy emanating\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>from her\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[**.... Chaos Dragon...Know...your.... Limits.... **]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black distortion pulsed once, an unspoken warning vibrating through the air, before\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>abruptly vanishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The anomaly disappeared as though it had never existed, taking the tension that had suffused\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the room with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silence that followed was deafening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana exhaled sharply, her monstrous form shrinking back into her original body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her shoulders rose and fell as she struggled to regain composure, but the fiery anger still simmered beneath her calm exterior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her claws flexed, scratching deep gouges into the floor as she clenched her fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Darling...\" she murmured under her breath, her voice trembling as a strange, foreign sensation settled within her chest. It wasn't just rage or possessiveness-it was something\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her crimson eyes softened, clouded by confusion as fragmented memories of the dream she'd clung to resurfaced once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They played vividly in her mind, tempting her with their bittersweet perfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emotions they stirred were overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Darling is mine...\" she whispered, her voice resolute but tinged with vulnerability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pressed a hand to her chest as if trying to still the unfamiliar ache that blossomed there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing will change that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even as she spoke the words, the lingering doubt in her un-beating heart whispered\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Trails of Light]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Trails of Light, a sacred path created by the Goddess of Light herself, was said to grant\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the deepest desires of those who reached its end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such a grand reward came with a heavy cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who failed to complete the journey faced curses far worse than death-punishments\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that left their mark forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the Imperial Palace lay the entrance to this fabled road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spiral staircase twisted deep into the earth, each step leading farther into silence and\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>isolation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air grew colder, the walls tighter, but what waited below was not darkness as one would\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>expect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, there was light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, this is the trail...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words felt small in comparison to the sight before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern stretched wide and far, its size impossible to believe for something hidden\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>beneath the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beams of golden light streamed through cracks in the rocky ceiling, illuminating everything\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>with a soft, warm glow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trail itself was a long road that seemed to float amidst golden fields of grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grass shouldn't have been able to grow here, so deep underground, but it thrived,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>glowing faintly as if touched by magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was breathtaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The road ahead looked like it could lead straight to the heavens, a path meant for something\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>greater than mortal feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even with all its beauty, the space felt wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wide cavern, with its light and openness, reminded me of an arena-like it was waiting\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>for something to happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor's voice carried a weight of resignation, his ever-knowing gaze fixed on the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>glowing path before us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as though the sight itself dragged him into memories he'd rather forget.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given his circumstances, it was no surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The curse eating away at his life force was a constant reminder of his failure in the trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A curse that sapped not only his strength but also his time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the duke, who hadn't reached the trial's end like the emperor, couldn't hide his unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though, knowing him, it wasn't just the trail that had him worried-Liyana must have given\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>him an earful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or worse, threatened him outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, I was genuinely concerned that Liyana might show up here and end us all in one\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>swift move. But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Don't worry... She has no power here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reassurance from the other me echoed in my mind, steady and unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because this place housed the last relic of the Goddess?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps it was like the Holy See, where the Goddess's influence was abundant and\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>absolute?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both were plausible, and for now, it was a relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn't change the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her awareness alone was enough to keep me on edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone like her, knowing was often just the first step to action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she couldn't directly interfere here, it didn't mean she wouldn't find another way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things were moving too fast for me to keep up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Liyana decided to act purely out of whim or spite, there was nothing-no one-who could\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even the duke, as much as his presence might reassure others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against Liyana, even he would likely fall short, especially considering how much he loves her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for me? My specs were embarrassingly low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I leveled up to my max potential right now and got stronger, at the end of the day, I\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was still Riley Hell, the disposable side character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one fated to die by Liyana's hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how hard I tried, there was no way I could reach the strength of the main\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>protagonist in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A quick glance at my stats compared to the others was all the proof I needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucas, was improving fast but was nowhere near his strongest version yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the heroines?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They still lacked the power and specs to counter someone like Liyana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gap between us and her wasn't just wide-it was insurmountable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hey... I can trust you, right?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You've been stuck in this tutorial for far too long. Just proceed. Finish the trial. You'll understand the rest.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sigh escaped me, but only internally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This other Riley, the one who had been communicating with me since yesterday, seemed to\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>know more than he was letting on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But despite his apparent knowledge, he rarely gave me clear answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I'd appreciate it if you just straight up told me what's going on instead of all these riddles,'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like always, there was no immediate response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no choice but to trust him for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how cryptic he was, and it was clear he wants to help me as well... all of his actions\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>so far was already proof of that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-SIIISHHH!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the air shimmered, and the golden light ahead on the trail began to sparkle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thin strands of light, like flowing streams of wind, traced through the path and surged\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>forward, connecting directly to my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems the goddess is granting you permission to take on the road,\" the Emperor observed,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his calm but knowing tone cutting through the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scene was just like in the game-a faint trace of light linking the chosen to the trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But something about this felt... off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light connecting to me was brighter, more intense than anything I'd seen in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Lucas, the main protagonist, didn't have a light this vibrant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Son...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to face him, and the worry etched into\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his face spoke volumes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just concern for the trial ahead-it was layered with unspoken fears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, he reached out, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heed the Emperor's advice... and please return safely. We have much to discuss.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Father,\" I replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I knew exactly what he wanted to talk about: my relationship with Snow... and\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That conversation wasn't something I was looking forward to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weight of it lingered in the back of my mind even now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke's hand lingered for a moment before he gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder and\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden light around me intensified, growing brighter with every passing second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more delays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more second thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself and stepped forward into the trail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I appreciated the worried expressions of the Duke and the Emperor, I couldn't help\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but feel a sense of detachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, as someone who had cleared this trial nearly a thousand times in the game, this wasn't something I considered a true challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roads might seem random to an outsider, but they were anything but. Each path was meticulously designed to guide you toward a specific outcome-a trail of choice, if you understood the underlying patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering the stakes, both the price and the reward, it was obvious which path I needed to\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>take.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tempest Sword....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A certain weapon that could enhance my capabilities regardless of stat requirements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its existence was one of the game's most broken elements, and I'd made it a point to\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>prioritize it every single time. Since the other Riley was adamant that I should finish the trial however I saw fit, choosing the\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>sword wasn't a wrong decision. Right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that goal in mind, I ignored the faint golden light that connected to my heart-a guide\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>meant to steer me toward the default path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I deliberately stepped toward one of the interconnected roads branching off to my\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment my foot touched that path, everything shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-SIIISHHH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blinding burst of light consumed my vision, leaving me disoriented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Forget everything you've learned in the game.] The other Riley's voice echoed in my mind, clear and commanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the last thing I heard before the world around me dissolved, leaving me enveloped in a\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>cascade of radiant energy.\u003C\u002Fp>",2281,"2026-06-03T14:40:38.925Z",1,"novelbin.me","9698ab79c17e22a1a0a7d83531f2005560ea03e8ef5f3e710d2edab33339e480","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-280","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-278",727,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-cover.jpg"]