[{"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-409":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},1218401,1604,"Chapter 409 409: Snowy Return 2","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-409",409,"\u003Cp>Looking up, I let out a quiet breath and cleared my thoughts, my gaze drifting toward the cloudy night sky above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold air nipped at my cheeks, but it felt… grounding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calming, even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All things considered, the main storyline and its key scenarios were still on track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the small changes and deviations—some purposeful, others incidental—the overall flow remained intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we moved toward the next semester, nothing particularly drastic seemed poised to disrupt Act 4.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Act 4 was always meant to be a breather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A transitional phase in the grand scheme of things—a buildup arc designed to prepare the main protagonist, Lucas, for the true turning point in Act 5: the epilogue chapters where the real game began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was meant to be a slow burn, a time for development. For preparation. A quiet before the inevitable storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, the deviation with the demon duke's rampage being cut short did shift some narrative weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the original, that event caused a massive ripple, bringing chaos to the academy and forcing Lucas and the others to face a moral and emotional reckoning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, that moment was gone—sliced away before it could grow roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even with that key difference, the rest of the story seemed to have stabilized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The academy remained relatively safe, the staff and upperclassmen handled their roles as expected, and most of the enemies had been defeated without the need for my intervention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was… almost eerie how smoothly it had all gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I couldn't help but wonder—what exactly was Lucas's current strength level?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't have a clear estimate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn't been around to measure it firsthand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But judging from Evelyn's reports and how the Holy Sword had begun awakening, I could reasonably assume that he was approaching the threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If everything went well, he would likely unlock the final stage of the Holy Sword by the end of next semester.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be ideal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if he didn't?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, then I'd simply step in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or have Evelyn nudge things along subtly, as she always did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One way or another, I'd make sure Lucas was ready.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no matter how much the story shifts or how many variables change, one truth remained constant:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real storm hadn't even begun yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Lucas—our so-called protagonist—needed to be prepared to weather it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'In case he doesn't grow as expected... I'll need to meet up with those guys asap...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a soft puff of snowy breath, watching it briefly curled and vanish into the frosty night air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My thoughts wandered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should probably go see Snow, Rose, and Seo now…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I miss them. More than I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For me, it's only been a few weeks—maybe a month at most since I left—but for them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They've been without me for months. Months of waiting, wondering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left behind only a simple letter, saying I'd be back soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I truly thought Alice's scenario would wrap up quickly, that I'd return before anyone could really feel my absence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But reality had other plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't expect the arc to drag on for so long in real-world time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about it made my chest ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can only imagine what it must've felt like for them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Snow, who probably kept to herself even more without me around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Rose, who already struggles with trust and closeness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for Seo, who never shows it but always feels it the deepest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing I'll do when I see them is apologize—wholeheartedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially to Snow and Rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I told myself I'd become a proper lover to them, someone reliable and present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet… I ended up vanishing. Leaving them behind without so much as a proper goodbye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hope they can forgive me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they don't—at least not right away—I'll make it up to them. Somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But right now, I just want to see them. I want to hear their voices, see their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe get scolded a little…and remind myself of what I've been missing all this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I've heard, it was thanks to Snow that my long absence wasn't met with much backlash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, she managed to keep the rumors under control and handled the academy's reaction—likely leveraging her position and authority behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone told me how much she was still looking out for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again, some of the rumors did spiral out of control—like me being formally betrothed to her by the emperor, and Alice being groomed as a concubine or something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ridiculous… though not entirely unexpected or wrong in some way… given the way this world twists speculation into entertainment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the rumors were a bit much but….\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still appreciated those girls' quiet support while I was away. Even without me there, they held on. Stayed loyal. Waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought alone kept me grounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I couldn't help but worry—especially about what Rose and Seo had been up to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo… I could easily imagine her sitting quietly in her room, isolated and melancholy, silently waiting for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I probably made her academy life even more difficult without meaning to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her meek nature and the social anxiety she struggles with, my sudden absence might've thrown her into an uncomfortable spotlight—whispers, judgment, rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'd done that to her, even if unintentionally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Rose… well, she was what worried me the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because I didn't trust her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because she was unpredictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though she'd grown—matured in some ways—there was always that faint sense of instability in her, like a storm under calm waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea what she'd done or what incidents she might've caused while I was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evelyn hadn't shared much, which was oddly both comforting and unsettling. If there were no major incidents, I should've felt relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Evelyn's focus wasn't entirely on them. That meant small things could've slipped through the cracks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I found myself falling deeper into speculation, Evelyn's voice pulled me back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Original,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before you go running off to enjoy your heartfelt reunion with the others,\" she began, a teasing lilt in her voice, \"you should probably report to the Principal first. She's been… well, burdened would be putting it lightly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made me pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She's had to answer—and more often, dodge—countless questions about your sudden disappearance these past couple of months. And with both you and Alice missing at the same time?\" Evelyn gave a knowing smile. \"I think she's slowly losing her mind from the stress. There's been a lot of pressure building quietly within the academy. You can feel it too, can't you? The tension in the air? Fufu~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed, dragging a hand down my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'd been so caught up in the emotional weight of returning, of seeing the girls again, that I momentarily forgot the administrative chaos I'd left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Principal had always been firm but fair… and now, she'd been stuck trying to explain the vanishing act of one of the academy's top students—two, if we included Alice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with Snow's influence working behind the scenes, there was only so much she could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors had probably run rampant. Speculation, too. Faculty and students alike must've begun spinning theories of their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kind that didn't fade away with time—they festered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And all of that… was on her shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The emperor and the duke probably put some pressure on her as well…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You're right,\" I murmured, exhaling slowly. \"I owe her a proper explanation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good.\" Evelyn's smile softened. \"Then after that, you can go running into the arms of your girls.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scoffed, but couldn't hide the smirk tugging at my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although it was a bit of a shame that I wouldn't be meeting Snow first, I knew I had to prioritize informing the Principal of my return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just about protocol—it was about responsibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She deserved that much after everything I'd put her through. Letting her know I was back might lift at least some of the weight off her shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alice would be returning in a couple of hours as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would probably be better if the two of us reappeared together—let the others know we were both safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rose, Snow, and even Seo were probably worried sick about her too, not just me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Alice had been missing just as long. Maybe even longer in their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The main scenario might've gone well, but I could already tell there were still a few things I needed to set right before I could truly relax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Loose ends that needed tying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wounds that needed healing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Questions that needed answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First things first: fix the mess I left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—finally—I could let myself breathe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evelyn stepped forward, brushing invisible dust from her sleeves as if preparing to vanish entirely from the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well then, I'll be going now, Original.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah… thanks for everything, Evelyn.\" I gave her a small nod of gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled faintly, almost mechanically, yet there was always that subtle grace in her gestures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's nothing. Serving you to the utmost of my abilities and benefit… that is the reason for my being.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a small, respectful bow, she brought her fingers together and began weaving a set of intricate glowing runes in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each movement was fluid—precise—as if rehearsed a thousand times over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Goodbye then, Original. See you soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could even reply, her presence cracked like delicate glass and crumbled away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The runes she had drawn pulsed once with blue light before shattering apart, their fragments taking the form of hundreds of fluttering, luminous butterflies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They shimmered softly in the dim air, drifting upward in silence—like a fleeting farewell carried on a quiet wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I guess she's gotten stronger too,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I watched the glowing butterflies scatter into the skies, disappearing into the night like scattered stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No time to waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a quiet breath, I took a step back—then jumped off from the ground, the cold air brushing past me as I hurried toward the Principal's office.\u003C\u002Fp>",1684,"2026-06-03T14:40:38.926Z",1,"novelbin.me","09877ad0fe434604f4f7f5ae0f3e65fcf93aba46aa94ea95d4f085a465c22fd8","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-410","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-408",727,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-cover.jpg"]