[{"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-563":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},1218832,1604,"Chapter 563: Seo’s Emotions Interlude","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-563",563,"\u003Cp>The mood was too intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo—of all people—was never the type to corner me with such a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d always been the quiet one, the indifferent one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now... she was trembling, staring right at me, eyes brimming with tears she probably didn’t even notice falling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please... like me as well, Riley.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice lingered in the air, fragile yet unyielding, and I found myself at a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she always like this, deep down? Had I simply been too blind to see it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought I’d been clear about my feelings, in my own way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought she understood—But the way her voice cracked, the desperation in her tone, the sight of those falling tears... it hit me harder than I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I been too dismissive of her feelings?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo wasn’t just a friend to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d told myself that for so long, but the truth was—every boundary we crossed, every little moment we shared—it all blurred that line until it barely even existed anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We held hands without hesitation, shared secrets without fear, leaned on each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world. To me, that was us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And maybe that was the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I treated everything with Seo as natural, inevitable—so natural that I stopped realizing what those gestures might mean to her. Or rather... what they already meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course I wasn’t an idiot. I saw her interest. I felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if I was being honest, I mirrored it more times than I’d like to admit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I hadn’t said it outright. I hadn’t given her the words she deserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in my mind... we were already together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t think I needed to say it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, looking at her tear-streaked face, I realized just how wrong I’d been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed inwardly and gently cupped her cheek with my right hand, brushing away the tear that slid down her pale skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes trembled as they met mine, and for a brief moment, she looked so small, so fragile, that I almost forgot this was the same Seo who always carried herself with that cold, indifferent air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lowered her head, shoulders slightly hunched, as though embarrassed by what she had just said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To anyone else, the absence of expression on her face would’ve made it look like she was even sadder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I knew better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was probably the only one in this entire world who could see past her frozen demeanor—the only one who understood that beneath it all, Seo was just... Seo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that was why we fit together so naturally, why being around her felt so comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I almost chuckled and reached out to squeeze her cheek, tempted to tease her for how uncharacteristically cute she was acting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I stopped myself. I knew just how much effort she was putting in right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a time for jokes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So instead, I tilted her chin back up with my hand, making her look at me again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I like you, Seo,\" I said softly. \"I thought I already made that clear last time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened in surprise, as though she hadn’t expected me to say it so directly. But almost immediately, she shook her head, stubbornly rejecting my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not that...\" she whispered. Her voice quivered faintly, betraying more emotion than her face ever could. \"The ’like’ I want is different.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Different?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clenched her hands, fingers twitching slightly, before finally raising her gaze back to mine. This time, her eyes carried a tender light I’d never seen before, fragile yet burning with something real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want a like... similar to them. No—more than that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breath caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words lingered between us like an unshakable weight, and when I looked at her again, it wasn’t the Seo I was used to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t distant, detached, or indifferent. She was raw. Vulnerable. Beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is she so cute right now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart hammered violently in my chest, beating faster with every second that passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more I looked at her, the harder it became to resist. I didn’t want her to cry anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want her to doubt herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I knew it, I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly, warmly, as if I could shield her from everything else in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stiffened in surprise for a second, her body tensing against mine, but then... she melted into the embrace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, softly, she wrapped her arms around me as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that quiet, fragile moment, I felt her heartbeat against mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chuckle slipped past my lips before I could stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Riley?\" Seo’s soft voice rose from against my chest, confusion clear in her tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s nothing,\" I murmured, resting my chin lightly on her head. \"Just... let me charge up for a while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilted her head ever so slightly, puzzled by my words, but she didn’t push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just stayed there, still and quiet, letting me hold her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People were staring from every angle, whispers spreading like wildfire through the crowd, but for once, I didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seo...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hnn?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can I take what you said earlier... as your confession?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, she froze. Her body stiffened slightly against mine before she slowly nodded, her forehead brushing my chest. \"Yes...\" she whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even for her, that small admission must’ve taken everything she had. I couldn’t help but smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reluctantly, I loosened my arms, letting her go just enough to see her face again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t meet my gaze directly, her eyes darting down and away as though she wanted to stay buried in my arms forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned in close, my lips brushing just past her ear. My voice was quiet, but firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I love you, Seo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body trembled faintly at my words. Then she squirmed, fidgeting like a child caught in something mischievous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"O-Oh... ye-yes. I love you as well, Riley...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then it happened—something I thought I’d never see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faintest flicker of emotion spread across her face, a soft pink blush dusting her cheeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in all the years I’d known her, Seo was showing an expression she couldn’t hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"T-Then does that mean?\" she stammered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" I said gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes brightened, lips parting as if she was about to say something profound—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re going to make babies now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, we’re going to make bab—e-excuse me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-I may be inexperienced, but please take care of me... and our future child, dear...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That last word—dear—rolled off her tongue so naturally, so tenderly, it felt as though she had been calling me that for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seo...\" I rubbed at my temple, torn between laughter and exasperation. \"You do understand what we are now, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilted her head, innocent as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Obviously...?\" Then she smiled faintly, as if recalling some secret plan. \"Although all my attempts until now may have failed... I’m sure if I hold your hand while in bed this time, I’ll definitely get pregnant. Don’t worry, dear. Grandpa-the clan head I mean and big sister Bom always praise me for having a body perfect for baby-making. I’m certain I can bear you a healthy child soon...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at her, utterly dumbfounded, while she looked at me with an expression so pure it was almost painful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo, my Seo...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You are way too innocent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already late afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun had begun its slow descent, painting the city in warm orange hues that stretched across the cobbled streets as I walked on my own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, Seo... I think you’re under some misunderstanding again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Misunderstanding? But aren’t we together now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, but—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then it’s fine if we sleep together tonight, right?\" she asked so bluntly that my heart nearly skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not like we couldn’t, but—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I’ll see you later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could finish, Seo had already released me, a faint flush blooming on her otherwise expressionless face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, just like that, her figure blurred and disappeared into the crowd with an elegance that would put even assassins to shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...And I’m supposed to be the ascended one here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I guess girls really do possess godlike powers once they set their minds on something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the destructive kind... but the kind that throws my entire world into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking my head, I pushed the thought aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seo was... Seo. I’d have to deal with whatever \"preparations\" she had in mind tonight. For now, I had other responsibilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting Rose and Seo randomly today had already turned my plans upside down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d broken promises, made new ones, and entangled myself further in ways I hadn’t even thought possible in just a single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing Rose, she would no doubt try to cling to me the moment we were alone, demanding her share of attention after her supposed generosity earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at night... well, I had no doubt Seo would come knocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to at least let Alice and Snow know I’d returned before the rumors reached the first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, I needed Alice for more than just smoothing out misunderstandings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My ascension was still new, unstable, and difficult to properly measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Training with her would be the most efficient way to not only stabilize my current prowess but also understand how much of my authorities I could truly wield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was practically an ascended herself, her connection to her domain deeper than anyone else’s I’d met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explaining everything, though... that would be tricky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the outside, my words might sound like a jumbled mess of excuses, half-truths, or even plain madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Alice was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had always been sharp, perceptive, and... patient with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was anyone who would understand—even if she teased me for it—it would be her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Remember, Han... our authority is not perfect. There will come a time when your lies will have to bow down to the inevitable truth. You are the last among your countless failures... let it be the last.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goddess’s words echoed into my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I inhaled, then exhaled slowly, steadying my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, I may have become an ascended. But even then... it wouldn’t be enough. Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was still nothing more than a newborn among the many who had long since carved their places in this realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An infant standing in the shadows of giants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands were unrefined, my authorities untempered, my very existence still unstable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was still so much room to grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much left to confront.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so much to lose if I wasn’t careful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liyana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erebil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their names alone were enough to tighten the pressure in my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The future with them was still grim—dark, uncertain, lined with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for the first time... my chances weren’t zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, I had a chance...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the top floor of the Heavenly Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Student Council’s Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The late afternoon sunlight spilled in through the towering crystal windows, illuminating the spotless marble floor and the gilded edges of the grand chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From here, one could see almost the entire sprawl of the academy city below—a miniature empire pulsing with life and ambition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most students, at this hour, were scattered in their respective paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Juniors and second-years deep within the labyrinthine dungeon examinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third-years sharpening their blades and honing their magic, preparing for the leap to seniority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the fourth-years—their final days already upon them—busy weaving the last threads of their legacy before stepping out into the wider world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had their own burdens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if there was one person in this academy whose workload and responsibilities rivaled—even surpassed—the suffocating strain Principal Leilah herself endured in overseeing the entire city-large institution... it was the council president.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one whose authority rivaled even that of the academic heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who carried not just the weight of her peers, but of the entire academy’s order upon her shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Luvinitia White Germonia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The First Princess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crown Princess of Germonia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the immovable student council president, whose presence alone demanded both reverence and fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at this very moment, she sat at her desk, her slender fingers gliding over a mountain of parchment and crystal tablets, her expression as composed as it was unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun bathed her in a golden glow, as though the heavens themselves bent to highlight her sovereignty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her quill didn’t pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze didn’t waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the epitome of beauty, even now, despite the faint shadows beneath her eyes that betrayed her lack of rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft sigh escaped her lips from time to time, delicate yet heavy, like she was letting go of more than just breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Should I even bother running for presidency again this semester?\" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, carrying both weariness and conviction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, the office was silent, save for the scratching of her quill and the occasional shuffle of papers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alone, she could finally give voice to thoughts she would never allow others to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But almost as soon as the words left her lips, she shook her head, dismissing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such grievances were unbefitting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the future empress, her burdens would one day far exceed this mountain of parchment and ceaseless duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, this was merely the beginning—a trial meant to sharpen her for the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t truly complaining. Working tirelessly was second nature to her. Yet, the truth lingered, bitter and undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was being overworked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worse—she was being robbed of the little time she longed to spend with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike her co-fiancées, she couldn’t simply slip away to his side whenever she pleased. Responsibility tethered her down, binding her like chains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A certain quiet unfairness gnawed at her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I suppose I should be glad he’s been away for a while at least,\" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else, her lips curling faintly in resignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hoh... so you’re glad I’m not around?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hii—haa!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her startled cry broke halfway, her voice catching in her throat as her entire body froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warmth of a familiar breath grazed her ear, and before she even turned, she knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That unmistakable calm arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her wide eyes spun around—and there he was. Riley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re back...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His smile was as casual as ever, his tone infuriatingly calm. \"Haha, sorry if I surprised you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped closer, her brows knitted together, composure returning to her features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to scold him, to reclaim control of the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You could’ve used the front door, you know—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the words never finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft, overwhelming warmth pressed against her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened for a heartbeat before fluttering shut, instinctively matching his rhythm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His kiss was sudden yet steady, familiar yet electrifying, carrying with it all the time they had lost apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips parted without resistance, a small sound slipping from her throat— \"hn~\"—as his tongue met hers, claiming and entwining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The office, the papers, the responsibilities—all of it blurred away, replaced by the simple reality of his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kiss stretched on, lingering, a string of stolen seconds that neither wanted to let go of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when at last their lips parted, a thin trail of saliva connected them, glimmering in the late afternoon light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her chest rose and fell faster than she’d like, her face touched with a faint crimson she quickly tried to mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What are you doing?\" Snow asked, voice steadier than her pounding heart betrayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riley tilted his head, feigning innocence. \"You like long kisses, don’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, she stared at him, caught between exasperation and warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—she smiled. Softly\u003C\u002Fp>",2621,"2026-06-03T14:41:08.409Z",1,"novelbin.me","9ec8b241196f38dfd4293eb6366e3da6c73128613d86f27ea7a3e9e16f39d2a2","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-564","how-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-chapter-562",727,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-in-the-romance-fantasy-game-cover.jpg"]