How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 259: Calm down my ladies. ”So, what exactly happened?” I asked, my gaze fixed on the glowing orb hovering in the center of my room. It pulsed gently, shifting through the visible spectrum of light in a mesmerizing dance. ”What is this?”

Cheshire had unceremoniously dragged me here, his usual whimsy ever-present.

The orb radiated an odd energy-hypnotic yet unnerving-and I couldnʼt help but feel like it didnʼt belong in my room, or anywhere for that matter.

Cheshire, with his characteristic grin plastered across his face, floated lazily around the room. His amusement was palpable, as if he thrived off my confusion. ”Ah~ I suppose you only experienced it from the inside,” he said, his tone teasing. ”So, you arenʼt exactly aware of my abilitiesʼ true form~”

Poof!

Out of nowhere, his fur-covered hands manifested, eerily human-like save for the faint gleam of his claws.

With an exaggerated flourish, he began to wave them theatrically around the orb, mimicking the mannerisms of a stereotypical fortune teller. ”This, dear Riley, is the conceptual form of Wonderland~! Beautiful, isnʼt it?” ”This is Wonderland?” I repeated, my voice skeptical as my eyes traced the shifting lights.

Despite myself, I felt an inexplicable pull toward it. The longer I stared, the more it felt as though my entire existence was being drawn in, like a moth to a flame.

FLICK! ”O-ow!” I groaned, clutching my forehead as a sharp, searing pain jolted me back to reality.

Cheshire floated closer, his expression a mix of faux innocence and playful malice. ”Hm~ I forgot to tell you not to stare too much. Although you arenʼt the intended target, the effects of my magic tend to attract the unwilling~”

I glared at him, still rubbing my forehead. ”Couldnʼt you have held back a bit...?” ”But I donʼt want to~?” he replied with a grin that somehow managed to grow wider.

This troublesome cat...

I sighed, exasperated but knowing better than to expect anything resembling remorse from Cheshire.

Ignoring Cheshireʼs antics for now, I shifted my focus back to the orb, careful not to stare at it for too long.

So, this is Wonderlandʼs true form, huh...

In the game, and even in my previous encounters with this skill, Wonderland was portrayed as a pocket dimension that ensnared opponents.

Iʼd never imagined it had a physical manifestation.

It seemed even mystical magic adhered to certain limits and rules in order to align with the laws of this world.

Though my understanding of mana and magic was akin to that of a novice, I could tell that the mana within the orb wasnʼt ordinary.

It moved in a way that seemed to synchronize and dance with the ambient mana in the air-a bizarre anomaly yet somehow harmonious, as if it belonged.

The way it worked was probably just as whimsical and cryptic as its caster.

I tried to piece things together, recalling the gameʼs descriptions of Wonderland.

It had mentioned a key weakness, and now I thought I might have found it.

Despite its immense power and the way it radiated with Cheshireʼs mystical mana, its physical form looked almost absurdly fragile.

Brittle, I thought, observing the thin, crystalline exterior of the orb. It seemed like even a child could break it with a single strike. ”Interesting,” I muttered under my breath, my mind racing with possibilities. Could this truly be Wonderlandʼs Achillesʼ heel? Or was this fragility yet another illusion, masking a hidden trap?

Cheshire floated closer, his sharp grin as maddening as ever. ”Youʼre awfully quiet, Riley. I was expecting something a bit grander. Shock? Awe? Maybe a bit of admiration? This might be the first and last time youʼll see a vulnerable side to this great Cheshire, you know~.” His furry arms withdrew momentarily, and then, to my dismay, his entire body manifested.

I winced.

Honestly, I wished he hadnʼt done that.

Cheshireʼs full form was as eerie as it was unsettling-a naked humanoid figure completely covered in fur, with a feline head and that trademark ear-to-ear grin. ʼDamn those developers and their love for Lovecraftian horrorʼ I thought, suppressing a shudder.

Iʼd read somewhere that the person behind Cheshire had a particular fascination with grotesque deformities and eldritch designs.

It seemed all too evident now. ”You owe me one, Riley-,” Cheshire continued, his tone playful yet laced with something uncomfortably close to smugness. He extended his arms wide, and the glowing orb in the room expanded alongside his movements.

As the orb grew, a projection of light began to emanate from it. Slowly, images of the people trapped inside it came into view. ”If I hadnʼt come here in time, you wouldnʼt even have a room left, you know~?”

BOOM!!!

Vzzzz!!!

SWOOSH!!!

RUMBLE!!!

The sounds erupted as the scene within the projection unfolded.

It displayed a chaotic clash of magic-a maelstrom of destructive spells weaving together in violent beauty.

Though the display was only a light-based projection and likely didnʼt capture everything happening inside Wonderland, it was enough to convey the sheer intensity of the battle.

Massive explosions of energy collided, while streams of raw mana swirled and slashed through the confined space.

The projection flickered as spells collided with enough force to shake even the fabric of the pocket dimension.

It was hard to make out specific figures within the chaos, but the destructive power was undeniable.

The longer I stared at the projections, the more their forms became clear, like puzzles snapping into place.

Though the images were mostly silhouettes, I could unmistakably tell who the two combatants were. ”Senior Alice... and Snow?” I murmured, my brow furrowing.

Why were they fighting?

Senior Alice, with her iconic wide-brimmed witch hat, was soaring on her broom, her magical aura flaring violently as she commanded her crimson-armored army.

Spells burst from her fingertips to her wand, saturating the air with chaos as her forces surged forward.

On the other side, Snow stood as cold and unyielding as her name suggested.

Everything in her path froze solid under her immense power, shards of ice erupting like a storm, countering Aliceʼs relentless assault.

Despite some subtle differences-almost as though their appearances were slightly warped by Wonderlandʼs influence-it was undeniably the two of them. ”Theyʼve been going at it for hours now~,” Cheshire said, floating lazily beside me.

His grin stretched wide as always, as though the destruction was his idea of entertainment. ”Though it looks like weʼll have a winner soon~.”

I tore my eyes away from the battle, glaring at him. ”Care to explain whatʼs going on right now?” The last thing I remembered before everything spiraled into chaos was Snow helping me relax and fell asleep. It had been just the two of us here, right?

Since when did Senior Alice-and Cheshire, for that matter-join the party?

Cheshire tilted his head, feigning innocence as he stroked his chin. ”You tell me~,” he replied, his tone casual but tinged with mock confusion. ”You were the one who summoned Master to come here secretly... only for her to find you already entertaining another lady~.”

I froze, caught off guard by his accusation. ”I know youʼre quite the lady-killer, Riley,” Cheshire continued, his now golden eyes narrowing with amusement, ”but you really ought to learn how to properly manage your harem soon-.” ”Excuse me?”

Cheshire floated closer, his tone mocking yet somehow pointed, as if he relished dragging me deeper into his web of chaos. ”I get that you probably wanted to introduce the two and let them get along as fast as possible, itʼs a very honest way of doing things, but a somewhat dumb approach no~?” he began, his paw-like hands gesturing dramatically, ”At least wait until youʼve made some significant progress with my master first. Oh, and maybe be conscious for the event, hmm~? Why were you even asleep in the first place?”

I scowled but didnʼt interrupt as he rambled on, his grin never faltering. ”And here I thought leaving that wonderful information be was the safer option~,” he continued, almost musing to himself. ”Maybe I shouldʼve informed Master beforehand. But then again, all this chaos wouldnʼt have happened if Iʼd told her about your secret relationship with Snow. That wouldʼve been such a bummer! Yup, thatʼs right-this is all good-.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but Cheshireʼs words kept spilling out like a dam that had long since burst. ”Master is quite indecisive, you see,” he added, his golden eyes narrowing conspiratorially. ”Sheʼd probably stop giving a whisker about you once she knew the truth. And that? That canʼt happen! Riley. You get me, donʼt you?”

This cat was just spewing nonsense at this point, layering confusion upon irritation. ”Anyways!” he chirped, clapping his hands together with an almost childlike glee. ”Things are getting a bit dangerous now, you see, so go and help them calm down, will you~?” ”Wait, what-”

Before I could even formulate a coherent response, Cheshire snapped his fingers wide.

The action echoed unnaturally, like the crack of thunder in a sealed room, and the next thing I knew, the world shifted violently.

Colors blurred and twisted, the air thickening around me as I felt my body yanked forward.

And just like that, I was back inside Cheshireʼs fantastical domain. Wonderlandʼs whimsical chaos enveloped me once more, its eerie beauty far less enchanting now that I understood what was happening. [Note: Fantastical Cat Cheshireʼs authority has been granted to the user!] [Note: Mana stabilization underway... mana synergy taking place] [Successful!] [Note: Congratulations! The skill effects of Wonderland will now be under the userʼs authority.] [Skill: Wonderland (EX)] [Effects: Skill: Wonderland (EX)] [Effects: The user can now create any object, creature, or phenomenon they can imagine, regardless of its complexity or scale. Existing objects, creatures, or phenomena can now be altered or transformed into something else based on the userʼs imagination.] [Note: The laws of physics and reality will accommodate the userʼs creations.] [Note: Skill effectiveness will be reflected upon the userʼs will and imagination.] Staring at the descriptions of the skill, I sighed, fully aware of how troublesome things were about to get.

In the distance, the chaotic clash between Snow and Alice raged on, their immense magical energy practically vibrating through Wonderlandʼs surreal air.

I knew I had to stop them, but...

Damn it.

With how hazy and disoriented I felt, this place might be more dangerous than I initially thought.

Every breath I took felt heavy, and the strange, dreamlike atmosphere of Wonderland wasnʼt helping.

Cheshire had probably assumed Iʼd pull off the same power-up as last time-relying on raw skill and focus to brute-force my way through.

But that required constant concentration, something I wasnʼt sure I could muster right now with my mind in this fractured state.

How was I supposed to stop them at this rate?

I groaned softly as another sharp headache pierced through my skull like a blade.

My vision blurred momentarily, but I forced myself to look forward.

I tried to focus-to recall that version of myself.

Not the muddled, half-broken mess I felt like now, but the one who had conquered every known possibility.

The one who had reached the true end of all routes, defying the odds and rewriting the game itself. [Skill: Archive] → [Activated!]

The moment the skill activated, clarity began to seep into my thoughts.

Memories of that moment-that me-felt sharper, more vivid, as if I was borrowing strength from my own legacy.

But the skillʼs activation didnʼt stop the pain coursing through my head, nor the giddy, disorienting dizziness that made each step feel like I was walking on a spinning wheel. Still, I shook my head, willing myself to ignore the chaos in my mind.

This wasnʼt the time for intrusive, unnecessary thoughts to manifest.

I couldnʼt afford to falter.

But...

Just as I took a step forward- ”Papa?”

A familiar voice rang out, soft and clear, cutting through Wonderlandʼs oppressive hum like a bell.

I froze mid-step, my breath hitching in my throat.

Slowly, I turned around, and the fragmented memories buried in my mind erupted all at once. ”L-Luara...?”

Standing there, her figure half-formed at the moment yet hauntingly familiar....

My heart lurched painfully in my chest as her voice-so real yet so impossibly distant-spoke again. ”The mana of this place is quite unstable. How curious-” She tilted her head, her expression calm but inquisitive. ”Where the heck are we right now, Papa?”

Fuck me.