How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 408: Snowy Return

Night settled deeply over the inner parts of the commercial district.

Streetlights flickered softly, casting pale golden halos over the snow-covered stone roads.

Though a few people still wandered about—couples walking hand in hand, a stray group of students laughing as they stumbled out of a nearby tavern—the usual vibrancy was gone.

The shops and stalls, once packed and alive with voices at this hour, now stood dim or shuttered.

Maybe it was the cold. Maybe it was the looming winter break.

Or maybe the entire city was holding its breath, waiting for something none of them could quite name.

Whatever it was, it made the academy feel different.

Quieter.

More distant.

The snow continued to fall in slow, weightless spirals, piling in soft mounds along the sides of the roads and clinging to windowsills like whispered memories.

It had already covered the rooftops in a fine white sheet, untouched and still.

”I guess I really was gone for months, huh…”

I muttered under my breath, gazing at the scenery I once knew so well—now slightly off, like a familiar dream I couldnʼt quite remember.

”Fufu~ Yes. Indeed you were, Original,”

Evelyn replied beside me, her voice teasing yet gentle, almost affectionate.

Her footsteps barely made a sound as we walked side by side down the snow-dusted road.

After finishing off the last remnant of the demonic cultist buried inside the academy—Professor Asmond—an optional mini boss of Act 4.

Right now, Evelyn and I were walking side by side as she summarized everything that has happened this past couple of months.

”So, everything went smoothly?”

”Well… most of it, admittedly there were some complications with the flow of the scenario here and there—minor deviations. Some characters acted a little more boldly than predicted, and I had to improvise a few times. But I made sure to interfere just enough… not too much, never too little. Just as the Original instructed~”

Her eyes twinkled under the lamplight, clearly proud of her careful handling of things in my absence.

I nodded slowly, absorbing the report as I tucked my hands into my coat pockets.

The air was cold enough that I could see my breath.

”Good. That means Act 3 and all of its major scenarios… have all been resolved correct?”

”Yes”

Despite the constant streams of demonic cultists and their worshippers infiltrating the academy, Lucas—together with the Saintess and her party—managed to deal with it all with surprising ease.

I suppose I expected nothing less.

As the main protagonist of the story, it was practically a given that Lucas would be able to handle this much.

The scenario was built to strengthen him, after all.

His victories were not only natural—they were scripted by fate itself.

Still, from what Evelyn told me, things didnʼt play out exactly like the original.

There were subtle redirections on her part, gentle nudges that pushed the flow of events in new directions.

One of the biggest deviations was the academyʼs continued ignorance of what had happened beneath their feet.

In the original storyline, the summoning of the Demonic Duke was supposed to be the key turning point—the moment the entire academy, and eventually the world, would come to understand the true threat demons posed. It was meant to be loud, messy, unforgettable.

A catastrophic event that would trigger wide-scale change across multiple factions and storylines.

But that never happened.

Instead, the summoning was stopped. Swiftly, cleanly, and quietly.

Before the Demonic Duke could even begin its rampage, Lucas and the others put it down.

Just like that.

No buildings destroyed, no students lost, no whispers of demons spreading into the public consciousness.

The world remained blissfully unaware of the storm that had nearly swept through it.

It seemed Evelyn had made the choice to alter those key events herself.

Whether that change was truly for the better or not… well, I suppose thatʼs subjective.

From a narrative standpoint, some would argue it robbed Lucas of his big moment, or dulled the impact of the demonic reveal.

But Evelyn kept implying that her actions were always made with my benefit in mind.

She never said it outright, but the implication was always there—in the way she reported things, in her tone, in her subtle smiles when talking about the results.

And honestly?

I didnʼt complain.

Not much, anyway.

The scenarios werenʼt really something I needed to be concerned about anymore.

There were also other changes that Evelynʼs interference had brought about—small, quiet shifts in the emotional currents of the story that had, in the long run, changed the dynamics between the main cast.

”So Emilia and Lucas didnʼt hit it off?” I asked, knowing full well how important their bond was meant to be down the line.

Evelyn tilted her head slightly, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

”Other than being quite friendly with each other, the two didnʼt really develop much. No significant spark. Although...” she paused thoughtfully, ”Lucas and Vanessa did become closer than originally expected.”

”Huh. Vanessa?” I raised a brow. ”Thatʼs… unexpected.”

ʼDid he grow a thing for elves now?ʼ

”Mm, even I found it a little amusing,” she said with a small smirk. ”But aside from that? Not much has changed in Lucasʼs romantic prospects.”

”And Janica? Clara?”

”Still in the background. Janica does try a little harder these days—subtle gestures, lingering glances—but Lucas remains largely oblivious. Or perhaps heʼs just too focused on getting stronger.”

I let out a breath. ”And the other first-year heroines?”

”They donʼt even bat an eye at him,” Evelyn replied casually, as if she was reading off grocery items rather than delivering a strategic report.

That part was a bit troublesome.

By this point in the story, I was hoping that most—if not all—of the first-year heroines would at least start developing some level of attachment or interest in Lucas.

Even if many of their individual storylines didnʼt directly influence the major arcs, they still played an important role in shaping Lucas as a character.

Their presence was supposed to challenge him, inspire him, help him understand the complexities of emotion, loyalty, and the weight of protecting someone you care about.

The kind of growth that couldnʼt come from battle experience alone.

Their bonds were meant to weave into his foundation—the mindset of a knight, the resolve of a hero, and eventually... the strength to protect the one he loved when the time came.

Lucas had certainly gotten stronger. That much was clear.

But strength alone wasnʼt enough.

If the heroines werenʼt growing alongside him—emotionally, narratively, and in their relationships—then his development would be skewed.

Lopsided.

Lacking the heart and soul that the original story was meant to provide.

And that? That would be a shame.

Because a hero without heart is just a sword waiting to break.

The purpose behind his will and sword—that was what made Lucas the unstoppable hero in the game.

Not just raw talent or innate skill, but conviction.

Purpose.

A reason to wield his blade beyond just victory.

Thatʼs what allowed him to become the strongest swordsman by the end.

Thatʼs what let him stand at the very pinnacle when the story reached its conclusion.

His holy sword wasnʼt some mindless weapon. It was a sacred artifact bound by principles, with layers upon layers of sealed potential.

Each stage of its awakening required more than simple strength—it demanded clarity of purpose.

A vow.

A cause worth etching into his soul.

In the original storyline, that cause came to him during Act 3—when he chose to protect a certain heroine with everything he had.

That emotional turning point was what catalyzed the first awakening of the sword, what shaped him into someone worthy of its power.

I was hoping, in my absence, that Lucas would at least find that moment again.

That heʼd make Janica his purpose, considering how close the two of them had always been.

”You said heʼs unlocked the first stage of the Holy Sword, right?” I asked, glancing sideways at Evelyn.

”Yes,”

”How?”

”It would seem, that heʼs found a different purpose than he had in the original storyline.”

”…Huh.”

A different purpose?

Not the desire to protect? Not the ideal of knighthood? Not the resolve to become the hero he was always meant to be?

That caught me a bit off guard.

I had assumed the storyline was flexible, sure—but this?

This felt like it had drifted into uncharted waters.

”I guess… the whole scenario was looser than I thought,”

”Donʼt worry, original,” Evelyn said softly. ”Although Lucasʼs purpose may be different now, the core element—that unshakable drive to reach that purpose—remains the same. The Holy Sword wouldnʼt have accepted him if he lacked that.”

”Thatʼs true…”

The Holy Sword didnʼt just open its power to anyone. It had its own will much like Valeria.

It had its own standards. Lucas mustʼve proven something—something deeply personal—to have earned its recognition again.

Still… something about this deviation left a bitter taste in my mouth.

”And although most of the heroines arenʼt particularly interested in him right now, Lucas does seem particularly interested in your sister, and me as well~”” Evelyn added quietly at the end…

”What did you say?”

Evelyn simply turned forward again, brushing a bit of snow off her shoulder.

”Itʼs nothing~”

I stared at her suspiciously as she hummed quietly, skipping a step ahead through the falling snow.