How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 436: A Dad’s Wish

”Master, youʼve got quite the rowdy bunch around you,” Lavine said with a sigh, her voice ringing softly from my shoulder. ”I can hear them all the way from here.”

”Only Gramps and Dad are like that,” I replied, suppressing a yawn as I fastened the buttons of my shirt.

The morning sunlight streamed through the frost-covered window, its golden warmth a stark contrast to the crisp winter chill beyond the glass.

Snow blanketed the open field outside, untouched except for the unmistakable footprints of chaos—my father and grandfatherʼs morning sparring session.

Their voices echoed through the snowy air like thunder, accompanied by exaggerated grunts, laughter, and the occasional boom that shook the walls just enough to rattle a nearby vase.

It was just another typical morning in the household.

After my somewhat unexpected date with Liyana yesterday, I came straight home.

No side trips, no lingering thoughts—just quiet.

Or rather, quieter, compared to now.

The rest of my day had been a rare moment of peace—good food, casual conversation, and a reunion that, while loud, carried a familiar comfort.

But for Lavine… this mustʼve been something else.

Perched in her usual form—a tiny winged figure with silvery blue hair and star-like eyes—she fluttered lazily in the air, wrapping herself in her scarf like a grumpy little fae. ”Honestly, how do you live like this? The sound pollution is a tragedy.”

”I got used to it,” I said, shrugging. ”Theyʼve always been that way. That loud, over-the-top manly man vibe is kind of their thing. Most people would probably find it annoying, yeah… but itʼs home.”

Lavine gave an unimpressed hum. ”Hmm…”

Then, after a moment, her tone shifted ever so slightly—more curious than annoyed.

”By the way, Master… why did you hide me from your family? Arenʼt I your familiar? It feels a little insulting, you know. Hiding your partner like some kind of secret mistress.”

I raised a brow. ”Youʼre… not a mistress.”

”Still counts fufu~ werenʼt you ogling a bit too much at my breasts in my normal form?”

ʼSo, she noticed huh….ʼ

”Look,” I sighed, pulling on my coat. ”There are a few reasons. But mainly… I canʼt go around flashing my trump cards for everyone to see. You know that.”

”…Even from your parents?”

”Even from them.”

Lavine crossed her arms mid-air, a playful pout on her tiny lips.

”Hmm… well, if you say so. I suppose it makes sense. If Iʼm your ultimate weapon, then itʼs only right I remain hidden in the shadows~”

She spun dramatically in the air, striking an overly smug pose like a mini guardian spirit from a bedtime story.

…Did she like being called my trump card?

I didnʼt say it out loud, but it was honestly kind of cute watching her act so proud in that tiny body of hers—especially with how seriously she took the title. Still, I couldnʼt let my guard down completely.

Despite her antics, hiding Lavine wasnʼt just about strategy. She was one of my key pieces—especially in case things ever went sideways with Liyana.

And honestly…

With Liyana, I couldnʼt rule anything out.

No matter how sweet her smile looked yesterday.

It was honestly a relief that after our date, Liyana went straight back home without any trouble. No sudden requests to come inside.

No sly attempts to sneak under my blanket. No stubborn refusal to leave until I forcibly dragged her out. It was… peaceful.

Usually, sheʼd force herself in, acting like she owned the place, snuggling into my bed without so much as asking.

Not that I could ever truly stop her when she looked at me with those ruby eyes and that smug smile.

But yesterday?

She actually left like a normal person.

No complaints.

No teasing.

I figured maybe she was satisfied.

Maybe the quiet moment we shared after dinner calmed whatever storm usually brews inside her.

Though…

”Darling, kiss me~”

”…Hm?”

”Nowww~”

I froze for a second, not quite understanding.

We were in the middle of a snowy park, surrounded by people, and she just said it.

Plainly.

Loud enough that the couple behind us started whispering and the old man feeding birds nearby dropped his bag of seeds.

It wasnʼt like the kiss itself was bad.

In fact, it was far more intense than anything I expected from a date that started with light conversation and ended with her resting her head on my shoulder under the stars.

I still remembered the warmth of her lips, the way she pulled me in with no hesitation, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

But still… in public? That bold, sudden request—it caught me off guard.

It wasnʼt like we havenʼt kissed before but did she really have to openly pull out my tongue like that?

Liyana had always been playful.

Affectionate in her own eccentric way.

But now… she felt different.

More forward.

Like something inside her had quietly clicked into place and now she was fully embracing it.

Maybe that shouldʼve made me happy.

Maybe it did.

But something about that moment stayed with me, like a whisper in the back of my mind telling me I shouldnʼt have gone along with it so easily?

I sighed, turning toward the window.

Snow continued to fall in thick, silent flakes, blanketing the fields in white.

It was beautiful in a quiet, nostalgic sort of way.

A good time, maybe, to actually sit down and enjoy being home.

After all, I hadnʼt really gotten the chance yet.

The moment I returned last night, I went straight to bed, collapsing from a mix of mental exhaustion and whatever emotional whiplash Liyana had left me with.

”Big bro! Are you awake!? Hurry up and get dressed—Dad said he wants to test you out!”

Reinaʼs voice echoed through the hallway, her usual high-energy tone bouncing against the walls.

”Yeah, Iʼm coming,” I called back, already moving to get dressed.

Another sigh escaped my lips.

Guess my time for peace was up.

As I tightened the straps on my boots, I glanced toward the frost-kissed glass again.

I should probably pay a visit to the Dukeʼs castle soon…

Duke Heavens wasnʼt someone you left waiting, especially not with everything that had happened lately.

I was sure he had a list of things to discuss—political matters, rumors and most importantly discussions about Liyana….

Looks like my dayʼs about to be as long as yesterday…

”Master,” Lavineʼs voice chimed in from the other side of the room, ”there seems to be an influx of mana nearby. Should I go check it out?”

I turned toward her. She floated beside the window, her mana wings? softly glowing in the dim morning light.

Is she fully committing to the fairy role now?

”Just donʼt go too far,”

”Copy that~” she chirped, and with a playful salute, she vanished in a burst of pale silver light.

Even as she left, I couldnʼt help but glance out the window again, watching as her figure darted off into the snow like a fading star.

Still, no time to waste.

I opened the door and stepped out. Reina was already halfway down the hallway, grinning from ear to ear, practically bouncing on her heels.

”Come on, slowpoke! Dadʼs really fired up today!”

Yeah… I could tell from the explosion earlier.

I followed after her with a reluctant smile.

Today was going to be anything but peaceful.

...

”Damn it…” Dad groaned, pushing himself up from the snow-covered ground, his breath misting in the cold air. ”Just how monstrous have you gotten? I mean… damn. As expected of my blood, I guess?”

He winced as he clutched his shoulder, his grin crooked from equal parts pain and pride.

”Are you done yet?” I asked, brushing the snow off my sleeves with a sigh.

”Hey, at least try to comfort your old man here,” he complained, still lying there like someone had dropped a tree trunk on him.

”I didnʼt force you to be stubborn.”

”Hahaha! Fair enough,” he laughed, wheezing a little before rolling onto his back. ”Still, I wanted to test my sonʼs current strength. Itʼs only natural—a manʼs pride, you know? Gotta at least try to make his opponent go all out… though you hardly even tried.”

I smiled faintly at his words and stepped forward, offering a hand. He stared at it for a second before taking it with a grunt.

As I pulled him up, he dusted snow off his thick coat, chuckling under his breath.

”I knew the academy was a breeding ground for monsters, but damn,” he said, shaking his head. ”Never thought my own kid would become one. Honestly, I expected you to chicken out after a semester or two, then run back home to your beloved darling with your tail between your legs.”

”To think youʼd end up as one of the top students...” he muttered, patting my shoulder with a heavy hand. ”Still hasnʼt really sunk in yet.”

”…Was that a compliment or an insult?” I raised an eyebrow.

”Both! HAHAHAHA!”

He let out one of his loud, hearty laughs—the kind that echoed across the snowy fields like a booming drumbeat.

With his broad shoulders, thick beard, and chest that looked like it belonged on a bear rather than a man, he was the walking embodiment of the word dad.

Kind of like that Santa guy in old terra….

Dad wasnʼt a knight, nor had he ever trained formally to be one.

But in terms of raw strength?

He was probably on par with most B-A rank students at the academy.

He never cared about rankings or prestige.

He was just a stubborn, loud, incredibly grounded man.

And even now, despite being knocked flat in under a minute, he wore a proud grin like heʼd won something.

Maybe in his mind, he had.

”Youʼve grown a lot,” he said suddenly, his voice softening. ”Too fast, honestly. Feels like just yesterday I was holding your hand through your first blizzard… now look at you, beating the crap outta your old man.”

”…Youʼll get used to it.”

He laughed again and threw an arm around my shoulder. ”Donʼt push your luck.”

”So… did you just drag me out here to test me?”

I asked, brushing some snow off my shoulder as we walked through the frosted clearing.

Dad grinned, his beard catching a bit of frost under his breath.

”Hooh? Whatʼs the rush? Donʼt wanna enjoy some good olʼ alone time with your dad?”

”Not exactly,” I replied, narrowing my eyes. ”You usually have something in mind when you call me out privately like this. Youʼre not exactly subtle.”

Truthfully, Iʼd half-expected him to bring Reina along and throw both of us into some chaotic family brawl disguised as ʼtraining.ʼ

But the fact that my adorable little sister wasnʼt here only confirmed one thing—this bastard wanted to talk about something serious.

Thatʼs just how he operated: loud, roughhousing, but sharp when it mattered.

”That impatient streak of yours hasnʼt changed, huh?” Dad laughed, clapping my back with enough force to knock most people over. ”Glad not all parts of you got twisted up by the academy. You get that from me, you know.”

”I didnʼt inherit anything from you,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. ”Anyway, where is he? I saw you duking it out with Grandpa this morning.”

Dadʼs grin faltered for a split second, the amusement in his expression dimming.

”Ah… that,” he said slowly, almost too casually. ”Thatʼs actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

I raised a brow. So their usual morning sparring match had something to do with me?

That was unexpected.

Then the air shifted.

Like a quiet stillness before a storm, Dadʼs shoulders straightened, and the usual mirth in his eyes faded into something… more serious.

He looked directly at me now—not as the loud man-child of a father I knew, but as someone carrying the weight of experience.

”Son…” he began, tone suddenly heavy. ”You just did the worst thing you could do while attending that academy, didnʼt you?”

”…Worst?”

He clicked his tongue, slowly shaking his head in disapproval.

”Tsk, tsk. And here I thought I raised you better.” He folded his arms and stared hard at me. ”You went ahead and did exactly what I told you not to do, didnʼt you?”

”...Advice?” I repeated, playing dumb, though I had a sinking suspicion I knew where this was going.

Dad let out a long sigh, and then… smirked. That same troublesome smirk I knew far too well.

”Youʼve been cheating on your girl, havenʼt you?”

”…”

The silence said enough, and he didnʼt even wait for a denial.

”Gods above,” he groaned, rubbing his forehead. ”I knew you inherited my boldness, but I didnʼt think youʼd go this far. The sheer size of the balls it takes to two-time a girl like that—your fiancée, no less—and the daughter of a duke at that? Youʼve got to be denser than the damn Celestials up there.”

He then smiled—but there was a troubled crease on his brow, a twitch of guilt behind his usual grin.

”You shouldʼve seen your motherʼs face when she read the letter about your activities,” he said, shaking his head with a laugh. ”Gods, if looks could kill… you should be grateful you went straight to bed last night. If she saw you in the hallway, I doubt youʼd have survived.”

…Damn.

So thatʼs why Mom gave me that weird look yesterday. Cold, quiet… but terrifying. Like she was holding back a storm just for the right moment.

Dad continued, folding his arms with a long sigh. ”The duke even sent us an official letter, you know. Formal as hell. When I saw his seal, I nearly had a heart attack thinking youʼd picked a fight with royalty or something.”

He gave me a long stare, then jabbed a thumb toward my chest.

”To think it was about you and the lovely Liyana. You almost blew the whole damn household up. Your mom panicked. And your gramps? He nearly rode straight to the capital without his pants on to apologize to the emperor.”

”…Seriously?”

”Seriously.” He jabbed again for emphasis. ”The dukeʼs daughter. Princess Snow. A future archmage. Not to mention the storm of rumors about you flirting with half the girls in the Academy.” He laughed, rubbing his temples. ”Even I donʼt have that thick of a face, and I once proposed to your mom while bleeding out with three broken ribs!”

”Most of those are just exagge—”

”Hold it.” He raised a hand like he was stopping traffic. ”Donʼt try to explain. I might actually punch you. Out of jealousy—ahem—I mean, out of sheer frustration over your idiotic behavior.”

Coughing awkwardly into his fist, he straightened his back and placed both hands firmly on my shoulders. His expression shifted—still rough around the edges, but serious now.

”Listen up, son,” he said. ”Weʼve basically got confirmation and acceptance from the dukeʼs side. Liyanaʼs side, I mean. Thatʼs a big deal. Though your mom and Grandpa might try to talk you out of it… I wonʼt. Not me.”

He gave me a firm nod, eyes glinting with something like pride… and something unhinged.

”Because, my boy… youʼre about to live every manʼs dream.”

He gripped my shoulders tighter and stared me dead in the eye.

”Thatʼs why I need you to promise me—no matter what they say, no matter what happens, you fully commit to this. You hear me?”

”…What?”

”Go. And. Make babies with them all!” he declared with the solemnity of a king bestowing a sacred quest.

I stared at him, utterly blank.

What the actual fuck is this old bastard talking about?