How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game
Chapter 503: Burning Core Interlude

Chapter 503: Burning Core Interlude

Night.

The moon hung high above, its silver glow pouring softly onto the quiet balcony.

Stacia stood still, letting the moonlight gently grace her face.

The wind whispered against her skin, brushing past the hem of her robe as she looked up, eyes calm yet distant.

"They say heroes in the making... always leave behind something unforgettable," she murmured. "Stories that carve their names across generations—etched not just in history, but in the hearts of those who witness them."

Her voice was soft, barely above a breath. But each word was heavy with meaning.

"To think I’d be experiencing that very legend in real life... maybe the goddess has truly shown favor upon Del Luna."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she closed her eyes.

She’d always believed she was meant to be something more.

That her strength, her fire, her noble blood—were all meant to shape her path into greatness.

But now?

She wondered if it wasn’t her who made things extraordinary... but the person who had stepped into her life and flipped her entire world upside down.

Her hero of light.

Riley Hell.

A soft flutter of flames flickered to life within her chest, kindled by a thought—by his name alone.

Her essence stirred, her mana core pulsing warmly with it.

She took a slow breath as that familiar heat began to rise from within.

Her crimson eyes shimmered in the dark, flaring brighter as her platinum hair slowly shifted to a faint orange hue under the moonlight.

The change was subtle—but alive.

The mana that spilled out from her didn’t rage or scorch.

It draped around her like a second skin—warm, still, and comforting.

A quiet fire that clung close, protective rather than destructive.

It glowed around her fingers, licked the air near her arms, and shimmered faintly in the cold night breeze.

She opened her palm.

And there, blooming like a flower from flame—an embered petal. A delicate crimson blossom formed purely from mana. Calm. Graceful. Still burning, but with purpose.

She stared at it quietly, then—

A memory.

A voice—gentle, warm, and wrapped in love.

"Stacia... not all flames consume, my daughter. Some wait—silent and still—until touched by the right soul, and then they burn with purpose... and precision. Choose wisely, for even embers can become infernos in the wrong hands."

Her chest tightened a little. But not with sorrow.

With strength.

The image of her father faded like smoke in the wind, but his words lingered.

She looked down at the flower glowing in her hand.

Then up again, toward the stars.

"I believe I’ve chosen right... Father," she whispered.

And her flames pulsed again—quiet, alive, and resolute.

Questions stirred quietly in her mind—unspoken but persistent.

How did Riley know?

How did he find a way to unlock her mana core with such precision?

How could he be so sure that she—she, out of everyone—would understand it so deeply, that she could endure the pain and reach the heart of her own power?

How did he know so much about the ways of the strong?

Was it because he had already walked the path that others only dreamt of?

Had he already surpassed what most people spend their whole lives trying to grasp?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

But in the end, it didn’t matter.

She blinked slowly, then gently shook her head.

No—none of that really mattered anymore.

There had been so many intentions, so many reasons behind her choice to follow him.

Political advantage.

Personal ambition.

A vision for her country.

Securing a powerful connection with someone who could alter the tides of history.

But now... those just felt like fragmented thoughts. Distant. Faded. Shattered like glass under the weight of something more real.

Because despite being royalty—despite being Stacia of Del Luna—she had no regrets about walking beside him.

Watching from the sidelines might’ve been safer, smarter, even more fitting for her status...

But she’d already stepped off that path.

And she had gained more than enough.

From her hero.

She looked down at her open hand again, fingers twitching slightly as the warmth of her awakened mana still lingered there. A silent promise etched into her very core.

"I’ll make sure you shine the brightest, with the gift you’ve given me... Senior,"

Because even if her original goal had been to ensnare him—to keep Riley bound to her beloved homeland, to tie his fate to Del Luna’s future—the truth was simpler now.

She just wanted to see him shine.

Brighter than anyone else.

Brighter than any legend.

Brighter than any hero before him.

She looked up.

The night sky was scattered with stars—small, flickering, distant points of light.

But only one caught her eye.

One star pulsed gently, its light rich and warm. Not white, nor red.

A deep gold, laced with a faint bluish hue.

It shimmered more intensely than the rest, as if it refused to be ignored.

Her lips curved into a small smile.

Among the many stars tonight, only one truly shined.

And to her, that star... would always be him.

....

Killian Hall

Morning.

It was supposed to be a normal day.

I was just walking along the main path, heading toward my usual morning training routine—same direction, same time, nothing out of the ordinary. And yet...

Why did it feel like I was getting way more stares than usual?

I glanced to the side.

Then to the other.

Students passing by were whispering, eyes darting in my direction, some not even bothering to hide their blatant gawking.

"That’s him, right?"

"Yeah, it’s definitely him..."

"That scary senior?"

"No, no—he’s the hero, remember?"

"I heard he can unlock anyone’s full potential just by touching them..."

"What? I heard even a whisper from him can lead someone straight to the path of the Zenith!"

"Didn’t someone also say he’s a sex-crazed maniac or something?"

"That’s probably just slander to cover up his true greatness. You know what they say—the devil’s rumors are often a mask for a divine truth."

"I swear, the moment I saw him walk across the courtyard last week, I knew he was divine."

"So, all the rumors... they’re true?"

"My senior said so! She said he walked past her, and suddenly she passed her barrier magic course with flying colors!"

I blinked slowly.

...What?

Another round of completely nonsensical rumors, huh?

Hero? Divine? Zenith?

Where do these even come from?

The worst part was that I couldn’t even tell which parts were meant to praise me or just dunk on me in weirdly poetic ways.

Apparently, I was both the academy’s walking miracle and its most dangerous pervert.

I didn’t bother to respond, much less correct any of them.

I’d long given up trying to make sense of how the rumor mill worked around here.

Besides, it was already part of my everyday life.

I just kept walking, ignoring the stares and chatter as I made my way toward the open plaza just past the city square. Kagami was probably already there waiting.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, I arrived—and there he was, standing casually with that usual smug grin.

"You’re here, bud. Everyone’s been waiting eagerly for you, you know."

He jerked his thumb behind him.

I looked.

On the bench nearby, a few familiar faces turned and smiled.

"Haha, hi! Good morning, Riley! You don’t mind us joining, right?"

"Riley..."

It was Lucas and Janica.

They looked relaxed, like this was just any other hangout, though Lucas’s expression carried that usual unreadable depth.

I gave a faint smile and nodded. "Sure."

...

Heavenly Hall

Student Council Office.

Midday light filtered in through the stained-glass windows, casting gentle colors across the polished floor.

Despite the quiet elegance of the room, a strange sense of mischief lingered in the air.

Three voices—soft, refined, and subtle—echoed with intent.

"All right, this should be enough to get the event approved, right?"

Alice asked, looking over the proposal papers in front of her with furrowed brows.

Her golden eyes scanned the fine print, though it was clear she had already memorized the contents.

"I suppose so," Rose replied, her tone casual but amused.

There was a faint glow of satisfaction in her eyes as she leaned back in her chair, fingers tapping idly against the armrest.

Her golden ponytail swayed slightly as she tilted her head. "It’s a little bold... but it’s definitely interesting."

"But will the principal really allow it?" Alice asked again, a little hesitant.

Across from them, Snow gave a faint, confident smile.

Her blue eyes gleamed beneath the soft fall of her white hair as she tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

"She will," Snow said calmly. "Truthfully, the event was already proposed by me quite some time ago. I just added a few more... enticing benefits and incentives this time. There’s no real reason to reject it."

"S-So we’re going through with it...?" Alice asked, straightening up slightly.

Both Snow and Rose nodded in unison.

"As decided," Snow said, "we’ll take turns stepping into the spotlight. Make sure to stick to your assigned times. After all, this is a shared effort—we each get our time and territory to... mark."

Alice blushed, her lips tightening in hesitation. "Will this really be all right though? I mean—I did suggest the idea in the first place, but... Won’t Riley hate it?"

"Fufu," Snow giggled lightly. "That’s a valid concern. But don’t worry. Riley isn’t so gullible or sensitive as to be shaken by a few circulating rumors. Besides... don’t you think it’s about time we let everyone know where we stand in his life?"

The room fell quiet for a moment as the meaning behind her words settled.

Then Rose stretched slightly, casually pulling out a small notebook. "Then we better start practicing the choreography before exam week eats us alive."

A small laugh escaped Alice’s lips.

"Hehe..."

"Hehehe...."

Then Snow joined in.

Then Rose.

What began as a calm council meeting now sounded more like a gathering of conspirators.

Their soft laughter mingled like a trio of mischievous witches preparing their finest spell—one that would make sure everyone knew their claim.

And at the corner of the room, hidden beneath a stack of approval forms and organizational charts, the current acting student council secretary adjusted her glasses with a sigh.

Amy Heart shook her head, her expression tired and resigned.

"...I guess corruption really does happen even without you around, Dorothy,"