How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 257: Tutorial 6



Lala- Lala-n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Hnm- Hnm-

A soft, soothing melody floated through the air, blending seamlessly with the solemn atmosphere.

The choir of the church poured their hearts into every note, their voices rich and harmonious, carrying the weight of both sorrow and celebration.

The skies, veiled by a canopy of gray clouds, seemed to grieve alongside us.

Yet, despite the dimness, gentle rays of light pierced through, casting an ethereal glow upon the scene.

It was as if the heavens themselves had opened to bless this moment.

Before me, the prayers over my wife's grave continued, their words laced with reverence and grace.

The now-aged saintess knelt in solemn devotion, her trembling hands clasped tightly together as she whispered her sacred blessings.

Beside her, dirt was carefully being poured onto the grave, layer by layer, sealing the final chapter of a life well-lived.

Though Liyana had once been destined to embody destruction-the very incarnation of chaos itself—who could have ever foreseen this?

The woman who had been feared by many, who had once carried the weight of inevitable ruin, was now revered with the highest honor, her soul guided gently into the heavens.

"Oh goddess," the saintess intoned, her voice trembling yet resolute, "may her soul rest eternally by your side. May her wishes, unspoken and known, be granted, and may her happiness be infinite, as she has gifted happiness to others in this life and beyond."

Her prayers echoed softly, resonating in the still air.

They carried a profound warmth, wrapping around me like an embrace.

I knew the customs well-tradition forbade me from standing so close to the prayers. Yet, no one dared to reprimand me.

No one uttered a word of protest.

They all understood: this was my final goodbye, my last moment with the woman who had been my everything.

Thump.

A faint, painful rhythm beat within my chest, a cruel reminder of the void her absence had left behind.

The years we shared together now felt like fleeting moments, as though time had played a cruel trick on us.

And yet, the memories were as vivid and fresh as if they had just happened yesterday.

I could still hear her laughter, see her radiant smile, and feel the warmth of her hand in mine.

She had been my wife, my love, my partner through the life I never expected to live in this forgotten reality.

The one who had transformed a fragmented, broken world into something whole and beautiful.

Even now, as I stood near her final resting place, it all felt surreal.

A part of me still struggled to accept it, to comprehend the weight of this loss.

But as I looked at the grave, adorned with flowers she had loved so much, I felt a quiet resolve settle within me.

I had truly lived my life here, sharing my joys, my struggles, and my soul with her.

Although everything felt like it had ended, a quiet sense of satisfaction settled within me, resolving itself naturally as if it had been woven into the fabric of our lives.

"Darling~ take your time before joining me, okay?"

Those were her last words, spoken in the softest, most loving tone as she drew her final breath with me by her side.

Words meant to comfort, words filled with care and tenderness-but to me, they were nothing short of cruel.

They were a goodbye wrapped in love, a departure I wasn't ready to accept.

"I love you, darling~"

Her sweet voice lingered, echoing inside me, refusing to fade.

It was as if the universe was intent on replaying our happiest moments, as though her love had left an indelible imprint on my soul.

Memories, vivid and untamed, surged through my mind, overwhelming my heart.

The good times, the almost inconsequential bad, the hardships, and the ease-we had shared it all.

I remembered the first time we met, the spark of something unfamiliar yet comforting.

The way our hearts blossomed into something profound.

Our hesitant yet heartfelt confessions. The vows we exchanged, our defiance against a fate that seemed determined to tear us apart.

I thought of the times we embraced our mistakes, shouldered responsibilities together, and faced the consequences of our actions hand in hand.

I remembered our wedding, our first child, and the moment we became a family. Every milestone, every fleeting glance, every word we spoke-all of it came rushing back.

Years upon years of love, laughter, and even the quiet moments of simply existing in each

other's presence.

We never let go.

We never tired of one another.

As the memories cascaded through me, I tucked the final flower into its place, resting it gently

against the soil that now held her.

"I love you too, dear..."

Those were the only words I could manage, heavy with emotion yet simple in their truth.

Closing my eyes, I clasped my hands together in prayer.

I prayed for her peace, for her happiness, and for her journey ahead.

I prayed that, wherever she was now, she would feel the same love she had given me,

boundless and eternal.

And as the gentle breeze whispered through the trees and the flowers swayed softly under the

dim light of the sky, I let myself hope.

Hope that, one day, when my time came, I would see her again.

....

The world was dim yet bright—a contradiction, but one that somehow made perfect sense.

That was how I remembered it to be, a blend of light and shadow, hope and despair.

But as my eyes fluttered open, that strange harmony shattered.

The brightness disappeared, swallowed by an all-encompassing darkness.

No light greeted me, only the murky reflection of my face in the stagnant, muddied waters

beneath me.

[Did you enjoy it?]

A voice, distant yet familiar, resonated through the void.

I turned sharply, my breath catching as I faced him—or rather, myself.

[That unthinkable reality... Did you enjoy it?]

The figure spoke again, his tone steady, almost lifeless.

It was like staring into a mirror of my past-a younger version of me, his features untouched

by the years that had weighed down my own.

His eyes were a sharp, piercing blue, identical to mine, yet they carried a wisdom and regret

that even I hadn't yet fully grasped.

His gaze bore into me, apathetic on the surface, but beneath that cold exterior, I could see it.

A glimmer of something deeper: pain, longing, and a sorrow I knew too well.

As I studied him, I was pulled to look back at the water below.

The reflection staring back at me felt foreign and unrecognizable.

The aged face I saw was worn with years of love, loss, and memories-a life fully lived.

How could I have forgotten?

That life, those moments of happiness, the love I had shared with her-it wasn't real.

It was a fabrication, a fleeting illusion spun from the threads of what could have been.

The face in the water began to shift.

The wrinkles smoothed, the wear of time faded, and what was left was the reflection of my youthful self-the one who had started this journey.

And yet, as the years of memories unraveled in my mind, unpacking one by one, they felt no

less real.

Every moment of joy, every tear shed, every word spoken-those memories clung to me,

etching themselves into my very soul.

I stared at my younger self standing before me, his expression unchanged.

The weight of those years pressed down on my younger heart, filling it with emotions I could

barely comprehend.

"You... you are me..."

The words slipped out naturally, almost instinctively, as my fists clenched and mana began to

condense around me.

A storm of questions brewed in my mind, each one clawing for attention as I stared at the figure before me. He wasn't just a reflection or an illusion.

Was he the source-the origin of all the distorted and fragmented realities I had seen....?

Was he the reason I experienced those memories?

And for what purpose?

Who was he, really?

And then it hit me that voice.

[See through that you break the tutorial...]

I had wondered why it felt so familiar.

Now, I finally had my answer.

Yet even with this revelation, the most pressing question loomed heavily within me.

"Why did you show me that...?"

He looked at me without emotion, his gaze cold and detached, as though my obvious

animosity and suspicion didn't bother him in the slightest.

[You are enraged....] he said plainly, his voice calm and measured, [Strange... even though I showed you the most beautiful reality you've ever faced.]

He paused, his apathetic stare cutting into me like a blade. [But I do understand where your emotions are coming from. After all... what's left now but the bitter taste of regret?] My teeth clenched as his words struck a nerve.

[Even though you've succeeded in your first life,] he continued, his voice steady but heavy with something I couldn't quite place, [how come everything failed afterward?] "What are you talking about-?" I started, but he interrupted me, his tone sharper now.

[Reality often dances to the tune of the unexpected, and fate... fate always finds a way to tangle itself, to twist and choke in its desperation to fulfill the providence it has written.] He stepped closer, his presence oppressive, yet oddly familiar. [Cheating your way out of it is nothing more than a fleeting dream, Riley. A fancy delusion.]

His words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, yet they resonated deeply, as if echoing a

truth I had long refused to acknowledge.

[Remember that.]

"Huh?" CRACKLE !!!

Suddenly, the world around me fractured.

Thin lines of light began to seep through the cracks, distorting the space between us.

The darkness quivered, and the distorted reality we stood in began to collapse, the distance

between me and him warping uncontrollably.

[It would seem this is the limit for now...]

I wanted to ask more-so much more.

The questions burned in my mind, desperate to escape.

Yet, when I opened my mouth, no words came.

My voice felt like it had been stolen, silenced by some unseen force.

Before I could even process the futility of speaking, he raised his hand.

With a quick, almost casual motion, he flicked my forehead.

The force wasn't violent, but it carried a strange power that resonated deep within me.

It felt like being shoved-not physically, but as if my very existence was being pushed.

The cracks of light expanded, growing into blinding fissures, swallowing the shadows.

I was propelled backward, away from him, away from the suffocating darkness.

As the light consumed my vision, I caught one last glimpse of him.

His gaze, as cold and detached as ever, now held a faint, fleeting trace of something else-

something deeper.

A twinge of sadness, perhaps?

Or was it resolve?

Before I could linger on it, the world shattered completely.

And then-

I woke up.