How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 524: Clearance 2

Love...

The first time Janica had ever felt that feeling—it was probably through her family.

The way they treated her, the way they protected her, gave her comfort, and always made her feel safe.

The trust, the warmth, the constant little moments of reassurance... all of it shaped what she came to understand as love.

That quiet, dependable kind of love you didn’t need to question.

Even as a child, she recognized it for what it was.

She was born into a noble family—nothing too high in status, just enough to live comfortably.

Still, that never mattered much to her.

What mattered was that she was loved.

Truly and deeply.

A privilege not every family could afford, and one she never took for granted.

That was why Janica always felt blessed.

That wonderful feeling she was surrounded by growing up... it stayed with her.

And over time, she found herself wanting to share it.

To spread that same warmth to those around her, even in small ways.

That was just the kind of person she became.

She remembered one moment in particular.

A memory that clung to her heart more than most.

”Hahaha! Janica, once you grow up, just make sure you live up to the decisions you’ve made, alright?” her father laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. ”You don’t wanna end up regretting them. Being indecisive will only get you nowhere.”

”What are you even talking about, Papa?” she asked, giggling.

”Hahaha, you’ll understand when you’re older. Just remember Papa’s words, trust me...”

He leaned in a little, lowering his voice like he was about to reveal some grand secret.

”You won’t want to make the same mistake I did—Ow!”

A soft smack landed on his head.

”What are you whispering so sneakily about, hmm?” her mother said, raising an eyebrow.

”I-I was just teaching our dear daughter a valuable life lesson!”

Her mother sighed, though there was a small smile on her lips. ”You’re teaching her weird things again, dear. Dinner’s ready. Go ahead and eat.”

”Yes, Mama!” Janica replied with a bright smile.

Back then, she didn’t really get what her father meant. Mistakes? Regrets? She was too young to think that far.

But now...

Now, after meeting Lucas—

When the warmth in her heart started to shift into something more... something unfamiliar yet comforting, something that made her chest tighten whenever he smiled at her or said her name—

That’s when she realized.

This feeling wasn’t like the one she felt from her family.

It was warmer. Stronger. A little scarier, maybe.

But it was still love.

Or... at least, that’s what she believed it to be.

....

”Can we sit here?”

”Sure, bud. Is that alright, Janica?” Kagami turned to her politely.

”...Yes,” Janica replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Riley gave a short nod and calmly pulled the chair next to her, taking his seat.

Janica and Kagami were already facing each other across the table, while Seo quietly slid into the empty chair across from Riley, her expression unreadable as always.

”You sure you want to eat here, bud?” Kagami asked after a moment, eyeing the glances they were getting from every direction. ”I thought you’ve been eating somewhere else ever since you built your little... harem.”

He said it casually, but the implication was clear.

Riley didn’t bother looking around to confirm—he already knew.

The stares, the whispers, they were constant. Every time he stepped into a room, the air shifted.

A hot topic, as usual.

”Well,” Riley shrugged, stabbing a piece of food with his fork. ”I’ve gotten used to it. Besides, I never really cared about what nonsense people were saying about me.”

”You’re not even going to deny it anymore?” Kagami raised a brow, half-amused.

”I don’t even know what kind of allegations you’re talking about,” Riley said, taking a bite. ”But if it’s about the harem thing... yeah, there’s nothing to deny.”

The words left his mouth casually—but the effect was immediate.

The entire cafeteria went quiet for a second.

Forks stopped halfway to mouths, trays froze in midair, even the sound of footsteps seemed to falter.

Students, staff, and even those who had only been side-eyeing their table suddenly turned their attention completely.

It was like someone had paused reality for a breath.

Riley let out a small sigh, not because he was embarrassed—he wasn’t—but because of how openly shameless people could be.

They didn’t even try to hide the fact that they were eavesdropping.

Janica, sitting beside him, looked like someone had hit a pause button on her too.

Her lips parted slightly, eyes stuck on her plate.