How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game-Chapter 346: Party 3.5

"I see… Well then, if you ever need guidance or advice regarding the sword, you can always call on me," I said casually.

Vanessa returned a polite smile. "We’ll keep that in mind, Senior."

"Alright, then. I’d better get going." I gave them a small wave before turning to walk past them.

Just as I stepped forward, Emilia suddenly reached out, her hand trembling slightly.

"A-Ah, w-wait, Senior! C-Can I hold your hand for a bit? There’s something I’d like to confirm—"

Vanessa swiftly interjected. "Enna, we’re running out of time. Remember, the principal only gave us a few hours to investigate, right?"

"B-But…!"

"No buts."

Vanessa tightened her grip on Emilia’s wrist, gently but firmly pulling her away.

The young saintess stumbled slightly as she was dragged along, her blueeyes glistening with unshed tears.

She looked back at me with a pitiful expression, as if silently begging for me to rescue her from Vanessa’s grasp.

I could only smile gently at her, raising a hand in a small wave of farewell.

And just like that—she cried.

Even as Vanessa pulled her away, Emilia kept turning back, her gaze filled with lingering hesitation and curiosity.

But in the end, she allowed herself to be led away, disappearing down the hallway with her escort.

I exhaled lightly, my thoughts drifting to whatever it was Emilia had wanted to "confirm." Something about my mana, most likely.

It’s a shame I can’t let her meet Lucas right now…

If their paths still didn’t cross naturally after we were done clearing the dungeon, then I’d have no choice but to interfere.

Forcefully, if necessary.

For now, I’d just hold onto the rings the goddess had given me.

They would come into play soon enough.

With only two weeks left before the practicals officially closed, time was running short.

If my calculations were correct, a day or two should be enough for the party I was forming to clear the dungeon.

…No, maybe not even a full day.

Not with Rose involved.

I smirked to myself.

I guess I’ll just have to entice Lucas and the others into doing all the work.

Nothing riles him up more than me, anyway.

…..

CLANGG!!!

Sparks flew through the air as a mini explosion erupted upon impact.

SWOOSH!!!

SWISH!!!

Two streaks of light clashed violently, illuminating the surroundings in golden and green hues.

The roars of their blades filled the air, each strike reverberating like thunder.

BOOM!!!

A massive explosion followed as the force of their attacks sent both duelists skidding backward.

The sheer impact created a shockwave, pushing them dozens of meters apart before they finally came to a halt, standing opposite each other.

Lucas steadied his breathing, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He narrowed his eyes at his opponent, a small, satisfied smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

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"You’re getting better at this, Janica…" he muttered.

"You think so?" Janica replied, mirroring his actions as she wiped her own forehead.

The tension between them slowly dissipated as they both slid their swords back into their scabbards.

Lucas took a moment to study her, noting the improvement in her form. A sense of pride filled him as he nodded.

"Yes. Well, there are certain aspects of your swordplay that still leave a few openings, but that’s mostly because of your weapon. Rapiers were designed for swift and precise strikes, so it’s not really a flaw—just a characteristic of your style."

Janica hummed in thought, tapping a finger against the hilt of her rapier. "Hmm… I was hoping to increase my attack power, but I guess piercing attacks are the only thing I can really amplify."

"I think you should be satisfied with your stance for now. Developing an entirely new method might just hinder your current progress."

Janica let out a deep sigh before dramatically throwing her hands up. "Haah~ Why is it so hard to reach enlightenment with the sword?!"

She pouted as she closed the distance between them, her frustration evident in her narrowed eyes. Lucas chuckled at her exaggerated reaction, shaking his head slightly.

"Because you’re overthinking it," he replied simply.

"Here, you’re sweating a whole lot, you know."

Janica extended a soft towel toward Lucas, her expression a mix of concern and mild exasperation.

Lucas smiled as he took it from her hands, dabbing his forehead. "Thanks."

"I’m the one who asked you to train with me, so I should be the one thanking you," Janica said, crossing her arms. Her sharp emerald eyes studied him closely before she added, "Was it hard holding back against me?"

Lucas blinked, caught off guard. "What are you talking about?"

Janica sighed, tilting her head slightly.

"Come on, Lucas. We’ve been together since we were kids. I know pretty much everything there is to know about you—including the subtle signs you think you can hide. Ever since we entered the academy, you’ve grown exponentially stronger."

Lucas chuckled nervously, scratching his cheek.

He had been expecting a lecture, maybe even a complaint about his overwhelming strength.

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But surprisingly, none of that came.

Instead, Janica simply looked at him with genuine concern, her sharp gaze softening.

He exhaled, feeling a pang of guilt. "I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to."

Janica shook her head. "It’s fine. You were holding back as a form of training too, weren’t you?"

"You noticed?"

"Obviously. Your blade was filled with tension at the start, but midway, you adjusted."

Lucas let out a small laugh, impressed yet unsurprised by how perceptive she was.

In all honesty, ever since that night—since he dreamed of… no, since he met Evelyn—his strength had skyrocketed.

It wasn’t just gradual progress; it was as if something had forcefully elevated him beyond his limits, making it difficult for even him to keep up with his own power.

It was unnatural.

Like a sudden surge of strength had been poured into him, bypassing the hard work he should have needed to attain it.

It felt good getting stronger—really good—but growing unnaturally like this would only lead to more problems down the line.

Strength without control was dangerous, and power without understanding carried risks he wasn’t sure he was ready to face.

’My sword has gotten stronger as well…’

Lucas glanced down at the holy sword in his hands, his fingers tightening around its hilt.

A creeping suspicion nagged at him.

From the very moment the blade had chosen him, he had wondered why.

Why him?

Why did it suddenly stick to him that day?

At first, he thought it was simply fate or some predetermined connection, but now, the truth was becoming clear.

It was his aura.

The sword was drawn to it.

If that had been the only thing, he could have ignored it. But the real problem wasn’t just its unnatural attachment to him.

’It’s sucking way too much…’

The amount of aura it absorbed from him was excessive—far beyond what he could comfortably manage.

It drained him at an alarming rate, to the point where he hesitated to even use it in real battle.

Unlike a normal weapon, the blade’s sharpness and strength depended entirely on how much aura was poured into it.

It was a double-edged sword, amplifying his attacks but simultaneously siphoning more than he could afford to give.

Even in their brief spar just now, Lucas had been forced to be extremely careful, holding back as much as possible to avoid seriously harming Janica.

"Damn, those two are serious monsters…"

"Maybe we shouldn’t have trained here?"

"They’re second-year seniors, right?"

"Who is that female senior?"

The murmurs in the air grew louder, whispers and hushed conversations drifting around them like an encroaching tide. Lucas and Janica both noticed the growing attention, exchanging a brief glance before looking around.

"It sure has gotten lively here…" Janica muttered, crossing her arms as she scanned the field.

She had expected a few students to be hanging around—the academy granted them plenty of free time, after all—but she hadn’t expected this many.

The training grounds, which were usually empty save for a few dedicated individuals, were now filled with first-year students, all either practicing their techniques or watching others spar.

It was unusual. Most students, especially the younger ones, preferred to keep their fighting styles hidden, whether it be martial arts or magic.

Yet here they were, openly displaying their skills.

Did something change?

It wasn’t that she disliked the crowd.

In some ways, it was nice to have more people around. It made the training grounds feel less isolated, more alive.

But at the same time… she couldn’t shake a slight sense of disappointment.

It was like one of her secret spots had been discovered and taken over by a bunch of random people.

She let out a quiet sigh, pushing the thought aside. This was a public training ground. It wasn’t like she had any claim to it.

Still… she couldn’t help but miss the peace and quiet.

Janica glanced at Lucas, who was still staring intently at his unnaturally pristine white sword, lost in thought.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

’At least he’s still the same old Lucas…’

Though, if she were being honest, she wished he’d be just a bit more affectionate toward her.

Shaking the thought away, she nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Lucas, since we have some time before we head out for monster hunting, why don’t we go out for a bit—"

Her words trailed off as she noticed a figure approaching from the distance.

Golden blonde hair.

Deep blue eyes.

A presence that commanded attention without even trying.

There was no mistaking who he was.

A hushed ripple of murmurs spread through the training grounds as the first-year students around them took notice of the newcomer.

"Hey, look… it’s him."

"What the—why is he here?"

"Should we hide…?"

Tension filled the air as many of the onlookers instinctively paused their training, their eyes fixed warily on the approaching young man.

Lucas, sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, turned to see who had caused such a reaction—only for his gaze to land on the one person in the entire academy he had set his sights on surpassing.

His rival.

"…Riley?" he mumbled, his grip tightening ever so slightly on his sword.

Riley’s expression remained as apathetic as ever as he approached them. His sharp blue eyes flicked between Lucas and Janica, his posture relaxed yet unreadable.

Janica, feeling the weight of his gaze, shifted uncomfortably. "Do you… need something?"

"Yes, actually." Riley’s tone was as calm and direct as always. "I’m glad you two haven’t left before I arrived."

"Huh?" Janica blinked.

Then, without preamble, Riley stated his request.

"Lucas. Janica. Would you two be willing to form a party with me?"

"…A party?" Lucas repeated, brows furrowing.

"Yes." Riley’s gaze was unwavering. "Let’s go clear a dungeon together."

Silence fell between them.

Lucas and Janica exchanged glances, their previous ease vanishing as suspicion immediately settled at the forefront of their minds.