Breaking Up with the Heroine of the Female-Oriented Game

There’s a term often used in gaming known as “gameplay concession.”

It means balancing the game for fun, convenience, or functionality, even if it doesn’t fit the world’s lore.

For instance, a legendary weapon capable of cleaving mountains in the lore might be weak in the game to maintain balance, right?

In the RTS game “War of the Stars,” a 1.2km battleship can be shot down by five marines with rifles due to its significantly reduced performance.

Thus, a world’s lore and in-game performance do not always correlate.

No matter how impressive the lore, in-game performance is often significantly reduced for balance.

But what if the game world became reality?

Would the numerous items in “Romance Hero Academy” follow the world’s lore or the game’s settings?

There’s no need to think about it.

‘Obviously, it would follow the world’s lore.’

Gameplay concession exists for the value of the game as a game.

But if the game’s world becomes reality, it’s only right to follow the lore of that world.

After all, it has been confirmed through the internet that all artifacts follow their lore-based performance, not their in-game performance.

Therefore, the artifact I am looking for should be no different.

‘I need to find it quickly… where could it be?’

Artifacts.

In this world, artifacts exist—objects of unknown origin with special powers that are a staple in any RPG game.

Due to their mysterious origins and sources, very few artifacts have been discovered to date.

Even if one finds an artifact, it’s difficult to distinguish it from an antique based on appearance alone.

They often have specific conditions for use or activation, making them tricky to handle.

In modern Korea, the number of heroes or villains using artifacts can be counted on one hand.

‘There must be one here somewhere.’

Finding the artifact won’t guarantee victory, but it can at least buy time until the other heroes arrive.

I must hurry and retrieve it to return to Yoo Seolhyun.

‘How much longer can Yoo Seolhyun last… She must think I’ve run away…’

But, technically speaking, it is a form of running away.

Since I moved without telling Yoo Seolhyun, it’s considered running away.

However, there is a reason.

Because if I told Yoo Seolhyun, ‘Wait here while I fetch an artifact that can defeat that snake woman,’ she wouldn’t just nod agreement.

She’d suspect it was an attempt to use her as bait and escape.

That’s why I didn’t tell her.

‘I can explain later.’

The immediate concern is to extinguish the urgent fire.

I scoured the laboratory for any length of time I could afford.

If my memory served me correctly, there should be an artifact around here.

‘Nowhere in sight… Ah!’

A single sword caught my eye in an unguarded moment.

I rushed over and inspected the sword closely.

It seemed neglected for a long time, but there was no sign of rust, and the blade felt acutely sharp.

‘I found it, it was here all along.’

A sword once wielded by a man known as the Vigilante—it looked ordinary but was actually quite a remarkable blade.

However, the sword itself wasn’t the artifact.

What I sought was the small gem-shaped artifact attached to the hilt, the Tears of the Moon.

An equipment-attached artifact, it had the unique property of absorbing and releasing magical power according to the lore.

It was one of the legendary artifacts that could be farmed early on and was useful until the mid-game.

Its function of absorbing and releasing magic was greatly reduced in-game for balance, but here, in reality, it could utilize its full power as set by the world’s lore.

Of course, a test was in order, just in case.

‘Let’s see…’

I settled my mind and placed my hand on the hilt. Gripping it, I felt nothing out of the ordinary.

Even touching the artifact, the Tears of the Moon, yielded no extraordinary sensation. It was as quiet as an ordinary gemstone.

Well, that’s to be expected.

Because this artifact also had a condition for use.

A sort of pact had to be made, and the contract would break if the owner died or moved too far away.

The condition of the contract was simple: blood.

Just a bit of blood on the artifact would suffice.

‘The previous owner must be dead by now. Let’s give it a try.’

I gingerly made a small cut on my finger. Blood dripped down in a few drops. I hurriedly let the blood flow onto the artifact. It trembled—a reaction.

‘Good, it seems the contract is made.’

It was a sort of sensation.

A feeling as if unknown mysteries and power were emanating from within.

How to use it? If my memory is correct, I should try infusing the artifact with magic…?

“Uh?!”

It happened in an instant.

The artifact, which had begun to greedily suck in the scant magic I possessed, left me flustered and I swung the sword aimlessly.

A blue-tinged magical energy was released outward.

Like a blade of energy.

‘Haa… This is harder than I thought…’

It seemed to consume a lot of stamina, just like in the lore.

I was already out of breath after just one use.

Continuously using it would be difficult?

‘And since it’s using my magic, the power is quite pathetic.’

The attempt at a sword qi flew and hit the wall, creating only a slight crack.

It wasn’t as powerful as Lee Siwoon had demonstrated.

I was slightly disappointed, but it was still okay.

That’s not the original method of using this artifact.

‘Maybe it’s time to head back.’

I gripped the sword tightly and set off.

Heading back to where Yoo Seolhyun was.

…

“Ugh, so persistent, so very persistent…!”

“…”

“What, you’ve finally collapsed? Ugh, this is annoying.”

“…”

Yoo Seolhyun lay half-drenched in blood, her body sprawled on the ground.

Her clothes were torn like rags, no different from trash. Her pale skin was covered in purplish-red blood, her collarbone was cracked, and her right leg was broken—she was in no ordinary state.

‘I need to move, but I can’t.’

Her body wouldn’t move anymore.

Her spent frame failed to heed her commands. Even mustering strength did nothing. She lacked the power to twitch a finger. Breathing properly was a question. Her eyes barely opened.

‘…Ugh, ugh.’

Even her consciousness was fading.

If she relaxed, she feared she would lose consciousness completely.

Yoo Seolhyun, unable to open her eyes properly, could only stoically brace for the inevitable end.

“I’ll burn you to a crisp, for real.”

Kate’s mouth opened wide, like a serpent’s.

A tremendous magical energy began swirling inside her mouth.

The magic gathered and condensed into something resembling a fireball.

‘…A breath attack.’

A technique Kate often used.

Unlike before, Yoo Seolhyun’s battered body couldn’t possibly dodge it.

Soon, that fireball would incinerate her whole body.

Just weeks ago, she’d narrowly survived at the academy, only for her life to be in peril again so soon.

Back then, Lee Jinhyuk had saved her with an arrow, but this time… Ha.

Yoo Seolhyun scoffed to herself.

Lee Jinhyuk.

She hadn’t expected him to run away alone.

She had thought him a decent person.

With his confident demeanor and the impressive results he led them to, she believed building a positive relationship with him would be beneficial.

But to be betrayed like this was unthinkable.

For an aspiring hero, abandoning a comrade and escaping was the ultimate act of cowardice.

A hero who runs away? Ridiculous.

‘…In the end, one’s own life is the most precious, hero or not.’

Ultimately, Yoo Seolhyun closed her eyes in resignation.

Accepting death was the only escape from this situation.

But then…

“Phew… lucky.”

At the sound of a familiar male voice, Yoo Seolhyun sluggishly lifted her heavy eyelids and rolled her eyes.

Before her stood a man’s back.

It was Lee Jinhyuk.

“Is she just unconscious and not dead…?”

Lee Jinhyuk muttered to himself as if it was a relief she was merely unconscious, while Yoo Seolhyun fell into thought.

‘…Did he not run away? Why did he come back?’

For reasons unknown, Lee Jinhyuk stood protectively in front of Yoo Seolhyun, who had collapsed.

He held the sword quietly, focusing solely on Kate.

But why a sword?

Lee Jinhyuk, an archer, with a sword?

Yoo Seolhyun assumed it was a secondary weapon he’d brought, given that the sword looked ordinary.

But what could Lee Jinhyuk do with a sword?

The very idea of an archer like Lee Jinhyuk imitating a swordsman was absurd.

Wouldn’t it have been better to maintain a distance and use his bow to fight?

Why stand in front of Kate with a sword?

“…Ugh, why are you still here? Huh, huuh.”

Kate mumbled, her mouth full of concentrated fiery breath, ready to unleash it.

Soon she would spew the breath of flame.

Lee Jinhyuk had no means to block this fiery breath. So why was he waiting there so calmly?

“…Puh, I’ll enjoy roasting you!”

Finally, she expelled the fiery breath with a whoosh.

Ah, it was over.

Yoo Seolhyun thought so.

That breath could barely be warded off even by professional heroes.

Then what was an aspiring hero like Lee Jinhyuk thinking, standing in front of those flames?

Did he have some sort of trick up his sleeve?

But with his abilities, he couldn’t stop that fire… wait, what?

With a swift motion, Lee Jinhyuk sliced downward.

An ordinary strike, with no magic felt, was sure to be swallowed by the flame.

You couldn’t possibly slice through fire with a sword.

But then…

Whoosh! The fiery onslaught that threatened to engulf both Lee Jinhyuk and Yoo Seolhyun was split in two by a single swing of his sword, dissipating quickly.

Yes, slashed it.

He cut through the breath of flame.

With a sword.