In the grand halls of Silvervale, the air buzzed with the sounds of merchants peddling wares, blacksmiths hammering steel, and adventurers boasting about their latest dungeon runs. It was the usual bustling chaos of Eterna Online, the world’s hottest full-dive VRMMO.

  And I was here for one reason only—XP.

  Ignoring the overpriced gear shops and flashy NPCs, I made my way toward the bounty board. My plan was simple: grab a high-XP quest, grind mobs until my fingers hurt, and finally hit Level 50. Then, I could join an elite raid party and stop being the random scrub everyone ignored.

  But the game had other plans.

  [New Event Unlocked! Love’s Everlasting Festival Has Begun!]

  A massive pink notification popped up in my vision, complete with floating hearts and sparkles. My gut reaction? Ignore it. Valentine’s-themed events were for roleplayers and hopeless romantics, not min-maxers like me.

  Unfortunately, fate—or some cruel game designer—had other ideas.

  I reached for the bounty board, aiming to accept a simple “Slay 20 Dire Wolves” quest, but at that exact moment, another prompt appeared directly over the Accept button.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  [Do you wish to enter the Love’s Everlasting Festival? Yes / No]

  And like an idiot, my cursor clicked YES.

  The world shimmered. A romantic melody filled my ears. My surroundings melted away, replaced by something far, far worse.

  Pink cherry blossoms floated through the air. Candle-lit pathways wound through a picturesque town square filled with heart-shaped balloons, couples holding hands, and NPCs wearing far too much pink.

  And in the middle of it all, I stood, now decked out in an ill-fitting white tuxedo.

  A message box appeared in front of me:

  [You have entered an Exclusive Limited-Time Event: Love’s Everlasting Festival! Complete all romance challenges to earn amazing rewards! No fast travel or logout permitted until event completion!]

  My stomach dropped.

  No. No, no, no.

  I frantically swiped through my menu.

  Log Out – Disabled.

  Teleport – Disabled.

  Abandon Quest – Disabled.

  Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.

  I wasn’t the only one having a crisis.

  From somewhere behind me, a very irritated voice groaned, “Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me.”

  I turned to see a female player, looking equally horrified. Unlike me, she had been forced into an elegant red ballgown, her expression somewhere between rage and despair.

  She looked vaguely familiar. A high-level player? Someone from a raid guild? Either way, she wasn’t happy.

  [New Objective: Complete Your First Romantic Encounter!]

  A tall, dazzling NPC with flowing golden hair and a love-struck gaze appeared between us.

  “Ah, fate has brought two lost souls together!” he announced dramatically. “You must embark on your first romantic date! To escape this festival, you must complete all five stages of True Love’s Journey!”

  I turned to the girl. She turned to me.

  There was a long silence.

  “…I hate this game,” she muttered.

  Same.