I Became the Compliment Villain in a Romance Fantasy

I let out a long, miserable groan.

Saturday morning—the one thing more precious to a working adult than life itself.

I wake up late, hunt for dopamine, and start scrolling through web novels.

New releases, trending bestsellers, recommended titles…

I skim past my usual fantasy and modern fantasy picks, then drift over to the romance fantasy category.

My name is Kim Siwoo. Just your average male employee at a pathetic little company.

My hobbies? Subculture games, refreshing web novels, watching esports, and tearing into fried chicken with cold beer.

I couldn’t be further from someone who enjoys female-oriented content.

So why was I, of all people, spending my precious Saturday reading romance fantasy novels?

Because the company I joined was a garbage female-dominated workplace.

They made the guy do all the heavy lifting just because I was a man?

Fine. I could live with that.

It stung a little that they never showed any gratitude afterward, but I could still let it slide.

What I couldn’t understand, no matter how hard I tried, was this:

“Siwoo, are you trying to get close to Assistant Manager Ha?”

“Excuse me?”

Office politics. And not just any politics—the special brand of faction-forming, passive-aggressive politics that only women seemed to master.

I could at least understand the kind of politics my male friends talked about. Fighting over limited benefits—who gets the bigger slice—was something that happened in every society.

But women’s politics? I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

They fought over feelings, not just benefits.

“Siwoo, why did you help Assistant Manager Choi earlier?”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t you see her talking with Team Leader Oh during the meeting?”

“…Wasn’t that just work allocation?”

“Ah… I guess you really don’t know.”

That pitying look in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, so… should I have refused?”

“It’s fine, Siwoo. Oh, by the way, I’ll be doing Pilates during lunch from now on, so I won’t be able to eat with you anymore.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Haa…”

As I sat there nodding like an idiot, she shook her head in disbelief and walked away.

That was life in a female-dominated company.

They fought over feelings among themselves.

And somehow, the sparks always flew straight at me.

I tried to follow the invisible currency of “mood” they traded in, but I could never figure out the exchange rate.

A new luxury bag? Mood fluctuation.

Talking about moving? Mood fluctuation.

Boyfriend remembering an anniversary? Mood fluctuation.

Why?

Why?

‘Why the hell do women act like this?’

The stress of not understanding was exhausting.

Work itself was already killing me, and on top of that I had to deal with incomprehensible political games. My soul was being sucked dry.

That was why I decided to read a romance fantasy novel on this blood-like Saturday.

They say if you want to understand someone, look at what they like.

If I wanted to understand women, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I figured I should look at the creative content they enjoyed.

I scrolled down endlessly.

The Crown Prince’s Obsession…

The Terminally Ill Duke’s Daughter…

Secret Affair with the Emperor…

The Granddaughter of the Four Heavenly Families…

‘Oh, there are even martial arts romance fantasy novels now.’

Though I wasn’t sure if you could still call it romance fantasy if it had martial arts. Romu-fantasy?

I almost felt a spark of interest, but the title right next to it caught my eye even more.

I Become the Student Council President in a Game Academy

‘Romance fantasy… but with game possession?’

And an academy inside a game, no less.

It was more than enough to hook someone who loved both web novels and subculture games.

I flopped onto the sofa and began binging it right away.

The world of this romance fantasy novel was actually set inside an open-world subculture game.

The in-story game was called Astra Radius.

Magic, weapons, skills, items.

Main scenario quests and side quests.

Gathering, exploration, cooking, fishing, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠more.

Starting from the academy, countless regions and dungeons.

A wide variety of unique characters and NPCs.

Interactive environments.

The female protagonist possesses the body of a student at the academy inside this fantasy game.

‘If this game existed in real life, it would be a masterpiece I’d have to play.’

My heart was pounding.

If I were the one possessing someone inside a game like this, what would I do?

I’d learn every skill, master weapons and magic.

I’d travel, go on adventures, clear dungeons and reap the rewards.

I’d make friends with the guys and get close to the girls—hehe—and aim for that sweet, sweet harem route.

But the female lead in this romance fantasy novel started doing nothing but romance schemes and political manipulation.

“Hmm…?”

I kept reading.

It was the same all the way through.

The possessed heroine, inside this open-world subculture masterpiece of a game…

Adventures? Nope.

Travel? Also nope.

Making friends and building bonds at the academy? She didn’t even do that.

Instead: forming factions.

Political maneuvering.

Pretending to be kind.

Using men as shields.

Making men do all the hard, dangerous work.

Sowing discord between groups of women she didn’t like.

Managing a harem of multiple men.

Turning girls she hated into villains and forcing them to drop out.

All while perfectly maintaining her pure, kind image.

“…”

It left a bad taste in my mouth.

Still, I forced myself to finish it. At this point I was curious how it would end.

And when I reached the ending, I was disappointed.

The possessed heroine becomes student council president at the academy, crushes everyone who ever looked at her wrong, keeps pretending to be kind until the very end, and marries the male lead—the crown prince.

That was the ending.

She barely paid any attention to the adventures or skills that made Astra Radius so amazing.

“Haa…”

All strength left my body.

‘I shouldn’t have read it. What a waste of a precious day off.’

It was so hollow that even my body felt heavy.

‘I really don’t get why women like stuff like this.’

Did they really have to go that far?

Instead of all that twisted scheming, why not just be straightforward?

If you don’t like someone, fight it out and clear the air.

If you do like them, just give them a nice, refreshing compliment.

If they’re truly irredeemable trash, then charge in and deal with them.

Even in fiction, do they really have to play these political games?

That was when it happened.

My phone suddenly lit up on its own.

‘?’

The web novel I had definitely finished reading suddenly flipped to the next chapter by itself.

〈Special Episode〉

If you’re so great, why don’t you come in here and try it yourself?

Suddenly the world started spinning.

“Ugh…?”

Strength drained from my body.

I collapsed.

‘Wait, isn’t this that trope?’

The one where you badmouth a web novel and get possessed—

“Liam?”

It was a woman’s voice. Soft and gentle.

The savory scent of roasted chestnuts.

Warm sunlight.

The smell of books, wood, and ink. A wooden desk and chair that weren’t overly comfortable.

“Liam, class is about to start. Are you going to keep sleeping…?”

I opened my eyes.

A blackboard covering the entire wall.

Long tables arranged in a circle.

Sunlight poured into a large lecture hall that could seat around thirty people.

I turned my head.

The person who had been speaking to me was the girl sitting next to me—plain brown hair and eyes of a color that was anything but plain.

“Liam…?”

The color of the girl’s eyes shifted from yellow to orange.

A phenomenon that could never happen in modern South Korea.

She was a character from the romance fantasy novel I had just been reading.

Marong Clerias.

The moment I saw her, it finally sank in.

Ah. I really had been possessed into that world.

‘Wait. I got possessed into a romance fantasy novel?’

It wasn’t as the female lead… that much was clear. There was still very much something between my legs.

‘Phew… Then who did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I become?’

I hadn’t become the heroine.

I hadn’t brought my original body either.

So I must be some other character from the story?

Marong had definitely called me Liam. Liam. Liam. The character with that name was—

A chill ran down my spine.

I shot up from my seat.

“W-where are you going? Class is about to start.”

“Bathroom.”

I needed a mirror.

And just as I feared, the face reflected in the mirror was exactly who I thought it would be.

Slicked-back silver-gray hair.

Honey-colored—yellow—eyes that the novel had described in that overly fancy romance fantasy way.

Giliam Everches.

One of the villains in the story.

The academy’s notorious playboy who flirted with and groped every woman who walked by.

He had tried the same thing with the female lead, only to be brutally beaten by the male leads who had been moved by her tears.

‘Of all people, why this guy?’

At least the face was handsome. Noble young master vibes. According to the setting, he was the second son of a ducal family.

‘Haa… This is awkward.’

Even if I had to be possessed, did it really have to be this guy?

“…”

Wait a second.

The golden rule of possession stories.

‘Status window.’

The moment I thought it, a window appeared before my eyes.

I never thought the day would come when I’d see a status window in real life.

But what the hell was this?

‘Soul trait? Power of Compliments?’

I focused on that part and an explanation popped up.

‘Compliment people to get points?’

Simple enough.

‘But how do I buy skills and items?’

The moment I wondered that, another window appeared.

‘Oho?’

All the skills and items described in the novel were there.

The required points varied wildly.

‘So basically, if I compliment people, the numbers go up and I can buy all this stuff?’

Time for an immediate test.

When I returned to my seat, class had already begun.

“Sorry I’m late.”

I bowed to the sharp-faced female professor, then turned to Marong sitting beside me.

“Um, Marong.”

“Yes?”

Her eyes were purple now.

‘What should I compliment her on?’

Just saying a girl is pretty feels too generic.

‘Compliments should be specific… Okay, specific it is.’

Alright. I’ve decided.

“I’ve been thinking this for a while, but Marong, your eyes are really beautiful.”

There. Compliment delivered. Come on, Compliment Points. Give me enough to buy skills. I’m coming for you, game world of swords and magic!

“Eh…?”

Marong’s face turned deathly pale.

“I-I’m sorry! Did I do something wrong?!”