Roman

Biodata

Background / History

Roman has traveled through different worlds countless times. Despite being unable to read when he first accompanies Lu Mi, he recognizes modern smartphones and knows how to operate their cameras 24 26.

His origin and the reason he conceals his face remain undisclosed. He avoids answering whether he is an NPC, refuses to explain his past, and later leaves Lu Mi’s direct question about his face covering unanswered 8 32 46.

After leaving “Mom’s Anniversary,” Roman promises to remain with Lu Mi until Lu Mi leaves the game permanently. His interference with the instance and subsequent disruption of the control center lead deputy administrator 2044 to sentence him to at least two instances as a player with his divine power sealed. Roman welcomes the punishment and asks whether he can continue playing afterward 22 23.

Appearance

• Build and hair: Tall, with black curls. Zhang Zhizhang regards him as a young man who appears to be under twenty, though his actual age is not established 36 38.
• Eyes: Described as red in the Public Rest Area and pitch-black during Magic Manor. Lu Mi repeatedly finds his eyes and partially concealed features strikingly beautiful 25 32 36.
• Clothing: Usually wears a hooded cloak, black mask, gloves, and extensive covering. He keeps his gloves on while sleeping and his mask on after bathing 21 24 29 45.
• Temporary growths: During Magic Manor, human fingernails grow densely across his right palm, arm, and back. He secretly removes some before Lu Mi discovers the extent of the condition 39 41.

Personality

Roman is playful, clingy, and openly eager for Lu Mi’s attention. He puts a cat-ear headband on Lu Mi, repeatedly seeks permission to share his bed, and delights in cuddling his tabby form. The threat of losing access to cat cuddles immediately makes him stop making noise 7 9 24 25.

His affection is strongly possessive. He becomes jealous when Jin Bi pinches Lu Mi’s cheek, considers killing her, and restrains himself because Lu Mi calls her a friend. He repeatedly asks whether other people are Lu Mi’s friends before deciding how to treat them 26 27 36 42.

Toward Lu Mi, Roman can be attentive and accommodating even when disappointed. He comforts him during frightening encounters, supports him through a painful memory episode, and offers to sleep on the floor rather than disturb him. After insulting Ning Zhuangzhuang, he gives a sincere apology and reveals that he preserved her as an NPC because Lu Mi was so upset 10 25 31 45 46.

Roman also uses his apparent vulnerability to obtain closeness. He claims to fear being alone and later persuades Lu Mi to stay in his room by arguing that supervision is the only way to keep him from attacking Jin Bi 25 45.

Abilities & Skills

Divine Power and Black Smoke

Roman possesses divine power that 2044 describes as sufficient to overwhelm players and NPCs 23.

• Before the seal, he uses black smoke to lift guards and staff into the air repeatedly while continuing to operate the control-center console 23.
• The administration edits the “Mom’s Anniversary” broadcast to conceal his role in making “Mother” relinquish control of the players 23.
• His punishment seals his divine power for at least two instances. According to 2044, death under those conditions would be permanent 23.
• The seal remains active when he fights the burned ghost at Bo’ai Academy 50.

Strength, Speed, and Endurance

Even with his divine power sealed, Roman retains physical capabilities beyond those of an ordinary human 42 47.

• Carries He Shengguang around the manor hall while keeping ahead of Michel, then adds Mo Yu to his load without being caught 42.
• Moves quickly enough to reach Mo Yu before Michel can attack her 42.
• Hoists Cheng Cheng onto his shoulder and carries him to another cafeteria table 44.
• Lifts Han San by the collar after the acid attack 47.
• Limit: His body can still be injured. Sulfuric acid burns his arm, and the academy’s burned ghost tears away a chunk of flesh 47 48 50.

Threat Detection and Investigation

Roman helps Lu Mi recognize danger and interpret instance clues.

• Distracts “Mom” during a room check, drawing her away before she can expose Lu Mi 8.
• Notices the family portrait whose arrangement matches the severed heads on the television stand 10.
• Observes that Lu Mi returns to human form when sunlight touches him, rather than at a fixed time 10.
• Keeps Lu Mi silent and tells him not to open his eyes when a bloodied Noel appears outside their window 28 29.
• Compares the butler seen in Noel’s dream with the hostile figure in the present, helping develop the impostor theory 32 36.
• Notices a figure watching them through a classroom window during their academy patrol 49.

Control-System Interference

Roman can interfere with the game’s administrative systems despite his initial illiteracy.

• Steals a staff member’s access card and operates a control-center console while resisting attempts to stop him 23.
• Alters Ning Zhuangzhuang’s program so that she continues to exist as an NPC within her instance 23 31.
• Is subsequently banned from entering the control building 24.

Literacy and Technology

• Initially admits that he cannot read; he buys a tabby-cat guide despite being unable to understand its text 23 24 26.
• Recognizes a smartphone and teaches Lu Mi how to switch from recording video to taking photographs 26.
• Begins learning basic pinyin from Lu Mi and completes assigned reading exercises beside him 45 46.

Physiology

• Does not need to eat, though he accepts fried chicken from Lu Mi 43 45.
• Uses his mask to reduce his discomfort from the smell of blood 8.
• Develops persistent fingernail growths during Magic Manor. Their cause is not explained; 2044 implies that Roman knows more than he admits 39 41 43.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Hooded cloak, black mask, and gloves — His customary clothing; the reason for his extensive concealment remains unanswered 24 29 32 46.
• Player wristband — Obtained after his punishment, formally allowing him to enter instances as a player 23 24.
• Olive Crown — A crude golden stage prop recovered and given to him by Lu Mi. Roman accepts it solemnly and wears it over his black curls 36 38.
• A Guide to Growing Closer to Your Cat: The Tabby Cat Edition — Bought to improve his relationship with Lu Mi. Its well-handled pages prompt Lu Mi to offer reading lessons 26 45.
• Flashlight — Used during the Bo’ai Academy night patrol 49 50.
• Gifts for Lu Mi — Offers a pale green knitted sweater, which Lu Mi rejects, and later buys him a smartphone that Lu Mi gratefully accepts. The sweater is left behind in the first instance 18 26.

Relationships

• Lu Mi — His chosen companion and the focus of his affection. Roman promises to protect him until he leaves the game; Lu Mi comes to regard him as a friend, gives him the Olive Crown, tends his injuries, and teaches him to read 22 24 38 46 48.
• Ning Zhuangzhuang — Initially a target of his jealousy and dismissive remarks. He later acknowledges her courage, apologizes to Lu Mi, and preserves her as an instance-bound NPC 18 23 31.
• 2044 — Deputy administrator who manages Roman’s misconduct and imposes the seal on his divine power. Their exchanges are tense, and 2044 warns a guard against provoking him 22 23 43.
• Jin Bi — A source of jealousy who later becomes openly unwelcome. Roman initially spares her because Lu Mi considers her a friend, then threatens her after she attempts to regain Lu Mi’s support 26 45.
• Noel — Helps care for her during Magic Manor, watches over her naps, combs her hair, and joins Lu Mi in comforting her after a traumatic dream 36 39 40.
• Mo Yu and He Shengguang — Protects them from Michel by carrying them around the manor hall. He explicitly confirms Mo Yu’s friendship with Lu Mi before rescuing her 42.
• Zhang Zhizhang — Confronts him privately after he attacks Lu Mi and continues plotting to kill him. Zhang’s fate is not explicitly shown in the supplied passages 36.
• Cheng Cheng — Displays jealousy over his rapport with Lu Mi and physically removes him from their cafeteria conversation 44 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Mom’s Anniversary

• Visits Lu Mi’s room, introduces himself, and teases him with a cat-ear headband 7.
• Helps Lu Mi survive an early room check, then accompanies him into the kitchen, where they discover a severed finger and witness “Mom” processing corpses 8 9 10.
• Comforts Lu Mi in cat form and identifies sunlight as the trigger for his return to human form 10.
• Falls out with Lu Mi after unwanted cuddling and disparaging remarks about Ning Zhuangzhuang 17 18.
• Pushes Lu Mi out of the instance, earning his gratitude without immediately securing forgiveness 21.

First Public Rest Area Visit

• Follows Lu Mi out of the instance despite not being a player and promises to remain at his side 22.
• Disrupts the control center, alters Ning Zhuangzhuang’s program, and receives player status with sealed divine power as punishment 23.
• Helps Lu Mi recover from a painful attempt to recall erased memories, then buys him a smartphone 25 26.

Magic Manor

• Protects Lu Mi during Noel’s nighttime visit and helps investigate the butterflies, dreams, and false butler 28 29 30 32 36.
• Apologizes for his treatment of Ning Zhuangzhuang and explains how he preserved her within the earlier instance 31.
• Hides Lu Mi in the stables during the butler’s killings and later confronts Zhang Zhizhang away from the sleeping Lu Mi 33 36.
• Accepts the Olive Crown while concealing the fingernail growths spreading across his body 38 39 41.
• Keeps Michel occupied long enough for Lu Mi to free the real butler, then leaves through the opened gates with the survivors 42.

Recovery and Reading Lessons

• Enters the Healing Area at Lu Mi’s insistence after the manor escape 43.
• Persuades Lu Mi to stay in his room, where Lu Mi discovers the cat-care guide and offers to teach him to read 45.
• Studies basic pinyin while Lu Mi practices spells beside him 46.

Bo’ai Academy

• Suffers a sulfuric-acid attack arranged by Zhao Xiaoxiang; Lu Mi treats the wound with medicine from the Panel Mall 47 48.
• Receives night-patrol duty alongside Lu Mi and works beside him in the cafeteria for meals 48.
• Detects a watching figure during patrol, then is wounded by the burned ghost while attempting to fight it without divine power. Lu Mi pulls him away, and Cheng Cheng intervenes with Yellow Talismans 49 50.

Notable Quotes

“Until you leave the game for good, I’ll stay with you.” 22

“Because you were so upset.”
— Explaining why he preserved Ning Zhuangzhuang as an NPC 31

“He’s asleep. So in a moment, please don’t scream.”
— To Zhang Zhizhang 36