Here, install relationships via inventory, not dialogue. Each villager has a "loved items" tag. For Leah: Salad (easy). For Sebastian: Frozen Tear (mining level 40). You must trigger the "Ten Heart Event" by entering the right zone at the right time (e.g., the Cindersap Forest during rain). Miss the weather window? The relationship stagnates.
This is the "confession" or "dance" scene. After reaching a threshold (usually 60-80 affection), the game presents a binary choice: "Friendship" or "Romance." Once you install a relationship at this junction, the narrative branches permanently.
Advanced titles (like Persona or Story of Seasons) track polyamorous attempts. If you try to install multiple romantic storylines simultaneously without hiding it, you trigger a "reverse trap" or a jealousy event, often breaking all concurrent relationships.
