Surviving in my Own Unpublished Failed Novel

'...'

Russell — who was slumped down on the Disciplinary Committee Office's floor — stared at the lightbulbs hanging on the ceiling, his brain seemed to stop functioning with the circumstances that had just happened.

Although he was a shut-in in his previous life, causing him to be an introverted person, which also impact him to develop Social Anxiety, which even in this life haunted him; he's not the kind of person whose thoughts would blackout.

Even when he met the Goddess of Night for the first time, he was still able to think about something even only about his impending death, but as of this moment, he was just staring into the air as though the time had passed for a very long time.

"Russell!"

Amelie — who was the second to recover from her stupor — approached Russell.

"H-huh?"

"Hey, are you okay?"

Amelie shook Russell's shoulder, causing him to be sent back into reality.

"Y-yeah. It's just..."

Russell tried to put words into his mouth, but to no avail; his mind, which experienced total blankness had been instantly flooded by thoughts this time around.

Amelie looked at Freya — the last one who had recovered from what just happened.

"Oppa, Oppa!"

"Ouch!"

Freya weakly punched her older brother on his side, prompting him to be jolted awake.

"...S-sorry. I never expected that would happen."

Russell told the two, and Azalea, who was the first to recover her composure.

"...I think we're good for now."

Amelie interjected, causing Russell, Freya, and Azalea to look at her, waiting for her next words.

<Russell, I don't know why you are somehow close with Azalea, but can we really trust her?">

Russell pondered about the telepathic message that Amelie had sent.

Even though it's been more than a month since their excursion to the first Micro-Strayed Dungeon, and how they received help from Azalea by delivering to them the Junain's Blanket artifact through the Thorn of Rose service, just to be used as an excuse, Russell never clarified to his companions about what kind of relationship he has with the President of the Disciplinary Committee.

<...No, if you have any idea what happened, don't speak in front of her.>

His relationship with Azalea was that of a business partner. Nothing more, nothing less.

Although he knew that he gained her trust by giving her the precise locations of the Four Seeds of Direction she badly needed, and had her verify its authenticity with at least one of the locations, if somehow things turned into a mess just like what had transpired, any information might be used against them just for her interest.

'I will never trust someone who had sacrificed her own parents to her Constellation.'

He thought poignantly as he looked at Amelie who nodded at her.

He's the author of an unpublished novel, so he knew the background of Azalea, but he was slapped to reality by the sudden behavior of Artorious Hall, so it would only be right to be cautious of the characters he had written about, and learn not to expect them to act the way their personality was written.

...

The three of them sat on the long couch, while Azalea sat on the seat behind her office desk.

After some time, as the three took some rest first, Amelie spoke seriously.

"I don't know why Sir Artorious forcibly called us, or how... But, I suggest we shouldn't tell anyone about it"

Azalea agreed instantly, although she was still confused about why Sir Artorious summoned them.

It would only be the right thing to do as it would garner too much attention when other people came to know about it.

...

After an unknown period of time, Freya and Amelie came to Russell's dormitory room; they only asked Maya to bring them dinner.

"Thank you, Maya."

Russell thanked her before Maya left and went to her lodging.

A few seconds after Maya walked out of the door, Amelie spoke first, breaking the silence between the three.

"Russell, Freya... I believe we're still in trouble.

"I received notification from the System about my Constellation, she invaded the world of Sir Artorious' Constellation and almost destroyed that world."

Russell's mouth agape upon hearing Amelie's words. He never expected that it would be her Constellation who would intervene.

The [Lady of Shaded Spade] was still a mystery for him, although the Goddess of Night had referred to her as "Her" subordinate.

'I wonder why the Goddess of Night isn't showing "Her" presence for some time now.'

It's been a while since he received a System message that said about Goddess' interaction with him.

"But..."

Amelie paused for a moment, causing Russell's thoughts to break.

"My Constellation notified me that she's only able to intervene one time, and there won't be the next time. Though, she didn't say why."

She continued with a serious tone, causing Russell to fall into deep thought.

'I know this world is similar to my unpublished novel, so it means that there will be many things that are still manifested and didn't change regardless of the existence of the Untouched and Unknown Elements...

'Hmm... her Constellation was only able to intervene one time... does it mean she was encompassed by the [Post-Fourth Starfall Treaty]?

'...No, that may not be the case, because if that treaty applied to her, she wouldn't attack the Mirror Dimension in the first place.

'...F*ck... I can't wrap my head around it.'

He had written his unpublished novel in the span of three years; he wouldn't remember everything just by wrapping his head around it.

Although there was information in his head that haven't happened or been explored yet, some of the things only surfaced in his mind when it was only a matter of time before it happened.

"...Russell, do you think Sir Artorious will send other people to go after us? Do you have a plan in mind?"

Amelie said, cutting off Russell's thoughts, while Freya seemed to be lost in her own world.

"I'm sorry. It's because of me."

Russell's — who stood up from the couch — words caused Amelie to prick up her brows, while Freya reacted as she looked at her older brother with cold eyes.

Without waiting for them to ask him in confusion, he continued to speak his thoughts.

"It's because of me...

"If I didn't forget the Time Difference between the Earth and the Nether Realm...

"All of this wouldn't—"

Pak-!

Bam-!

Russell didn't manage to finish his words as he reflexively reached for his right cheek as though it turned numb, while he was slumped on the floor, with the broken table, scattered untouched cold meal.

Amelie wasn't able to react to Freya as she looked between the two alternatively.

Freya stood up from her seat with her clenched right fist just after she punched for real his older brother.

She then spoke, forcing her tears not to flow down from her deep blue eyes that seemed to have their reflection turned deeper.

"All of this wouldn't happen if you didn't forget the Time Difference between Earth and the Nether Realm?!

"Then, we won't be declared as missing students, won't go to the first Micro-Strayed Dungeon you mysteriously knew, and won't be here in this situation just because of the fucked up Mana Energy Flow that's being detected by a spacecraft hovering in this fucking world's atmosphere?

"Is that what you wanted to say, Oppa??

"Pathetic! Nothing will change even if you mumble like that!

"We haven't even told our parents that we are billionaires in secret because we wanted to tell them personally after this semester... and now... we're in this situation. What do you want to do huh!? Kill ourselves!? Then let Amelie resurrect us without our parents' knowledge??

"Oppa... stop being pathetic... It's not about ourselves... think of a way so that our family will be out of this fucking mess!"

Freya shouted both in anger and concern as she didn't manage to contain her tears before she crouched down on the floor.

Amelie fell silent. She knew that it was that one mistake about the Mana Energy Flow of the Micro-Strayed Dungeon that became the root of this situation.

The Micro-Strayed Dungeon's Mana Energy Flow was in place if it's not brought out somewhere just like Russell did.

And when it was accessed, the Micro-Strayed Dungeon disappeared along with its Mana Energy Flow, but they only told the authorities that they accidentally stumbled upon it, sucked them in, and cleared it, but it happened at a different time; not when the observers in the Obelisk Space Station firstly discovered the first disappearance of the Micro-Strayed Dungeon's Mana Energy Flow.

The moment Russell brought the Micro-Strayed Dungeon far away from its original place, causing its Mana Energy Flow to disappear from its initial location for some time, it's the point when the mistake was truly made.

...

'...She's right. It already happened... and there's no point to this if Artorious sent someone to investigate our family...'

Their plan about making themselves dead, and letting Amelie resurrect them was for the future; when a certain Tower opens.

But regarding the situation with Artorious, a human at that, it would be more difficult to avoid, especially since they were students of the Obelisk Academy, it's natural that their parents' information would be known.

'...If we tried to spread a rumor about the Rank 1 Player kidnapping four students... it will just be a futile attempt because of his reputation.

'There's no one who would believe such a rumor about humanity's strongest, kidnapping some puny kids like us.'

'That may be the only way... it's very early, but... I guess there's no other choice that it came to this.'

...

Slap-! Slap-!

He slapped his cheeks, stood up, walked towards Freya, his younger sister, and then hugged her gently.

"Sorry for the unsightly me, and for making you cry. Let's come up with a way so that Mom and Dad will not be swept up with this, okay?"

Knock-! Knock-!

The siblings and the silent Amelie felt confused by the knock on Russell's dormitory room at this time of the night.

He released his hug, walked towards the door, then opened it.

"...Ms. Ayleen...?"

Amelie and Freya with still reddish eyes due to her burst of emotion looked at each other.

"...Can I come in...? Sir Artorious wanted to deliver a message..."

Russell felt that nothing was amiss, even though he was confused.

After pondering a little, he let Ms. Ayleen, their professor in the Basic Mana Theory, come in.

...

"Russell, Freya, and Amelie... Sir Artorious wanted to apologize to the three of you, and Azalea for what he did.

"He said that he hopes for the three of you to remain in the academy."

Ayleen was told about what had transpired and felt like her mind was about to explode to the sudden situation.

'Just what's happened to Sir Artorious...?

This is tiring. If the other heads of the organization came to know what he did, his position will be in jeopardy, especially with some lurking snakes.'

The reason why there's a player with a profession related to Psychology was to monitor the inner thoughts and irrelevant emotions during the meeting in the Conference Room; through that, other players would know if someone was secretly feeling animosity towards them.

...

Russell listened to Ms. Ayleen's words as some thoughts surfaced in his mind.

'Did he want some connection with us...? He probably thought that we know where his wife is...

'Well, I know, but I'd be stupid if I blurt it out.

'I'll probably get tortured until I spit such information.

<Amelie, Freya, what do you think? Actually, my previous plan is to drop out of the academy and get as far away as possible from Artorious, along with our parents... Freya.

<But, the moment we decide to drop out now, our parents will be questioned before we even manage to leave... even Maya and her parents will be targets for investigation.>

Russell asked for their opinion. After a few seconds, Freya spoke through telepathy.

<...Oppa, I think it will be better to claim that we don't know anything, and if it's possible, do not let our parents know of the issue as we only wanted peace for them. I mean, it will be good if it's a condition that can be set for him under a Soul Contract.>

<Soul Contract? Isn't it only made when a person joined your Star Quest Party?>

Amelie spoke in confusion, but Freya corrected her.

<That's the initial case... Remember Verg-Or? The Nether Worker Merchant. He's selling Soul Contract written on paper, but I can have access to it for free as I'm their master as a Death Executioner, though it's only every 6 Earth Months that I get a freebie.>

<Freya... by doing that, you'll be exposing that we have access to or know something that humanity didn't know. He might backstab us, you know.>

Russell voiced his concern, but when he thought about it... It's one of the most viable solutions at this moment.

'The only problem is not getting killed instantly the moment we say what a Soul Contract is.'

Freya fell into deep thought as she heard what her older brother said.

<You're right, Oppa. It's viable, but he might stab us in the back... He wanted to know how we knew about the Micro-Strayed Dungeon, and if we know something about the Tower of Growth, so it won't be surprising if he threatens us using Mom and Dad if we don't tell him anything.>

Russell processed about Freya said.

'His unexpected behavior is and was the problem.'

...

After an unknown period of time of discussion in their heads, it was Freya who spoke to Ms. Ayleen.

"Ms. Ayleen... we experienced some unexpected harassment.

"We didn't know why, but we are just minors, you know, and had no idea why we got dragged into such a situation.

"You see... I was in tears before you came to visit us, and tell that he was sorry, but... we had already discussed what's better for us.

"...I'm sorry, Ms. Ayleen, but we have decided to leave the Obelisk Academy."

A bombshell came out of Freya's mouth.