Surviving in my Own Unpublished Failed Novel

Jiho, sitting on the bed, constricted his eyes, looking intently at the sword he was holding. If his glare could pierce a weapon, it would probably have happened already.

Confused, Jiho tried to organize his thoughts.

First, Jiho realized that Glory Fragments or even Glory Shards weren't always in the form of a diamond golden crystal, especially with the evidence in front of him at this moment.

Second, Jiho thought that, if the sword he was brandishing was a Glory Fragment itself, there would be Glory Fragments in the form of other equipment sets.

Taking out the golden lightning sword in his Dimensional Inventory as he put down the one that was considered a Glory Fragment, Jiho muttered.

"This is a Glory Fragment."

Jiho tried if the golden lightning sword was a Glory Fragment, but the System didn't notify him that it was.

"Is this perhaps the sword itself?"

He tried to repeat the words that triggered the "realization" from the previous sword that's now a Glory Fragment. If someone could see him, that person would probably think he was being comedic.

"This is a Glory Shard!"

If it's not a Glory Fragment, it could be a Glory Shard, at least that's what he thought, which was somehow reasonable.

"Is this perhaps a Glory Shard?"

Muttering the same yet different words, Jiho let out a sigh of resignation as the System didn't notify him of such a realization.

'I see... This is only a reward for clearing the 10th floor.'

Jiho thought before he took out every item he received or traded with while he was in the Tower of Growth — they were all a piece of equipment.

Under the gaze of the bluish moon, Jiho did the same thing, but it was all useless as the System didn't notify him.

"What a bummer."

Jiho thought. Slumped on the bed, he then fell asleep.

***

Inside the dormitory room of Russell, Freya summoned her first ever familiar — Estelle. She still wore a blindfold. It was the only thing that separated from normality.

"Estelle, how was it?"

Freya asked with a smile carved on her lips. Her older brother, on the other hand, was preparing a late-night meal in the kitchen.

"Freya! I did what you asked."

The excitement in Estelle's expression could be seen, though her eyes were covered.

"That's great. Come here."

'Well, the moment I summoned her, System messages bombarded me.'

Freya though, catching Estelle — clearly missed her master.

Seconds later, Estelle sat beside Freya and made her shoulder a pillow, seemingly tired.

Freya, having some time, read the System messages she received.

[Your familiar, "Estelle" has successfully placated or sent souls to eternal rest for the past few days!]

[Souls placated: 200/200]

[The soul of the player...]

[The soul of the player...]

[...is grateful to you...]

[Your authority grows stronger!]

Freya noticed the souls of the players who died. They seemed to find peace before going to the afterlife.

"Good job, Estelle. Tomorrow, I'll accompany you with my brother. Okay?"

Freya rubbed her head, smiling.

"Yay! Okay, master!"

Smiling back, Estelle replied with joyfulness.

***

After some time, Russell came out from the kitchen. In his hands, there's a small tray with three bowls of Nereian Ramen. It's still burning hot due to a cloud of smoke emanating from it.

"R-ramen!"

Estelle jumped in excitement, leaving Freya's side. She was drooling at the sight and aroma of the delicacy laid in front of her.

Russell and Freya just smiled at Estelle's reaction. Then, before having a discussion regarding their plan for the future, the three of them peacefully savored the meal for this late night.

After the Emergence, the issue of an upset stomach disappeared, and because of that, a person could eat whatever they wanted regardless of time — morning, afternoon, night, late night, or midnight.

Even though that's the case, most people still adopted a proper diet.

After four to five minutes, the three of them finished eating. Quickly tidying and washing the plates, Russell came back from the kitchen and sat down on his bed.

Feeling relieved and grateful at the late-night meal, Russell spoke to Estelle.

"Estelle, have you encountered any evil spirits? I mean, have you seen and avoided one?"

Looking, wearing a blindfold, at the older brother of her master, Estelle just nodded her head.

Russell then looked at Freya before he asked her.

"Freya, where did you designate her to roam?"

Curious about the reason behind her older brother's question, Freya pondered for six to seven seconds before answering.

"Just near the academy, like a kilometer in diameter only."

Russell contemplated Freya's answer. With a moment of silence, Estelle interjected.

"Freya, there's only one evil spirit I saw. And to be honest, I can get rid of it, but I followed your order and avoided it instead."

"That's good. Never engage it alone, okay? We should avoid any possible unforeseen circumstances."

Freya answered. Patting Estelle's head, she added:

"I've read in one of the books given to me that some evil spirits form a group, helping each other corrupt a peaceful soul."

Russell agreed with his younger sister's words.

Based on his unpublished novel, an evil spirit was either born from the Spirit Realm or a corrupted soul of a deceased — both were extremely dangerous if not dealt with properly.

'Speaking of the unpublished novel...'

Glancing at Freya and Estelle, Russell casually spoke.

"Freya, have you received any message regarding the one who wanted the book? The one who helped us when we first entered the Nether Realm."

Russell referred to Red and Violet, the librarian of the Library of the Dead, who was mentioned by the Goddess of Night before going to a state of slumber.

"Ah, about that. There was one time she contacted Verg-Or, the Merchant. She said that there's no rush, but it would be better if she was handed the book as soon as possible."

'As soon as possible, huh...'

Russell knew that those words didn't come out of Red or Violet's mouths because they really wanted to read the book, "The Forgotten Swordsman of Ruined Star," alternatively called, "Incomplete Last Defector of Reality" — a stark contrast in the name, that Russell couldn't think of any possible meaning behind it.

"I see. Give me some time, I'll give it to you, so you won't have to worry about it."

'I need to finish skimming it.'

Russell thought. Although he was getting shocked in the brain for an unknown reason when flipping and instantly processing every word of the novel he had written, he was somehow used to the pain.

Freya didn't ask about its location, what it truly was, or how her older brother knew such a book that garnered the interest of a very peculiar and powerful Nether Creature, instead, she just nodded her head, completely trusting her older brother's decision.

As the night went by, they discussed the plan for tomorrow's placation of souls.

***

After a few minutes since Freya, who recalled Estelle, left his dormitory room, Russell received a direct call from his Basic Mana Theory professor, Ayleen.

- "Uh, Russell? Hello?"

- "Yes, Ms. Ayleen? Is something the matter?"

- "About that, sorry to call you this late at night, but Artorious asked me to call and summon you."

Russell expected such a development because of the previous circumstances.

'They're probably going to ask me any possible solution to minimize the casualties due to the Tower or if a method to override the Tower's psychological cue exists.'

Without the need to ponder, Russell agreed to be summoned by Artorious.

- "Uh, is that so, alright? Where should I meet you, Ms. Ayleen?"

- "Just in front of the North gate will be fine. I'll be waiting there."

- "Okay, I'll be on my way."

Ending the call, Russell quickly tidied himself and left his dormitory room.

***

"Good evening, Ms. Ayleen."

"Good evening, Russell. Again, I hope we are not bothering you."

Russell looked at the extremely captivating and striking physical appearance of his professor. Her purple eyes and platinum hair seemed to be glistening at night, getting reflected by the moonlight of the bluish moon.

"No, I'm not busy, so it's fine."

As Russell said, they walked towards the North gate, where the main entrance for the students was.

The guards didn't ask anything since Ayleen was with him, but Russell could clearly see the lust in the eyes of the guards toward the body of the professor.

Leaving the North gate, Russell and Ayleen entered a car that was owned by the latter.

Out of nowhere, Russell, looking at the bright lights by the window, sitting in front, spoke casually.

"The Obelisk Academy should do a psych-eval for the guards."

Ayleen looked at him in confusion, but after a few seconds, she understood the meaning behind those words as a faint smile appeared on her face.

She didn't think that such words would come out of a 17-year-old man, but considering the previous events she witnessed, it would be considered wrong to underestimate the mindset of this man.

"True enough. Well, it's not like they can do anything."

Ayleen replied to the mentally mature student she was with.

"Don't say it like that. Even though they can't physically do anything, the human mind works in mysterious ways.

"Well, it's a different story if they say or attempted to do anything. The last time I remember, a man either disappears or gets beat to a pulp."

Russell thought, remembering Kevin Springer — killed by Amelie, and Bailey Clarkson — beaten up to a pulp during the Ranking of Exchange during the Emergence Anniversary due to the incident of calling Freya a prostitute, though indirectly.

Ayleen fell silent, driving gently. She contemplated Russell's words as she was looking at the road.

Seconds later, she spoke.

"You're probably right, but I can't do anything with my appearance. It's like I am designed this way, thanks to my parents and Mana's impact."

Russell glanced at her with constricted eyes upon hearing the words "designed this way". He didn't reply further and let the silence take over.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the front of the Obelisk Organization headquarters.

***

Russell found himself in a room large room. Just with a glance, Russell thought that it was clearly not an office room, but rather a conference room.

Ayleen sat beside him while waiting for Artorious.

'I have a bad feeling about this.'

Russell thought. He felt like he should leave right now by wearing the Mask of Night and blending into the shadows.

Around thirty to forty seconds later, after Ayleen informed Artorious that they were now in the conference room, the door opened and several people came in.

Scrutinizing everyone's faces, Russell felt relieved. It was Artorious, Chancellor Alexander, Vice Chancellor Dexter, and the Queen of Nereia.

'Although I didn't expect Rosalin to come here, it's someone I can show my face to.'

Russell inwardly said, thinking of the reasons why Elizabeth's mother and Leon's father were absent at the moment.

"Artorious, what's going on? Why is there a young man here?"

Rosalin asked, wondering at the unusual presence of the man with deep black hair and deep blue eyes sitting beside Ayleen.

As all of them took their seats, with the oval table separating them, Artorious answered Rosalin's question.

"That young man you are talking about is the one that might have the answer to lessen more or override the Tower's psychological cue."

Rosalin glanced at Russell with her curious blue eyes.

"I didn't come here to joke around. My daughter is devastated by the losses of our people, and yet you called me because of a random young man I have no idea about?!"

'Did Raya and Yara not tell her yet? Well, I guess it's only Amelie that truly garnered those two's attention for a moment.

'And what's with the young man? I don't even know my right age!'

Russell inwardly lampooned.

Wanting to shut the queen of Nereia up, Russell interjected.

"There's a way to override the Failure Penalty of the Tower of Growth."

'And it's not a pretty way, at least for me.'