Surviving in my Own Unpublished Failed Novel

Russell's heart almost jumped out of his chest upon seeing Czerina's fair-skinned face and blue eyes.

"...Do you know her?"

Amelie, sitting on Russell's left side, asked curiously.

"Well... you see."

At that moment, Russell recounted everything to Amelie and his younger sister. From when he recognized Riya, before the start of the mock battle, from afar, whom Freya also remembered during the Ranking of Exchange; approaching Riya and making a bet with her again for the second time, and then getting to know Czerina because she was an acquaintance of Riya.

"Oi! I'm not a ghost, what's with your reaction?"

With her blonde, slightly fluttering, hair, Czerina casually asked after Russell told Amelie and Freya how he became acquainted with her.

Although Russell had resolved to interact with her to solve his minor trauma of being killed by the person herself, he still couldn't help but feel anxious.

'Why the hell are you sitting here?!'

Russell inwardly muttered. He had an idea, based on the previous interactions, that she and Riya would attend the monthly auction, but he didn't expect to find her seating just beside him since the auction house was truly spacious, and was now accommodating at least a thousand players with different affiliations.

"Ehem... Well, I just didn't expect to see you here among the crowd.

"Anyways, Riya, thanks for a hundred thousand earlier."

Sitting on Czerina's right side, Riya frowned at Russell's remarks. It was the second time she lost in gambling, but she never expected Russell's strength, which her eyes personally saw to have improved enormously in just a span of few months.

She also realized, according to Alex — her partner from scouting prospective players during the Ranking of Exchange, that Russell was only around F rank before.

Letting go of her pride, after pondering for a moment, she casually and frankly spoke to the young man.

"Russell, why don't you join the Starlight Guild?

"About the benefits-

"One trillion."

Riya and Czerina, who were casually listening to the exchange, constricted their eyes upon hearing Russell's words. They almost instantly understood what he was referring to.

"Excuse me??"

As if the former had heard wrong, she reflexively and incredulously asked.

"One trillion Obel, I'll join the Starlight Guild."

Russell spoke with a straight face, not minding the auctioneer speaking in front since the items presented didn't hold much value than being a memento. In other words, the items' price was being decided and bid due to their historical value, at least at this moment.

"Tsk. You easily won earlier, though I don't know how, and now you feel you're too valuable?"

"Oh, take note, it's just the price of me joining, but I don't plan to if my companions aren't joining with me. We're four in total so... at least four trillion Obel."

Russell didn't answer Riya's mockery, rather, he responded sarcastically. He never intended to join from the beginning, but what he was aiming for at this moment was Czerina's thoughts and reactions.

'That was close if I thought about it.'

Russell was feeling grateful for his own decision not to wear the Mask of Night when he previously approached Riya because the latter's unexpected acquaintance would certainly recognize the mask as the item worn by the young man Czerina killed herself in a secluded forest. Moreover, it left a deep impression on her due to the peculiarities of that time, like when Russell and the others vanished out of nowhere with the help of Nihility.

"You're a madman! Forget it. The Starlight Guild doesn't need an eccentric person.

"And why are you here? Do you think you have enough money to buy some things here just because you won a hundred thousand against me?"

'Four trillion is roughly five percent of the Starlight's Guild current net worth. To hell with recruiting him.'

Riya inwardly lampooned. Although she could recruit prospective players, she didn't possess the authority to finalize the players' admission to the guild.

"I like collecting things, you see."

Russell spoke casually, hearing a scoff from Riya, who didn't speak further.

***

After a few minutes, important items began to appear one after another.

"This item came from the Peak Dungeon Tower, Drake Allihad's Nest!

"Let me present to you, the legendary item, Orb of Truth!

"The bidding starts from a hundred million!"

The Orbs of Truth were numerous, and these artifacts weren't only in the possession of the Obelisk Academy to be used in admitting students or finding out the truth from the prisoners' mouths.

"Two hundred million! Any higher?"

"Three hundred million...!"

"Woah, woah! There goes a billion from the Starlight Guild!"

"Then a billion and a half from the Shadow Guild!"

"T-that! We have twenty billion from a gentleman!"

Riya and Czerina looked at Russell in disbelief.

"You... Stop fooling around!"

Riya was getting pissed off at Russell's nonchalant attitude. A moment later, he spoke in a serious tone. It was a valid argument that shut Riya's mouth.

"Do you think I can fool around inside the Ethereal Guild's premises?"

As the two seemed to produce bolts of lightning with their glares, Czerina raised her hand, and she then spoke her bid.

"Fifty billion."

Some nobles from Cassiopeia, Etheria, and Nereia gasped at the amount. Although some of them had that amount of money, it was a waste for them to purchase an Orb of Truth.

After all, they could just torture their prisoners to get something out of their mouths.

'I see... This is what you're after, huh?'

Russell inwardly thought. It seemed like the early change in the story such as the System Reboot had brought forth Czerina's appearance in this auction. Whether it was by her will or by someone's, Russell became certain that they, the Shadow Guild, were after the Orb of Truth.

'My apologies, but I'll be taking that.'

"One hundred billion."

Czerina's blue eyes slightly widened because she didn't expect her bid to be doubled, wondering if Russell was really fooling around and didn't have the capacity to truly buy the artifact with that staggering amount.

And with the limited budget given by the Shadow Guild, she then failed to successfully bid for the Orb of Truth.

"The Orb of Truth is now sold for a hundred billion Obel!"

Russell, who didn't and never liked being the center of attention, just became someone who garnered it tonight.

***

After a few more minutes had passed, it was now the time for Alakin's Heart to be presented.

"This is one of the artifacts in the Royal Palace museum, Alakin's Heart!

"Bidding starts at twenty million!

"Now, now, we have thirty million from the Ducal House..."

"Fifty million."

Russell raised his hand with a number printed on a fan, signifying his placement of being a guest in this auction.

A few moments later, Alakin's Heart went to Russell's hands.

"It's just a gem."

Riya whispered, not understanding how Russell's mind works.

"Well, just as I said earlier, I like collecting things."

"Whatever. Suit yourself."

Riya retorted before they glanced at the front where a sealed item was going to be presented.

***

"Ladies and gentlemen, this will be our last item for this monthly auction!

"Here I present to you all, an SS+ Rank Skillbook: Atmosphere Breathing!"

[Atmosphere Breathing]

A player must learn how to properly circulate his Mana within and how to feel Mana as the essence of life. This is a piece of knowledge that comes from the True Green Family.

Rank: SS+

Effects:

- Mana Control proficiency increases by 200%

- Mana Breathing proficiency increases by 300%

- Mana Sense proficiency increases by 200%

"Starting bid will be a hundred million Obel!"

Moments had passed, with something that could make a player's growth advance, and the Skillbook was quickly sold for one hundred and fifty billion.

"I thought you like collecting things? Why didn't you buy the Skillbook?"

Riya cheekily asked as they walked backstage at the auction house to acquire and pay for the items they bought.

"I don't need it. It's trash."

Russell succinctly answered as he talked to the brown short-haired attendant who was managing the auction products payments.

"Thank you sir for your purchase! Please get the item in that section."

"Alright. We'll be going."

Without waiting for Riya to speak, Russell beckoned Amelie and Freya to leave.

***

"Riya, I'll get going first."

Czerina also bid goodbye with an unknown expression.

"Alright. Just send my Guild Master's message to yours."

Without glancing back, Czerina waved her right hand.

'Tsk... how did Russell possess such an amount of wealth? It just doesn't make any sense. He probably borrowed from someone, or else, it's irrational to make a gamble with me.'

Riya lampooned inwardly.

"Ms. Riya, here's the item you purchased.

"Thank you for your generosity."

The attendant spoke, cutting Riya's thoughts.

"Alright. Until next time."

Riya said as she took the item and left the auction house.

***

"Sir Britz, I didn't manage to buy the Orb of Truth. Someone beat me to it."

Speaking through a smartwatch, in a secluded alley, Czerina's back leaned on a wall.

"What? Is fifty billion not enough?"

Sir Britz, the well-built man with the profession of Shadow Crusader, who almost caught Russell and Amelie after attacking the Black Cat Pub, spoke in bewilderment, and being currently intoxicated was evident in his voice.

"Well, Sir... A young man bought it for a hundred billion, so I can't do much about it.

"Regarding that legendary artifact Sir, is there anything special about it aside from forcing someone to tell the truth?"

Czerina couldn't help but be curious.

"Ha... Don't mind it. Stop sticking your nose about that thing."

Sir Britz, clearly drunk yet sane, responded.

Without waiting for Czerina's answer, Sir Britz added:

"Did you see your siblings or did your siblings see you?"

Czerina's mouth trembled as soon as she heard Sir Britz's words.

"Neither."

"Haha! You should go home, Czerina von Elydine."

At that moment, Czerina reflexively turned off the call. Moreover, almost at the same time, Sir Britz left her a text message.

It was an order to take the Orb of Truth using any means possible.

***

Inside the hotel room assigned to two students, Russell was lying on the bed alone. Freya, on the other hand, was looking out the window without saying anything. Apparently, they were designated in this hotel room together, while Amelie was with Nature Alchemist, Celine.

"Oppa, please enlighten me. Why is the book I was asked to bring to Red and Violet something about the famous people in our class?

"Is that the reason why you asked me previously to avoid befriending them?

"Because you knew about them from the beginning... even before the main story, according to that novel, starts?

"Then what about us? What are we? What am I? Just side characters meant to die?

"I haven't managed to read everything, but just a few chapters are enough to question my entire existence."

There were so many questions in Freya's mind that if said all of them, there was too much time to be wasted.

Seeing the walls of the hotel room that turned into spinning, glistening countless stars, Russell serenely spoke.

"I thought I know, but I don't know who or what I am, too."

Freya turned her head, showing her gloomy expression, which then was mixed with bewilderment.

"To tell you the truth..."

Russell beckoned Freya to sit beside him, which the latter did as she slowly walked towards her older brother.

After some time, Russell continued to speak.

"I'm a reincarnator."

Russell then opened up everything to his younger sister. This time, truly without withholding any information.

He told her about his reincarnation, how mentally old he was, the Goddess of Night's existence, and the identity of Jiho as the main character of the novel. There was too much information that Freya felt her head would burst.

Russell then also told her that the System called the novel the Last Defector of Reality, which he didn't have any idea why.

"Freya... you, Mom, and Dad... are my family. Nothing can change that."

"This is too much. I don't know what to do or how to react."

Freya's heart was beating so fast that apart from her head, it seemed her chest was being overflowed with blood.

"B-but, Oppa, I'm grateful."

***

Checking in in one of the hotel rooms in the Wanderer Hotel, Czerina prepared her new weapon.

"Sigh... Should I kill him to get the Orb?"