Russell fell silent. The Tower seed to have read his thoughts and was delivered to the Administrator.
Since there were seven minutes to answer the question, he didn't respond quickly but instead contemplated the Administrator's words.
First, the "Incomplete Last Defector of Reality," as the System called it, was clearly the unpublished novel he had written, "The Forgotten Swordsman of Ruined Star."
Russell attempted to ask the System about it, but it would require the use of the remaining charges of the Cosmic Question, which the Goddess of Night had told him not to utilize since it would bring irreversible universal consequences.
Second, whether Russell felt guilty or not in writing the story, he couldn't be sure because, as far as he knew, it seed like the book he had written was the center of every mystery that's been on the line and must be unveiled in the future. He couldn't reverse the future to fix the countless, waiting tragedies, but he and the others, with his knowledge, could rather prepare for it.
Last, but not least, Russell thought that whatever consequences his story had brought to these people — the major characters or the people in the background just like him, being guilty wouldn't solve anything and nothing would change.
The tragic past of the people he knew wouldn't reset like magic, rather, Russell would continue to strive and protect what he has, no matter the situation — even if he beca selfish at so point.
After so ti, he finally slowly opened his mouth.
"No, I'm not guilty."
The Area of Fealty's silence seed to echo for a mont. The voice of the Administrator wasn't almost instantly heard.
One... Two... Five seconds passed, then Russell finally heard the voice of the System.
[You have finished answering the Player Judgnt questions according to the best of your ability!]
[The Tower of Growth is assessing everything you have said.]
[...assessing...]
[The Tower of Growth has taken note of your fealty toward yourself!]
[The Tower of Growth has finished assessing your responses!]
[You have passed the trials of the Tower!]
[You have received the Title: First Close Mystery Tower's Conqueror!]
For so strange reason, the Administrator didn't ask him if it was his final answer — which was usual before proceeding to what was next.
'Finally. It's done. It's ti to grind the Chaos Dungeons and use the Goddess of Night's swordsmanship.'
Russell thought, feeling relieved as the hours of arduous challenges where his Growth Rate and life were on the line were coming to an end – with fruitful results.
At this mont, he knew that the outside world was in a ss and in need of a solution to lessen the victims of involuntary murders and suicides.
At the seemingly last second, as the System ssage of exiting the Tower of Growth was yet to be heard, the Administrator personally showed himself, standing in front of Russell.
The intimidating aura never failed to cause Russell to reflexively raise his guard even though he didn't violate anything in the Tower.
"Mr. Moon, I am grateful for your answer to the last question.
"Here is my token of gratitude before you proceed in your journey ahead.
The Administrator took out sothing from his Dinsional Inventory. It's an ancient book, glistening with a dark blue and purple aura.
Floating towards Russell, he then caught it as the System ssage rang in his head.
[You have received the Bestiary of Chaos Dungeons.]
After that, the words of temporary farewell sounded from the Administrator's mouth.
"Please, guide them to the right path, and seek your story with them."
Following the words of the Administrator, another System ssage rang in his head.
[The mysterious Egg's hatch rate increased to 17%.]
A genuine smile of the towering Administrator could be seen. Sohow, his smile felt familiar yet so unfamiliar at the sa ti from Russell's perspective. He was certain that the Administrator seed to have sothing with the mysteries he had to unfold, but he also realized that if the Administrator wasn't speaking regarding it, that ant he wouldn't get a proper answer at all if he asked due to his curiosity.
'If the Goddess of Night couldn't tell , I highly doubt that he could.'
Russell firmly believed as he inwardly mumbled.
Looking at the Administrator with curious eyes, Russell then nodded with a faint smile carved on his lips.
Before he disappeared, the words of the Administrator were ingrained in his mind.
Apart from the Goddess of Night that was in a state of slumber, his Chaos Companions, and the major characters that would take their path and seek each of their stories, Russell felt like he was not alone as there were beings who knew about him and waiting for him for whatever journey he would traverse into.
For the last ti, Russell saw the Administrator, before he turned into blue lights, bowing to him in pure reverence.
[You are exiting the Tower of Growth!]
***
The Tower of Growth's last floor — the Player Assessnt or the Player Judgnt in a sense asked the player in question about being guilty of sothing. It might be too personal, depending on the Tower's will, but one thing was certain — the last question was asked with the intention to free the player from ntal or psychological constraints as growing wasn't and never only on the physical level.
This might not be enough after facing reality again outside the Tower, but at least they would have realized that even a miniscule amount of courage to face discussed sothing sensitive about themselves were existing within them.
Inside the Area of Fealty, Samantha's ears pricked up at the question of the Administrator, though it was only a voice that she could hear.
["Samantha Hall, are you guilty of feeling that it should have been your father, instead of your mother, who disappeared?"]
She felt her heart seed to skip a beat, and then beat twice as fast as regular beating. Countless mories flooded her mind — the love of her parents when their family was still complete, and the neglect of her father after when her mother, one day, mysteriously disappeared.
With the flood of mories ca the surge of emotions. She was slightly trembling, rembering herself being alone most of the ti, especially before she was admitted to the Obelisk Academy.
Although Samantha was physically strong, the sa couldn't be said about her ntal and emotional state, but it didn't an that she was psychologically weak. In other words, her emotional and ntal state was greatly dependent on the subject matter — in this case, her mother and father.
But, after pondering for a few minutes, she finally answered.
"No, I am not guilty."
Samantha revealed a faint smile while her brown eyes were sowhat watery, looking at the wall where the scenery of serenely moving and glistening stars could be seen.
Even though her father, Artorious, neglected her for a long ti, even before she turned ten years old, she understood that it was only because of the disappearance of her mother.
Samantha couldn't just feel hatred for his father despite everything that had transpired. What she wanted the most was for her family to be completed again.
Recently, she noticed her father seed to be more lively than usual, though she had no idea why. The eyes of her father and the acts that unintentionally made her feel neglected, though it was still there, were sowhat lessened.
'I can't still believe he cooked food for recently.'
Samantha thought. Artorious made ti to went back ho during the short vacation of the Obelisk Students, during the System Reboot that brought great confusion and hope at the sa ti in the human world.
After so ti, feeling freed from so of her hidden emotions, the System ssages rang in her head.
[You have finished answering the Player Judgnt questions according to the best of your ability!]
[The Tower of Growth is assessing everything you have said.]
[...assessing...]
[The Tower of Growth has taken note of your fealty toward yourself!]
[The Tower of Growth has finished assessing your responses!]
[You have passed the trials of the Tower!]
[You have received the Title: First Close Mystery Tower's Conqueror!]
'I'm grateful for this. Now... I think I'll have a talk with Russell.'
Samantha thought before she turned to blue lights.
[You are exiting the Tower of Growth!]
***
At this very mont, the mbers of the Player Party were respectively finishing the 30th floor. If they were truthful and showed a sense of loyalty towards themselves, showing their resolve to grow as players, they would pass the Area of Fealty.
On the one hand, Leon's party was now on the 20th floor, fighting the "different" Horror Murloc with his younger sister, Mira, along with the others that were affiliated with the Phantasmal Guild.
On the other hand, Azalea, Arthur, and so personnel she could call to accompany her as the mysterious head of the Thorn of Rose were now on standby. She was just waiting for Russell to co out of the Tower, and she was pretty certain that the man would not fail to conquer it.
So of the party mbers led by Samantha were now appearing one by one — Elizabeth, Russell, Samantha, Rumia, Yara, Raya, and the others, the only one that didn't appear was Jiho. For so reason, since the party led by Rumia rged with Samantha's along the way, they were transported, too from where Samantha and the others previously were before accessing the Tower of Growth.
What screened in the eyes of Russell and the others were players in the military standard uniform of the Obelisk Organization's departnt — the Obelisk Military or players with Soldier-related professions.
Weapons were pointing at them as though they were hideous, unredeemable criminals. The party was confused, but Russell and his Chaos Companions, who had a general idea of why they were treated this way, were calm. They raised their hands. Seconds of silence later, Alie spoke with confusion in her usual cheerful deanor in front of many people.
"Officers? Uh, What's wrong?"
"Sigh. You're all clear."
A man with brown eyes, short brown hair, a large build, and around 180 cm in height spoke with relief.
"It seems every one of you didn't know the Failure Penalty before you entered the Tower.
"So, if there's anyone who isn't done conquering the Tower yet, please tell us so we can wait here."
Almost every one of them fell into confusion. Rumia then raised her hand and asked the officer.
"Officer, what do you an by Failure Penalty? I an, did soone already receive it?"
The officer let out a deep breath before explaining everything to the newly arrived party the situation.
Myriads of emotions and a variety of reactions were evident upon hearing the explanation from the officer. Rumia and the others also understood why their weapons were pointing at them as soon as they arrived.
On the one hand, as soon as the estimated death toll was ntioned, the soft-hearted, seemingly fragile princess, Rumia fell into tears and quickly called her mother, Rosalin.
On the other hand, Elizabeth, who had a new resolve to beco strong after learning so truths regarding the one who directly killed his father, gritted her teeth as she looked at the ground, her fists clenched.
Samantha, standing still, looked at Russell with an unknown expression, but she was feeling a sense of boiling anger, though, at the sa ti, she knew that the ancient power of the Tower couldn't be stopped by normal ans.
Russell looked at the sky, it was now early in the morning. His expression was showing helplessness, but he quickly moved on, letting out a sigh of resignation, since he couldn't do anything about it.
'I'm anything, but a hero.'
He repeated what he told himself before he attempted to leave a note on the door of Ayleen's dormitory room regarding the mobilization of the Obelisk Military.
Freya and Ary were also dejected and helpless.
Upon facing the reality of the situation, it seed that helplessness, at this very mont, turned out to be a contagious emotion.
***
In the Area of Fealty, the Administrator asked Han Jiho the seventh question.
["Han Jiho, are you guilty of being a sinner?"]
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