Schiller temporarily suppressed the urge to go back to High Tower and make trouble for someone, then said, "I think speed might really be important."
Bruce turned to look at him. Schiller said, "This isn't a competitive instance, so I'm more inclined to think multiple groups are meant to cooperate. But judging from the design of the earlier puzzles, the way we cooperate may not be as simple as everyone working together."
"You mean being fast isn't necessarily a good thing?"
Schiller nodded and said, "Perhaps the order in which people reach a certain stage matters. The ones walking in front have to open the way for the ones behind them, and may have to make greater sacrifices."
"So what?" Bruce sounded rather casual. "Since it isn't a competitive instance, there won't be a zero-sum game. In that case, in cooperation, who contributes more and who contributes less doesn't matter that much."
"I'm just worried the cost won't be physical or mental effort." Schiller emphasized, "Starting off by putting a clavicle nail into one side and soaking the other in water was an opening warning. The mastermind who locked us in here—if there really is such a person in the plot—is telling us that getting out of this instance without bleeding is impossible. Physical harm is unavoidable."
"If we're going to bleed either way, then falling behind won't let anyone escape it, will it?" Bruce said, looking at Schiller.
Schiller shook his head and said nothing more. Bruce saw a kind of hidden worry in his eyes, but for the moment, he still could not understand exactly what Schiller was worried about. The atmosphere grew somewhat heavy for a while.
Bruce was not used to this kind of atmosphere, so he had no choice but to try to ease it.