Yukima Azuma's mind was brimming with countless outstanding light novel plots that had yet to be written.
The reason he had to revise it repeatedly was:
Notification: Your literature skill has reached the maximum level.
Literature (Lv6) Literature (Lv7).
Seeing the notification from the system appear,
Yukima Azuma smiled.
He had finally achieved it.
He opened the system control panel.
[Owner: Yukima Azuma]
Physique: 7
Intelligence: 8
Charm: 8
Skills: Language Proficiency (Lv6), Literature (Lv67), Cooking (Lv7), Programming (Lv4), Shogi (Lv9)
Note: Skills below Level 4 are hidden and not displayed on the control panel.
He had gained his third Lv7 skill.
Yukima Azuma closed his eyes, focusing carefully.
A moment later, he opened them again with a hint of doubt.
He didn't feel any tangible change in his body.
Was the literature skill just an ordinary one?
Or perhaps the special effect of the literature skill was a passive feature of some sort?
He shook his head.
Unable to figure it out immediately,
Yukima Azuma decided not to dwell on it and focused on the task at hand.
With a Lv7 literature skill, he reopened the light novel manuscript he had revised multiple times.
His eyes scanned a few scenes, and his mind instinctively generated better expressions and transitions.
Surprised, Yukima Azuma began reconstructing the entire manuscript.
The heroine's name.
To avoid affecting Kato Megumi,
He made some changes, naming her Kujou Megumi.
She was an unremarkable heroine, devoid of the standout traits typical of light novel characters.
She didn't have flaws that would bring humor or conflict.
She was the heroine of both the anime world and the real world.
A girl who wasn't extraordinary, yet could touch the hearts of those who truly understood her.
She wasn't a twin-tailed blonde tsundere.
But she would don an apron and cook for you.
She didn't have long, jet-black hair, nor a sharp tongue.
But she would delve into areas she'd never known about, just because of you.
Even if you rambled endlessly,
She wouldn't reprimand you.
Perhaps she would gently say, "I don't quite understand."
Yet beneath that gentle demeanor was her wholehearted effort to understand you.
Few noticed her presence,
Because she was always by your side.
When your eyes fell on her, you'd suddenly realize you'd already fallen for her tender charm without knowing when.
But it wasn't the kind of calm tenderness most people think of.
At times, she could be jealous.
She might puff her cheeks at you.
Occasionally, she'd harbor small schemes or hold grudges.
These weren't emotions typical of anime characters but rather the tiny, concealed thoughts of a real-world girl.
Such a girl was both the heroine of the anime world and the most remarkable heroine of the real world.
Yukima Azuma strived to capture Megumi's allure in his light novel.
But even with a Lv7 literature skill, he could only depict about ninety percent of her charm.
Still, that was more than enough.
Regarding the distinctive story of the light novel,
Yukima Azuma decided to center the narrative around the 'Laplace Demon'.
An unremarkable girl, beneath the sky illuminated by a passing comet.
The small regrets in her heart transformed into a supernatural phenomenon called "Adolescence Syndrome."
The world began to repeat the same day over and over.
Her only friend unexpectedly awakened in one of those repeating days.
And on that day, he finally turned all his attention toward her.
Of course, he fell in love with her.
Confessed.
Then broke the curse of the Laplace Demon.
...
As dim white light poured through the window,
Yukima Azuma finally finished the last sentence.
"The Youth of a Lonely Boy Will Not Dream of a Passerby Heroine."
The entire manuscript, formatted to light novel standards, spanned six hundred pages.
Yukima Azuma believed that with these six hundred pages, he could make millions of people fall in love with Kujou Megumi.
He gripped the thick manuscript firmly in his hands.
Yukima Azuma looked out at the rising sun.
"At any rate, let the world see Megumi's charm."
After this bold declaration,
Yukima Azuma collapsed onto the floor and fell into a deep sleep.
A small tip: if you think sleeping on a bed will make you not want to wake up, try sleeping on the floor.
Usually, in about four hours, you'll wake up.
Ah... truly an unhealthy tip.
.....
That morning, Kasumigaoka Utaha woke up quite early.
She quietly descended the stairs,
making no sound as she approached Yukima Azuma's door.
Carefully, she opened a small crack.
The scene inside didn't surprise her.
She sighed softly.
Then, checking the time and recalling the meeting with Fujikawa Publishing,
Kasumigaoka Utaha pondered for a moment before heading into the kitchen.
It had been a while since she last cooked; she wasn't sure if she still could.
But whether she could or not was one thing; whether she would or not was another.
She took some eggs from the fridge.
Kasumigaoka Utaha began to prepare a meal.
The first attempt was a failure, but the second turned out almost perfectly.
She wrapped the omurice and placed it in a thermal bag to keep it warm.
Then, taking out her phone, she looked up how to brew tea.
Coffee? That Lonely-kun wasn't used to drinking it.
But if he didn't wake up properly, how could he negotiate in the afternoon?
Thus, tea was the only option.
Following the guide, Kasumigaoka Utaha busied herself for quite some time.
Her fingers became swollen from the icy water.
In the end, she managed to make a somewhat acceptable cup of tea.
At that moment, her phone alarm rang.
Kasumigaoka Utaha dried her hands,
glancing at her pale, swollen fingers.
Then she curled them slightly.
Yes, this way they wouldn't be noticeable.
And so, Kasumigaoka Utaha walked toward Yukima Azuma's room.
Chapter 105: "No wonder Fujikawa Publishing has always been a second-rate publisher all these years."
"Lonely-kun, how long do you plan to laze around like Shiratamaru?"
The familiar voice of Kasumigaoka Utaha woke Yukima Azuma from an uncomfortable sleep.
Azuma groggily got up from the floor.
His entire body ached.
Yeah, sleeping on the floor is definitely bad for your health.
"Using Shiratamaru to mock me is too much, senpai. Anyway, what time is it now?"
"It's already noon."
"Oh, I'll go cook right away."
"Come on, Lonely-kun! Can't you think for a little? Do you think I'd starve just because you didn't cook?"
"Huh? So you've already eaten, senpai?"
"Umu. There's some food left in the kitchen for you."
Kasumigaoka Utaha subtly tilted her head toward the kitchen.
Her swollen hands, reddened from ice, were hidden behind her back.
Yukima Azuma, still groggy, shuffled toward the kitchen.
There, he saw a plate of omurice, meticulously plated, and a cup of tea that had gone cold.
Seeing these, Azuma's foggy mind suddenly cleared up.
Had Utaha-senpai really already eaten?
If he believed this was leftovers...
Then there was definitely something wrong with his head.
Picking up the plate of omurice, Yukima Azuma devoured it like someone who hadn't eaten in days, exclaiming between bites:
"It's so good! Absolutely delicious!"
His vague compliments made Kasumigaoka Utaha roll her eyes in exasperation.
After all, she knew herself well enough.
Compared to Yukima Azuma's exceptional cooking skills...
This dish was just barely edible.
"Lonely-kun, you really are out of your mind."
"Utaha-senpai, it's truly delicious! I'm not lying!"
With that, Yukima Azuma scooped up a spoonful of omurice and brought it to Kasumigaoka Utaha's lips.
Seeing Azuma's earnest expression, Kasumigaoka Utaha began to doubt herself.
Could her cooking skills really have improved?
When she opened her mouth to taste that spoonful of omurice, however...
All her doubts vanished instantly.
Indeed, compared to Yukima Azuma's flawlessly crafted dishes, this was just barely passable.
Kasumigaoka Utaha shot Azuma a glare of frustration.
But Azuma, undeterred, scooped another spoonful after finishing his own and brought it to Kasumigaoka's lips again.
Kasumigaoka was about to say something, but the spoon of omurice touched her lips, leaving her no choice but to accept it.
Like this, the two took turns eating spoonful after spoonful until the plate of omurice was gone.
"It was so good, so good that I feel like crying," Yukima Azuma said with a smile.
He picked up the cup of cold tea and took small sips.
The taste was so exquisite that it was hard to put into words.
Even though Yukima Azuma's literary skills were at level 7, he couldn't describe even a tenth of the tea's flavor.
...
"I'm heading out."
"Take care."
Yukima Azuma waved goodbye to Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Kasumigaoka Utaha returned the gesture with her usual calm demeanor.
As Yukima Azuma left, Kasumigaoka looked at her fingers, where the swelling was gradually subsiding.
This guy... really is too sharp.
Even just hiding her hands behind her back wasn't enough to fool him.
...
Fujikawa Publishing
Machida Sonoko had been waiting in front of Fujikawa Publishing's building for quite some time.
When she saw Yukima Azuma walking leisurely toward her, she quickly approached him in a hurry.
"Hey, kid, why did you suddenly decide to start writing light novels?"
"Didn't Shi-chan say you were playing shogi? And you're even a professional?"
Debuting as a professional light novel author was no easy feat.
Those who qualified for publication had emerged victorious among countless competitors.
This, in fact, was quite similar to shogi.
Machida Sonoko thought that Yukima Azuma, being a professional, would surely understand the difficulty of the profession.
Just an idea sparking in one's mind isn't enough.
It takes significant determination, even exceptional talent, to reach this door.
Yukima Azuma said nothing and simply handed the manuscript he was holding to her.
Machida Sonoko glanced at Azuma before taking the manuscript.
Her eyes skimmed the title:
"The Youth of a Lonely Boy Will Not Dream of a Passerby Heroine."
The title definitely feels like a "light novel."
Machida Sonoko opened the first page.
And then froze.
Most works require reading several chapters to feel their charm.
Because of this, many light novel authors try to create an attractive opening.
They just hope readers will continue with expectations.
From an editor's perspective, however, things are different.
By simply looking at the first page, one can make a preliminary judgment about the writing style.
After flipping through ten pages, one can get a rough idea of the plot.
After reading through the manuscript once, one can conclude whether the work has potential.
Machida Sonoko was an experienced editor.
She had encountered numerous amateurish writers, and she had also read works by authors with remarkable writing skills.
In theory, no matter the quality of the work, she should not be easily moved.
But when she opened this light novel in her hands, Machida Sonoko was so taken aback that she froze in place.
The writing style isn't this just too exceptional?
It's the kind of writing where even if the story were bad, the writing alone could still sell the book.
Someone like this why are they writing light novels?
Go conquer the literary world, Aho Baka!
She had only flipped through two or three pages when Machida Sonoko closed the manuscript.
"What's wrong, Machida-san? Is there something wrong with my light novel?" Yukima Azuma asked.
Machida Sonoko shook her head.
She wanted to give some critique but held back.
"I have a feeling if I keep reading, the two of us will be standing in this sun for another hour."
"Also, evaluating this manuscript isn't entirely up to me. I've already set up a meeting with the editor-in-chief for you."
"Anyway, let's go upstairs first."
The two of them entered the Fujikawa Publishing building, one after the other.
They walked into the editorial office.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively.
It was the beginning of summer vacation, the peak season for the light novel industry.
The editors were urging their authors to put more effort into this lucrative season.
"By the way, Machida-san, you're the lead editor, right? But it seems you don't have many editors under you?" Yukima Azuma casually asked.
But this question seemed to strike an unnecessary emotional damage.
Machida Sonoko felt as if an arrow had just pierced her knee.
It was true, she had worked at Fujikawa Publishing for many years.
But after becoming the lead editor, the number of editors under her had never exceeded three.
"Haizz, it's just a genre issue. You'll understand later. And stop poking at other people's weaknesses, kid!"
The two walked through rows of editors' desks and headed straight to the meeting room at the back.
Machida Sonoko walked up and knocked on the door.
A voice from inside called them in.
She opened the door.
Next to the large meeting table sat two people.
"This is the editor-in-chief of Fujikawa Publishing," Machida Enko gestured to a middle-aged man.
"This person" She looked toward the other man, her gaze slightly avoiding. "Is the owner of Fujikawa Publishing."
Yukima Azuma turned his attention to the owner.
The man appeared to be in his thirties or forties.
Dressed in a neat suit, he looked like the epitome of a successful businessman.
He wore a golden Rolex watch on his wrist.
"These are Yukima-sensei, the one submitting the manuscript this time."
The two men merely nodded.
Yukima Azuma casually pulled up a chair next to the meeting table and sat down.
Machida Sonoko gave a slight smile and sat next to Yukima Azuma, nodding to the two men.
"Yukima-sensei, as for your conditions, Fujikawa Publishing is fully aware of them."
"But these conditions are rather strict. I think we could negotiate some terms" The editor-in-chief began speaking.
Yukima Azuma placed the manuscript on the table and pushed it toward the editor-in-chief.
"Just read the manuscript first, then we'll talk."
Upon hearing this, the editor-in-chief of Fujikawa Publishing said nothing further and picked up the manuscript.
