While Mizuto went on the trip to Lake Biwa, Sonoko was busy with her job as Mizuto's story had become so popular on the website. In the beginning, when she showed his story to editorials, everyone was in doubt as there was no precedent that this type of story would be popular. Everyone wanted to take a safe bet by taking a normal route where the protagonist had a fluffy and warm love with the heroine.
Yet, when they read his story in the second volume, all of them quickly changed their minds and felt like this version was better.
Yes, what they did was nothing but betting, a speculation, something that no one knew whether it would succeed or not.
However, a light novel is like this.
As long as it was interesting, everything was okay.
Mizuto's story was interesting, and his illustrations were even more so.
By then, there was no hesitation, but they needed to warm up the market as Mizuto was still a new author, so they needed to make him famous first by uploading his story on their online literature website and making him the winner of the competition.
As expected, the result didn't disappoint them, or rather, it exceeded their expectations!
Moreover, with Mizuto's illustrations, many started to focus on his story even more and couldn't wait for the hard copy to be sold right away!
It was also due to the fact that the publisher had already prepared the pre-sales for the book, and the number of the pre-sales had already hit 50,000 copies!
With such sales, no one hesitated, and all of them went out, focusing their resources on their new golden goose.
Nevertheless, due to this success, Sonoko became busy even during the "Golden Week," which made her cry somehow. Yet, a human's habit was a scary thing. In the early years of work, she might not have been used to this schedule, but as she had worked quite a long time, she had gotten used to working on this unreasonable schedule.
Still, when she thought that it was a work written by her lover, she felt happy and excited, thinking that the man that she had chosen was amazing.
More importantly, even if her work might be a little unreasonable when the time came, she could visit Kyoto to visit him again.
Still, due to his success, Mizuto was definitely invited to Tokyo for the award ceremony, and by then—
Nevertheless, as much as she wanted to enjoy her imagination as she thought of his stay in Tokyo, someone couldn't let her as a straight, calm, yet powerful voice that forced people to accept unreasonable demands interrupted her.
"Machida-san, give me his contact information."
"..."
Sonoko looked at the young woman before her and sighed helplessly.
Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Like Mizuto, Utaha was also a writer under her.
Yet, unlike Mizuto, who was successful, Utaha was at her end since her novel might stop anytime soon as the sales weren't satisfactory. She might have signed a contract with the publisher, but if the sales of her book didn't increase and even decrease even further, then her light novel would be canceled.
Initially, she wanted to discuss the second volume of her story with Sonoko, but her thoughts changed when she saw the new author under Sonoko. She was unsatisfied and even jealous of this new author as she could see that the publisher's attention on this new author was so much that it made her quite resentful.
Was her story so uninteresting?
Utaha couldn't accept it, but when she read the story of this new author, she was blown away, and she understood why the publisher gave this new author so much importance. She understood that there was someone who was born with a talent, a monster, who came to this world to show people that all the hard work was meaningless and only talent was the most important.
While she was helpless, she didn't give up, especially when she knew the editor of this new author was also her editor, Sonoko Machida.
She didn't want her novel to end like this, to be canceled due to the sales, and bowed down to the power of commercials, so she wished to talk to this new author, wondering whether there was something that she could do to fix this situation.
Yet, Sonoko hesitated to tell Mizuto's contact to Utaha.
Yes, as her editor, Sonoko knew that she needed to help Utaha contact Mizuto as she felt like he could help Utaha with her novel, yet she didn't want Utaha to bother him as she knew that unlike Utaha, who was only a student, Mizuto was busy with many things.
For him, writing this novel was nothing but a small break during his busy time, but it was also because of this that they could meet each other.
Moreover...
Sonoko looked at Utaha, a beautiful, slim young woman with an alluring body and plump, soft thighs that were tightly wrapped in sleek and smooth black nylon stockings. While she didn't think that Mizuto would be tempted by Utaha, she was afraid that Utaha might be tempted by Mizuto.
Yet, during her hesitation, Utaha bowed her head as she begged desperately. "Machida-san, please..."
Watching Utaha, who bowed her head, Sonoko let out a helpless sigh and said, "Okay, Shi-chan, stop bowing your head. Let me ask him first. Unlike you, writing is only his side job."
"Thank you, Machida-san."
Utaha knew that her wish was selfish since she wasn't the only writer who was on the verge of being canceled, so why should she receive special treatment?
Nevertheless, she didn't want to give up, and fortunately, her effort bore fruit. While Sonoko couldn't give her an exact promise that she could have the new author's contact, she was glad to know that there was hope.
Still hearing her words, Utaha asked curiously, "By the way, how old is this new writer?"
"Hmm? Well, he is one year younger than you."
"....." Utaha.
"You mean... he is still a student?"
"Yes."
"Then, what is he busy with? Study?" Utaha asked weirdly. If what made this new author unable to contact her was only studying, then wasn't he just arrogant or cocky?
Utaha knew that her thoughts were quite rude, but she felt like studying wasn't hard and easy, so if this new author didn't want to contact her because he was busy with his studies, then it should be because he made an excuse.
Yet, she also knew that she didn't have a right to condemn him as he didn't have any obligation to help her either.
Still, when one was desperate, they would do anything.
It was like the story of "The Spider's Thread," a story of a robber who was given a chance to escape from hell by climbing a spider's thread.
The spider's thread appeared before her, and she wouldn't let go of this chance.
Yet, Utaha had to say that she was surprised by the fact that the writer of the story of "Your Saturn" was a high school student one year below her, which meant he was her underclassman, which made her quite helpless for some reason.
Sonoko looked at Utaha and said calmly, "Shi-chan, everyone is different, and like how no one expects you to write a light novel at your age, you won't expect what he is busy with either."
"What is he busy with then?" Utaha asked curiously.
However, Sonoko only smiled and didn't say anything.
"...."
Utaha's lips twitched, but this made her become even more curious about him. Still, if she couldn't meet him, and he refused to contact her, then there was only one thing that she could do.
Staring at Sonoko, who took her smartphone, Utaha made up her mind.
---
As for a new novel, don't expect me to write so soon. I have just finished Riser, and I want to rest.