Chapter 65: At Eighteen, Standing Like a Henchman
Although Shunsuke found Utaha's misfortune amusing, he was fiercely protective of his own.
Utaha was one of his people now.
He could bully her, make her suffer some setbacks, but a mere acquaintance—no matter how much of a genius girl author—absolutely could not.
"Ms. Akiyama Shinobu, if you don't believe me, here's my business card with my contact information. You're welcome to visit my home later and check out the original manuscript of my submitted work. It's definitely the best piece for the 'Literature Award.'"
Shunsuke handed over his business card.
In Japan, it was a necessity for working adults.
Even though he was just a high school student, as a semi-professional, he naturally had one of his own.
After handing the card to Natsuno, Shunsuke glanced at Utaha: Don't worry, Utaha. If she dares come, I'll make sure to punish her and get revenge for you.
"I don't have time to run around," Natsuno said impatiently after grabbing his business card and giving it a glance. "My place is at the top floor of that apartment building over there. Just tell security my name when you come."
Shunsuke followed her pointing finger toward the northeast of the station, where a massive luxury apartment stood.
In front of the building was a large fountain and garden.
In a city like Tokyo, where every inch of land was precious, especially near a station, this place must have cost a fortune.
But Shunsuke wasn't about to let her off easily. "I don't have time either. It's not like I begged you to prove yourself. Come if you want, or don't. I don't care."
"…Mr. Fujii, was it? I'll carefully review your work. Let's hope it doesn't disappoint me."
Natsuno glared at Shunsuke with an intensity that could almost be described as murderous.
In one piece haki terms, this was "conqueror's haki." But Shunsuke stood firm, completely unfazed, which made her somewhat believe in his confidence.
Her attitude softened slightly.
After those words, she didn't even finish her meal. She took the draft papers and left the restaurant immediately. From beginning to end, Natsuno never once acknowledged Utaha.
...
Eighteen years old.
A gathering of authors.
Standing there like a lackey.
Watching Utaha standing motionless with her head down, Shunsuke almost broke into song.
That said, after meeting Natsuno, there was something Shunsuke had to ask the system again.
"After death, human consciousness can transfer into a dog, humans and dogs can communicate through brainwaves, stalkers can train to master fictional techniques like the Nameless Fist and Hunter's Footwork… System, are you seriously telling me this is a normal world?"
[Yes, it is a normal world.]
Speechless.
...
After taking the time to console a rather dejected Utaha, Shunsuke even escorted her home.
However, since it was broad daylight instead of nighttime, there was no chance to trigger the classic, "My family isn't home. Would you like to come in for coffee?" scenario.
Checking the time, Shunsuke sent a message to Hiiragi Suzuna. Shortly after, she sent him an address.
Catching a taxi to the destination, Shunsuke stepped out and entered a hotel lobby, only to see Suzuna dressed to the nines, as if she were about to attend a high-society gala.
"Suzuna, what's with the get-up? Is this really necessary?"
Suzuna sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Didn't I already explain... never mind. Fujii-sensei, what you're wearing is fine. It's not formal attire, but you look presentable enough, and your face is pretty handsome. That'll do. Come with me."
"It's just some gambling, right? Why all the pomp? Anyone watching might think it's a big deal."
Shunsuke grumbled but obediently followed Suzuna.
They walked up to the second floor, heading down a corridor deep within.
The hallway was sealed off with no visible staircases on either side and seemed to end in a dead end.
Yet, in the middle of the corridor stood a door that was understated yet luxurious.
Suzuna approached the door and pressed against the wall beside it.
E A section of the wall, roughly the size of a tablet, receded inward before rising, revealing a keypad similar to an ATM.
With practiced ease, Suzuna keyed in a series of numbers. With a soft click, the door slowly opened, and the recessed wall section lowered back into place.
"Well, so this is your idea of a mid-level place, Suzuna?"
Shunsuke was a little surprised. Similar setups weren't unheard of back in his previous country, but over there, the approach was often more "grand"—entire buildings or districts were cordoned off, making entry impossible for outsiders, rather than hiding behind something so discreet.
Suzuna shot him an exasperated look. "I had to beg my editor for ages to get access to this place. It has a solid reputation, so you don't have to worry about shady dealings. And everything here is legit. If you get carried away, Fujii-sensei, I'll make sure to report that you're underage and have them throw you out."
"Yes, yes, thank you for your concern."
Shunsuke waved her off dismissively, though inwardly, he appreciated her efforts.
Suzuna genuinely cared about his well-being.
But speaking of her editor...
"So, your Publishing House has decided to invest in me?"
"Of course! This time, the Third Literary Department also had a decent work, but in the end, I managed to snatch it up. The chief editor is highly optimistic about Norwegian Wood. I've secured the best possible advance payment and royalty rate for you," Suzuna said, puffing out her chest with pride.
"Barring any surprises, Fujii-sensei—ah no, I should call you Nishio-sensei—your success is practically guaranteed."
"The literary world is truly cutthroat."
"Well, it's only because Nishio-sensei's work is exceptional. Otherwise, I wouldn't have fought so hard, and the editor-in-chief wouldn't have agreed."
Suzuna thought that Shunsuke, being young, might feel uneasy about the competitiveness, perhaps even thinking it was underhanded.
She considered comforting him. Little did she know, while Shunsuke might have grumbled aloud, he was secretly quite pleased.
As they chatted idly, the two entered through the grand doors, which closed slowly behind them.
"Welcome, honored guests. May I see your access cards, please?"
At the reception counter, the attendant greeted them politely.
Suzuna pulled a gold card out of her bag and handed it over. The attendant took it with both hands, scanned it, and returned it respectfully. "We hope you enjoy your time here."
Shunsuke then went to the exchange counter and swiped his card, converting one million yen into a single black-and-gold chip.
It was the highest denomination available in the general hall.
Higher denominations were reserved for the VIP area, where chips could be worth ten million or even a hundred million yen, though such stakes were rare.
The woman handling the exchange couldn't hide her surprise.
You're converting a million yen, but only into one chip?
What if you lose it all in one go?
Why not split it into chips of smaller denominations?
For someone who could afford to play at the million-yen level, one chip seemed oddly impractical.
But despite her internal skepticism, she maintained a professional demeanor, her smile unwavering.
Suzuna also didn't understand what Shunsuke was thinking.
Still, she hadn't wanted to bring him to this place in the first place.
If he lost it all in one go, they could leave quickly, so she chose not to comment.
Shunsuke, naturally aware of their thoughts, didn't bother explaining. Smiling, he toyed with the black-and-gold chip as he headed toward the dice table.
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