Chapter 64: Can Your Black-Haired, Straight-Laced Heroines Be a Little More Unique?
"Actually, Utaha, you could try your hand at writing youth romance literature. Your Metronome in Love was never a typical light novel in the conventional sense; otherwise, it wouldn't have struggled to sell initially."
"Your writing is meticulously crafted, but because you refuse to fully commercialize it and also haven't taken it to a higher level, you're stuck in a middle ground. That's why your early sales didn't do well."
"Even now, selling 500,000 copies across four volumes is a decent achievement for a rookie light novel author. But it doesn't match your true potential. Meanwhile, my per-volume average sales have already hit 500,000."
Because of their close relationship, Shunsuke spoke candidly.
However, his well-meaning advice went completely over Utaha's head. Her mind was elsewhere. "She—Akiyama Shinobu-sensei is a woman?"
Akiyama Shinobu, a rising star who made a powerful debut after winning multiple newcomer awards, was a mystery to most readers.
The main characters in their books were of both genders, but they had never participated in a signing event, claiming it was too much trouble.
As a result, Akiyama Shinobu's gender had remained ambiguous to fans.
Some readers argued that no woman would choose such an unappealing pen name.
Others countered that the delicate, nuanced writing couldn't possibly come from a man.
Both sides clashed endlessly with baseless theories, yet Shunsuke had just definitively referred to Akiyama as "she"?
Something was off—definitely off.
"Hmm?"
Nearby, a woman who was scribbling on paper while waiting for her meal also perked up her ears at the conversation.
Shunsuke sighed. "We share the same editor. It was Hiiragi-san who told me."
"Oh? Suzuna actually dared to leak my info?"
Just as Utaha was about to say something else, a voice interrupted her from behind.
The voice belonged to a young woman.
She wore thick black-rimmed glasses, a pitch-black coat paired with a mini skirt, black stockings, and black over-the-knee heeled boots.
Her long, jet-black hair reached her waist but was left casually unkempt.
She had an exquisite face, with alabaster skin and ruby-like eyes. Her entire look screamed "gothic beauty," enveloped in an aura of darkness.
If there was one flaw in this gothic beauty's appearance, it was her rather disappointing bust size—especially when compared to the full, proud figure of Utaha. The contrast only highlighted her… shortcomings.
"And you are?" Shunsuke feigned ignorance.
"Didn't you just mention me? I'm Akiyama Shinobu," the young woman introduced herself. "Normally, I wouldn't bother with distractions while writing. But judging from what you said, you're the one who schemed to snatch my direct recommendation for the Literary Award? I couldn't ignore that. You're like a cockroach—so irritating, interrupting my flow when I finally found inspiration."
---C-Cockroach?!
Shunsuke's brow twitched. Never in his life had anyone called him something like that. Was this woman always this aggressive?
Moreover...
---Yukinoshita Yukino, Natsuno Kirihime, and maybe even Mikazuki Yozora, if she even exists in this world… just like how blond tsunderes all follow the same template, black-haired, straight-laced heroines always seem to fall into the same archetypes: sharp-tongued, flat-chested, sadistic, with a "knife for a tongue but tofu for a heart."
---Can't the black-haired archetype have a bit more variety for once?!
---No, I've decided. I'm giving Senjougahara Hitagi a giant bust. Bigger than Hanekawa Tsubasa's… wait, maybe not. Second biggest in the series… no, third. Just slightly smaller than Hanekawa and Shinobu.
Sharp-tongued, wearing black stockings, sadistic, black-haired and straight-laced, red-eyed, a light novel author—facing two women whose overlapping traits outclassed even Senjougahara Hitagi, Shunsuke couldn't help but feel an overwhelming urge to vent his frustrations internally.
Meanwhile, Utaha was stunned into silence.
Facing this senior writer, she realized she had no way to compete apart from her figure. But comparing chest sizes between authors? That was way too embarrassing!
Even though they were likely the same age, the woman before her seemed like a future, fully matured pro version of herself.
The sheer presence of this person, Natsuno Kirihime, completely overwhelmed her.
It was like wearing the same outfit.
Wearing the same thing isn't scary—what's scary is if you look worse in it.
Against people like Mashiro and others, their differences in style made it hard to declare a winner, but when facing someone in the same "sequence" of traits, the higher-ranked individual's dominance was absolute and undeniable.
Seeing Shunsuke stay silent, Natsuno grew even more dissatisfied.
"Why so quiet? Cat got your tongue? Or are you too much of a coward to admit what you've done?" she demanded, her tone dripping with disdain.
Shunsuke had never been one to hold back with Utaha, and he certainly wasn't going to make an exception for this even more domineering woman.
He slowly picked up his juice, theatrically stirred it with a straw, and only after the woman's expression turned impatient did he nonchalantly respond, "Akiyama Shinobu-sensei, I haven't read your works, but I do know that Hiiragi-san, our editor, has a firm commitment to literature. Any competent writer would recognize that. If she ultimately chose me over you, it proves that in her eyes, my work is superior to yours. Complaining to me won't change that."
"You're better than me? Impossible."
Natsuno narrowed her eyes.
She was deeply proud of her talent—justifiably so.
A perfectionist in every sense, she held herself to the highest standards.
For example, to write a martial arts novel, she had painstakingly trained in martial arts until she could single-handedly fend off multiple attackers.
To write a culinary-themed action novel, she mastered cooking to the point of being capable of running her own restaurant.
To write a baseball novel, she practiced until her skills reached the pinnacle of amateur leagues.
The list went on.
Geniuses often carried an air of arrogance, and Natsuno was no exception.
As an all-rounder prodigy who had achieved so much before the age of twenty, it was no wonder she doubted anyone could surpass her.
In her mind, Shunsuke must have used underhanded tactics.
Before Shunsuke could respond to her aggressive questioning, Utaha couldn't help but interject, "Akiyama Shinobu-sensei, Fujii-sensei is also a well-known bestselling author. His achievements are on par with any of your works. Please show some dignity and stop clinging to this so stubbornly."
Natsuno shot Utaha a glance. "And who are you?"
"I'm Kasumi Utako, the author of Metronome in Love."
"Never heard of you. Must be some nobody."
With that, Natsuno turned away, ignoring her completely.
Utaha was so furious she was trembling.
She, Kasumigaoka Utaha—beautiful, elegant, academically accomplished, always ranked first in her grade since entering school, guaranteed admission to Keio University, and a successful high school debut as a light novel author—had always been the center of attention.
She had never been treated with such disdain in her life!
But as much as she wanted to argue, she couldn't deny that she was no match for this arrogant and overbearing woman.
That realization only made Utaha even angrier.
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