After making up her mind, Eto returned the way she had come.
Fortunately, the passenger and driver were still arguing with the police, and since she hadn't gone far, she quickly slipped the wallet back to its original spot through the window.
Then, she walked away calmly, as if nothing had happened.
"I've returned the wallet. So, when do you plan to sign me?"
Back in front of Byakuya, Eto asked him directly.
She wanted to confirm whether he was genuine or just toying with her.
"If you're free, we can head to the publishing house right now to finalize the agreement" Byakuya replied.
"All right…"
Eto was a bit surprised; he was actually serious.
Byakuya then pulled Eto's manuscript out of his bag. "Would you like me to hold onto your manuscript for now, or should I give it back to you?"
When he held up the manuscript, Eto noticed it was now neatly packaged, making it easier to keep safe and organized.
She could sense his sincerity once again, and her trust in Byakuya grew slightly.
"Please keep it for me" Eto replied.
"Sure"
Byakuya gave a slight nod and put the manuscript back in his bag. Then, he headed toward the publishing house, with Eto silently following behind him.
From the outside, she looked like a sweet, innocent girl. No one would ever guess that she was the brutal, SSS rated ghoul One-Eyed Owl.
Only Byakuya, a traveler from another world, knew her true identity.
...
Byakuya and Eto arrived at Shoeisha Publishing. When Byakuya entered the office to get the contract, his colleague, Shunji, noticed.
"Byakuya, have you already found a writer you want to work with?"
"Yeah, it's the author of that manuscript you gave me earlier, Shunji. I think she has great potential" Byakuya replied.
"Oh…"
Shunji didn't process it immediately. "Wait, are you serious? She's a middle school student! And during your internship, your contract slots are limited. If you want to pass your evaluation, you can't afford to be too careless with each one."
It was a well-intentioned warning, as Shunji saw it as a possible waste of a contract. If this decision led to a loss, it could jeopardize Byakuya's internship.
But Shunji didn't realize that Eto was waiting just outside and had overheard their conversation.
She was unfazed by his lack of faith in her writing, but one comment caught her attention.
So, her manuscript could impact Byakuya's career…
"I understand, thank you for the advice, Shunji. But I still trust my instincts" Byakuya replied with confidence.
"...Fine, good luck, then"
Seeing Byakuya's determination, he didn't press further. After all, everyone goes through these high-spirited phases. With time, reality teaches us all.
But… just how old was Byakuya again?
Suddenly, Shunji recalled that Byakuya was only eighteen, extremely young for an editor. He was likely a rare talent, though still very young.
Once Byakuya prepared the contract, he left the office and found a place to sit with Eto for the signing.
Facing each other, Byakuya handed her the contract.
"Take a look through the details first" he said.
"All right…"
As she reviewed the contract, Eto was struck by the novelty of it. But as she read on, her expression changed subtly.
She realized that publishing costs were shared between the publisher and the author—and she only had two coins to her name.
It was a standard agreement. The only alternatives were self-publishing or solely funding the project herself, both common in the industry. But Eto hadn't researched this, and she had only hoped to earn some money from her writing.
"If there's anything you're unsure about, feel free to ask"
Byakuya's keen Mangekyo Sharingan insight easily picked up on her subtle shift, so he took the opportunity to address it.
"The contract mentions a shared publishing cost, but I… don't have any money" she admitted.
"No money…" Byakuya pretended to ponder for a moment. "Actually, that's no big issue. I can cover the publishing costs for you."
Eto was suddenly surprised, he was willing to go this far to help her.
Originally, she was willing to ignore how her work might affect his career because she desperately wanted the money. But his goodwill made her reconsider.
"Thank you... but are you sure? I overheard what that other person said. If things go wrong, it could cost you your job"
"It's fine. I have a lot of faith in both your writing and your potential. I trust my own judgment" Byakuya replied confidently.
He was well aware of Eto's future talent, she was destined to become a top writer. Besides, even if he lost this job, he only cared about completing his mission to gain attribute points.
Moreover, he was actually an undercover investigator from the CCG, placed at Shoeisha to gather intel on a particular ghoul. As long as his mission continued, he couldn't be dismissed.
"All right, I understand"
Since he had assured her, Eto put the matter out of her mind.
There was no reason for her not to sign the contract.
A short while later, they completed the signing.
Byakuya extended his right hand to Eto.
"Miss Yoshimura, I look forward to working with you"