Chapter 3: Between a Fiancée and a Cohabitant (Not a Harem)
True, Toranosuke had said he would “announce and promote it.” But…
“…There’s a limit to these things.”
The conversation we had at the Kimisaka mansion was dancing across internet news sites.
15-Year-Old Creator Showdown! Charismatic JC Model MARIA vs. “The Sisters” Idol Ryo Takemi
Proxy War Erupts. WEB Platform vs. Paper Book: Who Will Win?
MARIA Takes on a Battle Staking Her Pride. Will KIMISAKAYA Bookstore Downsize if She Loses?
Idol Ryo Takemi is the Little Sister of Engineer Toranosuke Takemi!? The Brother-Sister Duo Instigates a Battle to Change the Industry
“You’ve screwed up on a lethally flashy scale, Hinosaka.”
My boss, Section Chief Mizuno, called out to me at my desk.
“It wasn’t my intention…”
“You’ve involved the general media to this extent, you’re cohabiting with the two main characters, and that’s what you say?”
…I have no room to argue.
MARIA vs. Ryo Takemi content showdown.
The contest starts in two months. The duration is one month.
MARIA will publish one paper book. Takemi will also prepare one book’s worth of WEB content.
During that period, they will settle the score based on how much profit each can generate from their respective content.
The creation of supplementary content related to the original is also permitted. For example, a separate special edition, sales of related merchandise, and revenue from events like handshake or autograph sessions can be included in the earnings.
However, anything straying too far from the original content will not be recognized. Judgments will be made by a Competition Committee (Representative: Renji Kimisaka) that will arbitrate the contest—these are the main rules.
Toranosuke aggressively promoted this contest, just as he declared he would.
“It’s already noisy enough with people saying digital comics have surpassed paper comics in sales. If you hype this up as a battle between paper books and e-books and then lose, the damage to the industry will be massive.”
“Surely the failure of just one distributor like me wouldn’t have that much of an impact…”
“If MARIA, who has higher name recognition, loses, they’ll say the cause of defeat is the paper book format. Besides, image is important. If MARIA’s book suffers a crushing defeat… she’ll be treated as ‘finished’.”
I audibly gulped.
“The fact that a talent like Toranosuke Takemi is involved is also huge.”
“Did you know about him?”
The blood relation between Toranosuke and Ryo, both active in their respective fields, was also reported by the media with surprise.
“I knew his name from business magazines. If Ryo Takemi wins, it will also give momentum to the new service Toranosuke Takemi is launching. To stem that tide… you cannot afford to lose.”
“…Aren’t you intentionally trying to put pressure on me?”
“I’m expecting great things from you. Win.”
With a smile, Section Chief Mizuno patted my shoulder.
“If you do, you might just avoid getting transferred to the countryside.”
“Are you planning to demote me!?”
“Were things cheap in Siberia again?”
“Overseas!? And do you even have such an obvious place for exile!?”
“Jokes aside, though.”
Jokes from a person with authority over personnel affairs are no laughing matter.
“This is a chance for you, isn’t it? The second publishing project for MARIA has become easier to sell with all this attention. It’s convenient for the projects you’re currently working on, too.”
Finding a new form for bookstores—that was the new proposition assigned to me.
Leaving me with the worst kind of threat—”I won’t forgive you if you lose”—Section Chief Mizuno headed to a meeting.
“Looks like this is going to be a super important crossroads in your life, Senpai~.”
Senga, who had been staring at her PC, looked up.
“But seriously, even though the management and Ryo-rin succeeded perfectly in putting out the fire of her scandal… why are you hyping it up instead!? What do you want to do with The Sisters, Senpai!?”
“Senga. We’re at work. Calm down.”
“It was moving to hear her wonderful answer, ‘He is my brother by blood, but he is not my brother. My brothers are… my fans nationwide!’ to the question, ‘Why didn’t you stay with your older brother if you have one?’!”
“Just do your work.”
“I don’t want to hear that from someone who’s just looking at photos of his fiancée while at work.”
“This is absolutely work. I’m selecting photos to put in the book.”
I was in the middle of sorting through hundreds of photos of MARIA.
“Moreover, while cohabiting with both of them… you’re helping make MARIA’s book, meaning you’re turning against Ryo-rin, Senpai! I don’t understand the meaning of this!”
“I agree that the situation is hard to understand.”
Why do the two of them still need to stay at my house?
Both are working right in front of their rival, which means showing their hand to the enemy.
Regarding that, I was met with protests like:
“I don’t want to do anything cowardly like a surprise attack.” “I will openly show my hand.” “I want to fight fair and square.” “I won’t allow anyone to get a head start.”
And so, I folded.
Since it’s already been exposed to the public anyway, continuing to cohabit now won’t really change the situation much.
“But Ryo-rin and MARIA-chan, who can help each other out when they’re in trouble due to circumstances, and furthermore elevate each other as rivals, are wonderful friends…!”
Staring off into the distance with sparkling eyes, Senga is probably imagining something precious, but…
My home, where I returned after finishing work.
It’s supposed to be a place where I live alone, but I’m currently cohabiting with two middle school girls.
And now that a content showdown between the two has been decided…
“Thank you for tuning in again today. Everyone’s little sister, the singing, dancing, and ‘writing’ intellectual idol, Ryo Takemi.”
Just as I heard that voice from the left…
“Hiii, MARIA here~. Is everyone watching~?”
Another voice came from the right.
Both were facing their respective laptops with cameras.
The two of them were live streaming from my house.
Since the doors were left open, I could observe them from the dining room.
“It’s been decided that I will battle MARIA-chan. MARIA-chan’s first photo & essay book became a bestseller, so she is undoubtedly a formidable opponent. But I will use my own power… to defeat MARIA-chan!”
Ryo, who was streaming, was dressed more neatly than usual.
“Digital content is convenient~, and it’s easy to deploy services~, it’s a good thing. But with the power of books and above all, the power of our ‘love’, we will win, okay?”
In contrast, Arisa—MARIA—wore flashy makeup.
Her eyelashes were voluminous, and she made full use of ash-brown color contacts. Using extensions, her hair transitioned from chestnut brown to a golden blonde gradient at the tips. Furthermore, it was loosely permed and tied into twin tails.
Her clothes were also exposing enough to make one worry. To exude this much sex appeal at fifteen…
“My essay collection, which will be entirely newly written, will be finished to the highest quality.”
“My second work will have fewer photos and focus more on essays~. Or rather, it’s an essay collection. I’m confident in it, so you can look forward to it~.”
Separated only by a single fusuma, the two of them appealed their respective works.
They could probably hear each other’s voices too.
Sneaking around so as not to disturb them, I retrieved my own PC and turned it on.
Accessing their live streams, MARIA had over ten thousand viewers. Ryo also counted seven thousand.
“Now it’s time for the Q&A corner from everyone. We’ve received a lot, but… there are many related to the cohabitation and MARIA-chan…”
“What’s the situation now, you ask? Well~… it’s like this.”
MARIA slid the fusuma open, showing Ryo on camera.
“Ah, hey! Could you not film me without permission!?”
“But they’re definitely expecting it. I’ll get in the shot over there too. Here, a collab~.”
“Without permission again!? There’s absolutely no expectation for that. Come on, hurry up and go back to your side.”
“‘Ryo-rin’s way of speaking is different from usual, isn’t it? Refreshing!’, they say. See, they’re happy~.”
“You’re the one whose way of speaking is completely different, aren’t you!? It’s a sudden change on the level of a different person!? I seriously doubted if you were the same person!”
I perfectly understand Ryo’s shock.
“I mean, for someone advocating the restoration of paper books, aren’t you utilizing IT a bit too much!?”
“I’m not exactly an anti-technology person or anything~. I just love books and bookstores~.”
I understand feeling unconvinced given the premise of the contest, but in this day and age, choosing not to use IT at all is impossible.
“Ah, ‘Are you two streaming together today?’ they ask. We’re already talking normally together, so should we take the plunge and make today a collab day? What do you all think~?”
Spurred on by MARIA, I could see many comments from fans on my PC as well.
[Been waiting for this!] [I knew you’d do it] [Is it true you’re at the same school as MARIA-chan?] [Please extend the broadcast time!]
Since both of them are active in video streaming and SNS, the fans seemed to have anticipated it to some extent.
“Does your character change when your outfit changes…? I’m against easy collabs, by the way.”
“Even though everyone is so excited. Well, if you’re scared of doing a collab and losing, it can’t be helped~.”
Ryo’s expression changed at MARIA’s provocation.
“I’m… afraid of losing to you? I can’t let that slide!”
The fact that they both hate losing makes this a truly good match.
“I won’t lose to you anymore. No matter what kind of contest it is.”
“Have you ever beaten me at anything?”
[A skirmish?] [It’s getting exciting] [This is totally pro wrestling just to sell the two of them, right]
Comments on SNS were also starting to increase. It seemed there were viewers flowing in from SNS as well.
“So, shall we have a showdown in a collab~? What should we do~.”
“Then… how about a cooking battle.”
“Please don’t do that. It’ll cause a real accident.”
MARIA’s face turned completely serious.
Cooking is absolutely a no-go for Ryo.
“Oh, ‘Are you streaming from the rumored cohabitation place?’ they ask~. Yes, we are~. If you want, maybe we should have Kenichi-san make an appearance too~.”
“Hey, don’t.”
As I spoke out, my voice was carried on the broadcast with a slight delay and echoed from the PC.
“Alright. If you don’t mind, how about we let you judge the contest?”
“I wonder if it’s okay, since Kenichi-san will surely favor me, his fiancée~.”
“No. He would absolutely never do such a thing. He’s a sincere person.”
“…That phrasing somehow makes me feel cautious. I think I’ll have you understand your standing around here again. You are, after all… not someone with the caliber to become the legal wife!”
“No, Ryo is just staying over as Arisa’s friend…”
Sensing a dangerous flow, I tried to interject, but…
“Shall I show you my power as a cohabitation partner?”
There was no stopping the two who were now riding the momentum.
“It’s a contest to see who can satisfy Kenichi-san more, right?”
“So it’s a serving contest.”
“First of all, let’s stop using misleading expressions!”
[Envious and outrageous] [Punish the brute making JCs serve him] [He used up a lifetime’s worth of luck, so he’ll probably die early] —Having been bashed to death on the internet with such comments, I practically begged the two of them to give an explanation to clear up the fans’ misunderstandings.
After the stream ended, the two of them set to work on the crucial task of creating their works.
Sitting across from each other at the low table, they stared at their respective laptops.
“I want to have the showdown right away, but doesn’t it take too long for a paper book to be published?”
Ryo said with a sigh.
“With the web, I can publish it right this second, you know? Pointless time lags aren’t trendy nowadays.”
Ryo continued operating the screen while talking.
“What are you doing now?”
Being in the same room, her work naturally caught my eye, and I was curious about her activities.
“I’m releasing one of the essays I’m including this time to the paid users of my blog.”
“Is it okay to treat it as the final draft at this stage?”
“I never said I wouldn’t revise it. Rather, I have everyone look at it, and then I make additions and corrections.”
“The so-called beta release method, huh.”
In Ryo’s case, the audience is limited to premium fans who pay a monthly subscription, and she can offer those paid users the premium perk of “reading the manuscript before it’s finished.”
By incorporating reader feedback, she can also polish the work. It’s truly killing two birds with one stone.
“Hmm~, I can’t think of any good sentences~. Mmm~.”
In contrast, Arisa—or rather, judging by her current appearance, MARIA—was…
“Kenichi-san, pour me some tea and massage my shoulders for now, would you?”
“Are you an author from the olden days?”
Well, I don’t actually know if authors from the olden days made people around them do chores, though.
“Ehh~, otherwise I can’t write the rest~. You’ll be in trouble too if I don’t write, right, Kenichi-san?”
“We’d both be in trouble. Anyway, there’s only one thing I can say.”
I stared at MARIA, who tilted her head, asking “What?”. Damn it, she’s cute.
“Write. Just write.”
“So mean!? Making a sweet, innocent girl work until this hour~”
“You’re the only one who can write it.”
“I said this earlier, but why do you talk like that when you’re dressed like that!?”
I completely understand why Ryo wants to retort.
“When I dress as ‘MARIA’, ‘MARIA’ descends upon me, you see~.”
“Ryo. You have a look of incomprehension on your face, but please get used to it. They’re the same person, but in a way, she’s a different person from Arisa. Apparently, the essay writing doesn’t progress well unless she’s dressed like this.”
“It’s strictly MARIA’s essay, after all~. There’s no point if MARIA doesn’t write it, you know~. Kenichi-san, ice cream.”
“You’ve gotten quite arrogant, giving orders with just single words!”
The gap between this and Arisa, who usually wants to fuss over me, is bewildering, but lately, I’m starting to accept it as just a quirk.
“…Yeah, today’s no good! I~ quit!”
MARIA took a few selfies with a click click and headed for the changing room.
“I’m taking a ba~th.”
MARIA disappeared, free-spirited as ever.
When she comes out, she’ll probably be the usual Arisa.
“She’s amazing…”
I agreed with Ryo’s muttered comment.
“Yeah. Her character is intense when she becomes MARIA.”
“Not that, I mean she has new ingenuity in her makeup. I’m sure she’ll upload the selfies later, but you can feel her evolving daily… And yet, I’m…”
Ryo pressed and held a key on her keyboard for a while, then closed her laptop.
To me, it looked like she was erasing the sentences she had written with the “Backspace” key.
“…That’s right, I have to solve Kimisaka-san’s problem at school too. That was our promise…”
“You’re trying to help solve the problem of Arisa not going to school, right?”
That was the price Ryo proposed before we started cohabiting.
“…Yes.”
Ryo doesn’t just see Arisa as a rival…
“Actually, I’ve been making a few moves regarding that matter myself.”
Because I got busy with the contest against Ryo, we hadn’t talked about it in-depth since then.
It’s not persuasive to just tell her to go to school without fully grasping the circumstances.
“Once I decide how to move, I might borrow your strength, Ryo. So, I’m counting on you.”
Ryo nodded with a “Yes,” but she seemed lacking in energy.
She puts up a front during streams and when Arisa is around, but deflates when it’s over.
Thinking about what she’s worried about, there can really only be one reason.
“About what you said… that terrible things happen to you when you return home.”
I asked again about the primary reason I decided to shelter her.
“Is that true?”
Ryo’s shoulders jolted.
“Your brother is eccentric, but he didn’t seem like a bad person. It looked like he cared about you.”
With a brother like that around, would there be a major problem at home?
“That’s—”
The doorbell rang.
Who could it be this late at night? But I figured out their identity immediately.
『Hey! Ryo—! Open up!』
I dashed to the entrance to stop the loud shouting that was a nuisance to the neighbors, and opened the door.
“Whoops, oh! We meet again, Kenichi! Ryo too!”
It was Toranosuke Takemi, wearing his trademark round glasses and T-shirt.
“How do you know where my house is?”
“There’s nothing you can’t find out if you have money.”
Don’t say scary things…
“Brother, what did you come here for? You’re being a nuisance.”
Ryo greeted her biological brother with a displeased attitude.
“Well, I said it was okay to get advice, but you haven’t relied on me at all.”
“I’ll ask if I need to, so could you not do unnecessary things…?”
“S-Sorry, Ryo. I intend to keep my promise, and I don’t mean to intrude…”
“Then why are you here? Hmm? You’re being a nuisance to Hinosaka-san too, right?”
“I-I had to tell you something bad! It’s probably going to happen soon! He said he’d call around this time…”
A cheerful idol song-style ringtone played. It was Ryo’s smartphone.
“Aren’t you going to answer it? Ah, do you not want to be heard?”
“Ryo, that’s…”
Ryo was acting strange.
She didn’t move an inch, just holding her smartphone.
“It’s Dad, right? I’ll answer it.”
The person calling was Ryo’s father?
“No… I’ll answer it. It’s fine if Hinosaka-san is here too.”
Ryo tapped her smartphone and held it slightly away from her face. It seemed she switched to a video call.
“…Hello.”
『I hear you’re having a contest, heavily involving the public?』
What I heard was a cold, weighty male voice.
“Yes, that’s right.”
『And as an ‘author’ without talent, no less. Are you planning to expose your shame?』
“I will win. I will win and prove my power.”
Ryo was trembling slightly. Her voice was also pitched high.
『How many times have you said the same thing? And every time, you haven’t left much in the way of results.』
“Dad. Ryo has produced results, you know?”
『Are you there too, Toranosuke? Doing unnecessary things again.』
He spoke as if to shut down Toranosuke, who had cut in.
『Are those results something that shows overwhelming talent like Toranosuke’s? They aren’t, are they?』
“That’s…”
『In the first place, you can’t even beat Arisa Kimisaka, who goes to the same school. She’s MARIA, isn’t she? I hear you’re losing to her in popularity in your entertainment activities too. I’ve told you many times to quit being an author and an idol if you can’t even become a frog in a well.』
“No. Because I… am going to be an author.”
『It’s impossible. You have no talent, so quit. Come home right now.』
“…No.”
Ryo shook her head ‘no’ like a young child.
『Enough of this! We must proceed with preparations for you to study abroad! Is this the time to be infatuated with being an author or an idol!』
Whether from frustration or sadness, Ryo trembled and looked down.
“Dad. Ryo is working hard too. So just a little more…”
『You’re not the one who thinks you’ll be forgiven just because you’re working hard, are you?』
I haven’t properly heard the circumstances, so I can only imagine.
But somehow, I was beginning to understand the reason Ryo ran away from home.
It wasn’t violence. In fact, he might be saying the right things.
But to Ryo—it must be a ‘terrible thing’.
“Ryo-san is amazing. Even looking at it from a third-party perspective.”
“H-Hinosaka-san?”
『…Who is that?』
“My name is Kenichi Hinosaka. I am living together with Ryo-san’s friend, MARIA.”
I moved to a position where my face would be visible on the smartphone.
At the same time, I could see the other person’s face. He had a ruggedly sexy face like a Hollywood movie actor, and a close-cropped haircut suited him perfectly without feeling out of place. As expected of the parent of the beautiful Ryo, I suppose.
『I am Keiji Takemi. I am the president of Daiichi Hikari Shoji.』
I was at a loss for words. I never imagined such a company name would come up.
Daiichi Hikari Shoji is the core company of a major conglomerate group.
If he was the president of such a company, he was a hyper-elite far beyond my reach.
I wondered why such a big shot again, but the school Arisa and the others attend is a super prestigious girls’ school. There must be many people from extraordinary family backgrounds.
『If I recall… the crazy man who declared his engagement to a middle school girl.』
Me (an ordinary salaryman), recognized by a person of such status.
“…Yes.”
I was extremely hesitant to affirm it, but I swallowed my tears to move the conversation forward.
“As a result, I am living with Ryo-san, but I am properly taking care of her, so—”
『I see. I will pay the money for the lodging expenses later. Including a nuisance fee.』
I braced myself for more trouble, but he just replied dryly without even criticizing me.
『So, what is it? Interrupting a conversation between parent and child.』
“…Ryo-san has talent. Enough to be recognized by a capable editor.”
『I will never find potential in the professions of an author and an idol with hardly any future prospects. Unless there is overwhelming talent, that is.』
I was cut down decisively.
“Isn’t it too early to say she doesn’t have talent yet?”
『It’s out of the question if she can’t even beat Arisa Kimisaka, who is right near her.』
“Arisa… MARIA has outstanding popularity and charisma among teenagers. Just fighting her evenly is amazing enough.”
『What is your objective?』
Keiji Takemi intimidated me.
“I just want to support Ryo-san. I believe that will surely be for Ryo-san’s sake too.”
『I’m not exactly dismissing Ryo’s will. I’m just telling her to produce results. And I’ve already given her chances many times. Isn’t that right?』
“…I’ll make this my true last chance.”
Her voice was filled with a sense of tragedy.
『I heard something similar before. If you don’t stop this nonsense, I will report your running away from home to the police. If that happens, it will cause trouble for various people, you know? Especially that young man there; one wrong move and it’s a kidnapping charge.』
“Don’t cause trouble for Hinosaka-san!”
『Then hurry up and come back!』
“I will retire if I lose this contest!”
『…What?』
“If I lose, I will retire from both being an author and an idol. And, I will study abroad.”
Her expression was filled with far too much resolve. I too was about to stop her with “That’s—” but I couldn’t find the next words.
“This is why my little sister is… damn it. She’s trying too hard to look cool…”
『You’ll retire if you lose the contest. From both being an author and an idol.』
“It means I’m laying it all on the line with my back against the wall, and I will definitely win. I have no intention of losing.”
Faced with her resolute determination, I couldn’t interject.
『Well said! That is exactly what a member of the Takemi family should be!』
His deep voice echoed throughout the room even through the speaker.
『If you say you will challenge the contest under those conditions, I will grant you a reprieve. I will wait to bring you back as well.』
“I understand.”
『Ryo, if you lose, you retire. That’s a promise, right?』
Without even stating what would happen if she won, the call ended.
The room suddenly grew quiet.
“I’m sorry… Ryo. If only I could have successfully persuaded him at home.”
“My brother hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“…Are you sure? Your old man was serious.”
“Of course. This was the only way anyway.”
Ryo took a resolute attitude, but to me, it only looked like she was pushing herself.
“…I’m sorry. I ended up showing you something strange…”
“When you said terrible things happen to you at home, it doesn’t seem like it was about being subjected to violence.”
“I spoke ambiguously and caused a misunderstanding… I’m sorry.”
But there was a reason Ryo ran away from home, a reason she felt was terrible.
“My father is thinking about my future in his own way.”
Ryo said, as if she had reached an enlightenment.
“But still, that was too much.”
“It’s fine. Like my father said earlier, I was given many chances.”
Ryo raised her face, wearing an expression of resignation unsuited for a middle schooler.
“The problem is that I have no talent.”
“If you can write sentences at a level where you can charge money at fifteen, you have an insane amount of potential, don’t you?”
“Even compared to MARIA, do I have ‘talent’?”
“Ryo, you definitely have talent!”
“Sis-con Brother, things will just get complicated right now, so could you please be quiet?”
“Ah, yes.”
After coolly shutting down her brother, Ryo asked me.
“Do you feel… potential?”
I actually read some of Ryo’s writing.
It’s well-written, so skillfully that it’s hard to believe a fifteen-year-old wrote it.
To begin with, I’m not a professional bookmaker, so I can’t give proper criticism.
But right now, based on my own reading experience, if asked which one makes me feel a vague sense of ‘talent’, I would definitely answer MARIA.
Ryo isn’t bad either. But… something is missing.
Ryo seemed to take my silence as an answer.
“Unless you have talent that is overwhelmingly recognizable as such, you can’t definitively say you have future prospects as a creator. It’s become easy for anyone to put themselves out into the world, and precisely because of that, it’s become an era where it’s difficult to make a living solely as a creator.”
Opportunities have expanded.
But perhaps because of that, it has become a world that demands talent even more.
“Was my backup plan a mistake…? But Future Creator System is a good mechanism, you know…?”
“You just do what you think is right, Brother. You haven’t made any mistakes.”
“Yeah! Got it!”
Toranosuke was like a child in front of Ryo. Is this a true genius?
“The reason I say I’m aiming for a new form of author is ultimately because you can’t beat talented people with orthodox methods.”
“Aren’t you being too quick to conclude that?”
The flexibility to judge that a frontal assault is difficult and try to attack from a different angle. Furthermore, the ability to take action on it. Any of these is enough to make one feel Ryo’s extraordinary nature.
“I have my brother right here, who kept producing results under the same conditions and advanced on his desired path.”
The existence of a genius to be compared to, far too close to her.
“Because I’m too much of a genius, Ryo is… But I can’t help being a genius…”
“Brother. I’m starting to want to punch you, so could you seriously be quiet?”
Ryo’s temple was twitching with a smile on her face.
“Because I have no talent. But I still have a dream. So I have to produce results. By myself. That’s why I will win this contest—”
“You know, I kind of ended up listening from the middle.”
Arisa returned from the bath, having transformed back from her MARIA mode.
Steaming and radiating warmth, Arisa protected her body with only a bath towel. It was an incredibly dangerous outfit, but… I ended up missing the chance to warn her.
“If I win this, doesn’t that make me the bad guy? I’d be driving Ryo Takemi into retirement, right?”
I understand Arisa’s hesitation too.
“Please don’t worry about it.”
But Ryo remained resolute.
“Even though I had almost no possibilities to begin with, by having this contest, I was able to grasp a final chance. Rather, I’m grateful.”
Even going so far as running away from home, Ryo snatched that possibility.
“I will properly win that contest, and I will carve out my future with my own hands. Winning because you went easy on me here would be meaningless.”
Nobody goes easy on a test just because they want the other person to score higher, right? Ryo said.
“So come at me seriously.”
Ryo pointed at Arisa.
“You have a reason you must win too, don’t you?”
“I can’t lose either, so I won’t hold back. I won’t let anyone say that books and bookstores are finished.”
Arisa put her left hand on her hip while holding the bath towel with her right.
Even though she was wearing only a single piece of cloth, Arisa looked as perfectly poised as a goddess.
“Talent against talent, pride clashing with pride… Nice! I’m fired up!”
Toranosuke also seemed unable to contain his excitement.
This place, where everyone is about to fight with pride, is too dazzling.
The word talent is cruel.
It’s a very abstract concept, and you don’t know if you have the talent you desire. Even if you can’t see it now, you can’t definitively say there is no possibility, and even if it’s truly something you can never obtain, you end up chasing after it.
And yet, the existence of those who possess it can be recognized even by onlookers.
Regarding this contest, Ryo is a rival.
But inadvertently, towards her, who tightens her lips and tries to stand up against Arisa—.
“Can I be honest?”
“Eh… I don’t want to… …No, go ahead.”
At my words, Ryo looked nervously frightened.
“I want to support Ryo incredibly much.”
Is there anyone who wouldn’t want to support a girl trying to stand up against the wall of talent?
“Wait a minute, Kenichi-san!? What about me…”
“Arisa, listen to the end.”
Stopping Arisa, I continued.
“That’s something I couldn’t do. So I respect Ryo, who takes it on without hesitation.”
I open the lid on memories I rarely recall nowadays.
“I belonged to a literary circle in college. So it’s not like I’ve never written a novel, and since I wrote, naturally I dreamed of becoming an author.”
Anyone who loves books probably thinks about wanting to write themselves at least once, right?
“Is that so…”
Arisa was also a little surprised.
“But I quickly gave up, realizing I had no talent. Because I had a genius, Lemon Tsuta, right next to me.”
Feeling the overwhelming difference in talent, I naturally realized becoming an author was impossible.
“Because I have that element of emotional projection, I’ll make this clear.”
Since I voiced my desire to support her, I can’t do things halfway.
“I won’t pull any punches in the contest. I’m going to win with MARIA.”
I say this looking into Ryo’s clear eyes.
“…Of course.”
Ryo also didn’t avert her eyes from mine.
“With Kenichi-san’s power, I have the strength of a hundred people! I will definitely win!”
“Don’t underestimate Ryo’s latent power! We’re the ones who will win!”
Girls continuing to fight towards their dreams.
A genius who can contribute to the world just by doing what he loves.
Amidst all that, what can I do—having given up on competing with my own talent and living as a creator, ending up in the position of a distributor?
Chatter, chatter.
The rate of middle school girls (JCs) in the hallway in front of me, where such sound effects seemed to echo, was an astonishing 100%.
And naturally so, since I am inside the school building of a highly renowned private girls’ junior and senior high school.
Even though I properly checked in at the reception and had a visitor’s pass hanging around my neck, I felt extremely out of place.
It felt like I was defiling a secret garden…
Perhaps an unfamiliar man stands out; the middle school girls kept shooting me fleeting glances.
Occasionally, they blatantly ran away. It’s a little shocking…
“—Hinosaka-san?”
“What a coincidence.”
“…This is our school, you know?”
Ryo Takemi, in her school uniform, replied with a surprised face.
This is Ryo’s, and thus Arisa’s, school.
“What are you doing here in the middle of a weekday…? Could it be… you got fired from your company?”
“I didn’t get fired. I took a half-day off.”
How rude.
“Because someone was sneaking around the edge of the hallway, you looked like a suspicious person.”
“Even though I’m an incredibly safe person.”
“Aren’t you actually the most dangerous person, considering middle schoolers are your strike zone?”
That’s right… Maybe the girls who avoided me earlier recognized me too…
“So, what did you come here for? Looking around restlessly like that since earlier… are you appraising the goods?”
“Of course not. I just can’t calm down.”
I did think there were more cute girls than at a normal school, as expected of a prestigious girls’ school, but…
“Shall I report you to Kimisaka-san?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary at all! Seriously, I’m keeping this a secret from Arisa for now, so…”
“I’m joking. Anyway, about you two.”
“What about the two of us?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Ryo’s retirement hangs on the contest between Arisa and Ryo.
It’s a heavy condition, but perhaps they’re trying not to be conscious of it, as there’s no change in their everyday behavior.
They are each doing what they need to do. …At my house.
“As for what I came here for, I got some time to talk with a teacher at the school regarding Arisa.”
“Ah, that thing you said you were making a move on the other day…”
In the eyes of society, I have the title of Arisa’s fiancé.
Partly because of that, I received permission to meet with the teacher as Arisa’s proxy guardian.
“Umm, Takemi-san~.”
One girl casually interrupted our conversation.
She was a somewhat modern-looking girl, characterized by her curled hair.
A short distance away, there were two other girls who seemed to be her companions.
“Could this person be, like, that fiancé of MARIA?”
“…Yes, it’s Hinosaka-san.”
“Whoa, so this is that loli… perv… person who got famous on that internet TV~.”
I found out what I’m normally called by middle school girls. How sad…
“And~, Takemi-san is living with them right now, right?”
“Due to circumstances, I’m staying with them.”
Ryo responded with a stiff attitude to the overly familiar girl.
“That’s totally cohabiting. Isn’t that crazy~”
The “isn’t that crazy~” just now probably meant “amazing” in tone.
“Ah, MARIA is Arisa Kimisaka from our school, right~?”
The girl asked me.
“That’s right. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t write about it on the internet, though.”
“I won’t~. But anyone who already knew that girl is the heir to KIMISAKAYA Bookstore will figure it out, you know?”
“That can’t be helped.”
Fortunately, there haven’t been any articles revealing which school MARIA attends yet.
“It’s amazing that MARIA is at the same school, right~.”
The girl turned back and sought agreement from the two behind her.
“Right~” “I have to get her autograph next time.”
Is it because she’s treated like this that it’s become difficult for Arisa to come to school?
I was shown into a reception room within the school.
“I am Kimisaka-san’s homeroom teacher, Koizumi.”
He was a slender male teacher in his twenties.
“To get straight to the point, I want Arisa Kimisaka to come to school.”
The school accepted the appointment from me.
“Originally, this isn’t something to discuss with anyone other than an official guardian, but… given the circumstances. This time, I’ll speak with Hinosaka-san.”
Koizumi kept glancing at me with probing eyes.
I couldn’t help but feel his transparent thought: So this is the lolicon who declared his marriage to a middle schooler.
“Actually, we’ve been at a loss as to what to do as well. Even if we try to take action, Kimisaka-san’s grandfather won’t deal with us at all.”
“As expected, that’s one of the causes.”
What did President Kimisaka think about Arisa being enrolled but not attending school? I asked him too, but…
Apparently, If Arisa doesn’t want to go, I don’t particularly mind. She doesn’t have to attend school.
I was worried if she’d be okay to advance to the next grade without attending at all, but apparently, since President Kimisaka makes large donations, her advancement is guaranteed.
“Originally, it probably would have just been left as is… But thanks to Kimisaka-san drawing attention, the situation changed.”
“Thanks to her drawing attention, meaning?”
“I don’t want to phrase it like this, but if it gets out to the public that she hasn’t been coming to school, wouldn’t that look bad for both you, Hinosaka-san, and the school? We’ll get bashed, you know?”
That’s not hard to imagine.
If a child is not fulfilling their compulsory education, the people involved become targets of criticism.
“The school also wants to avoid this becoming public and being criticized.”
“I hate being criticized too. Just…”
Just, I felt compelled to say this.
“Saying you want her to come to school because it’s inconvenient for the adults is wrong, isn’t it?”
“Exactly! I think so too!”
Even though I intended to pick a fight, Koizumi stood up and leaned forward.
“…E-Excuse me.”
Ahem, Koizumi cleared his throat and took a seat.
“I’m a newbie at this school, yet I’ve been put in charge of third-year students, and I’m at my limit every day… Ah, that was irrelevant. I’m sorry.”
Koizumi bowed his head.
“I wanted to do something about Kimisaka-san, but her guardian is indifferent, and since her advancement is already decided, the school doesn’t want to bring it up and would rather leave her alone, something like that. She herself doesn’t seem to be acting out and looks fulfilled every day… Wait, is getting engaged at this age acting out…? Ah, excuse me.”
“No, I’m the one who put her in this complicated situation, so.”
I’m starting to see the school’s circumstances little by little.
“For me, I think it would be best if it became a situation where she wants to attend school. So if you could lend me your support, Sensei.”
I have no intention of telling her to go to school unilaterally. But if there’s a problem, I wanted to solve it for her.
“Of course!”
He seems like a naive and serious teacher.
Regardless of the school’s stance, having a cooperative homeroom teacher is a big deal.
“But if it comes to that… I suppose we really should properly investigate the cheating incident.”
“Cheating incident?”
『Today, we have an announcement from Takemi-san of The Sisters.』
A music segment on a certain local terrestrial variety show.
『Yes, I’m the singing, dancing, and “writing” intellectual idol of The Sisters, Ryo Takemi.』
『You really always make sure to do that self-introduction, don’t you?』
Laughter erupted in the studio.
Ryo was wearing a black sailor-suit-like outfit, matching the other members appearing with her.
『I am active as a WEB author in parallel with being an idol. I’m releasing a new work next month, and I’ll be having a sales showdown with a paper book by MARIA-san, who is active as a model!』
『An official sales showdown is rare, isn’t it~.』
『There’s also the theme of which is superior, digital content or paper books.』
『E-books have really permeated society, haven’t they~. Actually, I’ve been reading comics on my smartphone lately.』
『Digital content isn’t just convenient for readers, it also has huge merits for creators. Books never go out of print.』
『Oh~, so will the number of authors publishing digitally instead of on paper increase from now on?』
『I think so. Above all, the biggest appeal is that through the WEB, anyone can become a creator immediately, starting today.』
『When you think about it like that, it makes you feel like paper books are a bit outdated, doesn’t it.』
『I would be happy if many people got to experience e-books through this opportunity. For more details, please check our official homepage. You can also read a sample of my work!』
Text was displayed on the screen, and Ryo pointed to it along with the other members.
The song performance would be later, so the program moved on to another segment.
“You managed to get quite a lot of time.”
“Saying ‘it makes you feel like paper books are a bit outdated’! Grrr!”
Arisa’s IQ occasionally drops when books and bookstores are involved.
“Still, being able to guide people to the next action immediately after being introduced on TV is the strength of digital content. With ours, it requires the extra step of actually going to a bookstore.”
“The wall between free and paid is high. Especially with digital content you can view on a smartphone, many people feel like it should naturally be free. But… if Ryo Takemi keeps promoting it like this, we might be in for a tough fight.”
Ugh, Arisa groaned, crossing her arms.
“The Sisters have a new song release too, so they’re appearing on TV a lot.”
The start date of the showdown, meaning the release date of both their books, was approaching next month.
For us in particular, time was running out because we needed time for bookbinding.
In that regard, Ryo, who can make revisions right up until just before release—and even after release, for that matter—had the advantage.
In fact, compared to Arisa, who was swamped with deadlines and overwhelmed just trying to write, Ryo was smoothly making announcements on TV and other media.
That being said, Ryo, who also attended school, had greater time constraints, so we couldn’t use that as an excuse.
“Whenever it’s picked up on TV or the internet, the tone is always ‘Expectations for a new form of books’…! I bet Toranosuke Takemi is instigating that kind of promotion!”
Toranosuke and the power of IT were blocking our path.
We didn’t have the luxury of thinking we could win just by making the book a normal hit since MARIA has higher name recognition. Rather, looking at the current state of diffusion, we might actually be at a disadvantage.
“We have to work out a sales strategy… In that case, we definitely need to go get advice from that special person!”
And so, we arrived at the bookstore where the angel resides.
“Welcome—…oh, it’s Kenichi-kun and Arisa-chan.”
Noticing us midway, her angelic smile reverted to her usual expression.
The overly angelic bookstore clerk, Sumire Suhara, was in the middle of organizing the shelves.
“Ah, is it already time for our appointment?”
We had asked Sumire to serve as the promotional advisor for MARIA’s second book as well.
This time, the theme is “selling books at a bookstore.” Sumire is an indispensable presence.
“Okay, I’ll finish this up quickly, so just let me tidy up this section.”
“It’s okay, Sumire-san. We’ll wait while having an in-store date.”
“We’re not having a date.”
“Eh, today isn’t a date!?”
“If you have time for a date, I’d like you to make progress on your manuscript.”
“Neglecting the fiancée you’ve decided to marry like that~. You’re the type who doesn’t feed the fish you’ve caught~.”
“Okay, okay… we’ll have a bookstore date while waiting for Sumire.”
Lately, Arisa had been somewhat selfish, or rather, not in the best of moods.
It seemed to be affecting her manuscript writing as well.
“A bookstore date, huh~. It’s fun to talk about various books when you’re with someone you’re on the same wavelength with. Take your time looking around.”
“Okaaay. I wonder where the biggest highlight of this bookstore is. Kenichi-san, want to look together?”
“There’s no way there’s such an obvious highligh—wha!?”
“What’s with that exaggerated reaction like you’ve found an astonishing sigh—eh!?”
The speed at which Sumire organized the shelves was abnormal.
With blinding speed, she pulled out books and packed the books she took from the cardboard box onto the shelves.
Fast. Too fast. Holding two, no, three books in one hand at the same time, the books vanished like magic.
It was so fast I could see afterimages. It was like a Thousand-Armed Kannon…
“Oh, did something happen?”
“You were so fast we were mesmerized…”
“It’s nothing much. I’m just trying to shorten other tasks to the absolute limit so I can take as much time as possible for customer service.”
“The overly angelic bookstore clerk is a literal marvel… I wonder if she’d take up the post of KIMISAKAYA’s training manager?”
Arisa was saying it quite seriously.
Thanks to Sumire finishing her work in an instant, we were able to get straight to the main topic.
“Alright, shall we begin the sales strategy meeting for MARIA’s second book, representing paper books and bookstores?”
The strategy meeting began in the bookstore’s back room.
“Our rival this time is an e-book. The content of the work itself isn’t an area for me to meddle in, so we won’t discuss it. I’m sure it’ll be a wonderful work?”
“Of course!”
Arisa replied immediately, but Sumire also confirmed it with me.
“Is it okay to trust her?”
“Of course. No matter what, I’ll have her make it a good work.”
“There’s no guarantee that the eyes of a love-struck Kenichi-kun aren’t clouded, but there’s no doubt the previous work sold, so let’s believe it.”
“You’re really strict.”
She’s an angel who is basically sharp-tongued to her inner circle.
“So, about the sales strategy. It’s undeniable that in times like these, you can do a lot more with digital. To begin with, with paper books, even flexible pricing is difficult due to the resale price maintenance system.”
The resale price maintenance system.
It’s a system that has a massive impact on the structure of the Japanese publishing industry.
Normally, the Antimonopoly Act prohibits product suppliers from disallowing discounts and forcing retail price sales on retailers.
However, books are one of the exceptions, and maintaining the resale price—in other words, allowing the supplier (the publisher) to demand that the retailer (the bookstore) sell at a fixed price—is permitted.
The merits of this resale system are broadly two points.
First, publishers are not dragged into price competition, making it easier even for small publishers to conduct publishing activities freely. As a result, a wide variety of books are created, nurturing culture.
Second, readers nationwide can obtain books at the same price. If price competition were to occur, there’s a high possibility that a disparity would arise where the same book is cheaper in populated urban areas and more expensive in depopulated areas.
It’s a necessary system to deliver a wide variety of books equally and universally to the people.
However, it’s also a fact that thanks to this system, the publishing industry is restricted from making flexible moves.
“Ryo’s side could do discount sales, sell it piece by piece per chapter, or do rental sales where you can read it only for a certain period. There’s a high chance they’ll use various billing methods.”
“Given the contest setting of ‘the amount earned by the creator,’ having a multitude of methods will work to their advantage. What do you two think are the strengths of bookstores?”
“Doesn’t it just make you excited to be able to choose books in the real space of a bookstore?”
“There’s also the fact that bookstore clerks are there.”
Sumire nodded at our opinions.
“The real space is a huge merit. You can even have a date at a bookstore, but you can’t do that on a smartphone or PC, right? And the bookstore clerks… to put it more broadly, the connection between people that is only possible because it’s a real space, I suppose.”
Precisely because IT has permeated society, real experiences are conversely gaining popularity.
“In the music industry, CDs don’t sell anymore, but revenue from live concerts is growing significantly instead. It would be nice if we could do something like that with books and bookstores.”
“In addition to the event bookstores we’re planning to have Sumire produce, we’re also gathering other cooperating stores.”
I had a few things planned with Sumire.
“That’s where the distributor can show their strength.”
“Of course I’ll cooperate with all my might! We’ll do autograph sessions and talk shows too!”
“It would be nice to try some more aggressive events too. Like a mixer exclusively for people who read MARIA-chan’s book?”
Sumire said with a bright smile.
“Targeting people looking for hookups using my book!? …That could work.”
“I don’t think people looking for hookups are our target demographic, Arisa. Still, that’s aggressive.”
“If we’re going to be aggressive, we have to do something on the level of Kenichi-kun’s How to Seduce a Younger Girl ~Between the Boundaries of Illegal and Legal~.”
“I won’t do that. And besides, the boundary between illegal and legal is already out!”
After that, the un-angelic, radical opinions continued to flow.
“Hrmmmmmmm. It’s kinda… lacking!”
Arisa’s writing wasn’t flowing.
The production time left for us on the paper book side was running short.
“Making it about book lovers and romance, and also content that can target men more would be…”
“We can worry about how to sell it later; for now, please focus on finishing writing it.”
“Kenichi-san, as the distributor who distributes the finished product, you probably just want me to put it out, but~. It’s not that easy. In the first place, I can’t write unless I become MARIA.”
“Then what are you doing with the text editor open right now?”
“Right now, I’m checking it from a third-party perspective~.”
“Even though Ryo said she was going out from the morning today to discuss work and contracts related to digital content.”
It was just Arisa and me in the dining room.
“Don’t compare me to Ryo Takemi~.”
“Since you’re competing, of course I’ll compare you. You can just write it first and rewrite it later.”
“But it doesn’t feel like it’s clicking into place~. It’s kinda… different, you know~.”
“That’s very abstract, you genius type.”
“Thanks♡”
“I wasn’t praising you.”
Just then, I heard a noise at the entrance, and Ryo dashed into the room with incredible momentum.
“It’s decided!”
“What’s so sudden…”
Arisa cast a cold look at Ryo, whose face was flushed.
“The WEB service that will sell my work has been decided!”
Ryo had said she wouldn’t rely on her brother Toranosuke, but would partner with a different WEB content vendor.
“Who are you going to use?”
“A service called ‘Shop BOX’.”
“Shop BOX… I’ve been seeing their ads a lot lately.”
“Yes, it hasn’t been long since it launched, but it’s a service gathering attention. I will announce my work here this time.”
Arisa accessed Shop BOX on her open PC. I peeked from the side as well.
At the top of the site, the copy “Anyone can have their own shop right now” danced.
“It doesn’t seem to be… specialized in digital content.”
The examples given were sales of sweets and wine. Sales of accessories and clothes were also prominent.
“You can sell physical goods, but you can also sell digital content. Moreover, to strengthen digital content sales, they’ve offered an amazing revenue share. Want to hear how much?”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Let me say it! Only 10% will be deducted as a fee. Meaning my cut is 90%!”
What that meant was, assuming both their content was the same price, MARIA, who was scheduled for a 10% royalty rate, would have to sell nine times as many copies as Takemi just to break even.
“…So?”
Arisa acted indifferent, but she couldn’t hide her agitation.
“Kimisaka-san, you’re being backed into quite a corner, you know? Furthermore, I’ve also received a proposal to raise the royalty rate even higher if my content sales exceed a certain number.”
“Is that… okay as a business?”
“It’s a special contract.”
Ryo flaunted the contract document.
“They probably have ulterior motives to use me for promotion, too. But I’ll just use that to my advantage.”
With an event that had become this hot a topic, it was natural that companies plotting to capitalize on it would appear.
Ryo, who didn’t rush to decide on a distribution platform and continued negotiating even while the hype was building, was also shrewd.
“Since it’s a battle I absolutely cannot lose, I can’t afford to worry about appearances.”
I could feel Ryo’s tenacity. Perhaps the one we should be wary of, more than Toranosuke, was Ryo herself.
“Just… when you sign a contract, you should probably consult an adult. I can listen if you want.”
“Kenichi-san, what’s your intention advising Ryo Takemi!?”
“No, I mean, as an adult…”
“Don’t worry. I’ve spoken to my brother. As usual, he told me ‘Stop. Use my service,’ though.”
“He opposed it, didn’t he?”
“…I can’t just stay like this after all! I… can’t lose. If I lose… what do I have left?”
Just when I thought she was fired up, for some reason, Arisa muttered anxiously.
“Anyway, Arisa, you need to finish the rest of your essay and—”
“Alright, I have to go consult Kaede-san about how to sell it too!”
“Wait, that’s what you’re doing?”
Even though it was Saturday, Kaede Furuoka had come to work at her company.
“There’s no such thing as Saturdays or Sundays for an editor.”
“That’s strictly a personal opinion, right?”
I’ve heard that labor environments have been improving lately, and more than anything, it depends on the person.
“So, you want to consult about how to sell the book?”
We were shown into a conference room. Naturally, there were few people at the office, so it seemed we could use it freely.
“I mean, I want to sync up with the editor’s thoughts too, or something~.”
Saying she was meeting the editor of her work as the author MARIA, Arisa had come to the publisher in her MARIA makeup. These rules were pretty much up to Arisa’s mood.
“More importantly, your job is to write first!”
“Eek!?”
“Go get her, Kaede, tell her!”
“It’s your job, since you’re living together, to keep a proper eye on her! Don’t spoil her!”
“I-I’m sorry!?”
We both got scolded for being sloppy.
We really needed an editor like Kaede.
“How’s the progress? The deadline is already here, you know?”
“…”
MARIA fell conspicuously silent.
“Well, if the manuscript doesn’t come out, I’ll be looking over Ryo Takemi’s manuscript.”
“Why Ryo Takemi’s!? Are you cheating!?”
“What do you mean cheating. I got a request to look over her manuscript, so I just accepted it as a job.”
“Kenichi-san, is that allowed!?”
“It’s fine, right? I was consulted beforehand, anyway. Of course, the fee for my editing will be deducted from Ryo’s profits.”
The good thing about e-books is that you can create a work single-handedly, but without a third-party perspective check, it easily becomes a self-righteous work. An editor’s power is indispensable in making a book.
“To think such a betrayal was happening…!”
“You’re completely in Arisa mode rather than MARIA now.”
“But, like~, with Kaede-san involved in both works~, she might not be able to fully commit to either, and both might end up half-baked~.”
MARIA threw a tantrum.
“Don’t underestimate me. As a professional, I’ll just give my all to both.”
“Besides,” Kaede added, “You guys are living together, so talking about ‘committing’ is nonsense. Aren’t you going to get too cozy?”
“No way~. Because… there’s something important on the line.”
Both Ryo and Arisa had something they couldn’t yield on the line.
“Good spirit. So, should we lock you up like this? I’ll lend you a PC.”
Kaede threatened with a wicked smile.
“M-Maybe next time for that~… right, Kenichi-san?”
“Isn’t it a good opportunity, MARIA? It makes you seem like a real author.”
I smiled back at her.
“It’s rare for you two… to be so in sync~…”
And with that, MARIA began writing using data she had saved in a cloud environment.
It seemed Kaede would read Ryo’s manuscript in the meantime.
I also borrowed a spot to get some work done.
“…I wonder how Ryo Takemi’s manuscript is doing~?”
After a while, having apparently lost her concentration, MARIA peeked at Kaede.
“I won’t show you. It’s confidential.”
“…I know that, but~”
“However… it might be tough to publish it as it is.”
“What do you mean?”
Curious, I also stopped my work.
“To put it bluntly, some of the execution is lacking. There are some parts that aren’t bad, but it’s inconsistent.”
“Hah, that’s funny~. If she doesn’t do a decent job, it won’t even be a contest~.”
“By the way, I was planning to reject several of MARIA’s pieces too. I hadn’t mentioned it yet, though.”
“You’re joking!? You’re rejecting my work…!?”
“Kaede… Will she make the release date?”
I started to get genuinely worried.
“Depends on her.”
Kaede motioned to MARIA with her chin.
“What is it that I’m lacking~? I’d really like the editor to point it out for me?”
“What you’re lacking, huh.”
Kaede stared straight at the somewhat combative MARIA.
“Do you think your technical skills are so overwhelming that they leave no room for argument?”
“…Of course, my technical skills still have a long way to go, but~”
“Right. No one expects technical skills from a fifteen-year-old.”
“Then what is it? I haven’t cut any corners, you know? That’s why it’s taking so much time~”
The reason she complains and her progress is slow is precisely because she’s taking it seriously. I can feel that from living with her.
“I’m not saying you’re messing around. It’s just that doing the same thing as last time won’t cut it.”
“The same thing as last time… won’t cut it. I understand you mean I need to evolve~, but what specifically should I do?”
MARIA looked increasingly dissatisfied.
“Let’s see… How about you go see Lemon for once?”
“Welcome!”
We had come to Lemon Tsuta’s luxury condominium in Tokyo.
Today it was me, Arisa—MARIA—and…
“N-Nice to meet you! My name is Ryo Takemi…!”
A stiffly nervous Ryo.
“Why are you in your school uniform even though it’s a day off?”
It felt like a question Lemon, who wore gothic lolita fashion even at home, shouldn’t be asking.
“Since I’m visiting Tsuta-sensei’s house, I have to be in formal dress…”
“Ah, are you like me, unable to calm down unless you’re in your usual outfit? Also, ‘Tsuta-sensei’ sounds gross, so call me Lemon-sensei if you must!”
“E-Excuse me, Lemon-sensei…”
After apologizing, Ryo fidgeted without entering the room.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you have something you wanted to say?”
I feel like I won’t be able to ask unless it’s right at the beginning. Giving a gentle push to the back of the girl who had said that.
“U-Umm, Lemon-sensei……… I’m a fan! Please give me your autograph!”
Having happily received an autograph in the book she brought, Ryo had a beaming face.
“Ah… To be able to get an autograph directly at Lemon-sensei’s house… this is the ultimate joy of being a fan…!”
“Stop being such a fangirl~.”
“So this is the air Lemon-sensei always breathes…!”
Ryo started sniffing the air in the living room.
“Ah, this one might be a crazy person. Kenichi-san, this girl seems to have stalker tendencies.”
Ryo, as a huge fan, was immensely overjoyed to have met Lemon.
“Seriously~, we and Lemon-san are in the same position as authors~. You should stop acting so subservient~.”
“Do you understand? It’s Lemon Tsuta, Lemon Tsuta! The Lemon Tsuta, you know!”
“Chanting my name like that makes it sound like an election campaign!”
Sitting cross-legged on the leather sofa, Lemon laughed loudly.
“I-I’m sorry! To call you without an honorific…!”
“Don’t worry about it! So, you came here today to learn the mindset of an author, right?”
After that incident, Kaede had secured a promise from Lemon to “let them learn from you.” She was also told to bring Ryo along if possible.
“What did you hear from Kaede?”
“She told me to ‘teach them what they’re lacking’.”
“Do you know what you’re lacking?”
“Not a clue!”
It was highly concerning. I couldn’t understand what the capable editor was thinking.
“You just need to know how to write an interesting work, right? Right~?”
“Please~. I will gratefully accept your advice. Is it okay if I stream this?”
“Advice from Lemon-sensei, is it really okay for something like this to be allowed…?”
“Then, I will answer your expectations and teach you the secret. That is…”
Lemon stood up on the sofa.
MARIA braced herself, and Ryo waited for the answer in seiza.
“Write whatever you find the most incredibly interesting! That is all!”
“I totally knew you’d say something like that.”
There was no way we could expect proper advice from this genius type.
“Okay,” “Lemon-sensei’s advice, I have firmly received it!”
“Did you really understand?”
This is what happens when you leave it to Lemon, which is probably why Kaede ordered me to be there with them.
“How about having her look at your works for now?”
I took charge to try and extract something a bit more like a hint.
“Oh~, shall I read them~”
Ryo was extremely apologetic, but I had her bring up her data.
Lemon printed them out, lined up their two works on the desk, and began reading them, flipping the pages simultaneously.
“You can read them at the same time?”
“This is faster, right? Parallel processing!”
She is someone who shows off her talent everywhere.
MARIA was pretending to be calm but kept stealing glances, while Ryo openly stared at Lemon. It was going to be a restless time.
“Come to think of it, I have a meeting scheduled here from now on.”
Glancing up at the clock, Lemon said.
“Seriously? Should we leave?”
“No, it’s actually more interesting if you stay.”
“…Interesting?”
Lemon operated the laptop on her desk.
The screen was mirrored onto a giant TV monitor.
It seemed she was going to have a meeting using the TV. A camera was also mounted on top of the TV.
When the connection started, a man wearing glasses appeared on the screen.
『Yo, Lemon Tsuta. Today we—whaaat!? Ryo is there!?』
Toranosuke Takemi, who had been looking sharp, jumped up upon spotting his sister.
“Why are you with Lemon-sensei, Brother…?”
『Because Lemon Tsuta is one of the featured authors participating in Future Creator System.』
“We have regular meetings!”
I knew from the announcements that Lemon was participating in the WEB service Toranosuke was developing and planning to launch. But I didn’t know they were working together this closely.
“I had these three come over for a different matter. Is it okay if they stay?”
『I don’t mind… But in that case, I’ll head over there at explosive speed right now!?』
“You don’t need to come, Brother. Or rather, I’d prefer you didn’t.”
Ryo said, suddenly losing all enthusiasm.
『And you’re in your school uniform!? I see your idol uniform outfits on TV a lot, but it’s been a while since I saw your real uniform! I-It’s irresistible!』
“Has he truly turned into a pervert?”
MARIA muttered under her breath next to the siblings’ conversation.
“Isn’t the timing a bit too perfect~?”
A coincidence… no, it’s not.
The gaze with which Lemon observed us, smirking, was exactly like that of a researcher.
Did she adjust the time so we’d deliberately run into him?
『I’ll make sure to take plenty of time to talk with Ryo later.』
“I won’t.”
『Let’s get to the main topic, Lemon Tsuta. Everyone can participate, but keep it confidential, okay?』
“Alright! Was it an explanation of a new feature?”
『It’s the new feature of Future Creator System, “Urabanashi” (Backstory).』
Toranosuke projected what looked like a screen under development onto the monitor. It was a screen displaying text.
『This is a feature where fans can ask the author about their intentions within the work.』
A line was drawn under text on the screen. A speech bubble appeared there with the question: “What does this symbolize?”
『The author can reply to the fan’s question. This way, fans can learn the creator’s intentions, right? Since the questions and answers are shared with everyone, you can also learn how others interpret the work.』
“Do you have to answer all of them?”
『You don’t have to do that. Questions and answers that contain spoilers will also be hidden from people who haven’t read it yet.』
“So it’s positioned kind of like a DVD audio commentary…”
My muttered words were picked up by the microphone.
『Good analogy, Kenichi.』
“Since the creator’s presence will come through too strongly, I think there’ll be a lot of people who dislike that kind of thing, though~.”
MARIA voiced an opposing opinion.
『Ah, about that… wait, you’re… MARIA, right? Meaning… Arisa?』
“MARIA, also known as Arisa Kimisaka~.”
『Even your way of speaking is different, it’s confusing… Anyway, about some people disliking it. Not everyone has to use it. Only those who like it need to use it. Authors don’t all have to use this service, either. You can use the services that suit you however you like—that’s also the beauty of IT.』
“So the author can add annotations, huh~. Then… you could also develop alternative stories that might have been possible?”
At Lemon’s suggestion, Toranosuke whistled.
『That’s a valid way to use it.』
“Authors ultimately choose one goal and make it into a work, right? But there are always multiple options floating in their heads. It would be interesting if those could be expressed well and connected with the readers~.”
『…Organically analyzing how readers read, and the scenario prepared by the creator changes. If we could achieve a method of expression on a different dimension from just a multiple-choice scenario… the ideas are flowing…! Well then—』
The conversation between Lemon and Toranosuke rapidly advanced.
It became difficult for an ordinary person like me to follow along with any real understanding.
Like a chemical reaction between two talented individuals, Toranosuke and Lemon became heated.
There was no room for anyone else to enter.
『Phew… The conversation really developed. Looks like we can evolve even further…! Thank you!』
The meeting between the two ended.
Toranosuke looked extremely satisfied. And so did Lemon.
“I’m thrilled that I might be able to do something interesting again!”
“You’re done for now, right~. You were talking really happily~.”
MARIA opened her mouth.
Even though I, and probably Ryo too, were overwhelmed. Her nerve also felt like a talent.
“Have you abandoned paper books, Lemon-san~?”
“I haven’t abandoned them, you know? It’s just that it seemed like I could be more interesting, so I’m doing something new. Besides,”
Lemon turned her gaze to me as well.
“You’re confronting new technology with the current form of bookstores and books, right? I’m looking forward to seeing what Kenichi and the rest of you will show me.”
She was asking what kind of possibilities we could present to Toranosuke.
『I’m looking forward to it a bit too. To see what you guys will do.』
Toranosuke chimed in as well.
“We are planning an event that utilizes the real space of a bookstore.”
『Well, that’s within expectations. What will you create there? What kind of evolution will you show?』
“That’s…”
Our concept wasn’t fully finalized yet.
I couldn’t find the words to reply to these geniuses right now.
“So, I came up with one piece of advice.”
Lemon said, addressing MARIA.
“If you’re going to be swayed by mediums like paper or digital, you might as well quit being an author.”
Today’s Lemon had an even more intimidating aura than usual.
Even MARIA was almost swallowed up by it.
Perhaps because she had been talking with Toranosuke, Lemon was in a high state.
“Everything is a tool. Nothing more than a vessel. Aren’t you losing sight of something?”
Lemon stood up and moved right up close to MARIA.
“Wh-What is it?”
“The important thing is here.”
Lemon pointed at MARIA’s heart.
“For you too, right?”
Then she pointed at Ryo’s chest as well.
“Eh… y-yes.”
Ryo’s eyes widened at the sudden remark.
“So, about your works. If it were me…”
Lemon began typing on the keyboard with blinding speed.
In fact, she had been typing even while talking with Toranosuke. I thought she was just taking notes, but…
“—Done.”
Saying that, Lemon stood up, went to the printer, and handed the two freshly printed stacks of paper to MARIA and Ryo.
“I tried rewriting your works in my own way.”
The two who received them stared intently at the stacks of paper.
“Rewriting… that’s normally over ten pages of manuscript paper, right? In this short amount of time…”
“It’s nothing big since I had the originals to work from~.”
“No… this is practically a brand new piece… this is…” MARIA groaned.
If so, normally, it’s not on a level that can be done in spare moments.
“Haa… haa… haa…”
“Ryo… hey, are you okay!?”
Ryo, staring fixedly at the manuscript, was acting strange.
“Hah… hah…”
Her breathing had become shallow and rapid.
『What’s wrong, Ryo!? Should your big brother rush over there!?』
I hurriedly rushed over to her.
“Take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale.”
“I’m… sorry…”
Taking a large breath, composure returned to Ryo. It seems she’s okay.
“I kind of… understand the feeling of ending up like that~,” MARIA said in a dead voice.
“Understand what… eh?”
With a rustle, MARIA handed the manuscript over as if throwing it.
It was the manuscript Lemon said she just rewrote.
As I read through it, I understood immediately. This was the work MARIA had written on the theme of “A Usual Morning”—but.
Even though the work was undoubtedly based on MARIA‘s manuscript, it was completely different.
In an instant, I was dragged into the world woven by the sentences.
The slumber of waking up in the morning. The scent in the morning mist. The morning sun making you feel the start of today.
Reading it made me feel happy, and—what came after was despair.
There was a gap so wide you could call it a completely different thing from what MARIA had written.
I know that the technique of Lemon, who has long been active as a pro, is many levels higher.
Even taking that into account, Lemon‘s sheer brilliance was far too outstanding.
This is talent.
This is a genius.
I remembered my student days. In the same literary club, I used to read Lemon‘s writing.
Can I match her or not, is it frustrating or not—even such wavering emotions didn’t well up.
Even MARIA seemed to have had her pride shattered and was in shock.
But perhaps, the one taking the most damage was Ryo, who was self-aware of her own lack of talent—.
“This just means that I’m simply good.”
Lemon said, looking down at the two of them.
“That is what you two are lacking.”
The fact was thrust upon them without any mercy.
“So what are you going to do about it?”
Saying that, for some reason, Lemon looked at me.
“Kenichi knows all about how to live when you’re lacking, doesn’t he?”
