After breakfast, Hayashi Maki walked Yukinoshita Yukino back to her apartment.
Of course, once inside her room, he naturally held her and made out for a while before leaving.
He had a date today—editor Machida Sonoko had invited him to meet, at a maid café in Akihabara.
"Welcome, onii-chan—what would you like to order?"
Seeing Hayashi Maki come in, a somewhat cute maid greeted him, cheeks pink.
Hayashi Maki gave a warm smile. "I'm meeting someone here—ah, over there."
"Then let me take you over, onii-chan~"
With a cutesy lilt, the maid cheerfully led him toward Machida Sonoko.
"Thanks."
Hayashi Maki took the seat across from Machida. "I'm here, Sonoko-san—sorry to keep you waiting."
He greeted her politely. The short-haired woman in office wear was Machida Sonoko, his editor. Looking at his handsome face, Machida sighed and said amiably, "It's fine—I just got here myself. I asked you out to discuss a signing event. Your novel's selling like crazy and your popularity's sky-high, so it's necessary to strike while the iron's hot—host a signing and meet readers."
"No problem—I'll go along with whatever you arrange, Sonoko-neesan."
He agreed readily. It would build his name; why refuse?
Pleased with his attitude, Machida opened her laptop, checked the numbers, and said, "Let's do it this Friday. Take a day off from your homeroom advisor and student-life teacher, okay?"
"No problem," Hayashi Maki said cheerfully.
The mention of advisors made him think of HIratsuka Shizuka and Kirisu Mafuyu; both handled guidance for several classes. He could also use the chance to get closer to Mafuyu-sensei and solidify what they'd started.
Machida then flashed a mischievous smile. "Since you've agreed, come with me to the company's Little Black Room."
"Huh? The Little Black Room—what for?" Hayashi Maki's eyes widened. "I haven't missed any deadlines."
Machida chuckled. "You haven't, but we still need you to pre-sign a batch of light novels for the event, otherwise you'll be swamped that day. Your series has crossed a million copies sold; everyone's waiting on the next volume. Also… could you stop torturing the hero and heroine? They've only been dating a few days and you made them blood-related siblings, with the tsundere ojou-sama rising in rank. I've already got stacks of razorblades arriving at the office."
She sighed, aggrieved. "Mr. Gloomy Sunset" really wasn't acting human. Volumes 1 and 2 had read like stock-market romcoms, with the hero and both heroines vividly drawn—textbook youth romance.
From volume 3, it got… abstract. The couple started suffering—car accidents and amnesia, or lovers turned into siblings who can't be together. Readers online were calling for his head.
Hayashi Maki scratched his cheek with a dry laugh. "The more people complain, the more popular it is! Anyway, here's the next volume—take a look."
His output made Machida's eyes widen.
"You—writing this fast… you're not phoning it in, right? I'm very strict about quality. I've made little Utaha cry."
Hayashi Maki shrugged. "I'm used to writing fast. Don't worry—I won't slack. Last volume, after the hero and the black-stockings senpai regained their memories and reunited, I revealed they were blood-related, right? This volume flips it—the hero's blood relation is actually with the blonde twin-tails tsundere ojou-sama."
At that, Machida's mouth twitched. "As expected of you—utterly inhuman. You tormented black-stockings senpai for an entire volume; I thought the twin-tails tsundere would finally ascend—and now you start torturing her? You're seriously not worried about readers sending you razors?"
Hayashi Maki stayed unruffled. "Not worried at all. Read it first; tell me what needs changing."
"Fine. First, Little Black Room. You're not leaving till you sign 1,000 copies."
Leaving the maid café, Hayashi Maki got into Machida's compact car and headed to the Fushikawa Office. Under her watchful eye, he helplessly began a tentacle-monster–speed signing marathon.
"Oh—Utaha's Love Metronome Volume 2 is also launching. You'll do the signing with her—boost the buzz for both works."
"A genius high school author paired with a beautiful young author—it's a very shippable combo for marketing," Machida added.
Hayashi Maki blinked. "Senpai's joining too? That's a nice surprise."
Machida gave him a knowing look. "Make sure to look after Utaha-chan."
"No problem. Leave it to me."
After a long session, Hayashi Maki shook out his aching arm and stepped out of the Little Black Room. Just as he was about to leave, a petite girl in a pink dress with golden hair swept in, brimming with momentum. She stopped in front of Machida, let out a haughty "hmph," and said confidently:
"You're Fushikawa's star editor, Machida Sonoko?"
"That's me. What can I do for you?" Machida asked, intrigued.
Arms folded, the girl declared proudly, "I'm Elf Yamada. I'm sure you've heard of me!"
"Oh—Elf Yamada-sensei, the bestseller from Dengeki Bunko. And what does a rival publisher's author want with us?" Machida asked, puzzled.
"Hehe! Simple. I've fallen for your imprint's illustrator, Eri Kashiwagi's dangerously suggestive pin-up art! I'm a three-time, million-seller chart-topper—if you let Kashiwagi-sensei illustrate my next book, I'll sell it through your company. How about it?"
"Sorry, I refuse," Machida said without sugarcoating it.
Yamada blinked, stunned. "Why?! I'm a #1 bestselling author—you're turning me down?"
Machida crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Because you're under exclusive contract with a rival publisher. If we sell your books, we pay a penalty. And haven't you already been working with Eromanga-sensei?"