["The General's knack for utilizing people is truly like fitting a needle into every seam—utterly relentless," Fu Xuan remarked, glancing at Jing Yuan with a faint smile.]
["Since you're all here, we might as well make full use of everyone," Jing Yuan replied with a calm, breezy expression.]
[Fu Xuan approached Stelle and the others, wasting no time in outlining the two crises facing the Divination Commission: first, the Matrix of Prescience Ultima's foundation needed to be reactivated; second, the Stellaron's corruption along the way needed to be eradicated.]
["The former can be handled by Qingque. The latter, I'll leave to you, Stelle, and the others."]
["Say the magic word!" Stelle teased with a playful expression.]
["…Wh-what? What magic word?" Fu Xuan tilted her head, her chestnut-brown eyes blinking in confusion as she looked at the group.]
["Oh~" March 7th caught on, placing a hand over her heart. "Just a simple word that works wonders everywhere: 'Please.'"]
["…" Fu Xuan's gaze instinctively darted away.]
[Though her role as Master Diviner demanded constant composure and authority, the faint blush spreading across her delicate cheeks betrayed the flustered maiden within.]
["…P-please!"]
[March 7th beamed with satisfaction. "Got it!"]
"Such an adorable girl. Why didn't Stelle tease her a bit more? What a pity…" Inside the Yae Publishing House, Miko was thoroughly enjoying the girl's flustered demeanor.
In the midst of her musings, a hurried knock sounded at the door.
It was Hiraoka, the chief editor of Yae Publishing House, second only to Miko, the editor-in-chief.
"Oh? Hiraoka, coming so late—has the light novel sales ranking for Inazuma over the past month been released?" Miko's tone was filled with eager anticipation.
Inazuma wasn't home to just Yae Publishing House, but it was undoubtedly the largest. Thanks to Miko's unconventional and eclectic editorial approach, Yae Publishing House consistently produced several titles each quarter that became sensations across Teyvat, even selling out in far-off Natlan.
The sales rankings covered nearly all newly released light novels, and Yae Publishing House typically secured at least three of the top five spots.
This was why Miko never doubted her own judgment.
"Which rank did Reincarnated as the Raiden Shogun, Then Becoming Invincible take?" Miko asked eagerly, not yet taking the list Hiraoka offered. "And Please, My Fox Shrine Maiden… that one's quite entertaining too. It should have done well, right?"
Hiraoka wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face retreating into the shadow cast by the candlelight. "Chief Editor Yae, you'd better take a look yourself."
"Oh…?" Sensing something amiss, Miko took the list and scanned it from the bottom-ranked tenth place to the top.
Strange. Not a single one…
How could this be? Not a single title from Yae Publishing House?
Miko's brow furrowed slightly. This was unprecedented since the founding of Yae Publishing House.
"Chief Editor Yae, the hottest topics right now are centered around 'Fu Xuan' and 'Qingque.' Stories about the Raiden Shogun or fox shrine maidens… they're outdated."
Hiraoka swallowed hard, stepping out from the shadows. "Look at the top ten—they're all related to those two."
"Like Is Something Wrong with Seeking Romance in the Divination Commission?, Qingque's Ascendancy: Doing Whatever It Takes to Become Master Diviner, The Classmate Fu Xuan Who Occasionally Drops Bookish Quotes to Hide Her Shyness, As the Carefree Sect Leader, I Started Living with the Beautiful Master Diviner I Reunited with After Seven Years… and so on."
"Especially the number one title, written by the author of Youthful Slacker Diviner Doesn't Dream of a Fierce White-Stockinged Master Diviner. It's said that after seeing Qingque, they worked non-stop for three days without eating or drinking, finishing the manuscript just before the deadline and claiming the top spot—"
"…Well, then. It seems I was the shortsighted one this time." Miko's eyes lowered slightly, and after a moment of thought, she slowly raised her head.
"Hiraoka, first thing tomorrow morning, notify all authors under Yae Publishing House and prepare promotional materials. Immediately launch a call for submissions centered on Master Diviner Fu Xuan! By the day after tomorrow—latest—I want to see recruitment posters and advertisements plastered across the outlying islands!"
"We must act with utmost speed to make 'Fu Xuan' and 'Qingque' dominate Teyvat's light novel market!"
[Under Qingque's leadership, the group swiftly cleared out the various Mara-struck monsters within the Divination Commission and reactivated the three foundational nodes.]
[Upon returning to the heart of the Matrix of Prescience Ultima, Fu Xuan approached them. "You've done well. I can sense the talismans of the Matrix being reignited. Next, I will interrogate Kafka. Those at the array's heart may feel… some impact. Are you prepared?"]
["Please proceed, Master Diviner," Welt said, gesturing politely.]
[Moments later, two Cloud Knights escorted Kafka forward.]
[At this moment, Kafka had shed her makeup—no eyeshadow, no lipstick. Her sharp, striking beauty was stripped bare, yet in its absence, a trace of tenderness emerged from her eyes, like mist over a spring lake.]
["Is all this fanfare necessary? I told you I'd cooperate," Kafka said, her tone remarkably compliant.]
"She's too beautiful! This version of Kafka!"
Denji leapt up from the sofa with a howl, fumbling for his phone and snapping photos of the celestial screen.
The sound of camera clicks echoed relentlessly through Aki Hayakawa's living room.
"…Is this still Kafka?" Power said, incredulous. The Kafka she remembered wasn't this soft and delicate. Could this be her true nature?
No, no, no! Power shook her head vigorously, trying to banish the image of a "gentle Kafka" from her mind.
"Denji, don't let a woman like that fool you! The prettier they are, the more deceitful they can be! She might look like she needs protecting now, but the moment you turn your back, she'll kick you in the head with her high heels!"
Power put on a deliberately menacing expression, accidentally revealing her cute little fangs.
"Hm… that doesn't sound so bad," Denji said, his barely functional brain mulling it over. "…No, I mean, that sounds pretty great! If she's willing to go out with me, I'd do anything!"
"Even if it meant betraying Makima?" Power tossed out a trick question without thinking.
"That's… well, Makima and I went on a date once, but we just watched a movie and held hands a little."
Denji hesitated, thinking it over before continuing, "If Kafka's willing to kiss me and be my girlfriend… it's not impossible. But I can't guarantee I won't fall for Makima again later!"
"Tch, Denji… you're disgusting," Power said, turning her gaze away from him with disdain.