Hikigaya wants to be a novelist

" So , Editor Imamura, you and Editor Machida were not only seniors and juniors in college, but you were also members of the same literary club, right? "

Hikigaya and his mother decided to eat melons first and said after asking about the relationship between the two.

" That's right , but this Machida-chan is a little too obsessed with the second dimension. She even wants to change the literature club into a light novel club. I don't like the second dimension, so I left. "

" ..."

Hikigaya and his mother were silent. For the first time, Machida Sonoko did not refute it again. It seemed that what Imamura Naho said was also true.

" Well, Mr. Hachiman , please allow me to continue to call you by your pen name. The first thing I came here for today is to confirm your bank account. The prize money for this year's All Readings Newcomer Award, the royalties for the serialization of Confessions in this magazine, and any other royalties that you, Mr. Hachiman, will continue to publish in this magazine in the future will all be deposited into the bank card you provided. "

" I'm ready. "

Hikigaya handed over a Mitsubishi UFJ bank card to Naho Imamura. He had applied for this card yesterday accompanied by his parents. This was the first bank account in Hikigaya's life that truly belonged to him.

Imamura wrote down the card number and returned it to him.

" Then, I would like to ask Mr. Hachiman some questions about the work "Confessions". First of all, Mr. Hachiman, have you done any follow-up work on this work? "

This is actually the most important issue that Imamura came here for today.

" I can't really hide it from you. That's right, Confession has six chapters in total. The number of words in each chapter will be about the same as the first chapter, which is about 20,000 words, a total of about 120,000 words. It's basically finished now. "

There was no need for Hikigaya to hide anything. He submitted the first chapter of "Confessions" to " allreader ", which meant that the rest of the serialization of the book could only be carried out in " allreader " and the publication of the book could only be handled by Bungeishunju.

" That's great, Mr. Hachiman . Based on the quality of the first volume of Confessions, we will not hesitate to offer you the highest serialization treatment of 6,000 yen per manuscript . But as a matter of routine, do you have the subsequent manuscript with you? I would like to read it. "

" Of course I have it with me. But I'm sorry, Editor Imamura, I can only give you the manuscripts of volumes 2 to 4 now. "

Hikigaya paused and looked at the confused Imamura Naho.

" I think if we just want to discuss something that is serialized in a magazine, there is no need to meet face to face. Editor Imamura . I will send you the manuscript, and you can just transfer the money to me. Isn't this the model for magazine submissions from ancient times to the present? "

Hikigaya continued to maintain a proper smile. However, Imamura Naho felt that she had been exposed. The step-by-step conversation strategy she had prepared for a long time was completely exposed in front of this young man.

" From the moment you saw my work, your company must have made up its mind to publish it. But you don't know whether I continued to write the follow-up to Confessions. Assuming that I did, the quality of the follow-up is another matter. This is the purpose of your visit today, Editor Imamura. "

" Ahahaha, I've been completely seen through … "

Naho Imamura said this in a self-deprecating tone, ignoring the corner of Machida Sonoko's mouth that was already curled up to the sky.

" That's right , Mr. Hikigaya. You are absolutely right. From Bungeishunju Publishing House to our editorial department, we all have high hopes for your "Confession". "

Imamura has given up any disguise. Now that she has been seen through, she can only impress the other party with her sincerity.

" If the subsequent plot is still excellent, they will directly sign a publishing contract with me and start promoting it. If the subsequent plot is mediocre, they will simply ignore it, hastily serialize it and treat it as if nothing happened. This is a cruel reality. Am I right, Editor Imamura? "

Hikigaya spoke calmly, but what he said made Imamura Naho wonder if he had eavesdropped on the editorial department's internal meeting.

" but ! "

Hikigaya's voice suddenly rose , and Imamura also raised his head and looked at the genius boy in front of him.

" I believe my subsequent works will be even more exciting than the first chapter. Please take a look, Editor Imamura. "

" Okay! Okay! Thank you, Mr. Hachiman! "

Naho Imamura took the manuscript with both hands as if she had received a blessing . Hikigaya was very confused. Isn't it normal for authors who submit to magazines to hand over the content to be serialized to the editor for review? Why did editor Imamura act so exaggerated?

... ...

The next hour or so , Machida Sonoko and Mrs. Hikigaya chatted about skin care while eating. Hikigaya drank his unlimited coffee by himself, staring at Naho Imamura across from him. This was one of his favorite things, to appreciate other people's expressions when they read his works.

Naho Imamura was undoubtedly completely immersed in the reading state. Whether it was the waiter serving the dishes or the conversation next door, she could not divert her attention at all. She was completely immersed in this Rashomon-like narrative and could not extricate herself. Classmates who followed the trend? Neglectful teachers? Crazy mothers? Silent murderers? The people in the story were both victims and perpetrators. Can they be defined by simple black and white, good and evil?

After Naho Imamura finished reading the murderer's monologue in Chapter 4, she quickly turned the page, but only saw a smooth table top.

" Mr Hachiman , what's next? What happened to the other student? "

Imamura didn't notice that her voice was already trembling with a hint of begging.

" It's like this, Editor Imamura, my plan is to only serialize the first four chapters in the magazine, and by then it will have accumulated enough popularity and discussion. The fifth and sixth chapters can be directly put into the published "Confessions". "

" It 's fine! Mr. Hachiman show me the last two chapters quickly , didn't you say you had finished writing them ?

" So you just want to finish reading ..."

Hikigaya was speechless .

" Eh—— ? Senior, do you want to know what happens next? If you're willing to beg me, I can tell you orally, okay? "

Naho Imamura's defense was broken.

" Even this woman has read the last two chapters?! Mr. Hachiman, I can't accept it!! "

Naho Imamura pointed her finger at Machida Sonoko, leaned forward and looked at Hikigaya Hachiman and protested. It was a great shame that even Machida, the editor of Dengeki Bunko, had read such an excellent mystery novel before her.

" So this editor is a mystery novel fan ... Then the rest will be easy to discuss. "

Hikigaya thought secretly.

-----