The chapter is titled "The Murderer's Monologue."
After Detective Kaga found the key evidence, the murderer decided to confess his motives. He described his journey from his initial acquaintance with the victim to the final act of murder. In particular, he expressed the resentment he had harbored over the years due to not being able to win over his lover, his work not being recognized, and the blackmail he endured from the deceased. The incurable disease he contracted was the last straw that pushed him to commit the crime, which he perceived as a form of revenge against someone who possessed everything that should have belonged to him.
Similar to "Confessions," the single-volume and paperback editions of "Malice" were set to be officially released four days after serialization. While "Malice" may not have reached the same level of greatness as "Confessions," most readers gave it favorable reviews and stated they would definitely purchase the book. This feedback gave Sakuraba Publishing House confidence, leading to an initial print run of 100,000 single-volume editions and 500,000 paperback editions. They expected these copies to sell out within a year.
In terms of the publishing contract for "Malice," Sakuraba raised the royalty rate for Hikigaya by one percentage point to 14%, which is the highest royalty rate a Japanese writer can receive. From this treatment alone, it was clear that he was now among the top figures in the Japanese literary world.
Hikigaya, who had been so focused on his studies that he neglected his finances, was surprised to find a significant sum of 55 million yen added to his account. He reasoned that it was better not to pay attention to it; otherwise, he would have to worry about the huge tax implications.
A staff member from Sakuraba Publishing House called to inform him, "Teacher Hachiman, we know you've been under a lot of pressure from studying lately, so we won't bother you during the pre-release promotion phase for 'Malice.' You just need to post this message we've edited on your Twitter account. Thank you for your help." She spoke cautiously, which left Hikigaya quite confused.
Upon reflection, he realized that he had little involvement with the book during its promotional phase. Even when the company was heavily promoting "Malice," he had posted a photo of himself cooking on Twitter, which drew a lot of attention from his fans.
"Ugh, this is really not very kind. I might as well help a little," Hikigaya muttered to himself. He then picked up the sample of "Malice" sent by the publishing house, positioned it in front of his chest, and called Komachi to take a photo of him, ensuring his face didn't show and the focus remained on the book.
"Brother, why don't you want to show your face? Your appearance would obviously improve if you wore glasses. You'd definitely attract more fans online," Komachi asked innocently.
"Ahaha, thanks for the compliment, Komachi. Maybe you don't understand, but it's precisely because I'm somewhat good-looking that I can't just post photos of my face on the internet. It's dangerous, and the same goes for you, Komachi," Hikigaya replied as he gently ruffled Komachi's hair. He didn't feel the need to inform her about the extreme behaviors of sasaeng fans in Japan and the ridiculous things they had done.
Hikigaya believed that as a writer with considerable public influence, it was reasonable to give up some of his personal privacy. However, he felt that the extent of that sacrifice should be determined by him. For now, he would keep his appearance private; while the impact on his own life might be minimal, he was primarily concerned about how it could affect his parents and sister.
Once he entered high school and moved into his new home, he felt he could gradually relax these restrictions. The apartment he chose was in a high-end residential building with strict security measures to minimize potential harassment.
In reality, many creators, such as the ageless cartoonist Araki or a muscular cartoonist who specializes in fitness and boxing themes, are highly conscious of their public image. Sakuraba Publishing House even advised Hikigaya not to stay up too late, to use skincare products (offering to send him some if he didn't have any), and to try to maintain his weight. All of this underscored the idea that an author's appearance is part of their business identity, and they should present their best self to the public.
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On June 26, "Malice" was officially released, and its debut surpassed that of "Confessions." By this time, Hikigaya had already built a substantial fan base, which significantly contributed to an impressive initial wave of sales.
"Is this the fan economy?"
On his way to school, Hikigaya sighed at the long queue in front of the bookstore. He had previously looked down on such behavior, thinking that a group of people waiting for the release time just to get the first copy was a waste of time, causing congestion outside the store without any real benefit.
However, when he thought about the readers waiting in line to buy his books, Hikigaya's perspective changed. How could he remain objective and criticize fans who were so eager to support him?
"I'll find a chance to mention this on Twitter later," he thought.
Hikigaya intended to use a gentler approach to address his fans' behavior. He never imagined that, as a literary creator, he would need to contemplate such matters. It seemed that the title of "author" carried a lot of weight.
Arriving at class early, Hikigaya noticed that not many students were there yet, creating a quiet atmosphere. Even when the room filled up, it didn't get noisy; everyone would study quietly and wait for the teacher to arrive.
However, today was a little different.
"Good morning, Suzuki-san! Did you buy something?"
"Morning… Hey? Is this the single volume of 'Malice'? It released today?"
"Yes! I waited in line for a long time this morning to buy it. Let me tell you…"
Hikigaya was surprised to see that his book had become a hot topic among the students at school. Even in Class A, which typically focused solely on studying, many students were fans of his work.
During the second math class of the morning in Class C, the math teacher suddenly called out to Kaori Orimoto, who was fidgeting in her seat.
"Hey, Orimoto! What are you doing?"
"Uh, nothing, sir," Orimoto quickly tried to respond. But the teacher had already moved swiftly toward her.
"Here you are. You're reading a novel during class? I, the teacher, must confiscate it. Please come to my office after class to retrieve it. Wait, is this 'Malice'? Then come back after school this afternoon. We will continue with the lesson."
The math teacher took the confiscated copy of "Malice" and placed it under his arm as he returned to the podium.
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