"My latest work has finally been published!"
Zaimokuza Yoshiteru spoke with obvious pride as he handed the book in his hands to Sato.
"This is a copy I specially brought for you, Sensei!"
Sato looked at Zaimokuza Yoshiteru in surprise.
Seriously?!
Not far away, everyone else in the clubroom stared at Zaimokuza Yoshiteru in stunned disbelief.
A published light novel!
To them, that was on an entirely different level.
Yukinoshita Yukino first looked at Zaimokuza Yoshiteru in surprise, then shifted her gaze toward Sato. The surprise in her eyes gradually turned into understanding.
She lowered her head and continued reading the book in her hands.
Rather than saying Zaimokuza Yoshiteru was amazing, it would be more accurate to say Sato was.
Everyone in the club had seen what Zaimokuza Yoshiteru's writing had been like in the beginning. Although his transformation into what he was now certainly owed a great deal to his own hard work, Sato's notes had undoubtedly played a decisive role.
She understood that very well.
After composing himself, Sato looked down at the book in his hands.
Judging by the cover alone, the production quality wasn't particularly impressive. It didn't look like something published by one of the major light novel imprints.
He deliberately flipped to the publisher's page and, as expected, found the name of an imprint he had never heard of.
Still, since Zaimokuza Yoshiteru had gone through the trouble of bringing it to him, he accepted the book.
"I'll gladly take it. How many copies were printed in the first run?"
"Three thousand!"
Sato nodded.
A first printing of three thousand copies was pretty standard for a newcomer.
As for his own books, each new volume now had an initial print run of around eight hundred thousand copies.
"Not bad. Keep working hard."
"Yes! I'll keep walking this path no matter what, so please don't worry, Sensei!"
After saying that, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru glanced around the clubroom before hurriedly adding,
"Sensei, I'll be going now!"
"Hmph! My trusted friend! The next time we meet, I shall have grown even stronger! Make sure you keep up your own efforts!"
Before leaving, he threw that dramatic line at Hikigaya Hachiman, instantly darkening Hachiman's expression.
That idiot...
Sato chuckled before looking down at the book again.
The Swordmaster General's Chronicle of Another World.
It really was so very Zaimokuza Yoshiteru.
Although Hikigaya Hachiman stood nearby looking completely indifferent, his eyes kept drifting toward the book in Sato's hands.
"Hikigaya, if you want to read it, then just read it. Do you really have to keep sneaking glances?"
Sato raised an eyebrow and smiled as he waved the book.
He acted like he couldn't stand Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, but he was still one of the few people Hachiman could genuinely call a friend.
"Who says I want to read it?"
Hikigaya Hachiman deliberately turned his head away, pretending to be calm.
"There are only three thousand copies. If you're too late, you won't be able to buy one."
"Do you really think I don't know anything?"
Hikigaya Hachiman rolled his eyes at Sato irritably, his expression slightly gloomy.
"He should be thanking his lucky stars if all three thousand copies even sell. Who's going to be lining up to fight over them?"
"So you really do care."
Sato looked at Hikigaya Hachiman teasingly.
He talked tough, but his actions were much more honest.
Classic tsundere behavior.
So even you, Hikigaya, with those serious dead-fish eyes, are secretly a hopeless tsundere.
Seeing the amused smile on Sato's face, Hikigaya Hachiman felt his mood worsen even more.
Why did he have to be stuck in the same classroom as this obnoxious normie?
Even though he hated admitting it, he really was a shut-in at heart, and against someone like this, he felt completely outclassed.
To make matters worse, this guy's grades were terrifyingly good. Even the humanities subjects, which had always been Hachiman's strongest point, hardly felt worth mentioning in comparison.
So annoying!
Hikigaya Hachiman was thoroughly disgruntled.
"Fine, take a look."
Sato suddenly tossed the book into Hikigaya Hachiman's arms before dragging his chair over to where the girls had gradually quieted down.
Talking to Hikigaya wasn't nearly as interesting as talking to cute girls.
Although Hikigaya Hachiman wore a look of utter disdain, he still caught the light novel. The moment he saw the title on the cover, he let out a snort, his eyes full of contempt.
Just as expected, it's exactly Zaimokuza's style.
Well then, let me properly critique this book.
The very next second, he carefully opened it and began reading with genuine interest, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
...
Sato walked over to the girls.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but the air somehow felt much fresher over here.
Ah...
It had to be because Hikigaya had already started to rot.
As soon as he joined them, the girls, who had gradually run out of things to talk about, immediately shifted the conversation onto him.
"By the way, Sato, when's that game coming out?"
Perhaps because they had just received their payment, the girls were especially interested in Yosuga no Sora, which had yet to be released.
"If nothing unexpected happens, probably around the May Day holiday."
Sato answered Ritsu's question.
Development was basically finished by now, so it would most likely be released around the beginning of May.
Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, he looked seriously at Mio.
"Oh, right. They'll be mailing me a few sample copies later. I'll bring them for you guys."
"Huh? Really? There's actually something that good?"
Yui's bright eyes sparkled as she wore the delighted expression of someone who had just gotten an incredible bargain.
Mio looked at Sato in confusion.
Why...
Why did it feel like he was saying that specifically to me?
A trace of suspicion crept into her heart, followed by a growing sense of unease.
Is there something I don't know about?
As it happened, Mio's intuition was correct.
Sato really had been saying that to her.
It had suddenly occurred to him that if the girls became interested in the game and bought it themselves, there was a very good chance they'd end up purchasing the adult version. If that happened, it would probably be true social death for Mio.
So he decided to get them an all-ages version first, cutting off that possibility entirely.
Strictly speaking, the theme song didn't actually have much to do with the game's content.
But Mio was simply far too thin-skinned. Even under those circumstances, she probably wouldn't be able to handle it.
So Sato could only keep it hidden for as long as possible.