🔥 Want more from the story? 🔥
Join my Patreon and unlock more than 15 advance chapters before they're published on Webnovel! 🚀📖 Perfect for readers who can't wait to see what happens next.
🎁 Right now, enjoy a 30% OFF discount on all tiers $10+ — valid for 7 days only! Use code AUG20 to claim it.
💬 Plus, our Discord server is live! Come join the family and connect with other readers:
Comment for discord link
📚 Fanfiction Patreon: patreon.com/Forbidden_lust
🎨 Art Patreon: patreon.com/PixLust
Chapter 16 – The Contract at Dengeki Bunko
It was lunch break.
Ryuo Tenshin was munching on the toast Hikigaya had bought earlier. While chewing lazily, he glanced at his phone.
A notification from Dengeki Bunko caught his eye. Checking the time, he realized it had been sent before nine in the morning. No doubt, the editor must have sent it as soon as they started work.
The message read:
> Congratulations. Your work "Your Lie in April" has won the Grand Prize of the Dengeki Novel Award. Please come to the Dengeki Bunko offices as soon as possible to complete the formal contract, receive the Newcomer Award bonus, and discuss related publication matters.
Because he had already spoken with Editor Fujii Yuuna before, Ryuo wasn't worried about the details. The publication process and illustrations for Your Lie in April would be handled by Dengeki Bunko anyway.
He was about to close the message without much thought… until his eyes landed on the last part:
> …receive the bonus.
Ryuo froze. Then his eyes lit up instantly.
"Three million yen…!"
He clenched his fist, trying to stay calm, but his grin betrayed him.
Mizuki, we're going to be rich!
---
By afternoon, the school day had ended. Ryuo wasted no time and jumped on the Shinjuku-bound train, heading straight for the Dengeki Bunko headquarters.
The address Fujii had given him was on the ninth floor.
But the moment Ryuo stepped out of the elevator—
"Why not?!"
"This is what I, the number one on the ORICON charts, am saying!"
A blonde girl in gothic clothing, her voice sharp and insistent, stood in front of the reception desk, arms crossed and looking furious.
"I already submitted my Fairy Dance series to your company, so why are you still refusing me?!"
The young woman across from her, a bespectacled editor in her early twenties, looked overwhelmed but tried to maintain a stern tone.
"Yamada-sensei, please return for now. This matter must be discussed with Mr. Tenshin and Eromanga-sensei."
The gothic girl stomped her foot in frustration.
Just then, the bespectacled woman noticed Ryuo at the elevator door. Her demeanor shifted instantly—she smiled warmly and waved him over.
"Ah, Tenshin-sensei! I'm Editor-in-Chief Fujii Yuuna. I've been waiting for you!"
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Fujii," Ryuo replied politely. He wasn't surprised she recognized him—after all, the registration forms included photos.
He was about to ask about receiving his prize money when the gothic blonde suddenly barged between them, hands on her hips, glaring at him.
"Hey! Don't cut in line! Who even are you?"
Ryuo blinked, confused. "…?"
Fujii sighed and stepped in.
"This is Mr. Tenshin, the author of Your Lie in April, this year's Grand Prize-winning work."
Then, turning to Ryuo, she added:
"And this is Yamada Elf, author of the Fairy Dance series, also here today to discuss publication matters."
Ryuo's eyes widened slightly. No wonder she looked so familiar—her novels were well-known.
"Wait, so he's the one? The author of Your Lie in April?" Elf gasped dramatically, then narrowed her eyes at him.
"Perfect. You're exactly who I was looking for. Listen, I need Eromanga-sensei to illustrate my new Fairy Dance series. So, step aside and don't get in the way of my partnership."
Ryuo was speechless for a moment, then muttered flatly, "Uh… no. I never said I'd help you. I just don't object."
Elf's jaw dropped. "W-what?! You dare reject me? You should be honored to cooperate with someone of my literary genius!"
Fujii quickly interjected before the argument escalated.
"Yamada-sensei, listen carefully. Eromanga-sensei has already agreed to work with Your Lie in April. She even said she liked the manuscript very much. If you want to collaborate, you'll have to negotiate with her directly."
"No way!!!" Elf stamped her foot again, her long blonde hair bouncing with the movement.
"I already asked the editorial department to contact her, but that hermit refuses to answer any of my emails or calls! She's your artist, isn't she? Can't you persuade her? Obviously she'd be better off working with me than with some newbie like him!"
Ryuo raised an eyebrow. "Newbie, huh…"
Elf pointed at him dramatically. "Kneel before my talent!"
Fujii, visibly running out of patience, glanced at her watch—it was already past five. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and pretended to dial.
"Ms. Yamada, if you don't calm down, I'll have no choice but to call your brother."
The effect was immediate. Elf froze, paling visibly, then broke into a cold sweat.
"D-Don't! Don't call Chris! Fine, I'll let you off for now. But remember this—I won't stop until I see Eromanga-sensei with my own eyes!"
With that, she lifted her frilly skirt dramatically and dashed out of the office.
Ryuo blinked. "…That was… something."
"Honestly, troublesome authors are the worst," Fujii muttered, rubbing her temples.
"So what exactly is going on here?" Ryuo asked.
Fujii explained briefly, "It's simple. You're our Grand Prize winner. Eromanga-sensei is our star illustrator. Naturally, we paired you two together. She already expressed her approval and said she loved your novel. However, Yamada-sensei transferred from another publisher just so she could compete in our Newcomer Award and force a collaboration with Eromanga-sensei. Since she couldn't reach Eromanga directly, she used this roundabout method."
Ryuo let out a small sigh of relief. "I see. Well, if Eromanga-sensei really likes Your Lie in April, then I don't mind at all."
A sly thought crossed his mind. If she buys even one copy, that's 50 yen straight into my pocket. Better not make her hate me.
Suddenly, the image of Eromanga-sensei appeared in his mind, framed by a faint halo.
"…Yeah. She's definitely the most reliable partner I could ask for."