After a while, Eriri, now dressed up, came downstairs.
When Tanaka Masao and Sawamura Sayuri saw her appearance, they both fell silent.
Eriri was still in her green sportswear.
Her blonde hair was tied up beneath a baseball cap, her face hidden behind black-rimmed glasses and a white mask.
With her hands on her hips, Eriri spoke proudly:
"Well? Isn't my disguise perfect? No one will recognize me."
Tanaka Masao nodded, then muttered:
"Sure, they won't recognize you—but they'll probably think you're some stalker or weirdo."
Hearing this, Eriri immediately protested. "I don't need that from you, a perverted fat otaku!"
Sawamura Sayuri quickly stepped in to calm things down.
"Alright, enough. Don't fight. Eriri's outfit may be a little odd, but since we're going to a bookstore, it's not that unusual."
Tanaka Masao nodded. He had indeed seen people dressed like this at a bookstore before. Then he asked:
"Sister Sayuri, do you have any extra masks and caps? Give me one too."
If he went out with Eriri like this, she might avoid being recognized, but he might not.
So, he decided to disguise himself as well.
It might look a little strange, but at least no one would know who he was.
"Yes, I'll get them right away."
Sayuri went back into the room and soon returned with a cap and mask for him.
Meanwhile, Eriri stood smugly, like a proud rooster.
"As expected, this is exactly how you should dress when going to a bookstore."
······
Before long, Tanaka Masao was disguised as well, and the two of them headed out together.
Sayuri, however, said she had something else to do and stayed behind.
The moment Tanaka Masao and Eriri stepped onto the street, they instantly drew attention.
Their outfits were simply too suspicious.
Some passersby even considered calling the police.
Eriri quickly realized the problem and muttered under her breath:
"I was careless. I shouldn't have dressed like this from the start. I should've waited until I was near the bookstore before putting on the disguise."
She glanced at Tanaka Masao and asked:
"Why aren't you nervous at all with so many people staring at us?"
"Nervous? Why would I be nervous?"
Tanaka Masao looked genuinely puzzled.
"Even if I look strange right now, no one knows it's me. I'm not Tanaka Masao right now."
Hearing that, Eriri's eyes lit up.
"That's right! I'm not Sawamura Eriri either—I'm Kashiwagi Eri.
If Kashiwagi Eri looks like a pervert, that has nothing to do with me, Eriri."
Her confidence returned immediately.
With that mindset, the two of them walked boldly without guilt, and the people around them grew less suspicious.
And despite her disguise, it was obvious Eriri was a beautiful girl.
Some people even wondered if she might be an idol or celebrity in disguise.
As for Tanaka Masao, he naturally looked like her manager.
······
Soon, they arrived at the bookstore they had visited last time.
"This is it," Eriri said, leading the way inside.
Tanaka Masao followed close behind.
The bookstore had a calm, quiet atmosphere.
Customers rarely spoke. Most were quietly browsing their favorite books.
No one disturbed others, and no one wanted to be disturbed.
At checkout, the owner even offered paper bags to protect customers' privacy.
Eriri led Tanaka Masao to a corner and whispered:
"Okay, just wait here for a bit, and you'll see how your books are selling."
Following her gaze, Tanaka Masao spotted his books stacked in an obvious display area.
There were plenty of copies, arranged where anyone could see them.
Within minutes, he saw several people stop, take a look, then pick one up and hurry to the counter.
Although the name [Takeda] was appearing in the literary world for the first time, the bookstore had placed the books in the recommended section.
That meant the store manager believed they were high quality and would sell well.
Customers often checked books in that section first.
Even though the plastic wrapping prevented them from browsing inside, the covers alone were enough to attract buyers.
Some customers had even come specifically because of Sawamura Eriri's online recommendation.
"Looks like sales are good," Eriri commented with satisfaction.
"Tomorrow, there'll probably be even more people."
Seeing her confident look, Tanaka Masao asked:
"Why do you think so? Kashiwagi Eri's experience?"
"You could say that."
Eriri nodded. "Just like otakus have their own communities, book readers also have their circles.
When they find something they like, they recommend it online, and that brings more buyers.
Many unknown but good-quality works became bestsellers this way.
Of course, this only works if the book is good. If a poor-quality book is heavily promoted, it might sell at first, but it won't earn any lasting reputation."
"Hmm, I see."
Tanaka showed understanding.
······
They stayed in the bookstore for nearly half an hour before leaving.
"Does this store only sell books?" Tanaka Masao asked.
"Of course not," Eriri rolled her eyes.
"There are other stores that sell them too, but this one is the biggest. Since it's in Akihabara, the location is great and the customer flow is the highest.
Because the selection is so rich, even niche works are available here. That's why not just Tokyo locals but also otakus from other cities come."
"Niche works?"
Tanaka Masao perked up. "Would your humiliation series count as one of those?"
"Ha~"
Eriri stiffened, clearly offended. "Just because some people don't like the humiliation series doesn't mean it's niche, okay?"
Crossing her arms, she continued, "It seems you've never seen real niche works. Let me tell you, those can only be described as bizarre and twisted. I honestly don't understand why anyone would enjoy them."
As she recalled some of the strange titles she had come across, Eriri couldn't help shivering.
Seeing her unsettled look, Tanaka Masao understood.
Those kinds of works probably went far beyond what normal people could handle.
Not wanting to scare himself, he quickly changed the subject.
"Eriri, let's go grab something to eat and take a break."