With his initial interaction with Yuigahama going well, Hachiman realized the importance of seizing the opportunity. While he might not be able to immediately become her best friend or boyfriend, he was determined to build a strong foundation for a good relationship with her.
"Now, I just need to figure out how to get Yui's contact information," Hachiman thought to himself with a newfound determination.
Satisfied with the success of his plan, Hachiman walked back home with a positive mood.
As Hachiman continued on his way, a strange expression crossed his face when he noticed two new modules—[Conversational Skills] and [Acting Skills]—appearing on the screen in his mind. This unexpected discovery left him with an uneasy feeling, especially considering the combination of these two modules.
The thought of having superb conversational and acting skills gave him a concern that he might come across as insincere, even though he genuinely cared about the girls he interacted with. He reassured himself that he wasn't going to play with their feelings irresponsibly, but rather approach them with sincerity and a fraternal attitude.
"Yes, that's right, fraternity," Hachiman affirmed to himself, determined to navigate his newfound skills with integrity.
However, it's important to note that the preparations Hachiman had made not only attracted Sable but also other dogs on his way home. In fact, many dogs, including some larger ones, were drawn to him, which startled him quite a bit. To avoid the sudden influx of dogs, he increased his pace and hurried home.
On the other side, Yuigahama was walking home while holding Sable in her arms. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Hachiman, whom she had met earlier that day.
"I never expected that Hikigaya-kun and I would be going to the same high school. Despite his odd demeanor, he seems like a decent person overall. And you like him, don't you, Sable?" Yuigahama smiled at the dog in her arms, her assumption stemming from Sable's enthusiastic reaction of licking Hachiman's hand earlier.
Overall, the unexpected encounter had left a positive impression on both Hachiman and Yuigahama.
"Woof! Woof!"
Sable stared at Yuigahama with a puzzled expression, not comprehending her words. However, Sable had genuinely enjoyed the taste of the high-grade dog food that was on Hachiman's body. If there was a chance to experience that flavor again, Sable would certainly welcome it.
Over the next few days, Hachiman continued his morning runs with Yuigahama, and diligently worked on his writing upon returning home. Finally, after three days of effort, Hachiman successfully completed the first volume of "Sword Art Online." The task had taken him half a day to finish.
With the completion of his novel's first volume, and his newfound friendship with Yuigahama, Hachiman's days seemed to be taking a positive turn.
"Komachi, I'm heading out for a bit. I'll be back soon," Hachiman informed his sister in the afternoon as he held a USB flash drive containing the revised first volume of "Sword Art Online."
"Sure, Onii-chan. Have a safe trip," Komachi replied without looking away from the anime she was engrossed in, waving him off absentmindedly.
Hachiman simply shrugged, unperturbed by her response. He left the house and made his way to the nearby printing shop to proceed with his plans.
Inside the printing shop, as A4 paper sheets emerged one by one and he watched his nearly empty wallet, Hachiman couldn't help but feel a twinge of heartache. Printing the first volume in physical manuscript form was necessary for submission, which meant spending his hard-earned money.
"Thankfully, once it's approved, I can send the subsequent chapters digitally" Hachiman thought, relieved by the prospect.
With volume one now neatly organized in a folder, Hachiman prepared to head home. It was already past five o'clock, and he needed to return to cook for Komachi.
On Sunday and Monday, Hachiman followed his usual routine of jogging with Yuigahama and having breakfast with Komachi. But on this particular day, he had different plans.
"Komachi, I'll be out for the day, so you don't need to wait for me for lunch," Hachiman informed his sister.
"Sure, Onii-chan. Take care," Komachi responded.
With those words, Hachiman left the house, ready to embark on the first step of his day's mission. A sense of excitement welled up within him as he set out on his path to success.
"Crack!"
Within a minute of Hachiman leaving the house, the door swung open again, and Komachi hurriedly exited.
Over the past few days, her Onii-chan had been acting quite mysteriously. He would lock himself in his room as soon as he returned home, rarely emerging except to eat. Yesterday, he even brought home a folder of sorts. It all felt very odd, and Komachi couldn't help but grow concerned.
Today, her Onii-chan had left early in the morning and hadn't returned by noon. Something was definitely amiss. As his caring sister, how could Komachi not be worried?
Today, she decided to disguise herself and trail Hachiman to find out what he was up to.
As Hachiman left the house, he focused on his destination. Chiba wasn't too far from Tokyo, with a train ride of around two hours. The earlier he left, the earlier he could return.
"I hope everything goes smoothly," Hachiman thought as he stepped onto the tram.
However, unbeknownst to him, Komachi was not far behind. She had decided to follow Hachiman onto the tram to Tokyo, still keeping a discreet distance.
As the tram moved along, Hachiman was completely unaware that his sister was secretly tailing him.
Hachiman remained quite nervous. Despite "Sword Art Online" being an excellent light novel in his previous life, he couldn't be certain if it would be equally successful in this world. After all, the version he was submitting was based on his own memory and had been revised.
While lost in his thoughts, the tram's journey had already brought Hachiman to Tokyo.
Once off the tram, Hachiman straightened up and put on a more cheerful demeanor. Though he still seemed a bit awkward, overall, he projected an amiable persona.
With his phone's directions in hand, Hachiman boarded a bus en route to Kadokawa Bunko in Chiyoda Ward.
Despite his desire to take a taxi directly to Kadokawa, his financial situation made that impossible. Japanese taxis are notoriously expensive, and Hachiman's remaining funds couldn't cover such a ride. So, he reluctantly opted for the bus.
"Driver, please follow the bus in front," Komachi, in contrast to Hachiman's financial constraints, appeared more at ease as she hailed a taxi and trailed behind the bus.
As previously mentioned, the Hikigaya siblings have distinct financial standings within the family. Komachi, for instance, enjoys a pocket money allowance five times that of Hachiman's.
Upon reaching the bus stop near the Kadokawa Library Building, Hachiman disembarked, double-checked his appearance on his phone, and confidently strode into the Kadokawa Building.
Shortly after Hachiman's entrance, Komachi also alighted from the taxi.
"Is this... Kadokawa Bunko?" Komachi's eyes widened as she gazed at the Kadokawa Bunko sign. Doubt was evident in her eyes, as she hadn't anticipated her older brother visiting Kadokawa.
Reception!
Two lovely ladies manned the reception table, and they didn't show an ounce of disdain when they saw a young man like Hachiman entering. In the world of light novels, young authors achieving fame early on were not uncommon.
"Hello, are you here to publish or to meet someone?" The front desk beauty inquired with a friendly smile.
"I'm here to publish my light novel," Hachiman replied. As expected, the second dimension had no shortage of attractive women. The front desk beauty easily scored an eight out of ten in his eyes.
"Alright, please wait in Lounge No. 3. Just head straight down this corridor and take a right. I'll notify the editorial office immediately. If an editor is available, they'll meet you there shortly. Kindly wait a moment," the receptionist said with a smile and guided Hachiman.
"Thank you, I appreciate it," Hachiman nodded in gratitude and then proceeded towards Lounge No. 3!
Room 3!
Upon entering, Hachiman noticed that the room was already occupied by a person—a beautiful girl seated within.
The girl had long, straight black hair and exuded an air of elegance and dignity. Her presence was quiet and composed.
Adorning her long black hair was a white headband. Her face was delicate, boasting alluring, graceful contours. She wore black stockings on her legs and small black leather shoes on her feet.
Upon observing this beauty with black stockings, Hachiman's eyes widened in surprise—wasn't this Utaha Kasumigaoka?
And wasn't I in the world of Oregairu? Why has Utaha Kasumigaoka appeared here? Could she also be a dimensional traveler like me?
As Hachiman entered and noticed Utaha, he saw her gaze linger on his youthful appearance, though her surprise was subtle. After all, geniuses were scattered everywhere, a truth she was well aware of.
Utaha offered a nod of greeting to Hachiman, who reciprocated the gesture. Following the exchange, silence ensued. Neither of them were particularly skilled at initiating conversation, and being strangers to each other further contributed to the quiet atmosphere.
Taking a seat, Hachiman's gaze passed through the glass in the living room, affording him a clear view of the opposite editorial department. The staff appeared engrossed in their tasks, indicating that they would likely have to wait for some time.
With this in mind, Hachiman retrieved his mobile phone and began to play games.
...
An hour passed as Hachiman immersed himself in his gaming, but his concentration was broken when the door to the office room was gently pushed open. Stepping inside was a woman with short dark blue hair and light blue eyes, elegantly dressed in an office lady outfit.
Her capable demeanor was reflected in the slight sway of her short hair as she walked. While her delicate features might not rival Kasumigaoka Utaha's, she exuded a mature charm that Utaha lacked. Overall, she was a beauty on par with Utaha.
The woman entered the room with a purposeful stride, capturing the attention of both Hachiman and Utaha.
"Ah, I apologize for the wait. It's been a busy day. I'm Machida Sonoko, the editor assigned to your project," she said with a hint of embarrassment, addressing both Hachiman and Utaha Kasumigaoka.
Her introduction broke the silence, and both Hachiman and Utaha nodded in acknowledgment.
"It's not a problem, I haven't waited for too long either. I'm Utaha Kasumigaoka," Utaha replied, shaking her head to show her understanding.
"I see. I'm Hikigaya Hachiman. Thank you for taking the time to review our novel amidst your busy schedule," Hachiman added, acknowledging her effort. He couldn't help but sneak a glance at the beautiful editor in front of him.
Tsk tsk, another woman in black stockings with a mature aura. It's undeniably tempting in some aspects, but Hachiman's focus lay elsewhere. Passing the novel review was his current priority.
"I also appreciate both of your understanding. Would you like something to drink?" Machida Sonoko asked with a smile.
"Coffee!"
"Coffee is good!"
The two replied almost in unison.
"Sure, no problem!" Sonoko Machida brought over three cups of coffee and then turned her attention to Hachiman and Utaha, saying, "Let's not waste any time. Who would like to start?"
"Ladies first, please go ahead, Ms. Kasumigaoka!" With a sense of gentlemanly politeness, Hachiman allowed Kasumigaoka to go first, given her status as a lady.
"Sure, Editor Machida, please take a look. This is my novel," Kasumigaoka nodded, took out the manuscript from her folder, and handed it to Machida Sonoko.
"'Koisuru Metronome,' a romance novel?" Upon receiving the manuscript, Machida Sonoko didn't waste time on small talk and delved straight into the work, browsing through it swiftly.
With her extensive experience as an editor, Machida Sonoko had honed the skill of rapid reading. In just half an hour, she managed to read through the thick manuscript.
After perusing the manuscript, Sonoko Machida closed her eyes and took a moment to reflect. After a brief pause, she opened her eyes and directed her gaze at Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Utaha, too, straightened her posture, sensing that the decisive moment for her novel's fate was approaching.
"Miss Kasumigaoka, may I ask have you never been in a relationship?" Machida Sonoko inquired after the brief silence.
"Yes," Kasumigaoka nodded, a bit puzzled by the unexpected question.
"How should I put it?" Sonoko Machida collected her thoughts, "While the prose is eloquent and the emotional dynamics are well-balanced, the plot still seems somewhat lacking in depth."
"Really?" Kasumigaoka's disappointment was evident upon hearing this; she seemed to believe that her novel had not made the cut.
"But this aspect can be improved. I have confidence in your abilities, Ms. Kasumigaoka." Just as Kasumigaoka Utaha was about to assume it was mere consolation, Machida Sonoko shifted the conversation, "Overall, your manuscript meets the criteria for publication."
"Really?" Kasumigaoka was a little taken aback by the sudden turn of events; she had been bracing for a rejection.
"Absolutely. If a twist is added to the ending of the first volume, I believe it will elicit a strong response." In a final note, Editor Machida offered Kasumigaoka a suggestion for enhancement.
As Utaha pondered over the advice, Sonoko Machida set aside the manuscript she had been reading, turned her attention to Hachiman, and said, "Now, let's move on to Mr. Hikigaya's work."
"Absolutely, this is my manuscript. Please go ahead and review it," Hachiman stated, handing over his work.
"'Sword Art Online'? A story set in another world?" At the sight of the title, Sonoko Machida immediately assumed it was an isekai novel and began her assessment without hesitation.
"Virtual reality... death game... strategic team..."
With each passing line, Machida Sonoko became increasingly engrossed in the narrative. This time, it was evident that the manuscript left a more profound impact on her compared to the previous one.
About an hour later, Machida Sonoko set down the manuscript, closed her eyes in contemplation, and then turned her gaze towards Hachiman.
"What's wrong? Editor Machida, is there a problem with my novel?" Sensing her scrutiny, Hachiman felt a twinge of uncertainty.
"No, it's not that there's a problem with the novel," Sonoko Machida shook her head in response. "On the contrary, your work is quite impressive and it meets the requirements for publication."
"Though there are some areas where the writing is still immature, as long as your story continues to develop, it has the potential to yield quite a good result."
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