章節 11: Ayachi Nene

[Congratulations to the host for successfully unlocking the new skill interface: Calligraphy.]

[Calligraphy Level: 1 (3,000 Fame Points required to level up)]

"Now it takes different amounts of Fame Points to level up calligraphy. It costs 3,000 Fame Points just to go from level 1 to level 2."

Looking at the required Fame Points for leveling up, Kotomi couldn't help but sigh inwardly at how quickly Fame Points get spent.

She clicked the upgrade button, and the Calligraphy skill instantly increased from level 1 to level 2.

[Calligraphy Level: 2 (6,000 Fame Points required to level up)]

"After leveling up Calligraphy to level 2, it doesn't seem like there's much of a change."

[Host, why don't you try writing your name on a piece of paper?]

The God-Level Heroine System suggested.

Kotomi found a sheet of white paper and a black carbon pen and wrote her name on it: Izumi Kotomi.

Nothing unusual happened; she had half-expected the Calligraphy skill to grant her some sort of supernatural ability like Light Yagami's Death Note. But after writing her name, nothing occurred.

However, on closer inspection, her handwriting did appear more refined and neat.

[As they say, handwriting reflects the person. As a God-Level Heroine, your handwriting should naturally be beautiful. The Calligraphy skill allows you to write beautifully.]

"So that's how it is… I've never really paid much attention to my handwriting, especially since I write my novels on a computer."

[But as you become more famous, the publishing house will definitely arrange book signings for you, right? Just imagine—an up-and-coming light novel author who also happens to be a beautiful young woman. That alone will attract a lot of attention, both good and bad.]

"Bad attention? Tsk, I get it. I almost forgot that no matter what world you're in, there are always keyboard warriors, nitpickers, and trolls."

[Exactly. Some people who can't stand you will try to find any way to tarnish your image. If they discover that your handwriting isn't very good at a book signing, it might not be a big deal, but once the trolls online catch wind of it, they could blow it out of proportion and use it to stir up trouble. You should be cautious about this.]

Kotomi nodded in agreement. This was indeed something to take seriously.

So, she immediately decided to level up her Calligraphy skill again, raising it to level 3.

[Host, I was just giving you a heads-up. Actually, level 2 Calligraphy is good enough. But you went ahead and leveled it up again… You really like to play it safe, don't you?]

"You don't understand. I just want to be more perfect. I know very well how bad my handwriting was in my previous life. As my mom used to say, 'That's not writing, it's like a bunch of little spiders crawling together.'"

[The saying 'handwriting reflects the person' isn't entirely accurate. For example, although your handwriting in your previous life wasn't great, you still looked quite delicate and pretty.]

"Still, I'd rather improve my Calligraphy skill. I don't want my handwriting to look bad during future book signings. Whether or not trolls use it against me is one thing. But more importantly, the readers attending the signing are likely fans who support and care about me. Even those who can't make it will be following the event closely. I owe it to my readers to have nice handwriting so I don't disappoint them."

[Your readers are really lucky to have someone like you.]

The God-Level Heroine System seemed to be half-joking but also somewhat sincere.

"No," Kotomi shook her head and smiled softly, "I'm the lucky one to be loved by so many readers."

[Actually, Host, if you ever wanted, I could eliminate anyone who makes you unhappy. They would be wiped from this world, but not before experiencing deep, soul-crushing regret. They'd deserve to die… to die… Anyone who dares make you unhappy deserves to die!]

The system's usual playful tone suddenly shifted to something darker, almost yandere-like.

Just hearing it, Kotomi could almost picture a cute but blood-splattered yandere figure, like Theresa from Honkai Impact, standing before her with an empty gaze, holding a blood-dripping hatchet.

"Uh… I appreciate your concern, but please don't do that," Kotomi said, wiping away a cold sweat.

After spending 100,000 Fame Points to unlock the Calligraphy skill, plus another 9,000 to level it up, Kotomi looked at her remaining points.

She now had 43,000 Fame Points left.

"In less than half an hour, I've spent 180,000 Fame Points down to just 43,000… Fame Points really do get used up quickly."

Kotomi sighed, then curiously tapped the question mark on the sixth skill slot.

[Insufficient Fame Points. 500,000 Fame Points required to unlock a new skill.]

"500,000?!" Kotomi exclaimed. She had expected the cost to increase but not by this much.

Unlocking the fifth skill had cost 100,000 Fame Points, but the sixth skill required a whopping 500,000—an increase of 400,000 points.

[I'm sure with your talent, you'll be able to earn that much in no time.]

"You, Petty Heroine System, should consider adding a Fame Points subscription. Like, pay 30 yen for a monthly card, get 300 points immediately, and then 90 points per day for 30 days, totaling 2,700 points."

[Great idea!]

"Great idea, my foot!"

Kotomi retorted, then moved to her computer and opened the Dengeki Bunko website to search for Sword Art Online.

Just as the system had said, the novel's popularity was indeed astonishing, with the number nearing 1.85 million.

The comments section had also surged to over 20,000.

"No wonder the editors at Dengeki Bunko reached out to me first. If I were an editor and saw a light novel gaining this much popularity, I'd immediately contact the author too," Kotomi remarked before closing the page.

She was fairly satisfied with the current results. Now, she just had to wait for her meeting with Yukinoshita Haruno at the Dengeki Bunko editorial office to discuss the details.

Kotomi didn't close the Dengeki Bunko website but instead browsed the purchase section, adding some light novels that caught her interest to her shopping cart.

Halfway through, she decided to check out the best-seller list to see which novels were currently topping the charts. Clicking on the page, she noticed something.

"These books are selling really well… Wait, hold on, this book is—!"

Kotomi's eyes lit up when she saw Love Metronome ranked in the top five. The author of the light novel was Kasumi Utako.

"Kasumi Utako… that's Utaha Kasumigaoka!"

Excited, Kotomi added both volumes 1 and 2 of Love Metronome to her cart and quickly made the purchase.

Kasumi Utako, real name: Utaha Kasumigaoka.

Just thinking about Utaha-senpai, Kotomi's mind immediately conjured up images of those elegant, black-stockinged legs and full curves.

[Here's some good news for you. Utaha Kasumigaoka attends the same high school as you—Sobu High—and she's a second-year student.]

"For the first time in my life, I'm genuinely excited for school to start. Ah, I can't wait to see Megumi, to see Utaha-senpai, to see Mashiro, to see Yukino. System, hurry and take out a gadget that can fast-forward time to a few days from now!"

[What are you thinking? Do you think I'm Doraemon with a time-travel gadget? Even if such a thing existed, why would I give it to you? I'd use it myself to skip ahead to the day you become a God-Level Heroine.]

"Sigh… This is the first time I've ever wanted summer vacation to end quickly," Kotomi lamented.

[If your sister heard you say that while she's frantically catching up on her summer homework, she'd probably want to eat you alive.]

"I suppose I should do something productive to pass the time."

[Oh! Are you going to start writing the second volume of Sword Art Online right now?! You're so diligent, so amazing—truly the host I'm proud of! Wait, no, why are you launching a YuzuSoft galgame? And, hold on, I thought all YuzuSoft's galgames were stored within my system—how did you transfer them to your computer?]

"Oh, I saw a copy-paste icon on the system interface earlier, so I tried clicking it. Although this laptop can't handle all the goodies, I can at least copy and paste a few to revisit. Time to immerse myself in YuzuSoft!"

[Is this what you meant by 'doing something productive'...?]

"Of course! Reviewing old knowledge and learning new things helps you progress. No one understands productivity better than me," Kotomi said with a straight face.

And then…

Ayachi Nene, here I come!

Wait, no—Nene is a second-year in the game…

But that's okay~

Down with the establishment! Ayachi Nene, here comes your little sister!

The next morning, without the pressure of a looming deadline, Kotomi woke up at seven o'clock. After a quick wash, she went downstairs for breakfast.

After eating, she mentioned to her mom, Izumi Akina, that she wanted to go to Tokyo in the afternoon.

"Going to Tokyo by yourself this afternoon? Didn't you just go a few days ago?" Akina asked.

"Uh… well, yeah, but with school starting soon, I wanted to take one last trip to Tokyo before it does," Kotomi replied with a sheepish smile.

Akina gave Kotomi a meaningful look, then smiled and said, "Be home by six-thirty. We're having hotpot tonight."

"I want to go to Tokyo with sister too! I'm also about to start school…" Izumi Aimi said enviously.

"You know school is starting soon, but have you finished your summer homework? Are you ready for the entrance exams? Have you memorized all the English words your teacher assigned? Can you write them out without mistakes?"

"Um… just pretend I didn't say anything."

Kotomi patted Aimi's head and coaxed her like a child, "Be good~ I'll bring you your favorite caramel orange pudding when I get back."

"Really?!"

Aimi's eyes lit up, but then she realized she was acting too childish and blushed in embarrassment.

"Come on, Onee-chan, stop treating me like a kid!"

"Hehe~"

That afternoon, Kotomi left home, headed to the train station, and boarded a train bound for Tokyo.

Luckily, Chiba City isn't far from Tokyo; it only takes about half an hour by train.

Dengeki Bunko is located in Tokyo's Chiyoda ward, where its famous counterparts like Kadokawa and Fujimi Bunko are also based.

Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, could easily be called the political and economic heart of the city.

When Kotomi arrived at the Dengeki Bunko building, she was greeted by a receptionist with a smile.

She looked around, then walked up to the receptionist and said, "Hello, I'm Izumi Ki, here for my appointment with Yukinoshita Haruno, an editor from Dengeki Bunko."

Seeing the pretty young girl in front of her, the receptionist couldn't help but think to herself, What a beautiful little girl!

When faced with beauty, people's moods naturally lift.

"Miss Izumi… um, I mean, Miss Izumi, welcome to Dengeki Bunko. Please fill out this visitor form."

After confirming the day's schedule on her computer, the receptionist handed Kotomi a visitor form from the drawer.

Kotomi took the form and began filling in her pen name and contact information.

The receptionist couldn't help but glance at Kotomi's handwriting, thinking, Such elegant handwriting… truly, a person as beautiful as her has equally beautiful writing.