"Waaah... my melon bread!"
Satania wiped her bean-sized tears, but they kept streaming down endlessly.
"Um... are you okay?"
Doma Umaru, who had come to the alley entrance, looked at Satania and asked cautiously.
"I... my..."
Satania cried loudly, but out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed two familiar figures standing at the alley entrance, watching her with interest.
Her crying abruptly stopped. Turning her head, she looked at the blonde angel with tears still falling and sobbed, "Ga... Gabriel..."
"And... that human I met before!"
Sniffling, she turned to look at Sato as well.
Doma Umaru looked back at Sato and Gabriel in confusion. "You know her?"
Sato said, "We've crossed paths before. Well... she's just a chuuni."
"What do you mean chuuni! I am the great demon Kurumizawa Satanichia McDowell, destined to become the ruler of hell!"
Even with tears still glistening in her eyes, Satania cared deeply about this. She waved her hand dramatically and stared at Sato as she shouted.
Sato simply shrugged at Doma Umaru.
See?
Doma Umaru looked at Satania with a strange expression. So she really was a chuuni...
After all, what kind of demon would be this cute!
Seeing the odd look Doma Umaru was giving her, Satania immediately realized that the other girl did not believe a word she said.
She clenched her teeth, considering whether to display the great power of the mighty demon Satania in front of these two humans, when suddenly Gabriel placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Let's go, Satania. If we keep delaying, we'll be late for school."
"Hmph, wouldn't that be even better?"
Satania suddenly went from sorrow to joy. With tear stains still on her face, she crossed her arms and let out a smug laugh, her eyes shining with excitement. "Being late is something only A-rank demons can do!"
"Are you sure you want to be late?"
Gabriel's voice sounded softly. A strange glint flickered in her violet eyes, and a faint, wicked smile curved her lips.
She leaned closer, her voice like a whisper carried by the wind into Satania's ears. "First period is that bald demon king's class."
Satania froze for a moment, as if recalling something terrible. She shuddered violently, then immediately turned and walked forward without looking back.
"Th-then we should hurry!"
Oh?
"Nohara, we're heading off first!"
Gabriel waved at Sato, her pace noticeably quicker.
That was... unexpected.
Sato rubbed his chin, thinking. There was actually someone who could make even Gabriel feel fear?
"Then I'll go too!"
Doma Umaru pointed toward another direction at the intersection.
"Mm."
...
Noon.
Private Mixed High School, rooftop.
Sato bit into a yakisoba bread while holding his phone, speaking with Machida Sonoko from Fujikawa Shoten on the other end of the line.
"Tch! Miyabi-sensei, you really stabbed me in the back this time!"
Sitting in a chair, leaning back as he chewed, Sato asked, "What's wrong?"
On the other end, Machida Sonoko sounded somewhat aggrieved. "You tell me what's going on with your website. I got thoroughly questioned by those old men in the meeting this morning."
"Isn't that just my personal action? What does it have to do with you?"
"Sensei, you're an author I'm responsible for. Of course they'd question me."
"Then are you okay?"
"I'm fine... hey, wait, stop! The way you say that makes it sound like I'm really your planted spy."
Sato raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Did they really say that?"
Machida Sonoko sat in a roadside restaurant near Fujikawa Shoten, poking at the steak in front of her with a fork. Hearing this, she sighed. "Not exactly those old men, but the others who are eyeing my position."
"Those people are like mad dogs. The moment there's the slightest disturbance, they attack like crazy. It's exhausting."
"Forget it, let's not talk about that. Sensei, tell me about your website. What exactly are you planning to do?"
"They asked you to ask me?"
"Well... partly."
Sato let out a chuckle, then said seriously, "Of course it's to give those who refuse to give up on light novels a chance to pursue their dreams."
"Look, even without publishing, they can still earn income. Isn't that great?"
"Readers can support authors, and authors can keep going."
On the other end, Machida Sonoko said quietly, "So... you're basically digging into the foundation of traditional publishing, right?"
"Huh? How could that be? Japanese people are very traditional and conservative. They won't change their reading habits so easily."
"I'm just helping dreamers, and taking a few leftovers from you guys along the way."
Sato denied it immediately.
"Not easy to change? That means it can be changed, right?"
"Are you Sherlock Holmes?"
"Miyabi-sensei, don't underestimate me. I'm one of the chief editors at one of Japan's largest light novel publishers. I've done some research on readers and market trends."
"Oh? Is that so? Then I apologize."
"Tch, it really feels like you're always underestimating me."
Machida Sonoko narrowed her eyes as she held the phone. "No matter what, I'm going to propose developing online reading to the higher-ups. When that happens, don't blame me for competing with you for the market."
"That won't be so easy. Doing that would be undermining your own business."
Sato smiled.
Fujikawa Shoten was a traditional publisher. An online paid model would inevitably reduce offline sales.
"Well, I don't care about that. I'll just do what I can. If I really can't make it anymore, I'll come work for you, sensei. I'm sure you'll at least leave me a position as a gatekeeper, right?"
"Hm... let me think. I suppose I could leave you a small guardhouse, with a sign that says 'Shiro' on it."
"What kind of name is Shiro?"
"My nephew's dog's name."
"Damn it!!!"
...
Just as Sato hung up, the rooftop door opened, and a slightly lazy yet alluring voice reached his ears.
"Sensei, what made you come here today?"