Lunch at the Kamisato estate was exquisite, and after enjoying it, Victor Wang took his leave.
As much as he wanted to stay close to Ayaka, she maintained her usual formal demeanor. Their interactions had been limited, and though they were familiar with each other, they were far from close—leaving him with no easy way to bridge that gap.
Passing by Mt. Yougou, he made a brief stop at the Grand Narukami Shrine. Yae Miko was as serene and composed as ever, as though nothing had happened at all. That calm alone was reassuring—it meant, most likely, that Ei and the Shogun had reconciled.
Not long after that day, a decree was issued from Tenshukaku—the long-standing Sakoku Edict that had bound Inazuma for generations was finally abolished.
Simply walking down the streets, one could feel the atmosphere of celebration, as if the entire nation were welcoming the new year. Shops and stalls were suddenly decorated with lanterns and ribbons, glowing and festive overnight. Even former pirates and ronin were being escorted into prisons under the supervision of the shogunate army, ready to undergo "reformation" and start new lives.
Humans, being social creatures, are easily swayed by the mood of those around them—and Victor nearly found himself swept away by the joy in the air.
There was no longer any doubt: the Shogun had returned to her normal self. The real question now was about a replacement material for the electro dragon… surely, they couldn't have the Shogun herself go dragon-hunting across nations.
He had already accepted that his experiment to cleanse Electro energy would have to be postponed, but he still couldn't let it go completely.
"Sumeru's fine," he muttered to himself. "But once we reach Fontaine… with only Anemo, Geo, and Dendro energy available, what could I even do?"
Just then, there came an unexpected knock on the door.
"...!"
"Could it be?!"
"At a time like this, who could possibly—?"
He quickly dismissed the half-finished Array Stone model in his hand and hurried to open the door.
"Correct! It's us you've been waiting for!" declared Paimon, hands on her hips, with Lumine standing beside her.
"Oh, it's you two."
"What's with that disappointed tone?" Paimon's proud pose lasted all of one second before she began to wave her hands urgently. "Come on, come on, we need your help—something important!"
"Don't tell me… Enkanomiya's been opened?"
"Enka—what? No, it's about novels!" Paimon said, practically shouting. "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, The Eminence in Shadow, and The Sword of Calamity have all been knocked off the monthly sales chart by a newcomer's book!"
"Oh."
"Oh? How can you be so calm about it?! Those three have to stay in the top three! Where's your fighting spirit?" Even Lumine nodded in firm agreement.
"Isn't it normal for rankings to change over time?"
"Normal, my foot! Do you even realize how good your books are? No normal light novel could ever beat them! It's only because that A Firsthand Guide to Summoning Spirits is cheating somehow!"
"The A Firsthand Guide to Summoning Spirits?" Victor finally caught on.
"That's right!" Paimon huffed. "It's new, and sure, it's got an original plot and a 'realistic' feel—but there's no way it should outsell the others! We asked around and found out that the book includes strange 'rituals' and 'spells.' People say that performing them will make your wishes come true!"
The more she talked, the angrier she became, stomping her tiny foot. Lumine continued, "We asked Yae Miko about it, and she said those spells actually summon wandering spirits to possess the readers. Once possessed, their personalities change, and even after the spirit leaves, they fall ill. For everyone's sake, we can't let this book keep spreading."
"So?"
"So, you have to write a new hit novel!"
"...?"
Victor blinked, glancing at Lumine, who responded with a perfectly serious thumbs-up. "Good luck!"
"No, no, no—what does Yae Miko take me for?"
"Can't do it?" Lumine's disappointment was palpable. "I was really looking forward to your next work…"
"Well… it's not that I can't, but you said it yourself—The A Firsthand Guide to Summoning Spirits didn't win through quality alone. Even if I wrote another hit, how would that stop readers from performing the spells?"
"That's true…" Lumine admitted. "Yae Miko didn't give any clear countermeasure—just said we should beat it in sales. Maybe we should go ask her together."
…
"'How to stop readers from using the book's spells,' hmm? You caught onto that instantly. It seems you're a bit sharper than Lumine and Paimon, Victor~" Yae Miko said, smiling slyly.
Paimon puffed up angrily. "We didn't think that far because we trust him!"
"Oh? My apologies then. Forgive me, little Paimon, and you too, Lumine."
Lumine sighed. "Just tell us your real plan, Miko."
"I intend to include in our new novel a counter-ritual—a verse that nullifies the one in The A Firsthand Guide to Summoning Spirits. If the readers chant my spell after reading that book, well…~" Yae Miko's smile turned mischievous. Then she looked to Victor. "Can I entrust this book to you?"
Victor shook his head. "If we want readers to believe the story's real—real enough to try its spells—then it has to feel genuine. I can't write something that convincing."
"Can't write it?"
"I don't have the right idea in mind. It's not something I can whip up quickly. But… Lumine could."
"Me?" Lumine blinked, caught off guard, as if she'd been hit by a stray attack. "But I've never written a novel before…"
Miko thought for a moment, then nodded approvingly. "No problem. You have genuine experiences, full of wonder and mystery. We'll work out the outline together, and the professionals at Yae Publishing House will handle the writing. You just have to guide them."
"In that case… maybe I can give it a try."
"Excellent. Let's all meet at the Uyuu Restaurant. I'll summon the editorial team. Victor, you're coming too—as our creative consultant. No more excuses, hmm?"
…
"The special writing contest has officially concluded! Thank you all for participating. The final rankings are posted outside Yae Publishing House."
"First place—The Miraculous Adventures of the Traveler! Author: Senju Sai? Wait, that's our book! We actually took first?!" Paimon and Lumine could hardly believe it.
"Second place, The Coralsong. Hehe~" Miko smiled lightly, and Victor also spotted it—the author listed as "Sole of the Deep."
Scanning further down:
Third—Reincarnated as the Seven Gods' Favorite Milk Tea Vendor!
Fourth—My Superior Is an Idiot.
Fifth—
Paimon scratched her head. "Huh? Why aren't your three books on the list, Victor?"
"Because," Miko replied smoothly, "he didn't enter them. He wanted to give newer authors and works a fair chance to shine."
"I knew it! There's no way our books wouldn't take first…"
"However," Miko added, pulling out another scroll, "The A Firsthand Guide to Summoning Spirits wasn't published by us, so to compare properly, we'll need to check the overall Inazuma sales chart." She glanced over it, then nodded in satisfaction. "Mm. It's already dropped out of the top five. The Miraculous Adventures of the Traveler is currently ranked fourth overall."
Paimon pumped a fist. "Ha! Justice served!"
Victor chuckled quietly to himself—the literary world of Inazuma had never been quite this… eventful.