The recent trajectory of the two novels had sent a ripple of genuine shock through the editorial department of Crimson Maple Literature.
Anohana was performing as expected, lingering in the thirteenth or fourteenth spot after five issues. Given such a sluggish rise in popularity, most editors assumed that even if it avoided the immediate threat of cancellation, it had little chance of ever becoming a major hit.
The real focus of the department was Star Sea.
Within the fourteen titles serialized in Crimson Maple, there was a massive psychological divide between the top seven and the bottom seven. It was the industry equivalent of the gap between the honor students and the underachievers. Every series in the top seven was a long-running titan with a massive, entrenched fan base. Yet, Airi had shattered that barrier in only five chapters.
The data for Star Sea wasn't just being scrutinized by Crimson Maple Literature anymore.
Prominent novelists, rival editors, and news outlets across the Minamijo region were beginning to take notice.
Literary media started showering the work with praise.
"Beginning with a girl burdened by childhood trauma, we watch as she is chosen to embark on a journey to save the world. The genius novelist Airi has managed to perfectly deliver the content of a full first volume in only five chapters," one review noted.
Another critic focused on the emotional weight of the latest release. "The cruel decision made by Jinka in the fifth chapter, to personally abandon the rescue of her brother who had lost his sanity, was a masterclass in character writing. Readers could truly feel the agonizing weight of her pain."
"Two genius authors emerged in the region this year," a prominent blog wrote. "The immensely famous Shiori Takahashi has seen lackluster results with her new work, Anohana. Is this a temporary stumble, or was the success of Blue Spring Ride merely a stroke of luck? Meanwhile, Airi has shown us the step-by-step evolution of a master storyteller. From the first chapter of Yesterday's Starlight to the fifth of Star Sea, her growth has been undeniable."
"The seed selection for the 'Ascent of New Gods', the biennial national competition for rookie light novel authors, is about to begin. Given her current momentum, Airi is a frontrunner to secure a spot, potentially ending Crimson Maple's long streak of being shut out of the national seeds."
"Airi and Shiori Takahashi, both high school students from Minamijo Third High, were thought to be the twin stars of the local industry. Now, it seems one star is shining brighter than ever while the other begins to fade."
---
It was a scorching summer break. Haruto had hung a string of glass wind chimes on his window sill, and their delicate tinkling filled the room whenever a breeze drifted through. He looked down at the latest issue of Crimson Maple and let out a breath.
"She really is incredible," he murmured, his expression one of genuine surprise.
The latest chapter of Star Sea was remarkably strong. He could clearly feel that its entertainment value had surpassed several of the series ranked above it. The only reason it wasn't higher was its short serialization time; it simply hadn't had long enough to accumulate a massive vote count. Now that summer break had started, Reina had clearly redirected every ounce of her academic focus toward her writing. The characterization in the fifth chapter was light-years ahead of the first four.
Haruto knew Reina viewed him as the rival to beat, and her growth was terrifying. In his eyes, she was a total monster, a natural-born novelist. To be able to produce this level of work only six months after her debut was almost unheard of.
"The world really isn't fair," Haruto thought, then immediately chuckled at himself.
While he was complaining about the unfairness of natural talent, countless authors across the region were likely envying him.
He was "Shiori Takahashi," the rookie who had secured a spot in Crimson Maple for his very second work.
If God had given Reina extraordinary talent, he had given Haruto the entire creative library of a parallel world. To feel cheated by fairness while holding that kind of advantage was the height of hypocrisy.
In late July, the issue of Crimson Maple containing the sixth chapters of both Anohana and Star Sea hit the shelves. A reader named Hanae arrived at the bookstore early to buy her copy.
Appreciation for fiction is ultimately a matter of personal taste. No single novel can perfectly satisfy every reader, but every story eventually finds the people it was meant for. If that weren't the case, the last-place series in Crimson Maple would never receive a single vote.
Hanae was one of those people. While the vast majority of readers currently viewed Anohana as mediocre, she was captivated by the writing.
The way the author depicted Menma, and the girl's desperate, tireless efforts to fix her broken friends, struck a deep chord with her. The plot of the sixth chapter picked up immediately after the previous cliffhanger.
Jintan, Poppo, Tsuruko, and Anaru were scouring the dark woods for the "Menma" they had glimpsed. Ultimately, they discovered the truth. It was Yukiatsu. He had been wandering through the forest at night where Menma had drowned, dressed in a replica of her white sundress as a twisted form of penance for his childhood mistakes.
Just as Jintan was haunted by the fact that he had run away, causing Menma to chase him to her death, Yukiatsu was burdened by his own guilt. If he hadn't asked that question, "Do you like Menma, Jintan?", the chain of events never would have started.
"Tell me, do I look like her?"
Yukiatsu, dressed in girl's clothes, grabbed Jintan by the collar. Tears streamed down his face as his pride shattered.
"You say you can see her 'hallucination,' right? So do I look like her or not?"
"That day... it's my fault she died. If I hadn't said those things, she'd still be here. I'm the one who killed her."
As Hanae read these lines, her vision blurred with tears. She didn't care what the other readers or the critics said about the pacing. She felt the soul of the work. The death of Menma was the catalyst that had frozen all their lives in time, and the novel was finally peeling back the layers of their adult facades to reveal the wounded children underneath.
Years ago, the group had only wanted to know Jintan's true feelings. But children are often dishonest. A single, instinctive lie "Who would ever like a weirdo like her?", had led to a tragedy.
That lie had become a permanent knot in Yukiatsu's heart.
"If Menma were to appear, she should appear before me. She should be a ghost, cursing me for what I did," Yukiatsu wailed.
The proud, arrogant boy the audience had seen for five chapters was now sobbing uncontrollably in front of the rival he despised. He wasn't just grieving; he was drowning in jealousy. He couldn't stand that Jintan could see her "hallucination."
Why Jintan? Why was Jintan the one allowed to talk to her and gather everyone together while Yukiatsu had to resort to dressing in her clothes and staring at his own reflection in the river where she died just to feel close to her?
Yukiatsu, consumed by regret and sorrow, couldn't see the spirit of the girl he had loved for years. Menma was standing right behind him, watching him with an expression of pure, agonizing heartbreak.
Years ago, after Jintan ran away and Menma chased after him, Yukiatsu had followed her. He had confessed his feelings right then and there, begging her to forget about the boy who called her a weirdo. But Menma had stayed firm. She had chosen to keep chasing Jintan. That choice was what had led to her fatal slip into the river.
"Menma didn't appear for me. So she really is gone. She's nowhere anymore," Yukiatsu cried, turning away. He couldn't see her standing right in front of him, looking at him with a heart full of pity.
Hanae found herself crying along with the characters.
Childhood trauma can cast such a long shadow over a person's life. But this emotional breakdown in the woods had finally cracked Yukiatsu's cold armor. The shattered friendship of their youth was finally beginning to heal. Both Jintan and Menma were slowly mending the deep-seated scars of their old friends.
At the end of the chapter, Poppo declared his absolute belief in Jintan's words. He decided that if Menma was still here, it must be because she had unfinished business keeping her from passing on.
He began looking around Jintan's house, begging Menma to show herself so he could help her find peace.
Meanwhile, the ghost of Menma watched them, crying because she didn't know why she had returned or what her wish was, and because she hated that her presence was causing her friends so much pain.
By the time Hanae reached the end of the sixth chapter, her eyes were red.
She couldn't understand why the ratings for this series were so low. Were the other readers of Crimson Maple really this blind to a masterpiece?
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