In crossover anime, who isn't a childhood friend?

"Leave it to us."

Eriri didn't know what the two of them wanted to talk about, but she was happy to take on the task and secretly pleased to see Kasumigaoka's obviously wary yet helpless expression.

As expected, it was Yukino who dealt with this woman in black stockings!

Yukino didn't express her opinion in front of everyone, and quietly followed Minamoto Chiya up to the second floor.

They happened to run into Toka, who was coming out of the room.

"Sister Shihua, sorry to bother you, it's been a long time."

Yukino's usually aloof face became noticeably more respectful upon seeing Chiya's older sister.

"Ah, Yukino, it's been a long time. It seems you're doing well abroad. You're getting more and more beautiful."

Shika replied with a smile.

Yukino blushed.

After a brief chat, Toka went downstairs, and Yukino followed Minamoto Chiya to his room.

When they were alone together, someone silently thought, "If only you could treat me with this much respect."

Yukino lowered her eyes, her gaze disdainful: "The prerequisite for being respected is that the person has something worthy of respect."

Chiya Minamoto didn't specifically invite Yukino to his room to bicker with her, although that would be quite interesting.

He picked up a blue-covered folder from his desk and handed it to her.

Yukino glanced at it, but didn't take it. She looked up at him and asked, "What is this?"

"Eriri also helped with the illustrations for the novels I wrote, which are classic mystery novels."

"Didn't you say on the phone earlier that it wasn't finished yet?"

"The entire article is now complete, and only the final check is needed. If there are no problems, I plan to submit it directly, since the deadline is just around the corner."

"Isn't there a professional novelist helping you too? She's even moved in. I just saw her wearing her pajamas, and she looked very relaxed. It seems she's gotten quite used to staying at your place lately."

Sniff...sniff sniff—

I have a feeling that a subtle smell has suddenly appeared in the room.

"She can help, but I still want you to see it and hear your thoughts."

You're only telling me this now? You never intended for me to know before. If it weren't for Eriri, I would still be completely in the dark...

Yukino stared intently at the folder that Minamoto Chiya handed her, still not reaching out to take it.

Yuan Qianye lost his patience, stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and handed her the folder.

Then, staring into her eyes, he said seriously,

"Actually, I didn't want you to know that I wrote a novel and entered it in the competition."

Yukino really wanted to slap his head with what she was holding, but she held back, though her eyes grew colder.

As if oblivious to her emotions, Yuan Qianye slowly turned around. The sunlight streaming into the room cast a warm halo around the boy's tall and slender figure.

"Because... I'm not 100% sure I'll win this competition. If I confidently tell you this, but then I end up losing, it would feel... like a really embarrassing thing."

Yukino stared at him blankly.

Watching him deliberately turn away to try to hide certain expressions, the way he lightly scratched his cheek with his fingers, and his stammering words that seemed to be a normal conversation but were actually an awkward explanation of something.

Before this, Yukino had never imagined that a person's emotions could rise and fall like a roller coaster in just a few breaths.

Unbeknownst to her, the corners of her lips had subtly turned up, forming a gentle smile.

Because they are afraid of losing face in front of themselves if they don't win the award, they don't tell themselves.

The implication is that if he is certain of winning the award, he will inform me immediately, hoping to showcase his talent to me.

What a childish idea.

There's no need to do this on purpose; you've always been... in my heart.

Taking a deep breath, Yukino held the folder in her arms and said, "I understand. Can I look at it now?"

The tone no longer carried the coldness and bitter dissatisfaction that had been present before; the familiar Second Miss Qingmei had returned.

Yuan Qianye nodded and pulled out the chair in front of her desk: "It might not be very well written, but you mustn't laugh at it."

"I would never do something so rude." Yukino was about to sit down when she suddenly remembered something: "I promised Eriri and Rikka that I would decorate the Christmas tree with them."

"It's okay, you can stay in my room and watch. I'll go help with the setup."

Yukino shook her head seriously: "No, I've already promised them."

She paused for a moment and then asked, "About how many words are in your novel?"

"Around 180,000."

"Understood. I will read it carefully tonight and get back to you as soon as possible."

"There's no need to stay up all night; you can watch it tomorrow."

Yukino shook her head, but didn't say anything more.

When the two came out of the room again, Gen Chiya observed Yukino's obviously much lighter expression and smiled: "You're not angry now, are you?"

Yukino glanced at him indifferently, then looked back and said slowly, "Why are you saying this all of a sudden? Why am I angry?"

Previously, the most they felt was dissatisfaction due to misunderstandings.

Now... I know my importance in someone's heart, and I'm being treated with such care.

Those unnecessary emotions have long since vanished.

"Oh, then I misunderstood."

Yukino nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Seeing her like this, Yuan Qian chuckled to himself.

Once you understand that the Second Miss is like this, you can say that you've completely won her over.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That evening, after having dinner at the Gen family's house, Yukino thought about Gen Chiya's novel and felt a sense of anticipation.

Therefore, I didn't stay long and took my leave before eight o'clock.

Eriri was a little reluctant to part, but knowing that she also had exams in the next two days, she didn't try to persuade her to stay. Anyway, after her exams were over, they could see each other anytime during the rest of the holiday.

After getting off the car and thanking the driver, Yukino hugged the original novel of Minamoto Chiyo tightly and hurried home.

In the living room, Yang Nai was watching a TV program.

Mr. Yukinoshita had probably just returned home and was sitting at the dining table next to the living room, eating his meal while Mrs. Yukinoshita poured him wine.

This is a scene from the Yukinoshita family's daily life, nothing out of the ordinary.

"Dad, Mom, sister, I'm home."

After saying a casual greeting to her family, Yukino wanted to go straight back to her room.

But the sharp-eyed Haruno called out to her, asking curiously, "Yukino, what are you holding in your hand?"

"...It's a novel written by Qianye."

"Hey~ It's already written. Can I show it to you, sister?"

“No.” Yukino replied immediately, clutching the folder tightly to her chest.

That posture was like a cat that was extremely possessive of its food.

It feels like anyone who steps forward at this moment will be struck hard by a claw.

Perhaps realizing that her refusal was too abrupt, Yukino added, "After all, it's a submission of an unpublished novel, and considering the possibility of leaks, it's not convenient to show it to outsiders."

After saying that, she didn't look at her sister's reaction anymore and turned around to go back to her room.

This explanation left Yang Nai feeling incredibly frustrated, but she suddenly burst out laughing. She looked at her parents at the dining table, adding fuel to the fire: "Mom, did you hear that? Yukino not only tacitly agreed that Chiyo's book would be published, but she also said that I'm an outsider. In that case, I can understand that she considers Chiyo as family, right?"

"You child, don't say such things." Although this was a reprimand to her eldest daughter about being careful with her words, the smile on Mrs. Yukinoshita's face also subtly revealed signs of agreement.

As for Mr. Yukinoshita, he didn't say anything, but with a bitter expression, he drank the wine his wife had poured for him in one gulp.

Yukino didn't care about what was happening in the living room. The first thing she did after returning to her room was to sit at her desk and slowly open the folder.

The Astrological Murder Mystery

The first thing you see on the homepage is the novel's title in large font.

Yukino turns to the first chapter—AZOTH.

The literal translation is mercury, so why is the first chapter titled like that?

Yukino didn't dwell on it; with that question in mind, she looked directly down.

"...This is my will, or rather, it can be considered both a will and a novel."

"...I hope that those who read these words will be able to accurately perceive the will I have incorporated into this 'novel' and freely decide how to handle the legacy."

After a brief monologue, the story clearly got on track and officially began.

As Yukino read, she became increasingly drawn to the mysteries presented in the novel, her eyes growing brighter as she slowly became engrossed in it.

…………

Volume 1: Chapter 130: No, it's just the two of us.

When did I start to enjoy reading?

I don't remember Yukino Yukinoshita very well anymore.

Perhaps it was the fairy tales my mother told me when I was a child, the exciting adventures, the romantic experiences, the beautiful princesses and the heroic princes...

This allowed her to first understand the wonderful existence of books, which can carry stories and fantasies, and the seed of seeking knowledge from books took root in her heart at an early age.

Perhaps it was during his leisure time that her father would often hold a newspaper in his hand and tell her, who at that time did not know many words and was still confused, about all sorts of things that happened in the newspaper, some of which she understood and some of which she did not.

This made her, as a little girl at the time, genuinely feel that her father was truly remarkable, and she secretly admired him, wanting to become as remarkable as him in the future.

Honestly, why did I suddenly think of some embarrassing things...?