Tokyo Soft Rice King

So she went to her father's study and picked up a book from the bookshelf to relieve her loneliness.

Then, after opening her first novel, she opened the door to a new world and became completely obsessed with reading, immersing herself in one wonderful fictional world after another.

Looking back now, that novel was not really a masterpiece. It was just a third-rate science fiction novel that my father bought to fill his bookshelf, but it was very attractive to me at that time.

The book is now placed at the front of the first row of the bookshelf in Shiori Shirai's room, because that is the starting point of reading.

The first time I had the idea of ​​writing a novel was when my good friend, Moe Aizono, said she wanted to start learning to paint.

Before this, Aizono Moe was a quiet girl like herself. She also liked reading, but she liked to read comics rather than novels.

She was a very shy person. When she was in kindergarten, her face would turn red just when the teacher praised her for her good drawing. She didn't dare to show her drawings to other children.

But after she started learning to paint, she became willing to show her paintings to others, and would smile happily from the bottom of her heart when she received praise.

This made her curious: Is creation really such a joyful thing? Can it even change one's personality?

So Shiori Shirai also tried to start writing novels, and she couldn't stop. The things she wanted to write kept popping up like mushrooms after rain.

However, after completing her first work, when she read her own work again as a reader, Shiori Shirai just wanted to tear up this mess.

It is precisely because she has read countless excellent works that Shiori Shirai can better understand the gap between herself and those writers.

She once felt desperate, thinking that no matter how much she wrote, she would never be able to reach their level.

But... in the end she picked up her pen again and continued to create new works.

She knew she couldn't stop.

Because I have experienced the joy of writing, I can't forget the supreme joy that is like giving birth to a child and welcoming a new life.

At this moment, Hei Yuming was like a mirror reflecting her inner heart, and asked her.

"In that case, Shirai-san, do you think writing novels is a fun thing?"

"Well... I'm very happy... but it's also painful..."

"I understand you……"

Kuroba Akira can understand this very well.

After all, he had grabbed his hair countless times, thinking hard and struggling.

But what made him persevere in the end was his pure love.

"So never forget this happy feeling, because this 'origin' can help you endure endless pain and help you find a way out when you are suffering inside."

"Yeah...I know...I won't forget it."

"Then remember your unwillingness to lose to me. This will allow you to continue to grow greedily."

"I will never forget this! I will definitely remember you! I will never forget it for the rest of my life!"

"Very good...Shirai Shiori."

Hei Yuming returned to her front and extended his hand to her who was kneeling on the ground.

"Welcome to the creator's hell."

Shirai Shiori straightened her upper body and looked up to see Kuroba Akira's devilish smile.

It's like saying 'now, you're an accomplice too'.

The story of Hell Transformation by Ryunosuke Akutagawa comes to mind.

He is now inviting himself to hell.

Shirai Shiori didn't hesitate at all, and grasped his hand with all her strength as if grabbing a spider's silk hanging from heaven.

Humph... Do you think I'm scared?

I've already been in hell.

……

"Well, Shirai-san, since you've fulfilled your bet, it's about time I head back..."

"Wait! Don't leave yet!"

Everything that needed to be done was done, and just as Kuroba Akira was about to retreat, he was stopped by Shirai Shiori who was halfway through putting on her clothes.

She was still naked now, having just put on her bra and not even had time to button up the back.

So Hei Yuming didn't know where to put his eyes.

Because the atmosphere was quite serious just now, Hei Yuming didn't pay much attention to her naked appearance, and his attention was focused on her hands.

And after she gets up from her seat, only her back and neck can be seen, so there is no need to worry about exposing herself.

However, now that the magic of serious conversation has been broken, seeing Shirai Shiori putting on her clothes again, Kuroba Akira couldn't stand it anymore. He always had a feeling of hindsight, inexplicably sentimental.

I mean, why don’t you put on your skirt first and cover up your lower body... Do you really not care about being seen naked?

Of course, Shiori Shirai still felt shy, and her reason told her that exposing her lower body in front of boys of the same age was a very indecent and perverted behavior.

But, what’s more important now is that we can’t just let him go like this!

And maybe she was used to it, but Shirai Shiori found that she could be "unobstructed" in front of him.

I don’t know why I feel like peeing… but I can still hold it!

So Shirai Shiori did not use her hands to block her lower body, but instead grabbed the hem of Kuroba Akira's clothes and shouted.

“Teach me how to write a novel!”

"Uh... Shirai-san, if you want to write a hit, you should ask the editor, not me..."

"It won't work if it's not you!"

"……what?"

Realizing that what she said was a bit ambiguous, Shiori Shirai blushed, coughed, and changed her words.

"Well... I mean, your opinions are more valuable for reference. The editor will take my feelings into consideration and won't say anything too harsh. Even the editor-in-chief won't point out the shortcomings of my novel. He will only make some subtle suggestions. But what I need now is a more direct and incisive evaluation."

"Oh..."

Hei Yuming rubbed his chin. What she said was true.

Smart editors will not go against the authors, but will guide them through coaxing and deceiving them so that they can write works that conform to market rules.

There is no need to criticize the other party for nothing, otherwise it will cause trouble if it is posted online. If you really think they are not good enough, just ignore them.

"I accept everything you just said, especially your point about placing myself and the readers on opposite ends of the scale... I think that makes perfect sense, but it's difficult for me to right the tilted scale on my own."

"So you want me to be the one to help you correct it?"

"Um, Kuroba-san... no, Mr. Ming! Please teach me! How to write a light novel!"

Having already had the experience of the first time, Shiori Shirai knelt down again neatly and efficiently, in the standard Dogeza posture.

But this time it was not a punishment for losing, but to become a disciple.

And she is not completely naked now, at least she has put on one piece... or half of it.

Looking at Shirai Shiori's fair and smooth back and the bra clasp that was not yet fastened, Kuroba Akira sighed.

It seems that I lost the bet with the class monitor...

Chapter 123 Let Her Be Her Gunman

"I understand, Shirai-san, could you please get up first? The punishment game is over, why bother with such a big ceremony..."

"If you don't promise me, I won't get up!"

"Okay, okay, I promise you, isn't that enough?"

"Really? You're willing to teach me?"

Shirai Shiori looked up in surprise, and from Kuroba Akira's angle he could just see the airport's taxiway.

I mean, you leaked again, Shiori...

Of course, Shirai Shiori also noticed Kuroba Akira's gaze, but it didn't matter if she was seen.

I'd already been seen naked, so what would it matter if I was looked at a few more times? It would just make my urge to pee even stronger...

But why did I feel the urge to pee when he saw me? Was it the shame and tension that were affecting my body organs?

"It's not a secret recipe to begin with. Even if it's just because we're both members of the Arts Club, I'm willing to share the content with you."

Hei Yuming half-knelt down again and reached out to her.

After being pulled up by him, Shiori Shirai continued to pick up the school uniform top on the ground and put it on.

She felt that there was nothing to be shy about. After all, he had seen the entire process of her undressing, and he even took off the last piece of clothing himself. Asking him to wait outside the room while she was getting dressed seemed a bit redundant.

Kuroba Akira sat back on her bed, supported his head with his hands, and simply lay down like that. Looking at the ceiling could avoid his eyes being attracted by Shirai Shiori's naked body, and he could effectively control both the upper and lower parts of his body.

"Shirai-san..."

"Just call me Shiori, and I'll call you Mr. Ming."

"It's better not to address me like that. It feels like I'm stealing Mr. Kobayakawa's place. So just call me by my first name. There's no need to be so polite."

The main reason is that the title Mr. Ming sounds very respectful, and the class monitor will definitely know that she won when she hears it.

Kuroba Akira still wanted to make a last-ditch effort, asking Shirai Shiori to be more casual with him, so that her attitude towards him would not be "hatred" or "admiration", and the situation could barely be considered a draw.

"Can I understand that you are unwilling to accept me as your disciple?"

"I think we can have exchanges as colleagues, but if you really want me to be your mentor... I'm obviously not qualified right now. After all, I don't even have a single published work."

"Hasn't your work been accepted by Hurricane Bunko's editor, Keima Mori? Publication is a foregone conclusion, isn't it?"

"Publishing itself is nothing to be proud of. Before the first week's sales figures came out, I was just a candidate author."

"Ming Jun...you really only care about results."

"Shirai-san... Shiori, the first thing I want to share with you is that the minority's comments are irrelevant. The sales of the majority are the reflection of the quality of the work."

Shirai Shiori lifted her school skirt to her waist and answered while adjusting the zipper.

“Sales volume equals quality…Okay, I’ll remember that.”

"Although you might think this is vulgar and full of money-making, for an author, having readers willing to spend money on your work is the highest recognition. On top of that, if you can make readers feel like, 'This book is a steal! I'm going to buy three more!', that's already a huge success."

"..."

Shirai Shiori turned around and looked at her bookshelf, and suddenly she realized something.

What he said was absolutely right, because I was a living example. For works I liked, I would buy several copies, even expensive hardcovers, and even queue up for book signings...

Put yourself in their shoes. If you were the author signing for the readers, you would definitely feel a sense of accomplishment when signing.

Learned again!

Shirai Shiori urged excitedly.

"Then what? What else?"

"And... uh, there's no point in continuing to preach. First, let me see your submission."

"Yeah! I'll get it right away!"

Shirai Shiori immediately ran to the desk and took out the original manuscript from the drawer and gave it to Kuroba Akira. The one she had sent to the publishing house before was a copy.

Hei Yuming took the manuscript, took a look at it and asked.

“No title for the work?”

When asked this question, Shirai Shiori seemed a little embarrassed, lowering her head and stammering.

"Well... because by the time I finished this work, time was running out, and I didn't want to just pick a random name... so the title was put on hold for now."

"Oh."

Hei Yuming didn't say much, but he had already reached a preliminary conclusion.

A light novel whose title cannot be immediately extracted from the book most likely lacks gimmicks and has scattered content.

As he continued reading, he found that, as he had expected, the most fatal problem of this work was its unclear theme.