A few days after I moved into my new place. At my new job.

This is a new publisher label, with Uesugi-san serving as the editor-in-chief.

The name of it? [STAR RISE Bunko]. Commonly referred to as [SR Bunko].

Since we’re only just getting started, the office is tucked away in a corner of a mixed-use building.

Amidst the towering piles of cardboard boxes from my recent move……

"Huh? Ms. Rushia... do you want to write for us?"

Before me sat a girl, perched neatly on her chair with impeccable posture. Aida Rushia.

One of the light novel authors I had worked with at my previous job.

Her white hair and red eyes gave her an air reminiscent of a rabbit.

Her appearance was as refined as a Japanese doll.

"Yes. Would you kindly let me write for your imprint?"

Despite her childlike appearance, Rushia spoke in a stern manner. She must have been raised in an upper-class household.

“It’s a great help on our end too. But Professor Lusia, to be frank, Takanawa Books offers a higher manuscript fee.”

As an emerging label, they have no choice but to keep print runs lower than the major publishers, and they can’t offer royalties anywhere near what the big guys pay.

“Besides, SR Bunko is an up-and-coming imprint; there’s less money available for marketing compared to the majors, and fewer bookstores will stock our titles. No matter how famous you are as an author, the odds of a title failing are higher with this label. I don’t want to hurt your career.” “...Fufu”

Lusia laughed elegantly, covering her mouth. “What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing... I was just thinking that he’s in a league far below that trash.” “? Trash?”

“That is their story... Still, Okaya-san, you are an editor to be trusted. If the company’s profit were the priority, you would have gladly accepted their offer, but instead, you proposed based on what is best for the author’s interests and future prospects.”

“Of course. We’re just corporate employees who can do nothing without our authors. The top priority must be the authors' benefits, followed by entertaining the fans of the works.”

Books sell because of the work, the author, and the fans.

I believe we must not lose sight of the essence by making book sales the sole priority.

“Unlike Okaya-san, many editors are fools who don’t understand that, and it’s a nuisance.” “…………” This line of conversation...

Perhaps things weren’t going smoothly with the editor he had taken over from.

Sensou no Mori. Professor Lusia’s debut work.

The manuscript for the final volume was completed by me and her together.

After that, I handed over the handover notes to Editor-in-Chief Tsugunori and entrusted her with editing the subsequent works.

But... the fact that she came to my place meant things hadn't gone well with that person.

"Okaya, please. I want to work with you. It's no one else but you I want."

Teacher Rushia asked me with moistened eyes.

"Teacher Rushia. You should probably stop publishing here after all."

"W-What! Why!? Do you hate me or something?!"

Her expression changing drastically, she grabbed my arm and said.

"Please calm down. I like you, Teacher Rushia."

I love the worlds she creates. "So... is that so?"

Rushia sat down quietly with a thud.

Her pale skin turning bright red, she fidgeted awkwardly.

"This isn't a matter of personal preference or taste. Teacher Rushia, your next work is going to sell. It’s certain. I’m absolutely sure."
"……………♡"

"You are such a powerful writer... but this label still lacks the power to match it."

No matter how magnificent a work Teacher Rushia created, it would be meaningless if it didn't reach the hands of many fans.

"In today’s market, media adaptation is a prerequisite for light novels. If a light novel sells well, it almost certainly becomes an anime. But... unlike the major publisher Takanae, our label is still weak. Even if your book sells, we don’t have the strength to produce an anime."

In short, even if we sell copies here, expanding beyond just publishing the book was financially difficult.

"Fans will be disappointed, and above all, it would tarnish your career."

Selling well, yet never getting an anime adaptation.

That could turn into bad gossip, endangering her reputation as a writer.

"I see... Okaya-san always considers Teacher... Kadota Rushia’s interests above all else."

Rushia placed a hand on her chest and smiled.

But then her expression suddenly hardened. She straightened her back and said:

"Even so, I want to write here. I want to work with you. Please..."

Even after all that, are you really not going to change your mind...?

I couldn't turn away an author who was counting on me that much.

"Understood. I will do my best as well. Let's work together. It is I who must ask you for your cooperation." "!" "Is that so?"

Lushia broke into a smile, took my hand, and bowed her head. "I look forward to a long association with you!"

In the end, we only exchanged greetings that day, and the meeting to discuss the work was left for another time.

"Oh, right. Okaya. You don't need to worry about money."

As she was leaving, Miss Lushia said something strange.

"Good things will happen soon. I want you to have some hope."

Miss Lushia bowed gracefully and left. "...I really need to work hard."

The author had prepared to sacrifice her own career in order to transfer labels for me.

I have to make something that sells well, and then do everything I can to get it made into an anime... And then, just at that moment,

"Oh, Okaya-kun! It's terrible!"

Chief Editor Kamimatsu burst into the office in a complete panic.

"What's wrong, Chief?"

"We just landed a massive ad contract from a major corporation!" We were a small publisher.

We couldn't yet survive on light novels alone.

Which is why we also took on advertising agency work.

"Listen, but get this—it's from the Aida Group!"

"Th-The Aida Group? No way... that group which owns Aida Bank?"

The Aida Group was a giant conglomerate built on the backbone of a former zaibatsu.

A major contract from a company like that would mean astronomical profits for our firm.

"Yeah, it's true. They just showed up here... It's lucky, but terrifying at the same time."

"Hah... What could they possibly want?" "W-Well... who knows..."

Both Kamimatsu and I looked on with bewilderment.

“Oh, right. What happened with Lucia?”

“Turns out she wants to write with our publishing house.”

“I see... Then we’d better work hard too! We can’t afford to crush that girl’s talent just because of where she lands!”

Just like me, the editor-in-chief was thinking about the author's career.

“Huh? Okatani-kun. Is 'Lucia' Kaida-san's real name?”
“No, it’s a pen name.” Her real name is [Kaida Nagiko].

“Kaida... Any chance Lucia is related to the Kaida Group or something!”
“Nah, not a chance.”

Why would someone connected to a massive corporation bother becoming a light novel author?

A rich heiress wouldn’t need to work in the first place.

“Heiresses who are light novel authors only exist inside manga and light novels, you know.”

“Yeah. No way she’s related, right?”

“You’re right, there’s no connection.”
“None none.” ★

Work ended at 7:00 PM, and I headed home.
“I’m home.”
“Welcome baaack!”

By the time I got home, the twin JKs were there to greet me with smiles.

"You don't have to wait up for me every single time, you know."

Ever since we started living together, they'd been coming out to the entrance every day as soon as I walked in.

"It's okay! We do it because we want to!"

"...Work was long today. Let me take your bag, hon♡"

My gal-style little sister Akari was wearing an apron.

And her older sister Nanako was wearing one too.

"We made dinner together with my big sis today!"

"...W-We really worked hard at it! Ah, and we put heaps of love into it!" "Good. That sounds promising."

We headed to the living room.

Dinner was always a meal for three of us. Today it was ginger pork. "Tastes good..." "Yay!" The two of them high-fived. Their large breasts bounced with a plonk. "You used good pork, huh?"

"Nah, not really. I just hunted down some that was on sale at the supermarket."

In this scorching heat, did you really go out of your way to hit up multiple supermarkets? I feel awful about it.

"It's not like you have to hold back and pick the cheap stuff just for my sake, okay?"

I'm covering all the living expenses and food costs myself.

Maybe that was what they were holding back over.

"You don't get it, Aka-chan. It's about finding good food at a low price! That's the deal! That's what's fun!"

"...Visiting different supermarkets is just Akari's hobby."

"Right, right. So it's totally fine, Aka-chan. Don't worry about it~"

"...And since we're staying at Sensei's place, I really shouldn't be wasting money."

It wasn't that the two of them were holding back, though.

Even if Akari says it's a hobby, she's probably just thinking about the household budget.

It's not just me; they're also putting thought and effort into keeping this life together in various ways.

I'm not the only one shouldering the load; they are also helping to sustain this life.

"Thanks for everything, both of you."
"Huh...?"
"Thanks for the good food."
The two of them looked at me with wide, confused eyes.
But they hurriedly shook their heads in unison.

"It's us who should be thanking you!"

"...Yeah! We're the ones being taken care of."

"Nah, it's thanks to you guys cooking and cleaning that I'm able to go to work in peak condition. I owe you both. Thanks a lot."
As soon as I said that...

The twins glanced at each other before breaking into smiles so radiant it was like flowers blooming.

"Nuhehe~ ♡ I love you, Karin~♡"

Akari had a smile like a sunflower, the kind that made your whole body light up just by looking at it.

"...Sensei. We always appreciate you taking care of us. We really like how gentle and caring you are..."

Nanako had a smile reminiscent of cherry blossoms, one that filled your heart with a warm, soothing warmth just by witnessing it.

Each of them directed those smiles right at me.

Honestly, I'm the one who should be grateful.

The pain in my heart left behind by my ex-wife and my previous label... they were the ones mending it for me.

If the two of them hadn't been there, I probably would have degraded even further.

The fact that a guy like me can live a normal life today is entirely down to their support.

I resolved to try even harder from now on.