The man mocked and scorned as the window-side editor: Okaya Mitsuhiko.

And what became of the editorial department after he was gone...? That is the question.

"Wait, just exactly what do you mean?! Kiso-kun!"

Editor-in-Chief Matsumura Toshie stood before her desk.

She scolded the editor... Kiso.

"I'm... I'm s-sorry... we dropped the manuscript... it won't make it for the August issue..."

"Again?! That makes five now! All the books scheduled for the August release are delayed, aren't they!"

Takanawa Books publishes roughly five or six light novels each month.

Every single title slated for next month's release... had fallen through. "What is going on with you all?!"

"The... the illustrator we commissioned seemed to be unwell..."

Kiso stammered, his response rambling and incoherent.

"'Seemed to be'? Why didn't you confirm it directly?!"

“N-no way... I mean, right? The other side are pros getting paid for it, so isn't it just their fault for not delivering on time?”

Throb. A vein bulged on the bridge of Jūni-kane's nose.

“It’s an editor’s job to manage the creators' schedules!” THUD! Kisogawa was cowed into silence.

“I, I'm sorry... Ah, b-but look! We could just push the release date to next month, right? Yeah?”

“It’s not that simple! The distribution channels and the printing presses have already been sent their schedules! Who do you think is responsible for dealing with that mess, huh?” “W-well... uh...”

Jūni-kane let out a heavy sigh.

He hadn't been able to sleep properly these past few days.

Because things had completely fallen apart at work.

All the light novels scheduled for the August release had been delayed.

Even for July, only one title (Kamimatsu's new work, Dedicate My Heart to You) would be published on schedule.

(Did our editorial department really consist entirely of incompetents all along...?)

Ever since Okaya left, everything had gone wrong.

Hearing the other editors talk, it became clear that he had been handling all the tedious details.

For instance, with illustrators, Okaya closely monitored their progress and adjusted schedules to ensure nothing fell behind.

With authors, Okaya held frequent meetings, provided mental support, and managed appropriate scheduling to get the books finished.

Beyond that, Okaya had been covering for other editors who were slacking off or overlooking things.

...I realized this when, despite plans to release seven light novels in July, only one was actually sold.

"...Forget it. Just get back to your own work."

"S-Sorry... Tomoe-san, are you angry?" Kisagawa asked, with a face on the verge of tears.

Seeing that expression, I couldn't bring myself to stay angry any longer.

"...It's fine. Do your best next time."

"Thanks, Tomoe-san! ...I'm really looking forward to tonight." Kisagawa whispered.

"I-Idiot... I'm working. Let's talk about that later..." Juumei said, her cheeks flushing. "Tomoe-san, I love you~"

After Kisagawa returned to his desk, I let out a deep sigh. "...……"

Kawana’s departure made it painfully clear to Tojikane just how low the overall caliber of the editorial department had sunk.

But among them all, Kiso was the absolute worst.

Her communication and reporting were nonexistent from the start. She was guaranteed to cause trouble with the illustrators or other departments.

……And on top of that, she covered up those troubles.

For the pathetic reason that she didn’t want to get scolded.

Yet Tojikane couldn't remove Kiso from the team.

Because they had already become intimate.

"It can't be helped. I just have to cover for my subordinate's mistakes, don't I..." Tojikane reached for the receiver.

When she made the call, the other party answered after a few rings. It was a woman's voice. 『This is Akitada.』

"Good day to you. My name is Tojikane; I am the Editor-in-Chief at Takanawa Books Editorial Department. Is your daughter, Ruko... I mean, Miss Nagase, home?"

『What can we do for Miss Ruko?』

"Recently, one of my subordinates was rude to you, so I’m calling to offer my apologies."

Recently, the final volume of the popular work Senomoshi was released.

When I requested a new series, Lushia refused.

Kisogawa had visited her directly afterward to apologize, but she still turned him down.

...I only learned of this fact quite a while later—or rather, I was just reported on it this morning.

"I am terribly sorry, but Miss is out... Huh? Wait... Chairman?" "Yashigawa, step aside."

A different voice came through from the other end of the receiver.

"You're Rie Niigami, an editor at Takanawa Books, correct?"

What reached my ears was the voice of an elderly man.

"Yes, y-yes... that's correct. I... may I ask who is speaking?" "I am Ruko's guardian."

"Ah, I see... my apologies."

Kaita Lushia, born Kaita Ruko, is only eighteen years old.

There is nothing wrong with her living with her guardian.

……The problem is that the guardian of Ruko, in my estimation, is [Kaida Kogen]….

That fact alone proves he’s unaware of the true magnates who pull the strings behind Japan.

“I am deeply sorry for the discourtesy directed at Lady Ruko this time.”

『Absurd. Just barging into her home like that, scaring the girl half to death. Was that your doing?』

“N-no……it was a subordinates’ unilateral decision”

『I see. I suppose if your men are incompetents, the boss must be just as useless』

……Why do I have to be looked down on this badly by an [ordinary person]?

『And what is it you want from me?』

“We were hoping you could come work with us again and produce another piece for our company.”

『Rejected. Ruko has already agreed to publish under Okaya.』

“Okaya……? You mean Mitsuhiro Okaya?”

『Yes. …Ah, so that’s how it is. It was you. The useless chief editor who drove Okaya out.』

……Why does whoever is on the other end of this line know that I fired Okaya?

"Both Hoshino and I owe Ogaya a great debt of gratitude. If he were still at Takanawa, Rukia would have kept writing. But… it seems you’ve already kicked him out. In that case, there’s nothing to be done."

Losing the pen name "Yabuta Rushia" would deal a massive blow to the company.

As it stands, in the light novel industry, Takanawa Books sits at the very top.

That’s because their own label harbors three genius light novel authors: the industry’s absolute top dog, Kamimatsu;

Shirouma Ohji, the veteran author of Arts Magic Online (AMO); and… Yabuta Rushia.

Rushia, in particular, is a promising new talent who debuted three years ago and has since posted track record rivaling Shirouma’s.

Losing Rushia would inflict considerable damage on the label itself.

"We have plenty of other excellent editors besides Okaya! If Kisogawa isn’t to your liking, just assign it to someone else, please!"

"Hmph. I doubt there are any editors left at your label who can pull their weight—not that you’re included in that count. Agetsuma and Sakuhira have moved on to other places."

Agetsuma, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief, and Sakuhira, a rising-star editor, had recently quit the editorial department to launch a new label called [SR Bunko].

And yet… why does Rushia’s guardian know all of this?

"I wouldn't trust scum like you to turn my granddaughter's masterpieces into books."

"W-What the hell! You've been..."

Having been belittled time and again, Juumei Rei lost her temper. "Who do you think you are...!"

"...What is it? I am Takanawa Takayama." "Wha...?"

Takanawa Takayama. There is no one in Japan who would not know that name.

He was the chairman of the Takanawa Group, which exerted immense influence on both politics and economics. "Wh-What? Why are you..."

"If I must put it in terms even a fool like you can understand: Rusia and Ruka Takanawa are my granddaughters."

"W-Wait...!? Y-You can't be serious...! If that's the case, then..."

"...It is good that you drove my granddaughter's lover out of the label. Remember this well, Juumei Rei. You are also subject to sanction." The line clicked with a harsh tone.

"That can't be... why on earth would the Takanawa Group's granddaughter be working as a light novel author..."

Just as she murmured in a daze, her phone rang. Brrr-brrr♪ Suddenly, the desk phone started ringing.

"H-Hello... This is Takanawa Books Editorial Department." "It's Juumei!" "Director...?"

Twelve Ken's editorial department is just one division within the publishing division.

The "chief" was, in other words, Twelve Ken's superior.

"What's wrong, Chief?" 'You idiot!'

Suddenly berated out of the blue, Twelve Ken was thrown into confusion. 'What do you think you're doing!' "Huh? What... what is it?"

'Mitsu Kamimats has announced he’s transferring!'

"W-W-What!? Sensei Kamimats!?" Kamimats.

The author of 【Digital Masters】, a super popular title that served as the label's lifeline, coming from the industry's top-tier giant publisher.

'It's not just Sensei Kamimats! The others too! Shirouma Prince and Kurohime Elrio! There’s been an official directive from above to transfer the publication rights for all our other mainstayers elsewhere!' "I-Is that so...!"

If Kamimats and Shirouma et al. left, Takanawa Books would collapse.

'And why at this specific timing! The Takanawa president, 【Nakagawa】, has had his scandal exposed!' "W-What...!?"

Overwhelmed by shock, Twelve Ken completely froze.

The president of the company where Twelve Ken worked had been arrested.

If that were to happen, it wouldn't just be the label— the entire company would go bankrupt...

Why was she suffering through such a string of misfortunes in succession?

Admittedly... there was a plausible explanation.

She had just infuriated the chairman of the Aida Group moments ago.

But... less than thirty seconds had passed since she hung up, and yet were things truly falling apart this fast?

"Word on the street is the Aida Group is involved. They're one of our major investors." "No way..."

Her teeth chattered audibly as Torii's body trembled.

So she was the reason... because she had angered the chairman of the Aida Group...

The label, the company... would go bankrupt.

No one realized it yet, but soon many people would come to know that the cause lay with her.

And when that happened, Torii would bear the full weight of the employees' resentment alone. "Ah... ah..."

With a dull clatter, Torii dropped the receiver.

I've done something unforgivable... Jūken curled into a ball, trembling uncontrollably.

The company would go bankrupt. Naturally, the editor-in-chief would be fired.

Retraining? No way. The chairman of the Makita Group had taken a dislike to her. It was impossible... In other words...

"Rie-san~. It's time to go~... wait, what's wrong?"

Kisogawa approached with his usual oblivious grin. "You did this..." "Huh?"

"It all started because of youuuuuuuuuuu!"

Jūken sprang to her feet, grabbed a nearby telephone, and swung it at Kisogawa. "Gyaa...!"

As he crumpled to the ground, Jūken kicked him.

"This is your fault! You're the reason I'm finished!"

"W-what the heck? What's going on?!..." Kisogawa wept pitiful tears.

But Jūken didn't stop; she kept kicking him.

"You son of a bitchuuuuuuuuu!"