Jiang Lianqiu's murmur did not escape Utaha Kasumigaoka's ears. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
The junior even knew who her editor was?
Did he investigate her behind her back?
Strangely, she should have been angry at having her background secretly investigated, yet Utaha Kasumigaoka felt no such emotion. Instead, the corners of her lips lifted slightly without even her noticing.
"I haven't finished reading the manuscript yet. Can I take it home and have another look?"
No matter what, there was a serious problem with this manuscript. Jiang Lianqiu would not leave it outside any longer, so he casually found an excuse to take it away.
"I don't mind. I stayed up all night to finish it anyway." Shizuka Hiratsuka spread her hands and gave Jiang Lianqiu a meaningful look.
Tsk tsk, he really was a rich young master. He did not hesitate in the slightest when it came to two-timing.
Did he not see that the childhood friend beside him was practically pouting like an anteater?
"I don't mind either. Or rather, I'm very much looking forward to you, junior, piercing my maidenly heart while I'm completely defenseless and throwing me into utter confusion, you know?"
"Will your mouth stop opening if you don't talk like that?!"
"Troublemaker! Gloomy Girl! Seductive girl! Black-Stocking Female Monster!"
Eriri slapped four labels onto Utaha Kasumigaoka in one breath, grinding her back teeth until they creaked.
Classic. Absolutely classic!
Shizuka Hiratsuka could not help slapping her forehead. Even though she was an old maid who could not get married, she knew that if Eriri kept this up, defeat was inevitable.
After all, in all her years of teaching, she had seen plenty of unlucky students like Eriri—ones with overwhelming advantages who still suffered crushing defeats and cried until tears and snot ran together.
After more than ten years together as childhood friends, Jiang Lianqiu considered Eriri's feelings. He rubbed her head and said softly, "It's getting late. We should go home. Belfast is already here to pick us up."
In fact, Jiang Lianqiu had already received Belfast's notification and knew that she was currently concealed in the corridor outside the office.
After confirming that Jiang Lianqiu was unharmed, she had not shown herself, merely remaining alert to the surroundings.
Upon hearing Jiang Lianqiu's words, although he could not see her, Belfast silently lifted her skirt in a curtsy toward his back before vanishing and appearing at the school gate.
At the same time, a suited burly man who looked exactly like a human but was actually a Starport Mech Servant drove up and stopped precisely at the school gate.
"The Commander has issued an order."
Belfast was entirely devoid of the gentleness she showed Jiang Lianqiu. With a stern expression, she said to the Mech Servant:
"Monitor Machida Sonoko, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Shizuka Hiratsuka. Monitor all online information related to 'Love Beat' and watch for any abnormal signals."
When dealing with Starport Mech Servants, Belfast still habitually referred to Jiang Lianqiu as Commander.
The burly man, like a suited thug, snapped his heels together, stood at attention, and saluted Belfast before turning away without hesitation.
That night.
Inside the villa, in the study.
Jiang Lianqiu sat behind his desk. Several holographic projection screens covered the desktop before him.
Belfast approached gracefully in high heels and gently placed a cup of brewed black tea beside Jiang Lianqiu's dominant hand, keeping it within easy reach.
"Master, using the authority of the controlling shareholder, we have successfully ordered the president of Fushikawa Library to suspend the publication of all subsequent light novels."
"As for the monitoring of Earth's internet, no abnormalities related to 'Love Beat' have been found so far. All discussions concern normal content from the first volume's plot and speculation about later developments. Moreover, due to the poor sales of the first volume, there are actually very few people discussing it."
Jiang Lianqiu rhythmically tapped the desk with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping toward the central screen, where Starport reports continuously flashed. "But the Trans-Spatial Probe that Central Starport deployed in the solar system still found a problem..."
Before you continue