After the third period in the morning.
Sakai Shion happened to run into Natsume Chikage, who had come to the teachers' office.
"Natsume, why did you suddenly come here?"
Natsume Chikage explained, "Kikuchi asked me to bring some materials over."
Sakai Shion said softly, "Since you're here, this works out perfectly."
"Come to the counseling room. There's something I want to talk to you about privately."
Natsume Chikage froze.
"What is it?"
Sakai Shion explained, "Come over first, then I'll tell you."
Natsume Chikage paused, but he still intended to hear what this was about.
The two of them went to the counseling room.
Natsume Chikage asked directly, "Ms. Sakai, what is it?"
Sakai Shion got straight to the point. "I saw some news on my phone this morning saying that you plan to attend a novel signing event this Saturday."
"Is that true?"
Natsume Chikage looked helpless.
"Yes."
Sakai Shion's brows remained tightly furrowed.
"What exactly is going on?"
Natsume Chikage gave her a brief explanation.
Upon hearing it,
a trace of astonishment appeared on Sakai Shion's cool, beautiful face.
"You mean—The Devotion of Suspect X has been nominated for the Gunzo New Writers Award?"
"Next, it'll compete against other works for the award, so your true identity will be exposed no matter what?"
Natsume Chikage nodded. "Yes."
"Since it'll be exposed either way, I thought I might as well agree to the publisher's signing event and see whether I can boost sales a little, so I can buy back my old house and such."
Sakai Shion's expression was incomparably complicated.
She was happy that Natsume Chikage might win this award.
But it was impossible for her not to have other thoughts as well.
The Gunzo New Writers Award was something many writers pursued their entire lives.
Even receiving