The moment she saw Natsume Chikage, who had dressed up with particular care today, even someone as cool and aloof as Yukimura Suzune felt her heart start pounding faster.
"Chikage—"
Natsume Chikage turned to look at Yukimura Suzune.
Yukimura Suzune looked exceptionally beautiful today.
She wore a white beret, with delicate yet natural light makeup on her face.
A plain white long dress, a light blue knitted cardigan draped over it, and a canvas tote bag over her shoulder made her look cool, clean, and elegant.
Even Natsume Chikage's heart skipped a beat.
"Suzune, you're here."
Yukimura Suzune narrowed her eyes slightly, walked up to Natsume Chikage, and asked, "Didn't you say you were taking leave today to go somewhere else? Why did you suddenly come here?"
Natsume Chikage's expression was a little strange. "Because I'm here for the signing event—"
Yukimura Suzune's face reddened slightly. Could it really be for her?
A little embarrassed, she asked, "So—you came here to help me out?"
"No—" Matsuo Yuka, standing nearby, coughed twice and denied it. "Natsume isn't here for you.
His real identity is the author of The Devotion of Suspect X. Like you, he's here for the signing event."
Yukimura Suzune froze on the spot. "He's—Sanqianli? H-How is that possible? Isn't Sanqianli a girl?"
Yabuki Mina smiled helplessly. "Editor Matsuo is right. Natsume is Sanqianli. As for why he chose that name, you can ask him yourself."
"You really are Sanqianli?" Yukimura Suzune stared at Natsume Chikage in astonishment, as though she desperately wanted to know the truth.
"Yes." Natsume Chikage no longer hid it and explained, "The name Sanqianli comes from three things. One is the Three-Tsubo House we used to live in, another is the Chi from my name, and the last is the Li from my younger