On the sidewalk where cherry blossoms fluttered down, Sorata and Shiina Mashiro walked side by side. A gentle breeze blew, lifting the girl's soft hair and carrying a faint scent of shampoo.
"Today a beautiful woman came looking for Sorata, and Sorata also went somewhere," Shiina Mashiro suddenly said, her calm voice devoid of emotional fluctuations.
"How do you know?" Sorata was a bit curious because Mashiro's personality wasn't one for gossip or actively inquiring about things.
"Misaki-senpai told me, saying I should keep an eye on you." The simple-minded Shiina Mashiro easily sold out Misaki, tilting her head curiously.
"Why did she tell you to keep an eye on me?"
Sorata smiled. "She probably meant that my charm is too great, and many beautiful women will fall for me."
"Cough cough cough cough..." Just then, violent coughing suddenly sounded from behind them.
"Eh... it's Aoyama. You're late today too?" Sorata turned around, pretending not to have noticed her following, and looked in surprise at Nanami Aoyama a few steps away.
Nanami Aoyama, who had been suddenly choked by Sorata's narcissistic words from behind, blushed and looked at Sorata with a strange expression.
Nanami Aoyama took a deep breath, calmed herself, and greeted politely, "Kanda-kun, Shiina-san, hello."
"The student council had some matters today, so I left a bit late. I'm about to go work at the convenience store ahead," Nanami Aoyama explained.
"Hello," Shiina Mashiro nodded.
"I remember you didn't join any clubs, Kanda. Why are you going back so late today?" Nanami Aoyama asked, pretending not to care.
"Oh, didn't Akeno-san invite me to join the Occult Research Club this morning? I went over to take a look," Sorata said casually.
"Is... that so? I heard the president of that club is a beautiful woman with long red hair and Nordic heritage. Did you join?" Nanami Aoyama was faintly nervous, and at the same time, Shiina Mashiro also looked over.
"I joined," Sorata nodded.
"Hmph... men." Nanami Aoyama's face turned cold. Just then, they reached an intersection, and she snorted before turning and walking away.
"Sorata, I-I..."
In Shiina Mashiro's calm tone, a rare hint of irritability emerged.
"Uh... why am I 'I-I' again?" Shiina Mashiro's thought process left Sorata speechless. What did joining a club have to do with "I-I"?
"Then, will Sorata have to participate in club activities from now on and not go back to the Sakura Dormitory with me?" Shiina Mashiro turned her head and looked at Sorata seriously.
Sorata shook his head. "No, I said before joining the club that I don't have time to participate in any club activities. I need to go back and write novels and draw manga."
"Sorata, I want to eat Baumkuchen," Shiina Mashiro stopped and looked at the convenience store across the street where Nanami Aoyama worked.
"Huh...?"
"Why did you suddenly want to eat Baumkuchen?"
"Just wanted to."
"That's a reason... alright. But it's so late now, they probably don't have any left."
As he spoke, Sorata turned his head to look across the street. His astonishing vision crossed the distance of more than ten meters and then penetrated the automatic frosted glass door, landing on the cashier's counter.
There, in a box, was just one Baumkuchen left. You could say Mashiro was lucky.
Sorata sighed inwardly and gestured for Mashiro to follow. "Let's go," he said, walking towards the other side of the street.
"Didn't Sorata say there wouldn't be any?" Shiina Mashiro, following him, tilted her head and looked at him strangely.
"I guessed there might be one left."
"Welcome..." The professional smile that had just appeared on Nanami Aoyama's face faltered. "Kanda..."
"Aoyama, I want this one." Sorata didn't pay attention to Nanami Aoyama's strange gaze as he paid and picked up the last Baumkuchen.
"380 yen."
"Goodbye."
"Bye... hmph..." Nanami Aoyama watched Sorata give the Baumkuchen to Shiina Mashiro, then suddenly snorted and ignored him again.
"Sorata is amazing, you actually guessed right."
After going outside, Shiina Mashiro couldn't wait to open the package and start eating. Sorata could feel that she was very happy. For some reason, Mashiro really liked Baumkuchen.
"Yeah, yeah, amazing," Sorata said perfunctorily.
Being with the simple-minded, cute, and innocent Shiina Mashiro made Sorata feel inexplicably relaxed.
Every time Shiina Mashiro's clear, pure eyes looked at him with dependence and trust, it always gave Sorata a feeling of wanting to hold her in his hands and protect her.
This feeling was very special for Sorata, whose heart had felt empty and aimless after waking up.
Decades in the Nightmare Space, a dangerous mission every ten days, a total of over a thousand, constantly struggling on the edge of death, Sorata had long discarded everything related to kindness and beauty in his heart in order to survive.
For him, only by merging into darkness could he see the light.
However, yearning for beauty, light, and warmth was human nature, and Sorata was no exception, especially now that he had left the Nightmare Space.
So, being with Shiina Mashiro, whose soul was like a clean and pure light, made Sorata feel very comfortable, like finding a warm stove in the freezing cold.
And then he would try his best to restrain the darkness in his heart, afraid of polluting this patch of white snow.
...
"No problem?" Inside room 101, Sorata sat backward on his computer chair, his chin resting on his hands, looking at Kamimura Yuriko.
Wearing professional attire, the intelligent and beautiful Kamimura Yuriko sat on the bed, carefully looking at the three colored illustrations, a hint of shock in her eyes not concealed.
Shiina Mashiro sat on the floor beside Sorata, holding a sketchbook and drawing, immersed in the world of her art, seemingly not caring about what was happening outside.
Huff! Kamimura Yuriko put down the illustrations, took a deep look at Shiina Mashiro, and then smiled. "Very satisfied. Shiina... Sensei's drawings are already no less than those of master-level illustrators."
Sorata noticed that Kamimura Yuriko had switched to the honorific "Sensei" when referring to Shiina Mashiro. He couldn't help but think that she was indeed a powerful businesswoman, prioritizing profit and value above all else.
Sorata nodded with a smile. "That's good. It seems today wasn't a wasted trip for Ms. Kamimura."
"By the way, Kanda-sensei, how far have you progressed with the subsequent content? Finishing the second and third volumes by Sunday is so rushed. Will the quality really be okay? If not, taking it slower is fine, don't tire yourself out," Kamimura Yuriko said with some concern.
Of course, she wasn't concerned about Sorata's health, but mainly about the quality of the book.
Because after she had placed importance on this book, the series of plans centered around it was a battle she couldn't afford to lose.
"It's fine, progress is good. Finishing the second and third volumes by Sunday is no problem," Sorata lied through his teeth, causing Shiina Mashiro beside him to look up at him blankly.
Mashiro knew that Sorata hadn't written a single word in the past two days.
Sorata's confident yet sincere gaze slightly eased Kamimura Yuriko's worries. She stood up. "Alright, now that the cover illustrations are no problem, I'll prepare to start the promotion for the release in two weeks in advance."
"Kanda-sensei, I hope that day your work will give me and you a surprise," Kamimura Yuriko said with a smile, extending her hand.
"Rest assured, barring any unforeseen circumstances, you won't be disappointed," Sorata said with a smile, shaking Kamimura Yuriko's hand.
After all, it was Toradora!, the pinnacle of light novel school romance stories.
Even though the otaku culture circle in this world also had many popular works that had sold over ten million copies, with the recent one being the currently best-selling Love Meter with nearly a million copies sold, Sorata was very confident.
At the same time, Sorata greatly admired Kamimura Yuriko's decisive and efficient style of doing things.
Such people were always bold and meticulous, with a firm will. Once they set their minds on something, they would do their best to achieve it, and their ambitions were also very large. Cooperating with her could save Sorata a lot of trouble.
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Need More Chapters
Every 300 Power Stones
2 Bonus chapter
Every 500 Power Stones
4 Bonus chapter.
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Try Other Fics I Have
•SAO: I replaced him?
•Anime: I Want Harem
•DxD: I am Kanda Sorata
•Anime: Curse Of Immortality
•Genshin Impact: I have Broken System