Kasumino Poema, Sawamura Eriri, and Dojima Saeko arrived quite early. The last of them to show up was Saeko, and it was only eight o'clock.
At that moment, the Minamoto household was in the middle of breakfast.
Mom Junko noticed them and smiled warmly, inviting them to join in. Today's breakfast was Senya's freshly made scallion omelet pancake—it smelled wonderfully savory.
The three guests appeared tempted, but since they had already eaten at home, they politely declined.
After breakfast, Mom Junko thanked Saeko for helping take care of little Chiyo during the morning and placed the baby into the stroller, preparing to head to the shop. This was just part of the daily routine. With the family's improved financial situation, the store had hired enough staff, so as the owner's wife, she no longer needed to manage everything personally. All she needed to do was check in, keep an eye on the operations, balance the accounts, and ensure everything ran smoothly.
"Mom, wait a moment—I'll come with you," Takanashi Toka suddenly called from the living room, stopping her mother.
"Huh? Toka, you're going out too? I thought you'd stay with Senya and the others at home while waiting for the results," Mom asked.
"I… have plans with a friend," Toka replied vaguely, unwilling to elaborate.
She quickly went upstairs to change, then came back downstairs and greeted everyone in the living room.
"I'm going out with Mom. You guys have fun. If you're too lazy to make lunch later, have Rokka order takeout—the Chinese place near our house is really good."
"Huh? Why me…" Rokka groaned, unhappy at the idea of spending money.
The three guests, however, treated Toka with obvious respect, calling her "Toka-nee" warmly. Even though they didn't show it openly, this was Senya's respected older sister—the future big sister-in-law.
"You didn't mention any plans today," Senya asked casually, a hint of unease in his tone.
His mood was delicate. With the Rampo Award about to be announced, he was about seventy or eighty percent certain of his chances. He had wanted to witness it with Toka, just as he had once shared his own previous achievements with her. More than that, he wanted to show her—not as her little brother—but as a capable, impressive, and attractive young man.
He knew that this could still be shared with her afterward, but the thrill of unpredictability, the excitement of watching live, and the immediate feedback of support were irreplaceable.
"My friend suddenly asked me out," Toka replied casually, not revealing who. She looked away from Senya, focused on her younger sister, and ruffled her hair gently.
"Behave while I'm gone—don't cause trouble," she said.
Rokka pouted: "No way!"
Toka smiled, waved at everyone, and left.
Senya watched her go, his keen observation picking up subtle changes. Even with others around, he sensed that her attitude toward him had been slightly colder than usual. Though her face held a faint smile, it carried a sense of deliberate distance.
After Toka left, at Rokka's call, Senya went to the kitchen to help make a fruit platter for everyone to enjoy while watching the Rampo Award announcement. Kasumino Poema volunteered to peel apples, while Eriri, worried that the black-clad woman might crowd Senya, hovered nearby to keep an eye on her.
Saeko, usually proficient in the kitchen, didn't get up but watched from the living room window, paying close attention to Toka leaving with Mom Junko, lightly stroking the black-feathered wings she carried. The bird had grown so handsome and majestic—it no longer resembled a crow but rather a young eagle.
"Senya, did you have a fight with Toka-nee?" Saeko asked quietly once Senya had sat down.
Senya looked at her, surprised. "Why would you ask that all of a sudden?"
"Well… it's just a feeling," she admitted.
A feeling… Perhaps he might misinterpret alone, but if Saeko noticed something similar, it was worth paying attention to.
"Maybe I did something to upset her—like secretly giving Rokka some allowance. No big deal, I'll ask her later," Senya said casually, though in his mind, he gave it serious thought.
With Mom Junko and Toka gone, the three guests relaxed somewhat.
"By the way, we haven't seen Uncle Senya in a while," Poema remarked casually, eating an apple.
Senya was setting up the laptop to watch the live broadcast. Though the local TV coverage was convenient, it lacked real-time comments and interactions like online streaming.
Seeing him busy, Rokka answered: "Dad's still abroad, participating in that show about sake culture."
Eriri nodded. "Wow, he's been away for a long time—it must be tough."
Rokka shrugged. "Not really. From his video calls, it seems the schedule is manageable, with plenty of breaks. He even had time to visit local sites and send us photos." She opened the family chat to pass the time—the Rampo Award announcement was just minutes away.
Senya projected the live stream onto the TV and sat on the couch. The broadcast showed past winning works, scenes of busy staff, and flashy captions: "500 Entries! Record Submission Numbers! Judges Astounded!"
The comments section was alive with over a hundred thousand viewers, steadily climbing.
Though the girls weren't too nervous—they had read Senya's entry—they still felt awe at the prestige of the Rampo Award. His novel's clever murder mechanism was impressive, but could other contestants be just as brilliant?
As the announcement approached, the room grew tense. Even Rokka felt it. Poema and Eriri watched Senya and noticed he was no longer as relaxed as when they first arrived. His brow was furrowed, eyes fixed on the screen.
They thought, even Senya would be nervous at the last moment—but little did they know, his mind was elsewhere, thinking about Toka.
The clock struck nine. The Rampo Award ceremony officially began. Everyone straightened, and Senya temporarily pushed aside thoughts of Toka's morning behavior.
The host greeted viewers, thanked sponsors and judges, and launched into a history of the Rampo Award—its undisputed status in detective literature.
"…How long is he going to talk? Just announce the results already!" Rokka groaned, echoing the live comments.
"Be patient—this happens only once a year. It's understandable," Senya soothed.
Several minutes later, the host finally finished the introduction. Then he called forward the president of the Japanese Detective Writers Association. Another ten minutes passed with more formalities. The live audience had grown to over two hundred thousand viewers.
Finally, at 9:30, the awards began. The committee announced several notable works that didn't win:
The Circus Clown Mystery
Three Manuscripts
Where Butterflies Fall to the Earth
The Withered Sky Tree
Each mention tightened the girls' hearts. Relief that Senya's work hadn't been named yet, but fear of failure loomed. It was all or nothing.
Then, an older gentleman with glasses stood. His nameplate read: Shintake Kokutake.
"On behalf of the judging committee, the winner of this year's Edogawa Rampo Award is—"
The room tensed.
"—Astrological Murder Magic!"
Applause erupted from the live audience. In the Minamoto living room, silence fell for a moment. Then everyone turned to Senya.
"You did it… you really did it… Senya, you won! The Rampo Award!"
Rokka leaped into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Congratulations…"
Even Poema and Eriri, who often bickered, shared in the joy, letting their minor grievances vanish in the moment.
Meanwhile, across town, in a café, Yukino Yukinoshita and Takanashi Toka sat side by side, heads close. Both wore earbuds connected to a large phone streaming the announcement.
Toka's eyes sparkled like fireworks. The joy of Senya's victory illuminated her springlike smile. She realized her friend was watching her with a playful expression. Clearing her emotions, she removed her earbuds and handed them back.
"It's amazing—Senya really did it. By my knowledge, he's the youngest winner in the history of the Rampo Award," Yukino said, smiling.
Toka nodded. "Senya's always been exceptional."
"We need to celebrate properly. Winning this award is harder than the Tamaryu Cup. He competed against adults," Yukino added, observing Toka closely.
Toka stirred her coffee, dismissive: "No need. He has friends around to celebrate with him."
Yukino nudged her. "Friends can't replace family."
Toka waved her off. "Mom will handle it, no need to involve me."
Changing the topic, Yukino teased about Toka's previous confession discussion with her. Toka maintained a calm exterior, deflecting, explaining it was just advice for a friend.
Their conversation continued lightly, ending with two men approaching them, but Yukino immediately hugged Toka:
"Sorry, we're on a date, don't want to be disturbed~"
The men left embarrassed.
Back at the Minamoto house, everyone calmed down slightly. The broadcast now focused on the judges' comments.
"Astrological Murder Magic is undoubtedly a pioneering work. Its author, Minamoto Senya, integrates complex celestial hypotheses into the trajectory of the plot, stunning in its sophistication!"
"I've never thought a mystery novel could be this wild yet meticulous. I can't reveal much, but the ending will chill your very soul."
"The ambition goes beyond trick design; the novel also explores war trauma, family curses, and modern alienation. Its depth rivals Dostoevsky—a must-read in recent years."
The girls' cheeks flushed with excitement. The more the judges praised, the happier they became.
Senya blushed too—not from pride but embarrassment—silently apologizing to the author: himself.
Just then, his phone rang. He stepped aside and answered. A female voice spoke respectfully:
"Hello, this is Kodansha. May I speak with Minamoto Senya-sensei?"