At the headquarters of Fushikawa Publishing, the atmosphere in the conference room was solemn. Editors sat on both sides of a long table, their attention turning to a middle-aged man in his forties who had just entered.
He was Sanada, the editor-in-chief of Fushikawa Bunko.
"Well then," Sanada began in a deep, steady voice, "everyone's had time to review the works that made it through the final screening, correct? Let's hear your opinions."
Although the authority to decide the winner of the Newcomer Award lay with him, Sanada knew that relying solely on his own judgment would be biased.
Publishing light novels was a business—what mattered was whether readers loved it. Only stories that could sell were truly successful. Thus, he preferred to make the final decision collectively.
It wasn't the first time the editors had gone through this process. Calmly, one by one, they each recommended the work they favored most and explained their reasoning.
Unsurprisingly, most of the choices overlapped—popular titles that had already performed well in reader data rankings. That was only natural. True quality rarely went unnoticed.
Then, it was the turn of a short-haired beauty in office attire.
"I strongly recommend Summer Time Reflection," she said firmly. "My reasons are…"
At five in the afternoon, Hikigaya Hachiman received a call from an unknown number.
"Hello? Who's this?" he asked, puzzled.
"This is Machida Sonoko from Fushikawa Publishing. Am I speaking with the author of Summer Time Reflection? You sound quite young."
The name struck him immediately—it was familiar. But what truly mattered was the implication of this call.
"Yes, I'm the author. Just call me Hikigaya. May I ask what this call is about, Machida-san?"
His voice trembled slightly as he asked.
"Well, for all the works that passed the final review, we like to invite the authors to our editorial office for an in-person discussion," Machida explained. "I'd like you to come by this weekend."
"Oh… I see," he replied, a bit deflated.
So that was all?
"Please make sure to come," she continued with a playful tone. "There's also a good piece of news waiting for you."
"I'll be there!"
Hikigaya's spirit ignited at once. His heart leaped, his voice loud and clear.
Yes!
Deep down, he already knew what that "good news" implied. It wasn't just an invitation—she was hinting that Summer Time Reflection had won.
That weekend, Hikigaya took the train to Fushikawa Publishing's headquarters. Following the map on his phone, he arrived at the building and took the elevator to the third floor. His youthful face drew curious glances from passersby.
"Excuse me, little brother," the receptionist asked with a smile. "Did you get lost?"
"No, I'm here to see Machida-san," he said straightforwardly.
"Oh, I see—you're here for Machida-san."
The receptionist assumed he was some relative of hers and called to notify Machida. But upon learning his real identity, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"This kid is actually a contestant?" she whispered in astonishment.
In less than thirty seconds, a woman with short hair, a mature aura, and curves accentuated by her office attire stepped out from inside. She looked to be around twenty-six.
"Come with me, Hikigaya," she said, recognizing him at once.
He followed her into a private meeting room and sat down. Machida took the seat across from him, a file folder in her hands.
"I read your file before, but seeing you in person still surprises me," she said with a smile. "There are always a few young authors who submit entries, but to actually win the Newcomer Award at your age? That's almost unheard of. Only that rumored grade-school girl from recently is younger than you."
There was no doubt who she meant—Yamada Fairy.
Hikigaya already knew, but his attention was caught by the earlier part of her statement.
"Machida-san, are you saying… I actually won the award?"
Unable to contain his excitement, he leaned forward, both hands on the table.
"That's right."
Machida nodded with confirmation.
"Although many editors disagreed with my proposal, the chief editor overruled them and approved it. Officially, your work has been awarded Honorable Mention. Personally, though, I believe your potential goes far beyond that—especially after meeting you in person."
"Thank you, Machida-san!"
Hikigaya bowed deeply in gratitude.
Even if it was only an Honorable Mention, it meant one crucial thing—publication. That was the true turning point between amateur and professional.
After all, the top prizes—Grand Prize and Excellence Award—were incredibly difficult to earn, sometimes even left unawarded in certain years.
They moved on to discuss what mattered most to him—the publication process.
"When we officially publish a novel, there are usually revisions from the web version. Are you satisfied with your current first volume of Summer Time Reflection?" Machida asked. "Personally, I think there's room for improvement. I'm still fairly new as an editor, but I'd like to offer some suggestions."
"I agree," Hikigaya said seriously. "Looking back now, there are indeed some flaws. I'd like to rewrite it."
Rather than feeling burdened, he was eager—this aligned perfectly with his own thoughts.
A stronger beginning would make the road ahead smoother.
"Hikigaya," Machida smiled softly. "It seems I'll have to raise my evaluation of you once more."
She had expected a young author to become arrogant after his first success. Instead, he was calm and self-aware beyond his years.
"Good ideas, solid writing, and a heart that strives forward… I think you might surprise me yet."
When their meeting ended, she watched his back as he left the room, a quiet sense of expectation glowing in her eyes.
The elevator doors closed behind him. As soon as he stepped outside, Hikigaya couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Yes!"
He jumped with unrestrained joy, earning a few odd looks from pedestrians before quickly collecting himself.
Summer Time Reflection was confirmed for publication. Without question, he had taken his first true step toward success.
When he got home, he immediately shared the good news with his sister.
"That's amazing, Onii-chan! You finally did it!"
Komachi's eyes shimmered with tears as she threw herself into his arms.
She had seen firsthand how hard her brother had worked, and her happiness at his success even surpassed his own.