"Komachi, once I get the prize money, I'll be able to pay back the money I borrowed from you," Hikigaya Hachiman said, ruffling his sister's soft hair with a smile.
"Onii-chan, you remember that? Actually, it doesn't really matter if you don't pay me back," Komachi said, raising a finger with a sweet smile, suddenly striking a playful pose.
"In that case… I won't pay it back," he said, expressionless.
"Of course, I'm just teasing, Onii-chan! Paying back a debt is the proper thing to do!" Komachi immediately grabbed his arm anxiously.
"Hahaha…"
Hikigaya laughed heartily.
"Onii-chan! You're teasing me again!"
Komachi pouted, looking offended.
"As an apology, if there's anything you want to eat, I'll treat you," he suggested.
"You promise, Onii-chan? Then it's a deal!"
Her expression immediately shifted from mock resentment to joy.
Aside from sharing his happiness with his sister, Hikigaya naturally also shared the news of his debut with his friend, Yamada Fairy, who had also recently debuted.
Yamada Fairy immediately responded, "I thought it would be something impressive, but it's just a novel debut. My second volume is already out, and you're only just debuting. Pathetic, Hikigaya!"
"I'm not telling you this to hear that, Yamada-san. Even if you don't think highly of me, a little courtesy is in order, right?" he replied.
"Hmm, since you put it that way, congratulations then. Your sales won't surpass mine, of course, but I hope at least they aren't too embarrassing," Yamada Fairy said.
Hikigaya's mind flickered with a mischievous thought. If someday his work did outsell hers, how would this proud lady react?
"Sales are a writer's battle power. The higher your battle power, the stronger you are! And as for you, Hikigaya, dreaming of surpassing me? Impossible! Not unless the sun rises in the west!"
Hikigaya felt a spark of motivation at her unwavering confidence, almost insulted by her dismissal. This was good—it gave him a new target to strive for.
Previously, the goal of debuting as a light novel author had fueled his determination and kept him persistent. Now, he needed a new goal to continue pushing forward.
Honestly, he was curious to see the expression on the face of this arrogant lady if he were ever to surpass someone she had always thought inferior.
But the challenge was enormous. He had inquired about Yamada-san's sales figures—just two volumes had already approached 100,000 copies, and the number would only grow, likely reaching the top-tier level within a few years. Beyond the very tip of the pyramid, these were industry elites, not something ordinary people could compete with. Honestly, he had no confidence; he simply lacked that extraordinary talent.
"Well… I'll give it a try. If it doesn't work out, we'll see later," Hikigaya thought, suddenly feeling unexpectedly optimistic.
For now, he set a small goal: surpass Yamada Fairy!
A few days later, Fushikawa Publishing announced the award winners on their official website. There was one Grand Prize, three Excellence Awards, and seven Honorable Mentions.
Summer Time Reflection appeared in the last row of Honorable Mentions, modest and unassuming.
However, being recognized by one of the industry's top three publishing houses meant considerable exposure. Even a small amount of recognition brought attention, and using it as a promotional hook for the debut would guarantee a baseline level of sales. Whether it would become a hit depended entirely on the work itself.
Following the award announcement, Hikigaya took the train to Tokyo again that weekend—not only to receive his award but also to finalize his debut contract.
Back in the same meeting room, Machida Sonoko handed him the contract.
"Take a careful look. If everything seems fine, go ahead and sign it."
Hikigaya had prepared in advance, researching the market. The contract seemed reasonable—no traps, no special perks. The royalty rate was the same as for most new authors.
That was expected. He was a complete rookie, not a superstar author or a prodigy.
After confirming everything, he signed the contract.
"Hikigaya, I look forward to working with you," Machida said, closing her folder and extending her right hand.
"Likewise, Machida-san," he replied politely, shaking her hand.
"As for future work arrangements, we'll coordinate via chat or phone," she added, waving goodbye.
After returning home, Hikigaya devoted much of his energy to rewriting the first volume of Summer Time Reflection.
Thanks to his recent growth, he now spotted several flaws he had previously overlooked. They weren't fatal, but they were jarring.
He planned significant edits to scenes and dialogue, as well as minor deletions, striving to make the first volume the best it could be—even pushing beyond his current abilities.
Once the official serialization started, deadlines would prevent him from tinkering endlessly.
A month passed. The revisions weren't a full rewrite, so the time spent wasn't excessive. But in terms of quality, he felt the volume had improved substantially.
After all, he had poured nearly half a year into this first volume—if it weren't good enough, all that effort would have been wasted.
Once satisfied, he sent the revised manuscript to Machida, who approved it.
"This reads much smoother. Hikigaya, it seems you put a lot of effort in. I think it's about time to consider official publication, don't you agree?" she said over the phone.
"Yes, it's time," he answered after a few seconds of thought.
He had reached a bottleneck. No matter how much he revised Summer Time Reflection, improvements were now marginal. Continuing further would offer little benefit.
It was finally time to step fully into the professional world.