Her secret had been completely exposed!
Sagiri felt a mix of disbelief and intense embarrassment. There was no way to dodge the situation now—she had to admit the truth.
"Since Tsukishiro-sensei already knows… I won't pretend anymore."
With that, Sagiri resolutely removed her mask. In front of him was a young, delicate, beautiful girl with precise, elegant features. Her clear, aquamarine eyes were like a serene pool.
The moment their eyes met, she immediately looked away.
"So this is Eromanga Sensei's true appearance," Hachiman remarked with a small gasp.
"But… why? Even if I know your secret, you didn't need to reveal your real face, right?" he asked further.
"Oh…"
Sagiri froze, then hastily put her mask back on, coughing twice to cover her embarrassment.
"Cough, cough… Tsukishiro-sensei, please forget what you just saw!"
"Hmph…"
His expression was teasingly amused.
"Eromanga Sensei…"
"I already told you, I don't know anyone by that name," she replied.
"Do you have to say that every single time?"
"Well, since Tsukishiro-sensei knows, then… you can just call me by my name," Sagiri said, slightly stepping forward. Her voice was shy, and her cheeks burned bright red.
"All right then. In return, I'll tell you my name too. I'm Hachiman Hikigaya," he responded.
"Understood, Tsukishiro-sensei," Sagiri replied. Thanks to her mask, she quickly recovered and seemed more lively and relaxed.
She didn't call him by name directly—likely because of the age difference—but Hachiman felt the distance was just right and didn't correct her.
After various preparations dragged on, spring had finally arrived.
The world was waking up, yet the lingering winter chill still made one wary.
Walking the streets, Hachiman kept a scarf around his neck to stay warm. After school, he didn't return home immediately but wandered through the streets instead.
"Wandering" wasn't entirely accurate—he was checking whether bookstores collaborating with Izukawa had any advertisements for Summer Reprise.
After visiting several stores, he did find some Summer Reprise displays. Though modest, they existed.
He also noticed that his book would debut later than the others—he'd have to wait until the end of next month. Most other works were already on shelves, some selling extremely well, with certain titles remaining prominently displayed even after a period of time.
Would his book ever enjoy that kind of success?
"It should, right?" he muttered to himself.
With excitement, hope, and a touch of anxiety, Hachiman spent the next month.
The first year of high school was nearing its end. With the semester closing and class reshuffling ahead, Hachiman remained quiet, but he could feel the shifting mood in his classroom.
Strangely, he felt a shared resonance.
Next week would determine life or death!
The light novel industry in this world was far more developed than in his previous life, allowing Yamada-san's sales to soar quickly—two volumes selling over 100,000 copies.
Accordingly, expectations for sales numbers were different. Hachiman already knew the first printing of Summer Reprise—10,000 copies. Not too many, not too few for this world.
But this number wasn't the most important thing; the key was the sell-through rate.
The sell-through rate was a more accurate indicator than ratings because it showed how many people were actually willing to buy the book.
A high rate could trigger a reprint; a low rate could reduce the print run. Generally, 60% or above was needed to avoid losses.
Of course, some niche works survived thanks to profits from other popular titles; a low rate didn't always mean a disaster.
On the last day of the semester—coincidentally the release day of Summer Reprise—Hachiman said goodbye to everyone and headed to a nearby bookstore that sold light novels.
He had already scoped it out; it was the closest store to his home and partnered with Izukawa, so Summer Reprise was available for direct sale.
The moment he entered, his eyes fell on the display and promotional poster. There, the illustrations of Shinpachi Kawai and Koharu Ushio, drawn by Sagiri, looked beautiful—far more realistic and striking than her previous, slightly moe style.
The first impression had already been made.
"Excuse me, sir. Are you looking for light novels? This is the newly released Summer Reprise. Interested in the cute female characters?" the sales clerk asked, holding up a copy with a smile.
"Hmm… let me think," Hachiman replied, pretending to browse as he observed secretly.
Before long, another student in a school uniform entered, likely a high schooler. The clerk's attention shifted.
"I'll take one of these," the student said, clearly specifying Summer Reprise.
Once they left, Hachiman picked up a copy and nonchalantly asked, "Is this story really that good? That person seemed to come specifically to buy it."
"I haven't read it myself, so I don't know yet," the clerk answered honestly.
"But first-day sales look decent. It seems popular among new releases," she added, glancing at the display, which was notably smaller than the others.
"All right, I'll give it a try. I hope the author doesn't disappoint me…"
Hachiman paid, and as he left, the corner of his mouth curved into a slight smile.
Though it was a small bookstore and there was some randomness, the outlook seemed optimistic.
He could feel it—his future was beginning to shine brilliantly.