The square outside the Outlander Affairs Agency was bustling.
Fans of the novels had lined up in long dragons before every stall.
The signing event was over, so the big stalls had all turned into sales points, and every one of them carried the newly published books.
"Miss, I'd like one copy of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3, one Teyvat Travel Guide - Inazuma, and one of the latest volume of Senior Sister's Hurting."
A young girl was talking to the clerk.
But as she reached the last few words, her voice shrank for some reason, until by the end it was barely audible.
"What was that last book, customer? Could you speak up a little? The square is noisy, and I can't quite hear you."
the clerk asked.
"The latest volume of Senior Sister's Hurting."
The girl gave the clerk a rather innocent look, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her clothes, and raised her voice a little.
"Senior Sister's Hurting?"
The clerk frowned in confusion. "Is that the book's full title? If not, could you tell me the full title?"
"Uh?"
The girl froze and shrank back slightly. A blush of embarrassment rose on her pretty face. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's Junior Sister, Go Easy, Senior Sister's Hurting."
It wasn't loud.
But the people nearby all heard it.
Quite a few of them immediately shot her teasing looks.
The girl turned even redder.
She wanted to turn and run, but all of Yae Publishing House's new books debuted at the square outside the Outlander Affairs Agency. Every other bookstore wouldn't get them until the next day.
So…
"Understood. Please wait a moment, customer."
The clerk watched the girl, baffled. Why would saying a book title make someone blush like that…
Was it really that embarrassing?
She just didn't understand young people these days…
She turned and fetched the three books the girl had asked for.
Once the Mora and the books had changed hands, the girl clutched her purchases to her chest and ran off, red-faced, without looking back.
Watching the girl's panicked retreat, Naganohara Yoimiya, next in line behind her, felt a flicker of confusion.
Junior Sister, Go Easy, Senior Sister's Hurting?
What a strange title.
And the girl's reaction was even stranger…
"Customer, what books would you like?"
the clerk asked.
"Three copies of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3."
Naganohara Yoimiya snapped out of it and answered.
"Please wait a moment."
The clerk pulled out three copies of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3 in a flash and handed them over. Judging by her practiced hands, Fang Qiu's The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3 really was selling well.
While waiting in line, Yoimiya had heard that most of the chatter around her was about Fang Qiu and Zhenyu.
After paying the Mora, she made her way out of the square. She had barely stepped out when she spotted a silver-haired girl with a ponytail walking toward her.
"Miss Kamisato, good afternoon! Are you here to buy books too?"
Naganohara Yoimiya waved with a beaming smile in greeting.
"Mm, that's right."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded.
"Fang Qiu's books?"
Naganohara Yoimiya asked.
"Mm."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded again, then sighed. "It's just a pity. I was held up this morning by Yashiro Commission business, so I couldn't make it to Miss Fang Qiu's signing."
"Same here. The thought of getting Fang Qiu's new release today got me so excited I didn't fall asleep until the middle of the night, and then I overslept."
Naganohara Yoimiya sighed, then said, "Oh, right, I've got an extra copy of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3. Let me give you one, and we can find somewhere to read together."
"Is that really all right?"
Kamisato Ayaka asked.
"Of course it is! Come on."
Naganohara Yoimiya smiled, hugging her books in one arm and taking Kamisato Ayaka's hand with the other, and headed toward a teahouse not far away.
They chatted as they walked.
"By the way, did you come alone?"
"Mm. My brother has official business to attend to, and Thoma is busy with his haunted house."
"A haunted house?"
"Yes."
Chatting away, they stepped into a teahouse. It was already crowded with fans of the novels, and most of them were reading The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3.
"Here, this one's for you."
They picked a seat by the window, and Yoimiya handed a book to Kamisato Ayaka.
"Thank you."
Kamisato Ayaka thanked her, and the two of them opened the cover of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3 together.
"If you never look back, why can't you forget…"
Kamisato Ayaka murmured the line on the title page, savoring it for a good while before turning the page.
And so the story began, with Li Xiaoyao's great dream in the void.
…
Meanwhile, at the exit of the Dream Kingdom.
"Looks like it works well enough."
Kamisato Ayato nodded with satisfaction as a couple, their faces gone pale with fright, staggered out of the exit.
"All thanks to the Clan Head's improvements."
Thoma was pleased too. "I'm sure that once Miss Fang Qiu has been through it, she'll understand what real ghost novels are all about."
"She surely will."
A smile touched the corner of Kamisato Ayato's mouth as he spoke.
Just then, a young man arrived before them with three books in hand.
"Clan Head, I've brought the books."
the young man said respectfully.
"Very good."
Kamisato Ayato smiled faintly, took two of the books, handed one to Thoma, and kept one for himself.
"Clan Head, is the remaining copy to be sent to Miss Kamisato?"
The young man looked at the book still in his hands and asked.
"Ayaka must have found a way to buy her own copy by now. That one is for you, consider it your payment."
Kamisato Ayato said with a smile.
"Thank you, Clan Head. I'll take my leave."
the young man answered.
With that, he left with the remaining book.
"All right, let's read first. We'll deal with the haunted house afterward."
Kamisato Ayato said, "I'm rather looking forward to Fang Qiu's new book."
…
At the same time, in a teahouse not far away.
Seated by the window.
Feeling the gazes of quite a few people in the teahouse, Venti lifted the limited signed collector's edition of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3 a little higher, a smile tugging at his lips.
The cover of the limited signed collector's edition was different from the regular edition's.
So even though the signature was on the title page, everyone could tell that the book in his hands was the distinguished limited signed collector's edition of The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3.
It was just a shame that this limited signed collector's edition had no serial number.
Otherwise, the book in his hands would be worth even more…
Next time he had drinks with Yae Miko, he'd have to talk this over with her properly.
He picked up his teacup and took a sip, then smacked his lips.
Terrible.
Wine was far better.
He really should have gone straight to the tavern in the first place.
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