Yuto had looked into Comiket.
It was the biggest convention in the country, boasting up to 500,000 visitors.
According to Utaha, however, today's event would draw around 80,000 to 90,000 people—nowhere close to Comiket's scale.
"Oh? The convention gets that many people?" Ainz asked, intrigued by Utaha's explanation.
Utaha gave Ainz and Rimuru a brief rundown of Comiket.
The moment she finished, both of their eyes lit up. They had clearly set their sights on it!
"When is it held?" Rimuru asked.
"About two months from now, I think," Utaha replied.
Ainz and Rimuru exchanged a look and nodded. Yuto understood their intentions at once.
"Kamisaka..."
"We'll talk about it when the time comes," Yuto cut Ainz off. Ainz looked disappointed.
"Attention, everyone. The event will begin soon. Please do not push or cause a stampede. Please keep order."
The announcement echoed through the loudspeakers, shifting the atmosphere outside.
The massive crowd seemed to hold its collective breath.
The noise dropped.
Everyone wore different expressions, yet shared the same anticipation.
Hands and feet tensed, bracing for the rush.
This shift in the crowd shook Yuto. It was a strange energy—not as wild as a battlefield, but enough to stir the heart.
Beeeeep—
With a sharp sound, the gates opened.
The crowd moved.
All the chaotic chatter vanished, replaced by the rhythmic thud of footsteps.
Step, step, step... It sounded like the low beat of drums.
The three long lines moved forward like silent rivers, flowing straight into the convention center.
Carried along with the crowd, Yuto and the others entered the hall.
The sudden blast of cool air hit them, washing away the heat.
As planned, Ainz and Rimuru threw their arms around each other's shoulders and waved goodbye.
"Kamisaka, we're heading off. See you later," Ainz stated before the duo slipped away, determined to enjoy the convention to the fullest.
Yuto turned to Utaha. "Let's go too."
"Okay."
Yuto then looked at Tohru. "Tohru, stay close. Don't get separated."
"Okay!!!" Tohru cheered, jumping to his side.
She wrapped both arms around his arm.
For the dragon girl, this was just an honest display of affection. Dragons were straightforward with their feelings, they hid nothing.
Yuto forced a smile but did not push her away.
"Calm down a bit," he murmured.
Watching Tohru cling to Yuto's arm, the corners of Utaha's mouth tightened.
She took a breath and managed to maintain her composure.
'She's a dragon. A dragon. She's not human. Don't make a big deal out of it.'
Chanting that excuse in her head, she stepped up to Yuto's other side.
Flanked by two striking girls, Yuto naturally became the center of attention.
He felt the weight of countless stares—jealousy, envy, resentment, admiration, and awe.
He gave a helpless smile.
'Ah... maybe this is just the gap between people.'
Though, in truth, he felt a spark of pride!
...
The Fujinokawa Bunko Booth
Yuto had promised to accompany Utaha to see the live reception of her light novel, so the trio headed toward the Fujinokawa Bunko booth.
He wanted to get closer, but Utaha grabbed his sleeve.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I... kind of came here secretly..." Utaha muttered, looking shy.
Yuto nodded.
She was embarrassed.
He decided they wouldn't get too close. However, standing at a distance didn't make them invisible to the booth staff, especially given how much they stood out.
Sonoko Machida happened to be working the booth today, handling the on-site duties expected of junior editors.
Bored, she turned her head and spotted Yuto's group.
Her eyes lit up.
Utaha noticed the editor's gaze, her expression shifting to pure awkwardness.
"Oh my, we meet again, Kamisaka-kun," Machida greeted, her teasing smile loaded with implication.
Her playful, suggestive tone made Utaha blush.
The author glared at her editor with embarrassed anger, her warning obvious—she looked like an annoyed cat.
Machida ignored the glare. Since Utaha had signed with her, the two had grown close, their dynamic shifting into friendship.
Joking around was normal, and Yuto was Machida's favorite tool for teasing her author.
"Hello, Ms. Machida," Yuto replied with a polite tone, unfazed by her strange attitude.
Machida nodded.
Her eyes tracked from Tohru, to Yuto, and then to Utaha.
She let out a quiet laugh, finding the scene entertaining.
"So... is this young lady your girlfriend, Kamisaka-kun?" she asked, pausing to eye Tohru clinging to his arm.
"No, Ms. Machida, you misunderstood again. Tohru is just my friend." His phrasing pointed back to her previous assumptions about Utaha.
Machida's expression shifted, her gaze on him turning reassessing.
"I'm the Boss's employee! An employee!" Tohru puffed out her chest and declared her status to Machida.
That unbridled confidence surprised the editor.
It was her first time seeing such a loyal employee.
Her mind raced.
She looked at Yuto again and took a deep breath. 'Kamisaka-kun... you're not that simple huh...'
"Sorry. I seem to guess wrong every time," Machida offered a helpless smile, apologizing to them both before turning to Utaha.
"You came here today because you wanted to see how people were reacting to your novel, right?"
Utaha nodded.
Machida smiled and produced a reader feedback sheet.
Yuto could see numerous comments about Utaha's work, the vast majority being positive. He let out a breath of relief and glanced at Utaha, who looked relaxed.
"Good. Good," Utaha repeated, the joy clear in her voice.
As her friend, Yuto felt happy for her.
"Don't worry. This is definitely going to get published! The trend is clear now!" Machida stated with conviction.
Before Utaha could respond, a stern voice cut in.
"Since when do you get to decide whether something is published or not?"
A serious, middle-aged man wearing glasses approached.
He frowned, snatched the survey sheet from Machida's hand, and skimmed it.
He then leveled a look at Utaha. "If you want it published, this alone still isn't enough."
With that, he turned and walked away.
The moment he disappeared, both women relaxed.
"Who was that?" Yuto asked.
"That was Mr. Horikoshi. He's in charge of publication review," Utaha answered.
"That guy looks serious on the outside, but he uses his position to do dirty things all the time," Machida added, her face twisting in disgust.
Yuto looked back in Horikoshi's direction.
On the surface, he just looked like a strict superior.
"Has no one reported him?"
"That's the clever part. He picks promising new authors to target, ignoring the average books. The newcomers he chooses would probably get published even without his interference. But they're beginners, so they worry.
That's how he traps them.
Once their books get published, both sides keep quiet. Letting it out would be bad for everyone. If word got out that an author's book was only published because of backroom deals, it would be a fatal blow.
No publisher would want to work with them. To protect themselves, nobody says anything. And without proof, you can't accuse him. He's disgusting."
Machida paused, remembering something crucial, and turned to Utaha. "Utaha, if that guy ever says anything to you, you have to tell me." Her tone was absolute.
"But wouldn't that drag you into it too, Ms. Machida?" Utaha asked, worry knitting her brow.
"Then I'll tear everything open and quit if I have to! I'm not going to let that guy blackmail you too!"
Hearing that fiery declaration made Yuto see Machida in a new light.
Utaha looked moved.
...
After leaving the booth, Utaha's mood was muted.
Yuto sighed. "If anything like that really happens, just tell me."
Utaha looked at him in surprise.
"Don't look at me like that," Yuto chuckled, flicking her forehead.
He wasn't bluffing.
If something happened, he had plenty of ways to deal with it.
Utaha rubbed her head, her eyes flickering as thoughts raced through her mind.
Finally, the corners of her mouth lifted. "Then I'll be counting on you, Kamisaka-kun~"
"Yeah."
"I'm touched, but... Kamisaka-kun, you can't just flick a girl on the head like that!!!"
"Heh. Here's another one."
Bonk~
...
With the serious business concluded, it was time to enjoy the convention.
Out of the three, Utaha was the most familiar with the environment, unfazed by the various booths and events.
Yuto kept his usual calm demeanor.
Tohru, however, was a different story.
This was her first time at a human event of this scale.
Having overcome her initial nerves, nothing remained but pure curiosity and excitement.
She dragged Yuto from booth to booth, eager to try all the convention games.
They stopped at a lottery booth.
Tohru drew three times in a row—pulling a consolation prize every single time.
Yuto stepped up and tried once.
Grand Prize.
He tried a second time.
First Prize.
The gap in luck was so brutal that the dragon girl nearly shut down on the spot!
---------
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