Chapter 105: Demanding an Apology!

Akiwara Yuto picked up the contract and examined it carefully several times, discovering that compared to the previous agreement, the sincerity from *New Novel* this time was significantly greater; they had clearly spared no expense.

The manuscript fee for serialization had been raised from the previous 7,000 yen per page to a standard of 19,000 yen per page, nearly doubling.

The royalties for the standalone volume also reached a standard only seen by veteran authors, namely 18% of the retail price, with a provision that the first printing would be no less than 80,000 copies.

Looking at it from any angle, one would feel that this was no small figure!

Akiwara Yuto sighed and put down the contract in his hand.

He admitted that he had just felt a tiny bit "tempted."

While collaborating with Anjiu Bookstore meant he could obtain a higher share of the profits, it simultaneously required him to participate in channel distribution and promotional work, which would consume a massive amount of energy.

Conversely, although the royalties offered by Mantan Society were only 18%, through their channels, his works could be recognized by readers faster and receive attention from book reviewers.

According to this situation, selling several hundred thousand copies in a year would not be a problem!

Therefore, in his past life, well-known authors like Keigo Higashino and Haruki Murakami, despite being able to self-publish, mostly chose large publishing houses.

After all, promotion and distribution channels were two aspects that could not be ignored.

However, even if he were to go to a large publishing house, he would not consider Mantan Society... Could it be that he would be made things difficult for again?

Akiwara Yuto put down the document, sat cross-legged on the tatami, and then placed the contract back on the table.

He said with a smile, "Editor-in-Chief Matsushima, I apologize, but I still hope to continue collaborating with Anjiu Bookstore; after all, my new book has only just been released."

"Teacher Akiwara, you should be aware that if you continue to collaborate with Anjiu Bookstore, your work might not even sell 100,000 copies in a year," Matsushima Kazuhiro persuaded, "If you can return to *New Novel*, Mantan Society can act as your sole agent and increase efforts in distribution and promotion."

He paused, then added, "In that case, 200,000-plus, no, even 300,000-plus copies a year is possible!"

In fact, there was another point he could use to persuade the other party, which was to use the threat of the publishing rights for the *ZOO* series standalone volumes within the next three years.

However, he believed that since Akiwara Yuto had made the choice to collaborate with a small publisher like Anjiu Bookstore, he would naturally understand this point as well.

Akiwara Yuto picked up his teacup, took a sip, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Editor-in-Chief Matsushima, what is your opinion on the awards for the Mantan Society Literary Prize?"

Matsushima Kazuhiro struggled for a moment, but could only say, "Teacher Akiwara, I understand your feelings. But please understand that the results of the award ceremony are very difficult to change; after all, it involves the image and face of Mantan Society."

Akiwara Yuto revealed a smile.

The face of Mantan Society was important, but was he supposed to compromise himself for it?

He thought for a moment and responded, "Editor-in-Chief Matsushima, I can return to *New Novel* to continue serialization, but I hope you can agree to two conditions."

Matsushima Kazuhiro was surprised; he had not expected Akiwara Yuto to say this. For a moment, he couldn't worry about anything else and spoke directly, "Teacher Akiwara, please go ahead."

"The first condition is that I want Department Head Kihara to publicly apologize to me, and the second condition is that Takei Kohei must be transferred."

Akiwara Yuto couldn't be bothered to play the game of sincere begging back and forth with the other party anymore; he directly proposed this demand that could not possibly be accepted.

In fact, once these two conditions were raised, there was no room left for cooperation between him and Mantan Society.

Kihara Daigo, as the Department Head and also the person in charge of all literary journals, would certainly not tolerate bowing his head and apologizing to a newcomer author.

Once that happened, the other party would inevitably lose all face within Mantan Society.

However, Akiwara Yuto didn't care; even if he wasn't at Mantan Society, he could go to other large publishing houses or continue to collaborate with Anjiu Bookstore.

He believed that by relying on the works in his memory, he could still climb to the top of the literary world step by step.

When that time came, he would make those two people properly experience the unfair treatment he had encountered!

And as for Asano Aiko, he would also repay her in another way.

Sure enough, after hearing this request from Akiwara Yuto, Matsushima Kazuhiro was silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Teacher Akiwara, is there really no room for maneuver?"

Akiwara Yuto stood up, picked up the contract on the table, handed it to Matsushima Kazuhiro, and said in an unhurried tone, "Editor-in-Chief Matsushima, ever since Department Head Kihara awarded the prize to Kadowaki Yuma for personal reasons, I had already made this decision..."

Matsushima Kazuhiro saw that his attitude was firm, sighed in his heart, stuffed the document into his briefcase, bowed, and said goodbye.

Akiwara Yuto did not see him out, merely nodding.

Matsushima Kazuhiro stepped down the stairs and left Akiwara Yuto's home.

As he walked down the street, looking at the streetlights that had already lit up on both sides, he sighed in his heart.

Teacher Akiwara, many things are not unrelated to you just because you think you have left...

7:30 PM, Anjiu Bookstore.

Nishijima Sota returned to the bookstore, climbed the stairs to the second floor, pushed open the door, and found that the only two female colleagues at the publishing house—Satake Maki and Itakura Naka—were still working.

"Yo, still not off work this late." Nishijima Sota waved his hand, walked into the office, and sat at his workstation.

"About to leave." Itakura Naka stopped applying her lipstick, then stuffed the makeup mirror in her hand into her bag, "Nishijima, you've been working really hard lately."

"Not at all." Nishijima Sota rubbed the back of his head with his hand and said with a smile, "After all, the better *Suspect X* sells, the longer the publishing house can continue to operate."

Satake Maki, who was checking documents, also turned around, nodded, and said earnestly, "Nishijima-kun, dealing with bookstores must be very tiring; you've really been working hard lately."

"Hehe, it's alright." A hint of a smile appeared on Nishijima Sota's usually steady face; after all, being praised by the girl he liked made him feel very happy inside.

At this moment, Itakura Naka looked up and said, "But to be honest, is it really a good thing that it's selling well?"

Hearing this, Nishijima Sota was stunned, while Satake Maki replied with dissatisfaction, "Senior Itakura, why do you say that?"

Itakura Naka shrugged and explained, "Teacher Akiwara is an author who has already debuted, after all. If it sells better, I imagine more large publishing houses will extend an olive branch to him."

She smoothed her hair and said in an indifferent tone, "When that time comes, the other party will only need to pay a penalty fee to choose to terminate the contract. Though, if there's a penalty fee, our publishing house won't be at a loss, at least."

After she finished speaking, the scene suddenly fell silent.

Itakura Naka didn't care; she stood up, said "Bye-bye" to the other two, and left in her high heels.

She had a date with her new boyfriend tonight and didn't have much heart for work. With this time, it was better to hook a wealthy husband sooner rather than later.

Satake Maki watched Itakura Naka's back and fell into silence.

She knew that what the other party said made sense; after all, Anjiu Bookstore and Akiwara Yuto only had a contractual partnership, and it wouldn't be strange even if it were terminated one day.

But Teacher Akiwara, would you really choose to leave?