Chapter 75: The Attribution of Honor

On the ritual platform, under the expectant and curious eyes of everyone, Kihara Daigo announced the result: "Teacher Seto Tamae's *Summer Night Murder*."

After hearing this name, the light hit Seto Tamae, and the hall also sounded with applause.

Akiwara Yuto, who was standing next to her, had complex emotions in his heart.

Although he had already made psychological preparations, he couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed when he learned the news.

However, he quickly calmed down this mood. After all, even if he failed, he had to have the tolerance to face failure calmly and strive to win it back next time.

Although he thought a lot, time actually passed in just a few seconds. He immediately set his mentality right, smiled slightly, and said to Seto Tamae: "Teacher Seto, congratulations on winning the Grand Award again."

But to his surprise, Seto Tamae shook her head: "Teacher Akiwara, I think this award is more suitable for you."

She didn't mean to be polite, it was entirely her own real thought.

In her view, her *Summer Night Murder*, although it surpassed Akiwara Yuto's *ZOO* series in terms of cumulative readers and writing style, she considered herself to be on the old-fashioned Honkaku reasoning route, and in the exploration of new literary directions, she was far behind Akiwara Yuto.

After that gathering, she read Akiwara Yuto's works several more times, and every time she read them, she had different ideas. At first glance, there were not many reasoning elements, but in fact, it was to focus the story of the article on the characters.

Maybe this is what Akiwara Yuto talked about, the exploration of human nature?

Akiwara Yuto smiled and expressed his gratitude, but he felt that Seto Tamae was being polite. After all, for awards, no one would think they had too many.

In the applause, a staff member soon came and told Seto Tamae that she would go on stage with the Jin Shang winner to give an acceptance speech later.

Seto Tamae nodded, shook hands with Akiwara and Imamura respectively, bowed to the venue, and then left with the staff.

Imamura Yuto on the side stepped forward and patted Akiwara Yuto on the shoulder. Akiwara Yuto knew the other party was comforting himself and returned a confident smile.

At this time, the applause gradually subsided, and Kihara Daigo on the ritual platform spoke again: "Next, announce the two Jin Shang winners of this Mantanshe Literary Award, which are..."

Hearing this, Akiwara Yuto showed a smile, and at the same time pondered the acceptance speech he was about to say. But just when he was full of joy, he heard an unexpected result.

"The Jin Shang winners are Teacher Ishii Yu's *Hidden Poison* and Teacher Kadowaki Yuzhen's *The Footsteps of Searching*."

Akiwara Yuto couldn't help but be stunned, doubting for a moment whether he heard it wrong. After all, according to Kikuchi Tai's guarantee and the market performance and reader feedback of *New Novel*, he would at least get a Jin Shang.

So why is the winner Kadowaki Yuzhen?!

In an instant, his mood was like a stormy sea, with many emotions such as anger, unwillingness, and dissatisfaction mixed together. Even so, he didn't show it on his face, but pretended to be very calm.

No matter what, he must not let others see his fragile side. He must find out what happened that he didn't know!

On the other side of the venue, Asano Aiko's heart was also full of disbelief. She subconsciously looked up, trying to find Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi in the venue, but didn't see the other party's figure after looking around.

Many people in the hall were also in an uproar because of this. After all, in their original estimation, since Akiwara Yuto couldn't get the Grand Award, he should also be the winner of this Jin Shang. As a result, they didn't expect the jury to give such a result.

For a time, the venue fell into silence, until after a long time, scattered applause sounded under the leadership of some people.

Seeing the performance under the stage, the general manager on the ritual platform didn't care, as if he had been prepared for this, he said a few polite words, handed the microphone to the female host, and left the ritual platform.

The female host walked up, took the microphone, and said with a deliberately smiling expression: "Everyone, please let Teacher Seto Tamae go on stage to receive the award and give an acceptance speech first."

Seto Tamae walked onto the ritual platform and took a copy of *Summer Night Murder* handed over by the female host. She held the book in her left hand, took the microphone in her right hand, looked around, and made a decision in her heart.

She first said with a smile: "First of all, thank you very much to the jury of the Mantanshe Literary Award for their recognition of me."

Speaking of this, she suddenly changed the subject, "But sorry, I also have some other words I want to say."

Under the curious eyes of everyone, Seto Tamae continued to say: "I believe that many people in the field have a very deep memory of the Mantanshe Literary Award. Mantanshe has been established for more than 90 years, and every year it awards corresponding awards to literary works. Under the concept of openness, fairness, and justice, many writers have won this honor. For being able to become one of these writers, I also express my heartfelt thanks to the jury here."

Just when everyone thought she was saying polite words, Seto Tamae said an unexpected sentence.

"But sorry, regarding the announcement result of the Grand Award today, I personally do not approve."

The audience was in an uproar. This is simply publicly attacking the jury!

As the oldest writer in the field, and also the winner of this Grand Award, Seto Tamae has always maintained a certain tacit understanding with Mantanshe. Why did she jump out to sing the opposite today?

Takei Kohei, who was watching everything happen with interest under the stage, was also stunned. This was not in his plan today. Kihara Daigo also frowned. As the executor of this award ceremony, the other party's wording was undoubtedly publicly accusing him.

But now there are long guns and short cannons of the media under the ritual platform, and he is not suitable to interrupt the other party's speech in public.

Seto Tamae didn't care about other people's thoughts and responded directly: "I think the Mantanshe Literary Award should be awarded to works with the most influence and literary value. And recently, a work has reached such a level."

"In terms of influence, this work helped a magazine sell from about 30,000 copies to 200,000 copies. In terms of literary value, it broke through the traditional Honkaku reasoning style and turned to walk its own path, winning the praise of many book reviewers."

In the flash of the media taking pictures, she coughed and continued to talk: "The work I mentioned is Akiwara Yuto's *ZOO* series."

"I think he is more worthy of the honor of this Grand Award than me!" ===== CHAPTER 76 =====