Chapter 78: A Burden

In the publishing industry, editors, as the link closest to the creators, undoubtedly exert enormous influence over the latter.

Therefore, in the Japanese literary and manga circles, it is not uncommon to see cases of editors taking creators with them when they jump ship.

To avoid the possibility of Asano Aiko taking Akiwara Yuto away from Mantan Publishing, Takei Kohei decided to add an extra layer of insurance.

Asano Aiko’s mood was very complicated at this moment, but upon hearing the two words "Akiwara," she immediately stopped packing her things and asked, "Editor Takei, do you know anything about what happened at this awards ceremony?"

After Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi refused to speak about it, she had already lost any effective way to obtain information.

To her now, she could not afford to miss any possible way to get to the truth.

Takei Kohei sighed, "Asano, did you not know that this was Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi’s intention?"

Kikuchi, I’m sorry, but since you are going to be the scapegoat anyway, let me use you one more time.

"But why would Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi do such a thing?" Asano Aiko said with her mouth slightly agape, unable to believe it.

Akiwara Yuto was the biggest contributor to the current sales of *New Novels*, and the higher the sales, the higher the profit for Kikuchi Tai as the editor-in-chief.

From any angle, she could not see the motive for Kikuchi Tai to do this.

Takei Kohei shook his head, his eyes becoming pitiful, "That is because Kadowaki Yuma is currently dating the department head’s daughter, so Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi wants to curry favor with the department head."

The most authentic lies are often a mix of truth and falsehood, so Takei Kohei did not try to completely deceive Asano Aiko; he merely changed the fact that the award results were directed by the department head to Kikuchi Tai acting on his own initiative.

As for other aspects, he believed that given Asano Aiko’s job rank and interpersonal relationships, she would not be able to access more inside information.

Upon hearing this news, Asano Aiko murmured, "So, that is why Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi changed the work submitted for the Gold Award to *Searching Footsteps*?"

However, she did not believe it so easily and instead retorted, "But for Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi, isn't the sales volume of *New Novels* the most important thing?"

"What if the department head appreciates Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi and decides to transfer him to another department?" Takei Kohei shook his head and continued.

"Asano, how can you guarantee that Akiwara’s work will sell well again in the next issue?"

Anyway, he had leverage over Kikuchi Tai, so he could make the other party say whatever he wanted when the time came.

Moreover, after taking responsibility for this awards incident, Kikuchi Tai would surely be unable to stay in the editorial department and would likely be sent directly to another department.

Asano Aiko did not know he was lying and instead fell into deep thought.

If what Takei Kohei said was the truth, then Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi was not optimistic about the potential of Akiwara’s next work, but rather wanted to use his current achievements to jump to a position in another department.

To achieve the goal of a transfer, he had to be on good terms with the department head, which is why he did that at this Gold Award...

Takei Kohei "sighed," "Asano, as an editor, I want to ask you an intrusive question: how do you view Akiwara?"

Asano Aiko did not expect to be asked this question, but she immediately reacted and responded earnestly, "Akiwara is my partner."

Although she held a hint of other feelings for Akiwara, in terms of work, she thought of everything for him, whether it was in the publication of his works or in promotion and marketing.

She also knew that Akiwara trusted her very much.

In her view, a certain tacit understanding had already been reached between the two: to create works that could be loved by readers and to strive together with that as their goal.

Takei Kohei nodded and posed another question, "Then as a partner, what have you done for him?"

Before Asano Aiko could answer, he continued, "In writing, you haven't provided him with any directional guidance; in promotion, you haven't been able to obtain any effective resources; and even for this Grand Award, you were completely in the dark."

He smiled, then asked in a very calm tone, "So Asano, what qualifications do you have to say you are Akiwara Yuto’s partner?"

Seeing Asano Aiko fall silent, Takei Kohei said with a "bitter smile," "If I were Akiwara’s editor-in-charge, then none of today’s events would have happened. I would tilt the various resources of *Tokyo Literature* toward him, and I would even escort him all the way along his literary path."

Asano Aiko pursed her lips and retorted, "Editor Takei, but it was you who did not choose Akiwara’s manuscript back then."

"That was my mistake," Takei Kohei appeared very frank, but said with great regret, "But that does not mean I cannot help him now."

"*Tokyo Literature* can receive one Grand Award and one Gold Award every year, so I can guarantee that Akiwara will at least have no problems with winning awards. Besides, if Akiwara leaves *New Novels*, there will be no conflict of interest with Kadowaki, and both can better contribute to the publishing house."

"Asano, I don't know if Akiwara told you, but I once invited him to join *Tokyo Literature*, but he chose to give it up because of you."

After finishing this sentence, he was silent for a while, bowed deeply, and requested very "sincerely," "Asano, please give up being Akiwara’s editor-in-charge. He is a genius of the Japanese literary world; please do not hold him back any longer!"

According to the rules of the Japanese workplace, it is usually only the subordinate who bows to the superior, and a superior bowing usually makes the subordinate feel terrified.

Takei Kohei’s intention in doing this was nothing more than to make Asano Aiko feel guilty, so that she would voluntarily leave Akiwara Yuto.

Otherwise, he would inevitably be unable to take the other party’s position and thus become Akiwara Yuto’s editor-in-charge.

For this purpose, he specifically learned about Asano Aiko’s personality from his assistant, knowing that she was a person with a strong sense of responsibility, but it is often such people who feel a sense of guilt for the trouble they cause others.

After finishing his bow, he looked up and found that Asano Aiko’s face had indeed turned pale; he knew in his heart that his words had taken effect.

He pretended to "sigh" and turned to leave.

Too much is as bad as too little; if Asano Aiko really cared about Akiwara Yuto, she would make the choice herself later.

Next, it would be his turn to use a kind face and say it all over again to Akiwara Yuto.

Asano Aiko no longer had the heart to focus on him, but was constantly asking herself in her heart.

She found that she was unable to refute Takei Kohei’s argument.

If it weren't for her, Akiwara Yuto would have debuted in another magazine and then logically won the Grand Award, right?

She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time...