Chapter 78

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

Therefore, in the Japanese literary and manga circles, there is no shortage of cases where editors take creators with them when they jump ship.

To avoid the possibility of Asano Aiko taking Akiwara Yuto with her when she leaves the Mantanshe Society, Takei Kohei decided to add another layer of insurance.

Asano Aiko's mood at this moment was complicated, but upon hearing the two words "Akiwara," she immediately stopped the action of tidying up her things and asked, "Editor Takei, do you know something about what happened at this awards ceremony?"

After Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi refused to speak about it, she had lost her effective channel for obtaining information.

For her right now, she could not miss any way that might lead 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're 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 small mouth slightly agape, in disbelief.

Akiwara Yuto is the greatest contributor to the current sales of "New Novel," and the higher the sales, the higher the benefits for Kikuchi Tai as Editor-in-Chief.

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

Takei Kohei shook his head, his eyes becoming compassionate, "That is because Master Menxie Youzhen is currently dating the General Manager's daughter, so Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi has to curry favor with the General Manager."

The most realistic lies are often a mix of truth and falsehood, so Takei Kohei did not attempt to completely deceive Asano Aiko; he merely changed the fact that the award results were instructed by the General Manager 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 muttered, "So, that is why Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi changed the work submitted for the Golden Award to 'The Searching Footsteps'?"

However, she had not yet simply believed it completely, but instead asked back, "But for Editor-in-Chief Kikuchi, isn't the sales volume of 'New Novel' the most important thing?"

"What if the General Manager 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 Master Akiwara's work will still sell well in the next issue?"

Anyway, Kikuchi Tai's leverage was in his hands, so he could make the other party say whatever he wanted when the time came.

Moreover, after being held responsible for this awards accident, Kikuchi Tai surely would not be able to stay in the editorial department, and it is estimated he would be directly sent off 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 rely on the current results to jump to a position in another department.

In order to achieve the goal of a transfer, he had to be on good terms with the General Manager, which is why he did this at this Golden Award...

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

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

Although she held a trace of other feelings for Akiwara, in terms of work, she was thinking of everything for the other party, whether it was in the release of the work or in promotion.

She also knew that Akiwara trusted her very much.

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

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

Before Asano Aiko could answer, he continued: "In writing, you have not provided the other party with directional guidance; in promotion, you cannot obtain any effective resources; and even for this grand award, you were completely unaware."

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

Seeing Asano Aiko fall silent, Takei Kohei said with a "bitter smile": "If I were Master Akiwara's editor, then everything today would not have happened. I would tilt the various resources of 'Tokyo Literature' toward him, and I would even escort his literary path all the way."

Asano Aiko pursed her lips and retorted, "Editor Takei, but it was you who did not choose Akiwara's manuscript in the beginning."

"That is my fault," Takei Kohei appeared very magnanimous, but said with great regret: "But that does not mean I cannot help the other party now."

"'Tokyo Literature' can obtain one Grand Award and one Golden Award every year, so I can guarantee that Master Akiwara will at least not have any problems with winning awards. Besides that, if Akiwara leaves 'New Novel,' there will be no conflict of interest with Master Menxie, and both can better contribute to the publishing house."

"Asano, I don't know if Master Akiwara has 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 Master Akiwara's editor. He is a genius of the Japanese literary world; please do not delay him any longer!"

According to the rules of the Japanese workplace, usually only subordinates bow to superiors, 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 place and serve as Akiwara Yuto's editor.

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

After finishing the bow, he raised his head 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 was really thinking of Akiwara Yuto, she would make the choice herself later.

Next, it would be time for him to use a kind face and say it to Akiwara Yuto again.

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

She discovered that she was actually 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...