Chapter 541

It seems that after returning to school, he will have to "make up his homework" properly.

Natsume Ruri walked to her brother's side and looked up:

"Brother, are you hungry? Do you want Ruri to make you some late-night snack?"

Since Natsume Chikage had indeed had a full meal at the high-end sushi restaurant earlier, plus the portion Konoe Hitomi "transferred" to him halfway, he felt no hunger at this moment.

He shook his head and raised his hand to rub his sister's hair:

"No need, Brother just ate very full outside."

"You guys eat."

Natsume Ruri nodded obediently:

"Hmm."

Saying this, she turned and walked toward the kitchen area, starting to prepare a simple late-night snack.

Tonight she planned to make the same thing Kaga Reisa usually ate—she secretly hoped that by eating more, she could also develop as well as Reisa-chan.

While boiling water, she curiously looked back at her brother sitting in the living room:

"Brother, what exactly does it mean that Sister Konoe took you out to 'practice kendo' today?"

Kaga Reisa, who was sitting quietly on the side, also cast a puzzled look and repeated in a small voice:

"Practice kendo...?"

Natsume Chikage explained in as simple language as possible:

"A member of the school kendo club was injured, but they have to participate in the Tamaryu Flag competition in early May, and they are short of hands."

"So, they pulled me in to act as a temporary member."

Natsume Ruri heard this and showed an "I see" expression:

"Simply put, Sister Konoe pulled you to make up the numbers?"

Natsume Chikage shook his head with a smile:

"Not really, Brother's goal is the championship."

Natsume Ruri's hand holding the soup spoon paused, and obvious surprise and a hint of weirdness appeared on her little face.

Although she doesn't practice kendo, she also knows that the Tamaryu Flag is a national competition with great weight among high school students.

But Brother said he wants to win the championship...

She couldn't help but confirm: "Win the championship? Brother, are you serious?"

She started counting with her fingers.

"You haven't really come into contact with kendo before, right? Now, counting from now until early May, there are only two weeks."

"Two weeks... Brother, you are going to defeat those contestants who have practiced for many years?"

Kaga Reisa also timidly chimed in in a small voice, her weak face full of doubt:

"Two weeks... indeed, it's a bit too short..."

Natsume Chikage smiled:

"Don't worry."

"After all, your brother is very powerful."

Natsume Ruri looked at her brother's matter-of-fact appearance and finally couldn't help but laugh:

"As long as you are happy, Brother."

Kaga Reisa looked at Natsume Chikage's confident smile, and although she felt it was incredible, a shallow smile couldn't help but appear on her weak face.

Natsume Ruri continued to be curious while stirring the food in the pot:

"Then Brother, did you practice kendo all day today, until just now?"

Natsume Chikage shook his head:

"No, it ended after five o'clock."

Natsume Ruri was even more confused and looked back at him:

"Then Brother, why did you get home after eight o'clock?"

Natsume Chikage explained patiently:

"It takes time to get back to Shibuya from the kendo hall."

"After coming back, I had dinner with someone else."

"After dinner, I also went to see the publisher's editor to discuss some things."

Kaga Reisa, who had been listening quietly, blinked her big eyes at this moment and asked her doubt in a soft voice:

"Publisher's... editor? Natsume-brother, why do you need to contact a publisher?"

Natsume Ruri, who was serving the late-night snack, suddenly realized and said happily:

"Because Brother wrote a very good novel! So he needs to contact an editor to publish it!"

Kaga Reisa covered her little mouth in surprise:

"Novel... publication? Natsume-brother, so, so amazing!"

She looked at Natsume Chikage, her eyes full of worship and curiosity, her voice small but clear.

"Can... can I read the novel Natsume-brother wrote?"

Natsume Chikage nodded with a smile:

"Of course."

Saying this, he took out the physical book sample of "The Devotion of Suspect X" from the bag he was carrying and handed it to Kaga Reisa.

"Here, for you."

"However, you can only read it at home for now, because the bookstore hasn't officially started selling it yet."

Kaga Reisa carefully took the exquisitely bound book with both hands, as if holding some fragile treasure.

She lowered her head, looked at the title on the cover, and read it out word by word in a small voice:

"The... Devotion... of... Suspect... X..."

Then, she gently opened the title page, and her gaze fell on the first line of the opening.

Almost at the moment her sight touched the words, a wonderful feeling gripped her.

Those neatly arranged lead types seemed to possess life and images, automatically constructing clear and coherent scenes in her mind.

The dialogue of the characters, the atmosphere of the environment, the advancement of the plot... everything was vivid.

She quickly immersed herself in it, and the sounds of the outside world seemed to drift away.

Natsume Ruri served two bowls of hot late-night snacks to the small tea table and saw Kaga Reisa already fascinated by the book, and she herself felt itchy:

"Brother, what did the editor say to you this time?"

Natsume Chikage explained it.

Natsume Ruri heard this and said excitedly:

"Can it be published in ten days?"

"And 5,000 copies in the first print run?"

"Brother, we are really rich this time!"

Natsume Chikage smiled:

"Yeah."

Natsume Ruri said happily:

"Brother, has your book been printed? Are there any more? I really want to read it again!"

Natsume Chikage took out another one and handed it to her:

"Here, this one is yours."

Natsume Ruri took it happily, holding it in her arms like a beloved gift.

However, looking at the late-night snack, she touched Kaga Reisa, who was fully focused beside her:

"Reisa-chan, let's finish the late-night snack before reading, okay?"

Kaga Reisa had no reaction at all, her sight firmly stuck to the pages.

Natsume Ruri pushed her arm again, and she suddenly woke up, raised her head, her face still carrying a trance-like look of being immersed in the story.

Only then did she realize that she hadn't heard Ruri speaking at all just now.

This strong sense of substitution and imagery made her feel that Natsume-brother's writing was simply incredibly amazing.

The suspense of the story and the fate of the characters also firmly gripped her, making her wish she could know the ending immediately.

Thus, both girls quickly finished their late-night snacks, and even temporarily shelved the paintings they had originally planned to draw.