Chapter 52: The day [Rushia Kaida] was Born

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Translator: Soafp

When I was 16 years old, I came across “Digimasu” by Kamimatsu, a god of writers.

　That was when I learned about the existence of light novels, and that there were so many wonderful works in the world that could give people dreams.

　The next thing I knew, I was writing my own novels.

“…………”

　The summer of my 16th year.

　I came to the building of the publishing company “Takanawa”.

“Young lady~……, are you really going alone?”

　Behind me stood a large man in black with sunglasses, Saburo Niekawa.

　It was quite amusing to see him, who looked like a strong big man, looking flustered and upset.

“It’s too …… absurd to take a work of a young lady’s writing to a publisher by yourself.”

　I was standing there holding a bundle of manuscript paper wrapped in a furoshiki.

　It contains the first work I ever wrote.

“Don’t worry.”

“But ……, young lady. If I ask Kogen-sama, won’t he turn it into a book for you without doing this?”

Saburo was right.

　But I had no intention of mentioning Kaida’s name.

“I wrote it without telling my grandfather, so I can’t rely on him, okay?”

　Even so, I had a different intention.

　For the first time in my life, I did something without telling my family.

　Up until now, I’ve only done what others gave me to do in order to become a woman worthy of the Kaida family.

　It was the first time in my life that I had done something of my own volition.

　I was thrilled and …… excited.

　I didn’t want to ruin the excitement in my heart by mentioning Kaida’s name.

“I see……. Then I won’t say anything. I’m looking forward to reading your novel, young lady!”

　Nika, Saburo smiled.

“You’ve put your heart and soul into this, and I’m sure the editors will be very surprised!　They will be amazed!”

“Y-you’re exaggerating, …….”

“You’ll be praised by everyone as a genius writer!　Absolutely!”

“You’re overestimating …… it’s an amateur’s first novel, it’s not going to be appreciated. ……”

　…… Although I said so, I was secretly hoping that this work would be appreciated.

“Then Young lady!　I’ll wait here for you!”

“Yeah, I’ll be going!”

　Suppressing my impatience, I headed for the editorial office of Takanawa. ……

“……higu, gusu ……Uh……”

　One hour later.

　I was holed up in the women’s restroom of the Takanawa building, crying.

　…… Let’s get this straight.

　My manuscript was disparaged in the worst possible way.

　I went to the editorial department and asked the editor to take a look at this piece……

[“Ah yes, it’s no better than garbage, isn’t it?”]

[“I don’t know, what is handwriting nowadays?　Are you kidding me?　Go make your manuscript on a computer. I don’t want to read it at this point.”]

[“Nowadays, the popularity of reincarnation into another world and cheat harem stories that are easy to read and easy to feel good about is all the rage.”]

[“Stress deployment?　Are you kidding me?　Haa, oi kid, you don’t know much about novels. Today’s readers don’t like stress at all. Why do you want stress in entertainment?　Are you stupid?”]

[“Well, I haven’t read it all the way through, but it’s garbage, this work. If the reader can’t finish it, it’s garbage.”]

[“So, this manuscript is out of the question. You have no talent.”]

　…… The editor who dealt with me was that [Kisogawa].

　But at that time, I was so shocked that I didn’t realize that he was the one who bullied Okaya.

“Ugu…..fugu……..ueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

　…… I was crying like a child.

　I didn’t even cry when my parents died,…….

　It was hard because my novel was being denied.

　It is hard when something I’ve written is disgraced like this. ……

“…… I should have never wanted to be a novelist.”

　For the first time, I was absorbed in the world of light novels.

　I also wanted to bring the world I had imagined into it.

　……, but the results were disastrous.

　I’ve just been certified by a book publishing professional that I have no talent.

　…… Just when I thought a new world would finally open up for me.

　I was completely broken-hearted. ……

“…….I’m going back. Saburo’s waiting for me.”

　I went out of the bathroom.

　And that’s when I realized.

“Ah, I forgot my …… manuscript paper.”

　The bundle of manuscripts I had written was not in my hand.

　I must have left it at the editor’s office.

“…….I forgot”

　I was about to turn around and leave, but then…

“Wait a minute!”

　Someone called out to me.

　I turned around and there he was…….

　It was a man.

　It was a man with no distinctive features, but he was tall, …… and above all, he had kind eyes.

“You are Ryuko Kaida, right?”

“Eh……?　Y-yeah,……, why?”

　In the man’s hand was a bundle of manuscript paper.

“I’m an editor at TAKANAWA Books. My name is Okaya.”

　This is where I first met the man of my dreams, Okaya.

“Kaida-san, you left this in the editorial department, right?”

“Did you come all the way to to deliver it to me…… ?”

Yes. Kisogawa ……My subordinate was about to throw it away. I knew it was a bad move, so I came looking for you. I’m glad you were still around.”

Hoo, a sincere smile of relief appeared on his face.

　But my expression did not clear up.

“…….You could have just thrown it in the garbage”

　Then ……

“No way in hell I’m throwing it away!”

“Eh……?”

　He said with a serious expression on his face as I was dumbfounded.

“Your work is a wonderful piece of work. I can’t throw it away.”

　…… Perhaps it was because I had been severely rejected once.

　His praise of the work was soothing.

“Really……?”

“Yes. Really.”

“…… U,Uuu,Ueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”

　His kind words enveloped my tattered heart.

　I was so happy that I started crying again, like a child.

“I’m sorry for showing my disgusting behavior earlier. ……”

　We are at a coffee shop near Takanawa.

　I came here with Okaya to have a meeting about the future.

“…………”

　Before we came, I told Saburo that I didn’t want to see him.

　He said, “It’s a date!　Yay!　I have to cook sekihan!” He said something stupid.

　Date….No but.

　I-I’ve never been on a date with a man before. ……

　So, it’s a date. Is this what a date is ……?

“Kaida-san?”

“S-sorry. ……”

　Okaya, who was looking over the manuscript, looked me straight in the eye.

　My heart jumped out of my chest.

　I don’t know what it is, but my heart is pounding uncontrollably.

　When I look into his eyes, I feel embarrassed and can’t help but look away.

“I read it again, and I think it’s a really great piece.”

‘R-real…… really?　The editor earlier said it was no good……?”

“Well, …… what he said is also true.”

　Okaya [for some reason] looks pained for a moment.

“Light novels, in particular, tend to be favored for their lightness.”

“I see. ……”

Okaya said in a strong voice to my depressed mind.

“But, Kaida-san. Your work is very attractive.”

　I looked up at him and he was smiling.

“The characters you created are alive and well in this manuscript. Your writing skills, fascinating characters ……, and above all, your deep love for your work are all here.”

“…………”

“The final development was also brilliant. The painful development in the middle of the story was just a prelude to the excitement.”

　Okaya read my manuscript carefully.

　Okaya understood perfectly the thoughts and intentions that I had put into my work.

　Okaya was the first person who understood me so well.

“I’ve never seen such a magnificent work of art. Kaida-san is very talented.”

“Sai nou……”

　I shed a few tears …….

　Unlike before, these were tears of joy.

　I’ve been crying all …… the time.

　However, it was unthinkable a while ago.

　The light novel gave …… color to my life when I was living as if I was dead.

　And …… this man in front of me, Okaya, has given me a happy feeling.

　I was happy. I was just so happy.

” Have you written your work elsewhere before, Kaida-san?”

“No, …… is my first.”

“Oh, really? That’s wonderful. You’re a genius.”

“No, please stop that ……”

　I couldn’t look at Okaya properly anymore and covered my face with my hands.

“N-No need for compliments.”

“No, I’m not complimenting you. You really have a great talent. You’re going to be a great writer.”

　I can be a writer.

　When I heard that, my heart skipped a beat.

　I have the talent to be a writer.

　I felt that a way to live other than as Kaida’s woman had opened up …… there.

　I was so happy that I cried when I realized that there was another way to live than as Ryuko Kaita. ……

　…… However, I quickly became calm.

“…… I can’t do that”

“Why not?”

“Because …… I am…”

　I was born into the Kaida family as a woman, and I’ve never known any other way of life.

　I was not sure if I could really become a writer.

“There was no way I could be as good as Kamimatsu-sensei of …… Digimath, a little girl like me.”

　Then Okaya gently wrapped his hand around mine.

“…… Eh?”

“It’s okay. Have confidence in yourself. Kaida [sensei].”

　He looked at me straight in the eyes.

　It’s not the granddaughter of Kaida Kogen.

　Not as Ryuko Kaida, but …… [my] eyes.

　With pure eyes, without any colored glasses, …… straight up.

“You have a gift. You have the talent of a great writer, the kind of …… talent that can make readers dream.”

　At that moment, I [fell].

In my heart, I felt the words and the presence of my father …….

　He did not look at things like family background or upbringing.

　He only looked at me and the talent that lay dormant within me.

　No one had ever seen me as I was before.

　No one had ever treated me like a normal person, instead of overly touching me like a boil.

　This person was the first.

　Not as Kaida’s house, not as an unfortunate girl who lost her parents…….

　This was the first person who looked at me.

“Trust me and follow me. I will make you the best novelist you can be.”

　Okaya reaches out her hand to me.

　…… At that moment, the man in front of me looked like a prince on a white horse from a story.

　At that time, there were two ways for me.

　One was to live on my own as a Kaida woman.

　The other was to live as a writer with …… this man, hand in hand.

“Ah, …… By all means!”

　I took his hand and squeezed it.

　It’s as if you’re grasping for a shiny destiny.

“Make me the best writer you can be!”

“Yes, I promise.”

　At this moment, my hell came to an end.

　In a world of colors, I had found my man.

　Mitsuhiko Okaya.

　The …… prince who rescued me from hell.

　After that, he and I went through a lot together.

　Painful revision work.

　Slump.

　And then …… became an anime.

　No matter what happened, Okaya was always there for me.

　The more I worked with him, the more I couldn’t keep my feelings for him in my heart anymore.

　I had made up my mind for a long time.

　I’ve been determined for a long time to confess my love for him when I finish my debut novel.

　…… Hey, Okaya.

　I love you.

　No matter how many other women there are who love you, you are unique and special to me.

　You’re the one who freed me from the curse of blood and taught me the joy of living.

　You don’t know that, do you?

　But Okaya, I’m grateful to you.

　For you, my blood, my flesh, my soul, even my future.

　I’m willing to give you everything I have.

　So …… Okaya.

　Will you make me your woman?

TL: Good story ngl