All Beautiful Girls Want to Stick with Me

What?"

Kotomi repeated Haruno Yukinoshita's words in her mind multiple times to confirm she hadn't misheard, then cautiously asked,

"Editor Haruno, are you really saying what I think you're saying?"

"Judging by your tone, you've understood correctly. And here I thought you were so bold when we discussed what outfit the heroine should wear in the illustrations. Who knew you had such a shy, innocent side?" Haruno Yukinoshita teased with a chuckle.

"I am innocent, thank you very much!" Kotomi retorted, her cheeks turning pink as she protested.

Thank goodness this was just a phone call. If this had been a face-to-face conversation, her flushed expression would've been plain as day for Haruno to see. That alone would've been embarrassing enough.

"Alright, alright. So tell me, what do you think about Yukino? Come on, be honest! Whether as your editor or as Yukino's sister, I'm dying to know!" Haruno pressed, her tone both playful and inquisitive.

"Do I really have to answer?"

"Absolutely. I'm super curious."

Kotomi let out a soft sigh, realizing there was no escape from this line of questioning. Reflecting on it, she realized that her surroundings were indeed filled with beautiful girls.

At school, her deskmate was Megumi Kato. In front of her sat Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama. Behind her was Mashiro Shiina.

Being surrounded by so many gorgeous girls would undoubtedly be the envy of most people.

Yukino, in particular, had few discernible flaws. Her personality might come off as cold, but she was actually a warm-hearted girl once you got to know her. On top of that, she was stunningly beautiful, academically gifted, and had a love for books, which could easily make anyone fall for her.

Granted, Yukino's choice of reading material didn't always align with Kotomi's tastes, but that was a minor detail.

If Yukino really were to confess to her one day, as Haruno suggested...

Wait, wait! Why was her sister even asking such a question now of all times?

Whether it was a joke or not, the timing of the question was perplexing, and Kotomi had no idea how to respond.

"Even if you keep pushing me, I don't know what I'd say. I'm not some kind of master player who can casually handle confessions and emotions with ease!"

Her words carried a resolute undertone:

I, Izumi Kotomi, am NOT a player!

"That's fair. But what if it were me standing in front of you and confessing instead? How would you respond?" Haruno suddenly asked with a mischievous laugh.

"Wha—?!" Kotomi froze.

"Just kidding! Relax, Kotomi, I was just teasing to lighten the mood," Haruno said, laughing heartily.

"...Editor Haruno, are you this playful with Yukino too?"

"Of course! It's just a shame that every time I try to tease Yukino and make her laugh, she always responds with a frosty glare. And somehow, each glare feels colder than the last!"

"Ah... I think I've just uncovered another reason why the two of you don't get along."

Kotomi sighed, feeling a twinge of sympathy for Yukino.

After hanging up the phone, Kotomi tucked her phone away and headed home, her eyes idly scanning through Twitter.

When she finally approached her house, she noticed her parents standing at the door, seemingly about to head out.

"Dad, Mom, I'm back!" Kotomi greeted them as she approached.

"Welcome home! You're home earlier than usual today," her mother, Izumi Akina, remarked.

It's because Megumi isn't here today... Kotomi thought to herself.

On most days, Kotomi would walk home with Megumi Kato after school. Even though their routes aligned, the two would often dawdle, stretching a ten-minute walk into twenty or even thirty minutes without realizing it.

"Today's classes ended a bit early. Are you two heading out?"

"Yes, we're off to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner," her father, Izumi Kaneyoshi, replied. His gaze shifted behind Kotomi, and he raised an eyebrow. "Kotomi, what's with that little cat following you?"

"Huh?" Kotomi blinked, then turned around.

Sure enough, a small Munchkin tabby cat was quietly trailing behind her.

Perhaps due to its short legs and soft steps, the cat had followed her so stealthily that she hadn't noticed a thing. It hadn't made a single noise either. Only when Kotomi turned to look at it did it let out a soft, almost pleading meow.

"Meow!"

"Where did this little guy come from?"

Kotomi's mind filled with question marks. Just yesterday, she'd unknowingly brought home a short-legged cat that resembled a propane tank when it stood upright. Now, today, another one—a tabby—had followed her home, and this one looked... like a sea cucumber?

Could this be fate? The legendary Sea Cucumber Cat?

"This cat really does look like a sea cucumber," Kotomi murmured, crouching down to scoop it up. Upon closer inspection, she realized, "Oh, it's a girl."

"It really does resemble a sea cucumber. Honey, come look!" Akina exclaimed.

"Another cat has followed Kotomi home, huh? Seems like our daughter is pretty popular with cats. They just follow her home without her realizing!" Kaneyoshi laughed.

"Kotomi, take a step into the house and see what it does," Akina suggested.

Kotomi complied, stepping toward the doorway. The tabby cat didn't follow her inside but instead sat patiently on the ground, staring at her with wide, imploring eyes as if silently pleading, "Take me home! Please!"

"Looks like this little one really wants to stay," Kaneyoshi remarked with a nod. He turned to Akina. "So, what do you think? Can we take in another cat?"

Akina hesitated. The thought of fulfilling her childhood dream of having two cats tempted her, but as a mother and homemaker, she couldn't ignore the practicalities.

"Taking care of two cats... That's expensive," she murmured.

"Forget the costs for a second. Would you want to keep her if money weren't an issue?" Kaneyoshi asked.

"Of course I would," Akina replied without hesitation.

"Then it's settled! Two cats aren't nearly as expensive as two houses. We can handle it." Kaneyoshi grinned.

Touched by her husband's support, Akina scooped up the tabby cat and said, "Alright, but this is it. Two cats, and no more!"

"Deal, deal. After we finish grocery shopping, we'll stop by the vet," Kaneyoshi promised.

And so, the Izumi family became the proud owners of two cats.

As her parents headed out with the new addition, Kotomi stepped inside, slipping off her shoes at the entrance. She muttered to herself,

"One cat that looks like a propane tank and another that looks like a sea cucumber... These two are quite the pair. Wait a minute..."

Her eyes sparkled with realization.

"I've got the perfect names for them!"

...

[Raising one's gaze reveals a faint glimmer of light in the dim distance.]

[But these aren't stars. Instead, it's the faint phosphorescence radiating from countless ice stalactites hanging from the vast cavern ceiling. In other words, the current location is deep underground.]

[The problem lies in the sheer magnitude of this underground cavern.]

[Indeed, that is the case. This is another section beneath the elven kingdom of Alfheim, a realm of darkness and ice ruled by a terrifying god-like monster. Its name is—]

[Jötunheim.]

Having reached this point, Kotomi paused her typing, stretching her neck with a slight roll. Since changing into her pajamas earlier, she had been seated at her desk writing the prologue for Volume 4 of Sword Art Online.

The prologue wasn't particularly long. With her swift typing speed, it took less than fifteen minutes to finish.

After saving the file into the folder marked [Volume 4: Fairy Dance], Kotomi sat back and let out a sigh.

"Volume 4 wraps up the Fairy Dance arc. Once this is done, I can finally start on Volume 5 and its brand-new game setting."

A small smile crept onto her face, her excitement building at the thought. After finishing Volume 4, the story would transition into a world ruled by firearms and steel—the infamous Gun Gale Online (GGO). In particular, Volume 5: Phantom Bullet would introduce one of her favorite heroines, Sinon Asada.

As usual, Kotomi had taken the liberty of revising some problematic elements from the original timeline for Volumes 3 and 4, replacing sections that might leave a bad impression on readers with satisfying style moments. One such change involved allowing Kirito to exact brutal vengeance on Sugou.

The vivid descriptions of Kirito's acts of wrath and Sugou's grisly downfall were so intense that readers would feel catharsis. For the faint-hearted, it might even be downright terrifying.

"I just hope Tomoka can illustrate this scene," Kotomi murmured, a note of hesitation creeping into her voice.

She had envisioned adding an illustration to this particular moment. Whether it should be a colored page or a black-and-white one, she hadn't yet decided. However, considering the graphic content, she was unsure if Tomoka could depict such a bloody scene.

"Better give her a call and find out. If she can't, I'll draw it myself," Kotomi decided, grateful once again for unlocking her art skill.

It was an immense relief. Typically, when authors came up with scenes beyond their illustrators' comfort zones, the idea for an illustration would often have to be scrapped. It was a disappointing but common issue given the collaborative nature of light novel creation.

Kotomi dialed the number.

"Good evening, Kotomi! Have you eaten yet? If not, I'm cooking dinner right now. How about joining us?"

Tomoka's voice carried its usual warmth and cheer, instantly easing Kotomi's mood.

There was something unique about Tomoka's voice—it exuded a maternal kindness that Kotomi doubted even her Literary Skill could adequately capture in words.

"I haven't eaten yet, but I'm about to. Is this a good time to talk?"

"Of course! Hmm, let me guess—you've hit a rough patch in life and need someone to talk to, right? That's perfectly fine! Whether it's over the phone or in person, I'm always here for you. Talking things through will make you feel lighter!"

Tomoka chuckled softly before adding, "After all, I think I've got a fair bit of life experience as an aunt."

For a moment, Kotomi felt herself being drawn into Tomoka's gentle aura, nearly losing track of why she'd called. Snapping herself out of it, she quickly replied:

"Oh, no, it's not that. Actually, I wanted to ask about something related to the illustrations."

"Oh, illustrations?"

Wearing an apron that couldn't hide her elegant figure, Tomoka tilted her head in curiosity. A light blush crept across her cheeks as she realized something.

"Ah, I'm so sorry! I thought you were calling to share your troubles, and I got ahead of myself, playing the wise old aunt. I totally forgot that I'm your illustrator first and foremost!"

Even though it wasn't a video call, Kotomi could practically hear the flustered tone in Tomoka's voice. She could vividly imagine the charming blush on her face.

"No, no, it's fine. I'll definitely come to you if I ever need advice. But for now, let's talk business."

"Right, right!" Tomoka adjusted the stove to low heat, refocusing on the conversation.

"I heard from Yui that your family's bakery is planning to reopen soon."

"Ah, yes. I've finished all the illustrations for Sword Art Online Volume 1. After a bit of final touch-up tonight, I'll send them to Ms. Yukinoshita via email. Once that's done, I'll take a couple of days off before reopening the shop."

"Make sure to get plenty of rest. Don't overwork yourself." Kotomi couldn't help but express her concern.

"Thank you for worrying about me," Tomoka replied, her tone filled with gratitude.

"Now, about the illustrations for the next volume. I'm currently drafting Volume 4, which involves some very graphic and violent scenes. Specifically, there's a part where Kirito… well, let's just say he exacts bloody vengeance. Would you feel comfortable illustrating something like that?"

"Hmm... bloody vengeance?"

"Yes, it's detailed enough that I think an illustration could heighten its impact. But I also know that some illustrators aren't comfortable with such graphic scenes, so I thought I'd ask first."

After a moment of silence, Tomoka asked hesitantly:

"Wait a minute... You're already working on Volume 4?"

"Yup."

"But what about Volumes 2 and 3…?"

"They're finished, too. I just thought it would look bad to submit them all at once, so I'm holding onto them until Volume 1 is officially released next month." Kotomi explained casually.

Tomoka audibly gasped. She had worked with light novel authors before, but most took two to three months to finish a single volume. Some, especially those who had made a name for themselves, would take six months—or even years—per volume.

The sheer speed at which Kotomi was producing manuscripts was staggering.

"Kotomi, you're incredible!"

Tomoka couldn't help but marvel at Kotomi's productivity and creativity.

"Well, could you send me that section of the manuscript? If I can read it first, I'll know whether I can handle the illustration or not."

"Sure, I'll email it to you. I'll highlight the scene in blue for clarity."

"Perfect. I'll take a look after dinner."

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