Chapter 27 Hikigaya makes a lot of money

It was February, and Hikigaya had just finished writing "Malice." He sent the last chapter to Naho Imamura and Sonoko Machida. Unprecedentedly, neither of them replied to his email immediately after reading it, as they had done in the past. Hikigaya thought proudly that they might have been so shocked by the conspiracy at the end that they were speechless.

After completing the manuscript, Hikigaya submitted it to the publisher, and it soon received unanimous praise, including accolades from Arisugawa. Arisugawa even called directly to commend "Malice" for introducing an unprecedented new way of writing mystery novels and for being a masterpiece that could advance the development of social novels.

However, after writing "Malice," Hikigaya had little time to relax, as in less than a month he would have to take the final exams for his second year of junior high school. His literature grades were still solid, and if nothing unexpected happened, he would likely remain the top student in his grade. Nevertheless, he still had to review mathematics. Given that he had boasted to Mr. Arisugawa that he would be admitted to Chiba University, he needed to at least gain admission to the high school with the highest deviation value in Chiba City, which was the Municipal Sobu High School.

Sobu High School is well-known for its strict management system, which is rare in Japanese schools. Mobile phones are absolutely prohibited during class, and teachers strictly enforce discipline based on performance. There are countless in-class tests and group quizzes. What intimidates students the most about Sobu High School is its rigorous tutoring system. The benchmarks for each major exam are set very high. To avoid being kept in school during the summer vacation and spring break, students must work hard during the week.

Thanks to its strict management and high admission requirements, Sobu High School has become a sought-after institution for local Chiba students who aspire to enter top universities. Almost all new Chiba students admitted to Chiba University each year come from Sobu High School.

"Eh? So, Hikigaya-san, are you planning to take the entrance exam for Sobu High School? I believe you can get in, but if you have any questions about your courses, please feel free to ask me at any time," replied Haruno, who was sitting across from Hikigaya. They were currently in a restaurant whose name Hikigaya had never heard of before, and he was unsure of the prices. Yukinoshita Haruno insisted he should just enjoy the food.

After the New Year holiday, Haruno had been asking Hikigaya if he was free to have a meal together so that she could formally express her gratitude. However, Hikigaya was either busy writing a book or reviewing during that period, and he never managed to meet up. Finally, at the end of February, on a weekend before the exams, Hikigaya felt that he could no longer improve his studies, so he chose to accept Haruno's invitation.

"Is it okay? Thank you so much, Yukinoshita-senpai. After I'm admitted to Sobu High School, you'll already be in college. It's a pity that we couldn't attend the same high school," Hikigaya said.

He thought this was just a polite remark, but Haruno seemed to have caught onto something and became a little embarrassed. 

"Hikigaya-kun, you are so charming without realizing it. There must be no shortage of girls in school who like you," Yukinoshita Haruno quickly changed the subject.

"Don't joke, senior. I hardly socialize at school, and I don't dress like this. Do you want to see me without my glasses?" As he said this, Hikigaya took off his glasses, revealing his dead fish eyes.

"Oh... I really didn't expect this, junior. A pair of glasses can bring such a big change to you," Yukinoshita Haruno remarked. She was actually more interested in Hikigaya than she had realized. If he didn't wear glasses, he would indeed look unapproachable. She suddenly thought that this might be the reason she had been looking for him but couldn't find him; she hadn't considered that Hikigaya was actually a completely unknown person in the school.

"Speaking of which, senior, how is your sister doing recently?" Hikigaya asked, remembering the younger daughter of the Yukinoshita family with whom he had spoken on the balcony.

"Yukino? She went back to school in the United States a long time ago. She studied there throughout junior high, so I don't see her often. Thanks to you, our family had a happy New Year. We even went to worship together on New Year's Day. There were really a lot of people at the Chiba Shrine this year," Haruno quickly shifted the topic away from her sister.

After their steaks were served, the meal began. Since they were both underage, they could only drink juice, which Haruno deeply regretted.

"I am very happy today, Hikigaya-san. If there's an opportunity in the future, I hope to come out and chat with you again."

"If you want to chat, you can contact me directly by email, senior," Hikigaya replied. He couldn't tell her that he wanted to write a book, so he hoped she wouldn't ask him out all the time because he didn't have the time for it.

"Chatting via email isn't as interesting as meeting in person. That's it for now. Bye, junior." 

Haruno said goodbye to Hachiman. She wasn't in a hurry to reveal Hikigaya's true identity, as it might make her seem a bit malicious. She needed a suitable occasion for an "accidental meeting" with Hikigaya, where he would have to appear as "Writer Hachiman," in order to achieve the best effect.

According to statistics from bookstores and warehouses across the country, the first month's sales of "Confessions" were 70,000 single-volume copies and 430,000 paperback copies, totaling about 500,000 copies. This sales volume prompted Sakuraba Publishing House to announce the start of reprints, with an additional 100,000 single-volume copies and 500,000 paperback copies planned. However, the peak sales period for such popular books often occurs shortly after their release, and these reprints would likely take about half a year to sell out.

Hikigaya was naturally very happy to hear that more copies would be printed soon, as this meant more income would be arriving in his account.

"Isn't this money coming a little too easily?" Hikigaya wondered. It felt surreal, as he thought he understood the mindset of prolific writers from his previous life. They might spend ten years writing a masterpiece and see rewarding sales, but on average, they would realize that their royalties were far less than those of other writers who published one book a year. The more frequently you write, the more guaranteed income you have in the future. Although sales may sharply decline after the initial craze for a book, there will always be people who continue to buy it, leading to reprints and a winning strategy based on quantity.

Regarding the second reprint, the royalty rate is no longer the 13% from the first release. According to industry norms, when a book sells more than 500,000 copies, the royalty rate increases to around 20%. Although this adjustment is rarely reflected in contracts, it has always been practiced in the industry.

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