They are really too low!

Faced with the editor's apology, she couldn't say anything. After all, the sales figures were a fact, and the publishing house was a capitalist, not a philanthropist. They couldn't possibly waste their valuable resources on a newcomer like her.

Instead of continuing to serialize unsellable products, it's better to move on to the next one.

Kasumi Shiko: I understand. Thank you, Ms. Machida, for your hard work. I am very grateful.

"Machida Sonoko: You're welcome. With Kasumi Shiko's writing skills, I think there's hope for her next book. Please don't be discouraged."

Kasumi Shiko: I'll consider it.

Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't reply further; she knew the other person was just trying to comfort her.

However, she had already poured so much effort into this book, and she had invested a lot of emotion in the female lead. It was really hard for her to give it up suddenly.

For Kasumigaoka Utaha, this was undoubtedly a blow to her confidence, giving her a feeling of being rejected, even though her work was no worse than anyone else's.

Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes were somewhat uncertain. Should she prepare for the next book now?

Chapter 91 Not a Single Drop Can Be Given to Eriri

Upon seeing the message from the other end, Machida Sonoko shook her head, feeling a deep sense of regret.

Although this author, Xia Shizi, is a newcomer, her writing is extremely delicate and immersive, allowing readers to feel the innocent emotions between the female and male protagonists.

From complete strangers to gradually becoming interested in each other, they would instinctively turn their gazes to each other whenever they glanced at each other. This subtle sense of understanding was like a romance unique to adolescence, making Machida Sonoko smile like an auntie from time to time.

Unfortunately, the market reacted coldly, barely making a ripple.

Even though Machida Sonoko had high hopes for this newcomer, considering that sales were not keeping up, the publisher was unlikely to continue the serialization, which was not a problem that she, as a junior editor, could solve.

Machida Sonoko felt it was a pity. She could only hope that the news hadn't dampened the other party's confidence, because she believed in their abilities and that they would eventually create a hit product.

Thinking about a potential bestseller, Machida Sonoko suddenly realized that she hadn't contacted Kaede Karen-sensei in a long time and wondered what she was up to lately and whether she had figured out the content of her new book.

So, Machida Sonoko immediately made a phone call.

……

Eriri had already gone home by evening.

Without her by his side, Hoshino pressed Kasugano Sora down onto the bed in the room without saying a word, watching the latter blush slightly.

"Someone seems really arrogant today." Hoshino reached out and pinched her cheek. The girl's soft body lay on the bed, exuding a youthful and sweet aura. Her slightly swollen chest rose and fell nervously.

"No way, it's clearly my brother's fault. There are two cute girls practicing guitar with you." Kasugano Sora felt that he should be the one who was angry. Even when he was doing something bad at the family restaurant, he actually attacked Eriri at the same time.

Am I really that unattractive?

If I hadn't gone with him today, would he have secretly done something bad with Eriri?

Kasugano Sora became increasingly unhappy, even though Hoshino Mi's act of pinning her down on the bed was somewhat alluring.

"If you keep doing this, I might really have to find you an older sister." Hoshino tried his best to keep a straight face. Actually, he didn't have the right to criticize Kasugano Sora, since he himself hadn't been able to resist playing various games with Kasugano Sora lately.

"You're not allowed to find anyone!" Kasugano Sora glared, trying to look fierce. "As long as I'm around, I don't need any girlfriends!"

"You want to be both a younger sister and a girlfriend?" Hoshino stroked her cheek with his finger. "Isn't that a bit greedy?"

Kasugano Sora remained silent, her face cold.

If she can be considered greedy, then Hoshino Mi is an extremely greedy person.

Hoshino pressed down slightly, his nose gently touching Kasugano Sora's nose, making the latter feel a little ticklish. She couldn't help but reach out to cover his chest, not pushing him away, but instinctively wanting some breathing space.

Looking at the warm and delicate cherry lips in front of her, Hoshino lowered her head, and Kasugano Sora nervously closed her eyes. However, she did not feel the touch she had imagined. Instead, she was kissed between her cheek and ear.

“Brother…” Kasugano Sora opened her eyes, looking at Hoshino Mi with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. However, her voice had a slightly cloying quality to it. The distance between them was too intimate, and Hoshino Mi could kiss her lips at any moment.

"Don't mess around outside next time," Hoshino said.

"Why?" Kasugano Sora stared wide-eyed in confusion. "Wouldn't it be comfortable for you too, brother?"

“Because my willpower is not strong enough, if you do this, I will also be tempted.” Hoshino said irritably. He never considered himself a saint who could remain unmoved by temptation.

Kasugano Sora paused for a moment, then the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

"I didn't know I was so charming! I had no idea until you told me, brother."

Hoshino was speechless for a moment. She seemed completely unaware of her mistake, and instead wore a smug smile.

"No matter what, you're a lovely girl, and no one can resist you."

"Hmm, why was my brother able to hold back before?"

"I'm not a lolicon."

Hoshino glanced at Kasugano Sora's small chest. Her developing body still had a youthful feel to it. He remembered that last year, the girl's breasts were only slightly upturned and flat, and her nipples were shy and timid. Now, they were small and full, and he could see the growing allure. She was completely a girl, no longer the little girl she used to be.

Normally, Kasugano Sora wouldn't mind his gaze on her, but this look carried a different meaning.

"If you look at me like that again, I'll gouge your eyes out!" Kasugano Sora said angrily. "I'm not little at all! Eriri is younger than me, she's the little kid!"

Hoshino hesitated upon meeting them, feeling that the two looked almost identical and he couldn't tell who was older.

Kasugano Sora was furious and grabbed Hoshino Mi's wrist, then pressed his palm down so that he could directly feel the softness and size of the little rabbit.

"I'm a C cup now, you bastard brother!"

Hoshino subconsciously kneaded it a few times. It was indeed not very small. The girl's softness was enough to fill his hands, just the right size to hold in one hand.

It's strange, since his impression of Kasugano Sora was still that of a small-breasted little girl.

"How much is Eriri?" Hoshino asked, somewhat surprised.

"I...how would I know? But judging from her appearance, she's at most a B cup." Kasugano Sora then got angry again, "Why are you asking Eriri!"

"I haven't even touched her. You said she's very small, how would I know if that's true?" Hoshino said without batting an eye, though he had to admit that Kasugano Sora had successfully piqued his curiosity about Eriri.

"You idiot brother!" Kasugano Sora huffed in dissatisfaction, her body twisting slightly as she held onto Hoshino Mi's wrist, savoring the strange sensation. "W-how long are you going to keep touching me?"

Hoshino realized that the girl's softness was too comfortable. Even through her clothes, he couldn't help but play with her for a while. He knew he should let go at this time, but he hesitated and kept looking at the girl under him.

Kasugano Sora blushed a little under his gaze. She didn't mind Hoshino Mi continuing to touch her, and the atmosphere was actually quite ambiguous, making her vaguely anticipate what would happen next. However, her girlish instincts made her feel a little ashamed, especially since Hoshino Mi kept rubbing her, and the touch from the man would stimulate her nerves from time to time.

Even though Hoshino Mi hadn't done anything yet, Kasugano Sora's body was already struggling to take it. It wasn't that the girl was too sensitive, but rather that her body had already become accustomed to something bad. The experience of entertaining herself alone was now building up on her delicate body.

The moment someone touched her, her body reacted on its own. Kasugano Sora blushed and fidgeted with her legs.

She was still wearing her school uniform from today, but without her little leather shoes. Her legs, wrapped in white stockings, were pressed against the bed, and her little feet were dangling in mid-air above the edge of the bed, unable to touch the floor below.

Kasugano Sora couldn't stop thinking about what she could do tonight, her cheeks growing redder and redder as she hesitated whether to take the opportunity to seduce Hoshino Mi.

Just then, the ringing of a cell phone broke the atmosphere.

Kasugano Sora's expression immediately fell, and Hoshino Mi also came to his senses. It seemed like he had been constantly disturbed lately.

Hoshino silently got up and took out his phone, while Kasugano Sora turned around sullenly and hugged Hoshino's pillow.

Upon seeing the caller ID, Hoshino was slightly taken aback, realizing that he seemed to have forgotten something.

"Mr. Feng Kelian, how is your new book coming along?"

Sure enough, the moment the call connected, the other end got straight to the point.

Hoshino was silent for a moment, his gaze somewhat unfocused, before saying, "I'm already writing it, it should be finished in a while."

Well, he completely forgot.

Hoshino Miko had originally planned to use the spring break to prepare for her new book, so she went out and bought a few light novels for reference. On her way back, she ran into Wakaba Mutsumi and Toyokawa Shoko.

Having suddenly acquired a new skill, Hoshino naturally devoted her entire spring break to it, neglecting any light novels.

"Haha, have you already forgotten?" The other person's tone turned unfriendly. "I'm telling you, Kaede Karen-sensei, everyone is waiting for your latest masterpiece as a lolicon."

Hoshino felt even more guilty. The other person was his editor, Machida Sonoko, and now she was calling him by his stage name directly. It felt like his mother was suddenly calling him by his full name.

"Could you please not call me by my stage name?" Hoshino struggled slightly.

"Who told you to choose such a misleading pen name!" Machida Sonoko couldn't help but complain. "I thought you were a cute girl author. Do you know how much I was looking forward to meeting you? It turned out to be a boy, and a middle school student at that! Do you know how disappointed I was!"

"Heh, the pen name is just to deliberately deceive weird aunties like you." Hoshino sneered.

"What weird auntie? Don't compare me to someone like Kosaka!" Machida Sonoko said, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed.

Hoshino realized that she had successfully changed the subject and snorted, "If she still wants to see me, tell her that I don't write game scripts, especially eroge."

"Hmph, she gave up on you a long time ago." Machida Sonoko hadn't forgotten what happened tonight. "Seriously, how's your new book coming along?"

As she spoke, she added another sentence.

“I’m not forcing you. It’s normal to take a break after finishing a book. It’s just that our publishing house is having a talent shortage lately. The newcomers can’t compare to you. You don’t have a single popular work.”

Hoshino found it quite appealing, even though she knew it was a common PUA tactic used by editors against authors.

"Wasn't there a super genius who won the newcomer award last year?" Hoshino Mi curled her lip. "Isn't her work still being serialized?"

“Kana Yuta?” Machida Sonoko complained. “After you finished yours, she also finished hers at lightning speed, saying that hers was originally a short story. Now even the editor-in-chief can’t do anything about her.”

Hoshino stroked her chin, and after hearing what she said, it seemed that there hadn't been any popular works that could stand out recently.

Of course, popular works here do not include evergreen works by established authors.

“There was another promising new author I had high hopes for, but the market has been lukewarm towards her work, and now she is also facing the danger of being canceled,” Machida Sonoko sighed.

"Which new author?" Hoshino was slightly interested.

“The author of ‘Love Metronome’ is under the pen name Kasumi Shiko,” Machida Sonoko said. “I originally wanted to take a gamble: either the book would become a huge hit, or it would be canceled after three volumes.”

"She writes about everyday romance?" Hoshino was surprised. "You mean the pure love kind?"

“That’s right, it’s the kind of innocent romance you high school students experience,” Machida Sonoko said nonchalantly. “It seems like she lost her gamble; the market doesn’t have enough time to accept her everyday romance.”

"Which volume are we at now?" Hoshino asked.

"There are only two volumes so far. Sales have been terrible since the first volume was released. If nothing unexpected happens, the second volume will be the end of this book." Machida Sonoko sighed. "Indeed, this world is the domain of lolicon."

Hoshino's face darkened. The reason he wrote about loli mothers was because of the overwhelmingly positive reviews. There were clearly too many readers who were into loli-loving.

"Why don't you just persuade her to write about lolis in her next book?"

"Hey, that's a great idea. With Mr. Feng's strong recommendation, I think Shi-chan will definitely be able to cheer up."

"Don't call me by my stage name."

"Okay, Mi-chan, may I ask about your latest masterpiece?" Machida Sonoko asked with a grin from the other side.

"I'm writing, I'm writing." Hoshino's eyes were somewhat unfocused, even though she knew the other person couldn't see her expression.

"Kimi-chan, you'd better actually be writing," Machida Sonoko said quietly.

At this point, Hoshino finally hung up the phone.

Kasugano Sora listened to the two on the phone the whole time, without interfering with Hoshino Mi, or rather, she was too lazy to be jealous.

Because Machida Sonoko is a woman in her thirties, she didn't care at all. Hoshino would never like an old woman like that.

"Is my brother going to write another novel?"

Hoshino sighed softly. There was nothing he could do; his only source of income was the royalties from his light novels.

If you want to support many girlfriends, you have to work hard to make money.

It seems that after finishing the song, my progress in music theory will have to be temporarily put on hold.

Seeing Kasugano Sora get out of bed and straighten her uniform, her face still slightly flushed, Hoshino knew that she hadn't forgotten what had just happened.

"Don't do that again next time."

Upon hearing Hoshino's warning, Kasugano Sora immediately puffed out her cheeks.

"Didn't we agree that you would listen to me?" the girl said. "Brother can only accept my hypnosis, no matter where he is!"

“At least not in public.” Hoshino’s attitude was firm. “I don’t want anyone to see Sora doing bad things with me.”

Kasugano Sora turned her pretty face away. What did she mean by those words? Did she want to have her sister all to herself?

"Alright, I can reluctantly agree, brother." Kasugano Sora curled the corners of her lips. "But let's make this clear beforehand, what if brother can't resist?"

"As long as you don't lay a hand on me, I can definitely resist." Hoshino felt that this premise was very simple.

"Okay, if you can't hold back, then you have to come to me to solve the problem." Kasugano Sora blinked. "You're not allowed to come to Eriri."

Hoshino realized somewhat belatedly that she wanted to eliminate any chance for her and Eriri to have an affair.

"May I?"

"..."