Tokyo: The life of a literary giant begins with home self-defense!

Chapter 322: 49-Day Plan to Occupy Europe

Takeda Maki returned to her house in the small town of Gold at one o'clock in the afternoon.

This place is two kilometers away from Senanque Abbey. Sitting on the balcony on the second floor of the house, you can see the blue-purple lavender fields in the distance.

"There should be two sling buckles here."

The first thing Takeda Maki did not do when she returned to her house was to look for Ryukawa Toru.

When she picked up "Kafka on the Shore" that day, she saw the business card that the eldest lady gave to Longchuan Tetsu, and she was almost sure who Longchuan Tetsu was looking for help.

She didn't expose it right away because she felt this was an opportunity to make Longchuan Che obey her.

"Petit ami (little boyfriend), I've been so nice to you these past two days, and you lied to me over and over again."

Takeda Maki strolled around the house, looking for a place to deal with Ryuukawa Toru.

The rose bed in the bedroom is fine, and the light blue swimming pool in the courtyard seems to be okay too.

"Annie, find someone to send two sets of maid costumes to Gold Town for me, and some embellishment ribbons for wrapping gifts."

Takeda Maki called her friend in Paris and learned that there was a courier delivery service at the foot of the Gordes Mountains.

"You've fallen, Zhenfei!"

Editor-in-Chief Anne, who was still working in Paris, was a little horrified. A maid outfit with a florid ribbon was not a good thing.

Could it be a gift? The kind where you tie yourself up and give it to someone?
The French woman had already imagined the erotic scene of her friend being tied up.

“It’s for the kids.”

Takeda Shinki is no longer as gentle as before.

She sat in the courtyard, holding her cheek.

The light blue water in the pool was rippling in waves, and two pine needles fell from the cypress tree at the door.

"Will he listen to you?"

The French female editor on the other end of the phone was very surprised, and Longchuan Che was also a very difficult person to deal with.

"Annie."

Takeda Shinki was sitting in the courtyard eating a croissant that Ryukawa Toru had brought her.

Ryuukawa Toru, who seems to have a bad personality, turns out to be surprisingly thoughtful after they get together.

Remember her favorite foods and tuck her in at night.

"I feel like I met him a little late."

The croissant crust was baked crispy, and it was from the one at Bir Akhem Bridge that Longchuan often visited these days.

She just said it casually that day, but Longchuan Che really went to buy it often.

"No way, Ms. Takeda."

Anne Erno wondered whether a woman in love should be a little stupid.

"You have been bribed by such a small benefit?"

It was hard to imagine Takeda Maki saying that it would have been better if they had met earlier, and Anne Elno's tone was full of disgust.

"Maid outfit, lace, I get it, are there any other options?"

"No."

Her friend didn’t understand, so Takeda Shinki hung up the phone.

She stared at the rippling water in the courtyard for a while, then called the business card she had torn up the day before.

There were two phone numbers on the torn business cards, one was from the eldest daughter of the Kujo family, and the other was from the French literary giant.

"Mr. Patrick, I have two manuscripts here. They are from Longchuan Tetsu who I have an appointment with you today."

For Takeda Maki, a lot of communication and exchanges only require a phone call.

With a little skill and a bit of substitution, the woman intercepted Patrick when he was about to meet his boyfriend.

I went to the second floor to change clothes and saw the swimsuit I bought in Otaru last time.

Those small pieces of fabric were bikinis and one-pieces. The woman thought about it and threw them into the washing machine in the bathroom.

"Mr. Ryukawa Tetsu, you should be thankful that we are dating now."

Looking at the clothes rolling in the washing tub, Takeda Shinki was surprised that she just wanted to punish him a little. Longchuan Toru lied a lot, and she even reminded him before leaving.

"How could I lie to you, my Lord?"

Behind the boy's smiling face was the scorching sun of Provence. At that moment, Takeda Maki really felt that the other party was just looking for an ordinary friend.

Natsuko Imamura, Kujo family.

These were the words that used to make her face turn cold whenever she saw them.

But now she just wanted to drag him back and give him a good beating.

Switch positions in bed and stop lying to yourself during your time in France.

Even Takeda Maki was surprised that she only wanted to go this far.

"You've fallen, my queen."

Looking at her face which seemed softer than before, Takeda Shinki felt helpless.

The strange love affair that started in Akihabara now seems to be growing wildly under the sunshine of southern France.

After changing into a formal suit for work, Takeda Maki drove to Ishiya Village.

This place is still some distance away from the Senanque Abbey that Ryukawa Tetsu mentioned, and Takeda Maki sneered.

Not only was he not honest about who he was meeting, but the location was also wrong.

The woman was increasingly looking forward to Longchuan Che seeing her expression.

Takeda Maki met the French literary giant at the gate of Ishiya Village and handed him two manuscripts.

She didn't talk about the Booker Prize, but instead talked about other things.

“The Blind Willow and the Sleeping Girl is a short story, and Kafka is a fantasy novel.”

The woman sat across from Patrick, thinking about the preparations she had made during this period.

Ryuukawa Toru thought she wanted to send him to the Booker Prize, but the woman wanted more.

“I contacted Mr. Arnošt Lustig from the Czech Republic to recommend Kafka on the Shore for the Kafka Prize, and Lucy Caldwell from Ireland to recommend The Blind Man and the Sleeping Woman for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award.”

There are three works by Ryukawa Toru, and Takeda Maki has thought about how to maximize the interests of boys.

Perhaps it is impossible to win an award in every literary event, but being shortlisted for three international awards at the same time will have a sensational impact.

From Ireland in the west to the Czech Republic in central Europe.

It can be said that Takeda Maki has searched for all the literary awards that she is suitable for.

"And also participated in the Kafka Prize and the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award?"

Patrick was a little surprised because Ryukawa Toru came this time to ask him to help recommend the British Booker Prize.

It is certain that Longchuan Che has no fame in the international market. Patrick has no idea how much money and resources the woman in front of him has spent.

Not everyone is like him and would write recommendation letters based on the quality of the work. Patrick is sure that the two literary award judges mentioned by Takeda Maki have never read the two novels in front of them.

"You're almost paying for a recommendation."

Patrick smiled calmly. The woman in front of him meant something metaphorical, but he could hear it.

In addition to those two literary awards, the woman also set her sights on the Booker Prize.

If he could directly recommend Longchuan Che to the position like the other two, he would also get a considerable reward.

Arnošt Lustig and Lucy Caldwell are both famous European writers, and it must have taken a lot of money to impress them.

“The Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize opens in three days and the Booker Prize closes in a month.”

Patrick was amazed at the woman's ambition.

In just 49 days, she wanted Longchuan Che's name to appear on three international awards.

Not necessarily win a prize.

But it will definitely make Ryukawa Tetsu become...

“A household name.”

(End of this chapter)