I really don't want to be reborn.

"You don't know, the editorial department often receives a lot of calls claiming that their work has been plagiarized. Of course, most of them are just wishful thinking or excuses—nobody takes these calls seriously."

He pointed to the Dengeki Bunko building not far away: "Distinguishing a true story from hundreds of lies is quite difficult for many people."

"And that editor, Kumagai, is your colleague and friend?"

"It's an impersonation, it's obvious."

"This imposter is incredibly audacious, even using a real business card. Isn't he afraid of being investigated by that dreadful Kumagai? What if Kirino actually calls the number on the business card?"

Black Cat held the business card in his hand, squinting one eye: "I see. Below the editorial department's contact information, the mobile phone number and email address are written in ballpoint pen."

What came to mind?

"Is it because they don't want people to call the editorial department directly, so they had someone call this private number?"

He looked at the black cat with admiration: "I've discovered that you'd be perfect to be my little sister, Blackie."

"Being your sister must be exhausting."

The situation is now basically clear: someone impersonating Pudding-chan, who resembles Akuma, is actually Ryunosuke Kumagai, an editor at Dengeki Bunko, and stole Kirino's original manuscript.

Moreover, now that the perpetrator is using the pen name "Rino," judging from a series of clues, the other party should be someone who is quite familiar with the publishing house. As for the method, it is quite simple. First, after the perpetrator discovered that the rape novel was popular, he used Kumagai Ryunosuke's business card to pretend to be an editor to approach Kirino and invite her to the editorial department for a meeting.

After getting acquainted, she successfully tricked the other party into giving her the manuscript, took it to the editorial department, claimed to be the author, and easily got the proposal approved. The only loophole was that she disappeared after the password to the phone page where Kirino was writing the novel was leaked to the other party.

Such a case would be quite simple four years later, but it is still a troublesome matter now.

The black cat thought for a while, then scratched its hair in frustration.

Kyosuke was shocked. Forgetting all about the elegance of drinking coffee, he quickly tried to soothe Kyosuke: "Black cat, black cat, I didn't say there was no way! You don't have to act like this if you can't think of a solution! You're even losing fur—"

"Snapped!"

He slapped the hand away and stared at his phone with a gloomy expression: "What I can't understand is the novel itself! The readers who like to read that kind of bullshit mobile novels are like strange strangers living in the demon world to me."

“I see. Actually, I share the same view as you, and I also understand that your previous remarks were not out of jealousy.”

The black cat blushed: "Of course..."

Besides her jealousy of Kirino, she also had a rather negative impression of the novel itself.

The text appearing on the phone was the prologue of Kirino's plagiarized novel, "Imouto Sora"—the scene where her boyfriend, Tetsuya, is crushed into pieces by a truck.

The black cat stared coldly at the phone screen.

"The plot is absolutely awful, starting from the very first page! How could a truck colliding with a person possibly make a 'bang-bang' sound?!"

"There are actually people who have the audacity to plagiarize such terrible articles and turn them into money. Their aesthetic sense must have been completely lost."

"That ugly editor actually said this kind of thing could be published? He really has no aesthetic sense, only an appreciation for ugliness! I suspected it the last time I saw him..."

The reason for her hostility towards the editor was, of course, that she had been rejected many times in the past few months.

Poor guy...

After venting its anger, the black cat suddenly looked up and asked, "You just said you had a solution?"

"I have."

"Then why did you call me out?"

Kyosuke stood up and stood behind her.

He placed his hands on the little black cat's delicate shoulders, lowered his head, and teased her little ears with his breath: "This time, I need to use you, little black cat."

The black cat's body was stiff, its face flushed with the joy of getting good stuff in a ten-pull gacha.

She didn't know what to say, so she could only remain stiffly silent: "..."

Kyosuke Kosaka released his grip and smiled. "Just kidding. Did my domineering CEO act just now remind you of Maya Kurusu?"

"You look like a ghost! My black skin isn't this awful at all!!"

------

Guess how many updates today?

Chapter Twenty: Social Beings

Plagiarism lawsuits are actually quite difficult to win.

Even in Japan, it's the same, and Kirino foolishly handed over all the evidence to the other party.

Even a middle school student like Kuroko could see how troublesome this was.

"What are you planning to do? Isn't the original manuscript file stored on the computer? What if Kirino has a backup or something..."

"It's no use."

They have now arrived downstairs at the Dengeki Bunko editorial office.

Kyosuke Kosaka checked the time: "Just yesterday, the first volume of this novel was completed, and the full text has been published on the web—don't have any unrealistic expectations of my stupid little sister."

The cold winter rain continued, pattering against their umbrellas, a sound completely different from the rain in spring and summer.

The rain this season is very weak.

Perhaps it was the desolation of autumn that caused the rain, like the leaves of plants, to become dry and lifeless.

When it reaches a certain point, it will fall like withered leaves, turning into snowflakes that flutter down and cover the corpses of rain across the world.

This is a good analogy.

After putting away the umbrella, Kyosuke led her upstairs. The little black cat seemed unable to bear the strange silence and took the initiative to start a conversation: "Are you sure there's no problem? I have a feeling that the other party is very cunning."

"Very cunning?"

Kyosuke stroked his chin: "I see. So this level of opponent is considered cunning? Then it seems that Chiba's Fallen Saint is nothing special."

The black cat chuckled coldly: "Show me your boastful words, and then demonstrate the strength that will amaze us."

The childish words echoed in the quiet corridor...

"..."

He quickened his pace, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Slow down, slow down! You still haven't told me what I'm supposed to do next! Daqihei, slow down!"

"What the hell is this pitch black?!"

I'm talking to you!

"I didn't, I didn't. If you're lying, I'll beat you up... Just keep quiet in the office later."

The black cat, barely keeping up, stared intently at him: "Really?"

"Really, I just beg you not to be so childish."

The black cat thought for a moment, then slowly covered its face with one hand, and then quickly flung the other hand to the side.

hum!

Her pupils turned black.

"Mimicry complete. This personality and tone of voice should be acceptable, right?"

His tone was proud and arrogant.

Kyosuke Kosaka paused for a moment, then quickened his pace again.

What the heck?!

What's with this "I've transformed into a negotiating personality" attitude?

A large group from Chiba!

It's just taking off your contact lenses for a moment, what's there to be so proud of!

It has to be said that in the realm of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), Prince Kuroneko is currently unbeatable.

They arrived at Ryunosuke Kumagai's office, where Pudding-chan was eating pudding. She waved to them and said, "Welcome, welcome! Oh, your sister is here too."

Kumagai had brought his black cat here to play in August, so he still remembered his taciturn "little sister" a little, and a smile appeared on his dull face.

"Little sister, come and have some pudding. You look unhappy, but eating pudding will cheer you up—this is based on my own experience."

The black cat kept its mouth shut and didn't say anything.

Her seemingly introverted demeanor made Kumagai sigh, "You and your sister have such different personalities. Is this really your sister, Kousaka?"

"Yes, it's my lovely Mo Duo."

Kyosuke Kosaka suddenly grinned mischievously and pinched the black cat's cheek: "My little black cat looks aloof and cold, but she's actually very fun to tease."

Following Hinata, Kyosuke Kousaka discovered this secret—Ruri Gokou is an incredibly fun person.

The black cat opened its eyes wide.

She glared at him through gritted teeth, but didn't say a word.

Because this bastard told her she couldn't say a word before he came in...

Well, now they're taking advantage of me to bully me!

The black cat sat sullenly in the corner, picked up a magazine and started reading, its little ears turning bright red.

"Ah, mobile phone novels are mainly targeted at young women, so we have to hide the otaku image that Dengeki Bunko has."

"No wonder, since you claim to belong to different classrooms and your websites don't mention each other's publications at all, it's no wonder you use separate business cards."

"Huh? A business card?"

Kyosuke took out the business card with the plagiarist's number on it and placed it on the table: "Is this your new business card?"

Kumagai examined it carefully: "That's right."

Do you recognize the number written with this ballpoint pen?

"This looks familiar... Isn't this Rino-sensei's phone number?"

Kyosuke Kosaka smiled and said, "Could you tell me about this Rino-sensei? She shouldn't be a newcomer."

"Are you talking about Rino-sensei? She's been writing for almost ten years, and she even has a room in the editorial department."

Speaking of "Rino-sensei," Kumagai looked delighted: "She's recently switched to writing mobile phone novels, and her works are so engaging, it's like they were written by someone else..."