My dear wife, I still love you more.

Chapter Fifty: Single, My Wife

Ultimately, Mrs. Yuihama chose to divorce. Well, we can no longer call her Mrs. Yuihama. (Suddenly, I'm having a bit of a headache. What will Mrs. Yuihama's surname and given name be after the divorce? That's another problem. I'm afraid that just picking any name won't feel right. Hmm, everyone can recommend some names for the wife; if you think it's suitable, I'll use it below.)

“Madam, although it might be a bit much to say this, I still want to say congratulations. You’ve gotten rid of your biggest burden,” Kenichi Hasegawa said to his wife with a smile.

"Yes, really? Yes, that's right. The biggest burden." The wife's eyes dimmed. She and her husband—no, her ex-husband—had a very good relationship back then, and they were already talking about marriage before high school was even over. Their relationship was so good back then, but now it had turned out like this.

As she thought about it, the wife's eyes reddened, and tears flowed silently.

Kenichi Hasegawa looked at his wife, who was crying silently, and felt a pang of sympathy. He then reached out and hugged her tightly, saying, "Wife, it's all over now. Everything will be alright."

His wife leaned against Hasegawa Kenichi's chest, just crying. Hasegawa Kenichi felt that his clothes were all wet.

It took the wife a while to calm down and regain her composure. Realizing she was crying in Hasegawa Kenichi's arms, she blushed and quickly pulled away, saying, "I'm sorry, Hasegawa-kun, I, I, I didn't mean to, I just, I just—"

“I understand, ma’am. Let’s go. It seems like it’s getting close to your work start time. If we don’t hurry, we might be late. And if we’re late on our first day of work, we might get fired.” Hasegawa Kenichi said with a faint smile, starting a conversation.

"Oh no, we're going to be late. We need to hurry." Reminded by Kenichi Hasegawa, the wife forgot all her sadness and embarrassment; work was the most important thing now.

He rushed as fast as he could and finally arrived at the coffee shop before his work hours, so his wife wasn't late. Hasegawa Kenichi didn't linger; instead, he turned and left. Although he thought that spending more time with his wife might allow him to take advantage of her vulnerability, Hasegawa Kenichi still felt somewhat uneasy.

Kenichi Hasegawa felt that whatever he did now would seem despicable. Besides, he was only sixteen, while his wife was thirty-two, twice his age. Hasegawa himself didn't think anything of it, but if his wife sensed anything, she would definitely keep her distance from him, and might even distance herself from him. So, at this time, it was best not to rush things or get too close.

However, after separating from his wife, Kenichi Hasegawa did not go to school.

Although he's a top student, Hasegawa Kenichi still wanted to rest for a day since he finally had a reason to ask for leave.

After all, Kenichi Hasegawa is a bit confused right now. After all, his neighbor's wife really is divorced. That means his current wife is single.

With random thoughts flashing through his mind, Kenichi Hasegawa couldn't calm down. In this state, he couldn't concentrate on anything, even if he went to school.

Kenichi Hasegawa didn't go to school. No one else seemed to think anything of it, but Shizuka Hiratsuka felt a strange unease after seeing that he was absent. Although she wanted to forget what had happened before, and even felt a little awkward around Kenichi, his sudden absence seemed to indicate that he didn't want to face her at all.

Hiratsuka Shizuka is undeniably a beautiful woman, so how could Hasegawa Kenichi do this? He ignored her charm as a woman before, even stripping her naked, and refused to go to school with her. Now, he doesn't even want to see her at school? Hiratsuka Shizuka is even worried that Hasegawa Kenichi might transfer schools next.

He scratched his head, his once straight, black hair now a mess: "Ugh, you bastard! You bastard!"

When the other teachers in the office saw Hiratsuka Shizuka suddenly act like this, the entire office fell silent, and they all looked at Hiratsuka Shizuka cautiously.

……

Although his wife got divorced, which is a good thing for Kenichi Hasegawa—or rather, a good thing for his wife—it still costs ten million yen.

Kenichi Hasegawa felt a headache coming on just thinking about that ten million yen. And from what the lawyer said, it seemed the Black Dragon Group, that shady organization, was after his wife, which was why they'd deliberately set this trap. Would the Black Dragon Group let his wife pay back that ten million yen smoothly? Did the Black Dragon Group have any other methods up their sleeve?

Although organized crime is legal in Japan, Kenichi Hasegawa doesn't believe their methods are legal. Therefore, to ensure everything goes smoothly and to protect his wife from harm and threats, he might need to be cautious about this Black Dragon Group.

However, they are the Black Dragon Group. They are a criminal organization. Even if Hasegawa Kenichi has a system, which grants him limitless potential, that's only in the future. Right now? At best, he has a level four kendo skill. If he were to actually face the Black Dragon Group, he might not have any chance of winning.

After all, it's a triad. Even though this country prohibits guns, he didn't believe that a triad wouldn't have guns.

Even though Hasegawa Kenichi now has a system, before, he was truly just an ordinary person—in Japanese terms, just an average office worker. He hadn't been in a fight for decades, and facing the yakuza, Hasegawa Kenichi genuinely hoped to resolve the issue peacefully.

At this moment, Kenichi Hasegawa desperately hoped that his system could be even more powerful, giving him invincible strength so that he could sweep through the Black Dragon Group. In that case, he wouldn't care about things like gangsters, how many people they had, or guns and ammunition.

Fortunately, the Black Dragon Group is a legal triad society, so in a sense, whatever they want to do also needs to be legal, at least on the surface. Therefore, even if they were spying on Madam, they would need to do so through legal means.

So, we've come full circle; it's all about money. Make money, make money, make money! Kenichi Hasegawa took a deep breath, his expression turning serious.

Chapter 51 The Capital That Changes the Rules

"Hello, Editor Machida." Hasegawa Kenichi dialed Machida Sonoko's number. After thinking it over, Hasegawa Kenichi felt that the only normal way to make money seemed to be through Machida Sonoko.

"Mr. Hasegawa? Are you here to inquire about the sales of Tokyo Ghoul?" Machida Sonoko's tired yet slightly relaxed voice came through the phone.

"Well, I wanted to know about the sales of Tokyo Ghoul. Also, I wanted to ask Editor Machida when the second volume of Tokyo Ghoul will be published," Kenichi Hasegawa asked.

"When will Tokyo Ghoul Volume 2 be published? Why is Hasegawa-sensei asking this? But please rest assured, Hasegawa-sensei. After I received the manuscript for Volume 2, I read it and the quality is as good as ever, no, it should be said that it is even better than Volume 1. So, I have already made arrangements, and Tokyo Ghoul Volume 2 will be published in three months."

"Three months later?" Kenichi Hasegawa frowned slightly, but he wasn't surprised at all by this timeframe. After all, that's really how light novels are published in Japan, with each volume released every three to four months.

"Yes, so Hasegawa-sensei doesn't need to worry."

"Then, could you please speed up the publication process of the novel?"

"kindness?"

"I mean, can the second volume of Tokyo Ghoul be published this month? Or, can Tokyo Ghoul be published one volume per month?" Kenichi Hasegawa inquired.

"Huh? Hasegawa-sensei? Why do you ask that? And one volume a month, that's too exaggerated. How is that possible? At that speed, let alone publishing, even Hasegawa-sensei couldn't write that much, right?" Machida Sonoko was a little surprised.

"No, it's no problem for me. I can actually write about 5,000 words a day, which means that under normal circumstances, I can write 150,000 words a month, which is about one and a half volumes. This is without affecting the quality."

Machida Sonoko, on the other end of the phone, was stunned and speechless after hearing Hasegawa Kenichi's words.

"Um, Hasegawa-sensei. You're not kidding, are you?" Machida Sonoko asked incredulously.

"No, I'm not joking. Besides, this is because it's my first time writing a novel, so I'm not very skilled yet. If I get more proficient, my speed might even improve," Hasegawa Kenichi said seriously.

"Hiss—" Machida Sonoko gasped: "Hasegawa-sensei, you, you were a student, weren't you? I remember."

"That's right. I just started high school today."

"A first-year high school student, and writing a novel for the first time, and yet he can write so quickly while maintaining quality? Hasegawa-sensei, are you a monster?" Machida Sonoko couldn't believe it. She felt that if Hasegawa Kenichi could really do what he said, then Hasegawa Kenichi really was a monster.

"I don't think it's difficult. Besides, this speed is only average compared to the online writers in the other country," Hasegawa Kenichi shook his head.

"...Mr. Hasegawa, while you do write very quickly, the publishing speed at the publisher cannot meet your requirements. I'm sorry. After all, the publisher has its own procedures," Machida Sonoko said apologetically.

“I understand.” Although Hasegawa Kenichi had expected this answer, he was still a little disappointed. However, he continued, “Editor Machida, if—and I mean if—Tokyo Ghoul sells very well, and I have the ability to achieve that, then, could the publisher consider my request?”

"The requirement to publish once a month?"

"Correct!"

"Mr. Hasegawa, while Tokyo Ghoul's sales are decent, they're only decent; they haven't reached the level of explosive popularity—"

"I know, I just want to ask, if it could reach that level of explosive popularity, could Tokyo Ghoul be published one volume a month?" Kenichi Hasegawa continued to ask stubbornly.

“If Mr. Hasegawa’s Tokyo Ghoul can rank in the top three in sales—I mean, in the top three of all novels published within a year—I can discuss it with the publisher,” Machida Sonoko gave Hasegawa Kenichi.

"Top three? I understand." Hasegawa Kenichi nodded.

After hanging up the phone, Kenichi Hasegawa frowned. Although he possessed a system, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could do whatever he wanted. Tokyo Ghoul was indeed of good quality. However, when he was creating it, his writing level was only level 3; it was level 4 or even higher. This meant that the actual quality of Tokyo Ghoul wasn't necessarily that high.

Furthermore, since the first volume of Tokyo Ghoul is already on sale, there's no way to revise it to make it more perfect or better. At most, only the later, unpublished content can be modified.

Therefore, at this point, we can only resort to underhanded tactics. Since we can't improve the quality of the novel, we can only focus on promotion.

When it comes to publicity, the only person Hasegawa Kenichi can think of is Aki Tomoya. At this point, Hasegawa Kenichi is once again troubled by the fact that he doesn't have any other acquaintances.

Hasegawa Kenichi contacted Aki Tomoya by phone and explained his request. Aki Tomoya assured him he would definitely help Hasegawa Kenichi promote the product, and even offered to ask his acquaintances on YouTube for help. Hasegawa Kenichi was very grateful for Aki Tomoya's response. Therefore, despite his various problems, Aki Tomoya is quite a reliable friend.

After everything was arranged, Kenichi Hasegawa breathed a sigh of relief.

With enough time to spare, Hasegawa Kenichi planned to continue writing his novel. However, his mind was a jumbled mess, making it impossible for him to write anything. Even if he did manage to write something, the quality would be poor, forcing him to delete it. So, Hasegawa Kenichi picked up a wooden sword and began to exert his physical strength, clearing away the chaotic thoughts with a sweat. Only then did Hasegawa Kenichi resume his writing.

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P.S.: Many readers have expressed concerns about the ten million yen debt. Well, ten million yen isn't really a problem; it's just a transitional plot point that will likely be resolved within a few chapters. Similarly, this part won't be described in detail. Many people say the protagonist's sudden debt is too melodramatic. No, no one said it's melodramatic, just that it's like a certain pornographic novel—is it showing off or something? Even the author doesn't know what to say. If you experience life, you'll find that what the author wrote is realistic. The protagonist is an ordinary high school student. Even with a system, he hasn't yet achieved instant success. And his opponents? The underworld. Can the protagonist handle it? Don't underestimate the underworld. It's all the fault of those urban fantasy novels that belittle the underworld like a beginner slime in a game—it's not that easy to deal with.

Chapter 52 Hiratsuka Shizuka’s middle finger

"So, life goes on." Hasegawa Kenichi sighed, got up and went out. He still had to go to work to at least cover his living expenses.

When he went to work, Kenichi Hasegawa took a detour.

"Hasegawa-kun? What brings you here?" Mrs. Yuigahama's face lit up with joy. Because of some previous events, she had become relatively affectionate towards Kenichi Hasegawa. (Regarding the use of the wife's name, after some thought and considering reader suggestions, I'll stick with Mrs. Yuigahama. Let's assume that Mrs. Yuigahama's surname was Yuigahama before. After all, whether it's "wife" or "Yuigahama Yui," changing the surname would make the connection much less immersive.)

"I happened to be going that way, so I came to check it out." Kenichi Hasegawa smiled faintly. "What about work? How's it going?"

"Yes, the store manager and the others have been very kind to me. Thank you, Hasegawa-kun." Mrs. Yuihama said with gratitude. Her family was on the verge of collapse, but Hasegawa Kenichi's appearance saved her.

"That's good. Well then, I'm going to work now. Goodbye, Mrs. Yuihama."

"and many more!"

Just as Kenichi Hasegawa was about to leave, Mrs. Yuihama suddenly called out to him.

"Is there anything else, Mrs. Yuihama?" Kenichi Hasegawa asked.

"Well, well, the reason Hasegawa-kun works part-time is because he spends his money on me, so, so—" A hint of hesitation flashed across Mrs. Yuihama's face.

"It's alright, madam, I'm just doing a temporary job," Kenichi Hasegawa said with a smile.

"Um, um, if, if Hasegawa-kun doesn't mind, you can, you can, you can move into my house. You know I have spare rooms. Hasegawa-kun is spending his living expenses on me, so he has to work part-time. In that case, why not move in with me? At least you can save on rent." Mrs. Yuihama clenched her fists in front of her chest, her big eyes looking at Hasegawa Kenichi with longing.

"Huh? This, this isn't a good idea, is it?" Hasegawa Kenichi was surprised to receive an invitation from Mrs. Yuihama to stay at her place, and his eyes widened in surprise.

To be honest, Kenichi Hasegawa was a little tempted, really. It would be impossible for him not to be. However, he was still a bit hesitant, feeling that it wasn't quite the right thing to do.

"No, that won't happen. Hasegawa-kun knows my situation. Before that ten million yen is paid back, I... I probably won't be able to repay Hasegawa-kun. Anyway, Hasegawa-kun needs to rent a place, so it's better for him to stay at my place. At least that way, I'll feel less guilty. Of course, I'm not saying I won't repay the money, it's just that... the repayment time might need to be delayed." Mrs. Yuihama looked at Hasegawa Kenichi with a mix of panic and expectation.

"Is that so?" Kenichi Hasegawa scratched his head. He was really tempted, but he still felt that it was a bit inappropriate to move into Mrs. Yuihama's house so abruptly.

"It's decided then. Here are my house keys, Hasegawa-kun. If you're moving, I'll help you move after get off work." Mrs. Yuihama was unusually decisive, directly shoving the keys into Hasegawa Kenichi's hand, then blushing, she turned and ran away, not giving Hasegawa Kenichi a chance to back out.

Of course, in reality, Hasegawa Kenichi didn't really want to go back on his word. No, it should be said that Hasegawa Kenichi was too kind and didn't want Mrs. Yuihama to feel guilty, so he reluctantly accepted. Thinking about it this way, Hasegawa Kenichi felt a little better.

Humming a little tune, Kenichi Hasegawa arrived at the izakaya where he worked.

"Hey, Hasegawa. You seem to be in a good mood today. Did something good happen?" The izakaya owner asked with a smile when he saw Kenichi Hasegawa's expression.

"Good news? Hmm, does not going to school today count?" Hasegawa Kenichi said with a smile.

"Huh? You didn't go to school today? Why?"

"Well, something came up. But I've asked for leave."

"I see. Not going to school is indeed a good thing for you students. Alright, let's get to work. Hasegawa, could you please wash these vegetables?"

"Ok."

Whether it was because of his mood or not, Kenichi Hasegawa felt that today's work seemed unusually easy.

Before he knew it, the sky had begun to darken. But just then, Hasegawa Kenichi suddenly heard someone calling his name.

"Hasegawa, someone is looking for you outside."

"Someone's looking for me? Now?" Hasegawa Kenichi was taken aback and stopped wielding his knife.

"That's right, the guest specifically requested that you accompany her." The person speaking to Hasegawa Kenichi winked at him with an ambiguous expression.

"The customer wants me to go with her? Don't be ridiculous. I'm a kitchen helper, not a hostess or a gigolo. Besides, I'm working right now." Hasegawa Kenichi rolled his eyes.