Uneasy daily life

Hachiman Hikigaya immediately changed the subject: "Work is terrifying. The department head seems like a semi-professional..."

"Let's put aside whether Haku-kun's problem is that complicated. Problems are meant to be solved," Yukino Yukinoshita asked. "Does Haku-kun usually write novels?"

Bai Ying corrected, "It's not a novel, it's a play... Well, you can just think of it as a short story. Anyway, it's one of the ways to make money."

Short stories...

The three of them subconsciously recalled their recent experiences.

"I think Xiaobai is really good at this, right?"

Yui Yuigahama was unsure and looked left and right at the other two.

Hachiman Hikigaya became interested: "Does the captain write light novels? The style seems quite suitable."

Bai Ying said with a sigh, "I did write light novels, but my editor said they were like sandpaper."

"sandpaper?"

Yukino Yukinoshita, who doesn't read light novels, was a little confused. The book was indeed made of paper, but why was it made of sandpaper? What was the connection between the two?

"Light novels are often jokingly referred to as 'buying beautiful illustrations and getting toilet paper as a free gift,' but as for sandpaper... does that mean it's not even good for wiping your butt?"

Hachiman Hikigaya asked curiously, "What strange thing did you write, Minister?"

"After leaving the theater troupe, I tried writing light novels to make money three times. The first two were rejected by the editor, and the third one passed the review, but it was canceled after I had only finished two volumes."

Bai Ying recalled, "The book that passed the review was called 'Reincarnated in Another World: Starting as a Sword Saint and Building a Harem'."

Yui Yuigahama tilted her head: "Huh...?"

Yukino Yukinoshita commented, "The title alone makes me have absolutely no desire to read it; it's no surprise it was canceled."

"This name fits the light novel market well; it's not particularly surprising, but it's also quite stable," Hachiman Hikigaya offered a contrasting professional opinion. "Minister, could you briefly describe the content?"

Bai Ying briefly explained: "An ordinary, unremarkable protagonist transmigrates to another world with inexplicably powerful abilities. After splitting a mountain in two with a single sword strike, he becomes the patron saint of a kingdom. The god who transported him to this world grants him a mysterious ability that will come in handy at crucial moments."

Hachiman Hikigaya: "A very steady and down-to-earth start."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "A ridiculous dream of unexpected wealth."

The white figure continued, "Due to his immense power, the protagonist enjoys a wealthy and carefree life. At the king's recommendation and request, he becomes engaged to the princess. Although he doesn't get along with her due to her strictness and meticulousness, the princess is very beautiful, so he accepts the engagement. In private, because the duke's daughter often challenges her, the two develop feelings for each other. In addition, the protagonist also rescues a commoner girl who was sold into servitude to bury her father. This commoner girl gets along best with the protagonist and is deeply loved by him..."

Hachiman Hikigaya: "That's quite steady, isn't it? Maybe it's an issue with the illustrations?"

Bai Ying pondered for a moment and said, "That's possible."

Yukino Yukinoshita asked in confusion, "I didn't find anything interesting about this story at all. What happens next?"

"What follows is the unfolding of the plot, with all the groundwork laid!"

Bai Ying suddenly became enthusiastic and said in rapid succession: "The protagonist, who was lazy and lived a life of luxury, unknowingly lost strength. When the neighboring country found out about this, war came. The protagonist was defeated by the war king of the neighboring country and fled with the duke's daughter and a commoner girl!"

Hikigaya Hachiman: "?!"

Yui Yuigahama: "Huh? What about the princess?"

Bai Ying said, "As the next heir, the princess's political status made it difficult for her to escape. She could not escape, and she did not want to escape with the protagonist. After being rejected, the protagonist did not take her with him. In the end, when the royal city was breached, the princess lamented and set herself on fire."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "An arranged marriage led to me marrying the wrong person."

Hachiman Hikigaya: "...And then what?"

Bai Ying: "After escaping the royal city, while the protagonist was resting, the duke's daughter left him. On the way, they unfortunately encountered pursuers. The protagonist arrived and easily defeated the pursuers, but the duke's daughter was fatally wounded in the battle. She lay dying in the protagonist's arms and said, 'The commoners envy me for being born as the duke's daughter, and I envy you for being born with the power of a sword saint. It's so unfair, so fair.'"

Yui Yuigahama, with teary eyes, said, "Ugh..."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "I see. Constantly challenging the protagonist is to become stronger. It's unfair that they are just some pursuers, and even with her efforts, she can hardly fight them off. It's fair that the world is unfair to everyone—the Sword Saint of the Nation does not have the power to stabilize the nation and cannot deter nations of equal strength. Calamity is only a matter of time."

Hachiman Hikigaya leaned back slightly: "And then? What about that commoner girl?"

Bai Ying said, "Due to the Duke's daughter's dying words, the protagonist had a great awakening and vowed to protect his last love. He prepared to hide away and cultivate diligently to avenge his family, but just a few days after finding a hiding place, the war king and his army of the enemy country surrounded the protagonist."

"The enemy captures a civilian girl as a hostage to persuade the protagonist to surrender. The protagonist, who vows to protect the civilian girl, makes up his mind and chooses to fight head-on without leaving any way out."

"When the protagonist exhausted his courage and strategy and died in battle, he suddenly revived and regained his peak strength, successfully killing the Lord of War, defeating tens of thousands of troops, and rescuing a common girl."

Yukino Yukinoshita pondered, "Is this the mysterious ability given by that god? It can't take effect unless you're dead, so it was quite crucial at that moment. But what happened after that?"

Hachiman Hikigaya didn't want to speak; he had subtly followed the white shadow's train of thought, and barring any unforeseen circumstances...

"As the protagonist was preparing to hunt down the enemy, a commoner girl suddenly cursed him—'You killed my father, slaughtered my people, destroyed my homeland. I regret that all my hard work has gone to waste. I hate your wisdom and might at this moment. I laugh at you for always being a step too late. I will take away the last thing you have.'"

"A commoner girl committed suicide with a sword; she was a spy from an enemy country."

Yuigahama Yui: "..."

Hachiman Hikigaya: "As expected."

Yukino Yukinoshita pondered, "I see. The fact that she gets along best with the protagonist, who is a transmigrator, actually implies that the commoner girl is deliberately catering to the protagonist's values ​​and behavior. Perhaps she even intentionally guides the protagonist to be lazy, reveals the protagonist's strength to her country, and sows discord between the protagonist and the princess, etc. She just didn't expect the protagonist to be able to come back from the dead, and ultimately failed at the last moment..."

"The protagonist is still alive. He gained everything but lost everything. He came into this world alone and will remain alone in the end. The country that started the war won, but lost a lot of military power and its destruction is not far off. The thing that reversed the outcome and made war something that hurts everyone is the mysterious ability that the gods gave to the protagonist."

"Could this be part of the God of Mischief's character design?"

Yukino Yukinoshita became somewhat interested and cast a probing gaze at the white figure.

Bai Ying said seriously, "I don't know."

Yukino Yukinoshita nearly choked: "Aren't you the author?"

"Because it was already cut in half," Bai Ying said matter-of-factly. "The image of the god depends on my future ideas, but unfortunately it couldn't last until the end before it was cut in half."

Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly, "As an author, shouldn't you have thought about the ending of the story before you even start writing?"

"Superficial! The interesting thing about fate is that it is both predictable and elusive!"

The white figure spoke eloquently.

"In short, the minister's light novel... cough cough, is very educational."

Hachiman Hikigaya said, "It feels completely different from the captain's usual comedic style."

"That was just improvisation; how can it be compared to serious creation?"

Bai Ying clenched his fist and said, "Only when you're seriously creating will your passion burn and your words become powerful! You must hide tragedy in the very core of every sentence! From beauty and ease to shattering and destruction! The transition must be seamless! Like a sharp blade piercing into the heart! This is my way of creating!"

So this person was serious about the definition of tragedy they were arguing about over the phone?

First, lower the reader's blood pressure, then suddenly raise it to break the threshold?

Wait a minute, judging from the minister's writing style, the first two books that were rejected by the editors were probably because the criticism was too swift.

The reason the third book was approved was probably because the editor was misled by the earlier content.

That stab must have been aimed directly at the editor's kidneys!

You deserved your light novel to be canceled!

Hachiman Hikigaya cleared his mind, fell silent, smiled, and sighed deeply, thinking it was absolutely brilliant.

Yui Yuigahama sighed emotionally, "If the protagonist and the princess could have interacted more and learned more about the duke's daughter, the story would have been different."

"It's almost a foregone conclusion that someone without the corresponding experience and mindset would become the one who decides the decline of a nation right from the start," Yukino Yukinoshita said coldly. "It's like some authors who dare to publish their stories before they've even finished writing them; it's quite normal for them to be canceled."

"That's why I write plays for theater companies. I get paid for each one that's accepted—ah, being stuck in a rut is really painful."

Bai Ying glanced at Yukino Yukinoshita's hand, somewhat hesitant. He immediately looked at Yui Yuigahama's hand, then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I've been honing my writing skills lately, and perhaps I can try again with light novels! If it becomes a huge hit and I make a fortune, I won't have to put up with that scumbag anymore!"

Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't help but ask, "May I ask, Minister, what do you mean by 'training'...?"

Bai Ying said confidently, "I can now write a tragedy for someone in just one sentence! A precise remedy, cutting to the bone!"

Yuigahama Yui chimed in, "Huh? Is it that amazing? Shiro, show us!"

"Then watch carefully!"

The white figure immediately stood up, his gaze sweeping over the three like lightning, and suddenly shouted: "First, I'll target you—Hachiman Hikigaya!"

"exist!"

Hachiman Hikigaya instinctively stood up and retorted, "Captain, you're not going to say something like 'Send Hachiman Hikigaya to his grave,' are you?"

"Of course not, why would I kill you off? Don't be nervous."

Bai Ying pointed a finger and said in a firm and powerful voice: "In order for your sister, who has found true love, to be happy, you voluntarily chose a hundred years of solitude."

boom!

Hachiman Hikigaya sat back in his chair as if he had been shot, sprawled out in a wide-open position.

"No... Komachi will not marry... If that is Komachi's happiness... I... I..."

Ugh! I don't want that kind of thing!!

At least let me fight that man to the death, let me die at his hands!!

Hachiman Hikigaya let out a painful struggle sound.

He thought he was a powerful figure who had undergone numerous trials and reached an invincible state, but he never expected to have an Achilles' heel!

"Yui Yuigahama!"

"Huh?!" Yui Yuigahama exclaimed in a panic, "Um, I don't need to..."

Yukino Yukinoshita comforted her, "Don't worry, Hachiman's weakness is too obvious, you definitely won't..."

Years later, you greet Yumiko Miura with surprise when you run into her. Yumiko Miura asks you who you are.

It was a simple and unadorned voice, conveying a gentle and eloquent tone, carrying the sorrow of someone who has experienced the ups and downs of life and has become indifferent to fame, fortune, and separation.

Graduation, life, work, neglecting to keep in touch, losing contact for years—friends become names in your contacts that you'll never contact again. Even if you haven't forgotten them, when you actually bump into them, you realize that friends truly only exist in your memories…

Yui Yuigahama sank, sinking into fear of the uncertain future, curling up in a gloomy ball on the chair.

The white figure pointed to the last person and said, "Now only you are left! Yukino Yukinoshita!"

"I'm not as fragile as they are."

Yukino Yukinoshita confidently stated, "It's just a single sentence."

"Excellent academic qualifications, smooth career, harmonious marriage, wealthy family, and peaceful life—"

Bai Ying recited a long string of positive descriptions as if she were reciting a menu.

Yukino Yukinoshita: "It's no use saying nice things now. Is honey what you're using to hone your writing skills? Unfortunately, I don't feel any joy in it..."

"You have everything going smoothly, yet you accomplish nothing."

The white figure read out the second half of the sentence.

Everything is going well for you.

But you did not accomplish anything.

"You will be the darling and puppet of fate, living in a drama called success."

The white figure rose and moved, sighing and spontaneously walking in a circle, chanting softly.

Her clear, beautiful pupils wavered, and a chill rose, spread, and overflowed from within her body.

A cold sweat soaked through my clothes, and the damp fabric clung to my skin, bringing an even deeper chill.

Yukino Yukinoshita truly felt the terror of that instant.

"You...I...Gulp—!"

Yukino Yukinoshita struggled to maintain her composure and gritted her teeth, saying, "Try writing a tragedy yourself!!"

"Ha—Cavan, the deadline has arrived, alas."

Bai Ying sighed deeply, then let out a carefree chuckle before slumping into a chair.

"When a client comes from afar, one must first test their resolve, strain their muscles and bones, starve their body, leave them destitute, whip them dozens of times, and drive them to another courtyard..."

The atmosphere in the Aid/Service Department was particularly oppressive today.

Chapter Thirteen: The First Person in History

The minister is a terrible man.

They could easily see through everyone's psychological weaknesses.