"Chiaki, you…" The double-pigtailed girl had a complex expression in her eyes.

"This time, I didn't lie to her, although I didn't tell her the complete truth, either." The tomboy stopped displaying her grim expression and began giggling. "I did want to shake up the princess a little, but I wasn't too serious about it. I was just doing as I pleased."

Mika didn't know what to say anymore.

Currently, in her eyes, Chiaki's grinning expression seemed the same as always, but with something incomprehensible added to it as well.

"If you really want me to explain, I can do that as well. But it's probably better that you think through things on your own, Mika."

Later that night.

Seiji went online to check out the discussions about his novel's award. He saw that due to Thunderbolt Literature's announcement about how his novel went through the process of winning an award, the controversy was somewhat reduced.

Then, just as he was about to call Editor Yos.h.i.+zawa, she called him instead.

"The answer to your question earlier this morning is 'no.' The editing department doesn't like to use controversies as a method of attracting attention," Saki told him. "However, I can't deny that it might be possible that our head editor had this in mind when he forced Brother Monogatari through the awards process. And no matter what, he didn't do anything that could be considered unethical. Although he did forcefully add Brother Monogatari in at the very end, all the judges themselves agreed that your story was worthy of the special award. So, it still followed the rules. I believe that the head editor did this with good intentions. He probably antic.i.p.ated that giving Brother Monogatari an award like this would cause some controversy, but he still chose to do so because he believed in your story… he believed that its quality would be able to overcome any controversy and transform the attention it receives into excellent sales."

Seiji silently finished listening to Saki speak.

"Since Editor Yos.h.i.+zawa believes it to be so, I'll believe that's how it is as well," Seiji told her. "I understand that it's very important to attract attention to a newcomer author's novel. However, if at all possible, I'd like to be informed about such things beforehand, not right when they happen."

"I apologize for that. It's a lapse in my work, I'm sorry." Saki was apologetic about it.

"I didn't want Editor Yos.h.i.+zawa to apologize to me… But I suppose I'll accept that. Let's just leave things as is." Seiji didn't want to make such a big deal out of this. "By the way, are there any specific requirements for the awards ceremony tomorrow regarding dress code?" He decided to ask something that he'd forgotten to ask earlier this morning.

"There's no specific requirements. Just wear something that's not ridiculous. You can even attend in your school uniform if you'd like."

His school uniform was alright, so it wasn't that formal?

"How about a cosplay outfit then?" Seiji asked jokingly.

"I wouldn't recommend it. But as long as it's not too outrageous, it's still alright."

Even cosplay was fine!?

"If even that's allowed, this award ceremony… is quite a casual one."

"Although the important part is the award, it's also a bit of a celebration, which is why the requirements for what to wear are quite relaxed," Saki explained. "But it's technically a formal event, so it's still somewhat serious."

"Oh… in that case, what was the most unique attire you ever saw at the awards ceremony?"

"The cosplay attire that you mentioned. A female author once dressed herself as a vampire to receive the prize."

Seiji couldn't help but imagine that scene and felt that it was quite interesting.

The two of them ended their conversation after chatting for a while.

At this moment, Mika arrived at his apartment.

"Seiji, I'd like to talk to you. Is that alright?"

"Of course."

Mika took a seat in his study while Seiji poured some hot tea for both Mika and himself.

"What would you like to talk about?"

"It's about the duel that you mentioned this morning that you would partic.i.p.ate in… I'm really worried… and also concerned about something…"

The double-pigtailed girl expressed her anxiety, telling Seiji about the discussion that she had with Chiaki and Yukari during lunch break.

Seiji fell silent for a moment as he sipped on his tea.

"First of all, thank you for being so worried about me… Since I'm joining this duel of my own free will, I've resolved myself appropriately." Seiji began speaking. "Also… do you still remember what I told you on that day that I scolded and insulted the Amami twin sisters?"

Mika looked at him with something flas.h.i.+ng in her eyes.

"I'm not a good person, or an evil person. I'm just someone who does whatever he wants to do and likes to do—that's who I am." Seiji smiled.

The double-pigtailed girl furrowed her eyebrows slightly.

"But, duels are…"

"It might be kill or be killed. I realize this… although the actual situation might not be so extreme, it isn't wrong to view the duel in such a fas.h.i.+on," Seiji stated calmly. "This is completely different from scolding, as it's on another level entirely. It's about one's own as well as other people's lives. Of course it should be treated in a serious manner… that's what you believe, right?"

Mika nodded.

"That's why you're such a kind girl." Seiji smiled. "But as for me… I said it before at that time as well. I don't believe myself to be a good person. Actually, I'm indeed no such thing."

"Seiji…"

"Chiaki wasn't wrong at all. I'm the type who will kill others if I consider it necessary. In this duel that I joined, I'm doing so with the resolution to kill my opponent."

Seiji looked directly into Mika's eyes and had a sincere and honest expression.

"You already know everything that you should know, Mika. I believe that there's no need to repeat myself. Think over things properly for yourself."

The double-pigtailed girl furrowed her eyebrows even more deeply.

"I don't know, Seiji… you… just what do you think about killing others?"

"This question… how should I say it, I think it's quite difficult to answer…" Seiji paused for a moment. "If I really tried to explain it, it would be hard to say it clearly, or perhaps even impossible to explain, so in the end, it's probably better not to say anything. So, you can treat it as me being unwilling to answer."

Several seconds of silence fell between them.

"I… I'm not like Chiaki… If you don't answer me, I won't understand…" Mika muttered.

"If you really must have an answer, I'll just answer you directly and succinctly," Seiji stated lightly. "I accept killing people."

Accept.

This was quite a simple word, but it also seemed quite profound right now.

Mika faintly felt as if she perceived something within, but when she thought over it more deeply, she couldn't figure it out.

They ended their conversation there.

He wasn't going to say anything else to her. The rest was up to her to figure out by herself.

No… there was one more person she could ask.

Ruri Kinsa, her Spiritual Ability user teacher.

Mika didn't really want to ask this teacher of hers, because she felt as if she could imagine Ruri's answer already. But… Ruri was still her teacher.

Seiji silently finished the rest of his tea after Mika left.

That was all he could say on the topic. After that, what Mika thought and did would all be up to her.

Then, he put down his cup and went back to surfing the internet.

He contacted a certain person on the internet and immediately got a response. She was currently "in the middle of a huge campaign."

"You're playing a game? There's something I wanted to tell you. Since you're currently busy, it can wait until tomorrow night."

She sent him a message saying "wait for me!" followed by a message saying "it'll be taken care of in five minutes."

Seiji decided to wait.

Five minutes later, a girl wearing a hat with cat ears appeared on his screen.

"I just finished conquering the strongest castle in the entire server, and became the strongest domain lord of all. Hee hee~" Hana was currently in an excellent mood.

"Congratulations, miss strongest domain lord, may you live forever!" Seiji sent her an emoticon of tossing flowers around in congratulations.

"The way you're praising me sounds really strange… What was it you wanted to tell me? Did you finish eating the silver fruits? Do you want to go to a Spirit World again?"

"No, what I wanted to tell you was that I've become a Yin-Yang Master already."

"Eh?"

Hana paused in surprise for a moment.

"You said… you became what?"