novelraw Chapter 122 Please cast your precious vote for your favorite author.
Chapter 122 Please cast your precious vote for your favorite author.
Chapter 122 Please cast your precious vote for your favorite author.
Because Kyosuke Maijo challenged all Japanese mystery writers on the Edogawa Ranpo Ryusho Award stage, Kodansha's magazine department received a large number of submissions from writers.
To ensure the fairness of the competition, Jiang Liumei increased the number of short mystery stories published in the second issue of the magazine "Top Hat" from fifteen to twenty.
By chance, Isama Uguisuke's short mystery novel, "Convergence," sparked her interest in reading mystery novels.
Sitting in the café, I quickly read through all nineteen short mystery stories remaining in the second issue of Top Hat magazine.
By the time Isama Uguis finished reading the entire second issue of "Top Hat" magazine.
It was already 6:30 pm.
More than four hours had passed since Isama Uguis bought the second issue of "Top Hat" magazine.
Although Isama Uguis had already realized that she had missed the audition time.
However, Isama Uguisuke, who was encountering mystery novels for the first time, had no regrets.
Because she already knew clearly that her audition would ultimately end in failure.
Rather than getting hurt again, it's better to relax and soothe your lonely heart with a mystery novel.
After reading all the stories, Isama Uguisuke, still somewhat unsatisfied, turned to the last page of the magazine.
A card printed on glossy paper caught Isama Usagi's attention.
On the card, printed on coated paper, was a copy of a letter, seemingly handwritten.
The letter read: "Dear readers, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read all the stories in the second issue of Top Hat magazine."
"I am the editor-in-chief of Top Hat magazine, and also the founder of Top Hat magazine, Jiang Liumeili."
We would like to invite the intelligent and wise "you" to play a game.
"Did you see that card below filled with authors' names?"
"The twenty names above are the authors who contributed to this issue of the magazine."
"If that author provided you with an exceptional reading experience, making you smile knowingly," or "feeling cheated," then you might say.
""
"Then please leave your mark of love in the name of that writer."
"6
"Then tear this card along the dotted line at the top and give it to the nearest bookstore, newsstand, or mail it to our Kodansha magazine department."
Please cast your vote for your favorite author!
"We will ultimately rank the authors based on the number of cards received, and the results will be published in the third issue of Top Hat magazine."
Finally, I wish you, who love mystery novels, happiness every day and all the best!
Isama Uguis saw the thoughtful reader survey and smiled. Without hesitation, she opened the lid of the coffee container.
He dipped his slender fingers in the coffee and placed them on the name of Maijo Kyosuke among the twenty names.
Although the twenty short mystery stories published in Top Hat magazine were all wonderful in their own way, they provided Isama Uguisuke with a good reading experience.
However, Maijo Kyosuke's "Convergence" perfectly embodies the slogan stated on the cover!
The real killer is impossible to guess, and the ending is shocking beyond our expectations!
Kyosuke Maijo truly captured a level of excellence that set him apart from other short mystery novels!
If it weren't for Kyosuke Maijo's "Convergence," some of the short mystery stories in it might have been considered "masterpieces" by Uguis Isama.
However, these "masterpieces" completely lost their brilliance in the face of the masterpiece "Conclusion," and could only be classified as mediocre "mediocre works" instead of "masterpieces"!
As the reddish-brown coffee liquid slowly seeped through Isama Uguisuke's slender fingers onto Maijo Kyosuke's name.
The name Maishiro Kyosuke seemed to be conveyed through the liquid of coffee, along Isama Uguisuke's fingers, into Isama Uguisuke's heart.
She left behind what is known as the "mark of love" for Maijo Kyosuke.
With a smile, Isama Uguisuke tore the investigation card along the dotted line and returned to the bookstore with it.
There were still quite a few readers in the bookstore at that time, some of whom were there to buy the second issue of "Top Hat" magazine.
Another group of readers, like Isama Uguisuke, were there to vote for their favorite authors.
After queuing for about five minutes, Isama Uguisuke placed the survey card in the hand of a bookstore clerk, an older woman.
But Isama Uguisuke wasn't just here to vote for Maishiro Kyosuke; she had something more important to do: "Auntie, I just finished reading Maishiro Kyosuke's article 'Convergence' in this magazine, and I found it quite interesting—"
"Does the bookstore still have any works by Mr. Kyosuke Maijo?"
Upon hearing Isama Uguisuke's words, the bookstore clerk smiled kindly and said, "Ah, you mean Maishiro-sensei's works?"
"No, we don't sell any of Mr. Wu Cheng's works here."
When Isama Uguis heard what the shop assistant said, she was stunned for a moment, thinking that she had just misread it.
He immediately took out the second issue of "Top Hat" magazine from his bag and found the author introduction section in the table of contents.
Isama Uguisuke pointed questioningly to the author introduction in the second issue of the magazine "Top Hat": "Auntie, doesn't this say..."
"Is it the author who won the Edogawa Ranpo Ryu Prize with his book 'The Tokyo Zodiac Murders'?"
""
"Is there another short mystery story called 'A Bellflower'?"
"Why doesn't your bookstore have it?"
When the shop assistant heard what Isama Uguisuke said, she stared at Isama Uguisuke with wide eyes, as if she had seen an ancient creature.
It felt like Isama Uguisuke was joking with herself.
But seeing the confusion in Isama's eyes, which didn't seem like she was joking, the shop assistant could only patiently explain to Isama: "Miss, not only do we not have Maishiro-sensei's books in our bookstore, but I doubt any bookstore in Japan has Maishiro-sensei's books."
Isama Uguisuke twirled her hair with her fingers: "Is the print run too small?"
The shop assistant shook her head: "No, miss, don't be fooled by the fact that Teacher Wu Cheng has only been in the industry for a month; she's a super popular author right now!"
"His first short mystery story, 'A Bellflower,' was truly remarkable!"
"With just this one article, 'A Bellflower,' the first issue of Top Hat magazine sold a total of 800,000 copies, selling out completely. It's probably impossible to buy the first issue of Top Hat magazine on the market now."
Hearing the shop assistant's words, Isama Uguisuke nodded slightly and continued to ask, "What about this book, 'The Astrological Murder Mystery'? It's not sold out either, is it?"
The shop assistant continued to explain, "This book, 'The Astrological Murder Mystery'? That's even more amazing!"
"With just the title of winner of the Edogawa Ranpo Ryu-ryu Award and his arrogant remarks on the award stage, Mr. Maishiro sold an astonishing 400,000 copies in just five days!"
"It broke the world record for detective novels!"
"It's said that because 'The Tokyo Zodiac Murders' is selling so well, Kodansha is rushing to design a 'single volume' of the novel. Please wait until then to buy and read it."
When Isama Uguis heard what the shop assistant said, a look of surprise appeared on her face.
Although I don't know exactly how impressive it is to sell 400,000 copies in five days.
However, it is clear that Maijo Kyosuke's popularity is much higher than he imagined!
However—it's a pity that she won't be able to see "A Bellflower" and "The Tokyo Zodiac Murders," a somewhat disappointed look appeared on Isama Uguisuke's face.
Seeing Izama Uguis walking dejectedly towards the door, the shop assistant seemed to remember something and said to her retreating figure, "Miss, I suddenly remembered something. Didn't you want to read Maishiro-sensei's books?"
"I remember that Ms. Maijo held a book signing event at Kinokuniya Bookstore in Ginza yesterday, selling a collector's edition of 'The Tokyo Zodiac Murders.'"
"If you really want to see it, you can try your luck there and see if Teacher Wucheng is still holding autograph sessions."
"However, the 'Collector's Edition' of *The Tokyo Zodiac Murder Case* costs 5,000 yen, and there's a long waiting list."
Whether it's worth it or not is up to you to decide.
Just over four hours ago, Isama Uguisuke probably never imagined that she, someone who never reads mystery novels, would become a fan of a mystery writer.
But life is just that amazing.
All Isama Uguis knows right now is that she has to go to Kinokuniya Bookstore in Ginza to attend Maijo Kyosuke's book signing.
As for the remaining auditions?
It doesn't matter anymore. Only twenty days have passed since the beginning of the month, and I've already been rejected fifty-two times.
If it weren't for Isama Uguisuke's immense confidence in her acting skills, most people would have already broken down and crouched in the snow, burying their faces in their hands and weeping!
Although Isama Uguisuke wasn't that fragile, her heart wasn't made of stone, and she would inevitably have some pent-up feelings.
So—let's just take a break and relax today?
Just imagine the charm of author signing events that Kenzaki Mitsuki attends every single time!