[176] Factions at Odds

Chapter 176: Factions at Odds

"Uh..."

Utaha hadn't expected Shunsuke to respond so boldly, and for a moment, she was at a loss.

But as the "older" one, Utaha, much like Sakurajima Mai, couldn't stand the idea of a "mere underclassman" showing off in front of her. So, she immediately raised her right foot slightly, her arch tense, and tapped the tip of her toe against Shunsuke's knee. At the same time, she hooked her right finger lightly against her stocking.

"Oh? Since Trash-kun is so interested in my stockings, I wonder if you'd like the pair I just took off? Freshly worn, you know."

Utaha spoke softly, her breath warm, as she pulled and stretched the black stockings with her fingers, creating different tensions in the fabric.

She was confident—no, proud—of her legs and the stockings she wore. It was why she never went without them, even at home.

—Hah, you think this can tempt me? Don't make me laugh.

Shunsuke sneered inwardly. As a seasoned veteran who had faced the depths of the ocean, did she really think a pair of stockings could sway him? Did she think he'd care?

With that in mind, Shunsuke spoke up directly: "Of course I want them!"

—Oops, it slipped out again.

Well, the answer was yes...

But these were Utaha's stockings! They were as iconic as Eriri's "loser" and "tsundere" traits or Kato Megumi's ability to fade into the background. They were one of the most famous attributes in Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend. How could ordinary stockings compare to these?

Without her stockings, what did Utaha even have? They were the essence of her value, her true form!

Utaha was completely thrown off by Shunsuke's response. Sure, they were close, but they weren't *that* close, right? They weren't even dating! Even if he liked her and wanted to pursue her, was it really okay to say something like that before they were officially together?

Seeing Utaha awkwardly torn between taking them off and saving face—much like Sakurajima Mai, who also had a prideful streak—Shunsuke said, "Just kidding."

Utaha shot him a glare, convinced he was deliberately getting back at her. Sure, she had teased him, but did he really think she'd call the police and have him arrested?

Still, after all this, she didn't dare push any further. She settled down and began earnestly seeking Shunsuke's advice on her new book.

"Actually, some of the ideas in this book came from you, Trash-kun. I thought they fit well, so I incorporated them."

"Really? Then I'll have to take a closer look."

Shunsuke was puzzled: Ideas I provided? I don't remember discussing much with Utaha about this. Light novels about everyday life aren't exactly my forte.

But as he read on, Shunsuke was stunned.

—This... this is just White Album!

—So that's why she said I provided the ideas. She used every single one of those persecution scenarios I mentioned as a joke!

Seeing the classic composition at the end of the first volume, Shunsuke couldn't help but glance up at Utaha. You're really going all out in the first volume, huh? You're something else.

But light novels aren't games. There aren't multiple routes to choose from. Writing like this, aren't you afraid of angering the Setsuna fans?

And if the ending isn't handled well, if the faction rivalry ends up like We Never Learn and collapses, it'll be a mess. Even if it doesn't collapse, without perfect endings for both heroines, you'll still end up alienating half your readers. Choosing one over the other is no easy task.

Seeing that Shunsuke had finished reading the first volume, Utaha asked nervously, "So, what do you think?"

Shunsuke pondered for a moment, then asked, "Utaha, how did you come up with the concept and plot for this novel?"

Utaha looked puzzled. "How? I just thought of it. There's no particular reason. Isn't that how novels are written?"

Since this world had Utaha, Megumi, and Eriri, it naturally didn't have Maruto Fumiaki. And without Maruto Fumiaki, the famous White Album 2 didn't exist.

But now, the vanished White Album had been recreated by Utaha... which actually made sense. After all, *The Metronome in Love* (Kasumigaoka Utaha's original work) was also full of "white album"-esque drama, though that was largely due to editorial pressure. At least in the first volume of that novel, the second heroine didn't even appear.

From this perspective, Utaha had improved a lot. If the first volume of *The Metronome in Love* had been this intense, it would never have faced the threat of cancellation.

With that thought, Shunsuke stopped overthinking and began to seriously critique the novel... After sharing all his earlier thoughts, he asked with a stern expression, "So, Utaha, are you on Team Setsuna... no, I mean, are you rooting for this cheerful, dog-like female character, or this black-haired, cat-like female character? Who wins in the end?"

Of course, if this were White Album, the most important question would always come down to this!

Though she didn't understand why Shunsuke was being so serious, Utaha didn't hesitate and answered immediately, "Of course, it's the black-haired, cat-like female character you mentioned, Trash-kun."

—I knew it...

Hearing her answer, Shunsuke wasn't surprised by Utaha's choice. After all, compared to Eriri, she herself was more of a cat-like character—though in the end, both of them ended up as "losers" anyway.

Seeing Shunsuke fall silent, Utaha continued, "But even so, unlike The Metronome in Love, I'm actually thinking of having the three of them stay together forever. So, for this dog-like character, I'm planning to have her confess to the cat-like character in the end."

—Wow, just wow. Then why not make the cat-like character male? Let Touma Kazusa have one husband and one wife and call it a day.

Of course, Shunsuke only thought this to himself. After all, this wasn't a Mary Sue novel aimed at female readers but a light novel for male audiences. A two-guys-one-girl setup would only lead to disaster.

"So, Trash-kun, do you have any suggestions? Can this new book defeat that woman?"

Shunsuke sneered, "No suggestions. From now on, you're my enemy."

"???"

Utaha was utterly confused.

"Though I'm sorry to say, we Setsuna fans are sworn enemies of the Kazusa faction. Don't expect me to give you any advice."

The fact that Utaha was so biased toward Touma Kazusa made Shunsuke unhappy. This wasn't a game—how could the author be so partial?!

In White Album, the true protagonist was my beloved Ogiso Setsuna, who carried the entire story!

"Wait, who the heck is this Setsuna you keep talking about!?"

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