These editors had read countless novels.
Ordinary works could not stir their emotions at all.
"This is pretty good."
"The quality is solid."
"I don't think it works. The first chapter lays out the relationships too clearly. The male lead so calmly telling the heroine that their past is over… where does the story go from there? The heroine chasing after him? A lot of female readers hate that. No one likes stories where the heroine turns into a doormat."
"That's a fair point."
"Wait, this author is a newcomer? And if I'm reading this right, he's male? A student?"
"Seriously?"
"A male high school student writing shoujo romance?"
"That was written by a boy? Are you kidding me? Do high school boys understand girls' inner feelings this well now?"
"Honestly, a guy trying to serialize a shoujo romance feels off. Even if the first chapter is good, the later plot will probably collapse. I don't believe a group of high school boys who have barely dated anyone can write a romance novel with a female protagonist that female readers genuinely enjoy."
The editors talked over one another, the meeting room descending into chaos. Compared to earlier discussions, the debate surrounding Blue Spring Ride was far more intense.
Editors with competing interests showed no mercy during serialization meetings.
They clung to every possible weakness and attacked relentlessly to eliminate strong rivals.
"This submission includes the first three chapters," Yukino said calmly. "I have read them carefully. The situation is not as some of you suggest. In fact, from Chapter One to Chapter Three, Blue Spring Ride becomes more engaging."
"I personally believe that even if this novel were serialized in Crimson Maple, it would rank among the top three in popularity. The only reason I proposed placing it in Fleeting Blossoms is because the author, Haruto, is a newcomer."
"I hope that when we evaluate this novel, we focus on its plot and quality rather than fixating on the author's background."
"That's just your opinion," a female editor competing with Yukino countered immediately.
"Our company doesn't need to take that risk. Fleeting Blossoms is our third-best-selling magazine. I propose that Blue Spring Ride be serialized in Searching for Sound instead."
She knew perfectly well that the manuscript she had submitted could not compete with Blue Spring Ride in terms of emotional impact or quality. Since she could not win on merit, she naturally tried to steer the discussion to eliminate a powerful competitor.
This was where the editor-in-chief's role became crucial.
Akira considered for a moment, then instructed her assistant to bring over the next two chapters of Blue Spring Ride and distribute them to the editors.
Serialization meetings prioritized efficiency. No one had time to read three or four chapters of every novel.
However, when opinions were sharply divided and a manuscript had additional material available, it was acceptable to spend extra time on one or two high-quality contenders.
Five minutes passed.
The entire meeting room fell silent.
There was no denying it. The first three chapters of Blue Spring Ride grew more compelling with each one.
Futaba became increasingly lovable as a heroine. Her emotional development with Kou, her daily life with friends and classmates at school, all unfolded naturally.
It truly lived up to its title.
AThe atmosphere of adolescence rushed forward, stirring memories of youthful innocence and first love in the hearts of the female editors.
Could this really have been written by a sixteen-year-old boy?
It felt almost unbelievable.
"Approved," Akira said softly, placing the manuscript down with a smile.
Though she was in her forties, her voice and movements remained elegant.
This time, not a single editor objected.
After three consecutive chapters of such quality, continuing to attack based on earlier arguments would have been pointless.
And unlike "pending," this verdict was "approved," a clear acknowledgment of Blue Spring Ride's quality.
Hearing those words, Yukino finally let out a long breath.
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