If it were the usual Utaha, she would've immediately snapped back at Eriri for that complaint, and then the two of them would get into one of their typical passive-aggressive spats before letting it fizzle out.
But today, she had no such desire to argue.
Rather than saying she held back, it might be more accurate to say she simply didn't feel like wasting energy on the blonde idiot today.
Because she was just… too happy.
"This Light Novel is Amazing," abbreviated as Tlnia, is a guidebook for light novels published by Neon Treasure Island Publishing.
Every year, it announces rankings for "Work of the Year" and "Male/Female Characters of the Year," all based on votes from real readers.
It's considered the most authoritative recognition in the industry. Being nominated isn't just an honor—it comes with plenty of other benefits.
For example, during the dinner party earlier, when Utaha stepped out to speak with her editor, she was told her novel would be getting a reprint.
On top of that, the publisher had arranged for professional voice actors to start production on a drama CD and audiobook—just the kind of achievements that made a light novel author's dreams come true.
The most important part—anime adaptation—was also in the works.
Although her novel was still a bit short for an adaptation, with this nomination boosting her popularity, it was basically a done deal.
Seeing the characters she created come to life on a TV screen was now just a matter of time.
This was probably the best gift Utaha had received all day.
She knew that the reason she could achieve such success as a rookie author was largely thanks to those two dreamlike journeys she had shared with Chisato.
Putting all the complicated stuff aside, those dreams had left her with lasting impressions and insights.
They had expanded her perspective and deepened her emotional world.
Her writing became more elegant, her word choices more refined, and her stories touched readers' hearts more deeply.
"...Mmm~ hehe… thank you, Chisato."
Utaha leaned her whole body against Chisato, giggling absentmindedly.
Her eyes were unfocused, and her hands were moving inappropriately, slipping under his shirt and aimlessly caressing his back.
"Alright, alright. Stop moving around—I'll help you to the bed."
Chisato didn't know what to do.
Utaha was clinging to him tightly and showed no intention of cooperating, so he had no choice but to hold her by the waist and carry her to the bed.
His original plan before opening the door had been to make up some excuse—like saying he hadn't eaten enough and wanted to grab another bite at the hotel restaurant, or maybe go buy some snacks or drinks at the hotel shop.
That way, he could take Utaha and Eriri with him, giving Ryo a chance to leave unnoticed.
But plans never keep up with changes.
Now, seeing Utaha in this state—clearly unaware of what she was doing—it was obviously impossible to take her outside.
Even for the sake of protecting her dignity, he couldn't let her be seen like this in public.
Especially since he was technically the company president and Utaha had just received Chisato's nomination.
If something scandalous happened now, it'd be a disaster.
"Unbelievable…" Eriri muttered under her breath.
Chisato was already sitting on the bed with Utaha in his arms.
The heater in the room was on, making it a little too warm.
Utaha had also drunk quite a bit, so as soon as she sat down on the bed, she relaxed completely and leaned back, fumbling to unbutton her top, revealing the soft white sweater underneath.
The curves on her chest rose and fell with her slightly rapid breathing.
"Mm… Chisato…"
Her eyes half-lidded, her gaze filled with affection so thick it felt almost tangible, like sticky threads clinging in the air.
She reached out her arms lovingly, pausing midair, craving the embrace and intimacy of her lover.
Alcohol is an emotional amplifier—whether it's joy or sorrow, it gets magnified under its effects.
Utaha felt her body burning, and her thoughts were becoming increasingly unmanageable.
Winning an award and spending an uninterrupted night during vacation with the one she loved, fully immersed in the moment without needing to worry about anything else—what could possibly be more delightful than that?
Considering all this, under the influence of various factors, Utaha was in especially high spirits.
That excitement was fueling her feminine hormones, making her more proactive and straightforward than usual in seeking the kind of… pleasure that would make her even happier.
To Chisato, things had already started heading in a bad direction the moment he couldn't stop Ryo from stubbornly crawling into the wardrobe.
But what he hadn't expected was that the reality would be even worse than he imagined.
The moment Utaha entered the room and dove into his arms, he could feel the heat radiating from her body, smell her scent—which was even more intoxicating than usual.
He knew: if he didn't handle this carefully, she was not going to calm down anytime soon.
After spending so many nights together, he knew her too well.
Judging by everything she'd done since she walked in, it couldn't be clearer.
She was in heat—well…
In short, she was at her peak arousal.
All it would take was a little response from him, and she would completely lose control, baring all the suppressed desire hidden beneath her image as a literary maiden.
Of course, that also meant he himself would get to enjoy an exceptionally wonderful night.
A tipsy Utaha… just the thought was enough to make him restless with anticipation…
If this had happened last night, Chisato wouldn't have gone through the trouble of crafting such a warm atmosphere—hugging her and Eriri while watching a romance movie, whispering sweet words to them afterward in the dark to guide them step by step into the mood until the timing was perfect.
But… but!
Even though Chisato was already being driven to the edge by Utaha's teasing, he couldn't just give in to her now.
There was still someone in the wardrobe!
Doing something so… intense… in front of an uninvolved girl—that's just twisted no matter how you look at it!
So Chisato, despite his desire for Utaha, made his move by leaning forward and, ignoring her protest, helping her sit upright.
He quickly turned to Eriri and said,
"Eriri, could you please go run a bath? Utaha smells like alcohol—she should wash up before going to bed."
In truth, he didn't dislike the unique scent of alcohol mixed with her body fragrance—it actually turned him on—but he'd just come up with another way to let Ryo slip out undetected, so this was the only excuse he could use.
"You're right, she really does smell bad."
Eriri wrinkled her small nose, glanced at Utaha with slight annoyance, but obediently listened to Chisato and went into the bathroom to start running water for the bath.
"You're disgusted by me?"
Utaha was tipsy, not completely drunk, so she could still pick up on things, just with a slight delay.
It wasn't until Eriri was already inside the bathroom that she realized what had been said.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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