Chapter 252: The Witch’s Lap Pillow

Chapter 252: Chapter 252: The Witch’s Lap Pillow

"Finally, it’s done."

Bazzer let out a long sigh of relief and raised a hand to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead.

It was all sweat born of a guilty conscience.

In reality, transmitting information through the Star Realm’s channels didn’t require a physical medium like parchment at all.

As long as he composed the text in his mind, the Star Realm’s channels would naturally help him transmit it over long distances.

He insisted on handwriting the first draft purely to satisfy his old-fashioned quirk as a Recorder.

As a Minstrel dedicated to recording legends, he thoroughly enjoyed personally collecting original manuscripts that held special meaning.

Perhaps one day, when the great Heroes he recorded truly became famous, these manuscripts would become priceless collector’s items for future generations.

Next, it was time to follow the review process stipulated by the contract. ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Bazzer closed his eyes and used his contract mark to send the first draft of "Night of Melting Snow: The Fall of the Snow Woman" to Lance for review.

Originally, Bazzer had expected that, given the draft’s unusually titillating contents, the young man would surely take a long time reviewing it.

He might even reject it outright and demand significant revisions.

But less than two seconds later,

the contract mark on the back of his hand glowed with the pale gold light that signified approval.

Bazzer’s eyes flew open, and he was completely stunned.

’This... What an incredible amount of trust!’

If this manuscript got out, it would set the tone for how everyone on the continent viewed Lance’s image in the future.

He hadn’t even glanced at the draft’s contents before approving it completely.

A powerful wave of emotion washed over Bazzer.

This was the man who had saved his daughter’s life, and now he was showing him such unconditional trust.

In that case, he, Bazzer, absolutely could not disappoint the young man who had placed his faith in him.

After all, for collaborators, there was nothing more precious than trust.

Buoyed by this morale boost, he immediately gathered his spirits.

He formally submitted the manuscript to the editor-in-chief of "Campfire Traveler" through the Star Realm’s channels.

In the postscript, he also submitted a very formal request to create a new biographical file for "Lance."

’Great Mercurial God, please let the editor-in-chief have an eye for talent...’

He prayed silently in his heart.

But before he could even finish his pious prayer,

BZZZZZ!

The editor-in-chief’s reply shot back like a bombshell.

The manuscript was mercilessly rejected, and the editor-in-chief’s furious, exasperated roar crossed the distance of space to detonate in Bazzer’s mind.

"Bazzer! What is this smut you’ve got rattling around in that head of yours?"

"The Association sent you to the Rusted Stone Echo outpost to report on how the major teams are competing for the Summer Crown!"

"Open your damn eyes and look at the garbage you sent me!"

"’Underground City,’ ’panting,’ ’fall’? Are these things that belong in a respectable Adventurer journal?"

"This is your last warning! If you ever dare to send me this kind of trash again, you can pack your bags and get the hell out of the Association tomorrow!"

The telepathic message cut off mid-rage.

’The editor-in-chief’s temper is as foul as ever...’

Bazzer sighed. As expected, it was hopeless.

After all, he knew the tone of his own publication; there was no way it could publish something like this.

His original plan had been to include it in the biography when it was established. That way, he could at least maintain the publication’s consistent tone, and the editor-in-chief might have approved it.

There was no hope with "Campfire Traveler".

Bazzer turned his head and glanced at his daughter on the nearby bed. Worn out from playing, she was fast asleep.

The little girl slept soundly, her chest rising and falling steadily.

If that young man hadn’t stepped forward, he would have lost his precious daughter long ago.

’Looks like I have no choice but to take the other path, after all.’

Bazzer had already prepared for this possibility.

Just because the official Adventurer weeklies wouldn’t take this kind of material didn’t mean there weren’t other places in the Star Realm’s vast publication network that would.

He had already prepared a few alternative channels. The Minstrel Association wasn’t the only one publishing periodicals in the Iris Kingdom; there were many others that leaned more toward entertainment.

He quickly searched his mind for the various manuscript submission channels for Minstrels in the Iris Kingdom.

Soon, he thought of a pulp periodical, infamous in respectable literary circles, that specialized in salacious gossip and stimulating romance stories.

That periodical was a favorite among the cloistered noble young ladies and bored aristocratic wives of the Royal Capital.

It was said that during certain special periods, the underground circulation of this magazine in the Royal Capital had even surpassed that of "Campfire Traveler".

’Since the editor-in-chief doesn’t see its potential, I can’t worry about it anymore.’

’I can only hope that the ’Lake Knight’ creative tag I pulled from Lance will have a powerful enough Effect on that target audience.’

He found their submission portal through the Minstrels’ Star Realm channels.

But just before he was about to submit it for the second time,

he hesitated...

’If my colleagues at the Association find out that a grown man like me is writing this kind of romantic, risqué biography, I’ll never be able to show my face in the Minstrel community again. After all, there’s a pecking order even among Minstrels.’

’For the sake of my family’s reputation, I’d better disguise myself a little.’

Bazzer took a deep breath and, in the author’s signature field, decisively erased the real name he had used for decades.

He replaced it with a pseudonym.

Then, he closed his eyes and, with a ripple in the Star Realm, sent the manuscript away.

...

When Lance’s consciousness returned, emerging from that intense feeling of weightless falling, he didn’t immediately open his eyes.

He smelled a familiar, fragrant scent.

At the same time, he felt the back of his head resting on something soft and supple.

Through the silky fabric, Lance could clearly feel the warmth of the skin beneath.

"Since you’re awake, stop pretending to be asleep, Mr. Lance."

A languid and pleasant girlish voice came from above his head.

Hearing this, Lance stopped pretending and slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze traveled upward, over a pair of hills, and met Yvette’s delicate face.

She was now wearing a pair of silver-rimmed glasses, and her attire had returned to the quiet, Literary Girl look she had when they first met.

Only then did Lance belatedly realize he was currently in a rather intimate position, resting comfortably on her long, black-stockinged thighs.

He had assumed that since she had forcibly pulled him into a dream this time, he would be met with her fury.

But he never expected her to be so gentle.