Premise
There's something very, very odd about the publishing industry down in Japan, and, in particular, a rather influential city named Namimori - everyone who's dipped their foot into that particular pond would know. Out of all the oddness, however, there are just a few things that you have to keep in mind:
1.) Namimori has very close-knit ties with publishing companies in Italy, for reasons yet to be explained.
2.) The Cervello, a mysterious trio of masked Italian ladies with infinite funds and friends in places high and low, control everything.
3.) All the companies involved in and related to publishing are a part of a large network monitored by no one BUT the Cervello.
4.) Whoever doesn't perform up to 'the standards' of the Cervello are kicked out and forbidden from doing business anywhere where the Cervello have influence, and do note: that's a HELL lot of places.
5.) Nobody knows what these 'standards' are.
6.) Did we mention that the Cervello, a mysterious trio of masked Italian ladies with infinite funds and friends in places high and low, control everything?
At this moment, there are three major companies of interest locked in this game: Vongola & Associates, Millefiore & Company and the Varia. The recent economic crisis have forced the heads of these respective companies to do an almost total restructure, with mass promotions, lay-offs (or hiring, depending on who you are) and other scary things to note. Overall, they're all slightly bigger, slightly better organized, and more than ready to play.
Publishing may be a game, but it's a damned serious one, with the fate of good reading and the people who seek to churn it out to the masses at stake.
Welcome to our world, ladies and gentlemen.
Yes.
It's fucking serious business.