manga artist Kirito

A strange blush rose on her pretty face. The girl, chin in hand, stared blankly at the computer screen, listening intently to the sounds coming from the kitchen. Her emotions and thoughts were inexplicably tangled, but for no apparent reason, these sounds really did bring a sense of peace...

She knew perfectly well that this guy couldn't cook at all. She had learned this back in the manga club room. Asuna Yuuki took care of his daily life, including Shiina Mashiro, who knew nothing about manga and usually seemed like a useless person who couldn't do anything except manga. Yet now she was able to muster the energy to cook for her...

It would be strange if she didn't overthink things.

Well, let's see just how terrible this guy's cooking skills really are...?

Putting aside those thoughts in her mind, the girl's attention returned to the plot she had set up earlier. Her fair fingers tapped on the keyboard, and words quickly appeared on the screen. However, compared to before, her typing speed had decreased by at least half.

It wasn't because of external interference, because the girl could write some embarrassing plots in front of many people. The slowdown in her typing speed was entirely because... her mind was filled with a lot of extraneous thoughts—well, it wouldn't be wrong to say that her thoughts weren't clear.

I feel like my body temperature is a little high...

Ah, I'll tell him about it later. The sales of the third volume of "Love Metronome" have skyrocketed, almost matching the combined sales of the first and second volumes.

Ugh, I'm still a little annoyed about this. He went on a trip without giving me any notice beforehand, and all the coffee I bought for those two days is left over... Well, I guess I'll just give it to him to drink for the next two days anyway.

While Kasumigaoka was lost in thought, Kiritani-san seemed to be having a bit of a headache. Although the kitchen tools were complete, it was a kitchen that hadn't been used much, and many of the seasonings were no longer usable.

Of course, it was indeed a lack of thoroughness on Kiritani-san's part not to check the kitchen beforehand, but... does this woman usually eat out or buy ready-made food?

It looks a bit like a watermelon...

It took quite a bit of time before Kiritani-san finally finished preparing the lunch around the afternoon.

Well, the dishes may not look like lunch, but it goes without saying that homemade food is better than ready-made food.

At the dining table, Kasumigaoka looked at the dishes on the table, her lips twitching slightly, while she also felt a little frustrated in terms of her feminine charm.

...The twitching at the corner of her mouth wasn't because the dishes had reached the level of dango; at least on the surface, these dishes were quite good. What made Kasumigaoka feel uneasy was that... these dishes all seemed to contain eggs... and there was even fried rice with eggs...?

...What the heck?

Is it really adhesive tape?

With a slightly strange expression, Kiritani-san awkwardly clutched the apron she hadn't taken off yet. The flour and excess seasoning on her palms hadn't been wiped off, and there was still a little flour left on her pretty face. She propped her face up with the hand that was clean, looking at the dishes in deep thought, with a hint of fatigue in her eyes.

Of course, Kasumigaoka Utaha was also deep in thought at this moment, feeling that the current situation was a bit unexpected.

Kiritani-san straightened her expression, making her demeanor less cute, and her tone carried a long-lost confidence, "Although it's just a simple meal, it does seem like I made a bit too much, since it's just the two of us. But these are all my best dishes, so you can eat without worry..."

Kasumigaoka pursed her lips. "Ah, yes, it is a bit too much... Personally, I think that with the omelet rice, it's okay if we don't need any other dishes."

"Be grateful that you got to taste my cooking, so please eat it with gratitude!"

"Yes, yes, I know."

Kasumigaoka nodded perfunctorily, while Kiritani pursed his lips slightly.

"Well, おあがりよ!"

"Hmm... I'm starting!" With chopsticks between her fingers, Kasumigaoka Utaha clasped her hands together and muttered the words she always said before eating. Then she was about to taste the lunch that Kiritani-san had spent almost an hour preparing.

Kiritani stopped Kasumigaoka and pushed a simple seaweed, corn, lean pork, and egg drop soup in front of her, saying, "Wait a moment, have some soup first."

"You're such a pain." Kasumigaoka Utaha glanced sideways, but still did as Kiritani-san said.

It was quite unexpected; the taste was exceptionally good. Although the dishes were simple, the flavor alone was comparable to that of a top chef.

It's warm and feels good... at least, I haven't felt this way in a long time.

Seeing Kasumigaoka Utaha's slightly narrowed eyes and the expression of enjoyment on her pretty face, Kiritani-san snorted softly. Although he didn't know anything about cooking, he could make any egg dish taste good.

Yes, Kiritani-san is actually a very good cook—provided that the main ingredient in this dish is eggs.

"Speaking of which, this dish without eggs... is it an experimental dish?" Kasumigaoka took a small bite of her equally delicious omelet rice, looking at the dish that was unusually tall and large, with bean sprouts at the bottom and large chunks of meat on top, and felt a little strange...

No, it's not really strange, since this is the only dish among these that doesn't involve eggs. It would be strange not to be curious.

"How rude of me!" Kiritani wiped her face, and her pretty face, still covered in flour, didn't look dirty at all; instead, it made her even cuter...

"Jing Ke'ai told me about this dish, and I heard it would taste really good this way. The reason is that I criticized her ramen last time, so she decided to make this for me next time. Therefore, I'm just making it now to see how it goes."

"I see, if it's Hiratsuka-sensei, then this kind of dish is indeed more suitable... Wait a minute, Hiratsuka-sensei can cook?" Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression became a little strained as she tried to imagine what Hiratsuka Shizuka would look like cooking, because she couldn't imagine it at all...

"How rude of you." Kiritani-san smoothed down the fallen hair in front of him and chuckled. "Although Shizuka is a bit worse than you in housekeeping, her cooking skills are surprisingly good. For example, no one would have guessed that you are a sharp-tongued sadist on the surface, but actually a masochist."

"Shut up!" Kasumigaoka Utaha rolled her eyes, not wanting to continue this topic with Kiritani-san; she had been bombarded with too many criticisms and felt she couldn't take it anymore.

Well, going to study is out of the question. It's much better to have someone else take care of me, like things are now...

...Should I ask this guy to make some miso soup for me?

Uh, I guess I'll just forget about it...

Wait a minute, when this guy isn't looking, let's take a picture of what he looks like right now.

A slight smile appeared on Kasumigaoka's lips.

"So, how's the manuscript coming along?" Kiritani-san calmly took a sip of the soup, which was actually just a very ordinary soup with an excessive amount of ingredients. His slightly narrowed eyes revealed a comfortable feeling—indeed, if I want to do something, there's nothing I can't do well.

“Of course I’ve been writing.” Kasumigaoka Utaha was focused on her food, her cheeks bulging. “I haven’t been writing lately because I’ve been engrossed in a novel and got stuck on a plot point, but the weather was bad so I couldn’t go out to gather material… Well, I just cut that plot point and replaced it with a better one.”

"Actually, there's nothing to rush. There's still more than half a month until the deadline."

"I see..." Kiritani-san picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, then raised his eyebrows slightly. The taste was a bit off. Did they use the wrong seasoning?

"In short, it would be best if you could complete the mission!"

P.S.: I'm tearing my panties!

233

【NO.230 The Path of Dark Souls】

"おそまつ!"

"..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Kiritani-san's confident expression, and coupled with those lines and tone, she inexplicably felt a strong urge to punch him.

This guy is totally acting like this is his own home, while I, Kasumigaoka, am the guest. Seriously...

However, surprisingly, this feeling isn't unpleasant.

There was still a lot of food left, but neither of them could eat anymore.

Of course, there was no reason to eat less because I was trying to lose weight; it was simply that there was too much food. First, there was an omelet rice dish that was enough to fill me up, then a soup with an excessive amount of ingredients, followed by all sorts of other dishes...

But both of them were already stuffed, and there was still so much left over.

Kiritani-san lay lazily on the ground. "Seal the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator. We can reheat them tonight and still eat them. Don't waste them."

"...I didn't realize you could eat so much, junior, but your weight...is a bit strange, isn't it?" Kasumigaoka Utaha touched her stomach and realized she was indeed a little full. She shouldn't have eaten so much just because it tasted good.

"Ah, there's no way to explain this. Although there have been times when I'm full, and then I eat a little more and feel a bit bloated, so I drink some soup, it doesn't really help." Kiritani-san raised his hand and immediately saw the flour still stuck to it, and slightly pursed his lips. "Besides, there's nothing to care about... I'm still called a dead fat otaku online."

No, no, no, ever since you participated in Mr. Shang Baize's autograph session, no one has called you a fat otaku anymore, they all call you—Miss!

"Ah, nothing else happened after that." Kiritani wiped his apron with his hand, then straightened up. "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll clear the table for now. You can rest and get ready to continue writing for me."

"Okay, I understand. And..." The black-haired girl looked at the boy and nodded slightly, "Thank you."

"I should thank that old woman, otherwise I wouldn't have come here." Kiritani-san didn't feel much emotion, even though he rarely got to hear the word "thank you."

After tidying up the remaining food, I sealed it up and put it back in the refrigerator...

Throughout this process, Kasumigaoka Utaha did not offer any assistance; she simply watched quietly.

It feels... very strange.

That rare sense of peace and warmth...

For some reason, I've started to like this feeling.

This guy is just like the protagonist in a light novel... He's surrounded by multiple girls, each with her own unique characteristics. They may seem unremarkable on the surface, but when they get serious, they're more dazzling than anyone else. Even the seemingly useless things they say reveal their rich experience... Despite being a guy who's not even sixteen yet.

What a cliché development: an exchange under the guise of guidance, leading to feelings developing—how could it possibly be real...?

The girl, resting her chin on her hand, watched the busy figures, and her quiet smile gradually became forced.

It's obviously fake...

The protagonist has a girlfriend from the very beginning...

Ugh! I'm getting a bit of a headache. Looks like I really need to pay more attention to my sleep habits. After all, it's a holiday, so sleeping until I naturally wake up should be the best...

Hmm? Will this guy... come again tomorrow?

“Um, Kasumigaoka…” Kiritani’s voice came from the kitchen.

"Yes... um, you can just call me Shiho." Ms. Kasumigaoka gave permission, allowing Kiritani-san to address her by her first name.

...It's just a more affectionate way of addressing someone.

"Oh, Shiha, um... you can contact Eriri, right?" Kirito inside didn't seem to find anything wrong with it, so he casually changed the way he addressed her.

"What? Isn't having me enough? Do you want another person to come and keep you company? You're such an insatiable man..." Kasumigaoka Utaha reverted to her true self, a familiar smile playing on her lips. "But I'm sorry, I don't have the blonde twin-tailed girl's contact information... Ah, well, for now, it's the manga club's discussion group, but whether I can actually get in touch with her is another matter."

With a slightly languid air, Kasumigaoka Utaha adjusted her white headband. "You should know that my relationship with the blonde twin-tailed girl isn't very good."

...It's less about a bad relationship and more about incompatibility caused by opposing personalities.

It's hard for someone who's sharp-tongued and someone who's arrogant to stay quiet together.

"I received an email here, from Shueisha."

"Oh dear, an email from Shueisha... Did our manga club's short-term goal get rejected?" Kasumigaoka Utaha was still a little concerned about this, after all, it was a work that everyone had worked on together... Well, in the end, she didn't want the flaws in the work to be in the script, because she and Asuna were responsible for the script, and if the problem occurred in the later stages...

That's Eriri's business.

"What a pity. Such a stellar lineup and a powerful team, yet they couldn't even get past the preliminary round of the Grand Prize."

"...Huh? You're overthinking it, aren't you?" Kiritani-san poked his head out of the kitchen, looking at the woman with a strange expression. "When did I say the email was to tell us that our manga was rejected?"

"Huh? Isn't it..." Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression became subtle, as if she had thought of something. "You're kidding, right? How could a work like this pass the preliminary round?... Please don't joke around. Even I would be angry if I were fooled."

"Passing the preliminary round is so easy, okay? Aside from the animation quality and the story being absolutely terrible," Kiritani sighed. "Our script has a lot of problems, but the animation quality is beyond reproach. Even with multiple people working together, there haven't been any sudden changes in the art style. Why do you think we can't even pass the preliminary round?"

"..." Kasumigaoka Utaha pursed her lips, because I really lacked confidence. Although the initial story script was very enjoyable to write, looking back, I wanted to find out where the problems were... Well, Kasumigaoka Utaha knew exactly how big the problems were with her script. If it weren't for Asuna's revisions, she might only be able to take it out and look at it again.

This shows how accurate Xigua's assessment of Kasumigaoka Utaha is—Kasumigaoka Utaha has no experience in writing scripts, and her potential remains to be seen.

"There seem to be quite a few entries for this year's grand prize. I almost forgot about it after all this time. If it weren't for this email..." Kiritani-san sighed, "time really flies. There are also comments from JUMP editors in it. I can't see them right now. Why don't you contact someone else and tell them about this?"

"Uh, okay, I got it." Kasumigaoka Utaha picked up her phone, opened the chat app, scrolled through the club's discussion group, and sent the message directly, but she didn't see an instant reply.

"Furthermore, the editors at JUMP want to meet with us to discuss this work. I personally feel it's unnecessary, but let's discuss it together." That's how Kiritani-san made his decision.

"A face-to-face meeting..." Kasumigaoka Utaha was slightly surprised; this was truly unexpected news.

If a JUMP editor would suggest a face-to-face meeting, it must mean they think the work has potential. Otherwise, they would at most give a comment and nothing more.

Of course, it's also possible that JUMP editors valued the visual quality of the work and felt the creator had potential...

But anyway, to have reached this level... for some reason, it's kind of enjoyable.

"These editors, well, they probably just think the visuals are good or the story is interesting—after all, our manga, from a certain perspective, is a classic shonen manga, so it's quite suitable for Shonen Jump. The chances of it being noticed are actually pretty high." Kiritani-san shook the water off his hands, brought out two cups of hot tea from the kitchen, sat down in front of Kasumigaoka, and pushed one cup towards her. "Having some tea after a meal is quite nice."

"Yes, thank you." Kasumigaoka Utaha held the teacup, feeling its warmth.

"Weekly Shonen Jump..." Kiritani-san said with a touch of melancholy, "In this information age, the decline of print media is inevitable. Besides, it's not the same as that era of geniuses anymore. Many of the old masters have reached the age of retirement. People like Togashi have drawn enough and made enough money. They continue only because of that passion..."

"It's difficult for the new generation to reach that level, and Weekly Shonen Jump hasn't had a work that's made a splash in a long time... That's probably why Sword Art Online can occupy the topic of conversation for such a long time."

When it comes to this, Kiritani-san is quite serious.

Of course, he didn't belittle his work; he was just expressing his feelings about the industry.

Kasumigaoka Utaha doesn't actually know much about the manga industry, or even the light novel industry—she's just a newcomer.

However, it is indeed noticeable that the comic book industry is not as good as it used to be.

"I wonder if there will be a groundbreaking work in this year's Shueisha Awards... If our work can also win the top prize..." Kiritani-san shook his head slightly, took a sip of tea, and didn't continue speaking.

Kasumigaoka Utaha quietly watched this guy. She felt that he was indeed quite handsome when he was serious, but normally... all he did was act cute and tell dirty jokes.

"I don't really understand it, but Weekly Shonen Jump definitely has its eye on this work, right?"

"...That's one way to put it."

"Perhaps they want us to serialize it, or perhaps they want to revise it and see if it has potential?"

"I don't understand!" Kiritani-san shook his head. He was good at judging people, but he didn't really understand the thoughts of many editors.

Well, editing isn't one of the many side jobs available...

"Ah, I've got it! There's actually another way this work can go!"