manga artist Kirito

“These are things you have to learn in life. Asuna and I can help you with that now, but we can’t take care of you forever. So you’ll have to try doing these things yourself.” After tying the napkin, Kirito placed another one on Shiina Mashiro’s lap. “No one will say anything if you’re a little messy when you eat at home, but there are always times when you eat out. So you need to know how to eat elegantly… at least don’t look like a slovenly guy who’s always masturbating.”

"Hmm." Shiina Mashiro just stared at Kirito quietly, it was unclear whether she had actually heard what he was saying.

"Emmmm..." Kirito rolled his eyes. "To be honest, I don't really understand why your room is always so messy—are you some kind of pervert who likes to sleep with your panties, bra, and black stockings all together?"

"I was taking a shower and wanted to change my panties... and that's how it ended up like this."

"Do I have to pick out panties for you to use in the bathroom every day?!"

"Ah."

Don't you dare nod to me! If Asuna finds out, she'll kill me!

"Ayano, she came looking for me."

"Oh, what then?"

Just as Kirito was about to start eating, Shiina Mashiro, who rarely spoke first, spoke up.

"About comics... well, life."

"Then what do you say?"

Ayano Iida is an older single woman who returned to Japan with Mashiro Shiina. Kirito had previously looked up her information. She was Mashiro's editor when Mashiro first participated in the Manga Newcomer Award... and she also has a very good relationship with one of Mashiro's friends.

"I'm going to participate in the newcomer award, and I've been having a lot of fun lately."

"Just don't let yourself down."

Shiina Mashiro's answer was entirely expected, although Kirito thought it was a bit off about her saying she was happy, since he had never seen her smile before.

Even the most adorable goddess has moments of joy. My dear daughter, let's wait until you smile and genuinely feel happy before saying this.

It seems like I'm owed another ten chapters...

Requesting monthly tickets~ Requesting tips~ *slap*

104

[NO.102 Everyday Life (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)]

"I feel like none of what I told you before was of any use."

Kirito took the napkin from Shiina Mashiro's collar and knees, and helplessly wiped Shiina Mashiro's mouth with the napkin, while Shiina Mashiro looked at Kirito indifferently.

"Because it's with people."

"...I'm really not good at taking care of people." Kirito pursed his lips as he tidied up the lunchboxes where all the food had been eaten. At first, Yoko took care of me, but after I got together with Asuna in middle school, Asuna took over. I never expected that I would be the one taking care of someone so soon after starting high school... Especially since it wasn't Yoko or Asuna, it felt a little strange.

"Well, if you don't care, I won't say anything. It's just a small matter anyway."

It might be very uncomfortable, but if I treat Shiina Mashiro as my daughter, I feel that I have an obligation to take good care of her.

“It has nothing to do with people.” Shiina Mashiro nodded lightly and said in a flat, monotone voice.

"Really..." Kirito rubbed his forehead. Although he felt pretty good, some things are not something that can be ignored just because the person involved doesn't care.

High school students are already bored out of their minds, and they can talk about anything that can be brought up, which will then evolve into countless versions and rumors... It's the most frustrating and annoying thing.

Perhaps our country should learn from that country across the sea in this regard, with its three-year college entrance exam, five-year mock exams, five-year "evil god" sacrifices, and so on. That way, high school students wouldn't have so much free time. Just preparing for the college entrance exam alone would be enough to drive students crazy.

Hmm, if Teacher Xiaojing saw this, the result would most likely be her raising her fist and yelling – "Teachers will absolutely not allow impure love to exist!"

This is what older single women are like.

"I'll be going home after class and probably won't be back until Sunday night. Shiina, please don't trouble Asuna too much, especially with tidying up the room. If you take out clothes and don't like them, put them back exactly as they were, and then take out another one..."

"Yes, I know." Shiina Mashiro nodded, then looked very serious and stared intently at Kirito's face. "Kazuto, I, Mashiro."

"Huh?" Kirito paused folding the napkin, looking slightly puzzled. "What did you say?"

"Name, Mashiro." Shiina Mashiro's tone fluctuated slightly, a first for Kirito, making him feel even more uneasy.

"...Uh, you mean, I should just call you Mashiro?" Kirito asked, raising his eyebrows slightly as if making a deduction.

"Ah."

"Alright." Kirito sighed softly. This child's way of speaking was really unpleasant. Why not just say it directly? Why use such an unthinkable way of speaking? But speaking of which, when did she... reach the point where she could call him by his name? But if he refused, given her personality, it would definitely cause a lot of trouble later.

...Wait, I already said I'd raise her as a daughter, why am I still worried about these things?

“Well, Shiro, let me continue. I won’t be around for the next couple of days, so don’t overwork yourself. Make sure you’re asleep by midnight every day. Keep Asuna as your role model when observing the people around you.” Kirito’s face softened with a gentle smile at the mention of Asuna. “Asuna is undoubtedly the gentlest and best. If you can learn something from her, it should be enough for you for a long time. Of course, I’m only referring to daily life and simple interpersonal relationships… Please be lenient with the housework!”

Even though Shiina Mashiro has never stepped into the kitchen or done any housework, Kirito absolutely refuses to believe that this terrifyingly pale girl could handle these things...

Yes, when Kirito didn't want to come back, all he saw was the ruins of the apartment.

"Hmm." Shiina Mashiro's eyes narrowed slightly, and coupled with the slight fluctuation in her voice, if nothing unexpected happened... she should be quite happy right now?

However, Kirito didn't realize it.

Kirito casually placed the neatly packed bento box aside, reminiscing about Asuna's lap pillow. He crossed his arms behind his head, then leaned back against the wall, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the white stockings on Shiina Mashiro's legs—amazing!

"There's still plenty of time during your lunch break. If you have any questions, just ask."

"May I ask?"

"Can I refuse?" Kirito quickly switched to a deadpan expression, his gaze shifting from the white stockings to a pair of black thighs—many girls wear black stockings at school, but few can truly bring out their charm, and Kasumigaoka Utaha is one of them.

"Hey, shouldn't you be eating your lunch and sleeping in the classroom right now?"

“This place is very nice…” Holding a paperback book in her hand, Kasumigaoka Utaha looked down at the sunlight that stopped at her feet and smiled slightly. “There is sunshine, there is wind, and it is quiet enough, especially since you are here, teacher.”

...They've already started calling me "teacher"?

"That's not a bad reason." Kirito twitched the corner of his mouth. Black stockings were nice, but black pantyhose was a no-go. The so-called absolute territory simply didn't exist. Even from the side, all you could see was pitch black. There was none of the mystery that made people want to explore the absolute territory.

Speaking of which, I recently discovered a strange attribute that many people, especially men, like—long, straight black hair. It's just black, long, and straight, so why do men like this?

No gay, pong friend!

"..." Shiina Mashiro turned her head to look at Kasumigaoka Utaha who had suddenly appeared, but she didn't say much, and didn't even show any dissatisfaction at Kasumigaoka Utaha for suddenly interrupting her conversation.

"Sorry for interrupting your conversation." Strangely, Kasumigaoka Utaha gave Shiina Mashiro an apologetic look, but then quickly reverted to her original expression and started shaking her leg, looking down at Kirito. "But teacher, what about the guidance you promised? Keeping your word is a man's passion!"

I think it would be better to change it to "A promise is the most important thing a man values"!

Kasumigaoka, have you been chatting with that passionate female teacher too much lately? You're starting to sound like one.

"You've been quite busy lately, haven't you?" Her gaze swept from bottom to top over Kasumigaoka Utaha's thighs and chest, finally settling on her pretty face. Eriri's drawing skills were quite good; at least that pose with stockings was very suitable for Kasumigaoka Utaha.

"Furthermore, don't you know the saying, 'The master leads you through the door, but the practice is up to you'?"

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105

[NO.103 Between Author and Reader]

To be honest, things have been getting weirder lately.

Her original voice was the same as that of her classmate Aki Tomoya, which sometimes felt a little strange. However, because Shiina Mashiro didn't talk much before, she didn't realize that her voice was exactly the same as Kasumigaoka Utaha's...

What a coincidence!

If Shiina Mashiro and Kasumigaoka Utaha spoke at the same time in the same way, it would be really hard to tell them apart—provided that Shiina Mashiro could say such a long sentence.

Okay. Kirito wasn't the only one who noticed this; Kasumigaoka Utaha did too. Although she didn't notice that she and Shiina Mashiro shared the same voice, she noticed that Kirito shared the same voice as that incredibly talkative reader... What a coincidence!

Also, why do people with the same voice sound like two completely different people?

"It's really annoying..." Kasumigaoka Utaha sat opposite Kirito with an elegant yet languid demeanor, talking about her creative process and Aki Tomoya.

“Sometimes we should listen to readers’ opinions. Among my friends, quite a few felt that some readers were overly talkative, even criticizing the work and saying they wanted the author to write according to their ideas. My friend was unhappy, but he didn’t say much. He listened very attentively and took everything the readers said seriously…” Kirito calmly advised, but then changed his tone, “and then said—okay, okay, here’s the pen, you write it!”

"...Uh..." Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped shaking her leg. She thought Kirito would say something to persuade her, but she never expected him to turn around so sharply and drift so fast.

"So, no matter what readers say, creation is still the author's business." As he said this, Kirito glanced at Shiina Mashiro. "Whether it's out of interest or professional ethics, the creator must have set the story in place from the beginning. Perhaps there are some flaws that readers see as needing to be changed, but who can be sure that this is not because it better reflects the author's special attention to this point?"

"They don't understand. Readers may feel warmth or passion in a work, but it's not very possible to completely connect with the creator's mindset."

"Of course, that's true, but readers are also very important. When the quality of a work declines, or when an author experiences writer's block or gets stuck in a creative rut, true fans will never abandon you for such a small thing. Instead, they will give the author the utmost patience and support, patiently waiting for the author to return with passion for creation! It is undeniable that readers are the professional commitment that authors rely on for their livelihood."

"That's about it... Kirito scratched his head, feeling a bit strange about what he was saying. "Well, I'm just telling you what kind of existence the readers are, whether they're important or not, and how to view them. It all depends on the author."

"...I understand roughly." Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded after a moment's thought.

"Those words from earlier, Shiina... um, Mashiro, you should remember them too~" Ignoring the embarrassment of almost using the wrong address, Kirito yawned, "Although you don't have any real readers yet, you will encounter that kind of thing in the future."

Well, the difference between fans, haters, and mindless readers is huge.

Oh right, even mindless readers can be divided into two types. One type reads without using their brain, only caring about having fun. The other type... well, what kind of trash novel is this? Use your brain before praising it! (The author is mentally challenged.)

As of now, Kirito has not encountered the latter.

Of course, a big reason for this is—damn it, you're criticizing the book, don't you want any perks?

"I've got it." Shiina Mashiro put down the sketchbook she had somehow produced and nodded vigorously.

If Kirito had seen it, he would have definitely realized that the unfinished portrait in Shiina Mashiro's sketchbook was actually him... His posture was exactly the same as when he was talking so eloquently earlier.

"Ah, being a teacher isn't so bad." Kirito raised his eyebrows slightly, a smile playing on his lips. Watching his students listen attentively was truly comforting, making even casual remarks seem meaningful.

Tsk, this sense of accomplishment... No wonder Ms. Xiaojing, that hot-blooded idiot, chose the teaching profession.

Speaking of which, most of the protagonists in those surreal genres these days are high school students... What if the protagonist was a teacher, and the students he taught were saviors, demon kings, angels, etc.? Wouldn't that be amazing?

Hmm, teaching is a good profession. If I don't want to paint anymore, or play mahjong like those old guys, maybe I can become a teacher. As for whether I'll mislead students or anything like that... just kidding. Haven't you seen how my students are all geniuses? I can just say a few profound words and they'll naturally understand the meaning!

Speaking of which, the author who talked about enlightenment last time seemed to have been labeled a cross-dresser...?

"That's all I can say. And it's almost time for class. Kasumigaoka, could you help me take Mashiro to Class 1-J? I'll go wash the lunchboxes... Hmm, or the other way around?"

"stare--!"

Kirito had barely finished speaking when he felt Shiina Mashiro's burning gaze fixed on him.

"...Tsk, do you really expect me to walk you this far?" Kirito was speechless. He walked down the stairs to the first floor, and the classroom was less than fifty meters to the right. What was wrong with that?

Besides, it should be Kasumigaoka Utaha who's watching me, right? I need to go to the first floor and then go back to the second floor!

"Oh my, the teacher is really popular." Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled meaningfully, making Kirito feel a headache coming on, as if she was leaning towards pleasing the remnants of the group...

"It's too popular, what can I do? There's nothing I can do about it."

"Please specify the lower limit, thank you."

"With people..."

"Ah, I got it. I'll take you back to the classroom now." Picking up the lunchbox, Kirito waved to Kasumigaoka Utaha. "I'm off. Contact me on TT if you need anything."

“Okay, teacher.” Kasumigaoka Utaha closed her notebook, picked up the paperback book that was placed to the side, and slowly walked downstairs after Kirito and Shiina Mashiro.

Actually, Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't really like going to the rooftop. Although it was quiet and windy... if the wind was too strong, her mouth would be full of sand and the smell of dog food.

However, it seems to be going quite well now.

I need your votes!

106

[NO.104 I promise I will never strike first]

"I'm only going home for two days, I'll be back soon. Just bring my art supplies, I have clothes at home..." Kirito was a little helpless as he watched Asuna stuff clothes into her bag.

"Well, I was planning to do a thorough cleaning this Saturday and Sunday while you're home... um, I'll clean out the closet in your room, the bookshelves in the study, and everything else." Asuna touched her lips with her pale finger, tilting her head slightly. "If possible, I'd also like you to take all the clothes and dolls Suguha left here back with you..."

"It's just a big cleaning, you can just hire a housekeeper, why make it so complicated?" Kirito, like a girl in love, reached out and hugged Asuna's arm, rubbing his cheek against hers.

"Kirito, you probably don't understand!" Asuna reached out and ruffled Kirito's slightly long black hair. You only get the feeling when you clean your own hair by hand. Although hiring a housekeeper only costs a little money and saves a lot of effort, you won't get that feeling.

"I don't really understand." With a cute expression, Kirito was stunned for a moment, then leaned in and kissed Asuna's cheek, immediately earning Asuna's eye roll and a pinch on Kirito's cheek. "Mashiro is in the living room, you idiot."

"...Given the child's personality, even if he saw it, he wouldn't say anything."

Uh, maybe she'll want to be kissed too?

Sigh, I feel like my thought process has become a bit strange lately... Is it contagious?

"That seems to be true, but you can't!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Asuna-sama is right!"

"Idiot! Shouldn't you finish dinner before you go?"

"I already told Yezi yesterday that they should have prepared dinner at home... Well, I'll just go home and eat." Kirito smiled, looking somewhat sentimental. "My parents are probably waiting for me at home."