manga artist Kirito

[Eri Kashiwagi: Not very good... It's not original at all. I think it would be better to call it "Is There Something Wrong with the Sudden Appearance of a Shura Field?"]

Hey! Did you think you could just pick any title you wanted since there's no character limit? Besides, what kind of garbage did you come up with? —The "battle royale" is just a bonus; the main theme of this manga is action, and it's even going to evolve into something like a cosmic war...

[Kasumi Shiko: Actually, I think this name is quite good: "Looking forward to the aliens who offer super robots to a new world of magic and fantasy, and the tentacle monsters whose names we still don't know about the things we saw that day!"]

[Fujiwara Echizen: I'm begging you, please!]

[Fujiwara Echizen: Stop trying to make the titles as long as possible, it's really pointless... Oh right, what do you guys think of calling it "Dark Souls"?]

[Xia Shizi: I have a strong sense of déjà vu... The protagonist is bound to have a terrible time, right? Ugh, I'd like a more serious title for this kind of story: "The Melody Intertwined with White Snow"!]

[Eri Kashiwagi: Your name sounds so familiar, it immediately reminded me of "Black Album"...]

[Fujiwara Echizen: Your art style is off, let's just call it "Dark Souls"! It's settled then! -- Also, the author's name will be... will be... Damn it, why do we have to come up with a name again!?]

I didn't pay much attention to it before, but now it's really giving me a headache.

[Xia Shizi: This is what it means to be incapable of naming things...]

[Eri Kashiwagi: Kaguya Houraisan!]

[Kasumi Utako: This is good... A battle between the Bamboo Forest Group and the Undying Group, Fujiwara Loli, are you feeling a bit conflicted right now?]

No, no, no, all I want to do right now is slap that perverted loli to death.

[Eri Kashiwagi: The vote was two to one. Shiina and Yuuki are absent, so they can be considered as abstaining. Now that the pen name is decided, let's talk about when to submit the artwork, or maybe someone can proofread the artwork with me...]

175

[NO.173 Look, look, look! You're not human if you don't look! (Bonus Chapter)]

So handsome...

How can someone be this handsome?

I once had a classmate who wasn't very good at using idioms, but when he saw a beautiful woman, he very unusually used an idiom—"This girl is so beautiful that the heavens and earth are collapsing..."

Of course, I know this is just an exaggeration.

But I have to say, I've just met a boy who's so handsome it's earth-shattering...

Looking at his face in the mirror, Kiritani thought to himself.

"But... why do I have to go out on the weekend when it's such a precious time of year?"

A hint of worry lingered on her delicate face as Kiritani-kun somewhat hesitantly tied her long hair into a ponytail. Having done Asuna's ponytail before, she was quite adept at it and did it very quickly.

But it seems like tying up the ponytail makes her even... damn cute!

But there's nothing we can do about it; that's just how this face is...

Then, after changing into casual clothes and making sure I hadn't left anything behind, I went out...

Since they were going to Eriri's house, and considering Eriri's mother, Sayuri Sawamura's, impression of Kazuko Kiritani, they couldn't be too casual. Otherwise, if she recognized them... the situation would be more than just bad.

...As for why we went to Eriri's house?

Naturally, it's because they need to proofread or review the manuscript to make sure there are no problems before submitting it to the magazine.

Originally, it should have been Kasumigaoka Utaha who went. Although she and Eriri don't get along very well, she is, after all, a girl. If she went to Eriri's house, no matter what, she wouldn't cause any trouble.

However, Kasumigaoka Utaha went to He City yesterday and hasn't returned yet. In addition, Kirito is an artist, so he understands manga better than Kasumigaoka Utaha, who is a light novel creator.

Therefore, the task of proofreading the manuscript at Eriri's house naturally fell to Kirito...

But honestly, Kirito really didn't want to go, especially after thinking about the existence of that fujoshi (female fan of BL)... he wanted to go even less.

Yes, fujoshi (female fans of male-male romance) are the most difficult to deal with, especially when the other party is an elder... I really hope that Sayuri Sawamura is not at home right now, whether she went out to a maid cafe or found some place to have sex with her husband, please just don't be at home!

However, having a dream is a good thing, but unfortunately it's unrealistic!

Before long, Kirito arrived at Eriri's house by car...

—Speaking of which, is the British Embassy bombed by some guy with a wig and a penguin every day?

Although I don't know the way, it's quite convenient to take a taxi from Eriri's house, but getting back... well, that's another story.

Perhaps because Eriri reminded him, Kirito passed through the gate without any hesitation.

Listening to the iron gate closing behind him, Kirito walked slowly forward. Because he had been here not long ago, he could still roughly remember the way. However... this is really capitalism! He didn't pay much attention last time because it was dark. He didn't expect this house to be so luxurious. Its area is almost as big as the Tiger Dojo.

Soon, Kirito arrived at the Sawamura house and saw the scene he had expected. The people greeting him at the door included Eriri, who was wearing an ugly green middle school uniform, and Sayuri Sawamura, who had been smiling lately as if she had been looking forward to it for a long time.

—Okay! I knew it would turn out this way.

But, Miss Lily, can you tell me what's with that look of expectation in your eyes?

I have a feeling that something exciting or interesting is going to happen.

"Good afternoon, Sawamura-kun... Is this your older sister?" Kirigaya greeted him with a smile, appearing very polite, and then pretended not to know him.

"Oh, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself, I am..."

"Oh my, you must be Fujiwara Echizen that Eriri keeps talking about! I know you! You look just as cute as your little sister~" Undoubtedly, being underestimated in terms of age is a very happy thing for older women, and Sawamura Sayuri is no exception.

"Although I am Eri's mother, Sayuri Sawamura, please just call me 'older sister', Kazuto-kun~"

It's a little awkward. This woman doesn't seem to have noticed that Eriri has started grinding her teeth at all. By the way, if I call you "older sister," then I'll be Eriri's elder from now on, right?

"Kazuto..." Sawamura Sayuri, dressed in a kimono, smiled slightly, her pretty eyes sparkling with a strange light. "How long have you known our Eriri?"

"..." Kirito opened his mouth slightly. How long have they known each other?

I think I truly got to know Eriri from the day I saw her drawing characters on the blackboard in the manga club... It's been about a month now, I guess?

But to be honest, judging from Sawamura Sayuri's current expression, I have a feeling that if it were less than a month ago, she might have the guards come and arrest her right now...

But lying would seem to play right into Sawamura Sayuri's hands; who knows if she'd make inferences based on the timeline and then come up with some random, inappropriate ideas...

By the way, it's great that no one recognized me as Kiritani Kazuko!

"...Just this semester, I guess. After all, we weren't in the same school before, but online...we've known each other for quite a while." Thinking of a compromise, Kiritani smiled calmly. Back when he was drawing erotic comics, he consistently outsold Eriri in sales rankings, so how could it not have been long...?

"I see..." Sayuri Sawamura frowned slightly, seemingly pondering a difficult problem, and murmured to herself, "It's about what I expected, but the time is still a bit short..."

"..." Kirito's lips twitched slightly. He felt that the other party's question was not just a little dangerous. And Eriri next to him, what's the use of your red face? Why don't you save the day? Even if you want to watch the show, at least ease the atmosphere for me!

"Ahem, Miss Lily, actually, the main reason I came here this time is..."

"Hey, Kazuto, Eri probably hasn't shown you any pictures of her when she was little, right? I have some here, do you want to see them?" Sayuri Sawamura said gently, a smile playing on her lips as she held a folding fan to her lips, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Alas!

Childhood photos...

In a sense, childhood photos are practically no different from embarrassing moments in one's past, and now we have the opportunity to see other people's embarrassing moments, especially from a perpetually proud golden retriever...

It's definitely something to look forward to!

Look, look! You're not human if you don't look!

P.S.: There aren't many chapters left to catch up on, I'm hesitating about whether to start a bonus chapter event...

By the way, please feed them and pat their heads!

176

【NO.174 I'm very curious】

"May I?"

"Pong!"

Just as Kirito was about to agree, a sound like steam bursting interrupted Kirito's words and also cut off Sawamura Sayuri's attempt to continue the conversation. Eriri, standing next to him, lowered her head and trembled slightly, as if she was trying to suppress her anger.

Hmm, with a mother like that... Eriri's daily life doesn't seem to be very easy. She must have a lot of headaches!

However, Sayuri Sawamura's twin tails are awesome!

"You... come with me!" Eriri kept her head down. Although Kirito and Eriri weren't that far apart in height, Kirito couldn't see her expression because of Eriri's bangs. But no matter what, Eriri must be very embarrassed right now.

Kirito had no doubt that, given the chance, Eriri would actually stab him to death, especially after Kirito had just considered agreeing to the proposal...

But would you care about the wailing of a defeated dog?

Yes, because it's very interesting!

"...Ugh, Eriri's really naughty. She invited her classmate over but wouldn't let Mom talk to him much." Sawamura Sayuri pouted like a little girl, but her next words were explosive: "Anyway, it's still daytime. Even though the rooms are soundproof, it's best to save those things for the night~"

"..." Kirito's stiff smile made it impossible for him to associate Sawamura Sayuri with any sense of being an elder. Was this the kind of thing he was going to say in this situation?

Pay special attention, your daughter's face is now as red as her period.

Incidentally, if Asuna's mother was like that... I reckon my daughter now would be more than just Shiina Mashiro.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but Sayuri Sawamura seems really eager to see how I'll respond... and Eriri's current posture makes it look like she wants to kick her own mother...

However, the plot took an instant turn.

"Enough!" Eriri, her temper flaring, grabbed Kirito's sleeve and ran into the house. After all, if this continued, what kind of shocking things would her mother say next?

do not know!

But it definitely will!

So leaving now is the best option... Also, this guy Kirigaya's pretense of thinking, when he's actually just waiting to see me make a fool of myself, makes me want to drag him down the stairs and kick him down.

"Oh dear, Eriri's shy..." Behind her, Sayuri Sawamura, watching her daughter's embarrassed expression, chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her folding fan. "Well, don't be too hasty... Hmm, about the photos of Eriri when she was little, I'll get them for you later~"

"No need, goodbye!" Eriri shouted without turning her head, while Kirito, who was being dragged along by her, raised an eyebrow. It seemed that... there was still a chance to see Eriri's embarrassing past.

But then again, these days, it seems like parents really like to give their daughters a helping hand. For example... there are many, and right now there's Eriri's mother here.

Couldn't you at least understand the situation a little before deciding to help me out? I have a girlfriend, and by sending my daughter forward like this... you're practically forcing her to become a scumbag!

Although I am not, at least think about your daughter...

Sigh! In the end, it's all because I'm too charming...

On the second floor, Eriri stopped, her back to Kirito, her voice filled with helplessness and frustration, "Anyway, forget everything my mother just said! — The childhood photos and all that, they don't exist, my mother was just joking!"

"Hmm, I know that, after all, it's not the first time I've encountered this situation." Kirito couldn't have been calmer. After all, a while ago, my mother asked me to take Kato Megumi to the park... or just wander around or something. I know what she was thinking.

But...

Rather than talking about these random things, Kirito was more curious about Eriri's current mood and expression. Even if he hadn't seen it, it must be very interesting!

"Ahem, good that you understand!" Eriri coughed, calming her terrible mood and burning face. Her mother was really something, spouting nonsense to anyone who came in. Couldn't she at least consider my relationship with this guy? We're just classmates...

Eriri opened the door and led Kirito into the room. "You should be able to tell what my mother is saying, so don't overthink those things. After all, this is the first time I've invited a classmate to my home. Perhaps... my mother is just happy that I've made a friend."

I'm sorry! I really didn't think about it at all, and it's you I'm thinking about now!

Your attention is clearly still focused on what your mother said, otherwise... why are you still holding my hand?

However, it wasn't a very important matter, so Kirito didn't pay too much attention to it. After following Eriri into the room, Kirito took a quick look at the room's furnishings. It wasn't luxurious or anything like that. Apart from the obviously expensive furniture, everything in the room was similar to that of an ordinary maiden.

...If we compare Kasumigaoka Utaha and Eriri, Eriri is clearly the winner. After all, Eriri's room is not messy or dirty, and there are no traces of junk food left.

Actually, there's no need to compare at all, because Eriri's family has servants...

Furthermore, Eriri seemed to notice that she was still holding Kirito's hand. A blush immediately crept up from her fair neck to her earlobes. With her lips tightly pursed, Eriri showed an indifferent expression and casually let go of his hand.

Then, he quickly took two steps forward, pointed to the chair next to him, and said in a slightly ambiguous tone, "You can sit there. I'll get the sketches... Um, what would you like to drink? I'll have the maid bring it to you..."

"Oh, um... then I'll have a plum juice, please." Sitting down at the table, Kirito looked around with interest. Actually, what Kirito was more curious about was where Eriri hid her erotic drawings...

What's even more intriguing is—what exactly motivated Eriri to ask Sayuri Sawamura and her father to help sell erotic comics?

...Just how much courage does that take?

Even though I'm shameless, I still don't dare to tell my family that I actually have a job as an erotic artist... Eriri, how did you manage to do that?

I'm curious!

P.S.: I'm recommending a book called "Emiya's Industry Babysitter Life," which is about moe-fication of the industry and training of Gen Urobuchi... That's roughly it.

177

【NO.175 Yes, that's me】

Although I'm very curious, it's not something I have to ask, especially this kind of question... Even if I did ask, it's hard to say whether Eriri would answer, but her tsundere side would definitely kick in.

As Eriri instructed the maid to prepare drinks and retrieved the artwork for a short manga from the workbench, Kirito pursed his lips and turned to look behind him. There, he saw the bookshelves, and a number of familiar manga and light novel works, including all of Asuna's light novels and Kasumigaoka Utaha's works...

Alas!

On the bottom shelf, Kirito's eyes widened in disbelief when he saw the titles of the works: "The Secret of the Bride," "The Scarlet Town," "Moonlight"...