At 7:00 PM, the mangaka entered the Hinotori Building one by one.
They were men and women, dressed in different clothes, and most were as ordinary as pedestrians found on the street, which aroused the curiosity of Shiori, who was observing from the top of the building.
"They're different from Takumi"
she thought, and then turned to look at Takumi, who was eating takeout in the office. 'No wonder he attracted so much attention. Besides his incredible talent, his face was quite rare among mangaka.'
"What's wrong?"
he asked. As if noticing Shiori's gaze, Takumi looked up and asked: "Have you finished eating?"
Takumi was as busy as ever that day. He didn't even have time to go out for dinner, so he could only ask someone to order takeout in the office. Shiori nodded, approached, and handed him a glass of water: "Careful, don't choke."
Takumi took the water and took a sip. Shiori looked at him with a certain sadness. After a few days of getting along, Shiori had a new perspective on Takumi. 'This boy's achievement today was not just due to his talent.'
His effort, perseverance, and passion for work surpassed others. Shiori believed that Takumi would stand out in any industry.
But seeing him like that, Shiori became a little irritated. Takumi was busy every day, and she couldn't help but want to intervene to help him, but she didn't know where to start. She didn't understand manga or other things, so she could only stay aside sadly.
Not bothering Takumi was the best Shiori could do.
That's why she especially envied Alice, the woman who could unintentionally help him solve problems.
Sometimes Shiori thought that perhaps Alice was the most suitable person for Takumi, but as soon as this idea arose, she felt overwhelmed. She wouldn't give up. She was young. There was still time, and she would undoubtedly replace Alice in a few years.
Takumi finished his meal.
"It's almost time"
He wiped his mouth with a tissue and looked at the time. The mangaka were already there, and he could go out to receive them.
"Shiori, stay here, I'll talk to them and then take you home"
Takumi told Shiori. His words stirred a gentle wave in her heart: "I'll take you home." Although there was no doubt, they touched her heart with love.
"No, I'm going with you"
Shiori said, and she stood up. Classes start in a few days, and she wants to spend more time with Takumi.
"Are you going too?" Takumi thought about it, smiled, and said: "Okay, but don't move when you get there."
He accompanied Shiori to the door, but before she could leave, the office door suddenly opened.
"Takumi, are you coming down?... Wait, they want to see you..."
Alice entered from outside, followed by two men. They were Mach and Kaze.
"Hello, Mirai-sensei"
"Hello"
The two greeted Takumi with some uneasiness,
seeing their reserved expressions. Takumi pondered and remembered their identities: "What are you doing here?"
He frowned slightly. These two were already mangaka from Kanto Manga Company. 'Why would they have come to apologize to him? Impossible, Takumi didn't like them. He remembered they weren't good people...'
"Mirai-sensei, we're here to apologize"
However, what Takumi thought impossible happened.
Mach patted Kaze's back, and Kaze immediately took two steps forward, nervous: "Mirai-sensei, I was wrong to talk so wildly before. I hope you can forgive me and let me off the hook with the media."
Takumi sneered. 'Forgive? Kaze's boasting wasn't something that could be forgiven,' but he remembered that after Pokémon was burned, Kaze was the one who boasted the most. He ridiculed him in the media, and Takumi still held a grudge.
"A man must do what he must do when he makes a promise"
Takumi replied coldly. Kaze's apology was also fake. 'Why should he forgive him?'
"Mirai-sensei, please help me!" Kaze was anxious: "Kanto Manga Company wants to fire me. If I'm fired, I'll have nowhere to go."
"What does this have to do with me?"
Takumi remained unmoved. He was not a philanthropist.
"Let go of me. I have to go to a meeting."
He walked around Kaze and went out the door.
"Plop!"
"Mirai-sensei! Please!"
A hand grabbed Takumi's clothes. Takumi looked back and his eyes widened in surprise. Kaze knelt on the floor and held him with his hand.
"Please, Mirai-sensei... If you don't forgive me, my life will be over. I still have parents at home who need to take care of me and my child..."
Kaze began to express how tough things were.
At that moment, Takumi was stunned. He wasn't moved; he simply found it ridiculous.
'A man has gold beneath his skin. Kaze would kneel and beg so easily. This action, in Takumi's opinion, is more shameful than being asked to eat feces.'
Takumi remembered that he had only knelt once, in his previous life, in front of Aika's tombstone. Aika had taught him since he was little that children can give up everything, but they must have dignity and courage.
However, Kaze was different.
"..."
Takumi looked at Kaze and suddenly wondered: 'Does Kaze really care about eating feces? Perhaps he doesn't care at all, but he longs for his forgiveness because he would lose prestige with the media and his future.'
"Okay, I forgive you"
Takumi turned his head and said coldly: "I'll tell the media; leave."
Already kneeling, Takumi felt he had no reason to fight with someone like that and waved his hand. Alice looked at Shiori: "Can you help me send them off? I have something to tell Takumi."
"Okay"
Shiori stood in front of Mach and Kaze and said coldly: "Please...".
Both men suffered in her hands. Seeing the girl's actions, 'how dared they not move?' They immediately followed the instructions to leave.
After they left, Alice looked at Takumi.
"What do you need to do?"
Takumi asked.
"Well, I have something to ask you."
Alice nodded: "About your manga Fate/Stay Night next week. I'm still worried. There's something in this manga that I care a lot about. So I want to ask you something clear."
"Takumi, what is a heroic spirit?"
A heroic spirit is a hero who has become an object of faith after their great achievements and has become a legend after their death, but this is not definitive. Even if they don't exist, heroes of myths and legends are born through the union of faith.
This is a manga term that Takumi gave to Alice, and it is an important part of Fate/Stay Night. The protagonists who participate in the Holy Grail War summon the "avatar" of the heroic spirit, and their personality is the same as that of their original body.
Takumi didn't understand why Alice had suddenly mentioned it, so he had to explain it again in words.
"That's right" Alice nodded after listening. In fact, the setting Takumi gave her included some information, but it was not as simple as he said.
"Your heroic setting is perfect."
Alice vaguely sensed that there was a complete worldview behind Fate/Stay Night, which surprised her, but that's why she had to say something.
"Takumi, I hope you'll be more careful when introducing these heroes." Alice said: "It doesn't matter if you turn characters from myths and legends, or fictional characters, into heroes. But don't write about historical emperors and generals."
"These topics are sensitive; don't touch them. After the economic war, the governments of several countries prohibited them. Besides biographies and literary works, other entertainment books cannot discredit historical figures. Manga are also entertainment books,"
Alice reminded him.
Takumi was stunned: "This is impossible. The Young Emperor is still popular!"
He remembered that The Young Emperor was an animation adapted from a novel.
"That's different. The Young Emperor is the story of the First Emperor. It praises him, and there's no problem... You can write it without slandering them. There are such characters among the heroic spirits. If you write it well, no one will say anything."
Alice narrowed her eyes: "But the content of your manga is that heroic spirits fight each other. There must be winners and losers. If you include past emperors to compete, it will definitely not work!"
"Shouldn't you have such a character?"
Alice asked.
"..." Takumi looked strange and thought for a moment: "Excuse me, does King Arthur exist in Great Britain?"
"Yes, King Arthur is the legendary king of Great Britain, a guy who is more legendary than historical facts, but this person really exists, you...". Alice was surprised: "Did you include King Arthur in the manga? Who is he?"
"Saber..." Takumi smiled bitterly, and Alice's eyes widened in surprise.
"I really didn't mean that..."
"You turned King Arthur into a woman and you still say it wasn't intentional!" Alice covered her forehead: "That won't do. You must change Saber's identity immediately. This will cause problems!"
"Change identity?"
Takumi was not happy. 'What a joke. Saber was his favorite character from Fate/Stay Night. Without the historical context of King Arthur, would she still be Saber?'
"I don't agree."
"Then don't publish it!" Alice's eyes widened: "This cannot be published!"
Takumi was speechless.
"No matter what happens?"
he asked.
"Anyway, if you want to turn King Arthur into a woman, manga are absolutely forbidden!"
Alice said with her hands on her hips.
"What about games?"
Takumi asked again.
"Games... Each type of game has different review requirements, but most are not allowed," Alice said, and her words gave Takumi hope.
There are no galgames in this world, 'doesn't that mean it can be approved?'
It's easy. It's better to release Fate/Stay Night in game mode instead of manga. Miyuki has already commented that developing the galgame structure is very fast. Find the soundtrack and mangaka quickly and speed up the process. Maybe it will be finished in less than a month.
The most difficult thing is the large number of computer-generated drawings, but 'can't the original mangaka who were left out of Hinotori Publishing complete them?'
- - - - - -
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