Eriri sat in her chair, a shiver running through her body. She raised the coffee cup with a trembling hand and took a small sip, trying to calm herself down. Even if she didn't want to believe it, she had to admit the truth. In a matter of minutes, the boy in front of her had gone from a normal classmate to a closet otaku comrade, and from a closet otaku comrade to her client. Now, he was not just her client, but also the model for the illustration's character. She had expected a simple exchange of illustrations, but now she was hesitant to even hand them over.
"Well, Teacher Kashiwagi Eri, where's my drawing?" Ryosuke asked directly, not forgetting the purpose of their meeting.
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through Eriri's mind. "The face and pose are drawn according to the requirements, so he shouldn't be able to tell that he's the model." "How awkward. I secretly drew someone and now I have to show it to him." "What are you doing, Eriri?" She took a deep breath, her face flushing as if she had done something unethical. She finally handed over the file bag containing the illustration.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke took the bag and pulled out the drawing. He couldn't look away. The composition was imaginative, and the lines were fluid. The most incredible part was the Black Swordsman's eyes, which were so lifelike. Compared to Kirito from his past life, this version had a bit more sharpness and coldness, which fit the character's persona in the early stages of the story. He even felt a resonance with the illustration. Although the face wasn't quite his, he had the illusion of looking in a mirror.
Hiratsuke Ryosuke nodded to himself. The money was well spent. He placed a thick envelope on the table and slid it toward the girl.
"Your drawing moved me. This is your payment. I hope we can have a long-term collaboration in the future, Teacher Kashiwagi Eri," Hiratsuke Ryosuke said solemnly, looking directly into Eriri's eyes. It was hard to find a high-quality artist who worked so fast, and he needed to find a way to get more illustration funding from the publisher.
Eriri's eyes lit up like lightbulbs when she saw the thick envelope. She took it and held it. Her fair, translucent face was like a blooming magnolia, her joy visible on her face, with a hint of tears in her eyes. Someone finally recognized her art. Eriri wasn't a money-grubber, but earning a generous fee for her commercial work meant she was one step closer to becoming a professional artist. It showed that she wasn't just a fan artist who drew for love.
"Hey, Hiratsuka, I have more drafts of the Black Swordsman. Do you want to see them?"
"Huh? You have more? I thought I only sent one request."
"I really like this character design. I think there's a lot of room for artistic expression, so I drew a few more," Eriri said excitedly, handing her tablet to Ryosuke. She was like a child sharing their treasures with a friend.
Ryosuke took the tablet and looked. There was an illustration of Kirito's back, his dual swords on his back, a picture of his loneliness as he charged forward. Another showed him holding a sword with one hand, his courage and determination unwavering in the face of a powerful enemy. There was even a close-up of his profile, showing a gentle smile on his cold face. Although they were only line art, it was clear that the quality was very high. "Is she a genius?!" A look of surprise appeared on Ryosuke's usually placid face.
"Cough, cough. These drawings are all excellent," he said, offering a sincere compliment.
Eriri narrowed her eyes and showed her little white canine tooth with a smug smile. "Haha, I'm Kashiwagi Eri, a genius artist and beautiful girl!" A look of confusion appeared in her eyes. "By the way, Hiratsuka, why do you need so many custom illustrations? From what I know, boys usually prefer illustrations of beautiful girls, right?" she added in her mind, "just like how I prefer male protagonists like princes and knights."
"I'm writing a light novel, and these illustrations will be used for it," Ryosuke said truthfully, without any intention of hiding it.
Eriri was stunned. She knew that many people become light novel authors or artists because they love it. She herself started as a fan artist who drew for love. However, the industry is very cutthroat. As a fellow closet otaku, she felt she had to warn him.
"Hiratsuka, the light novel industry is very brutal. Most people have a hard time even getting their work accepted. It would be a huge waste for you to commission such expensive art at the beginning, wouldn't it?" "Since you appreciate my work so much, I'll give you this drawing for free as a sign of my support as a comrade." Eriri patted her flat chest, kindly warning him.
"My work has already been accepted. As soon as the illustrations are ready, it will be published. The Black Swordsman you drew is the male protagonist," Ryosuke said calmly.
"You've got to be kidding me?!" Eriri covered her mouth, her eyes wide. "A light novel author is right here with me?!" As an otaku, she knew how difficult it was for a middle school student to become a light novel author. And Hiratsuka Ryosuke had already reached the publishing stage, yet he had never mentioned it to anyone. This kind of person, who worked hard in silence, was far better than those dreamers who only talked about their dreams without putting in the effort.
"What's the story about? Can you tell me?" When she thought that her illustrations would soon be used in a commercial light novel, Eriri became very interested in the story.
"The work is called Sword Art Online. It's about a group of 10,000 players, including the protagonist, who are trapped in a virtual reality game world. The only way to return to reality is to clear all the levels of the virtual world. It's a story with elements of passion, adventure, and romance."
"Wow? That sounds interesting." Eriri propped her chin up with her hand, listening intently to his narration.
"The protagonist is the Black Swordsman..."
About half an hour passed. The coffee had grown cold, but the atmosphere between them was getting warmer. With a common topic, they talked like old friends who had known each other for years. They talked about Sword Art Online, then other light novels, then manga and games. Eriri's laughter was constant, and she would occasionally bang on the table or hold her stomach from laughing so hard. She had forgotten the last time she was this happy.
Gradually, they lost track of time.
"It's getting late. I should head back," Ryosuke said calmly, looking at the sky.
Eriri was still not ready to leave, but she had to agree. The two of them walked side by side toward the train station.
"Please take good care of me from now on, Teacher Kashiwagi Eri." Hiratsuka Ryosuke said softly to the girl beside him.
"Eriri, you can just call me Eriri." Eriri skipped happily, turning her head and smiling, revealing her signature little canine tooth. In her heart, she had already accepted Hiratsuka Ryosuke as a friend with whom she could share her otaku interests. She respected him for his hard work and creative ideas for his light novel.
"Then you can call me by my name, too," Ryosuke replied. He didn't dislike this innocent, cheerful girl. Sometimes, he preferred this beautiful and pure innocence over a hypocritical and cruel maturity.
"Okay! Then we're partners now, Ryosuke!" Eriri nodded eagerly, her voice as clear as a nightingale's song.
"Yes, partners," Ryosuke replied, nodding slightly in agreement. An author and an illustrator can achieve greatness by working together.
Their figures slowly disappeared into the crowd.
At table number six, a girl with a bob haircut and a pink hoodie was enjoying her afternoon leisure. She swore she wasn't eavesdropping, but the table in front of her was talking loudly, and she couldn't help but overhear their entire conversation. The girl subconsciously touched her head, realizing she didn't have her hat on.
"My coffee's cold," the girl murmured, but her voice showed no emotion. "I don't usually read light novels, but it sounds interesting after hearing them talk about it. I'll buy a copy when it comes out." Finally, she smiled, picked up her small shoulder bag, and left the cafe, humming an unknown tune.