"What... what's wrong with you all?" Machida Sonoko asks, her brows furrowed, sensing the strange atmosphere in the room. She's confused. She brought good news, so why isn't anyone cheering? Based on their expressions, they don't seem speechless from the good news. Yamada Elf is still on the floor, looking like a broken doll. Ryou is calm, as if he's heard something that has nothing to do with him. And the girl on the sofa, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, is cute, but where did all this sudden hostility come from? The blonde girl on the sofa reminds Machida Sonoko of a golden retriever protecting its food.
Thankfully, Hiratsuka Ryosuke doesn't make her wait long.
"Thank you, Machida-san, but Kashiwagi Eri and I work well together. I have no intention of switching partners," Ryosuke politely declines her offer.
Whether an illustrator is good or not depends on more than just their drawing skills. It also depends on how well the illustrator and the light novel author work together. Even a top illustrator and a top light novel author can't guarantee a perfect collaboration that will make a work a bestseller. If there are conflicts between the illustrator and the author, it can easily affect their mood, lower the quality of the work, and even cause the sales to plummet.
Eriri looks at Ryosuke, and a warmth spreads through her heart. She knows she's not a top-tier illustrator, yet he gave such a firm answer. She's touched that he didn't abandon her. Ryosuke, no matter who that top illustrator is, I won't hold you back, she vows in her heart.
"I see. But that person really wants to meet you. It's Yumeno Sakiko-sensei, the author of the popular manga Moe Love," Machida Sonoko reveals.
Yumeno Sakiko?! The other three look at Machida Sonoko, making sure she isn't joking.
"Wait! I don't remember Yumeno Sakiko being a Undead River Bunko mangaka," Yamada Elf says, having recovered from her stupor. She can't hide her disbelief. The name is too famous. The collected volumes of the popular shojo manga Moe Love have sold over 10 million copies. Yumeno Sakiko, known as the "Spokesperson for a Girl's Heart" for her emotional storytelling, is a true mangaka and a top-tier illustrator in Japan.
Machida Sonoko nods and smiles confidently. "Yumeno Sakiko-sensei is about to sign a contract with our company." She then turns to Ryosuke. "Ryou-sensei, you're the reason Yumeno Sakiko is joining Undead River."
"Me?" Ryosuke points to himself, surprised but not showing it. He thinks about it. He doesn't know this Yumeno Sakiko. If he did, he would've asked her to be his illustrator from the start and wouldn't have posted a job ad and met Eriri.
"She really likes your work. What do you say? Do you want to meet her?" Machida Sonoko asks with a cunning smile. She doesn't believe any light novel author in the industry would refuse a meeting after hearing that name.
When Eriri hears the name, her resolve melts away. Her head drops, and her expression darkens. Even she tries to imitate and learn from Yumeno Sakiko. Does she really have the right to compete with an illustrator of that caliber? Will Ryosuke leave her for her? After all, it's Yumeno Sakiko, a mangaka who has sold over 10 million copies! A feeling of loss, sadness, and unwillingness washes over her. Eriri peeks at Ryosuke. Her eyes are full of hope, reluctance, and a hint of sadness. But she quickly looks away before he notices. She's too afraid to look because she fears he'll choose Yumeno Sakiko. Eriri is like an ostrich facing a crisis, burying her head in the sand to lie to herself.
Ryosuke looks back at her and gives her a faint smile. He turns back to Machida Sonoko and says seriously, "Machida-san, out of courtesy, I will meet Yumeno Sakiko-sensei." His expression softens as he turns back to Eriri, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "But I won't give up on Kashiwagi Eri. After all, she... is my best partner!"
Eriri's eyes widen. She bites her lip and clenches her fists. Ryosuke... you're so mean to say that now.How cunning. She watches him and feels the gloom in her heart start to disappear.
Machida Sonoko notices the way Ryosuke looks at the cute blonde girl. Combined with the girl's hostility, a thought sparks in her mind. She has a bold idea. Could this girl be Kashiwagi Eri? A look of awkwardness crosses her face, but she quickly returns to her calm self. "If Ryou-sensei agrees, how about the day after tomorrow? Yumeno Sakiko-sensei will be coming to sign the contract with our company."
Ryosuke nods. "The day after tomorrow, then. Thank you, Machida-san."
Machida Sonoko holds up the manuscripts in her hand and says kindly, "I'll go home and read your new work, Ryou-sensei." She then walks over to Yamada Elf with a gentle smile. "Let's go, Elf-sensei. We've prepared the black room for you. Welcome back." Her voice is warm and inviting, but it makes Yamada Elf shiver. Yamada Elf's first instinct is to run away, but then she remembers that she finished her new book.
"Hey! I already finished my new book. I'm not going to the black room this time! I'm not!" Yamada Elf quickly bends down and starts picking up her manuscript pages. Even if it can't beat Ryosuke's, it's enough to handle this awful editor.
"What? You've already finished it?!" Machida Sonoko is surprised. She looks out the window, and the world is still spinning normally.
Finally, she takes both manuscripts and walks to the door. She waves to Ryosuke. "See you the day after tomorrow, Ryou-sensei." After she leaves, Eriri and Ryosuke also leave Elf's house. No one mentions the result of the duel, but all three of them already know the answer.
"Eriri, you're home?" Sawamura Sayuri asks gently when she sees her daughter. But Eriri doesn't respond with her usual cheer. She takes off her black loafers and runs up the stairs, her feet in white socks making a loud thump-thump-thump sound. She runs straight to her bedroom. The first thing she does is lay out a new sheet of paper on her drawing table. Machida Sonoko's words have given her a sense of urgency. She looks at her copy of Moe Love on the bookshelf. She takes a deep breath and says to herself, Ryosuke, I will prove to you that Sawamura Spencer Eriri is your best illustrator!