"It can't be helped. I love this work."
Chika knew that it was better to work in a normal job, but she loved this job of hers, as a mangaka.
"I am not saying that your work is bad. It's good that you love it, but love alone sometimes isn't enough."
"Onii-chan..."
Yes, love alone isn't enough, after all, can love pay for rent, food, and other bills?
"Fortunately, you have me."
"Onii-chan..."
While Chika was speechless, she knew well that she was lucky enough to have Nifuji as her older brother, a lover, or even a sugar daddy.
If she went on a trip carelessly to that random place, she knew well that even if she had one million yen (6,400 yen), all of that would disappear, and frankly, she just couldn't bear it to see her bank account become empty, especially when she had worked hard to collect it.
"Oh, but there are some mangakas who pay a lot for their assistants!"
"Is it?"
"Yes!" China nodded repeatedly. "I have heard that Eichiro Oda pays his assistants very high salaries (well above the industry average) and provides substantial yearly bonuses. He is also famously known to take his entire staff on a lavish vacation (often abroad) once a year!"
Nifuji's lips twitched. "Do you know the maker of One Piece?"
"..." Chika.
"Also, do you want to become a mangaka assistant forever?"
"..." Chika.
The reality is far more painful than a white lie.
"Comfort me, Onii-chan!"
Nifuji sighed and said, "Still, as you have decided to walk on this path, I will just support you. At best, you can just comfort me like before."
"I-I won't become a sugar baby!"
"Really?"
"...." Chika.
"I have never asked you, but what is the normal income of a mangaka?"
"Er... we were paid based on the number of pages. Each page will be paid at ¥10,000–¥20,000 ($65–$130). If someone like Oda, or those famous mangakas, can be paid ¥50,000+ per page!"
Chika showed a proud expression. "A standard weekly artist (19 pages/week) earns about $2,500/month from this. It's a lot, right?"
"Have you counted the money used to pay the assistants?"
"...." Chika.
From this $2,500, the Mangaka have to pay for their studio rent, utilities, and 3–4 assistants for a week.
Somehow, Nifuji understood why assistant wages often stay low. After all, unless the Mangaka is very rich from royalties (book sales), it is impossible for them to make money.
"By the way, how much is the royalty?"
"Typically, 8% to 10% of the book's price, so if one volume costs roughly ¥500 ($3.30), the author gets ¥50 ($0.33) per book. If you sell 1 million copies, you make $330,000 USD instantly!"
"....."
How many mangakas in the entire century could sell 1 million copies?
Yet, watching her shining, and excited eyes, Nifuji sighed inwardly and decided to support her. "Do your best. I will be supporting you."
"Thank you, Onii-chan!"
Chika clung to him and kissed his cheek repeatedly, and Nifuji then turned his head and kissed her lips.
"Let's stop. I am afraid that I can't hold one."
"Yeah, my mouth and hands are still sore."
"..." Nifuji.
"...give me your hands."
"What are you doing?"
"I am going to give you a massage."
"Really?!"
"Yes." Nifuji nodded. "Let's sit on the sofa."
"Um~!"
As Nifuji gave Chika a massage on her hands, thinking that those frail and small hands had always worked hard toward her dream, knowing how hard it was for one to succeed in the manga industry, yet still went on, as it was something that she loved, yet a love and a passion weren't enough.
He knew that instead of being brutal with her body, as she was still young, when she grew older, the way she worked definitely wouldn't work, especially when he heard how normal it was for her to work for 10 to 14 hours a day for her manga, then there was also her university lectures, and also her own manga, which she needed to draw.
It was okay when Chika was young, and frankly, many successful mangakas worked like that, such as Yoshihiro Togashi of Hunter x Hunter and Eichiro Oda of One Piece.
Yes, those two were successful, but Yoshiro Togashi had severe back pain for years, making it hard to sit and draw, forcing him to work in specific positions, sometimes lying down. Meanwhile, Eichiro Oda, even if he had created a masterpiece, was always prone to sickness every year due to the strain of his decades-long weekly work schedule.
Yes, many were successful, but at what price?
While they might be wealthy, the price of their success was something that made them unable to enjoy their wealth.
Still, he wouldn't deny her dream, but he would watch her out, and at the same time, he was curious about what kind of income the Mangaka could gain besides the payment for pages and royalties.
"Oh, there is also licensing from an anime and merch!"
"Is it a lot?"
"Well, not much."
"...." Nifuji.
"For an anime, the mangaka will often receive a one-time fee of $2,000 – $5,000 per episode from the production of an anime."
"Well, the anime can work as a massive commercial that can boost book sales."
Yes, it might not be a lot, but the anime could function as an advertisement.
"Yes!"
"What about the merch?"
"Hmm... I have heard that we will get about 1–3% of goods like figurines, t-shirts, and keychains. Ah, but my manga is about slice of life, so it won't sell a lot..."
Chika couldn't continue her answer as she cried while clinging to Nifuji.
"Okay, okay. Stop crying. At worst, you can become my sugar daughter."
"That's the worst way to comfort me?!"
"It doesn't matter, at worst, I will just take care of you, right?"
Yup, with his system, how could he take care of Chika and make her live in comfort?
"What if I am successful, and I am the one who takes care of you?" Chika pouted.
Nifuji looked at Chika weirdly and asked, "Do you want to take care of me?"
"Why not?" Chika appeared proud. "I will make you my household husband!"
Yup, if she made him useless and an unemployed man, she could monopolize him!
Yes, Chika had discovered her new purpose to create the best manga!
"..." Nifuji.
"That's if your manga is successful, okay?"
"How cruel!"
Yup, Nifuji felt like Chika's chance of success and making him into a household husband was far lower than his success and making her into his exclusive sugar baby.
Still—
"Did you bring your manga?"
"Well, I brought them in my bag. What's wrong, Onii-chan?" Chika asked curiously.
"Can I see them?"
As he thought of his ability, he felt like... he could help Chika with her career.