"M-My trip? You mean that random trip that I made by using the questionnaire on Twitty?!"
"Yes."
"..." Chika.
While Nifuji was all plain, Chika was just too dumbfounded. She wanted to argue that making a manga wasn't easy, but when she thought of the possibility of her manga, the story... didn't seem as bad as she thought it would be.
Instead, this type of story was more likely to succeed.
"Your manga is about the slice of life, too. If you're looking for a more light-hearted manga, you should aim for Iyashikei, which is about a young struggling manga artist who wants to take a break by going on a random trip from Twitty.
"You know those manga where cute girls are doing something together, are popular, too, right?"
"...." Chika.
"Yes, the sales might not be high, or even low, but it is stable. More importantly, if you really do the trip-Iyashikei, you can have the city local governments, where you go, for "tourism collaboration" campaigns, giving you a different type of income..."
As Nifuji continued, Chika quickly stopped him. "Wait! Wait, Onii-chan! Wait a moment! Let me think! This is too much! Why does it sound like I can be successful?! Is it so easy to make a manga like that?! I have failed so many times, you know?"
"Yes, you can."
"...." Chika.
Unexpectedly, Nifuji had so much confidence in her.
Why did he have such confidence in Chika?
First, her skill and talent were obvious since if Chika didn't have them, how could she have won the award?
Secondly, her spirit, or rather, this was the reason why Nifuji felt like he could become successful.
Despite being rejected so many times, Chika had never stopped making manga. Yes, she might rest and take a holiday from time to time, but she had never stopped, continued to make it despite being rejected so many times.
While having the talent was good, if it wasn't supported by her hard work, it was meaningless.
What Chika needed now was direction. Where would she go, and what kind of manga could she make?
So, among all the choices of a manga that she could make, Nifuji thought that the story about her trip was the best, the story of how a tired, newcomer mangaka, who tried to erase her stress by taking a random trip.
Yes, the manga might not make the most money, but compared to the weekly manga, it might lack fame, but it didn't matter, as her focus at this moment was to make her serialization manga as soon as possible.
Moreover, she was still in the university now and instead of trying to burn her energy, desperate to make a lot of manga as soon as possible, it was better to just write something easy, and relaxing, so that way, she could make a money, graduating on her university successfuly, having a money on her trip, or even a free trip, especially when the local goverments wanted to use her manga as a way to advertise their town!
How wonderful it was, right?
Slow and easy life, yet making a lot of money by doing what they loved, wasn't that wonderful?
Still, it didn't mean that those who did the weekly manga were idiots; no, instead, Nifuji respected them, but he also knew that their bodies and minds were their most important assets, especially for a mangaka, who did everything, drawing, writing, and all other things as a single man.
Even the machines in the factories need to be maintained every month instead of being worked for 24 hours a day, 30 days a month, and 365 days a year, right?
Even AI needed energy to maintain, so how could a mangaka, who was just a human, think that they could be better than a machine?
Still—
"Do you think I can do well, Onii-chan?" Chika still hesitated.
"Yes." Nifuji nodded. "Battle manga sales often drop off once the fighting is over, but Iyashikei manga sells forever. A stressed-out college student might buy Yotsuba&! Volume 1, ten years after it came out, just to relax. Moreover, your money will come from the merchandise, too!
"Battle manga merch is cool like swords, or action figures, but Iyashikei merch is lifestyle like camping gear for Yuru Camp, tea sets for Aria, plushies, calendars. It appeals to adults with money, not just kids with an allowance.
"Have you heard Afro?"
"Afro? That creator of Yuru Camp (Laid-Back Camp)?"
"Yes, this manga single-handedly caused a 'camping boom' in Japan. While manuscript fees are standard, the collaboration money is insane. Yamaha has made a custom "Yuru Camp" scooter, and camping brands sell official gear. The author likely makes more from licensing than from the manga itself."
"...."
Chika's breathing grew intense, as her face flushed red, thinking of the possibility of her manga.
"So?"
"So..." Chika lowered her head, closed her eyes, firming her determination before she looked at him and said, "Can I go back first, Onii-chan?"
"Go."
"Thank you! I love you! I will give you comfort later when I finish!"
Chika kissed him on the lips before she dashed out to go back to her apartment to draw. She couldn't stop herself, thinking of the possibility of her new manga!
'Thank god that I have taken that trip!'
Fortunately, Chika had taken a trip to Aizuwakamatsu before, and by using that experience, she could use it for her manga!
"Wait, do you want me to send you the photos?"
Nifuji thought that his photos on their trip to Aizukawamatsu could be used as Chika's materials for her new manga.
"Please!"
Chika practically begged.
"Okay, I will send you the Google Drive link later."
"Thank you, Onii-chan!" Chika loved him so much that she didn't mind giving her first time to him.
"Go now, and draw."
"Um~!"
Chika would repay him later!
"Okay, no rush. Be careful."
Yet, when Chika left, Nifuji also started to think about something, since, as Chika could use the city where she took a trip as a way to collect materials for her manga, why couldn't he use that city as a way for his investment?
"If she can do it, why can't I do it?"
If Chika used Aizuwakamatsu as her first story, why couldn't he use this city as a target for his investment, too!
He thought about it, but he couldn't stop the possibility, so he decided to wait for a while, as he needed to do some research about what he could do in that city, and more importantly, he had an appointment to be with his first two girlfriends, Mayuri and Eri, who had been waiting for him at the cosplay expo.