"..." The excited Elf became silent.
Why did things go so orange-peel sour all of a sudden? And what about the boy? Has he become a redundant character?
"There's no rule that a chance encounter must only be between a boy and a girl, right?"
Homura stretched lazily and explained to Elf as he seemed to catch her confusion.
"Well... alright then..." Elf agreed with the reasoning.
"With such a strong determination, she managed to overcome the obstacles of the world itself... love can really be twisted." Rintaro sighed. Though he said this, his expression showed he was quite content.
"If it weren't for that intense determination, her creator wouldn't have been saved..." After saying that, Muramasa said to Homura with pity. "Minamiya-kun, if this story wasn't for collaboration, it could have been written even better."
"I might turn it into a manga in the future." Homura spoke calmly as he understood her point.
"That's good." Muramasa just wanted interesting stories, the rest didn't matter at all.
"But... is the story ending already?!" Elf was speechless. "Don't tell me the next turn is going to start a new one?"
Homura smirked and pushed the laptop in front of Elf.
"No, we continue. Next is about transmigration to another world. Elf, this is your specialty, no problem, right?" Homura asked with a playful smile.
"This lady knew you would pick me..." Elf muttered. "But, two girls in another world, and the boy... I guess another world is the right choice, that's where I excel. No boys? Just adopt one and be done with it. Alright! No problem, leave it to me!"
Elf quickly started typing.
Homura's eyebrow twitched. Did he hear right? Adopt a boy? Why did he have a strong sense of deja vu?
He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. After all, he already handed the story over to Elf.
Later on, Homura chatted with Muramasa, Rintaro, and Elf while the latter was also engaged in writing from time to time.
Soon, Elf completed her continuation.
She adopted a boy and made him the new protagonist, embarking on a journey of showing off and chance encounters, along with some romantic luck. It was a classic approach to writing an Isekai novel.
Sagiri had also finished her illustrations. Elf had always wanted her to illustrate for her, and this time, her wish came true!
Finally, it was Muramasa's turn. She selected another character in the same world setting, who went on to enter a magic academy, engaged in battles, and finally defeated the protagonist created by Elf.
This ending left Elf fuming with rage!
Homura found it all quite amusing. He never expected such a move from Muramasa. She really didn't waste any opportunity to challenge Elf.
===
"Muramasa, Umezono-sensei, we should take our leave now." Having concluded the collaborative novel, Homura checked the time and suggested they go.
"So urgent? How about staying for lunch?"
Before Muramasa could respond, Rintaro spoke first, whether due to the enjoyable conversation with them or for his daughter's sake, who knew?
Maybe it was a bit of both.
"I need to go back and cook for my little sister." Homura said with a smile.
"I see..." Rintaro pondered briefly, about to say something when Sagiri spoke up.
"It's alright, Nii-san. Nanami is still at home, so you can trust her for cooking. Have lunch over there and come back later."
Rintaro also smiled and looked at Homura without saying a word.
Homura shrugged. "Well, since that's the case, how about staying for a meal before leaving?"
"Umezono-sensei, what if we all cook together?" Homura smiled and suggested. "We're all pretty skilled in cooking, y'know."
"No need for that. You all come over as guests; how could I make the guests cook?" Rintaro waved his hand, rejecting Homura's idea.
"We cook together, you can also cook with your daughter. Isn't that nice?" Homura said with a teasing smile.
Surprisingly, this made Rintaro's interest spark.
"Then let's do that." Elf's voice caught everyone's attention. "Homura and I will each cook a dish, and the rest can be up to you and your daughter. Let's make it a sort of potluck game, like a collaborative novel earlier. Cooking together can be fun, y'know. Besides, you can see our skills and get an idea of what will your daughter eat after she lives with us."
The three exchanged glances and nodded in agreement with Elf's suggestion.
===
Amid Rintaro's admiration of the dishes, their lunch came to an end.
Homura and Elf bid farewell to the Umezono family and set off on their journey back.
Muramasa didn't accompany them but planned to head directly to Akihabara to meet with everyone tomorrow for Muse's concert.
===
On the train.
"This trip went pretty well." Elf gazed out of the window, feeling quite pleased.
"Yeah, we can finally announce Muramasa's membership in Another Dimension now." Homura spoke while taking out his phone.
Elf also pulled out her phone with a grin, waiting to see the information Homura was about to share.
...
Minamiya: I've finally fulfilled my promise by signing all the manga books for everyone! As promised, after the vacation, you can use the voucher to claim your items at the designated Manke Bunko Store. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Oh, by the way, let me share some good news with you all! Yamada Elf-sensei and I are on our way back from Chiba. Can you guess what we've been up to?
What? A date? Let me give you another clue! It's a party of three when we're in Chiba! Senju Muramasa-sensei is with us... Yep, you probably figured it out by now!
Starting today, Senju Muramasa-sensei is officially joining Another Dimension! How? How? Are excited?! You must be!
Our circle's new work is about to begin, and this time, it's a chance for both Yamada Elf-sensei and Senju Muramasa-sensei to shine! Let's cheer!
...
"..."
Elf couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Homura's promotional messages were always just a few lines, but they somehow made things seem grander than they were!
But, this kind of conversational promotional approach was more approachable and less formal. The responses from fans were indeed more enthusiastic.
"I've put the word there. Don't disappoint everyone, okay." Homura grinned at Elf.
"Hmph~! Do you think this lady is just anyone?" Elf gave him a teasing look. "This is just a small show!"
"Releasing news in advance can be quite stressful for most people, as they fear they won't meet their fans' expectations..." Homura said while looking at the objects and scenery flashing by outside the window. "But for us, there shouldn't be much pressure, right?"
"It's even better if more people pay attention." Elf nodded in agreement. "Only then can there be a more explosive response and more people will know about us... this is the most exciting thing to look forward to..."