"Miss Izumi, there's no need to be so formal. You can call me Hikigaya or Hachiman."
After receiving the drawings, Hachiman began to flip through them.
Kirito, Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica, Yui.
The characters from the book came to life one after another on the pages.
Although they were slightly different from his initial impressions, they were already quite close to the original versions.
"No wonder it's from Eromanga Sensei, the art style is quite exquisite, but why do I feel like..."
While the characters are indeed finely detailed, and their movements and expressions are quite lively, there's one common characteristic among all the female characters.
That is, the characters seem to exude a touch of sensuality.
That's right, whether it's Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica, or even Yui, they all seem to radiate a hint of sensuality.
Wait a minute, doesn't 'Eromanga' mean erotic manga?
Could it be that this lady is actually a doujinshi artist?
Looking at the refined lady in front of him, Hachiman found it somewhat hard to believe.
Yet, now that he thought about it, the title Eromanga did sound somewhat familiar.
"Miss Izumi, there are some issues with these character illustrations," he said, looking at the characters oozing sensuality.
He felt they lacked the essence of the characters.
"What kind of issues?" she inquired.
"For instance, this image of Asuna. During this period, Asuna is the leader of the Clearers and is known as the 'The Flash,' so her demeanor should be more commanding."
"And this one of Lisbeth. Her personality should be that of an optimistic and lively tomboy, but this image gives off a more delicate vibe."
"And also this one..."
Hachiman conveyed his impressions of the characters in his mind to Izumi gradually.
In their conversation, time unknowingly passed 11 o'clock.
"Oh my, it's already so late!" She glanced at her wristwatch, a hint of panic in her eyes, and quickly excused herself from Hachiman.
"Hikigaya-kun, I'll be heading back today. I'll send the revised illustrations to your email in a few days, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions!"
"Ms. Izumi, how about we grab lunch together before you go? I'd like to treat you as a token of gratitude for today's help." Glancing at the time, Hachiman extended the invitation.
"Oh, no, I can't. My daughter is home alone, so I'm not at ease leaving her."
"Miss Izumi, you already have a daughter? You still look so young," Hachiman expressed his surprise.
He hadn't expected that the other party had a daughter.
"Haha, Hikigaya-kun, you're flattering me. I turned thirty this year, and my daughter is already ten years old."
Women always appreciate compliments about their appearance.
After hearing Hachiman's words, Izumi Saori couldn't help but smile and cover her mouth with a chuckle.
"In that case, I'll be taking my leave for today. See you, Hikigaya-kun."
"Goodbye, Miss Izumi."
As he watched her departing, Hachiman couldn't help but sigh.
At 23 years old in his previous life, he reflected on the contrast between Miss Saori, who already had a ten-year-old daughter, and his own situation in his previous life.
And thinking Shizuka and Sonoko, both still without boyfriends, he couldn't help but wonder about the significant disparities in people's lives.
However, the thought of Sonoko sparked an idea in Hachiman's mind as he gazed through the window at the Kadokawa Building across the street.
Since she was in the vicinity, he decided to invite her to lunch.
With this idea in mind, he retrieved his cell phone and dialed Sonoko's number.
"Um, Hachiman?"
Sonoko, who was at work, glanced at her mobile phone in confusion upon receiving the call.
"Hey, Hachiman, what do you need?"
"Haha, Sister Sonoko, it's been a while."
"The illustrator and I were discussing illustrations today, and we happened to be near Kadokawa.
I thought of you and wondered if you'd like to join me for lunch?" Hachiman extended the invitation with a smile.
"Sure, let's have lunch together. Where are you? I'll come over right away." Upon hearing the lunch invitation, Sonoko readily agreed.
"Don't trouble yourself. I'm downstairs at Kadokawa at the moment. Just come outside."
"Alright, I'll wait for you; I'll head down now." Sonoko promptly ended the call.
After stowing his phone, Hachiman settled the bill and departed from the coffee shop.
Upon reaching the ground floor outside Kadokawa, he spotted his lovely editor emerging.
"Haha, Hachiman, it's been a while."
Seeing him, Sonoko warmly embraced him.
Feeling the two soft lumps pressing against his chest, Hachiman couldn't help but grin playfully. "Wow, Sister Sonoko, are you trying to take advantage of me? I'm still a decent guy."
"Hah, you're the one who took advantage of me, remember? And you know I'm still a young lady," Sonoko playfully chided, laughing.
"Tsk tsk tsk, boasting about being a young lady at the age of thirty, Sister Sonoko."
"Fuck you, I'm only twenty-seven. Let's not dwell on that. Instead, let's head to lunch." Sonoko playfully punched Hachiman and retrieved her car keys.
"How about going to the Yukihira restaurant like last time?"
"I'm fine with either option." Hachiman nodded indifferently.
He was here for a meal, so he didn't have strong preferences.
Moreover, the food there was consistently good.
"Great, let's hop in the car then."
After a short while, the two arrived at the Yukihira Restaurant.
"Welcome, Miss Machida is here," Soma, the person in charge of taking orders, greeted them.
It was evident that Sonoko was a frequent visitor here.
"Hey, I'm here again, Yukihira-kun."
Sonoko Machida placed their orders, and it didn't take long for Soma to bring their food over.
While they enjoyed their meal, their conversation naturally revolved around Hachiman light novel.
"Hachiman, the editor-in-chief has approved your third volume, and it will be officially published in the middle of this month."
"That's fantastic. I'm truly grateful for your assistance, Sister Sonoko," Hachiman said with a smile.
"Anyway, the most crucial thing is that your light novel is exceptionally well-written, Hachiman; otherwise, Kadokawa wouldn't have agreed to publish it so quickly," Sonoko waved her hand.
"I have some good news for you. The sales of your first volume have now surpassed 100,000 copies, which is a clear indicator of your light novel excellence. If this momentum continues, there should be no problem reaching a total sales figure of over 5 million copies for your light novel."
Towards the end, Sonoko appeared a bit excited.
"Five million, it's been a while since I've had an author with sales of five million."
"Five million is good, but my aim is ten million !" Hachiman's ambitions far exceeded the five-million mark.
"Haha, you're quite ambitious. Work hard for it! If you can reach ten million, I might just secure the position of editor-in-chief," Sonoko encouraged upon hearing his goal.
"No worries, Sister Sonoko, I guarantee you'll attain the position of editor-in-chief," Hachiman expressed his confidence in the sales prospects.
"But Hachiman, recently, Misty Hill mentioned to me that she wants to make some revisions to the first volume. Is this your suggestion for her?"
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A/N:
The name "Kasumigaoka" is also of Japanese origin. The meaning of "Kasumigaoka" can be broken down as follows:
- "Kasumi" means "haze" or "mist."
- "Gaoka" means "hill" or "elevated ground."
So, "Kasumigaoka" could be loosely translated as "Hazy Hill" or "Misty Hill" in English. It's a descriptive name that might evoke a place with rolling hills covered in mist or haze. Keep in mind that Japanese names, including place names, often carry poetic or evocative imagery.
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Chapter 42: "A Date with Yui"
Chapter 43: (Hidden Title)