manga artist Kirito

Page 224

After saying that, he hung up the phone without giving Rita any time to continue.

In her luxurious villa in England, Rita stared at the screen indicating the video call had ended, a disgruntled grin spreading across her face. She clenched her pale fist and slammed it onto the table…

Then, expressionless, she withdrew her hand and silently turned her head away. "Ouch—it hurts!"

"Shido, you bastard! You actually hung up on me! That's outrageous!"

"You'll pay for this!"

…………

"Kasumigaoka Utaha... What an idiot! Would it kill you to come back from Hell Valley and then talk to me like this? And you've sent so many messages in a row..."

The taskbar dropdown shows the email address with the name Kasumigaoka, and the time was around... when he was rehearsing lines with Shiina Mashiro?

In other words, this is a notification sound that Yui deliberately turned off so as not to be disturbed while rehearsing her lines?

...Wait! Oh my god!

I completely forgot, Yui... can hear everything!

"Absolutely amazing..."

Kiritani-kun's current feeling is like he'd asked a girl out, only to discover that the owner of the inn they were going to was actually his own daughter—can you believe it or not? He's still alive!

It seems I should really thank my daughter!

"But then again, what urgent matter could Kasumigaoka possibly have that would require sending me so many emails right now?"

Therefore, Kiritani-kun did not return the call immediately, but instead opened the unread emails, and a large amount of text came into view—

[Teacher, please call back immediately after receiving this email. I have something I want to discuss with you! —by Kasumigaoka]

[I've already come up with the outline for Volume 5 of "Love Metronome." I'd like you to take a look first so I can confirm if there are any revisions needed. I'm currently returning to the inn from Hell Valley; please call me back to let me know your location.]

—Well, that's not surprising.

Starting from the third volume of "Love Metronome", Kasumigaoka Utaha often discussed everything with Kiritani-kun, from the outline to the details. Just as Kasumigaoka Utaha called Kiritani-kun, she truly regarded him as a mentor in the industry. Whenever she felt something was slightly off, she would directly ask him for his opinion or suggestions.

Although this is not ideal, since he has taken on this title, he should still offer the help he needs. However, Kiritani-kun doesn't have much advice to give Kasumigaoka Utaha right now. Even though "Love Metronome" is not yet in the top three of the Shinazugawa Bunko bestseller list, it is already very stable in the top five.

This clearly proves that she no longer needs anyone to teach her.

However, Kasumigaoka seems to be somewhat dependent on Kiritani-kun.

Of course, Kiritani-kun could see that, otherwise he wouldn't be worthy of an art style with the characteristic of "the sour smell of love."

But wasn't she supposed to be visiting Hell Valley to see the scenery? How did she suddenly come up with the outline for this volume...? Wait! Isn't the deadline for this volume approaching?

Wow! I was wondering why Kasumigaoka hadn't contacted me lately. Had she been slacking off the whole time?

Furthermore, you can even draft an outline while enjoying the scenery in Jigokudani... Why don't I ever have any good inspiration when I travel?

[Ten minutes have passed, and you still haven't replied to my email... Did Yui block my emails?]

No! You just can't be bothered to watch it, can you?

If you don't want me to sneak up on you tonight, please email me after you see this, my dear teacher (I personally have a thing for teachers, it feels a bit taboo).

Not only are you not replying to emails, but you're also not at the hotel. Did you go out with Asuna and Mashiro? Haha~ If I suddenly had the urge to confess to you at a time like this~ would the ending be like "Black Album" or "School Days"? (I'm getting impatient!)

"...What the hell is School Days? Why don't you talk about Higurashi When They Cry? That's the real deal when it comes to hatchets."

Kiritani-kun was too lazy to read the rest of the emails, because what he saw was... a conversation between Yui and Kasumigaoka, which was simply unbearable to watch—Yui's sharp tongue was even more scathing than Kasumigaoka and Yukinoshita's!

However, it's not entirely incomprehensible. When Kasumigaoka really gets into the zone, she's not just a perverted nymphomaniac. Just look at how she exudes black energy when she's bursting with inspiration and typing; you can clearly see that this girl actually has something wrong with her.

Shaking his head helplessly, Kiritani reluctantly dialed Kasumigaoka Utaha's number.

"This is Kiritani. Please speak frankly."

"Oh, it's the teacher! I'm at the hotel now. I just saw a machete in the yard..."

With a calm yet eerie tone, Kasumigaoka Utaha's voice came through the phone. One could roughly imagine that this woman was frantically shaking her leg while looking at the machete in the hotel courtyard.

"Whether you have a machete or not is none of your business. I'm in the bamboo grove outside. Just follow the path and you'll see me."

Regarding Kasumigaoka Utaha's current state, Kiritani-kun really wants to say that she's too naive. No matter how bizarre it is, can it compare to Asuna's kind eyes and extremely gentle tone? Can it compare to Haruno's increasingly radiant and ladylike smile?

Give up. You can't compare to others in terms of being terrifying!

"Compared to something as trivial as whether the machete will be stained with blood, teacher, do you know that in the thirteen minutes and forty-nine seconds I waited for your call, I had already almost finished drafting the outline? If I hadn't forgotten my computer, I might have even written this short plot."

Are you a typing pro?

Also, don't think I'll believe you just because you casually mention a time; you have absolutely no yandere potential.

Kiritani-kun calmly squinted his eyes. Of all the girls he knew, only Asuna and Suigetsu had relatively obvious yandere tendencies—yes, Alice and Haruno were both leaning towards being obsessive.

"...By the way, teacher, I have something very strange to tell you."

"What's the matter?"

"Just now, when I came back from Hell Valley and passed through the street, I saw a high school student on the sidewalk next to the traffic lights. He was muttering to himself like a lunatic, saying that there was no Naruto, no Fairy Tail, no White Album, and no great works in this world. Then he raised his hands and shouted, 'I, Yakumo Kaze, will save the world of anime!' and other things like that."

Kiritani-kun subconsciously remarked, "Has the Yakumo family started developing other attributes besides their color palette?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha grasped the key point, "No! Isn't the key point the names he mentioned? Especially White Album, isn't that related to Fujiwara Chikuyuki-sensei's Black Album?"

Forget it, this guy is probably some kind of reincarnated person or transmigrator... Yakumo Kaze?

Sure enough, I'll call the police later!

"How would I know? Fujiwara Chikuyuki isn't me."

Kiritani-kun raised an eyebrow. This author's name was actually a pseudonym for Xigua, and it even included the name Kiritani Kazuto—you've probably all forgotten the plot that was written when it was first released.

I heard soft footsteps behind me.

That was Kasumigaoka Utaha, carrying a shoulder bag and with a smile on her lips.

He was smiling broadly, seemingly in an unexpectedly good mood.

"Hey teacher, do you think there's a coffee shop nearby? Like the one where we first discussed the work 'Love Metronome'?"

She tilted her head slightly, holding her phone which was still in use, and spoke to Kiritani-kun, who was right in front of her.

"Perhaps, there might be."

Kiritani thought for a moment but did not give a definite answer.

"If there is, that would be really nice. It's been quite a while since I last spent time alone with the teacher."

It's true. As time goes by, from when we first met until now, it's become increasingly difficult to find opportunities to spend time alone together.

She smiled sweetly, walked over slowly, and took Kiritani's arm. "So, shall we find a coffee shop now and talk about the future of this book?"

Kiritani Kazuto rubbed his temples and nodded slightly. "As long as we're not talking about your future, then whatever."

P.S.: It's not really writer's block... it's probably just post-holiday syndrome?

Not only have I become lazy, but my back has also been hurting more and more lately (probably because I've been sitting and playing games too much).

Well, updates will resume now...

468

[NO.462 Suddenly worried that you might not understand]

The coffee shop was a bit far from the hotel; it took about ten minutes to walk there using the map app.

This is normal, though. This area is famous for its hot springs and has many unique shops and hotels. However, it's rather rare to find something like a coffee shop, especially since most of the buildings here have a Japanese-style interior. Just imagine what it would be like to drink coffee in a Japanese-style shop.

It feels out of place!

Yes, it feels incredibly out of place!

And for some reason, Kasumigaoka Utaha seems to have a special attachment to coffee shops. It's as if she has to discuss light novel plots with Kiritani-kun in a coffee shop.

Well, maybe it's just this guy's peculiar fetish?

Some psychological studies have shown that writers often have personality problems or mental illnesses.

It's pretty obvious whether Kasumigaoka Utaha has a mental illness, but as for Kiritani-kun... he seems to have some mental illness too, right?

—Actually, I have it too, but I don't know if update mania counts?

—If I update one more chapter, I feel like killing someone; the more chapters I update, the more violent I become (laughs).

But it seems normal. Someone as famous as Zhou Xun, even though teacher-student relationships were prohibited a long time ago, his wife was still his student. Besides, Zhou Xun isn't exactly normal either. To associate that level with just a white arm is something not everyone can do—I can't think of that so quickly.

Moreover, the so-called famous quotes, poems, and songs are actually terribly vulgar. For example, "In the spring chill, the emperor bestows a bath at Huaqing Pool; the smooth hot spring water washes away her delicate skin; a maid helps her up, languid and weak, just as she receives the emperor's favor." — This passage is left to your imagination.

After that, there's no need to say anything about the emperor no longer holding morning court. The reason is obvious—he was so exhausted from the ordeal that he could no longer get up!

Ahem, let's get back to the main topic...

"Give me ten minutes, and I'll write out the outline for the new paper right now."

Finding a spot by the window with good lighting, Kasumigaoka Utaha sat down and took out her notebook to start writing an outline. Kiritani-kun, being a creator himself, naturally knew that inspiration comes and goes quickly, so he just shrugged and let her be.

I called the waiter over and ordered a pizza and two cappuccinos—again, please don't be tempted to search for cappuccino, or you'll find the world is full of gay vibes.

Putting everything else aside, Kasumigaoka Utaha quickly got into the zone. However, since it was just an outline, there wasn't that chaotic, dark atmosphere. But with her typing speed, it wouldn't take her long to type out the outline of a short volume.

"Tsk..."

With one hand supporting his cheek, Kiritani smiled unconsciously as he looked at the girl sitting opposite him, who was completely absorbed in her writing. He rarely had the chance to watch Kasumigaoka Utaha write, but to be honest, the quiet feeling right now was surprisingly nice.

With her long, smooth black hair and a white headband, she looked like a beautiful girl from a literature department.

In reality, she is indeed a literary girl with rare writing skills—rare in the sense that she is determined to gravitate towards the ideal of love, even though, under the supervision of Kiritani-kun and Machida Sonoko, she dares not put any depressing plots into her books.

Of course, that would be suicidal. Her sales had barely made it into the top five of Shinazugawa Bunko, and the other authors were all eyeing her position. If she didn't handle any plot point well, the result would be obvious—she would successfully join the ranks of flops!

By the way, Asuna is consistently in the top three.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, known in the martial arts world as Blood Hand... ah no, I mean [Black Stockings Senior], and the famous light novelist in the manga club [Black Stockings Fat Woman].

In the past, Kiritani-kun found Kasumigaoka Utaha very interesting, but as time went on, the two became more and more familiar with each other, and it felt a little strange. He rarely heard her make any sarcastic remarks, and because of this, Kiritani-kun couldn't even retort with dirty jokes. Perhaps this is because their relationship is getting better and better and they are getting more and more familiar with each other.

But no matter what, Kasumigaoka Utaha is still Kasumigaoka Utaha.

"Outline done! I'll continue writing the remaining two detailed outlines."

A few minutes later, the waiter had already brought the pizza and coffee for some time, and Kiritani had already eaten two slices of pizza when Kasumigaoka Utaha finally pressed the space bar, slowly let out a sigh of relief, took a sip of coffee, and then focused intently on the rest of her work again.

...What was that saying again?

Some people say that men are handsome when they're working, and Kiritani-kun agrees.

Watermelon once said that Kiritani-kun looks cool when he's seriously handling various club affairs, and Shizuka also said that Kiritani-kun is very charming when he's fully focused on drawing manga.

Now, Kiritani-kun thinks that girls who naturally possess a literary temperament look very beautiful when they write. Their quiet demeanor is... well, it deserves at least five points.

Kiritani-kun and Kasumigaoka Utaha are on good terms now. Although he doesn't like her black stockings, he can make up for the points lost by the black stockings by her overall demeanor.

"Hmm? Teacher, you're indulging in self-admiration again? How disgusting! Please don't wear your thoughts on your sleeve. I like black stockings, and it's none of your business, you monster, to object!"

Suddenly looking up, the girl saw a familiar expression on the boy's face. She recognized similar expressions much faster than anyone else. Even though she thought white stockings were nice, black stockings were something she could never give up, just like Bilibili's safety shorts—they were a symbol, a synonym!

The boy's wine-red pupils reflected his posture: one hand holding a coffee, the other supporting his cheek, his lips slightly pursed. Kasumigaoka Utaha, who hadn't been cunning and sarcastic for a long time, found it surprisingly nice to occasionally revert to her true nature.

Of course, it's best to avoid personal attacks, as the young man sitting opposite her is far more skilled at sharp-tongued remarks.

"I wouldn't say I'm self-absorbed, but I just find your chest and black stockings a bit of an eyesore."

Kiritani smiled and raised his hand, then took out his glasses from his pocket and put them on. He then gently pushed them up. "Next time you don't wear white stockings, you can go find Eriri to look at your manuscript... Oh, you can also find Editor Machida, but if she knows that you haven't drafted an outline by the time the deadline is approaching, she'll probably seduce you!"

Yes, as a single woman living alone in her late thirties, Machida Sonoko is almost desperate about this world where you might be forced to eat dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection) just by walking down the street. She might even be planning to make a move on Kasumigaoka Utaha—Hanasaku Raiden... I mean, Hanasaku Iroha is actually quite normal.

"Is this a threat? And is it really okay to expose a teacher's sexual fetish so obviously?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped typing, blinked gently, and glanced sideways at the two men to her right. "The way those people over there are looking at you is a little strange."

Kiritani shrugged nonchalantly, "What's wrong with them taking a second look because they think I'm handsome?"

Then, he heard...

"Hey, those two girls over there are so cute! I like the lazy one... um, the one with glasses."

"Get lost! Black stockings are obviously the best—and she's clearly a lesbian, can't you tell? Daring to say this in public, they're obviously close enough to sleep together..."

"I object to this marriage!"

"One of them has great style, and the other is incredibly cute. Who gave you, a monster, the right to object!"

I probably have two "damn it"s to say in my head!