stonecrandall Page 52
Page 52
Are you a time traveler too?
Kasumi Shiko: Of course, it's the Japanese version.
"Kasumi Shiko: Although I thanked you yesterday in the clubroom, it's definitely easier to do it on Line."
"Kasumi Shiko: Thank you again to Itsuka-kun for encouraging me back then. I have always wanted to write a romance novel that can resonate with readers. With passion and a strong desire to express myself, I wrote 'Love Metronome,' but no one paid any attention to it."
Kasumi Shiko: Itsuka-kun probably doesn't know how confused I was back then, and even wanted to give up more than once.
"Kasumi Shiko: Until you appeared, Itsuka-kun, you were like a destined savior who saved my... child."
Senior, please don't use such a strange way of saying it...
"Kasumi Shiko: Does Itsuka-kun believe in fate?"
"Kasumi Shiko: Toyonosaki, a light novelist's destiny."
……
Volume 1: Chapter 66: The Girl's Feelings Are Slowly Fermenting (Bonus Chapter 1/5)
The sun peeked in through the gaps in the curtains, and the blanket was tossed to the corner of the bed.
"..."
Yuto Itsuka, still half asleep, was rushed to the bathroom by a strong urge to urinate before he could think any further.
After using the restroom, while brushing his teeth in front of the mirror, he realized it was Saturday and he didn't seem to need to get up so early.
"...Ptooey!"
Since Kasumigaoka Utaha asked "Does Itsuka-kun believe in fate?" on Wednesday night, she seems to have unleashed some kind of instinct.
Every night, she would chat with him on Line about the creation of "Love Metronome".
Besides that, the two would also talk about other topics, such as the impending doom of the light novel industry, the daily outfits of cute girls, and the coolest armored warriors...
To some extent, Yuto Itsuka felt that he had become her "male best friend," a role that was despised in his previous life and was deeply hated by the majority of men.
After a quick wash and breakfast, Itsuka Yuto changed into a refreshing casual outfit.
That's right, he's getting ready to go out today.
He had arranged to participate in an online live stream with the paperback station on Saturday night. Since he had nothing else to do, he decided to invite Eriri to go shopping in Jimbocho and buy some books.
The agreed time was 9:30 at the station entrance.
He arrived fifteen minutes early, leaned against the railing, and watched the passing crowds with a bored expression.
The sun is shining brightly, and the breeze is gentle; it's the perfect day for a stroll.
At 9:28, a familiar figure came into view.
Eriri Sawamura Spencer wasn't wearing her school uniform today; instead, she was dressed in a casual outfit that was clearly carefully chosen.
She wore a white lace-trimmed dress, covered by a pink cardigan, with small white flat shoes on her feet and a beige beret on her head, which made her signature golden pigtails even more dazzling.
Despite her petite figure, her fair and glossy skin, which shone brightly in the sunlight, made the men passing by drool.
She walked over with her head held high and her steps light, like a proud little peacock.
"You're here early!" Eriri walked up to him, her gaze darting around, refusing to meet his eyes.
“You’re too slow, young lady.” Itsuka Yuto glanced at the time. “There are still two minutes until the agreed time. I guess you’re not late.”
"I only took a little longer because I asked my mom to help me pick out clothes. It's basic respect for a date, don't you understand? You idiot, Yuto!" Eriri's cheeks flushed, and her voice unconsciously rose a few decibels.
"A date?" Yuto Itsuka raised an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, we were just going shopping for books and maybe discuss the live stream tonight, right?"
"That's a kind of date too, work...yes! Work date!" Eriri insisted.
"If you say so, then so be it. Let's go, let's go to the bookstore first."
"Humph!"
Eriri gave a soft hum, but obediently followed him, walking alongside him. Yuto Itsuka also subconsciously slowed his pace to make sure Eriri could keep up.
The tram wasn't too crowded, and the two found seats and sat side by side. Yuto Itsuka, taking advantage of his long legs, grabbed a window seat early.
Eriri pretended to look at the scenery outside the window, but her eyes kept glancing at the boy who was looking down at his phone.
Sunlight streamed in through the car window, falling on his slightly curly black hair. The young man's profile was slender and handsome, his expression focused.
Eriri suddenly felt her heart skip a beat, and quickly turned her head away, pretending nothing had happened, but the blush that was quietly spreading at the base of her ears betrayed her thoughts.
"Has Eriri ever been there?" Yuto Itsuka suddenly asked.
"I've been here once before. It's just a bookstore street, what else could it be special about?" Eriri pouted.
"You could say that; I'm quite interested in the development history of these places."
"Then tell me?" Eriri asked, somewhat curiously.
Yuto Itsuka put away his phone and began to speak eloquently, “Jimbocho originally had nothing to do with the bookstore district.”
"The name 'Jimbocho' comes from a hatamoto samurai from the Edo period named Jimbo Nagaharu. Later, Meiji University, Chuo University, and other schools were built nearby, and as students needed to read and do research, bookstores naturally opened more and more."
"Many students sell their used books to bookstores after graduation, and the bookstores then sell them to new students as second-hand books. Over time, second-hand bookstores have developed."
Eriri listened intently. Although she also visited bookstores and some doujinshi chain stores, she mostly went to places like Animate or Toranoana and knew very little about places full of history.
Yuto Itsuka continued, "So, gradually, this street became what it is today. Publishers also like to choose locations close to bookstores for easy communication and observation."
"Speaking of which, you said you came here once, it must have been the time you went to sign a contract with Shinazugawa Bunko, right?"
The headquarters of Shinazugawa Bunko is located in Jimbocho.
“Mm,” Eriri replied.
"Jimbocho has nearly two hundred bookstores of all sizes and dozens of publishing houses. Some bookstores have empty bookshelves. If you are an independent creator with a dream, you can pay to put your work up for sale. The monthly usage fee is not expensive."
“Eh…” Eriri looked at Yuto and found that the way he talked about these topics was completely different from his usual carefree and lazy demeanor at school, which was inexplicably attractive.
“So,” Yuto Itsuka concluded, “if you’re looking for a book, you’re almost guaranteed to find it here. For creative people like us, this is paradise.”
"Hmph, you talk like you know everything. You just found it all online." Eriri silently memorized these points.
The tram arrived at the station, and the two stepped out of the station. Various bookstores lined both sides of the street.
"Let's go, I know a few shops, let's go there first." Itsuka Yuto led the way with ease.
The two entered a large general bookstore. Yuto Itsuka went straight to the history and literature section, while Eriri browsed the art section.
After he finished finding the book he needed, he turned around and saw Eriri looking at a collection of European classical oil paintings.
He didn't disturb her; he simply walked quietly to her side and picked up another book of works by a contemporary illustrator to read.
"Can you understand it?" Eriri suddenly asked.
"It's alright." Itsuka Yuto flipped through the pages. "The use of light and shadow is very bold, the color contrast is strong, and it has a strong visual impact."
Eriri was stunned; she hadn't expected that Yuto Itsuka would actually know this.
"How...how do you know these things?"
“I’m an author after all, and dealing with illustrators is part of my job. In order to better convey my ideas to illustrators, I have to learn some basic knowledge, right? Otherwise, how can I express my needs accurately?” Itsuka Yuto said matter-of-factly.
Eriri was speechless for a moment. She realized that her understanding of Yuto seemed to be stuck in the past.
An inexplicable emotion fermented in her heart.
……
Volume 1: Chapter 67: Today is Eriri's Time
At 4:30 PM, Yuto Itsuka and Eriri arrived at the Shinazugawa Bunko building.
Also located in Jimbocho.
After the two explained their purpose at the front desk, a young female staff member smiled and led them to the elevator, pressing the button for the floor where the editorial department was located.
As the elevator doors opened, an indescribable atmosphere of "struggle" wafted out, and the office area was filled with the smell of coffee, showing that people were indeed very hardworking.
Huge posters of various best-selling novels hang on the wall, including posters of "Farming King" and "Love Metronome," which are displayed side by side in the most prominent position.
The poster for "Farming King" was drawn by Eriri herself. Seeing that her work was valued so much, her cheeks flushed, but she was filled with pride.
"Itsuka-sensei! Kashiwagi-sensei! Over here!"
Machida Sonoko walked briskly towards the two of them in high heels. Today, she was wearing a smart black business suit, her short hair made her look energetic, and she had a warm smile on her face.
“Editor Machida,” Yuto Itsuka greeted him.
"Machida-san, hello." Eriri bowed slightly, a little reserved.
"Oh, Kashiwagi-sensei, you're too kind!" Machida Sonoko patted her shoulder affectionately.
Machida Sonoko's enthusiasm overwhelmed Eriri, who could only nod stiffly.
"You two, why did you buy so many books?" Machida Sonoko glanced at the bags in their hands, then turned to Itsuka Yuto with a knowing smile. "Itsuka-sensei went to replenish his ammunition again, didn't he? You're so diligent, unlike some guy who always misses deadlines."
“Hey! I haven’t missed any deadlines lately!” Yuto Itsuki retorted.
"I was talking about Xiaoshi!" Machida Sonoko waved and laughed. "Let's go, the live broadcast room is ready, let's go over and go over the process first."
Eriri asked with some curiosity, "Isn't this a live broadcast? Why do we need to go over the procedures?"
As they walked, Machida Sonoko explained, "It's to prevent any live broadcast mishaps. Neither of you teachers has ever done a live broadcast before, so we have to take precautions."
She led the two through the office area to a room with a sign that read "Broadcast Room".
In the center of the room was a long table with two computers, a professional microphone, and sound mixing equipment on it. The room was soundproofed, making it very quiet.
A bespectacled, seemingly professional technician is adjusting the equipment.
“This is our technical advisor for tonight, Mr. Yamada,” Machida Sonoko introduced.
"Hello, beautiful teacher, Kashiwagi-sensei." Yamada nodded politely.
"Hello," the two replied.
"Please put your things down and have a seat." Machida Sonoko handed them two bottles of mineral water, then took out a schedule. "The live broadcast will start at seven o'clock and will last for an hour. The first ten minutes will be a warm-up, with the host interacting with everyone. Then the two teachers will come in. We will set up a virtual avatar, so you don't need to worry about showing your faces."
Eriri visibly breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this; it was much better than wearing a mask and sunglasses.
Machida Sonoko continued, "The publicity this time has been very effective. The number of people who have made reservations to watch has exceeded 50,000 and is still increasing. The editor-in-chief also attaches great importance to it, so... we're counting on you two tonight!"
After speaking, he bowed to the two of them.
"Fifty, fifty thousand!?" Eriri's eyes widened instantly.
In the doujinshi community, if her doujinshi can sell a few thousand copies, she is already considered a top-tier artist. She only has tens of thousands of followers on Pixiv, which is already the pinnacle of the ACGN world.
At a comic convention, she gets so nervous that her palms sweat when facing a few hundred fans. Now, she's asked to speak in a live stream with 50,000 viewers.
The hand holding the water bottle trembled slightly.
Yuto Itsuka noticed her unusual behavior, and without making a sound, he moved his chair closer to her and gently nudged her with his knee.
Eriri stiffened and turned to look at him.
Yuto Itsuka gave her a look that said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
A warm feeling rose from the bottom of her heart. Eriri took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and focused her attention on the flowchart.
“These questions are just for reference,” Machida Sonoko explained. “The host will also ask questions randomly based on the atmosphere, so the two teachers don’t need to be too nervous. Just be natural and chat like you normally would.”
“Especially Kashiwagi-sensei, I know you may not be used to this kind of occasion. It’s okay, you can say less. Just throw the questions to Itsuka-sensei when it matters.”
Machida Sonoko clearly noticed Eriri's nervousness and offered words of comfort.
"I-I'm fine!" Eriri said stubbornly.
"That's good." Machida Sonoko smiled and then said to Itsuka Yuto, "Itsuka-sensei, you're the main force here, so it's up to you to liven up the atmosphere. If necessary, you can reveal some behind-the-scenes stories about your collaboration. Readers love to hear that."
She winked at Itsuka Yuto.
Yuto Itsuka gave an "OK" sign.
……
At 7:00 PM sharp, the online live stream on the official Shinazugawa Bunko channel started on time.
"Good evening, dear readers! Welcome to the special live stream before the release of Volume 2 of 'Becoming the Strongest Farming King in Another World'! I'm your host for tonight, Ai-chan!"