How to raise a random guy's wife

It's a good thing that Megumi Kato has friends.

Kato Megumi asked worriedly, "What's wrong?"

"Ugh~~ My brother went too far~~ If it weren't for family, I would have left the club long ago!" Hashima Izumi took a sip of coffee. "It's unbelievable. He only looked at it for five seconds and then asked me to redraw the picture that took me a whole day to finish, and the only reason he gave was 'because it won't sell well'!"

Kobayashi Sora smiled and said, "Then when you ask him, 'How else should it be drawn?' he will only say something like, 'How could I possibly know?'"

"That's right!" Bo Island nodded vigorously, his chest heaving.

Kobayashi Sora looked out the window. "That's the way it is. If you can draw, you can be an artist; if you can write stories, you can be a screenwriter; if you can't do anything, you can be a producer."

“I can understand that my brother can’t draw at all, but…” Bo Island complained, “Even if I’m asked to redraw it, my brother won’t postpone the trip, and he goes out with different girls every day! I want to go too!”

Uh... it seems... these two siblings have... different... understandings of playing.

“Everyone has their own job responsibilities,” Kato Megumi comforted her. “This kind of situation happens often.”

"Sigh, I'm almost used to it by now." Hashima Izumi opened his bag. "Anyway, this is a work that has been born after going through all sorts of hardships. Please accept it, senior."

What was handed to Kato Megumi was the finished product of the doujin game "Eternity and the Gospel of Setsuna".

"It's already done."

"Yes, the master copy was sent to the factory for pressing yesterday." Boshima Izumi paused for a moment. "Actually, I came here today feeling a little uneasy."

"Eh?"

"Because I knew you guys were playing games at Kobayashi-senpai's house," Hashima Izumi explained. "I was afraid Sawamura-senpai would leave first, then wait for me at the corner with a few followers, saying things like, 'A girl like you is ten years too young to compete with me!' Then she'd stomp on my game disc, push me into a muddy puddle, and point and laugh at me with her followers. I was so scared and ashamed that I didn't dare say a word back. I could only go home covered in mud, crying, take off my dirty clothes, and go into the bathroom to wash up. I felt so resentful and sad... I cried while washing, and even after I finally finished crying, tears kept welling up again. Kashiwagi Eri..."

“It’s not that bad…” Kato Megumi interrupted Hashima’s departure into the sea.

"So, since you have such thoughts," Kobayashi Sora said, "why did you come here in the first place?"

With a determined look on his face, Hashima said, "If Sawamura-senpai treated me like that, I would go straight to senpai, all disheveled, and expose her true colors!"

Xiao Lin Kong Qing: "..."

Girls grow at an astonishing rate when facing their arch-rivals.

Chapter 273 Creative Dilemmas

Although they are sworn enemies, their goals are clearly different.

However, they are working in the same direction.

The artist who used to leave the cover blank because there wasn't enough time, and whose sketchbook turned into a line drawing in the meantime, can now complete the club's work on time.

After waking up from her fantasy about going to sea on Po Island, she said, "After experiencing this project, I have truly realized this."

"Hmm?" Kato Megumi asked curiously, waiting for the rest of the story about Hashima's departure from the sea.

“In the past, I would only draw what I liked when I felt like it, simply pursuing my hobby.” Hashima Izumi said earnestly, “But even if it could last as a hobby, I wouldn’t be able to compete with others at a higher level.”

"While loving what you do is the best state, hating what you do is the norm." Kobayashi Sora chuckled. "Turning your interest into your job only requires a momentary impulse, but maintaining interest in your work requires a long-term struggle with yourself."

"Is it the same for Senior Kobayashi?"

"Me? No..."

"Eh?"

“There’s another saying,” Kobayashi Sora blinked, “When men and women work together, the work is less tiring.”

“Kurō,” Kato Megumi cautioned, “don’t say things like that to children.”

"I'm not a child anymore... and Kobayashi-senpai was just saying that." Hashima Izumi waved his hand. "My brother... let's not talk about him."

Kato Megumi and Kobayashi Sora had to work, and they needed to hurry to Aki Tomoya's place after their sea trip to Hashima, so they left after a short while.

“Iori Hashima’s challenge…” Kobayashi Sora fiddled with the beautifully packaged CD case. “I’ve already prepared it here. And you guys—that’s probably what you’re thinking.”

Want to play a game?

"Let's talk about it later," Kobayashi Sora shook her head. "Let's finish ours first."

-

From: Eriri Sawamura

To: Kobayashi Sora

Today's portion.

Although there was only one, I completed several of the remaining sketches.

I'm already working on the plot of the Xunli storyline.

Although I knew this beforehand, this storyline is different from previous ones in style.

The line art and coloring may require slightly different brushstrokes than before.

Therefore, I might slow down my painting from tomorrow onwards.

But it's alright.

The progress is ahead of schedule, so there's no need to worry.

-

From: Kobayashi Sora

To: Eriri Sawamura

It has already been added to the game and there are no parts that need to be modified.

As for adding CGs, the priority is still completing the current content.

Pay attention to balancing work and rest, and don't put too much pressure on yourself.

-

Reply to Eriri Sawamura: I'm the type who does things at my own pace, so I can't start writing until I decide on the number of pages as early as possible.

Reply to Kobayashi Sora: There's no need to add anything at the moment; don't put too much pressure on yourself. Here are a few recipes you can try during your breaks to change your mood.

Reply to Eriri Sawamura: I understand.

-

"It feels just like a long-distance relationship." Kasumigaoka Utaha, having had a good rest, came to Kobayashi Sora's house after a long time. "As time goes by, we've become more and more distant."

“I have a similar feeling.” Kato Megumi nodded. “Even though things are going smoothly with Eriri, I still have this uneasy feeling.”

"Really?" Kobayashi Sora reread the email. "It's alright."

“Take another look,” Kasumigaoka Utaha glanced at Kobayashi Sora, “Her tone has changed noticeably these past few days. She’s getting more and more agitated, and she’s becoming increasingly impatient with your...your opinions. She’s using far fewer interjections, which means she’s getting agitated right now.”

“If that’s the case…” Kobayashi Sora frowned slightly.

"That's great. The interaction in this email can definitely be used as a reference for my writing, like the heroine who gradually becomes indifferent." Kasumigaoka Utaha moved the mouse. "Although I was worried for a while, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

"Huh?" Kato Megumi asked curiously, "Is it the same for you, Senpai?"

"You too?"

"I'm fine." Kobayashi Sora shrugged. "Eri has been worried ever since she left, afraid that something might happen there and I wouldn't be able to get there in time. So I've had the driver on standby these past few days, and I've also found someone to help with the game's production."

“That kind of worry… my worry is on a different level.” Kasumigaoka Utaha crossed her arms. “I heard this from an editor…”

“Ms. Machida, is it? There’s no need to use ‘someone’.”

Kasumigaoka Utaha glared at Kobayashi Sora, "Simply put, when a creator is on the verge of a deadline, you absolutely cannot let them go—because they really will."

Kato Megumi was taken aback. "Huh?"

“First comes stage one, where the wording becomes inexplicably aggressive,” Kasumigaoka Utaha held up a finger. “Then comes stage two, where self-blame begins; further on is stage three, where replies become increasingly slow; then stage four, where self-pitying phrases like ‘I want to die’ or ‘I can’t take it anymore’ are used regardless of what others say; finally, stage five, where one day, you can no longer contact them. Ah, and there’s stage six, where even if you desperately try to find the missing female creators, you’ll reportedly find that most of them are living comfortably in their hometowns, or have already changed to a male pen name to take on other work, and in the end, they’re actually doing quite well.”

Kato Megumi looked troubled. "Eri is moving to England?"

“It’s not that bad,” Kobayashi Sora rubbed Kato Megumi’s head. “What you mean is that Eriri has entered Phase One, and things will only get worse.”

“That’s about it.” Kasumigaoka Utaha stared at Kobayashi Sora. “On the contrary, I’m more surprised that you didn’t prepare for this—this kind of thing is quite common when working at RER.”

"That was the case before I came to RER," Kobayashi Sora replied.

Why were there no corresponding preparations?

On the one hand, it's because under Kobayashi Sora's information network, he hasn't encountered an employee who dares to slip away from him for a long time.

On the other hand, Kobayashi Sora didn't treat Eriri as an employee.

This is only natural.

We went to school together, worked together, and created together. I've seen her in high spirits and seen her in a state of disarray. She's also my girlfriend's good friend.

No matter how ruthless Kobayashi Sora is, she can't treat Eriri as an employee.

Of course, no corresponding preparations would be made.

"So, what do you plan to do, producer?" Kasumigaoka Utaha's voice was low. "If we go now, it will disrupt her creative process, but if we don't go, her condition will only get worse."

Chapter 274 I Saw the Sea

"Senior," Kobayashi Sora looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha, "can you stay tonight?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked at Kato Megumi, "Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

“Hmm…” Kato Megumi thought for a moment, “Kōshō wouldn’t do anything bad.”

"What if he tries to take advantage of me?"

“I’m here for you,” Kato Megumi replied.

“Right now, Megumi and I each do a part, and then we correct each other’s mistakes,” Kobayashi Sora explained. “If my senior could help with the test play, the production progress could be accelerated.”

"so?"

“Just like Eriri trusted you back then, even though the situation is a bit bad now, we should still have faith in her.” Kobayashi Sora’s gaze was firm. “But just like Eriri helped you back then, we should also be prepared to help her. Let’s wait two more days and then make a decision.”

"Kong Qing, you've changed a lot."

"Is there?"

"It seems you weren't just saying that." Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled. "Then let's begin."