Tokyo Soft Rice King.

But even for light novels, a certain level of writing skill is still required to create an immersive reading experience.

Kuroba Akira is not capable of doing that yet.

However, if there are exquisite illustrations, this part can be made up for. In fact, it can not only make up for it, but also set it apart from other similar works by a large margin.

Because light novels in this world are still in their infancy, and haven't yet reached the point where there's a flood of homogenized isekai (another world) novels.

If you look at those older light novels, you'll find that the illustration quality was actually quite average.

Initially, illustrations served only as a supplement to the novel's content and to give readers a clear picture of the characters; the text was primary, and the illustrations were secondary.

However, publishers and editorial departments later discovered that exquisite illustrations could boost sales, so the illustrations for light novels became increasingly elaborate, even to the point of being jokingly referred to as "buying illustrations and getting toilet paper for free."

The novel's content has become less important; as long as the illustrations are exquisite enough, readers will be willing to spend money.

So if Kuroba Akira finds an illustrator he can work with long-term to illustrate his poorly written light novels, it would be a devastating blow to the current generation of light novels!

This is why, after discovering Aizono Moe's talent and skill, he was determined to win her over right now.

However, his act of directly grasping her hands, which resembled a confession, had a huge impact on the naturally shy Aizono Moe.

Her face flushed red like a sunset, her eyes glazed over in panic, and she was so terrified that her soul seemed to leave her body.

Lin: "What are you saying all of a sudden!"

It was Shirai Shiori's voice that brought Aizono Moe back to her senses. After regaining her senses, Aizono Moe lowered her head shyly and whispered a reminder.

"Um... Kuroba-kun, hand, hand..."

"Oh, sorry, I was so excited."

However, Akira Kuroba showed no intention of letting go, continuing to hold Moe Aizono's hand and speaking in an extremely sincere tone.

"But I sincerely hope that you will be the one to illustrate my novel!"

I'm sticking with you!

"Of course, I'm not saying you have to contribute to me for free. After the novel is published, in addition to the illustration fees, I'll give you half of the royalties, how about that?"

Although illustrators are usually paid separately, Kuroba Akira didn't mind giving her a larger share of the money, all in order to get her on his side.

Where can you find an artist of this caliber? They're incredibly rare!

Although Aizen Moe had no concept of payment, she realized that her drawing, which she had always treated as a hobby, was being strongly demanded of her by the boy in front of her, making it impossible for her to even think of refusing.

She was just worried that she had never illustrated a light novel before, and wondered if she could do it well.

"Uh... you want me to draw illustrations for light novels...?"

Anri Hitomi, who had been observing the interaction between the two, also came to their vicinity and placed her hands on Kuroba Akira's hands, resulting in a strange situation where the three of them seemed to be encouraging each other.

The class monitor's seemingly gentle embrace was actually quite forceful, causing Kuroba Akira's hand to be trapped in the middle, unable to pull it out.

Anri Hitomi said in a naive and easy tone.

"Ah, I know that. Light novels are those illustrated novels that have become popular recently. Because they are paperback editions, they are very convenient to carry around."

Anri Hitomi's understanding of light novels is the same as the understanding of light novels among ordinary people in this world.

Paperback refers to a type of small-format book that appeared starting in the Showa era. It is paperback, A6 size, and is about the size of a palm.

In the past, paperback editions were for books that had previously been published in hardcover. The purpose was to popularize books and save costs. When they were reprinted, they would be changed into small paperback editions.

However, since the beginning of the 21st century, the emergence of light novels, which are easy for everyone to read, has given paperback a completely new meaning.

In addition to being easy to read, it also has the characteristic of being 'lightweight,' which fits the term 'light novel,' so paperback editions have become synonymous with light novels.

"Um, Hitomi-chan, I know what light novels are... after all, I read light novels myself..."

Aizono Moe can be considered an otaku, and also a manga enthusiast, so she is also very interested in light novels that are very close to manga, and has bought many popular works.

Her favorite genre is campus romance, and the overly intimate interactions between young boys and girls are a plot she has always longed for.

She thought those scenarios only existed in her imagination, but it wasn't until today, when a boy actually held her hand, that she realized...

Wow, the boy's hands are so big... and he's so strong...

And it's so hot...it feels like putting your hand inside a kotatsu (heated floor warmer)...

No, now is not the time for sentimentality!

Aiyuan Moe quickly banished her fantasies and said, feigning composure.

"Um, I just don't quite understand why Kuroba-kun specifically asked me to draw illustrations for him? Kuroba-kun probably hasn't seen my drawings yet..."

"I can read palms. I can tell just by looking at your hands. Aiyuan, you are definitely capable of doing this job."

"Well……"

Being unconditionally trusted made Aiyuan Moe feel both elated and uneasy due to her lack of self-confidence.

"But... well, I've never drawn illustrations before..."

"It's okay, I'll show you how to draw it! Aiyuan, you're very talented, you'll learn to draw illustrations very quickly, and you'll even draw better than everyone else!"

"Then... shall we give it a try...?"

Aiyuan Moe was almost overwhelmed, but because she couldn't make up her mind, she looked at her two best friends.

But before the class monitor could express his opinion, Kuroba Akira spoke first.

"As the class monitor just said, the Literature and Art Department doesn't have any serious activities right now. So if we take this opportunity to produce something like a published novel, even if we don't have enough members, the student council won't be able to do anything about it. We can also use this opportunity to make the Literature and Art Department famous and attract more people to join."

By using the pretext of the Literature and Art Club's continued existence to pressure Aiyuan Moe, even if she doesn't care about royalties or profit sharing, as a member of the Literature and Art Club, she will have no choice but to help.

At the same time, he also had the support of the class monitor, and Kuroba Akira felt that his statement was impeccable.

However, Shiori Shirai's anger was completely ignited by these words, and she could no longer remain silent.

Saying you're reading palms is just a way to use this opportunity to say some sweet words and then add the innocent little cutie to your harem!

She could no longer stand idly by; she couldn't let Kuroba Akira's evil intentions succeed!

But judging from Hitomi's expression, she was clearly on Kuroba Akira's side. If I wanted to refute him, I could only start by attacking his ridiculous idea.

"Ha... Publishing... You really dare to say that. Are you underestimating professional writers?"

Kuroba Akira calmly responded to these sarcastic remarks in his mind.

I don't mean to belittle professions.

Because I'm a professional.

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The loser has to strip naked.

Currently, the only one in the Literature Club who holds opposing views is Shirai Shiori, so Kuroba Akira's next goal is to persuade her.

"I don't mean to belittle any profession. As the class monitor mentioned earlier, I also write novels, but my writing is terrible and my descriptions aren't very good either. So I thought that if I could have some beautiful illustrations to make up for it, even if it's not a bestseller, I should still be able to get a chance to publish it."

Akira Kuroba thought he had been very 'modest', but he didn't expect that Shiori Shirai would see it as utter 'arrogance'.

"Publishing? Kuroba, do you really know what publishing means? Do you know how many rounds of feedback and revisions a work needs to go through before it can be published in its complete form? Do you know how difficult it is to become a professional writer? Do you know how many people get stuck at the award stage and never get the chance to be published?"

No longer silent, Shirai Shiori spoke with sharp, thorny words, uttering a series of suffocating rhetorical questions.

The tense atmosphere surprised the other two girls as well, as they had never seen Shiori Shirai so agitated.

It's worth noting that Shirai Shiori is usually quiet and doesn't talk much, but she listens very attentively to others and would never contradict someone so directly.

Gentle, well-educated, and a lady from a noble family are all words that are very suitable to describe Shiori Shirai.

So Kuroba Akira might be the first person to make her so angry.

And she continues to produce output.

"I'm not mocking you for writing a novel, Kuroba, but for presumptuously thinking you can publish it after only a short time! Do you think publishing a book is that easy?"

Kuroba Akira shrugged, unconvinced.

"I know it won't be easy, but how will I know if I don't try?"

"Hmph! Stop talking nonsense! Do you think you can become a writer just because you write well in Chinese class? Do you think others haven't thought of those 'brilliant ideas' you've come up with? If becoming a writer is that easy, then even someone with Chuunibyou can become a professional writer!"

3 "..."

These words did not bother Kuroba Ming at all. Instead, he was thinking...could the second-year syndrome you are talking about be me?

Because the period of "chuunibyou" (middle school syndrome) is the time when creative desires are at their peak, many people's creative journey begins with this dark period of their past.

"Trying to use illustrations to cover up your own novel's shortcomings in writing shows that you simply don't have the ambition to become a professional writer!"

That's true.

After all, Kuroba Akira just wanted to make money from the novel.

For him, writing novels was not a lifelong pursuit, nor a cherished goal, nor a sacred hall.

It's just a means to make a profit.

From this perspective, its purity is indeed insufficient.

Then he realized that the reason the girl in front of him was so serious was probably because she was the one who dreamed of becoming a writer.

Her anger stemmed from the fact that her own words had tarnished the goals she was pursuing.

So how do we quell her anger...? Is it too late to slide to her knees now?

After venting her anger, Shiori Shirai still seemed to feel she hadn't said enough. She crossed her arms, turned her head away, and made a sarcastic remark.

"And ultimately, light novels are nothing more than low-brow works for entertainment; even if they're published, they don't really qualify as serious authors..."

However, that last sentence really got to Kuroba Akira's temper.

It wasn't that she was angry because she was being mocked, but rather that she was annoyed by Shirai Shiori's condescending attitude.

What he hates most are those superior people who have a built-in hierarchy of contempt, especially those self-important intellectuals who, just because they have read a few more books, have an air of arrogance, look down on everyone, and always act as if they are the only ones who are sober in a world of drunks.

People who read classics look down on those who read online novels, and people who play console games look down on those who play mobile games... Huh? What's wrong with that?

It's just reading a novel or playing a game, who's more noble than whom?

Although Kuroba knew that Shirai Shiori was mostly thinking of her friend and didn't want to see her friend being taken advantage of, which was why she made sarcastic remarks, her words still disgusted him.

For this girl suffering from "artsy freak syndrome," Akira Kuroba decided to disregard her feelings and give her a "love lesson" from an adult perspective.

"The class monitor just said that Shirai seems to be writing a novel as well. Although I haven't read your 'masterpiece' yet, since you can say something like that, you must be quite confident in your work."

"Well……!"