How rude, we are pure love!

It was as if her fate was misplaced by the tricks of God. When her childhood sweetheart was ridiculed and isolated by classmates because of the two-dimensional world, she chose to leave Aki Tomoya on her own initiative. Even though she knew she was wrong, she kept avoiding saying sorry.

Turn your back when you need a hug and purse your lips when you should be honest.

Perhaps in the future, when faced with the choice between career and love, she will still lower her head and escape.

Perhaps the only thing that Eriri truly likes is "painting", which is regarded as one of her labels, but in fact, she only started painting because she loved it and because she was happy.

After choosing to embark on this path, true love slowly turned into something else.

That feeling was more of obsession and revenge than love - revenge against those who laughed at her.

Eri Sawamura lives in a transparent cocoon, weaving armor with tsundere and building walls with evasion.

Therefore, even though she was vaguely aware of something now, she did not want to find out the answer after being troubled.

If you face your feelings directly, you may lose something important.

If you change yourself, your heart will feel anxious and uneasy.

She could only remain confused like this, like a little girl who was trapped in the same place and refused to take that step.

Eriri wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Not far away, a child was running with a popsicle in his hand, smiling. The shadows of the trees were swaying slightly, and the asphalt road seemed to be melting.

Summer is coming again.

*

In a large air-conditioned bookstore, the clerk looked vigilantly towards the corner from time to time. There stood an extremely suspicious boy. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a mask, and sunglasses. From time to time, he would let out a creepy sneer, "Hehe", just like a perverted killer in a mystery novel.

But the boy didn't pay attention to the clerk. He just watched as the copies of "Death" in the new book area of ​​the season were picked up and bought one by one. He couldn't help but reveal an intoxicated expression.

Well, no matter how many times I see it, the sight of the gold coins bouncing around is always delightful, a certain writer thought.

Today is the release date of the second volume of Bleach. Every time at this time, he would conduct random inspections like a dragon king hiding in the city.

But at this moment, he suddenly met a suspicious person.

Baseball cap, mask, and sunglasses.

Qingye looked forward vigilantly, and the other party happened to look over as well.

He saw a brilliant golden color extending from the hat.

She recognized his temperament.

"Why are you here?" Qingye took the lead.

"Just happened to be passing by... What are you wearing?"

The tsundere illustrator has no self-awareness.

After complaining, she secretly looked at Qingye. The way they got along was still the same as before.

"If I get recognized, I'll be busy all day long with crazy fans," the writer sighed.

What an arrogant guy! You are not an idol!

——Although she wanted to complain like this, looking at the books selling at a rapid speed, Eriri couldn't say it. Not only could she not say it, she was even attacked by an unknown force!

"The illustrations in this volume are still beautiful, but aren't they as stunning as the previous volume?" a boy discussed with his companions.

Uh!

Eriri's health is -3.

"I think they're both the same, but I do feel the novel is a little better."

Ugh!

Eriri's health is -5.

Qingye tilted his head to glance at the trembling Eriri, thought for a moment, and handed her a small blood bottle: "It's normal to have fluctuations in your condition, don't take it to heart."

Ying Lili's health bar has been reduced to half.

The girl took off her hat and scratched her hair. She had to admit that the illustrations in the second volume were not as good as the first. She also tried to reproduce the paintings at that time, but she couldn't find the feeling. In the end, she could only hand in a work with a score of 90 before the deadline.

This made her feel inexplicably anxious. Qingye was getting better and better, and even his painting skills were improving. If she just stayed where she was, she would be left far behind by him sooner or later.

But she had no choice. She had to draw the comic books for the comic exhibition and the games of her childhood sweetheart, which took up a lot of her time. Especially the childhood sweetheart's club, she could almost feel that her drawing skills were slowly regressing. Tomoya Aki could not keep up with her ideas, and Utaha Kasumigaoka could not fully satisfy her.

This can't go on any longer...

Eriri's mind was restless.

What neither of them noticed was that a red-haired woman wearing a hat picked up a book from the crowd and slowly flipped through it with an inexplicable smile on her face. On the other side of the bookstore, there was a promotional banner for the tenth anniversary commemorative game "Realm War Chronicle".

*

At night, Dengeki Bunko.

In the brightly lit editorial office, a quiet girl sat silently. Her temperament was serene, like a quietly blooming orchid, sober and unworldly.

But the next moment, the girl suddenly widened her eyes and looked surprised.

"What? You said Benisaka Akane invited me to join her project?"

At this moment, in the villa on the hillside.

Eriri sat at the table and opened an envelope.

——Invitation to create "Domain War Chronicle".

*

"Realm Wars", a well-known RPG game that has always been popular, has immediately become popular on major platforms as soon as the news of its new tenth anniversary commemorative work was released. From subways to big screens in Akihabara, various promotions have emerged one after another, as if this is the only game left in the world.

The next day, the two people who received the invitation came to the same place without any prior arrangement.

The combination of the two names, Akane Ayaka and "Realm War Chronicle", seemed to have some kind of magical power, pulling them here.

Eriri and Utaha Kasumigaoka didn't think they could participate in this kind of project, they were more of a spectator.

"I always feel like there's some trap here." In the silent elevator, Eriri leaned against the wall and complained.

For some reason, Qingye's figure flashed through her mind.

"Yeah, maybe the plot in Sawamura-san's book will appear." The black-haired girl teased.

"Then I will sacrifice you and try my best to escape."

Eriri snorted, and the elevator arrived. The two of them confirmed the room and then slowly opened the door. The sliding door made the unique rustling sound of the wooden rails.

The moment I opened the door, the first thing I smelled was a refreshing aroma of wine.

Ying Lili wrinkled her nose. This was a classical Japanese-style house. Two weeping cherry blossoms were inserted diagonally in a celadon vase in the alcove, with the word "Ji" (silence) written in ink hanging above it. The dim light from the lantern in the corner revealed a sense of Zen, as if she had gone back a thousand years.

In front of the low table, there were not tea sets, but bottles of high-quality sake.

There was a woman lying there.

As if she heard some movement, she slowly sat up and glanced over inadvertently.

At this moment, the two girls' bodies stiffened at the same time, as if they were stung by a scorpion. The look in the red-haired woman's eyes was so intimidating.

A name flashed through Eriri and Shiwa's minds.

——Akane Benisaka.

It was a legendary name at the pinnacle of the industry, possessing brilliant creativity and a ruthless iron fist. While her peers were still worrying about sales charts, she had already stepped into the field of business.

If ordinary women are cats, elks, and antelopes, then she is a leopard, a true predator.

She was the one who invited us...

"Long time no see, teachers." She smiled, but there was no respect in her words about teachers.

"Have we met somewhere before?" Ying Lili frowned.

"Last time at Mr. Kiyono's book signing event." The woman filled her glass with wine.

"Now that you're all here, you should understand what I mean. Read it quickly and give me an answer."

Akane Benizaka threw a stack of papers onto the table.

This woman is so arrogant... Eriri muttered. Although she was dissatisfied with Akane Benizaka's attitude, the two of them still sat at the low table and picked up the original game plan curiously.

Then, her eyes slowly widened.

Breathing also stopped.

She inexplicably felt a breeze blowing from afar and could smell the fragrance of grass and soil. In the warm and gentle breeze, she seemed to see the boundless grassland rippling like an emerald green sea, the huge wings of a dragon tearing through the clouds, and the huge ruins that were ancient, mottled and desolate.

Poetry echoes through the vine-covered church, knights guard princesses, bards sing of the souls of those who heroically sacrificed on the battlefield, and children hold sunflowers as they walk through the lively celebrations of the Sun Festival...

This is a vast world of swords and magic.

"This, this is..."

Eriri and Utaha Kasumigaoka are completely immersed in another world. Every creator will be intoxicated when seeing such a magnificent world, especially those who grew up with this game.

And when I thought that I might have the opportunity to personally participate in this work... my fingers trembled slightly, and my heart was deeply shocked.

At this time, Akane Ayaka dropped the second bomb.

"Teacher Fuyutsuki will also participate in this project."

She looked at the expressions of the two people opposite her, shook the wine glass slightly, and drank it in one gulp.

Qingye...?

Eriri unconsciously repeated the name and widened her eyes. Not only could they participate, but they could also cooperate with Kiyono?

When they thought about being able to create this grand worldview with Qingye, they surprisingly had only one voice in their hearts.

That is, do it.

Absolutely do it.

However, after Kasumigaoka Utaha calmed down, she keenly noticed something unusual and suddenly said:

"You must be lying, Miss Hongsaka. How could that person write the script for the game?"

He is a writer, and he is also the writer who won the award and has the highest sales this year. Even if the game is famous, it is not easy to invite such a "master".

"Haha, I've been seen through. Yes, I was just making big promises, but I will drag him in."

Akane Benizaka admitted it very frankly, without a trace of embarrassment on her face, which left the two girls speechless - he didn't do it and yet he acted so arrogantly!

The woman's expression gradually subsided, and she spoke in a decisive tone.

"He is the real core of my project. No matter what the cost, I will let him write this story."

This difference in attention and treatment made them silent, but if the target was Qingye, they would not be dissatisfied.

For a moment, Eriri felt quite emotional. That guy's progress was really too fast. Fortunately, she had foresight and occupied the position of illustrator in advance, otherwise, she would have lost even the position next to Qingye.

"Can I ask a question... Why did this project come to us?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha raised her eyes and spoke in a very low voice. She was aware of her own level.

"Normally it's not your turn, but I think you and Kiyono have a good compatibility." Akane Benizaka started pouring the second glass of wine.

——So it’s just that guy’s accessory?

"Having said that, your current level is obviously not enough."

Akane Benizaka's voice was flat and straightforward, and the two of them subconsciously opened their mouths. The pride in their hearts made them want to refute, but in the end, they said nothing.

The woman finished her second glass of wine, then put the glass down with a bang and stared at Eriri opposite her.

"Kashiwagi Eri, I want you to draw a picture that's even better than the illustrations for the first volume of Bleach."

"I...how could I possibly achieve this in such a short time?"

Being stared at by these deep eyes, Ying Lili felt a sudden panic for no reason. She avoided the sight and spoke in a low voice.

I don’t know if it was because the new inspiration brought by Qingye was too wonderful or the deadline was too tight, but under the dual blessing of pressure and inspiration, she performed at an extraordinary level. After that, she wanted to try to replicate it, but she couldn’t find the feeling at that time. Qingye even subtly complained about the second volume.

Was it because... I'd wasted too much time with my childhood sweetheart? Or was it because I was taking it too easy?