It was dusk, and the sunset was ever-changing.
Eriri walked along the path, the wind blowing as she constantly questioned and answered herself.
The western sky was painted crimson by the setting sun.
A gentle summer breeze caressed her cheek.
Then, as if by fate, she suddenly looked up and saw two figures emerge from a convenience store ahead. The familiar boy wore glasses, still looking as if he had boundless energy, and beside him, a beautiful purple-haired girl smiled sweetly, clinging to him like a close couple.
Tomoya Aki, and another girl.
How strange.
Eriri stood rooted to the spot. If it were her usual self, seeing this scene would have twisted her insides, made her furious, and she would have secretly followed the two until she understood their relationship before finally feeling at ease.
One of the essences of emotion is possessiveness, but why now… did she feel so calm?
Eriri blankly pressed her hand to her chest, vaguely feeling something throbbing there, like an anxious deer or an excited white rabbit.
What exactly was this feeling?
Eriri silently walked to the slope ahead and stood at the top, letting the early summer evening breeze ruffle her hair as she gazed into the distance.
She knew she had always been indecisive and afraid of change.
Despite being a young lady from a good family, she was like most ordinary people, aimlessly drifting, not knowing what kind of future she wanted, taking one step at a time.
She had vaguely sensed her feelings changing, but she only wanted to maintain the present moment.
She felt that this time was good, so she pretended not to notice any changes.
Eriri had a characteristic: tsundere and habitual avoidance. Whenever she faced a difficulty or a major choice, she would always choose the worst possible approach.
It was as if she had been misplaced by fate, like a trick of the gods. When her childhood friend was ridiculed and isolated by classmates for being into anime and manga, she chose to actively distance herself from Tomoya Aki. Even though she knew she was wrong, she kept avoiding apologizing.
She turned her back when she needed an embrace, and pursed her lips when she should have been honest.
Perhaps in some future, when faced with choices in her career and relationships, she would still lower her head and run away.
The only thing Eriri truly loved from the bottom of her heart was perhaps "drawing," one of her defining traits, but drawing was initially done only out of passion and joy.
After choosing this path, that true passion slowly transformed into something else.
That feeling, rather than passion, was more like obsession and revenge—revenge against those who had mocked her.
Eriri Spencer Sawamura lived in a transparent cocoon, weaving armor with her tsundere nature and building walls with avoidance.
So, even if she vaguely realized something now, after her internal struggle, she didn't want to find the answer.
If she faced her feelings directly, she might lose something important.
If she changed herself, her heart would feel anxious and uneasy.
She could only remain confused like this, like a little girl trapped in place, unwilling to take that one step.
Eriri wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Not far away, children smiled and ran with popsicles, tree shadows swayed slightly, and the asphalt road seemed to melt.
Summer was coming again.
Inside a large, air-conditioned bookstore, a staff member occasionally looked warily at a corner where an incredibly suspicious boy stood. He wore a black baseball cap, a mask, and sunglasses, occasionally letting out a chilling "hehe" laugh, looking exactly like a psychopathic killer from a mystery novel.
But the young man didn't pay attention to the staff; he just watched as copies of Death God from the seasonal new releases section were picked up and bought one by one, unable to help but show an intoxicated expression.
"Hmm, no matter how many times I see it, this scene of coins constantly jingling is always delightful," the author thought to himself.
Today was the release day for the second volume of Death God, and at this time, he would randomly inspect, like a dragon king hidden in the city.
But just then, he suddenly encountered a suspicious person.
Baseball cap, mask, sunglasses.
Kiyono looked warily ahead, and coincidentally, the other person also looked over.
He saw a flash of brilliant gold extending from under her hat.
She recognized his demeanor.
"Why are you here?" Kiyono spoke first.
"J-just passing by… What kind of outfit is that!"
The tsundere illustrator was completely oblivious.
After complaining, she secretly observed Kiyono. Their dynamic was still the same as before.
"If I get recognized, I'll be swamped by enthusiastic fans all day," the author sighed.
What an arrogant guy! You're not an idol!
—Although she wanted to retort that way, seeing the books selling so quickly, Eriri couldn't bring herself to say it. Not only could she not say it, but she was even subjected to an unknown attack!
"The illustrations in this volume are still very good, but aren't they less stunning than the previous one?" a boy discussed with his companion.
Ugh!
Eriri's HP -3.
"I think they're all the same, but the novel does feel a bit more outstanding."
Ugh ah!
Eriri's HP -5.
Kiyono tilted his head and glanced at the trembling Eriri. After a moment's thought, he offered her a small health potion. "It's normal to have ups and downs in your condition; don't take it to heart."
Eriri's health bar dropped by half.
The girl took off her hat and scratched her hair. She had to admit that her illustrations for this second volume were not as good as the first. She had tried to replicate the feeling of her previous work, but she just couldn't find it. In the end, she could only submit a 90-point piece with regret before the deadline.
This made her feel an inexplicable anxiety. Kiyono was getting more and more formidable, even his drawing skills were constantly improving. If she just stayed where she was, he would eventually leave her far behind.
But she couldn't help it. She had to draw doujinshi for conventions, and she had to draw for her childhood friend's game. This took up a lot of her time, especially her childhood friend's club. She could almost feel her drawing skills slowly regressing. Tomoya Aki couldn't keep up with her ideas, and Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't completely satisfy her either.
She couldn't continue like this…
Eriri's mind was restless and uneasy.
What neither of them noticed was a red-haired woman in a hat picking up a book in the crowd, slowly flipping through it, a strange smile on her face. On the other side of the bookstore, a promotional banner for the 10th-anniversary game of Realm Chronicles was hanging.
Night, Dengeki Bunko.
In the brightly lit editorial office, a quiet young woman sat silently. She had a serene aura, like a quietly blooming orchid, clear and refined.
But in the next moment, the girl's eyes suddenly widened, a look of bewilderment on her face.
"What? You said Akane Kosaka invited me to participate in her project?"
At this moment, in a villa on the hillside—
Eriri sat at a table, opening an envelope.
—Realm Chronicles Creation Invitation.
Realm Chronicles, a popular RPG game that has consistently maintained its top-tier popularity, immediately generated buzz across various platforms once the news of its brand-new 10th-anniversary commemorative work was released. From subway stations to the large screens in Akihabara, various promotions were endless, as if it were the only game left in the world.
The next day, the two invited individuals coincidentally arrived at the same place.
The names Akane Kosaka and Realm Chronicles combined seemed to possess a certain magic, drawing them here.
Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't think they could actually participate in such a project; they were more in a mindset of just observing.
"I always feel like there's some kind of trap here," Eriri said, leaning against the wall in the silent elevator, complaining.
For some reason, Kiyono's image flashed through her mind.
"Yes, maybe a scenario from Sawamura's doujinshi will appear," the black-haired girl teased.
"In that case, I'll sacrifice you and run away desperately."
Eriri snorted. The elevator arrived, and the two confirmed the room number, then slowly pulled open the door. The sliding door made the characteristic rustling sound of wooden tracks.
The moment the door opened, the first thing they felt was a clear scent of sake.
Eriri wrinkled her nose. It was a classical Japanese-style room. In the alcove, two drooping cherry branches were obliquely inserted into a celadon vase, and above it hung the character 「寂」 (jaku, "loneliness" or "tranquility") in dripping ink. The faint light from a corner lantern exuded a sense of Zen, as if they had returned a thousand years into the past.
In front of the low table, instead of tea sets, there were bottles of high-grade sake.
A woman was slumped there.
Seemingly hearing the movement, she slowly sat up, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over them.
And in that instant, both girls stiffened simultaneously, as if stung by a scorpion; the red-haired woman's gaze was so intimidating.
A name flashed through Eriri and Utaha's minds.
—Akane Kosaka.
That was a legendary name at the pinnacle of the industry, possessing brilliant creativity and an iron fist. While her peers were still worrying about sales charts, she had already stepped into the realm of commerce.
If ordinary women were cats, deer, or antelopes, then she was a leopard, an undisputed predator.
She invited us…
"Long time no see, teachers," she smiled, but the word "teachers" in her mouth held no respect.
"Have we met before?" Eriri frowned.
"Last time, at Kiyono's autograph session," the woman said, pouring herself a full cup of sake.
"Since you've both come, you should understand what I mean. Finish reading it quickly, then give me your answer."
Akane Kosaka tossed a stack of papers onto the table.
This woman is too arrogant… Eriri muttered inwardly. Although dissatisfied with Akane Kosaka's attitude, the two still sat at the low table and curiously picked up the original proposal for the game project.
Then, their eyes slowly widened.
Their breathing also stopped.
She inexplicably felt a gentle breeze blowing from afar, carrying the scent of grass and earth. Under the warm and gentle breeze, she seemed to see boundless grasslands rippling like an emerald green sea, giant dragons' massive wings tearing through the clouds, and ancient, weathered, and desolate colossal ruins.
The vine-covered church echoed with hymns, knights guarded princesses, bards sang of the valiant fallen on battlefields, and children, holding sunflowers, walked through the lively celebrations of the Sun Festival…
This was a vast world of swords and magic.
"Th-this is…"
Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha were completely immersed in another world. Every creator would be incredibly enchanted by such a magnificent world, especially those who grew up with this game.
And when they thought that they might have the opportunity to personally participate in this work… their fingers trembled slightly, and their hearts were strongly impacted.
Just then, Akane Kosaka dropped a second bombshell.
"Fuyutsuki will also participate in this project."
She watched the expressions of the two opposite her, gently swirling her wine glass, then drank it in one gulp.
Kiyono…?
Eriri unconsciously whispered the name, her eyes wide. Not only could they participate, but they could also collaborate with Kiyono?
The thought of being able to jointly create this grand world with Kiyono brought only one voice to both their minds.
That was, they had to do it.
They absolutely had to do it.
However, after Kasumigaoka Utaha calmed down, she keenly noticed something unusual and suddenly spoke:
"You're lying, Miss Kosaka. How could that person write a game script?"
He was a literary writer, and this year's top-selling award-winning literary writer. No matter how famous the game was, you couldn't just casually invite such a "master."