Her painting skills had indeed improved, but it was merely the accumulation of time. She still hadn't achieved the massive breakthrough she had imagined, and that was when she finally realized it.
"Ah, so I'm just an ordinary person after all."
By then, the only obsession left in her mind was progress.
She couldn't lose—she couldn't lose to herself, she couldn't lose to Kousaka Akane, and she especially couldn't lose to Kiyono.
As a result, she had already forgotten why she started painting in the first place.
"Hoo…"
Eriri threw off her blanket and let out a big sigh. Even with the air conditioning blowing cold air in the room, her forehead and back were still covered in sweat.
The girl got out of bed and walked barefoot to the balcony, pulling open the curtains. Outside, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the trees were a lush green.
She was awake at this hour even though she had stayed up late last night playing the previous installments of the game—no matter how excellent this game was, she couldn't have played every single one, so she needed to absorb the experience of her predecessors.
The blonde girl scratched her head and muttered to herself.
She knew the reason she woke up.
—Pressure.
Kousaka Akane was a general full of charisma, immediately throwing her into the high position of lead artist. Usually, this position was held by experienced, veteran artists. Now, a high school student like her had taken it, with Japan's top-tier original artists assisting her. It was easy to imagine how those people would view her.
But in fact, she hadn't faced much skepticism about being a "connected" person or disdain. Whether it was because of her beautiful appearance or their trust in Kousaka Akane's judgment, everyone still trusted her relatively well, including Kiyono.
It was precisely because of this that she felt such a heavy burden. Sometimes, expectation could crush a person more than mockery.
And… Kiyono.
Whenever she thought of that man, the corners of her mouth would unconsciously turn up, and her mood would lighten, as if bathed in sunlight.
Before, the two were partners fighting side by side. Perhaps light novels were only a part of his life, but in that short time, they had truly sprinted towards a single goal together. And now, they had an additional "comrade-in-arms" attribute.
In the field of painting, they seemed to have unknowingly become companions. They would feel anxious when they saw the other improve, and offer advice when the other was lost… However, she should be the senior now. Kiyono was still far behind her. To maintain the "senior's" composure and lead him, she had to keep working hard.
"Seriously, why did I even get into painting?"
Eriri muttered, stretched, and prepared to get ready for the company.
When she first started, there was an "I am the protagonist" fighting spirit, but in less than two days, her passion was gone, and she became a corporate drone with insufficient sleep, a fragile mental state, and physical and mental exhaustion.
The next afternoon, Eriri took the elevator, walked down the corridor, and arrived at the company's open-plan office.
The scenery in this space was as usual; time seemed to be coated with glue, becoming solidified and dull, with only the sound of air conditioners and keyboards. Everyone stared at their computer screens, as if forgetting reality and immersing themselves in that magnificent world.
However, occasionally, low whispers could be heard drifting from behind the partitions: "Project proposal… hot spring trip… year-end bonus… drink, drink, ah, ah…"
By the time they reached her ears, they had already transformed into the meaningless murmurs of vengeful spirits.
To be honest, Kousaka Akane's treatment of creators was already quite good—beautiful environment, free snacks and drinks provided all day, and a gym and lounge next door. As long as they created diligently, she never stinted on money.
But this kind of environment obviously held no appeal for a young lady. If she wanted to, she could travel and soak in hot springs all year round, so occasionally she would also ask herself if it was really worth it.
The blonde girl shook her head, her gaze casually sweeping around, then suddenly, she precisely caught sight of a certain fellow.
Kiyono was mingling in the original art section, holding a paintbrush and chatting and laughing with an older artist next to him, looking very harmonious.
Eriri pressed her forehead. You really went there!
Kiyono's position in this project was like a saint who had already achieved enlightenment, having long since transcended the three realms and five elements, yet he stubbornly insisted on re-entering samsara to reincarnate and cultivate anew.
…I'll secretly see what he's painting.
The girl put her hands behind her back and quietly approached him from behind, but the boy, as if he had a third eye, shielded his drawing with his arm.
"You're not doing something shady, are you?" Eriri taunted, displeased.
"Are you trying to turn the tables?" Kiyono tilted his head and glanced at her, huffing. "It's just that inspiration hasn't struck yet."
"Ah, Mr. Kiyono must be busy replacing Haruki Murakami and aiming for the Nobel Prize," the blonde girl deadpanned.
"Are you implying I can only write novels?!" Kiyono slammed the table. "Just wait! I'll soon overthrow your reign!"
"Ambitious, aren't you? But I won't give up easily."
The blonde girl smiled. It was incredible; just by bickering with him like this for a while, the heaviness in her heart dissipated considerably, and she had more motivation to move forward.
On this path, he would advance with her.
"Sawamura, time for the meeting," Kousaka Akane called out lazily.
Eriri responded, walked into the conference room, sat down in her usual spot, and spread out her materials.
The walls here were covered with many materials: character designs, game landscape paintings, and setting illustrations, bringing her so close to that world.
She silently scanned the wall. In this small area, all sorts of bizarre conversations and stories would be born. Some were magnificent epics, some were noble love and promises, and some were brave young men rushing alone to the battlefield.
All of this was born from this dark behind-the-scenes, from her and their pens.
She truly felt this sensation. Once upon a time, she had sat in front of the TV, controlling a small character with a controller, watching him emerge from a dark cave to see endless mountains, fields, and a vast, boundless world. She had also yearned to personally enter this world and create it.
This made her both moved and uneasy.
She had a premonition that this would be the first battle in her life where she would give her all. If she chose to escape, she might continue to do so in the future.
The girl turned her head. There sat a boy, radiant like a star, both inside and out.
Sometimes, seeing him so far ahead of her, while feeling blessed and admiring, she also felt jealous and inferior.
However, more and more, she wanted to catch up.
She couldn't quite articulate the emotions in her chest at that moment. The only thing she could be sure of was—
Ah, I came here to be with this person.
She could no longer deceive herself.
"Miss Sawamura, here are the character designs from yesterday. Please review them."
A woman in her thirties with dark circles under her eyes walked into the office and handed her a USB drive.
"Ah, alright."
Facing the older "senior," Eriri quickly stopped her work, stood up, politely took the drive, and plugged it into her computer.
What appeared on the screen was a woman in blue attire holding a blue staff. This was a small boss in a beginner-level dungeon, set as a lost little magician who accidentally stumbled into the forest and became disoriented.
The design draft's character and equipment were quite refreshing, as expected of a professional. However…
"Doesn't the material of the clothes and the hair feel a bit out of place? The structure and flow of the fabric should be more ethereal, which would highlight the character's beauty. After all, she's the first lord players encounter, so she could be cuter…"
Eriri tried to voice her thoughts. As a doujinshi master, she certainly had a right to speak on this matter.
But she suddenly closed her mouth.
Because she saw the strange look in the woman's eyes. She recognized that look—it was the disdain and helplessness of being criticized, micromanaged, and questioned by a demanding client.
After a long silence, the other party said nothing, just nodded and left her office.
Eriri felt a pang in her heart.
"What the…"
Annoyed, she walked out, wanting to take a casual stroll and get some air. But as she passed the corner, she happened to overhear a quiet discussion from the art department.
"Does Miss Sawamura have any experience in commercial games? Her female characters are very cute, but…"
"I heard she's an illustrator."
"Ah…"
"Speaking of which, the character designs by the mysterious artist who's been showing up in the character concept area recently are quite interesting."
Her heart pounded. Eriri clenched her fists and took a deep breath.
This was the world of painting; it all came down to the work itself. It wasn't like novels, where there could be different interpretations. For commercial works, you only got recognized if your art genuinely impressed everyone. She finally understood Kousaka Akane's earlier words: if you don't improve, you will truly be eliminated.
She needed to become even more—
And so, Eriri ignited her flame.
The first thing she did after returning home was to quickly eat a couple of bites, then retreat into her room, put on her gloves, and pick up her paintbrush.
Until deep into the night, the desk lamp remained lit. Whether from eye strain or unwillingness, drops of tears suddenly fell onto the eyes of the girl on the drawing paper, as if bestowing life upon the static girl. She wiped away her tears, removed that sheet of paper, and took out the next one.
Day and night alternated, and she seemed to have forgotten the concept of time, just drawing, thinking, and contemplating incessantly. It was as if she were standing at the boundary where light and darkness interwove with lines, reaching out as if to grasp something nonexistent in the night sky.
To be honest, it wasn't fun at all. She stayed up late every day, ate haphazardly, and her body was incredibly weak.
But at a certain moment, she seemed to see a light.
Her hands moved naturally—how wonderful, as if painting itself had merged into her body. Her vision was exceptionally clear, requiring no excessive thought, and emotions transformed into colors, forming a beautiful painting.
She could now effortlessly draw at her peak. That flash of inspiration, that high point, had become her everyday reality.
"Haha… I did it."
Eriri held up the painting with both hands, a brilliant smile on her face.
Then, as if afraid she would forget this feeling, she quickly drew one picture after another. No problem, everything was deeply etched into her body.
It is said that techniques mastered through effort are remembered more by the body than those learned easily. This must be that feeling now.
Her whole body was filled with fiery passion.
The eager feeling was like a confession of her heart's desire.
Do you see? I did it. I will become a partner worthy of you, a fellow traveler moving forward together. In the future, I will continue to improve. Let's compete together, argue together, and then advance together.
The world in her eyes seemed to become beautiful, sparkling.
But what did she see?
When Eriri arrived at the company, she was surprised to find a group of people gathered around the art team. She could occasionally hear exclamations of praise and Kiyono's voice. She raised an eyebrow and curiously moved closer.
For a moment, the world seemed to stand still.
The flame in her heart flickered uncontrollably.
It was a painting.
The boundless grassland was like a deep sea, the sunlight reflecting off the emerald tips of the grass. Beneath the light, a girl stood solemnly, her sword planted as she gazed at the distant horizon, possessing both the sternness of a knight and the grace of a princess. The brushstrokes were delicate, the colors vibrant.
It was truly good. She genuinely felt that.
But… why was it Kiyono?
The moment she realized this, her chest felt like it was pricked by a needle, her lungs contracted into a ball. She instinctively took a deep breath, her heart pounding rapidly.
It wasn't happiness for his progress, but quite the opposite.
—What in the world is going on?
She couldn't understand it. Kiyono was about to catch up to her. This fact left her bewildered, shocked, and terrified.
She had spent so many years to reach this point, drawing every day, constantly striving, and previously, she had dedicated most of her daily life to improvement, only to make slow, difficult progress, finally breaking through a bottleneck.
How long had this guy been drawing? Half a month? Or a month? Yet he had effortlessly improved to the point of almost catching up to her.
Of course, Kiyono's skill hadn't surpassed hers. From her perspective, there were still many areas where he hadn't done well: elements, anatomy, light and shadow… Kiyono was inferior to her in all aspects.
But this was only temporary. What if another year passed, or two years?
He would definitely surpass her.
This person was a true genius.
She was utterly convinced and certain of this.
If it were anyone else, she might just exclaim how impressive it was, without too many other emotions. But this person happened to be Kiyono.
At this moment, she felt her soul as a creator trembling, her soul being slowly chipped away by the boy's sharp brushstrokes, one stroke at a time.
This was…
"Talent."
She unconsciously uttered the word, and then, that word seemed to melt into something scorching hot, burning within her heart.
Talent.