The small office of Horizon Press smelled faintly of ink and freshly printed pages.
Miyako sat across from Claire, the head editor, as sunlight filtered through the tall windows. A copy of Two Worlds, One Dream lay between them, its cover glossy and new.
Claire smiled warmly. "You've done something remarkable, Miyako. Your story has heart, and your characters feel alive. Now…" She leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharp with curiosity. "How do you feel about creating something new — something a little different?"
Miyako tilted her head. "Different?"
"Fantasy," Claire said. "We'd like you to make a new manga — one that shows your imagination beyond the real world. Castles, magic, queens, heroes — something that lets readers escape."
Miyako blinked. "A fantasy story?"
"Yes. You have a gentle way of drawing emotion. I'd love to see how you capture wonder — the kind of world only you could imagine."
Miyako hesitated. She had always drawn life as she saw it — real people, real feelings. But maybe this was her next challenge… to draw a world not from memory, but from her heart's imagination.
"I can try," she said softly.
Claire smiled. "That's all I needed to hear. Take your time — I trust your instincts."
---
The familiar scent of paint and pencil lead welcomed her as she stepped into the art club room.
Ethan was hunched over his sketchpad, his headphones on. When he noticed her, he grinned. "Hey! How'd the meeting go?"
Miyako dropped her bag onto a chair and exhaled. "Claire wants me to make a new manga."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Already? That's fast."
"She said it should be… fantasy," Miyako explained, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Magic, kingdoms, that kind of thing."
"That's awesome!" Ethan said. "So, what's the story about?"
Miyako hesitated, tapping her pencil against the desk. "I don't know yet. I've been thinking all the way here, but no idea came to me. Only a title."
He leaned closer. "A title? What is it?"
She smiled faintly. "The Eternal Queen of Althra."
Ethan repeated the words quietly, testing their sound. "The Eternal Queen of Althra… sounds powerful. Kind of mysterious, too."
Miyako nodded, her eyes distant. "I don't know who she is yet. But I can feel her… someone who carries something heavy. Maybe a queen who never dies, but keeps losing everything she loves."
Ethan listened, intrigued. "That's deep. You're already halfway there."
She laughed softly. "Maybe. But I need to learn how to build worlds — not just draw them."
He nudged her gently. "Then start small. Sketch the queen first. Maybe she'll tell you her story once you bring her to life."
Miyako smiled, inspired by his words.
She opened her sketchbook to a blank page, the paper bright and waiting. Her pencil hovered for a moment, then began to move — smooth, deliberate strokes forming the outline of a woman in a flowing gown, wearing a crown that seemed too heavy for her head.
When the first shape appeared, Miyako whispered, almost to herself,
> "The Eternal Queen of Althra…"
Ethan watched her quietly. "Looks like another world's about to be born."
Miyako smiled faintly, never looking up from her page.
> "Maybe this time," she said, "I'll draw not just life… but eternity."