---
"Hey, did you read the latest chapter of Rurouni Kenshin last week?"
"Of course I did! Kenshin's just too cool—those action sequences and that sword technique? Unreal."
"I'm not talking about him! I'm talking about the woman who showed up at the end. She's my new goddess now."
"Wasn't your goddess that girl from hidden Girl last week? You switch sides faster than a game show contestant."
---
"Mizushiro really knows how to hook you in. That cliffhanger at the end of Chapter four... Who is she? What's her story? Why does she seem so important?"
"A good cliffhanger means good writing. If the art or pacing were weak, people would drop it. This guy knows how to keep us wanting more."
---
"I want a boyfriend like Kenshin now..."
"Don't kid yourself. You don't even have a friend that cool."
laughter
---
"Wait, are you sure Mizushiro is the same person who did The Garden of Words? That was such a slow-burn romance, and this one is like... war, strategy, action, emotion—everything at once. But it's beautiful."
---
Back at school, Haruki could feel the shift too.
The conversations between his classmates—mostly anime fans like himself—had changed. The usual chatter about Demon Realm, Celestial Book, and even Hidden Girl had been eclipsed.
Everyone was talking about Rurouni Kenshin.
And even though they didn't know his secret, they found it odd that Haruki, who usually loved to talk manga, wasn't chiming in.
He didn't need to.
He was the one who created the storm.
A week.
That's all it took.
Thanks to the Sora magazine platform, the series spread like wildfire. The momentum it had gained was staggering.
Fans were forming groups online, theorizing, sharing art, dissecting every panel. His previous work, The Garden of Words, was now seen in a whole new light. Some fans were even reselling old issues at two or three times the original price, just to complete their Mizushiro collection.
In the system space that only he could access, Haruki watched as the numbers ticked upward—world points surpassing 200,000, his bank account steadily climbing.
And yet... this was just the beginning.
---
At night, in Haruki's apartment.
He stared at the cardboard box on his table, slightly overwhelmed. It was filled to the brim with envelopes—fan letters.
"All of these… are for me?" he asked, blinking in disbelief.
"That's right," Sora replied with a light smile.
Haruki looked at the pile again, unsure what to make of it. "What am I supposed to do with all these?"
Sora gave a small shrug. "Read them if you want. Write back if you have time. Or just keep them somewhere safe. Honestly, it's up to you."
She paused, her voice a bit more serious. "But you should get used to this. There's probably going to be a lot more in the future."
Haruki gave a quiet nod, still taking it all in. Before he could say anything else, Sora reached into her bag.
"Oh—also, I have something to tell you today."
"Huh? What is it?" Haruki asked.
She pulled out a document and handed it to him. "This is a supplemental agreement. After you sign this, your page rate will increase from 600 to 1,000 yen per manga page."
Haruki blinked. "Wait, what?"
"It's an initiative from the editorial board," she said. "Nothing for you to worry about. The 600 yen per page rate was more or less the standard for new artists. But after last week's voting results and internal review, they've decided to adjust your rate to match your… potential."
Haruki stared at the paper. "Another pay raise…"
It was only two weeks ago that his rate had been raised once already. Now, it was going up again. He was starting to feel a little numb to it.
Sora continued, "Also, the company will be holding its annual New Year's meeting about two months from now. It's a big event—lots of key industry players, partner companies, senior editors, and a select few manga artists will be attending."
She looked him straight in the eyes. "The editor-in-chief told me today—you're on the invitation list."
Haruki's eyes widened slightly.
"He asked me to confirm with you—would you like to attend?"
Haruki glanced at the supplemental contract in his hands, then looked back up. Normally, something like this wouldn't interest him. But they'd already gone out of their way to increase his pay before inviting him—it felt rude to refuse.
"…I guess I'll go," he said after a moment, a little hesitant.
Sora nodded. "Alright then! Oh, and—"
She smiled. "You're allowed to bring someone with you. A partner, a friend, family member—whoever you want."
Haruki turned his head slightly, glancing at Kotone, who had been quietly sitting beside him this whole time.
He knew very well that the reason he was being invited had a lot to do with the success of Rurouni Kenshin. And Kotone… had been instrumental in bringing that work to life. If he could bring someone with him, it felt only right.
"You want to come with me?" he asked her.
"Huh? Me?" Kotone looked genuinely surprised, as if the thought hadn't crossed her mind.
Of course she wanted to go.
As someone who had been working from the sidelines for so long, just trying to get by, the opportunity to attend such a high-level event—and meet well-known industry figures—was huge.
But Sora's earlier words about "bringing a partner" made her cheeks flush ever so slightly.
She hesitated for a long moment, then gave a tiny nod.
"I… I'd like to go."
"Then it's settled," Sora said, smiling warmly.
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