"What a pity."
Just as Sagiri was about to close her phone, she suddenly received a friend request.
[Akishima Shino has requested to add you as a friend. Do you want to accept?]
Below it was a note: I hope to exchange experiences as an illustrator with Eromanga-sensei, please! By the way, I am the illustrator for fantasy demon blade chronicles, and I'm not a strange person!
"Hmm?"
Sagiri's eyes instantly lit up.
This famous name, even without the note below, she knew very well!
So it turns out that the flourishing industry was created by Ni-san!
However, although she was happy, Sagiri also felt a little strange.
Why would this famous illustrator want to add her as a friend? And how did she get her account?
Sagiri chose to accept the friend request, and then got an explanation from the other party.
[Because I am also a little fan of Izumi-sensei, I really like Izumi-sensei's puella magi madoka magica, and after seeing Eromanga-sensei's illustrations, I had the idea of wanting to communicate with you. I contacted Machida-san through Ayame-san, and got your contact information from Machida-san.]
"So that's how it is!"
Sagiri suddenly understood when she saw the other party's explanation.
It was a good thing to be able to communicate as illustrators, but the fact that the other party was Ni-san's fan made her even more excited.
[Thank you, Akino-sensei, for your recognition. I have also heard of your name, and it is an honor for me to be able to communicate with you.]
The polite words Sagiri learned from Ni-san came in handy.
[Not at all, Eromanga-sensei's illustrations are even more captivating, and if we're counting, Eromanga-sensei is my senior, right?]
"Senior?"
Sagiri was stunned, and her heart was instantly stimulated, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
It was the first time she had been addressed as 'senior', and she felt an inexplicable sense of exhilaration.
[By the way, you are Ni-san's fan, right? I wonder what your thoughts are on Ni-san's works.]
Sagiri thought it was a rare opportunity to communicate with Ni-san's genuine fan, so she wanted to talk to her about this kind of issue.
After all, with people like Eriri-nee-san, or Onee-san, she always felt like she couldn't ask, and couldn't have the kind of communication she imagined.
Talking about such topics with a stranger made her even more enthusiastic.
Just as she, excited, was about to send it, she suddenly realized something and quickly changed the address 'Ni-san' to 'Izumi-sensei' before sending it.
"Hmm? Eromanga-sensei and Izumi-sensei's relationship seems to be better than I imagined, she immediately asked about this kind of issue."
Shino Aki saw this very directly when she saw the message Sagiri sent.
However, this was also what she wanted; she was indeed interested in this kind of topic as well.
Although her liking for demon slayer was only moderate, puella magi madoka magica was her beloved favorite.
This was one of the reasons why she added Eromanga-sensei as a friend.
To understand Izumi-sensei indirectly through Eromanga-sensei, not only satisfied her hobby as a little fan, but another part of it was hoping to have common ground with Senju Muramasa-sensei.
[Izumi-sensei's works are wonderful. Although they may seem to have some unexpected tragedies, the true core is still 'love and hope', right? Furthermore, from the lines, I can see Izumi-sensei's passion for her works, just like the effort Eromanga-sensei pours into many illustrations, she is a person to be admired.]
This was Shino Aki's feeling.
"Did I speak too vaguely?"
She waited for a while and still didn't see a reply from the other party, which made her wonder.
Actually, no, Sagiri was just a little surprised by what she said.
[Love and hope? Hmm? Did you really see these things?]
The silver-haired loli expressed confusion.
How come all I saw from Ni-san was 'rebellion'!
[Yes, Senju Muramasa-sensei also thinks so. I initially only understood the superficial things. Thanks to Senju Muramasa-sensei's analysis, I profoundly understood a more real side of Izumi-sensei's writing.]
Shino Aki replied.
"Senju Muramasa-sensei?"
Sagiri was even more surprised when she saw this name.
Does that Senju Muramasa-sensei also read Ni-san's light novels? Is it real or fake? That's Senju Muramasa…!
That's not right either. Nayuta-sensei was created by Ni-san, so it's not surprising when you think about it that way.
However, she still asked Shino Aki.
"Because Senju Muramasa-sensei only got the idea to start writing after seeing Izumi-sensei's demon slayer. This is something I learned during my conversations with Senju Muramasa-sensei, and I'm very sure of one thing: Senju Muramasa-sensei liked Izumi-sensei's work from the very beginning, starting with the first volume of demon slayer. She truly has a unique eye."
Shino Aki gave her answer.
"There's such a thing! No wonder people kept saying Ni-san had a substitute; it turns out Senju Muramasa's debut work was influenced by Ni-san. That explains everything!"
Sagiri suddenly connected all these key pieces together and came to a surprising conclusion.
Both Senju Muramasa-sensei and Kani Nayuta-sensei, these two industry pillars, became light novel authors under Ni-san's influence.
In other words, the current prosperity of the industry was entirely created by Ni-san himself!
As Ni-san's younger sister, Sagiri couldn't help but feel a strong sense of pride.
"I need to tell Ni-san about this right away!"
Sagiri thought to herself, sent a 'talk later' message to Shino Aki, and went downstairs.
"So urgent? Did something urgent come up?"
Shino Aki was a little surprised by this sudden change of pace.
But it was also good timing; the train was about to arrive, and talking with Senju Muramasa-sensei was the top priority today.
...
"Ni-san, let me tell you..."
When she passionately told Ni-san about it.
"Oh."
Izumi Chihiro just gave an uninspired reply.
"Why that attitude, Ni-san!"
Sagiri couldn't have imagined it; she was incredulous.
"Then what kind of attitude do you want me to have? Pick Sagiri up excitedly and swing her around a few times?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, it's not like I want it to be as exaggerated as in anime, but I just feel... isn't Ni-san being a little too calm?"
Sagiri said with a pout.
This was equivalent to leading a trend of an era! It was an important event that would be remembered in the history of the light novel world!
"It's not calmness; actually, it's because I already knew."
Izumi Chihiro didn't intend to tease his sister any further and revealed the truth.
"Eh eh eh eh...? Ni-san, you wouldn't happen to... also know Senju Muramasa-sensei, would you!"
Sagiri pointed at Ni-san with a shocked expression and backed away.
"What's so strange about it? Authors under the same imprint, it's normal to know each other."
Izumi Chihiro said, tilting his head.
"Ni-san, you really played it off so nonchalantly..."
Sagiri gave Ni-san a disgusted look, almost letting a full sentence slip.