He didn't speak up about this, having already guessed how Yamada-san would respond—she would probably just show her grade report and tease him a little. He wasn't masochistic, so he wasn't going to endure that.
Meanwhile, Yamada Elf returned home, carrying a plastic bag, complaining nonstop.
"That guy didn't even tell me the exact release date for Summer Reprise! If I hadn't wandered into a bookstore, I almost would have missed it! And why do I have to buy it myself? He should've given me a few copies!"
Once home, she placed the books on the small table, immediately recalling that her in-game stamina wasn't yet depleted. Without hesitation, she logged in.
The game was already in its late stages, with reduced playability. Without special events, it was mainly grinding dungeons, so she quickly used the auto-sweep function to clear her stamina.
Stretching and standing up, her eyes fell on the books on the table.
"I'll just pass some time… The World Boss won't spawn until 7 PM anyway."
She picked up Summer Reprise Volume 1.
"Eh? The cover… and illustrations?"
Her gaze immediately fixed on the artwork, as though sensing fate itself. The illustrations stirred something deep within her.
Yet, that was all for now. Eromanga Sensei had deliberately adjusted her style to suit Summer Reprise, producing subtle differences from her original work.
Yamada Elf's eyes momentarily glazed over before returning to the story itself.
"Wow… so many corrections. That guy really worked hard!"
Finishing the volume, she let out a small sigh of admiration.
"But don't think you can outwork me! That's impossible!"
After all, Yamada Elf only released a volume every three months, which was already considered very diligent in the industry.
Positive reception for Summer Reprise kept growing, gradually spreading through word of mouth.
Eri Kashiwagi, known for her fondness for childhood-friend romance elements, occasionally tweeted about works she enjoyed.
One of Eri's fans, having fallen for Summer Reprise, recommended it to her.
Eriri Spencer Sawamura, the young lady of the Sawamura household and soon to be a second-year at Shimamura Middle School, often missed school due to frailty, earning her the nickname "Shimura Middle School's Pure Maiden."
Little known was that this precious young lady was secretly the up-and-coming author Eri Kashiwagi.
That day, Eriri logged into her Twitter account to check private messages, considering trends for her next work.
She noticed one message:
"Hmm? Summer Reprise, a recent new release?"
Prompted by her fan's recommendation and her own taste, she made a mental note.
As a hardcore otaku, she possessed extensive knowledge and interest in anime, manga, light novels, and games.
After reading all messages, and with some free time, she focused on this work.
With her professional instinct as a creator, Eriri immediately noticed Eromanga Sensei's illustrations.
"Very well drawn, though slightly immature in places…"
She wasn't overly surprised. The illustrations were nice, but in her eyes, not exceptional. Her main expectation lay with the story itself…
"Shinpei, close your eyes.""Okay, open them… here's a gift.""Shinpei, you must find me.""You must protect Mio."
Summer Reprise began with a puzzling conversation.
Shinpei awakens from a dream near his hometown, Hidaka Island, and after being slapped awake by a flirtatious older sister, embarks on an incredible journey.
First, he learns about the mysterious Shadow Disease from Mio, leaving suspense and foreshadowing. Then, unaware of everything, he's shot by Shadow Mio—launching the story proper.
The sudden, decisive shot made Eriri exclaim aloud, sitting upright on her sofa.
"Ah, that decisive? The plot moves so fast?"
The time-loop narrative had Shinpei returning to the past, gradually noticing previously overlooked clues and exploring alternative possibilities. The tension heightened immersion.
Yet in the second loop, an unexpected phone call led to another failure—despair doubled.
"Could this be a dark, depressing story?"
The tone was slightly unsettling, contrary to her usual preference for lighter, satisfying narratives. Still, her curiosity to uncover the truth kept her reading.
By the third loop, Shinpei learned from prior mistakes, documenting the shadow incident and informing friends. Then, the previously deceased Ushio reappeared.
"Oh-ho!"
Her first reaction—female lead appearance! And a childhood friend, no less!
Yet she quickly reconsidered.
"Wait, Ushio was dead… was that the shadow? Or is this guy the shadow? I don't get it."
Confused, she pressed on, and soon the answer revealed that the Ushio present was indeed a shadow—special, yet retaining all the original's charm.
She read breathlessly until the cliffhanger, struck by despair.
"Damn, using memory-reading like that? This villain is way too strong! And clever enough to counter it…"
Eriri was shocked. Was the story trying to kill the protagonist? The difficulty was hellish.
Still, hope remained. The heroine's dynamic entrance brought salvation, ending the segment not in despair but with renewed hope, giving readers anticipation rather than depression.
Though the story maintained a generally tense atmosphere, after finishing, Eriri promptly logged onto the website to post her sharp critique.