Chapter 26: I Have a Feeling It Will Be Very Interesting.
"Pfft! Cough, cough, cough!!!!"
Kaede quickly grabbed two tissues to wipe his mouth, but he still couldn't hide his inner shock.
Just now, he seemed to have heard the name Kashiwagi Eri?
How did Utaha think of asking Eriri to draw illustrations?
Could it be that Eriri's identity has been discovered?
That doesn't seem right either; he hasn't noticed any special emotional changes in Eriri these past few days. Could it be that Utaha found out on her own? Or perhaps, she simply liked Eriri's art style but didn't know her identity?
After thinking about it, Kaede felt that this must be the case. If she really knew Eriri's identity, Utaha would probably have invited Eriri herself long ago.
And Utaha, seeing Kaede's reaction, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, "Oh my, I didn't expect Asakura-kun to not be a good boy either."
"Cough..."
After coughing, Kaede composed himself and said, "You can't say that. After all, when I was looking for a suitable illustrator, I also looked into artists in the industry. Kashiwagi Eri-sensei is very famous in the doujin world, so it's normal for me to know her."
"Oh ~ really?"
Utaha glanced at Kaede, but didn't press further, turning instead to the two editors opposite her: "My choice is Kashiwagi Eri-sensei. After looking around, she is the artist whose art style I like the most. I wonder if we can invite her?"
"Kashiwagi Eri, huh."
Machida Sonoko hadn't spoken yet and was still thinking, while Editor Nakajima stroked his head and said, "Regarding her, I have some connections to contact the circle Kashiwagi Eri-sensei is in. And it's April now, so there's still plenty of time until the Summer CM exhibition, so her schedule should be open. However, the price might be a bit higher than a typical illustrator."
"Price is not an issue!" Utaha immediately said, seeing a chance, "Besides the initial remuneration, after the novel is released, I can also add a portion of remuneration as a token of my gratitude."
Regarding money, Utaha didn't prioritize it much; she hoped more for her novel to have a good start.
Seeing Utaha say so, Editor Nakajima also nodded and looked at Machida Sonoko.
"Then, Editor Machida, I'll give you their contact information later, and the task of contacting them will be entrusted to you, the editor-in-charge. Is that okay?"
Machida Sonoko immediately said with full confidence, "No problem, leave it to me, Senior!"
Meanwhile, Kaede was pondering something.
Machida Sonoko would contact Eriri's doujin circle, and if they agreed, she would come to discuss the collaboration. Also, Eriri apparently doesn't know Utaha yet, and the latter doesn't know his identity as a light novel author.
At the same time, there was another point: Eriri also thought Kaede didn't know her identity as Kashiwagi Eri.
If they really agreed to collaborate, and then met at the Bunko, the scene at that time would truly be very interesting.
Unbeknownst to him, Kaede's face also showed a slight smile, and he began to hope that Eriri would agree to this collaboration.
Utaha happened to see the smile on Kaede's face at this moment, feeling slightly puzzled. However, it wasn't too important; the most crucial thing right now was her novel.
In the following time, Kaede was also the first person outside of the Bunko to see the first volume of Utaha's "love metronome."
After quickly browsing through some of the content, Kaede looked at her and said, "As expected of you, Senpai. You're adept at using words, and the character development and plot arrangement are excellent. You truly deserve to be a gold prize winner."
Utaha was also very happy to smile when her novel received praise, especially from a fellow writer: "Thank you for the compliment. So, are there any areas that need improvement?"
"Improvements, huh..."
Since Utaha asked, Kaede put down the manuscript and began to think seriously, "Hmm... there is indeed one point, which is a small suggestion from me."
"Oh? Tell me?"
Not only Utaha, but even the two editors sitting opposite also looked over curiously.
Then Kaede also said, "Senpai, the genre of your novel is quite rare among current light novels. It has no other elements, purely a type of youth campus romance. Such a novel, if the author's writing is good, can have a very good response and effect. But similarly, as a light novel, you also have to consider the length of the novel."
Kaede said this, and Editor Nakajima also agreed, saying, "Indeed, for example, Kaede-kun's 'konosuba,' as an isekai reincarnation light novel, its setting inherently allows him to fill it with various contents, thereby expanding the length of the novel. And as long as the plot isn't boring, readers are very willing for the novel's length to be extended. But your 'love metronome' is a realistic novel, and the first volume at the beginning has pretty much set the tone."
The words of Kaede and Editor Nakajima also made Utaha fall into thought.
Nodding, she also said, "Indeed, I hadn't considered this issue. I originally just submitted it with a passion for creation, and I'm very happy that it can be published. But regarding the length... I really can't guarantee it, because I'm basically a newcomer. Editor Nakajima, Editor Machida, do you have any good suggestions?"
As editors responsible for novelists, helping writers solve creative problems is also their job.
Machida Sonoko also said with some distress, "Little Utaha, your work indeed has a stunning beginning, but as they said, the subject matter limits your certain scope of play. For romance novels, if you want to write a long series, there's only one way: add more characters, create various misunderstandings, love triangles, multi-person relationships, and so on, to give readers stomach medicine.
But this method is not a long-term solution; you can't do this throughout the entire book. Although as an editor of a Bunko, seeing a novel that is both long and sells well is the most desired outcome, from the perspective of being responsible for you, I hope you try not to drag it out too much. When it's time to end, be straightforward, after all, the subject matter of the work is right here."
Utaha nodded and looked at Kaede: "Asakura-kun, what's your opinion?"
"My opinion is..." Kaede thought for a moment and then said, "It's still the first volume, so it's not too late. I suggest you, Senpai, decide the overall structure of the book as early as possible, including how many characters to add and what kind of plot to include. Otherwise, if you come up with things on the fly and add them, the novel will feel disjointed between the beginning and the end."
As an author from the same Bunko, and with no conflicting genres, Kaede still gave his honest opinion.
Utaha also readily accepted, thanking him: "Thank you for your opinion. I will seriously think about the plot when I go back. So, next, all that's left is the illustrator."
An illustrator, huh... Kaede himself was also somewhat looking forward to it.