Anime rating game

"...There's not much work to do today. After dinner, I'll take a stroll around the neighborhood. Then I'll change clothes and go to the temple fair."

"I get home around nine o'clock at night. It might take me one or two hours to check the light novels, and Mashiro will also be drawing manga at the same time."

"Of course, if I come back too late, my work will be postponed until tomorrow morning."

"After that, I take a shower in half an hour and go to bed around 12 o'clock."

"When it comes to taking a bath, Mashiro usually washes first, and I wash after her."

"Sometimes I wash quickly, and I'm done in about ten minutes."

"Aren't we going to shower together?" Sai chuckled.

"No, we're not in that kind of relationship yet, and besides, that could easily lead to an accident."

Chapter Ninety-Seven: The hardest debt to repay is the debt of gratitude.

Hachiman Hikigaya considers himself a lonely person and has never cared much about other people's affairs.

But when it comes to work, that's a different story.

On January 3, in the afternoon, I sat alone in my living room, pacing back and forth.

I've had nothing to do these past few days of winter break, so I've been sitting at home writing. I've finished writing the third volume of Oregairu's light novel and sent it to Masamune's email address for his initial review.

As for the light novel "Chuunibyou," Masamune completed the first review, and the editor completed the second review, so theoretically it could be released.

However, the current situation is that the illustrations have not been completed and the project is still in the waiting stage.

Furthermore, since he doesn't have the illustrator's contact information and can only communicate through the editor, he doesn't even know what stage the project is at.

With several days left in the winter break, he wanted to use this time to gather some manuscripts so that he wouldn't be too overworked when school resumed.

But the problem is, which light novel to write?

Although Oregairu is my favorite character, it's really too awkward to write a novel using my own name.

As for the novel "Chuunibyou" (a Japanese term for someone with delusions of grandeur), when writing it, I had to constantly recall my own experiences during my Chuunibyou days and put myself completely into Rikka's perspective on Kojima Yuu, which was equally awkward.

No matter which light novel it is, it's not easy to write.

In order to determine which book to write as soon as possible, he has sent seven text messages to the editor since this morning, but has not received a response since the first one.

'Seriously, is Kagurazaka on vacation? Come to think of it, I asked her before, and she said she wasn't on vacation.'

Lost in thought, my phone suddenly beeped with a text message notification.

[Ugh, so annoying! I'll give you Professor Eromanga's contact information, you can call and ask him yourself!]

The next moment, the phone number and address were sent over.

Hachiman Hikigaya was speechless. Although it was convenient to contact them directly, was it appropriate to make the call himself without any intermediaries?

[Thank you for your help, Kagurazaka editor.]

Another text message arrived, this time with a slightly gentler tone.

[Please don't worry, Mr. Hikigaya. Illustration takes time to develop. It's only been half a month since you received the job, so Mr. Eromanga must be working very hard.]

This person is completely unreliable.

After the light novel of Oregairu was written, Shiina Mashiro started from scratch and completed the illustrations in just three days.

Although she is definitely very skilled, there can't be too much difference in speed. She should be able to finish in six days or a week, right?

If it's not finished, it's either because the illustrator is being lazy, or because they're busy with other work and don't value their own task.

With that in mind, Hachiman Hikigaya tried making a phone call.

After the call is connected, take the initiative to speak:

"Hello, is this Eromanga-sensei?"

"I don't know anyone with that kind of name."

The next moment, the call was abruptly disconnected.

? ?

What's the situation?

Did you dial the wrong number? I didn't enter the wrong number.

But if you're just asking for a name, is there any need to be arrogant?

After thinking for a moment, Hachiman Hikigaya dialed that number again.

"Please don't hang up. This is Hachiman Hikigaya, pen name Yuuta Tomi. The first volume of the light novel 'Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions' has been approved by the editorial department. I wonder how many illustrations you've finished? How much longer will it take to complete them?"

A muffled sound came from the other end of the phone, followed by a slight increase in volume:

"That's not illustration at all! Drawing real people on paper without any room for imagination is not illustration; it's just sketching."

"Although I think so too, the male and female protagonists of this light novel are real people. Not only are their personalities and names the same, but even their clothes and hairstyles are exactly the same. It would be too strange not to create a work based on them."

Hachiman Hikigaya paused slightly, then asked again:

"So, how many have been drawn so far?"

“I don’t want to draw anymore. No matter how I draw a sketch based on a photo, it can never compare to the photo itself. You should find the male and female protagonists, have them take some photos, and use them as illustrations.”

The next moment, the call ended, and no matter how many times Hachiman Hikigaya called back, no one answered.

Damn it! Have I been blocked?

Oh no, did I say something wrong?

Hachiman Hikigaya quickly recalled everything he had just said, a look of confusion on his face.

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't realize that he had said anything wrong.

But an illustrator's strike is no small matter.

It doesn't feel quite right to approach the editor, Kagurazaka.

After all, if you call to urge someone to finish a draft and cause them to go on strike, it sounds like you did something wrong.

After hesitating for a long time, Hachiman Hikigaya reluctantly dialed Masamune Hayase's number.

"President Hayase, are you free right now?"

"What's the matter? Tell me."

"The illustrator hasn't made any progress, and I don't know how many drawings she's done, so I got her contact information from the editor at Kagurazaka. But just now, I don't know if I said something wrong, she suddenly went on strike and blocked my number."

Hachiman Hikigaya sighed softly and reviewed the entire conversation.

"Uh... what should we do in this situation? We don't know how many drawings she did. If we find a new illustrator, will it be considered a breach of contract for us or for her? How will the wasted time be compensated?"

What are you thinking?

"I don't know. To be honest, I have no idea why she went on strike. Couldn't Ms. Shiina be the illustrator instead?"

"If we really can't find anyone in the end, I'll tell Mashiro and ask her to draw some illustrations for Chuunibyou when she has time. But as things stand, I think you should go and have a good talk with that Eromanga-sensei. You have her address, don't you?"

"Wait a minute! You mean you want me to go alone? If that's the case, I'm going on strike too."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone before a voice came through:

"Hachiman, I've always thought of you as a shrewd and capable person..."

"No need for flattery. A woman with such a strange name must be an oddball. If I go there alone, I'll definitely run into a lot of trouble!"

"Haha... Sorry. I really want to go with you, but Mashiro and I just arrived at my grandfather's house in Shinshu today, and we can't go back for a while. In that case, I'll find someone to go with you."

"Could I meet a woman? I'm a grown man, and it just doesn't feel right for me to meet a female illustrator with a name like that."

"no problem."

After ending the call, Hachiman Hikigaya waited patiently at home.

About half an hour later, there was a knock on the door.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately ran over to open the door.

"Yah hello... Aqi."

Seeing Yui Yuigahama waving and smiling at the door, and Yukino Yukinoshita with a blank expression, Hachiman Hikigaya fell silent.

He had a bad feeling about him and could only force himself not to think about it.

"I'm sorry, I have some urgent matters to attend to right now. I don't have time to entertain you or go shopping with you."

"Akira, it was President Hayase who sent us. He said he wanted us to accompany you to find the illustrator," Yui Yuigahama said with a smile. "The urgent matter you mentioned, is this it?"

"Why do you all listen to Hayase? Yuihama might be swayed by money, but what about Yukinoshita?" Hachiman Hikigaya sighed helplessly.

"What do you mean by being moved by money? I feel like you've completely underestimated me." Yui Yuigahama pouted and lightly punched his chest with her fist.

"It's to repay the favor of the anime reward." Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly, "Compared to the resentment that 'the name and character of Yukino Yukinoshita were made into an anime, allowing more people to know about her,' the skill reward is a great favor."

Hachiman Hikigaya seemed lost in thought.

After receiving a reward, I would always send a text message to Hayase to thank her. Given Yukinoshita's personality, she would definitely not do nothing.

In that case, it's quite normal to owe someone a favor.

"I remember your reward was memory enhancement. How was it?"

"Generally speaking, I have a photographic memory."

"Can you remember every single book you've read? Not a single word?"

"Mostly correct. What about you?"

"When typing, my efficiency has increased by about one-third."

"Good, very intuitive."

Yui Yuigahama looked at the two of them with envy and whispered:

"You two are really lucky. The skill reward I got isn't entirely useless, but it feels really strange. What do you mean by 'never getting a cold'? I rarely get colds anyway."

Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't help but chuckle. The old saying that idiots don't catch colds was completely true for Yuihama.

"I heard that there will be a second season of Oregairu next year, so you can look forward to the rewards next year."