Tokyo: Oreimo

If you say too much, you might give yourself away.

"Please don't worry about this for now, I will keep an eye on it."

Ryosuke could only make a guarantee for the time being.

“Alright, then I’ll leave it to you, brother. I’m just worried,” Ruri Aragaki said sincerely. “Ryou is an important friend of mine, and I don’t want to see her being led astray.”

She's been led astray by others? It's a miracle she hasn't led others astray.

Ryosuke smiled bitterly to himself.

Those two walls are filled with 18+ creations; most enthusiasts don't have that level of collection.

"More importantly, when we parted ways, I still hadn't figured out what stage you two were at now?"

Ryosuke changed the subject.

"Huh?"

Ruri Aragaki was taken aback by his sudden question.

Isn't that a bit too direct?

The girl's cheeks couldn't help but flush.

"It's not what you think, brother. I just care about Ling Nai and want to get along better with her."

Ryosuke was somewhat surprised.

That's it?

"Really? That guy's a bit slow on the uptake. Sometimes, being direct might be more effective."

Ryosuke believes that his younger sister probably has this tendency in some way, since she likes male-oriented erotic games.

"No, I'll definitely be seen as a weirdo..."

Ruri Aragaki lowered her head, her ears turning bright red, her alluring appearance momentarily captivating Ryosuke.

What a wonderful girl.

Ryosuke sighed inwardly and didn't press the matter further.

I feel like if I say any more, the beautiful girl in front of me might die of embarrassment.

"By the way, Aragaki-san does a part-time job as a model, right?"

"That's right, I have this interest and plan to work in this field after graduation."

Ruri Aragaki tried to calm herself down and answered Ryosuke's question.

Do you know anyone who has some knowledge of music?

"Ok?"

Ruri Aragaki looked over in confusion.

"It's a personal hobby; I want to record some music."

Ryosuke couldn't reveal his true purpose, since given Ruri's view of otaku, saying that he was providing background music for a visual novel would definitely cause trouble, so he could only make up an excuse.

"Brother, do you have this kind of talent? I'm truly envious."

"If we're talking about professional musicians, I probably haven't had any contact with them, but..."

Ruri Aragaki hesitated for a moment.

Although she doesn't have any music production talent directly in her circle, she does have acquaintances in the related industry.

“There’s a senior who’s an idol. If you’re interested, brother, you might be able to ask her for help.”

Chapter 39 Idol? (Thanks to "Xiaozi" and "One Day's Time" for their monthly votes)

"Idol?"

Ryosuke was thinking of a certain AKB group, but there probably isn't one in this day and age.

Nowadays, idols are generally singers or movie stars.

Due to the limitations of the era, the parallel worlds in my memory only began to have similar decent projects at the end of the 20th century.

The closest one was a group called "Morning," but he had never seen any information about them on television.

"It's not as serious as my elder brother thinks."

Ruri Aragaki offered an explanation.

"She's a newcomer who hasn't debuted yet, but she's a senior to me. She has ambitions to develop in the entertainment industry, and as far as I know, she plans to make music."

Is that so?

Ryosuke suddenly realized.

That's right, if Ruri Aragaki can get to know idols just by being a part-time model, then idols are too cheap.

I guess I met him while working for a small agency, shooting photoshoots or commercials.

After chatting for a while, Ryosuke confirmed his idea.

"Then I'll have to trouble you to contact them for me. I'll pay you the market rate."

Ruri Aragaki readily agreed; it was a simple favor for her.

Ryosuke glanced at the time on his phone; before he knew it, the two of them had been chatting for over an hour.

"That's all for today. Please contact me if you have any news."

"Brother, I'll leave Ling Nai's matter to you."

The two parted ways at the entrance of the coffee shop.

.....

Back in the studio, Ling Nai opened the door and silently returned to her workbench to continue drawing illustrations.

Once they get into the zone, their efficiency is astonishing.

Ryosuke didn't bother her.

They remained at peace until nightfall.

The girl stretched and tossed the neatly folded manuscript to him.

"It's mostly finished, according to your requirements."

Liang entered the room, his eyes quickly scanning the draft. The content was generally fine and met his expectations perfectly.

"You're really amazing."

Ryoko Takashiro's production speed is unbelievably fast, and she maintains both quality and quantity, truly possessing a monstrous talent that inspires envy in the field of painting.

"Hmph, what's with all this? Are you trying to flatter me by saying that? How disgusting!"

The girl's lips twitched, clearly trying to suppress her expression. Although she said those words, she still appreciated Ryosuke's words.

"Work done, time to go home and catch up on my studies."

Ryosuke stood up with a smile, found a file folder and put the drafts inside. He planned to hand these drafts over to Phoenix Institute next week.

"You idiot, don't you give me any rest time? I've been busy for so long!"

Upon hearing his sister's words, Ryosuke looked her up and down, his imposing manner revealing a hint of weariness between his brows.

"Really? So you'll go to bed obediently when you get home?"

"I want you to take care of it?"

Takashiro Ryou turned her head away in dissatisfaction.

Recently influenced by Ryosuke, she hasn't touched games for several days. Her computer at home is covered in dust, and she's planning to play more when she gets back.

"You promised me you'd get a perfect score on the next test. If you fall behind, you won't get into your dream high school. You don't want Father to find out about this secret, do you?"

"I just can't get along with guys like you, you're so annoying!"

The girl stormed out of the studio.

Ryosuke chuckled and followed closely behind the other person.

He didn't actually restrict Ling Nai from playing games, but given her current state, playing games would only cause her more mental fatigue.

But learning is different.

After returning home, Ling Nai sat at her desk, did only a few problems, and then buried her head on the table and fell into a deep sleep.

This 'hypnotic drug' works better than anything else for underachieving students.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Ryosuke whispered something, then picked her up by the waist, gently placed her on the bed, tucked her in, and went back to his room.

.....

Monday, Kadokawa Editorial Department.

Rumi Hayakawa has been in a very good mood lately.

The third volume of the work I'm currently working on, "Kino's Journey," has been officially serialized in Magzine and has received a very positive response.

Compared to comics, which are aimed at a younger audience, the current light novel market primarily targets young people aged 14-30.

Although the work I'm working on was written by Shigaze when he was only fifteen, its core is far beyond what children can do.

The allegorical story structure will not deter first-time readers; on the contrary, it will benefit the individual volumes and boost sales.

"For a newcomer, this is quite an achievement. I will recommend you at the conference. Get ready to be promoted to a permanent position."

During the day, Hattori Takuya evaluated her work performance since she joined the company and then informed her of the final conclusion.

Kadokawa's promotion system largely relies on recommendations from senior colleagues.

She was lucky to have met a leader who was willing to mentor her.

"Please let me treat you to a meal!"

"Instead of inviting me, you should thank Shi Yuze more; he is your benefactor."