Tokyo: Earth Online Manga Artist

To be honest, opinions on this rating system vary.

Some of the food was delicious, while others made her and her friends feel cheated, suspecting that the Michelin judges had been bribed.

Overall, however, it is still trustworthy.

After all, it's unlikely that someone would create a rating system purely to mislead people.

If that were the case, the reputation of Michelin restaurant ratings wouldn't have remained consistently good, and so many diners around the world wouldn't have used it as a reference indefinitely.

In her previous life, Eri Aragaki had also tried several restaurants. Some were indeed decent, while others were just average. The biggest problem was that they were too expensive and had extremely low cost-performance.

But Erika Aragaki, a country bumpkin, had never been to a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in her previous life, since such places are very expensive.

The cost per person often starts at several thousand yuan, and after eating one meal, you can only live frugally for a month.

With that money, Eri Aragaki in her previous life would have been better off ordering more takeout or adding a chicken leg to her meal.

In her past life, Eri Aragaki still felt that restaurants with high cost-performance ratios suited her best; delicious food at a reasonable price was the key.

But this life is different, since I'm rich now, and with money, it's not like I can't try it.

Having been given a second chance at life, one should try new things and experience those things one couldn't bear to experience in one's previous life, so that this life won't have been in vain.

"Then let's have a good taste later."

Erina said with a grin, her hands folded on the tablecloth, her eyes shining, "Michelin restaurant? This is the first time I've ever heard of one. I've heard that restaurants rated Michelin are really amazing."

"We'll have to see if they really have the skills."

Eri Aragaki's expression was strange. She coughed, then picked up her cup, took a sip of water to moisten her throat, and said in a slightly more serious tone, "Having explored many restaurants, let's see if it's real or fake. Now, let's really try the food at this restaurant."

"What does 'exploring a restaurant' mean... senior?"

Just then, Ayane Takeda asked in confusion, tilting her head to look at Eri Aragaki.

"Of course, it's like we're eating in the store now, just like those food exploration shows on TV."

Natsume Akane immediately continued.

"That's right, but people who appear on food exploration shows on TV are usually paid by the producers, so it's hard to say whether it's true or not."

Eri Aragaki said, putting the menu aside, "The restaurant review model is like showing ordinary people, as truthfully as possible, what the food in the restaurant is really like and whether it's really that delicious."

"And then appear on TV shows?"

"But it's not easy to get on TV programs, right? The TV stations wouldn't let us on," Ayane Takeda said curiously.

"We definitely won't go on TV, and there's no way they'd let us on."

Eri Aragaki immediately replied, waving her hand, "It's mainly about posting it on online platforms like YouTube to attract fans and stuff..."

In this parallel world, YouTube has already appeared, and it's incredibly popular.

However, surprisingly, no video-sharing websites like Nico Nico Douga appeared...

This is probably due to the differences between parallel universes.

However, if YouTube is popular, then uploading videos to YouTube and becoming a video blogger is the same thing.

Especially if this is a food exploration video.

As she was talking, she suddenly noticed that Erina, Natsume Akane, and Takeda Ayane were all staring at her, and the three of them stopped what they were doing at the same time, as if they were very shocked.

Ayane Takeda was still a little confused. She scratched her head and said, "But what's the point of posting it online...?"

"Of course it's useful. After all, traditional television media also use programs for promotion and attract sponsors by airing advertisements as a way to make money."

At this moment, Erina took over the conversation. She placed her hands on the table and said, "If the model that you mentioned can really attract a lot of attention and turn the audience into fans, then there is a lot of room for operation."

Online videos don't need television time slots or advertiser investment; as long as the content is good enough, it can build its own fanbase.

Her eyes lit up as she spoke, clearly having taken the idea a step further after processing it: "It could even be about promoting my sister's comics and attracting attention to them."

YouTube's audience includes many young people, which overlaps with the readership of comics.

She is very quick-witted; after all, she was an outstanding student who got into Waseda University, and in that respect, her grades were the highest among those present!

"That's amazing!"

Ayane Takeda finally understood. She leaned back in her chair to process what she had just heard, then looked at Eri Aragaki with admiration and said, "As expected of my senior, these ideas are all so good."

Eri Aragaki was a little embarrassed at this moment, as these were actually common tactics used by internet celebrities in later years.

Self-media store visits, product recommendation videos, and influencer-driven sales were already common business models in her previous life. Every milk tea shop on the street knew to hire internet celebrities to shoot videos.

She had already witnessed the kind of waves these tactics would create in the later internet age, so she was just mentioning them as a topic of conversation.

Therefore... being a time traveler does indeed have a significant advantage.

If it weren't for the cheat panel, Eri Aragaki felt that she wouldn't have fared so badly. Those precognitive advantages would have made her an internet celebrity and allowed her to earn more money in the future.

The most difficult part for time travelers is actually needing the initial capital.

Once you have the initial capital, you can make a lot of money passively, whether you invest in cryptocurrencies or stocks like Apple, Tencent, or Alibaba.

Eri Aragaki has now secured her first round of start-up capital through her manga, so things will definitely be much easier for her from now on.

Life is as easy as turning your hand!

But just then...

"Hello."

Suddenly, a middle-aged foreign chef walked over, surrounded by several waiters pushing a food cart.

He was dressed in a pristine white chef's uniform, with a tall chef's hat on his head and a restaurant badge pinned to his chest.

He greeted Eri Aragaki with a smile in broken Japanese.

"Hello……"

Erina and Ayane Takeda were immediately confused. When they saw this person, who was obviously a head chef, come to the table in person, they reflexively stood up and returned the greeting to the foreign chef.

Natsume Akane also stood up and nodded politely.

However, only Eri Aragaki felt a sudden jolt in her heart.

Especially when I heard that foreign chef's distinctly "Old Money" laughter...

His perfectly measured, gentle smile, coupled with the two food carts pushed by the waiter beside him, each covered with a silver, hemispherical lid, was accompanied by him gently rubbing his hands together, his eyes narrowing into slits as he smiled.

Buhou!

My wallet!

This situation probably means she just ordered some very expensive chef's recommended dish; only a chef would be smiling so happily.

And it really was true!

The restaurant's head chef then happily showed them the two main dishes they had just ordered, which were recommended by the restaurant. He even made an exaggerated gesture when he lifted the silver cover.

Truffle foie gras with Burgundy red wine and pear, pan-seared Brittany blue lobster with lobster sauce...

Then he happily went on to introduce the ingredients, from their origins to the inspiration behind the cooking, each sentence radiating absolute confidence in his skills.

A Japanese waiter nearby acted as a translator, conveying his words to Erii Aragaki.

Finally, he praised Eri Aragaki and the other girls for being very beautiful, then said he hoped they liked it, and left with the waiters.

About an hour later, when Eri Aragaki was checking out the bill, her heart was breaking because... half a month's worth of royalties was gone just like that.

The two chef's recommended dishes were more expensive than the entire regular menu, while the other dishes were at a normal price. When the restaurant added the drinks and service charge, the total jumped to a height she had never expected.

At this moment, she calmly prepared to start this expensive dinner with Natsume Akane and the others.

"Sister, what's wrong?"

Erina was clearly still confused, but she thought the chef was really polite.

"nothing……"

Eri Aragaki forced a smile, picked up a knife and fork, cut off a small piece of foie gras, and put it in her mouth.

She decided not to spoil Erina's happy mood after getting accepted into Waseda University. The money was spent, and the royalties would arrive next month anyway.

"By the way, senior, when does the year-end party start tomorrow? Should I change into a nicer outfit?"

"I only have one formal outfit," said Ayane Takeda, sounding worried. She put a small piece of lobster meat in her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and then added, "I only have one formal outfit, which I bought when I was interviewing for a part-time job."

"It'll probably start around 2 PM, and it's not anything important. Well, it is still quite important, but it won't be too grand."

Eri Aragaki then said, wiping her mouth with a napkin, "After all, it's not on TV. It's just an internal gathering of manga artists and editors at Shueisha. There are no media taking pictures."

Besides, they're all cartoonists, they probably wouldn't dress too formally..."

After all, most comic artists are otaku, and the stereotype of otaku is that they don't care much about their clothes.

Of course, this is just a stereotype, and when it comes to formal occasions, most people wouldn't dress casually.

"I can rest assured that."

Ayane Takeda relaxed a little, leaned back in her chair, and continued to enjoy her food.

She speared a piece of blue lobster with her fork and put it in her mouth. The rich sauce and the sweetness of the lobster meat collided on her tongue. She immediately covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide, and exclaimed exaggeratedly, "It's really delicious!"

"Then I'll drive to pick you up tomorrow and take you to the Shangri-La Hotel."

Eri Aragaki was also tasting it, and the taste was indeed good, truly worth the price. She said, "Everyone, please prepare in advance. I'll go pick up Akane first, and then Ayane."

"no problem."

Erina, Natsume Akane, and Takeda Ayane all spoke in unison.

Chapter 109 Year-End Party [Part 1] (Daily Life)

the next day.

2 PM, Shangri-La Hotel, Chiyoda Ward.

"Alright, we've arrived!"

Eri Aragaki parked the car in the underground parking lot of the Shangri-La Hotel, pulled the handbrake, turned off the engine, and then turned to the three people in the back seat and said, "Let's get out and go straight up."