Ero Manga Sensei - Volume 6 Epilogue
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Volume 6 Epilogue

Just like a cornered criminal, I could see she broke into cold sweat.

She kept the silence for a minute, then finally….

"Huh, what are you talking about?"

"You are playing dumb?"

Even Elf was speechless at how shameless she was. I couldn't stand it either.

"Sen, senpai….it's so obvious that you are acting dumb…"

"Huh, what are you talking about? I don't understand anything!"

"Papa, go out! I will explain later! Go outside!"

Elf repeated senpai's word earlier, she even mimicked the tone.

"I heard that myself."

"You misheard."

"I saw it too. Senpai, you were wearing sleeping suit, you said Papa, breakfast ~~~~ ."

"It was just a magic."

Just like an ending a fighting novel, she kept trying to ignore us.

"So you have no intention of answering huh…then…"

Elf looked a bit angry, she put her hand around her mouth like speaker, shouted:

"Papa! Come here for a momentttt ~~~~~~"

She…she….

I could only stared in shock. At the same time, the door opened —

"Did you call me?"

….He really came.

By the way, Muramasa-senpai's father was still had a stiff expression….while wearing an ap.r.o.n with a bear image.

What a surreal scene….

Senpai was the first one recovered, she jumped up:

"Pa — father! Why are you here!"

"Because…someone call me? The girl over here…"

"Yes. I call you."

Elf happily waved back, then asked:

"I have a question for you. What does your daughter call you at home?"

"Papa."

"Wahhhhhhhhhhh"

Muramasa-senpai jumped between us and waved her hands, trying to erase what just happened. Of course it didn't work.

"See?"

"Only at home! Is there a problem with that?"

"Nah, but are you embarra.s.sed?

"I think it's cute. I thought you would call your father Dad , but this is okay too."

Sagiri agreed. Of course both of their opinions couldn't cheer senpai up.

"Uuuuuuuuuu."

Muramasa-senpai squatted down, still hiding her face. Elf didn't stop her attack.

"Okay, now is the second question."

"What is it?"

Senpai looked up. Elf looked at Muramasa-senpai's father, asked:

"You are the one who cooks meals, right?"

"Yes."

"On, only on Sunday. Normally I help too! It's not like he cooks everyday!"

So that's why he was the one who opened the door?

"Masamune, you have to trust me!"

"Yes yes, I trust you! Alright?"

Stop rocking my neck back and forth! Why did you ask me alone?

While Muramasa-senpai was strangling me, her father sternly looked at us, said:

"…Since my daughter asked, I went outside. But …what is your relations.h.i.+p with my daughter?"

His clothing was ridiculous, but his aura was unchanged. I answered:

"Just like I said, we are co-worker of Senjyu Muramasa-sensei…."

"No, that wasn't what I asked."

"Huh?"

"What I meant to say is, how close you all are?"

Elf noticed, then she laughed and put a hand over Muramasa-senpai's shoulder.

We are friends. Good friends. Right, Muramasa-chan?"

"…………..Yes, friend…for now at least." Muramasa-senpai replied uncertainly.

Even Sagiri added "….Friend."

"…Is that so."

Muramasa-senpai's father nodded before turned to me:

"And you?"

If I answered wrong, would he kill me on the spot?

So this is the "life and death choice" that people talked about.

What should I answer then…let's go with friend for safety…

I took a deep breath —

Before I could say anything, Muramasa-senpai interrupted:

"He is Izumi Masamune-sensei, the novelist whose book that I like, the one I like too."

c.r.a.p!!!

"————"

Muramasa-senpai's father froze. Elf and Sagiri added:

"By the way, he is my boyfriend."

"……..But he said that he likes me the most."

Hey!!! Don't say something so dangerous!!!

It sound like I was three-timing!!! If I was a father of any girl here, then that boy would not leave here alive!!!

"That, that was a misunderstanding!!"

I was about to explain, but Muramasa-senpai added:

"I'm going to tell you someday."

Now I have nowhere to run.

Her father looked at me and Muramasa-senpai, then said:

"Misunderstanding?"

"Yes! This is all a misunderstanding!"

Of course aside from Elf, everyone was technically telling the truth. But the timing was horrible!

Besides, unlike Elf, Muramasa-senpai said it in a very innocent tone. So it was even worse.

"…I understand."

Phew….

Thankfully he seemed to get it. He nodded with us:

"……..Let me show you my collection of swords and knives."

"I understand!!!"

Nope, I took that back. He still didn't understand!!

"Oh, don't worry. They are just 100% replica, not a real sword."

"So it's a real sword then!!"

"It was a joke."

He didn't sound like he was joking. Like father, like daughter. They said they were joking, but their face was totally serious.

He "Hmm" then changed the topic:

"Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Yes."

"We ate before coming."

"We haven't, since today is a weekend. Please wait here for a while."

"Yes."

It's not a good idea to keep them from eating. The ma.n.u.script that Kagurazaka-san asked can wait. Both Elf and Sagiri agreed.

"Then let's eat, Hana-chan."

"Yes…I'm going out for a while. Feel free to read a book while waiting."

Her eyes stopped at a bookshelf, which is full of hard cover novels.

"Oh, Muramasa, you are - Hana-chan?"

"Oh…um…"

Senpai looked down in hesitation, then she turned to us:

"My name is Umenozo Hana…please take care of me."

Senjyu Muramasa, real name Umenozo Hana.

What an embarra.s.sing explanation.

We wait for Muramasa-senpai at the living room.

"Phew….I'm so nervous."

Finally I can take a break.

"I thought I was done for."

"Ha, you are lucky that he didn't draw a blade and strike you down immediately."

"Don't joke like that!"

That's why people say a woman is equally dangerous as a drawn blade.

Sagiri's voice came from the tablet:

"So…Hana-chan, huh."

"She told us her real name."

"Just as I foresaw, what a cute name."

"So…how should we call her from now on?"

"Just Hana-chan. Bet she will be embarra.s.sed."

"Don't do that. Have some pity."

"Hoh ~?"

Aside from some very close friends – normally, online friends only use a nickname or penname when meeting – using a real name is embarra.s.sing.

Still, since my penname is my real name too, I don't feel anything too much about this topic.

Elf lowered her tone, like she was about to change the subject "Well…"

"Masamune, Sagiri…I …remember something very important."

"Huh?"

"What's it?"

"….You guys, take a look at this bookshelf." She pointed at the bookshelf by the wall.

"What's so special about it?"

"Don't you see anything?"

What? I can't exactly see anything out of ordinary.

"Nii-san, I can't see anything."

"Alright…"

I put the tablet closer

"Huh?"

"Ah…" *2

Both of us realized.

We saw "the author's name" of those hard-cover books. All of them were written by the same author.

It said clearly that : Author - Umenozo Rintarou.

"Isn't that a big shot? Wait, Umenozo? Don't tell me…"

"That's correct…"

Elf came to my side, confirming what I just noticed. Sagiri also said:

"Nii-san, Elf-chan…I just search for his image from the Internet. Take a look."

She showed us the result.

"It's really him!"

"I knew it!"

Both me and Elf looked at the image of Umenozo Rintarou. While this image was much younger than the real person, everyone could see that just adding a kimono, he would look exactly like Muramasa-senpai's father.

"So — the great novelist Senjyu Muramasa is the daughter of the great novelist Umenozo Rintarou?"

"Hoh, so both of them are novelists." Elf concluded.

"What a surprise." I took a book and exclaimed.

"Nii-san, have you read his book?"

"Yes. His books aren't really my type, but I knew that all of them are very famous."

I explained a bit for Sagiri about Umenozo Rintarou. Since telling everything would take too long, I had no choice but to cut some corner.

"- Anyways, this feeling has become one with any talk show."

"So he is really good?"

"Of course."

While light novel and hardcover books are different – Senjyu Muramasa wasn't behind Umenozo Rintarou, both are famous.

"So…is his book good?"

"No, it's boring."

That wasn't me. That was someone's answer in a tired tone.

"Muramasa-senpai."

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."

She entered the room and stopped next to me, her eyes focused on the book in my hand.

"Father's book is boring. At least I think so."

Yup, that explains why she has to write her own story to read – because she couldn't find any good books.

"I only like Masamune's book."

Wow…saying that with such an innocent face…I feel so good.

"…While your words fill me with happiness…please, I beg you, never tell your father that."

"But I already told him."

"No wonder he was so hard on me!"

"So the reason we were almost kicked out before starting is Nii'san!"

"…Yeah, that sounds about right."

Hm, now thinking back, during our first meeting, Muramasa-senpai's father already looked strange.

But she shook her head.

"No, no. It's not related to my favorite novel. Father just doesn't want me to meet someone from the publis.h.i.+ng company."

"Why?"

"Seems like he doesn't want me to become a novelist."

"But you are a novelist already."

"I have no intention of giving up, either…"

Since her novel was long published, Muramasa-senpai is already a novelist.

"Looked like father was worried (or worrying? Not sure which would be better in context) about something…"

"Ahhh — " *3

Aside from Muramasa-senpai, everyone immediately figured it out.

"Considering how focued you are when writing, of course your family would be worried."

"He must be very worried. He doesn't want to see you forgo everything to write, so he tried to distance you from the publis.h.i.+ng company."

"So…Nii-san is a harmful virus to Muramasa-chan."

Don't say it like that!? Why do you make me into a  criminal?

Not that I think about it, considering how your family is, it's a wonder that Kagurazaka-san could convince you to publish your first novel."

How the heck could she convince him?

"Back then, my father wasn't like that."

"Probably because he had no idea about your situation yet."

"Maybe. Beside, Kagura…..zaka-san…."

Hey, you just forgot her name, right?

"She…she seems to be the daughter of my father's savior."

"Huh? For real?"

"Yes…so my father was easy on her."

"I see. Everything is clear now."

I'm not sure what this sentence is trying to say at all. My best guess would be: Now I understand how she could still be okay after climbing into this home more than once!

"Any other editor and my father would have drawn his blade."

I don't know if she was joking or not, but it's scary.

"Hm, if that's the case, then I doubt your father would agree with the reason we came here ."

"Reason?" Muramasa-senpai tilted her head.

"Just like I said, I came to get your ma.n.u.script."

"Ah! That!"

"Right. We didn't come here to play."

"Wait a sec, Elf. Didn't you say it's interesting before sticking with me?"

"Did I? Who cares? Elf said, before thrusting her finger at Muramasa-senpai: "Why didn'y you give her your ma.n.u.script?"

"Because I'm mad with her."

So it's Kagurazaka-san's fault.

Elf continued:

"Reason?"

"…..Because she pushed me."

"Pushed? You?"

"………………..That article in the magazine… about writing a chain novel…."

"Chain nove?" I think back "You mean…the one that I'm taking part in…a novel that was written by many authors?"

"Yes."

Kagurazaka-san told me about it a few days ago.

"So, you aren't going to join, right?"

"…Yes. I didn't even know about it before reading that magazine."

Of course. Kagurazaka-san knew that you weren't going to join, so she didn't ask you. So why are you mad?

"So what then?"

Just after I asked, Muramasa-senpai muttered:

"……………I hate it."

"What exactly do you hate?"

"Everything."

"That doesn't explain anything for me.

"Be more specific please."

"I hate the fact that you're joining this event. I don't want you to join, even if that doesn't concern me. I hate chain novels, I don't want to join, I don't want to see it exist!"

What kind of reason was that?

"I knew it, Masamune is the culprit."

Elf looked like she understood.

"What do you mean, I knew it?"

"You are the only one who could make Hana-chan this angry."

"No no, don't call me Hana-chan!!"

Muramasa-senpai rejected immediately. Seemed like she was still mad.

"So, basically, it's like this…" Elf said, while raising a finger:

"Muramasa didn't send her ma.n.u.script is because she was mad with the editor department."

"The reason is because Izumi Masamune is taking part in this chain novel event."

"She was mad because she wasn't invited to an event that her favorite author is taking part in."

"Normally, Muramasa hated all kind of event."

"So she doesn't go to any."

"Yes, it's like that."

"How unreasonable."

Sagiri concluded in our place.

Muramasa-senpai blinked:

"Huh? What do you mean, unreasonable?"

"You are absolutely unbelievable."

Turn out Kagurazaka-san didn't do anything wrong.

Muramasa-senpai don't want to come, but she was mad when she wasn't invited. So what do you want then?

"And why do you hate chain novels?"

It's fun! Everyone joining hands together!

Hearing that question, Muramasa-senpai's brow knitted.

"A novel is something I write myself. If I join hands with someone else, it will become trash."

"How could you be so sure?"

Senpai, why are you negative?

"Why should I join hands with someone who will drag me down? Compared to a chain novel, my novel is much better."

You are so full of yourself.

I don't really agree, but her word was true.

"Listen, Masamune. The more people who write something, the more likely it will become trash. I'm sure of it. This is the simple truth."

"There must be an exception."

"No. For example, the manga of Sekaimo, if there is someone who can do things that the original author couldn't then it's a good thing."

It was true. It was thanks to Army-sensei and Eromanga-sensei's help that I could have valuable ill.u.s.tration.

But that meant Muramasa-senpai acknowledged Army-sensei. Even if they had argued in the past.

She continued, a hint of anger in her tone:

"But a chain novel is different, there is no exception. All of the partic.i.p.ants are novelists, each of them have their own story that only they can tell. That's why nothing good can come out of the result. Someone will drag everyone down. They have to match with each other. Just a single person without enough motivation can ruin everything. You see, none of the chain novels become a hit."

"I don't agree with this opinion. Chain novels have some good story too. Maybe sometime a moment of brilliance can appear."

"seems like we can't reach an agreement. But I'm sure that I'm right."

"Then let's give it a try."

" - Huh?"

Seemed like she didn't expect my solution.

"You say a lot, but I bet you have never taken part in writing a chain novel before, have you?"

"No. So what of it?"

"Then let's give it a try. Only then you can see how fun writing a chain novel is."

"…With everyone here?"

Muramasa-senpai looked around. I nodded.

"Yes - what about you, Elf?"

"Sound good to me."

"Eromanga-sensei, you take care of ill.u.s.tration."

"…….If Izumi-sensei joins….then I will too…And I don't know anyone with that name!"

"Thank you both. How about now, Muramasa-senpai?"

"I will not change my mind….beside, I don't want to drag you down, Masamune."

"Why so serious! Just do it for fun."

"…….How….could you have so much fun writing…"

"Why not? We aren't going to write something to sell - just for fun."

"…Then…I got it, I will try."

Muramasa-senpai didn't look convinced, but she reluctantly agreed.

"Good ~! Now I feel fired up!"

"I don't care anyway! But don't you think that three people is a bit too small to play this game?"

"You are right."

"We need at least four people." Elf said while raising four fingers.

So —

While I was thinking, Muramasa-senpai said with some hesitation.

"Wait a sec. I will do it, but I don't want someone else to drag me down."

"Really, Hana-chan, so you acknowledge that I will not drag you down huh?"

"No. You are annoying, but I will let it slide since you are a friend."

"Oh, I see!"

So is their friends.h.i.+p good or bad?

"What now? It's not easy to find a novelist that Hana-chan acknowledges…"

"Hm…Muramasa-senpai, you said that as long as it's a friend, you don't mind that person, right?"

"Yes."

"I forbid you from calling s.h.i.+dou." Elf stopped me.

"Why?"

"He is not going to write anything for now."

"Ah…"

She wasn't wrong….

"So what now?"

"We already have someone. Someone more famous than anyone here, someone close to Muramasa, that person is right here."

"Huh? Who - ah, you mean —"

Elf grinned then put her hand into a speaker, shouted:

"Papaaaaaaaaaaa ~~~~~~~~~ Come here for a moment ~~~"

*Clak clank *

"What do you need?"

"Wow!!!"

He appeared near instantly!

"Did you hear what we said?"

"Yes, I was pa.s.sing by."

Liar! You must have been waiting behind that door! Look how fast you appear!

Rintarou-sensei said seriously:

"….In other words, you want me – Umenozo Rintarou – to take part in writing a chain novel with light novel authors like you, right?"

"Yes. The topic of our story is The meeting between a boy and a girl ."

"Elf raised her chest, speaking without fear. His pressure did nothing to faze her. But I doubt he would agree, though…

However, he nodded.

"No problem."

"Eh?"

"Really?"

"Pa, Papa!"

Did he hear Elf? The great novelist Umenozo Rintarou take part in writing chain novel with some kid, especially with topic The meeting between a boy and a girl .

Is this really happening?

Seeing how surprised we all are, he asked:

"Don't you think I couldn't write it?"

"….No…of course not…but your style is so different…"

Explain light novel would take too long, but in layman's term his style with long, careful structural sentence don't suit us. If he join us - then the end result would look very weird - something horrible would be born.

"So what? Nothing wrong with that, right? Or playing chain novel is not that simple?"

He saw throught me.

That's right. Nothing wrong with that. It's clear that the end result would be weird anyway.

But that's okay,

That's why I asked to write with Muramasa-senpai! Of course asking Umenozo Rintarou was too much…

Elf put a hand on my shoulder.

"Give it up Masamune. He said he wants to join."

Why does she look so happy?

"Hahaha, writing with my daughter…wonderful."

Oh fine. It's good anyway. While writing with her father made Muramasa-senpai uncomfortable, she didn't outright reject that idea.

We began to write our chain novel in the living room of the Umenozo household.

There was a tablet, chair, laptop ready, waiting for us. Wow…is this a tool from a great novelist? Will each of us take turns using it?

Muramasa-senpai's father was the first to sit down in front of the laptop.

"Me first. No one has any problem, right?" Elf said.

I don't think she will listen to anyone's opinion now. Here come trouble.

"…Eh…Elf…let him start…"

She put her hands on her hip, said:

"Let me write first!"

"Hm, is it a problem if I write first?"

"Position is important in this kinds of game. Even if our style wouldn't connect well, I can't let someone with the highest chance of ruining it go first."

Do you have to say it out?

"…….Ruin….?"

See? Look how speechless he is!

Rintarou-sensei froze for a few seconds, then he blushed, coughed, said:

“Just now…does that mean…all of you think that I couldn’t write literature for teenagers?”

"Yes!" * 4

We all agree.

He narrowed his eyes, angrily said:

"I, I can do it!"

“Really? Have you read any light novels recently?”

“Um…all I have to do is go online and check How to become a novelist! See, I have contributed a lot to this site!”

"You ….know how to go online?"

What the heck is he doing?

He opened the website and showed it to us. Muramasa-senpai coldly said:

“Since his novel was published, he turned into this…”

Ah…Papa only wanted to have something in common to talk about with his daughter…

"He is still full of life. Let me take a look."

Elf interrupted and looked at the screen. She went immediately paled, said:

"Wow, what low rating. So in the current age, the fame of Umenozo Rintarou has already been forgotten?"

"No no! It was my first contribution, so there was a lot I didn't get right! The next time is going to be okay."

What a lame excuse. His image has collapsed in my eyes.

Rintarou-sensei kept holding on the laptop, said:

"Anyway, I will write first! I will be first! No one else will!"

"Well, he is Muramasa-chan's father for sure."

"Wh, what? I'm unlike that…! How….impolite!"

Nah, I agreed. You two are so alike. Especially how capricious you both are.

Senpai (still blus.h.i.+ng) tried to calm down:

"…He is not going to change his mind in this case. Please let him go first."

"…Sure."

“Can’t be helped then.”

Both Elf and Sagiri agreed. I don't care anyway.

In the end – it’s for fun. What I aimed for is “the process when everyone takes turns writing.”

"Okay, I will go first. The topic is The meeting between a boy and a girl , right?"

Maybe – he knew it too, and purposefully played the role of the clown.

"…Nii-san, I need to prepare ill.u.s.tration. Ask him how the character would be."

"Sure."

Sagiri is afraid of strangers, so she hid for a while. I asked him about the draft layout character —

The result was —

“Draft? What is that? Does it taste good?”

I took back what I said earlier. It's just the way he is.

Umenozo Rintarou sat down and immediately start typing. Totally different from the technology blind Muramasa-senpai.

Since she had nothing to do to kill time, Elf muttered:

“……He uses a laptop…I thought he would be like novelists from the old time….”

“I don’t think anyone still uses pen and paper to write, aside from Muramasa-senpai.”

“Don’t say it like that, it’s not like I can’t use a laptop.”

Yeah, you can still read my web novel.

Rintarou-sensei suddenly said:

"Alright you guys - I'm uploading this story to the cloud server, you can use a tablet or smartphone to read it now."

Rintarou-sensei is so good with technology!

On the other hand, Muramasa-senpai paused, puzzled:

"Cloud? Tablet? Masamune, what is father talking about?"

"Who is the teenager here?"

Rintarou-sensei wrote very fast, and since we read via cloud server, we don't have to wait too long.

"Good writing. It's literrally a wall of text, but once I read it I can't stop."

“Then why did his contribution rate so low?”

"Did he act stupid on that website?"

"He was a newbie online, but a bigshot in real life."

"Hey, I heard you!"

Wow, good hearing.

"I told you, that was because I'm not used to that site yet! As long as I know how to make my paragraph easier to read, reordering my words to make it clearer, it's a piece of cake."

He was very pa.s.sionate. Seemed like his conviction is real.

"I have a plan already in place. Next time, I will be the victor."

"What say you, web novel specialist Izumi-sensei?"

“That plan is far from enough. I don’t think he will succeed next time.”

"Brat! You dare?"

“By the way, why did you try web novels when you were already a great novelist?”

Umenoz Rintarou just didn't suit this.

"Please be aware of you image. You are a real big shot."

“That’s what others expect out of me, why should I care?”

He kept typing, but he gave Muramasa-senpai a look.

“Novels are not something too special. As long as you enjoy reading, it’s fine. I think it’s the most memorable in entertainment. You only satisfy your own arrogant ego if you pursue it too hard, do you understand? Novelists are human too, there is nothing special about us. Professional or amateur, masterpiece or c.r.a.p is only separated by a thin line. As long as people enjoy it, those things are not important.”

Suddenly, he smiled gently with his daughter:

"So just write it with a clear mind. No need to give up eating and resting to write."

"No wonder your story is boring."

Muramasa-senpai's voice was cold and harsh.

Their points of view were as different as chalk and cheese. Muramasa-senpai’s way was too harsh – but Rintarou-sensei is too lax – or was it something he learned after all those years?

He is a novelist, but the way he thinks about it – I felt that he doesn’t really care.

But…he truly cares about his daughter.

Seeing his daugher rejected his idea, he only laughed:

“As long as you can read a book that you like, I only hope that among those stories that you like, there is something that we can read together.”

A while later —

"It's finished."

The first chapter written by Umenozo Rintarou is done. We finished it in no time.

After reading it, here is our reaction:

"….Nii-san, what is this kanji? It's so hard to read."

"…See? Boring."

Basically, Sagiri and Muramasa-senpai was against it. Well, the problem is…

Anyway, let's start from the beginning.

The first chapter's story is like this —

It was about a story between a normal boy and an ill girl who was dreaming of becoming an artist.

They were close friends since childhood. Since the girl’s body was weak, she rarely went outside and only has the boy as a friend. The setting is the Showa era (TL Note: From 12/25/1926 to 1/7/1989). The girl lived in an old house and wrote her story from there.

This – this feels so real.

The older the girl became, the more she wanted to go outside, the more it showed through her pen.

In the age without Internet, the only one who can read her story is her childhood friend.

The boy wasn’t interested in art, but because of his love, he happily read her stories and talked about them with her, creating a bridge between them.

This continued until both of them reach adulthood.

The girl’s pa.s.sion grew even hotter, sometimes unnatural. The boy noticed, but was powerless to do anything. He knew that the girl’s happiness lie in this life style.

The girl lived as happily as she could, while the boy was very worried, but kept trying to live nonetheless. Life continued.

Until the day the girl pa.s.sed away, leaving behind her words.

— I haven't finish any picture. I'm not satisfied.

***-kun. What can I do? I don't want to leave the drawing board.

Hearing the last word from his lover, the boy smiled and said:

— Then let me draw in your place.

And so, the boy was cursed.

He spent half of his life, trying to live a life that he hated. All because of a promise with the girl.

A very unhappy ending.

"What kind of ending is that?""

“Please, do you even know how to write chain novels?”

The ending was so depressing that all of us yelled. But Umenozo Rintarou-sensei ignored us all, and said:

“How is that? This should suit teenager’s tastes nowadays, right?”

"Yeah, the text is good."

"But the story is not! The story!!"

“The female protagonist died already!”

“What can we do when the story ended with chapter one?”

Rintarou-sensei gave me the laptop.

"Izumi Masamune-sensei."

"Yes?"

"Next, write whatever you like."

"This…."

“Pus.h.i.+ng the hard work to the next author is the fun part of writing a chain novel, right?”

"There should be a limit to it!"

He…I knew that he wasn't naïve! I think he is doing this on purpose!

"If it's Hana-chan's beloved author Izumi Masamune-sensei, you should be able to fix it, right?"

"Are you kidding me?"

I don't have anything with senpai…why did it feel like a father in law harra.s.sing his son in law! Strange!

"Of course! Masamune surely can do it!"

"Muramasa-senpai, please don't answer in my place in this time and place!"

"Eh? But you can do it, right?"

She trusted me completely! But…I can't!!

It'd be much better if I could say it out!

"Hoh ~ she is right, Masamune."

"…Can you do it, Nii-san?"

"….Uggg…"

Both Sagiri and Elf pushed me.

I sighed —

“Alright! Whatever it takes!”

Let me write a happy ending for this story!

And so —

We added a house rule stated that the writer is allowed to pick the next one. As a second place, I sat on Rintarou-sensei's place totally fired up. Play it by ear is Izumi Masamune's specialty. I wrote a lot of stuff every day.

"Still, it's a hard topic…."

I said that, but my hand didn't stop typing. All of my content was uploaded to the cloud server as soon as possible.

“Masamune, how are you going to continue the story after this super depressing ending?”

Hearing Muramasa-senpai's question, I answered bluntly:

"I will fix it with my usual style!"

"Eh?"

"Usual style?"

Rintarou-sensei glanced at me, like he was asking "Let me see what you have"

I replied:

"Simply put - I will turn the female protagonist into a ghost then possess the male protagonist! Then she will have a fight for her love against the boy's little sister!"

"You forcefully changed it into humour story?"

“And you made up another little sister?”

"A depress ending changed into a love comedy? Is this…okay?"

"It's a chain novel. Of course it's okay." I said without any ounce of shame.

If I was an author from Fujimi Mystery Bunko, I could even do more. This was nothing.

“Alright – let’s see how I can pull this off! Make the setting a little less dark, add some comedy, some ecchi, Eromanga-sensei, it’s your turn.”

"Leave it to me."

As soon as I mentioned ecchi ill.u.s.tration, she became interested.

"Haha, what about the beginning? How will you change the dark setting into something fun?"

"I have to thank you, Rintarou-sensei for making this setting up. I will use them all, no problem."

For example, there is a manga about a girl who is anti social, who barely able to talk with other (TL Note: Probably a reference to the manga  It's not my fault that I'm not popular ) or a group of friendless students who hang out together in their own group (TL Note: A reference to the novel Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, which has a very cute little sister). I can use the most depressing setting to make a comedy without any problem.

So I don't have to fear it. Everything will be fine, I'm a pro at writing comedy.

“Let’s see…the female protagonist possessed the male protagonist but couldn’t get out when they needed to take a bath…”

“Wait, why are you stripping them naked?”

"Special summon! A way to strip the ghost of the female protagonist!"

"You asked some one else?"

"When she was embarra.s.sed, her clothes become transparence! Kang kang! Just like this!"

"Eromanga-sensei already finished an ill.u.s.tration! Good, I will use it right away."

I kept writing. Muramasa-senpai muttered:

“….Is this gonna be okay?”

"No problem, it's a chain novel after all."

“Saying it now might be a bit late, but it looks like this story is ruined. The first chapter is so beautiful, but the second chapter is so silly.”

"Nah, we are having fun anyway."

Compared to when I made my debut, I was much better already.

"Good ~ I only need to end this….hm……..how should I do this ……………"

"So fast! Still typing while thinking! Disgusting!"

“Huh? You guys don’t do the same?”

“You are the only one still writing while having no idea what to write next. Are you going to leave the climax for the next person?”

"Don't worry, I have an ending in mind."

"Then let me see."

"I want to see too."

The famous author father and daughter came to me. During this time, Eromanga-sensei just kept drawing while humming a song happily.

I annouced to all of them:

“Both of the main characters marry, and have a child.”

"…..Perfect ending…but this is only chapter two."

"Really, Izumi Masamune. Do you know how to play this game?"

I don't want to hear that from the person who threw me such hard topic.

“…Masamune…it’s not a problem if you write this perfect ending…but what more can be developed? And how could the female protagonist – who is a ghost – have a kid? Don’t you think that’s strange?”

"Don't worry."

"Really? I got a bad feeling."

Seeing how worried Elf was, I slowly pushed the laptop to her:

"Yamada Elf-sensei will take care of it."

"I knew it!"

Pus.h.i.+ng the difficult part to the next author is part of the fun of this game.

"Ahaha, Elf's expression was priceless."

“It was painful to watch her having a headache in front of the computer.”

After I finished my part, Muramasa-senpai took me for a walk. She said she wanted to talk about something, so…. well, here I am.

"Just leave it to her, she will think of something…of course it will take time."

I rarely saw Elf work, but when she worked seriously, she became another person. Scary.

How scary, you asked? After finis.h.i.+ng a page, she will open some mobile game and "reward herself" by buying something in-game.

Everytime she finished a page, she would buy something. Every. Single. Time. If she gets some SSR item, she will boast to everyone to see.

Of course that also meant she couldn't write very fast. This was her way of avoiding reality.

Besides, now wasn’t the time to say “It’s my turn to s.h.i.+ne!” Her job is novelist, not some random Black Swordsman. (TL: i.e. Kirito)

"I wonder when can she finish."

"….Um."

Eromanga-sensei was the same, she was all focus on drawing now. So I'm so free that Muramasa-senpai take me outside.

"Senpai, where are we going?"

"…Well…"

Muramasa-senpai didn’t reply. She looked like she was trying to say something, but couldn’t. It took her a while before she finally managed to talk.

"…….My room."

Muramasa-senpai’s room is a small, normal room. I entered and took a look around.

It was almost empty, only having a bed and table. This was the first time I saw a novelist’s room without a bookshelf.

I couldn't find any good book - She once told me that.

There were many notebook on the table, the kind that elementary school student used. They stacked into a tall tower. Next to them were many hanging hook, which held ill.u.s.trations, handbook, short stories, etc….

Izumi Masamune's story was carefully arranged neatly on the table.

She didn't have a computer or bookshelf, but this room clearly was a novelist's room.

"So….this is Muramasa-senpai's room."

"….Yes….but…while it's your first time in here….you have already seen everything."

"By chance! I only saw this room by chance! Everything was a coincidence! I didn't have a clear look."

Because I was so fo