Chapter 361: Chapter 358: Pigeons Singing the Aspiration
"Have you finished drawing your manuscript?"
"I’ve finished more than half of it, and last night I was bursting with inspiration... but..."
Hearing the "but," Shirakawa Sawahei immediately understood what the slacking girl was going to say next.
"So basically, you didn’t really do anything serious last night, right?"
"What are you talking about! I did not!" The slacking girl puffed up in anger and said, "I just suddenly got the feeling of being in love, and felt that what I did yesterday didn’t meet my standards, so I plan to redo it."
"Such high standards, that’s not like you at all."
"Even I have moments when I’m serious." The slacking girl rested her face on her hands, her eyes seemingly glued to something behind Shirakawa Sawahei, and sweetly said, "Shirakawa~"
"Hmm?"
"Can you help me again tonight?"
"Didn’t I say before, until your manga’s potential cancellation crisis is over, I’m here to help you."
"Hehe... I knew it, Shirakawa is the best~"
Shirakawa Sawahei looked back at her curiously, thinking to himself that her tone and what she said had an undertone of Tsukimi’s influence.
That soft, sweet tone is something Tsukimi would use when she needs something... Has the slacking girl learned this from her?
Normally when I help you, I’ve never seen you so considerate.
Many doubts flashed by, but since the slacking girl was always a bit peculiar, it wasn’t surprising for her to occasionally be adorable.
"So, you’re saying yesterday’s work will be scrapped and redone?"
"Yes! I’ll scrap it and redo it!" The cute little Ise Yu said confidently and assuredly, "The previous one wasn’t good enough, so of course, it can’t be used! Now, I’m a hundred times more confident in completing this manga!"
"A hundred times?"
Hearing this, Shirakawa Sawahei’s face was a bit strange, thinking to himself, did she meet some white-bearded elder in her dream who guided her... suddenly having so much confidence...
Hmm? Speaking of, it seems like the person she dreamed of was me... Could it be that in the slacking girl’s dream, I am the white-bearded elder teaching her to draw manga?
It seems... there’s actually that possibility!
"Well, good luck to you. But if you redo it, you definitely can’t meet today’s final submission deadline."
"That’s something that can’t be helped. Didn’t you say before? Rather than submitting an unchanged draft perfunctorily, it’s better for the readers to see my change!"
"Have you changed?"
"I certainly have, can’t you see it, Shirakawa?"
Upon hearing this, Shirakawa Sawahei instinctively glanced at her and was surprised to notice her change.
Her pajama buttons were actually done up neatly? That’s a shocking change... Normally she would come out in a drowsy state, only buttoning up after I remind her... What’s up today? Did she tidy up in her room?
But why is she still wrapped in a small blanket? Is that intentional or unintentional?
"Should we inform Miss Morihara?"
"Hmm... I’ll call her after breakfast to express my apologies."
"Alright."
"Shirakawa, I want an egg roll, can I have one?"
"..."
The odd slacking girl didn’t wait long before she got her breakfast. While eating, she casually dialed the number of a newbie editor, preparing to bravely face the storm of criticism.
To her surprise, Morihara Tomona on the other side didn’t immediately answer Ise Yu’s call as she expected. The phone rang a few times and ended up not being answered.
Ise Yu Yuzhijin was stunned, looking slightly panicked at Shirakawa Sawahei.
"Oh no, oh no... Did Miss Morihara blacklist me... This is my first time delaying a draft! It can’t be like this!"
"So you plan to delay again in the future?"
"That’s... that’s something for the future... Shirakawa, you’re annoying." The slacking girl grumbled in frustration.
"What should I do now... Will I really be cut off... I obviously already found the feeling of love, why is this happening... Isn’t God supposed to favor devotees of the Pure Love Sect? Why is this happening..."
"Now that it has come to this..."
"What should I do?" The slacking girl clung to Shirakawa Sawahei’s arm as if grabbing a lifeline, "Shirakawa, you’re the only one I have now, you can’t leave me."
"You’ve said that to me many times before." Shirakawa Sawahei replied mercilessly, "The only thing you can do now is call again, what else?"
"Eh? Is... is it really that simple?"
Tearing up, the slacking girl somewhat incredulously dialed Morihara Tomona’s number again. Fortunately, this time the editor quickly picked up the phone and answered with a hello.
"Miss Morihara..." Ise Yu Yuzhijin exclaimed joyfully, "Thank goodness you finally answered..."
"Hmm? Is this Teacher Hei Bai? Sorry, I was a bit busy here just now..." A chaotic noise came from the other end of the line, with footsteps, voices of doubt, and other editing phone conversations, sounding particularly disorderly.
"Miss Morihara... on your end..."
"Sorry, there’s another call coming in, please hold on for a few minutes..."
"Oh, oh, oh..."
Morihara Tomona didn’t hang up the phone call, seemingly turning to answer a work call again. The situation over there seemed to be in a mess, and after a while, Morihara Tomona returned with a tired voice.
"Thank you for waiting... Teacher Hei Bai..."
"It’s fine..." Feeling guilty, the slacking girl hurriedly reassured that she didn’t mind, and cautiously probed, "Um... about me being unresponsive these past days... and the next issue’s manuscript..."
"I’m sorry, Teacher Hei Bai... The next anniversary issue of the manga magazine might have to be postponed..." Morihara Tomona’s voice was filled with frustration as she explained, "At the critical moment of sending all the drafts to the printing plant, the warehouse caught fire. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the drafts can’t be used anymore..."
"Then... doesn’t the magazine have backup copies?" the slacking girl asked in disbelief.
"Yes, but part of the backup copies were ruined because a careless employee left the window open, and they got wet in the rain..."
"The remaining drafts can’t possibly support a complete issue..."
"Then... do any other teachers have backups..."
Morihara Tomona sighed again, "That’s quite unlikely, manga artists are a careless bunch... very few will have their own drafts backed up... oh no, Teacher Hei Bai, I’m not talking about you... I mean, those old manga artists..."
The slacking girl blushed with embarrassment at the compliment, feeling a bit guilty inside...