Collaboration!

"I'm already working on three serializations, and you still want me to draw more?" Homura looked at the group of women in disbelief, pointing to himself.

"But you're not incapable of drawing!" Eriri said unkindly and complained in her mind. 'You draw so fast, yet you keep making excuses!'

"But even if I keep drawing, there's no room for me to serialize another in the weekly magazine!"

Utaha gave him a sidelong glance. "Have Ayano-san speak up for you! Let's start a magazine just for all of Minamiya-sensei manga alone!"

He almost peed himself! Start a magazine just for him? That's really excessive! Are they treating him as a human?!

Suddenly, Megumi said, "How about you draw just one chapter first?"

"Megumi, you're really a devil!" Eriri looked shocked. "I didn't expect you to come up with such a vicious idea!"

"???" Megumi looked confused.

"Megumi-nee, do you remember Jinno Megumi?" Sagiri said softly.

"..."

"!!!"

"Sorry, I forgot!" Megumi soon came to a realization and tilted her head cutely.

Homura felt comforted and rubbed his itchy nose.

Sagiri looked confused. "Megumi-nee, Jinno Megumi who has the same name as you! Did you really forget her?"

"Well, Sagiri-chan, I did forget, but not about her; it's about the matter of borrowing books, right? What you want to convey is that when a story is either on hiatus or still incomplete, it becomes a serious matter for readers, correct?" Megumi said seriously.

"Yes, that's what I mean!" Sagiri breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest. It would be really serious if the reliable Megumi-nee suddenly became unreliable.

"What are you talking about?" Mashiro said without understanding.

Nanami quickly explained, "It's about the time when Megumin returned a book and eagerly want to borrow the sequel for the book she read."

"...So, if Homura draws only one chapter, everyone will be impatient and keep urging him to draw more?" Mashiro quickly understood.

Eriri vigorously nodded. "Exactly! That's why I said Megumi is a devil! If Homura is willing to keep drawing, that's okay. But if he only draws one chapter and then stops... isn't that forcing us to death by cliffhanger?"

Homura clapped his hands. "Everyone, don't worry. I'll draw it sooner or later, okay!"

Utaha couldn't help but say, "But you're the one who started it! You give us the names of your stories just like that to tease us! Please be a little more considerate! We can't handle cliffhangers!"

Homura: "..."

"It's not like I wanted to say it..." murmured Homura, but his murmuring voice was a little too loud!

Elf: "..."

*King called me to patrol the mountain~*

It was his phone again.

"Hmm? An unknown number?" Homura scratched his head. A call from an unknown number at this time... it was probably not a coincidence.

"Minamiya-sensei?" A mature female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Yes, I am Minamiya. May I ask who is calling?" Homura was not surprised at all. If someone wanted to get his phone number, it wouldn't be difficult to obtain.

"I am Kosaka Akane. This is the first time we have talked, and it is also the first time that our two circles have communicated, right?"

He raised an eyebrow and knew who it was. Was she trying to poach Eriri from my circle?

"Rouge en rouge?"

"Oh? Minamiya-sensei has also paid attention to us?"

Looking at the crowd of girls who were attracted over by his phone conversation, Homura waved his hand and said with an unchanged expression, "Isn't it natural to pay attention? For a circle, you have almost reached the pinnacle. Who in the industry can ignore you?"

"Minamiya-sensei is not bad either. Recently, I have fully experienced your work's great charm!" Akane said with a flattering tone.

"Where, where... it was just a small matter. How can it compare to a well-established circle like yours?" Homura answered with a humble tone.

Business mutual flattery! Who doesn't know how to do it?!

The girls looked at him with black lines on their faces. What he said was really... shameless!

"... Alright, if we continue like this, it'll never end. I'll just say it directly!" Akane said with a serious tone.

"Please speak."

"Minamiya-sensei, are you interested in joining our circle?"

Homura sneered, "Don't make me look down on you. Is that how your circle got so big?"

"Well... that's true. It's impossible after all." Akane's tone suddenly changed, "Then, are you interested in collaborating with me?"

Homura showed some interest, "What kind of collaboration are we talking about?"

Akane replied, "Can you help me train an artist?"

"What's in it for me?" Homura asked.

"How about distribution channels?" Akane suggested.

Homura declined, "No, my family doesn't lack those."

After pondering for a while, Akane said, "Then the only thing I can offer is a large number of artists. Minamiya-sensei, I assume you will need a considerable amount of original artwork for the anime, won't you?"

Although he really wanted to say that he could do it himself, if later on multiple works were adapted into anime, and considering he also had his own circle to manage... This was really hitting him where it hurt.

He had already decided to collaborate, but there was one more question, "If you already have a large number of artists, why do you want me to help you to train one?"

"Because the one I want you to train is one of the two artists I have the highest expectations for, and is different from those second-rate artists with no potential," Akane explained. "Only by staying by the side of Kashiwagi Eri and Shiina Mashiro can she grow rapidly!"

He now understood that the artist in question was most likely Hashima Izumi.

"Aren't you worried that I will poach this artist from you?" Homura asked.

Akane chuckled lightly, "That might be another kind of deeper collaboration..."

Hmm? Was it just his imagination? He felt deeper meaning in her words and a vague hint of eroticism there...

Shaking his head, he dismissed the mysterious thought.

"Okay, I agree. By the way, do we need to sign a written agreement?"

Akane let out a wry smile and said, "It's up to you. I can't afford to provoke Minamiya Family. So, even if we don't sign a written agreement, I definitely won't make things difficult for myself."

"Okay, it's settled then. Even if you change your mind, it won't affect me in any way."

"Then I will have my artist come to you in a few days. She will not be back until a few days later."

"Alright, let's have a pleasant collaboration!"

"Minamiya-sensei, let's talk again next time."

After hanging up the phone, Akane muttered to herself, "It seems like only that little rascal enjoyed this collaboration, huh?"

"I hope going out to sea can help me blow off some steam..."

===

Looking at the group of girls surrounding him, Homura said, "We agreed to collaborate a little, I will help her to train an artist. When our own works are animated or made into anime movies, her artists will come to help."

Eriri looked skeptical and said, "I don't quite understand... Homura, you actually agreed to this?"

Utaha chimed in, "It's actually easy to understand, Sawamura-san. I guess that artist she mentioned must be a girl."

Homura just stayed silent awkwardly, "..."

Seeing his uncomfortable expression, the girls understood that Utaha was right.

Eriri snorted, "Hmph!"

Sagiri added, "Hmph!"

Sagiri... even you?

"What? We do need more people! I was even thinking of recruiting someone, even if this collaboration didn't happen!" Homura said in his defense.

Recruit someone? Do you mean some girls? Wouldn't that just add another competitor?!

Utaha couldn't help but want to say something, but she suddenly realized that nothing she said would make a difference. She believed that any woman would gradually develop a favorable impression and feelings after getting to know him.

Could she really prevent him from interacting with other women in the future? Not to mention the fact that there were several at Otonokizaka High...

With these thoughts in mind, she gave up on the idea of speaking.