What Haven’t I Seen Before?

When Izumi Kotomi was asked this, she didn't feel too surprised. After all, when she decided to use the same pen name to submit her manga, she had anticipated this situation.

"That's right, Sword Art Online was also written by me," Kotomi admitted openly, not wanting to explain too much.

She even took out her phone and opened her author dashboard on Dengeki Bunko's official website to show Asuka Chizuru.

"So impressive."

Though just three simple words, they were full of genuine admiration. As a manga editor, Asuka might not be familiar with light novels, but she certainly knew how valuable a work with millions of fans was.

It was hard to imagine that both Sword Art Online and Chainsaw Man were created by the same person.

And that the creator was a 16-year-old high school girl.

It was almost unbelievable!

But the truth was right in front of her, and she was now the editor for Izumi Kotomi's manga.

Even though Asuka Chizuru was a seasoned editor with years of experience, she couldn't help but be stunned by this revelation.

I, Asuka Chizuru, a veteran manga editor—what haven't I seen?

But I really haven't seen anything like this...

After handing the phone back to Kotomi, Asuka Chizuru now knew that Izumi Ki and Kotomi were the same person. Still, she couldn't help but worry.

"While it's clear that you have incredible talent in both light novels and manga, you do know that Weekly Shonen Jump requires weekly updates, right? You'll have to balance writing novels and drawing manga while also attending high school for three years. Can you handle all that?"

If this had been before, Kotomi might have had some concerns. But ever since her writing and drawing levels had increased, both her typing and drawing speeds had significantly improved. Moreover, she had already started preparing stock chapters for her manga, making it easy for her to manage the dual serialization of both her novel and manga.

"No problem. I'm pretty confident in my creative speed," Kotomi said with a proud smile, patting her chest.

Seeing Kotomi's confidence, Asuka Chizuru didn't press further and instead playfully reminded her, "Just don't turn into a procrastinator, okay? I'm pretty good at 'cooking pigeon' dishes, especially when dealing with authors who miss deadlines."

Hearing that, Kotomi felt a chill run down her neck and instinctively shrank a little.

When it comes to authors missing deadlines, every editor transforms into a ruthless "pigeon chef."

After finishing their meal, Asuka Chizuru escorted Kotomi to the train station. Before they parted ways, she said, "Goodbye, Miss Izumi Kotomi. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime."

"Got it. Bye-bye," Kotomi waved.

She then entered the train station and boarded the train back to Chiba City.

Perhaps because it was rush hour, the train was a bit crowded, but luckily, she managed to find a seat.

After sitting down, Kotomi sent her mother a quick text.

[I've boarded the train back. I'll be home soon.]

Her mother quickly replied: [How did the meeting go?]

[Ehehe~ I'm about to get a new source of income. So happy.]

[Amazing! You're definitely my daughter! Don't forget to buy a bottle of soy sauce on your way home. We're out of it.]

Kotomi had only mentioned that she would soon be receiving a new source of income, but she hadn't mentioned anything about her manga.

It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them—she had simply forgotten to mention it to her parents.

"I'll tell them once I get home," she thought.

After arriving in Chiba City, Kotomi exited the train station and, passing by a convenience store, remembered her mother's request for soy sauce. She also recalled that the shared snack stash she had with Aimi was running low.

So, she entered the convenience store and bought two large bags of snacks and a bottle of soy sauce.

The bags were quite heavy, but thanks to her "Queen of All Females" physique, Kotomi didn't feel burdened at all.

When she got home, Aimi saw Kotomi carrying two big bags of snacks and quickly rushed over to take them, acting like she was worried her sister would get tired. But her expression gave her away—it was clear she just wanted the snacks.

"Onee-chan, I was just about to call you to ask for some snacks, but before I could, you already brought them home. Onee-chan, you're the best!"

"Yeah, right. You just wanted the snacks sooner," Kotomi teased.

"I still care about you, Onee-chan! You've worked hard. Want a kiss as a reward?"

"No, thanks."

"Aw, come on~" Aimi clicked her tongue in disappointment, as she had already been ready to pounce.

After storing the snacks in the kitchen cupboard where she and Aimi kept their stash, Kotomi headed to the living room, where both her parents were.

Her father, Kaneyoshi, was on the phone with Kazuma, while her mother, Akina, was lounging on the couch playing on her phone.

"Alright, alright. When you have time, come over and hang out. Do you plan on going back to the old house to see Mom and Dad during the New Year? They're getting old," Kaneyoshi said into the phone.

"Nii-san (Big Brother), I'd love to, but you know Dad's temper. I feel like he doesn't even want to acknowledge me as his son anymore," Kazuma replied.

"Nonsense! Dad would never disown you. You two are just too stubborn. You're not a kid anymore. Listen to me—come home this year for New Year's and have a good chat with them."

"Alright, alright. I'll listen to you. By the way, Nii-san, I bought a car last week. Want to go for a drive sometime?"

"You're doing well! Last year, you bought a house, and now you've got a car. Seems like your gaming career is really taking off."

"I've had some decent success. I'm making good money every month, which puts Mom at ease. But Dad… well, he still won't acknowledge me."

"Haha, you know Dad's an old-fashioned guy. Even if you're making good money as a pro gamer and bought a house and a car, he'll never say anything. At most, he'll feel reassured inside, but he won't express it. He might even scold you, just like before."

"Exactly, Bro. I've made it to the World Championship, and even led my team to win once. But in Dad's eyes, it's still just a hobby."

"If you want Dad to acknowledge you, it'll take time. Be patient. This New Year, make sure to come home and talk things through. Maybe Dad will start to recognize your achievements."

"Alright, Bro. It's getting late, and I have training soon. I'll hang up now."

"Take care of yourself."

"Don't worry, Bro. I'm keeping healthy."

After that, Kaneyoshi hung up the phone and turned to Kotomi, smiling as he asked, "You're back. How did the meeting with the editor go?"

"Pretty good."

"Hmm, Kotomi just told me she's about to receive another paycheck. As expected of my daughter!" Akina chimed in, clearly proud.

"Oh? Another paycheck? Is it from your novel's publication?" Kaneyoshi asked, intrigued.

"No, the novel's release isn't until next month," Kotomi shook her head. "The income I'm about to receive is from selling the first chapter of my manga. The manuscript earned me 810,000 yen!"

"Manga?!"

"Wait, when did you learn to draw manga, and how did you sell a manuscript for 810,000 yen?!" Akina exclaimed, nearly biting her tongue in shock.

Both Kaneyoshi and Akina were utterly incredulous.

They had always thought Kotomi being able to write novels was impressive enough. Who would have thought she could also draw manga?!

"That's right. Here's the contract for the manga," Kotomi said, pulling a copy of the contract from her bag. When they signed the agreement, Asuka Chizuru had prepared two identical contracts—one for the editorial team and one for Kotomi to keep.