In Sawamura Sayuri's warning system, a boy named Kasuga no Tōru had been upgraded to the highest alert level. If she were to rank the most dangerous people in her world, this boy named Kasuga no Tōru would definitely be in the top three.
In a way, she even thought this boy was more dangerous than Mr. Spencer, her childhood friend in the Great Britannian Empire.
One was trying to steal her husband, the other was trying to steal her daughter.
If Kasuga no Tōru knew Sawamura Sayuri's thoughts, he would definitely cry injustice.
…
Kasuga no Tōru did feel wronged, but not because of Sawamura Sayuri's misunderstanding.
“Senpai, you're making this too hard on me…” the boy’s voice was weak and powerless, as if he was unable to argue.
As soon as lunch break started today, he was called to the rooftop by Kashiwazaki Shizuka. To be honest, he was quite interested in this place where Sekai had fought.
Although it wasn't at this school, it should be roughly the same, right?
But after being called to the rooftop, Kashiwazaki Shizuka spoke, and Kasuga no Tōru knew that he might be facing a battle today as well.
“Kasuga-kun, this is the revised second volume outline, please take a look.” Kashiwazaki Shizuka rubbed her temples, her face exhausted.
She seemed to have stayed up late recently.
If Kasuga no Tōru was in the same class as her, he would definitely have seen that this girl would fall asleep on her desk as soon as she arrived at school, sleeping as if she were dead.
She would only wake up during lunch break, have a simple meal, and then fall back asleep.
She was still able to get first place in Funozaka for two years in a row. Kasuga no Tōru couldn't help but admit...
Is learning in Japan so easy?
Well, a student with mediocre grades actually dared to say such arrogant things. What a sight to see.
Taking the outline of the second volume of "Love Rhythm", Kasuga no Tōru flipped through the outline while nibbling on a piece of bread.
The boy nodded at times, frowned at times, making Kashiwazaki Shizuka’s heart jump up and down with him.
Honestly, she didn't even know why she cared so much about Kasuga no Tōru’s thoughts.
If it was to get others’ approval, then there was no need for that.
The sales of the first volume had already proven everything. More than 100,000 fans were willing to empty their wallets for her words, which was already a high degree of recognition.
But Kashiwazaki Shizuka just felt that she should ask this boy in front of her what he thought about the novel she had created.
And without his help, perhaps she would have made a huge mistake in writing the second volume.
After about twenty minutes, Kasuga no Tōru closed the outline in his hand, folded the empty bread bag and stuffed it into his pocket before saying, "Senpai, to be honest, if you only look at the outline, this is no longer a novel I can evaluate."
He had said before that Kasuga no Tōru’s biggest advantage was that he was self-aware.
Before, when Kashiwazaki Shizuka brought out the initial draft of the outline, Kasuga no Tōru could have picked it apart even as a normal reader. Not to mention that the boy was Kashiwazaki Shizuka’s most important partner at the time, illustrations and light novels always had a mutually beneficial relationship.
But after seeing the outline in his hand, Kasuga no Tōru had a strong feeling that the second volume of "Love Rhythm" would definitely have a very exciting story unfolding.
If it was drawing, Kasuga no Tōru could definitely have a say. But light novel creation was a completely different field. As the saying goes, different fields are like different mountains, Kasuga no Tōru didn't dare to think that he could guide the insider as an outsider.
At least, in his eyes as a reader, the outline was qualified.
The rest was to use Kashiwazaki Shizuka’s writing skills, far exceeding those of her peers, to turn simple lines into magnificent scrolls.
Of course, Kasuga no Tōru needed to play his part in this process.
"Kasuga-kun, it’s really hard to get a compliment out of you." Kashiwazaki Shizuka let out a breath of relief without a trace. She had been so nervous when Kasuga no Tōru frowned.
When she saw him nod, she was so happy.
The girl’s mood was like the Sayuri in her own pen, fickle, sensitive, and delicate.
“But I'm doing it for the sake of this book, Senpai, you don't know me well enough.” Seeing that the problems he mentioned earlier were all avoided, Kasuga no Tōru also breathed a sigh of relief.
He was even able to joke and boast at this moment.
Unexpectedly, the boy thought his joke would be met with Kashiwazaki Shizuka's retort, but the girl just nodded and said nothing more.
Of course, Kasuga no Tōru didn't know what was going on in the girl’s mind.
"I'm doing this for your own good!" How many people use this phrase as an excuse to kidnap one person after another.
Not to mention the distant past, just look at the illustrator who recently fell out with Kashiwazaki Shizuka. Isn't their banner for the sake of "Love Rhythm"?
But how many people really know what Kashiwazaki Shizuka thinks and what she needs?
They just decide on their own, using what they think is the most suitable way to arrange the ending they think is most suitable for this book.
Such behavior is very similar to the self-righteous actions of countless parents.
But Kasuga no Tōru was clearly not like this. From the first time they met, he touched the most sensitive and soft place in the girl’s heart. He saw all the things the girl was putting into the character Sayuri.
During the recent discussion about the outline, he pointed out the mistakes that the book might make and the difficulties it might face if it made a mistake.
From beginning to end, Kasuga no Tōru has been constantly using his actions to convey this sentence: "I am really doing this for the sake of this book, 'Love Rhythm'!"
He could have used a simpler and more brutal method, like his predecessor. After all, Kashiwazaki Shizuka had no choice but to accept it.
If Kasuga no Tōru hadn't appeared, she could have refused one illustrator, refused two illustrators, but she couldn't refuse all illustrators.
In the end, she would still have to compromise.
Unless she wanted to see "Love Rhythm" cut off at the knees.
“Kasuga-kun, thank you.” The girl’s voice was ethereal and distant, scattering with the spring wind.
If Kasuga no Tōru hadn't been looking at Kashiwazaki Shizuka all the time, he might not have known that the girl would thank him.
“Senpai, you’re really messing with me. I really don’t understand what I've done that deserves your thanks.” No reward without merit. Everything Kasuga no Tōru did was based on the premise that he was receiving a hefty salary.
If you eat someone’s food, be loyal to them. That was Kasuga no Tōru’s bottom line.
Be poor, but don’t be shortsighted!
Kashiwazaki Shizuka tucked the hair blown by the wind behind her ears, at the same time using this movement to cover up the act of wiping her eyes.
Why thank him?
Only she herself knew.