Female protagonists from various anime/manga crossovers? They'll all regret it for the rest of

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He began to understand Kato Megumi's intentions.

Writing a diary is not about finding a one-size-fits-all solution, but about helping him regain control over his own mind.

How can someone who can't even control their own heart control their life or the world they create?

That day, Yuto received a call from Machida Sonoko, informing him to attend a meeting at Shinazugawa Bunko to discuss preliminary ideas for the sequel to "Farming King" and some business collaborations.

After hanging up the phone, Yuto felt a bit conflicted.

On the one hand, after these few days of self-reflection, his depleted inspiration seemed to have shown signs of revival, and he already had some vague ideas about the sequel.

On the other hand, he also knew that as soon as he started writing, it meant that a new round of war was about to begin.

He walked out of the room, ready to say something to everyone in the living room.

In the living room, Eriri and Kasumigaoka Utaha were having their usual argument about whether a bag of potato chips tasted better in sea salt or barbecue flavor.

Yuzuriha Inori, on the other hand, was wearing headphones and listening to music quietly, undisturbed by the outside world.

"I have a meeting at the publishing house this afternoon," Yuto said.

The quarrel stopped abruptly.

Eriri immediately threw down the potato chips in her hand and asked nervously, "Is...is this about discussing a sequel? What about the illustrations?"

"The idea for a sequel hasn't been finalized yet, and it's too early to discuss illustrations," Yuto replied.

Kasumigaoka Utaha elegantly wiped her hands, stood up, and said in a calm tone, "Perfect timing, I also have to go to Shinazugawa Bunko to see my editor."

"Junior, we're going the same way, let's walk together."

"Huh?!" Eriri's eyes widened instantly. "You, you scheming woman! You're definitely doing this on purpose! Trying to take advantage of this and monopolize Yuto!"

“Sawamura-kun, please watch your words. My junior and I were just passing by. Besides, as authors from the same Shinazugawa Bunko franchise, isn’t it normal for us to be at the company together?” Utaha’s reasoning was impeccable, and she wore a victorious smile.

Eriri was so angry she couldn't speak. She could only watch helplessly as Kasumigaoka Utaha picked up her bag and walked out of the house with Yuto.

On the way to the station, Shiwa did not continue the conversation about Aoyama Nanami as Yuto had expected.

She was just like any other senior student, chatting with him about interesting things about school or the new movies she had recently watched.

This unusual calm made Yuto feel somewhat uncomfortable.

It wasn't until the two were standing side by side in the train car that Shiyu spoke up as if casually: "Junior, you seem a little different lately."

"Really?" Yuto's heart skipped a beat.

"Hmm." Shi Yu looked at the scenery rushing past the window and said softly, "A few days ago, you were like a person who was about to drown, desperately trying to grab every straw around you, but your eyes were full of despair."

"Yuto-kun, we're going the same way, let's go together."

Yuto never expected that she would so keenly perceive the changes in his heart.

"Perhaps," he replied vaguely.

"Is it because of Sawamura-san?" Utaha suddenly turned to look at him, her eyes clear. "She protected you that day, so you felt like you weren't all alone?"

Yuto fell silent.

Seeing his reaction, Shi Yu suddenly smiled softly, but the mockery was gone from her usual smile.

“I lost that day,” she admitted frankly.

"I've always thought that the best way to deal with you is to use words to push you to the brink and make you see reality."

"But it turns out that standing in front of you without hesitation, like she did, is much more effective."

"I always tend to use the most complicated methods to solve problems, but I forget that sometimes, the simplest emotions are the most powerful weapons."

These words completely stunned Yuto.

He never imagined that Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was always proud and took pride in her wisdom, would so frankly analyze her failure.

"Senior sister..."

“So,” Shiyu interrupted him, regaining the confidence and pride that belonged to Kasumi Shiko.

“I’ve changed my strategy. Since a direct attack won’t work, I’ll use my own methods to make you make a choice willingly.”

She leaned closer to Yuto, so close that they could feel each other's breath.

She whispered in his ear in a devilish way:

"Junior, are you ready for the script I've tailored just for you? This time, I'll make you understand who your destined leading lady is."

After saying that, she took a step back and a smile returned to her face.

The tram arrived at the station and the doors opened.

Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't look at him again and walked straight out of the carriage.

Yuto was still standing there, as if he could still hear her warm breath.

As he watched Shiyu's departing figure, his heart began to race involuntarily.

……

In the conference room of Shinazugawa Bunko.

Across from Yuto Itsuka was editor Sonoko Machida, along with several heads of the marketing and copyright departments.

He systematically explained the core ideas for the sequel to "Farming King" that he had compiled in his diary over the past few days.

"...Therefore, I plan to introduce a completely new force in the sequel—a kingdom driven by magic, similar to the Industrial Revolution."

"This kingdom does not rely on traditional swords and magic, but has developed a unique technology tree through magical technology."

"The protagonist will no longer just be a farmer, but will have to face the impact of this emerging civilization on traditional agricultural society and explore the conflict between tradition and progress, nature and technology."

His narration was clear, fluent, and full of confidence.

Those thoughts that were once a jumbled mess in his mind have now been sorted out and settled through his diary, and have become logically coherent story points.

Machida Sonoko and the others listened with shining eyes, nodding repeatedly.

"That was amazing, Itsuka-sensei!" Machida Sonoko exclaimed excitedly, slapping the table.

"This concept completely broadens the scope! It elevates the discussion from simple survival in another world to the level of a clash of civilizations! I guarantee that readers will go crazy for it!"

The head of the marketing department excitedly added, "Moreover, the concept of magical technology is perfect for creating derivative products! Imagine magical tractor models, figurines of automated irrigation systems... the commercial potential is enormous!"

Seeing everyone's excited reaction, Yuto also felt a long-lost sense of accomplishment from creating something new.

He knew that he was gradually climbing out of that quagmire.

The meeting proceeded smoothly, and after determining the general direction of the sequel, the topic shifted to another agenda item.

“Itsuka-sensei, regarding your intentions for your next work,” Machida Sonoko said, flipping through another document with a somewhat subtle expression.

"As I mentioned before, several companies are interested, and one of them has been... unusually proactive."

"Which one?"

“Aniplex,” Machida Sonoko said, a name that surprised Yuto.

Aniplex, an animation planning, production, and distribution company under Sony Music Entertainment, is one of the true giants in the industry.

Being noticed by such a company is a great honor for any author.

“However, what’s strange is that,” Machida Sonoko frowned, “their way of contacting each other is quite peculiar.”

"It wasn't through our official Shinazugawa Bunko channels, but rather through Ms. Akane Akasaka, a renowned producer at A-1 Pictures, a subsidiary of Aniplex, who contacted our editor-in-chief privately."

Akane Benisaka!

The name made Yuto's pupils shrink sharply.

"Ms. Kousaka?" Yuto asked calmly, "What interest does she have in me?"

“That’s the strangest thing.” Machida Sonoko handed over a printed email. “She didn’t specify what she liked about you, she just said that she was very interested in ‘a genius writer who could influence Ms. Kashiwagi Eri’s writing’ and hoped to see a proposal for your next work.”

"Furthermore, she hinted that Aniplex was willing to provide top-tier resources in the industry to produce the animation, provided the proposal satisfied her."

Yuto looked at that sentence in the email and instantly understood everything.

Akane Akasaka's interest lies not in Yuto Itsuka, nor in his work "Farming King".

Her goal was to use him to observe and test her student—Eri Sawamura Spencer.

This industry tycoon is trying to turn his work, along with his next project, into a whetstone to polish Eriri, the rough gem she has set her sights on.

"What do you think, Itsuka-sensei?" Machida Sonoko asked. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Although Ms. Kousaka's motives may not be so pure, Aniplex's resources are real."

Yuto fell silent.

He remembered Eriri's dejected and self-doubting appearance every time she returned from special training with Akane Kousaka.

She also remembered that day when she stood in front of Kasumigaoka Utaha without hesitation to protect herself.

He didn't want Eriri to suffer that kind of blow again, and he didn't want her to become a tool for others to mold her.

But at the same time, he also understood that this was an opportunity for him and his team to rise to the top in one step.

If they could get support from Aniplex, their future creative path would be infinitely smoother.

To refuse or to accept?

This choice is far more weighty than deciding whose message to reply to first.

After the meeting, Yuto walked home alone, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

He instinctively walked into a coffee shop, ordered a coffee, found a corner seat, took out his phone, and dialed a number.

"Hello? Itsuka-kun, what's up?" Kato Megumi's voice came from the other end of the phone, as calm as ever.

"Kato-kun, there's something I'd like to hear your opinion on." Yuto took a deep breath and recounted everything he had heard at the meeting today regarding Akane Kousaka and Aniplex.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment.

Just as Yuto thought the signal had been lost, Kato Megumi's voice rang out again.

"I understand. So, Itsuka-kun, you're worried about whether you should seize this opportunity or give it up to protect Eriri, right?"

"Ah."

“But, Itsuka-kun, have you ever thought,” Kato Megumi paused, then offered a completely new perspective, “that Ms. Kousaka’s interest is neither in your work nor solely in testing Eriri.”

"What is that?" Yuto pressed.

"Her interest might lie in the pairing of you and Eriri."

"combination?"

“Yes,” Kato Megumi explained, “A genius author who can write best-selling stories, a genius illustrator who can create top-notch paintings, and the two are childhood friends with a complicated relationship.”

"Isn't the story of geniuses inspiring and complementing each other, even becoming entangled with one another, the best creative material?"

"Ms. Kousaka is a top producer in the industry. What she sees is not just a single work, but the value of a creative team that can consistently produce top-notch works and is itself full of talking points."

"She doesn't want to use you to hone Eriri; she wants to mold both of you into her trump cards."

Kato Megumi's analysis instantly dispelled the fog in Yuto's mind.

He had always viewed this matter as a difficult "either/or" choice, but he never imagined that, in the eyes of top players like Akane Kousaka, he and Eriri might have been an inseparable whole from the very beginning.

"So, what's your suggestion?" Yuto felt his thoughts were much clearer.

“My advice is not to make decisions for Eriri,” Kato Megumi said.

"You should tell her the whole story and let her make her own choice."

"Do I choose to be protected by you in a safe zone and grow slowly, or do I choose to go with you to accept Akane Akasaka's test?"

"You have to believe in her, Itsuka-kun. Believe in her pride as Eri Kashiwagi, and also believe in her commitment as your personal illustrator."

The phone hangs up.

Yuto sat in the cafe, watching the bustling street outside the window, motionless for a long time.

Kato Megumi's words made him understand completely.

His constant protection, in a sense, is also a form of disrespect towards Eriri.

He was afraid she would get hurt, but he overlooked the fact that she also possessed the courage and pride to face the storms of life.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Eriri.