chsdbacks Page 142
Page 142
Yuto's heart tightened.
He had seen Eriri in all sorts of ways—proud, sulky, shy—but this was the first time he had seen her so vulnerable yet stubborn.
He didn't ask any more questions, but simply turned to the side, opened the door, and said in a gentle tone that left no room for doubt, "Come in, it's windy outside."
Eriri sniffed, hesitated for a moment, and then walked in with stiff steps.
The living room was quiet, with only the ticking of the clock on the wall.
Eriri stood awkwardly in the center of the living room, her hands tightly gripping the straps of her schoolbag, like a prisoner awaiting trial.
Yuto didn't rush to speak. He went into the kitchen, took a carton of milk from the refrigerator, poured it into a pot, and heated it slowly over low heat.
Then, he took out an exquisitely packaged cardboard box from the locker.
Soon, a sweet aroma, a blend of milk and butter, filled the air.
Yuto carried a glass of warm milk and a plate of apple pie back to the living room and gently placed them on the coffee table in front of Eriri.
"Let's have some Dongjiuqiu Liushi Liuqi Baguba Xi first," he said. "This was sent by Aunt Xiaobaihe last week. She said it's a limited edition from your favorite 'Happiness Bell' pastry shop."
Eriri looked at the apple pie in front of her. The golden, crispy crust was decorated with a few glistening frostings. It was her favorite dessert since she was a child.
The familiar scent filled her nostrils, causing her tense nerves to relax involuntarily.
But she didn't move.
"I didn't come here to eat!" she finally spoke, her voice thick with a nasal tone, sounding more like a coquettish complaint than a accusation.
“I know.” Yuto sat down on the sofa opposite her, looking at her calmly. “Ask whatever you want.”
His composure, on the contrary, caused Eriri's pent-up anger to deflate instantly, like a punctured balloon.
"That report...is it true?" She lowered her head, her voice muffled. "Do you really...think that new voice actress is more important than me...more important than us?"
"Do you think that all I can do is draw and I can't help you with anything else?"
"Kusaka... that woman said that in this industry, people who have no use will be discarded... Am I... about to become worthless too?"
Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, and by the end, it was trembling with tears.
All the unease, self-doubt, and fear that had been building up over the past few days poured out at this moment.
She was no longer the proud blonde twin-tailed young lady, but just a little girl afraid of being abandoned.
Yuto listened quietly without interrupting her.
He didn't speak until she finished speaking.
"Eri, look at me."
Eriri raised her tear-filled face.
"The report is fake; it's just a commercial publicity stunt." Yuto's tone was unusually serious.
"As for Aoyama-san, I did help her because she reminded me of some things, and also because her voice was really suitable for the role of Anna."
"It's the same principle as my novel needing your illustrations; it's all about making the work better."
He paused, leaned forward slightly, and looked directly into her eyes.
“But Eriri, this is not the same as ‘important’.”
"You are different to me."
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, you are the first equally matched rival and friend I have encountered on my path to becoming a writer." His voice became softer and more solemn.
"Kato-kun, you were the deskmate who gave me the most companionship and inspiration during my creative block, and you..."
"You are the first and only person who brought color to my world when I decided to use stories to depict it."
"Without your paintings, my novels are just a bunch of dry words."
"It was you who, with your paintbrush, brought Princess Lilith's smile to life, made the dragon's scales shimmer, and made the entire other world within reach."
"What Mr. Kurosaka teaches you is how to become a top professional illustrator. That requires you to follow the rules, smooth out your rough edges, and become strong."
"But I want you to know that no matter what you become, to me, you will always be that slightly willful, slightly tearful, but sparkling Eriri Sawamura Spencer."
"My partner, an irreplaceable personal illustrator."
Yuto's words were like a warm stream, gently flowing through Eriri's cold and flustered heart.
He did not deny helping others, but in the clearest way, he reaffirmed her unique place in his heart.
She is not a replaceable tool, but a partner in creating the world together.
Eriri's tears fell once again.
This time, it wasn't because of feeling wronged or scared, but because of being moved and reassured.
She picked up her fork, cut off a large piece of apple pie, stuffed it into her mouth, and mumbled between chews, "You're...you're smart! If you dare say anything that displeases me, I...I'll never draw illustrations for you again!"
"Yeah, that's why I don't dare." Yuto smiled and handed her a tissue. "Eat slowly, don't choke."
Watching Eriri wolf down her food, he picked up his phone and glanced at the club group chat.
Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't say anything more, but Yuto knew that a meal of apple pie wouldn't solve the problem for her.
That will be a tougher battle that will test logic and patience even more.
However, at least for now, he can catch his breath.
……
……
With the crisis temporarily averted, the animation production has entered its next crucial phase.
A few days later, producer Ando found Yuto.
"Teacher Itsuka, I have a new task for you." Masato Ando handed him a document with an expectant smile on his face.
"The committee saw the first cut of the first episode of the animation and the feedback was excellent! Anna's voice acting, in particular, was a stroke of genius."
"Everyone agreed that the quality of this work was absolutely worthy of a top-notch theme song tailor-made for it."
Yuto took the document and flipped through it.
It's a proposal for an anime theme song.
“Both the director and the sound director feel that no one understands the soul of this work better than you,” Producer Ando continued. “Therefore, the committee has decided to entrust you with the selection of the theme song singer.”
"Leave it to me?" Yuto was somewhat surprised.
Although he is the original author, the decision of who will sing the theme song is usually made by the record company and the production committee, and is rarely delegated to the author himself.
“That’s right.” Masato Ando patted him on the shoulder. “We trust your judgment.”
"Just like you discovered Ms. Aoyama, we hope you can find a singer who can express the core spirit of 'Farming King' through their singing."
“The budget is ample. Whether it’s a popular idol or a powerful singer, as long as you think it’s suitable, we can talk to them.” He winked slyly. “Of course, if you can discover another ‘rough gem’ like Ms. Aoyama, that would be even better. That would be an excellent publicity point in itself.”
Yuto closed the file and fell into deep thought.
What is the core spirit of "Farming King"?
On the surface, it's a light novel about time travel, farming, and building a harem.
But Yuto himself knew that what he wanted to express was a kind of resilience in cultivating hope in desperate situations and establishing order in barrenness.
The voices of popular idols are mostly sweet or glamorous, but seem to lack a sense of depth.
A powerful singer with impeccable skills, but perhaps too much showing off, losing that simplicity.
This is indeed a difficult question.
Several names flashed through his mind, but he rejected them one by one.
Just then, his phone vibrated; it was a message from Eriri.
"Eriri: [Image]"
Upon opening it, I found a brand new monster design draft.
On the screen, the monster that had previously troubled her was now lifelike, full of power and a sense of oppression.
The texture of the muscles, the cold glint of the claws—every detail is just right, meeting the requirements of simplicity in animation production while retaining Eri Kashiwagi's unique charm.
"Who's more handsome than me: This one's amazing! Better than all the previous versions!"
Eriri: Hmph, of course! I'm a genius!
Even through the screen, Yuto could almost see her standing with her hands on her hips, looking smug and arrogant.
Yuto smiled, and his mood improved as well.
He suddenly realized that perhaps he could listen to their opinions about the theme song.
After all, they were also the world's earliest "residents".
He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the clear sky outside, and made a decision.
……
Volume 1: Chapter 138: The Pink-Haired Singer
Over the next few days, Yuto turned down all unnecessary invitations, put on his headphones, and listened to all the demos from the numerous candidate singers that were sent to him.
However, those voices, whether sweet, passionate, or skillfully crafted, all lacked the soul he desired.
That afternoon, in search of some new writing inspiration, Yuto went to Shibuya alone.
He had no specific destination; he simply wandered aimlessly with the flow of people, observing the diverse crowd and catching snippets of conversation as he passed by.
As he turned into a relatively quiet back alley of a commercial street, a song drifted into his ears without warning.
It was a humming without lyrics, accompanied by a slightly worn wooden guitar.
The singing wasn't loud; it was even a little low and melancholic, yet it was like a gentle hand that instantly gripped Yuto's heart.
There's a story in that voice.
There is the loneliness of waiting alone under the setting sun, the desolation of raindrops tapping on the windowpane, the solitude of walking against the flow of people, and... the longing for warmth.
Yuto stopped and looked in the direction of the singing.
A young girl was sitting on a step at the street corner.
She was wearing a gray woolen hat pulled low, obscuring her full face; only a small section of her fair chin and light pink hair could be seen peeking out from under the brim.
She held a wooden guitar in her arms, her fingers gently plucking the strings, completely immersed in her own musical world, oblivious to the occasional passersby around her.
Yuto didn't go up to disturb them, but just leaned against the opposite wall and listened quietly.
When the song ended, the girl raised her head, revealing her face beneath the brim of her hat.
Yuto's breath caught in his throat at that moment.
It was a face that seemed to have been sculpted by the hand of a god.
Her light pink long hair was loosely tied into two ponytails at the back of her head, with a few strands falling over her shoulders. Her deep red eyes were as clear as a pair of fine gemstones, yet they also carried a sense of detachment as if she were isolated from the world.
Her expression was calm, devoid of joy or sorrow, a pure "nothingness." It was precisely this "nothingness" that added an otherworldly quality to her stunning beauty.
The girl seemed to notice Yuto's gaze and looked over.
Yuto composed himself and walked over.
He placed a few banknotes in the guitar case in front of the girl, then asked, "Hello, did you write the song you just heard?"
The girl blinked, seemingly working on this simple problem.
After a few seconds, she nodded slightly.
"You sang very well," Yuto exclaimed sincerely.
“I am a creator, and I am currently looking for a singer for the theme song of an animation. Your voice is a perfect match for the emotions I want to express in my story.”
"I wonder if you'd be interested in giving it a try?"
The girl tilted her head, and a ripple of confusion finally appeared in her deep red eyes.