Her first attempt at writing, editing, and submitting a manuscript resulted in winning a silver award.
But that was probably the peak of her career.
Since then, her sales had been steadily declining, and now her series was on the verge of being axed.
She couldn't quite describe how she felt.
Disappointment, sadness, frustration... probably all of the above.
Still, when the sales for the third volume came out, she had already braced herself for this outcome.
Yet, hearing it directly from her editor made the reality harder to accept.
'...Forget it.'
With a sigh, Utaha made up her mind.
Life isn't perfect.
There are ups and downs.
For a newcomer, she had already done more than enough.
'Just like that woman said, I still have the chance to write a bestseller!'
Even if her first work ended in failure, there was nothing she could do about it.
With that decision, the weight pressing on her chest finally lifted.
She felt a sense of relief, both mentally and physically.
At that moment, her gaze shifted to her phone screen, which had just lit up with a notification.
"A high school sophomore... a fresh new talent..."
Even though she admired the writer's work and was a fan, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy given her own circumstances.
"Must be nice..."
Her eyes then fell on the energetic and playful words on the screen:
"Hey everyone, it's been half a month! Did you miss me?"
"Have you bought the latest volume of Anohana? Do you love the pure, heartwarming friendships of the characters? If my story has touched even a little part of your heart, that makes me really happy!"
"Oh, and about yesterdaydid you all receive the gift? What do you think?! You liked it, right? I put so much effort into it! I even lost a ton of hair while writing the lyrics for the new song!"
"Anyone who says they don't like it will be sentenced to hanging! Haha, just kidding~ Don't take it seriously!"
"Ahem, I know you guys didn't come here to listen to my ramblings, so let's get to the point."
"I know it hasn't been long since my last announcement, but I have some exciting news!"
"No, it's not about a new projectcome on, I just finished two books! At least let me rest for a while."
"Though it's a little disappointing, there won't be a new work from me anytime soon~"
"So, what's the big news?!"
"That's right! After discussing with my editor, we've decided to hold a signing event for Madoka Magica on October 1st!"
"It was kind of a last-minute decision, so we don't have a location yet, but I'll update you all as soon as it's confirmed!"
"To be honest, I'm a little nervous. It's my first signing event, after all."
"Will anyone show up? How many people will come? Just thinking about it makes me anxious! If no one comes, I might just die of embarrassment on the spot!?"
"Okay, maybe not die. But I'd definitely lock myself in my room for days!"
"That's all for now! As soon as I have more details, I'll let you know right away!"
"Sorry for disturbing you, and thank you all for your support!!"
Even though the post had been up for less than ten minutes, the comments were already flooding in.
"Ohhh!! Finally, a signing event!! And it's for Madoka's Magica?! No matter what, I'm going, even if there's a typhoon!!"
"Okay, but if there's a typhoon, wouldn't it get canceled? Let's just hope for good weather on October 1st!"
"Ahhh!! I finally get to meet the author in person! I wonder what they look like? Since they're a high school student, maybe they're super cool!?"
"Come on, just because they're talented doesn't mean they're good-looking. They're probably just an average person!"
"Guys, the important thing is the author's work, not their looks!"
"Exactly! No matter what they look like, I'll always support them!!"
"Since it's a signing event, will there be a special edition of Madoka's Magica? Or exclusive merch and posters?!"
"Either way, I'm super excited for the event!"
Seeing the flood of enthusiastic comments, Utaha, as a fellow fan, couldn't help but smile.
"So this is what it feels like to be a fan"
Without thinking, she typed a reply just like any other excited supporter:
"Yes!! I've been waiting for this signing event! Don't worry, I'll definitely be there!!"
.......
October 1st The Day of the Signing Event
Standing next to the stylishly dressed Shiina Mahiru and Eriri, Akifumi couldn't help but sigh.
"...Do you two really have to do this?"
"Of course we do!" Eriri replied without hesitation.
"I'm a huge fan of the Warrior of Love and Hope-sensei! I've been following you since you entered the Tezuka Awards!!"
...Huh?
Did she really call 'doubting' me means 'following' me?
Perhaps sensing Akifumi's questioning gaze, Eriri's face turned slightly red, and she flicked her twin tails elegantly.
"Who says following has to mean liking? Doubting you is a form of attention too!"
"Sure, sure."
Akifumi gave a halfhearted nod.
"But if you really want a signature, you could've just brought a book and asked me to sign it?"
"It's not the same!"
Eriri argued passionately:
"It's like watching a concert at home versus being there in person! The experience and atmosphere are totally different!"
"Plus, they're selling a collector's edition of Madoka's Magica!!"
Her eyes sparkled at the thought.
Anything labeled "limited edition" or "collector's item" was bound to excite fans.
"I have to get my hands on it!!"
...Fine. Whatever makes you happy.
Akifumi gave up trying to reason with her and turned to Shiina Mahiru.
Before he could say anything, the gentle girl smiled warmly.
"I wasn't following you from the very beginning like Eriri, but I'm a fan now."
"As a fan, isn't it only natural to support your favorite author's first signing event?"
Her simple words carried an undeniable sincerity.
Akifumi sighed in defeat.
"...Fine. Do whatever you want."
Even if he tried to stop them now, they'd just meet him at the event later anyway.
No point in wasting his breath.
And with that, the three of them headed out togethertoward a familiar location in Chiyoda, at a bookstore owned by Shueisha.
.............
[TL Note]
Hey there! If you're enjoying this, be sure to check out
p-atreon.com/InsomniaTL
Please remove the hyphen to access the page normally! Just a heads-up, there will be new advanced chapters every day in there! And thank you so much for reading!
[103] 'Limited Edition Mami-senpai'......
As they arrived at the venue, the three of them were stunned by the sight before them.
They had left home at 8 AM, and even though they arrived at the signing event before 9 AM, the entrance was already packed with a massive line stretching as far as the eye could see.
A rough count showed no fewer than 200 peopleand there was still more than an hour before the event even started!
'This was way too over the top! It wasn't like they were heading into some holy war or something.'
Eriri muttered to herself in disbelief, then suddenly grabbed Shiina Mahiru's hand and dashed toward the end of the line. As she ran, she waved back at Akifumi.
"See you later!"
'So many people just don't make things harder for me, alright!? Damn it!!'
Although Akifumi wanted to complain, it wasn't like two more people would make much of a difference when he was already expecting to sign over 200 books today.
"At least I'll get to chat with them a bit and waste some time!"
With that thought, he stopped paying attention to the long line outside and pulled out his phone, dialing Mihari.
"Alright, I'll wait for you there. Hurry up."
After a quick exchange, Mihari hung up, and within moments, she appeared before Akifumi.
"Follow me."
With swift movements, she led Akifumi through the back entrance.
Only after stepping inside did Mihari finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew, you finally made it."
"How can you say 'finally' when I'm here a whole hour early!?" Akifumi couldn't help but retort.
"With this many people already waiting, I was honestly afraid you'd take one look and turn around."
Akifumi had briefly considered it, but it wasn't like he'd run away over something this trivial. He scoffed.
"It's just going to be a bit tiring, that's all."
"We'll see who collapses first."
Mihari grinned.
"You're talking tough now, Akifumi-sensei. Let's see if you can keep it up after the event."
Then, as if remembering something, she handed over a small, adorable Mami Tomoe figurine.
"Oh, right. Here's a little gift we prepared for each fan attending the signing. What do you think?"
Mami Tomoe's face radiated bravery, her eyes filled with unshakable determinationalmost as if whispering, 'There's nothing left to fear anymore.'
Akifumi's eyes lit up. "Oh, it's finally done!?"
He took the figurine and playfully placed it on Mihari's head, then gave it a little twist.
'Click'
A soft sound rang out as the head detached, revealing a metal USB connector inside.
"Not bad!" Akifumi praised.
The texture was pleasant to the touch, and that crisp "click" when twisting the head offso satisfying!
Mihari fell into stunned silence.
From the moment she saw this design, she had been internally screaming: 'Who the hell came up with this cursed idea!?'
And that clickit was way too much like actually snapping her head off!!
Sure, she knew it was just a USB, but why did it have to twist off!?
Even Satan himself would be taking notes on this design.
While Mihari was mentally ranting, Akifumi had already started playing with it.
Twist off. Put it back. Twist off. Put it back...
"Nice, I really like it! I'll be keeping this one."
With that, he casually slipped the USB into his pocket and added his thoughts:
"If you could tweak Mami's expression, that would be even better."
"How so?"
"Her current expression before detaching is perfect, but after the head comes off, it should change to something else."
"Like what...?"
"Something with empty, lifeless eyesmaybe a look of shock and disbelief."
!!!
[TL Note — ....................whut?]
This is wrong. Completely wrong.
Even Satan himself would be getting a tattoo of you on his back.
Mihari felt a chill run down her spine and forced an awkward smile.
"I'll pass that along to the design team."
"Hahaha."
Akifumi laughed and patted her on the shoulder.
"Relax, I'm just joking."
"Jjoking?"
Mihari's laughter was stiff.
Based on her experiences with Akifumi, this definitely did not sound like a joke.
Looking outside, Akifumi asked, "By the way, can we start the signing early?"
"Huh?"
"I'm guessing even more people have arrived by now. I don't want anyone to leave disappointed because they didn't get a signature."
"A lot of these fans probably traveled a long way just to be here. I don't want them to feel like they wasted their trip."
It was called a signing event, but it wasn't just about scribbling a name and sending fans on their way.
There would be handshakes, small talkeach interaction would take time.
Even if each fan only took 30 seconds, that was just 120 people per hour.
And that was assuming nothing went wrong. Just signing alone took 10 secondscompleting everything in 30 seconds per person might not even be realistic.
In short, time was tight.
"Well," Mihari mused.
"You do have a bit of a mean streak, love playing pranks, and enjoy writing stories that break people's hearts"
"But at the end of the day, you're still a pretty good guy, huh?"
With a smile, she said, "The event runs until 3 PM. That's going to be exhausting, you know?"
Akifumi waved it off. "It's just one day. I'll power through it."
"Just don't start whining later."
"Come on, I have my pride as a man. No way I'd do that."
"Well, since you're so determined, who am I to stop you?"
They exchanged smiles.
Meanwhile, outside, the crowd continued buzzing with excitement.
Even though they were strangers, there was an unspoken bond"If you love Madoka Magica, we're basically family."
Fans from all over the country chatted eagerly:
"Only an hour left! I can't wait!"
"I'm finally going to meet Sensei!!"
"The limited edition of Madoka Magica and a special gift. I wonder what it'll be this time?"
"I couldn't afford the collector's edition, so I'll just buy two regular copies to support Sensei."
Just then, the bookstore's doors opened.
A staff member stepped out with a loudspeaker:
"Attention, everyone! Because Sensei is worried about the large turnout and doesn't want anyone to miss out, the signing event will start now!"
"Please stay in line and proceed in an orderly manner!"
"We know you all love Sensei, but please try to move quickly so everyone gets a chance!"
"Now thenthe signing event officially begins!"
With that, the first person in line was guided inside.
The remaining fans outside gasped in delight.
"Sensei is amazing!! This alone feels like a special gift!"
"No wonder he creates such incredible storieshe's an incredible person too!"
"Even in a small detail like this, you can feel his love for the fans!"
"It's not even 9 AM yet So including a half-hour lunch break, that's six straight hours of signing!?"
"That's insane!"
"For Sensei's sake, we should all be quick so we don't waste his effort!"
"Agreed!!"
[104] A Lively Book Signing Event!
For today's book signing event, the bookstore made a few small adjustments after closing last night.
As fans enter through the main entrance, they are guided to the first station, where both the collector's and standard editions of Madoka Magica Volumes 1 and 2 are displayed for purchase.
Of course, buying a copy isn't mandatoryfans are welcome to bring their previously purchased books to get them signed by Akifumi.
The signing area is set up in a spot originally reserved for featured books, which has now been cleared to make space.
A long table, draped in a red cloth, now sits in its place, where Akifumi is stationed to interact with fans and sign their books.
Near the exit, various Madoka Magica-related merchandise is displayed for fans who want to take home a little extra.
That's the basic layout of the event.
Once the staff announces the start, Akifumi, seated at the signing table, welcomes his first fan.
She's a young girl with braided hair, square-framed glasses, and a sprinkle of freckles.
