Tokyo Rebirth: Start From Picking Up Sayu

When school was over on Tuesday, Kato Yusuke was called to the Fusugawa editorial office, along with Shiyu.

Basically, regarding the response to a work, on the second day after the magazine is released, some readers will send in survey letters, and the two of them are here for this purpose.

Shiyu doesn’t use Twitter or blog.

Kato Yusuke does use Twitter, but he only uses it when he helps Eri manage the club account, and he doesn't check it regularly.

Therefore, reading letters from readers has become the first choice to understand the status of the work, and you will also get more accurate data from the editorial department than online.

When the two came to the Immortal River again and came to the editorial office of the comics department for the first time, in addition to the deputy editor Kimura, they were greeted by an old man with gray hair and a kind-hearted appearance.

The other party was wearing an ancient stand-up collar polo shirt and a striped sweater outside. He was standing half a step ahead of Kimura.

"Editor-in-Chief Suzuki, let me introduce it to you."

Seeing them coming to the door, Kimura, who was half a step behind, wanted to introduce them, but the old man waved his hand with a smile and said that it didn't need to be so troublesome.

"This little girl is teacher "Xia Shizi", I know. "

His eyes first looked at the tall Shiyu, and then turned to the slender Yusuke on the side. Appreciation and admiration appeared in his eyes. He said "yes" several times, and then took the initiative to extend a hand.

"Is this Teacher "Fujimotoki"? Your work is very good. I hope that together we can spread this comic to more people and create better results. Please pay more attention to it in the future. "

So Kato Yusuke also took the initiative to reach out his hand, shook it with both hands according to the etiquette of juniors, and said calmly: "Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Suzuki, please take care of me in the future."

The smile on the face of the old editor-in-chief Suzuki became more friendly. He was very impressed by his humble and polite attitude and started talking with a smile.

"Teacher, there is no need to be so polite. You want to see the reader survey, right? Let Kimura-kun take you there. If you have any questions in the future, please feel free to tell us. Our "undead" editorial department will help you make your work better. OK."

After the greetings ended, the old editor quickly left, while Yusuke and Shiyu, led by deputy editor Kimura, went to check the letters from readers.

Perhaps due to the influence of his immediate superior, the other party's attitude this time became very enthusiastic compared to the last time they met.

When Shiyu asked if he could take letters from readers to the light editorial office upstairs for reading, Kimura immediately agreed without saying a word.

Then he said that he would arrange for someone to sort it out and send it upstairs later so that they could go up first. The service was so attentive.

After saying thank you, the two came to the light editorial department and chatted with Machida Enko in the second conference room for a while.

Compared to the editorial department of "Young Undead", Shiyu obviously liked it here more, and her relaxed expression made her feel like she was back at her second home.

Kato Yusuke watched them chat, and he was aware of the relationship between the two of them as both teachers and friends.

After hearing about the manga department, Machida Enko congratulated Kato Yusuke, and he politely thanked him in return.

After waiting in the second conference room for about half a quarter of an hour, Reader Survey came... No, it was Kimura who came holding a cardboard box.

"Uh, Editor-in-Chief Kimura, what are these you got?" Machida Enzi looked at the box full of envelopes dumbfounded.

"It's a letter from a reader of "Chainsaw Man."" Kimura put the box on the desk with a bang, and the top letter fell like snowflakes.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and added: "Tsensei Fujimoto is making his debut for the first time. I thought he might be interested in the letter reading session, so I took them all."

Machida Enko: "All of them? Didn't your magazine just come out yesterday?"

At the mention of this, Kimura couldn't help but nod his head in agreement with a smile on his face, cleared his throat and coughed.

"Ahem... Thanks to Mr. Fujimoto's relationship, the sales of this issue of the magazine have increased by almost 30% compared to the previous one. Here are all the letters from readers of "Chainsaw Man"."

After finishing speaking, he turned his gaze to Yusuke who was sitting quietly aside, with a hint of eagerness in his eyes.

With the support of "quasi-millionaire writer Kasumi Shiko", although he had a hunch that the first issue of "Chainsaw Man" would not be too bad, he never expected that it would become so popular——

It actually increased the magazine's sales by 30%!

Thinking of this, I can only sigh secretly that he is worthy of the attention of teacher Kasumi Shiko, and express some emotion about the changes in readers' tastes nowadays.

I put away some distracting thoughts and started to handle the tasks assigned by the old editor.

"Um, Teacher Fujimotoshu?" Kimura asked with a smile on his face and rubbing his hands together.

"Is the manuscript for episode 2 ready? If not, could you please tell me the estimated number of pages for the next episode? This way we can prepare in advance."

Hearing the compliment in his words, Shi Yu, who had a cold face, crossed his arms and curled his lips imperceptibly, and then secretly glanced at the young man beside him with his peripheral vision...

The corners of her beautiful mouth could not help but raise a slight arc, but she concealed it by lowering her head.

As for Kimura, who was arrogant at first and respectful at the end, it is no wonder that his attitude has changed so much.

After all, for the entire "Young Undead" editorial department, as long as the plot behind "Chainsaw Man" does not collapse, this achievement obviously has the potential to become a pillar!

Kato Yusuke didn't pay attention to Kimura's change in attitude, he just nodded and responded calmly.

"I have brought the manuscripts for Episode 2 and Level 3, and I will show them to you now, Chief Editor Kimura."

After finishing speaking, he opened his backpack, took out a plastic folder and handed it over.

——That was a manuscript that was printed out before coming to the Immortal River.

"There are actually two episodes! This is really, oh, Mr. Fujimotoshu, you are so diligent!" Kimura took the folder with an overjoyed face, which was obviously unexpected.

Kato Yusuke shook his head and said no, "If Editor Kimura thinks there is anything that needs to be modified, you can tell me at any time."

"Teacher, you are so polite. After you read the readers' letters, just leave them here. I will arrange for someone to pick them up then. Please forgive me for leaving now."

"OK, thanks."

After getting the new manuscript, Kimura had no intention of falling in love, and left quickly after saying hello to the three of them.

"Ms. Machida."

Shiyu, who had been silent just now, spoke now, "Why did that person ask Yu...Kato-san about the number of pages?"

"Hmm~ Why are you asking this suddenly?"

"It's nothing, I just feel that the deputy editor seems to have something to say. I don't like him."

Hearing this, Machida Enzi couldn't help but smile, and looked at his favorite author and a certain patron respectively.

"Well~~ Do you know the so-called 'insert cassette' policy? Xiao Shi."

"...You're obviously a big boss now, so don't show off at this time, right?" Shiyu sighed softly, with a look on his face that said, "Here you go again."

"Hmm~? Who are you talking about, Boss? Maybe I didn't hear clearly. Can you say it again? Xiaoshi??"

Facing Machida Enzi's "kind" inquiry, Shiyu did not answer, but turned his face to the side casually, avoiding her eyes, with an expression on his face that seemed to say something.

——"Didn't you hear it clearly?"

"What an awkward child." - Kato Yusuke guessed Machida Enko's expression.

"Anyway, comic magazines are a little different from us." The mature editor put her chin on the back of her folded hands and explained slowly.

"The so-called 'insert cassette' is an alternative tactic developed to prevent content from being left blank. It can also be said to be a countermeasure specially prepared for those authors who delay updates."

"Take Kato-chan as an example. After he determines the number of pages required for each issue, the comics department will communicate this number to new cartoonists and ask them to prepare works with the same number of pages as a reserve."

“Once he fails to deliver a manuscript on time, he will use the ‘cassette insert’ tactic to directly fill in the blank content with comics from newcomers.”

"This way, not only will there be no vacancies, but sometimes some newcomers' works will achieve miraculous results. If they become popular unexpectedly, they can continue to be serialized."

This is a very reasonable policy, Kato Yusuke nodded slightly in agreement and thought to himself.

Shiyu, on the other hand, snorted and said coldly: "Forcing the author to catch up with the progress will basically accelerate the life span of the work. Only by giving the author enough freedom can he create excellent works."

"Hmm~~ It's a very poetic speech." Machida Enzi commented with a smile, and then changed the subject.

"But~ If you dare to use such an excuse as a reason for delaying the manuscript, I will come to your home to visit you personally a week in advance? Xiaoshi??"

"..."

Shiyu's eyelids twitched, as if he recalled some bad memories, and muttered: "...You are now the deputy editor. Please pay more attention to your identity, Miss Machida."

He paused for two seconds, and then added: "And there is only the last volume of "Metronome of Love" left, so there is nothing to worry about."

"Hey -" Machida Enzi said in a long voice and asked: "Then tell me, have you decided on the heroine of the last volume?"

"...I'm considering this."

"Hmm~~ It means "Although I haven't thought about it well, I'll just deal with it like this for now", right? "

"...Writers need freedom." Shiyu pouted slightly and argued in a low voice.

"I understand~~Now it means "Actually, I can't make a decision at all, and I don't want to think about it at all", right? "Machida Enzi's tone slightly increased.

"…………"

The girl lowered her head and lowered her eyebrows, looking at her eyes, nose and heart, and remained silent.

There was a moment of silence in the conference room.

"——Ms. Machida."

Kato Yusuke broke the ice and asked, "If you don't mind, can I read the readers' letters?"

"Let me tell you, Kato-chan~?" Machida Enko smiled and turned away, "Can I make a merciless request to you?"

"What is it?"

"Actually, I have a child next to me. He is obviously an author who writes about love topics, but I have no relevant experience at all. The only thing he is good at is being strong-willed.

In fact, she has been privately worried about the outcome of something, which is really uneasy, so you are willing to give her some advice..."

——Crack.

A pair of white palms slapped on the table, forcibly interrupting the mature editor's words.

"Ms. Machida? I remember, don't you still have something to do? It's almost time to get busy, right?" Shiyu said word by word, with a feeling of gritted teeth.

"Eh~ But I still have a commission as an illustrator and I want to talk to Kato-chan?"

"It won't be too late after reading letters from readers."

The active deputy editor snickered and wanted to say something else, but she was involuntarily asked out of the conference room.

With the sound of the door banging, there were only two people left in the room.

call……

After closing the door, Shiyu let out a sigh of relief, then turned around as if feeling a little regretful, turned her face to one side and said:

"I'm sorry Kato-kun, Miss Machida is so childish, so... there is absolutely no need to take it to heart about her nonsense just now."

The girl who said these words played with the ends of her hair, and her eyes that looked over contained a little bit of relief, but also a little bit of uneasiness.

It was a very fresh and cute expression, showing a different side from the tough girl in the past.

Kato Yusuke nodded and said he wouldn't take it to heart.

Only then did the other party feel uneasy, and returned to the seat next to him. With free time, he reached out to the carton on the table and took out two letters.

"Here you go, Kato-kun, let's look at it together."

"Well, thank you."

The two of them opened letters from readers in the conference room together.

Hiss, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

"Huh?" Shiyu opened a letter from a reader and read out the content with a puzzled look on his face, "... woof woof, woof?"

Kato Yusuke on the side turned to look at her, his expression was subtle for a moment, and asked: "Senior?"

"...It's nothing. The person who wrote this letter seems to be deliberately making a prank." Shiyu explained with a slight frown, then took another letter, opened it, and read out the contents.

"——I want to be a dog, woof!..."

As the cold voice spread...

Suddenly, the girl's fair face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly became a little strange.

"..."

Kato Yusuke opened and closed his mouth and took the initiative to explain: "It's just a prank, don't worry."

As he spoke, he put down the envelope in his hand, covered his face with his hands, and smoothed the slight curve at the corners of his mouth.

A foot lightly stepped on his shoe.

"...Yu-chan."

Shiyu noticed something very sensitively and murmured: "...you were laughing at me just now."

"No, keep reading." Kato Yusuke shook his head and denied it.

"..."

So the two of them continued to open new letters.