Four titles, 400 total copies—such a small quantity was almost negligible compared to the overall attendance of the doujin convention.
And yet, it took just over an hour to completely sell out, including the time it took for initial interest to build.
By around noon, Mrs. Izumi's doujinshi had also sold out.
She hadn't brought a large stock to begin with, and given her popularity, it was no surprise everything sold so quickly.
As for Ruri's booth, things were far less lively. Though a few people were drawn in by her artwork and her own charming appearance, the results were modest at best.
By 12 p.m., she had only sold around thirty copies. Over 170 manga books were still stacked by her feet.
The outcome hit Ruri hard.
"Eriri, do you think I'm just not cut out for creating stories?" Ruri asked dejectedly, clinging to Eriri's arm.
"Mmm, your problem mostly lies in the complexity of your settings. If you simplify them and focus more on storytelling, you'll see a lot of improvement," Eriri said gently, squeezing Ruri's hand.
Still, even with the diagnosis, Ruri didn't back down so easily. "But without those settings, how am I supposed to show how unique and cool the protagonist is?"
"That depends on who you're making the work for. If it's for yourself, then there's nothing wrong with your approach. But if you're aiming for a wide audience, you'll need to make some adjustments."
As she spoke, Eriri reached up with her free left hand and gently stroked Ruri's hair.
This time, Ruri didn't resist. She sat quietly, letting Eriri's hand move softly over her head.
Just then, Mrs. Izumi's voice chimed in nearby.
"You two get along so well," she said, watching the interaction with a smile.
Because she had agreed to discuss some things with Eriri after the event, she hadn't left her booth yet even though her books were sold out.
"Hehe, of course we do," Eriri replied with a grin.
Then she pulled her hand away from Ruri's hair and casually wrapped her arm around Ruri's shoulders, drawing her into an embrace.
Eriri's sudden move snapped Ruri out of her thoughts, and her cheeks flushed a deep red.
"H-Hey! Let go of me, Eriri," she stammered, though her voice lacked its usual sharpness.
When Eriri had only interacted with her casually, Ruri could pretend she didn't feel anything special. But now, pressed up against Eriri's soft body and surrounded by her sweet scent, Ruri could barely keep her emotions in check.
"Hmm? What was that, Ruri? I didn't quite catch it~" Eriri teased, lowering her head to speak into Ruri's ear.
At the same time, she tightened her hold slightly, pulling Ruri even closer.
Overwhelmed by Eriri's teasing, Ruri couldn't form a reply. Her bright red face buried itself into Eriri's chest, and she let out a soft, helpless sound.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Izumi stood off to the side, stunned by the scene unfolding before her.
She had only made a casual remark about how close they seemed. She had no idea how things had escalated so quickly.
This atmosphere was definitely not just "friends hanging out" territory!
Thinking back to how all of Eriri's manga seemed to be yuri-themed, Mrs. Izumi began to look at Eriri and Ruri with a slightly curious expression.
It wasn't one of disapproval or discomfort—just a spark of intrigue.
Eriri didn't tease Ruri for too long. After a short while, she let go of her. However, her left hand and Ruri's right hand remained tightly clasped together.
Sensing Mrs. Izumi's openly curious gaze, Eriri showed no change in expression. Ruri, on the other hand, turned her head away slightly in embarrassment.
"By the way, it's lunchtime now. Eromanga-sensei, would you like to grab a bite with us?"
The lunch invitation snapped Mrs. Izumi out of her daze. She shook her head lightly to clear her thoughts and focused on the present.
"Of course! But allow me, as the senior here, to treat you. I'd love to ask you for some advice too," she said, patting her chest proudly.
Eriri didn't refuse. A single meal wasn't a big deal, and for someone as well-known in the industry as Eromanga-sensei, it certainly wasn't a financial burden.
After packing up their booths, the three of them left the venue together.
Ruri quietly stored the remaining copies of her manga into her storage space, an act that went unnoticed by Mrs. Izumi.
She had already decided to stop trying to sell them. After seeing the sales numbers over the past two hours, she had accepted the reality.
Even at lunchtime, the venue and its surroundings were still packed with people.
Everywhere they looked, there were attendees with smartphones and cameras, and cosplayers in elaborate costumes.
Due to Eriri and Ruri's stylish outfits, most people simply assumed they were regular cosplayers—albeit incredibly beautiful ones.
Countless people approached them asking for photos or to take selfies together.
But every single request was ignored by the two girls without exception.
It took them nearly half an hour to walk from inside the event hall to a cozy-looking restaurant nearby.
"Welcome!"
As they pushed open the door and entered, a server greeted them warmly and led them into the restaurant.
Because of the venue's proximity and the timing of the lunch rush, the place was bustling. Nearly every seat was taken.
Luckily, just as they arrived, a table opened up. If not, Mrs. Izumi would have had to find another restaurant.
The tables in this restaurant were made up of two facing sofas with a single table in between. The high backs of the sofas ensured privacy, blocking the view of adjacent tables unless someone stood up.
Their table was in the innermost corner near the wall. Eriri and Ruri sat on the sofa opposite the wall, while Mrs. Izumi sat across from them.
Only passersby outside the glass wall had any chance of seeing them.
Shortly after they sat down, a young waitress—likely not even twenty—arrived at their table with a large menu in hand.
"Hello! Here is the menu. What would you like to order?"
As she spoke, she gently placed the menu on the table.
"Eriri, Ruri, order whatever you like. Don't be shy," Mrs. Izumi said, sliding the menu toward them with a sincere smile.
Eriri didn't hesitate when Mrs. Izumi slid the menu toward her. She picked it up and began flipping through the pages.
Naturally, this restaurant's food couldn't compare to what Ruri cooked—let alone the cuisine made by Kujou Aoi.
So Eriri didn't bother being picky. She quickly settled on a dish that looked decent, spending barely ten seconds on her choice.
Ruri was just as decisive.
Perhaps influenced by the two girls, Mrs. Izumi also took little time to make her choice after receiving the menu from Eriri.
During the walk to the restaurant, the three had exchanged real names—since calling each other by pen names was starting to feel a bit strange.
However, one thing had made Mrs. Izumi increasingly curious. From the moment she met Eriri and Ruri, she hadn't seen them drink water or use the restroom.
Granted, only about three hours had passed.
Still, even after they arrived at the restaurant, there was no sign of either girl needing a break.
She herself had rushed to the restroom before leaving the venue.
This made her wonder if something was wrong with their health.
But she knew better than to ask about something so personal, even with her usually carefree personality.
"Chisa-neesan, let's get back to what we were discussing earlier," Eriri said with a smile.
On the way to the restaurant, besides introducing themselves, they had also talked about the questions Mrs. Izumi had wanted to ask Eriri at the start of the event.
From their conversation, Eriri had learned that Mrs. Izumi's real name was Chisa Izumi.
Because of her straightforward and open nature, Eriri had easily managed to get a lot out of her.
Just like in the original series, Mrs. Izumi had divorced her husband after he discovered her fondness for erotic art—he had a severe moral complex.
It made Eriri wonder if the couple had ever truly been in love to begin with.
Now, Mrs. Izumi was a single mother. Though people had tried to set her up with potential partners, she always declined out of consideration for her daughter.
She had spoken passionately about her daughter, Sagiri Izumi. The love in her eyes when she mentioned her was unmistakable.
There were, however, some differences from the original story. For one, she didn't know the main protagonist's aunt, Kyouka Izumi, and so hadn't met her would-be remarriage candidate through her.
"Eriri, your manga is so amazing. Why don't you publish it? That would have a way bigger impact than selling at doujin events," Mrs. Izumi asked, full of curiosity.
On the way to the restaurant, she had already learned why the name "Eri Kashiwagi" had no recognition in the industry.
"Mm, you're right, sis. I'll publish it sometime soon," Eriri replied casually.
Though offhand in tone, she was actually serious. Publishing her manga in another world wouldn't be difficult.
Besides, she had a bigger plan in mind. If she could pull it off, then not only would her manga be published in the Oreimo world, but in every group member's world as well.
Mrs. Izumi perked up at Eriri's answer. "Want me to connect you with someone? Don't let my appearance fool you—I actually know a lot of editors at major publishers."
As a well-known illustrator, she had plenty of industry connections and was quite familiar with the major publishing houses.
What Mrs. Izumi didn't know was that if Eriri wanted to, she could learn everything there was to know about every publishing house in this world in an instant.
Still, she appreciated Mrs. Izumi's offer and nodded. "Then I'll be counting on you, Chisa-neesan."
"No problem! Leave it to your big sis!" Mrs. Izumi said cheerfully.
Just then, the same waitress who had taken their order returned to their table.
She carried a tray with three cups and a steaming pot of tea.
After pouring the tea for them, she smiled politely. "Please enjoy your tea."
Then she gave a respectful bow and quietly walked away.
The service here was certainly top-notch.
As Mrs. Izumi looked at her tea, something suddenly occurred to her. She turned her gaze toward Eriri, eyes wide.
It had only now hit her—if Eriri was going to drink tea or eat, she would have to remove her mask.
Which meant... she'd finally get to see the face hidden behind it—the face that had piqued her curiosity so much!
Eriri, of course, was fully aware of Mrs. Izumi's eager gaze. But she didn't mind.
She had never intended to keep her appearance hidden from Mrs. Izumi, especially now that all her manga had sold out.
Even if she planned to walk around the venue later, she would do so openly without a mask.
With a graceful motion, Eriri removed her cute, decorative mask right in front of Mrs. Izumi.
In that moment, Mrs. Izumi froze.
Eriri's full beauty was finally revealed to her—and it was stunning.
"Hoo..."
It took over ten seconds before Mrs. Izumi snapped out of her daze. Her eyes sparkled with awe.
"I figured you'd be pretty, but this... I never imagined you'd be this beautiful," she said breathlessly, unable to take her eyes off Eriri's face.
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