In mid-November, WorldEnd was finally released and received a warm reception, though not without its fair share of criticism.
Many jealous authors online mocked it, their words laced with bitterness.
Or perhaps, they were nothing more than trolls hired by rival publishers, hoping to undermine its success.
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"Even though I haven't read WorldEnd, an unknown author suddenly appearing like this, with no prior fame, it feels like Fujimi is trying to create a star, doesn't it?"
"According to normal logic, the first volume was just released, and the second one is already coming out less than a month later. No one can really fail to see this, right?"
"From the synopsis of this story, it's clear that it's a cliché plot. How could it have such good sales? I don't believe it."
"Fujimi's been sitting in the third spot for light novels too long, and now that a genius in manga has emerged, they're eager to start creating stars, huh?"
"Forget the facts for a moment—can a high school student really draw something like Madoka Magica or Anohana?"
"Shueisha's success has made Fujimi think they can achieve the same with this approach. After all, they're part of the same group~ lol"
"..."
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These remarks spurred WorldEnd's readers into action, defending the work online.
A heated debate quickly ensued.
However, neither the author nor the publisher commented on the situation.
Meanwhile, the two were having a conversation.
"Hahaha, those guys are too adorable!" Machida's voice carried an uncontrollable laugh.
"Because of the recent debate, the sales of the two volumes have shown a significant increase."
Only with controversy comes attention.
Regardless of how good WorldEnd actually was, as a newcomer's work, even with Fujimi's heavy promotion, the results were somewhat lackluster.
The traffic from Warriors of Love and Hope brought in some fans, and the company's promotion attracted others.
In the end, the sales were a mix of both.
Now, this unexpected stir was bringing the book to the attention of many outsiders.
If just 10% of these onlookers became curious and bought a copy of WorldEnd, it would be a huge win for both Akifumi and Machida!
As for whether this would harm the book's reputation, Machida wasn't worried.
After all, the quality of the work was undeniable good.
Maybe some didn't like its melancholic, tragic tone, but anyone who finished it would have to admit it was an excellent piece.
Though Akifumi didn't get involved in these matters, from his experience, he could see the twists and turns clearly.
Hearing Machida's words, he smiled, "Looks like I don't need to worry about how to handle this."
"Of course not!" Machida said confidently, "Leave these things to the professionals!"
"Your job is to write great works!"
Akifumi smiled and said, "Now its seems like a good time to release the next volume of WorldEnd, doesn't it?"
"Of course!" Machida answered without hesitation.
"If we can release volume three next month and let the emotions built up from the previous volumes explode..."
Just imagining that scene made Machida tremble with excitement, feeling on the verge of something extraordinary!
The thrill of a successful comeback was indescribable!
However, she knew well that imagination and reality were different.
"Just don't rush it, sensei. Good works take time to refine."
"Volume three will be the finishing blow for 'WorldEnd' story. So take your time writing it."
"Even if the buzz dies down, the momentum from the accumulated interest will still be enough to push 'WorldEnd' to hit a million copies sold!"
Akifumi could feel the sincerity in Machida's words.
"Actually... I've already finished the third volume."
"The third volume is already finished...?" Machida's smile froze, and her voice instinctively rose.
"THE THIRD VOLUME IS ALREADY FINISHED!?"
Akifumi, having already moved his phone away, muttered, "I'm in a train please don't scream in my ear..."
After hearing no response from the other side, Machida snapped back to reality.
"Sorry, sorry."
"Shadow-sensei, I was just too excited!!"
"Is the third volume really finished!?"
Once the voice returned to its usual tone, Akifumi placed the phone back by his ear, giving an affirmative reply. "Yes."
"Please send it to me as soon as possible!!"
"Of course." Akifumi said half-jokingly, "Looks like Machida-san won't be asking me to delay the release this time."
"Sensei, don't tease me. I can't wait to release the third volume of WorldEnd right now!"
'Delay? Every minute right now is free traffic pouring in!'
With the strength of the author, the third volume will undoubtedly be a game-changer!
'The sales will definitely break new records!!'
Just imagining it made Machida's eyes sparkle, as if she could already see piles of cash waving at her.
As for how the third volume was finished so quickly? Genius—just the word itself suffices!
"By the way, my other account will also post an update about WorldEnd starting serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump from December. That's okay, right?"
"Of course, no problem!!" Machida quickly agreed.
With the current popularity of WorldEnd and the massive buzz surrounding the talented new manga artist, this work was sure to reach the peak!
After hanging up the phone, Akifumi's gaze shifted back to the computer screen.
The sudden surge of online buzz had caught him by surprise.
However, after realizing it, he began considering how to leverage this traffic to push WorldEnd to its true peak.
The quality of the work? The fanbase from Warriors of Love and Hope? The online heat from the ongoing debates? All good.
But there was still something key missing…
"A song." An extraordinary one.
Scarborough Fair.
It's a Scottish folk song that rose to fame through a movie, later becoming a widely known classic.
In the animated version, the song plays when William and Chtholly meet, changing the originally somber tone of the song, making it feel exponentially more poignant.
This song fits perfectly with WorldEnd.
If Akifumi wanted to bring the work to its peak, this song would be the missing piece in his puzzle.
Luckily, unlike the song in Anohana, which he have to make from scratch, Akifumi had no trouble finding Scarborough Fair online.
The song's matched that of his past life, exactly as it should be.
Scarborough was a renowned song that already existed centuries ago.
The song is about a dialogue between two people, where one asks the other to perform impossible tasks as proof of love.
The tasks, such as "making a cambric shirt without a seam," represent unattainable challenges, symbolizing the difficulties of love.
Some interpretations link it to Scarborough, a market town in England.
The song, especially popularized by Simon & Garfunkel, reflects themes of love, longing, and unfulfilled desires.
The song's references to coriander, sage, rosemary, and thyme have special meanings:
Coriander: Eases pain.
Sage: Represents strength.
Rosemary: Loyalty and longevity.
Thyme: Courage.
The singer and their partner are separated by death, and the impossible tasks symbolize the sadness and yearning that one holds for the lost loved one.
'Whether it's the memory of the song or its sorrowful melody, it fits so well with WorldEnd!'
So, Akifumi had long since planned to use this song as the background music, adding voice acting and his own art to create a moving video.
Many past creators had used this song for their own videos, resulting in tears from viewers.
Since it's a folk song, there are no copyright issues. Akifumi could use it without a second thought.
'I'll have to wait a bit longer for the color art to be finished...'
As he was mentally preparing the pieces, Akifumi knew exactly when to place each image for the best effect.
'For now, I just need the company to find the right voice actors to record the lines.'
He'd already asked a junior editor for help, and they had confirmed that casting would be done this weekend, and recording would begin soon.
"Though, the voices won't be from famous actors—just some lesser-known voices who don't have much going on. But I'm still hopeful."
Akifumi wasn't too concerned about it. Even if they didn't meet his exact expectations, they would work with what they had.
There were only about 10 days left until the end of the month.
Even though he'd practiced editing for a while, he still felt a little anxious about doing it for real.
"Let's orginize the school festival photos first."
Thinking this, he quickly pulled up the photos taken during the recent school festival and began selecting the best ones.
The festival had been a huge success.
After school, there were no more late nights of overtime work.
Akifumi's butler café had even placed in the top three of the event!
On a side note, Akifumi, as the butler, had received quite a few small letters from some girls outside of school during the event.
Though, those letters were quickly confiscated by the smiling Mahiru and Kato.
As for hanging out with the girls at the festival, he had his fair share of fun.
He walked around eating with Mashiro, went out with Mahiru and Kato in butler outfits, and was dragged to the haunted house and play by his tsundere childhood friend.
"By the way, I think I saw Yor-san there?"
He remembered seeing someone who looked a lot like Yor, holding cotton candy, taiyaki, and takoyaki.
It was such an odd image compared to the cold killer she appeared to be, and Akifumi couldn't help but wonder if he'd imagined it.
"Speaking of Miss Yor, our relationship has certainly improved lately."
Though he still didn't know why, she often came over, sometimes bringing small cakes or rare ingredients from her company, and always stayed for dinner.
"Is she really just come here to mooch off Mahiru foods?"
After all, Yor cooking skills were far from impressive.
"Maybe, I should bring it up next time..."
As Akifumi pondered these things, he continued with his work.
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