Sato: "..."
I haven't even said anything yet, what do you mean you can?!
Izumi Sagiri grabbed his arm just like that and looked at him with her emerald eyes.
"As long as it's about illustrations, I really can do it!"
"Alright, I'll believe you for now."
Sato sighed and sat back down. Then he looked at Izumi Sagiri suspiciously.
"But you know a lot about illustrations?"
Although illustrations weren't the reason he'd come today, Izumi Sagiri seemed unusually confident about them.
"Wait for me!"
After saying that, Izumi Sagiri turned and ran toward her room.
Soon, she returned carrying a drawing board. On it was an unfinished character sketch. The background depicted a beach, while the character itself consisted of only half a head and a pair of vivid eyes.
Sato accepted it with some surprise and examined it for a few moments. He wasn't only capable of appreciating light novels; he was also familiar with illustrations, manga, and the broader ACGN sphere.
Although the drawing wasn't finished, the artist's remarkable skill was evident from both the lighting and the linework.
"You drew this?"
"Mm!"
Izumi Sagiri proudly raised her head.
Sato looked at her in surprise. No wonder she had been so confident. It turned out she really did have the skills to back it up.
He narrowed his eyes and examined the illustration again. Though unfinished, he had already determined that its most striking feature was the pair of eyes.
Their watery gaze shimmered with captivating charm. The slightly narrowed corners carried a faint smile, making the character seem like someone with a mischievous streak.
A trace of amazement flashed through Sato's eyes.
No matter the medium, the hardest thing to portray was psychological expression and that intangible presence that couldn't be seen or touched. Yet this unfinished work had already given him that feeling.
That left Sato in a difficult position.
He looked at Izumi Sagiri, muttering to himself internally.
Originally, he'd come here because of Izumi Chiyo.
Who would've thought he'd unexpectedly discover a genius girl instead?
If he remembered correctly, she had only just entered middle school.
Well... before Izumi Chiyo came back, he could talk with Sagiri first.
"This is a very good piece. So..."
Sato suddenly got stuck.
For a moment, he didn't know how to address Izumi Sagiri. Calling her "Izumi" felt strange, while calling her "Sagiri" felt too intimate. Their relationship hadn't reached that point.
As he hesitated, he noticed that Izumi Sagiri was looking at him expectantly, apparently curious about his purpose.
After a pause, Sato asked,
"Have you ever thought about drawing manga?"
"Manga?"
Izumi Sagiri looked at him with a confused expression, not quite understanding what that had to do with him.
Sato seemed to see through her thoughts and smiled.
"Do you know the website Gensokyo?"
She nodded.
Anyone familiar with the ACGN field had at least heard of the site, and she frequently browsed it herself in search of inspiration.
"Well, the site is currently expanding into a manga section, so it needs capable people to help support it. During my previous visit, I noticed the illustrations there, so I wanted to see whether Aunt Izumi had any interest in that kind of work."
"I see..."
Izumi Sagiri nodded, half understanding.
She was aware of the site's recent restructuring as well.
However...
Her expression suddenly became a little strange, and a faint blush appeared on her face. Sitting on the sofa, she shifted uneasily.
As for manga, neither she nor Okaa-san was completely unfamiliar with it. It was just that the kind of work they did wasn't exactly mainstream manga production.
Click.
At that moment, the sound of the front door opening came from outside, accompanied by a soft, almost coquettish voice.
"Sagiri~ Come help Mommy carry some things."
Izumi Sagiri's body stiffened.
Looking somewhat embarrassed, she glanced at Sato, apologized, and hurried toward the entrance.
"Okaa-san!"
"Little Sagiri, come help me carry these."
"We have a guest!"
"A guest?"
Soon, Izumi Chiyo entered carrying shopping bags. Looking puzzled, she spotted Sato sitting on the sofa, and surprise immediately appeared on her face.
"Oh my, it's little Nohara!"
Huh?
Sato stood up with a slightly strange expression and gave a small bow.
"My apologies for dropping by unannounced."
He felt somewhat conflicted.
Nohara was fine, but why add "little" in front of it?
"Heave-ho!"
Izumi Chiyo set the shopping bags on the table with exaggerated effort. Then she wiped an entirely sweat-free forehead, placed her hands on her hips, and let out a long breath.
Unexpectedly, she looked rather cute.
Wait!
What am I thinking?
The lady of the house is really cute?!
Sato unconsciously fell into thought.
Could it be that I'm actually into older women?
"So, little Nohara, what brings you here? You're the first person Sagiri has ever allowed into the house."
Izumi Chiyo walked over and sat across from Sato, smiling as she looked at him and Izumi Sagiri.
At those words, Izumi Sagiri blushed slightly. Then she leaned close to Izumi Chiyo's ear and quietly explained the situation.
Huh?
Why are you whispering it?
Sato couldn't quite understand.
"Manga, huh!"
A look of realization appeared on Izumi Chiyo's face. Then she looked at Sato with interest.
"So what exactly is your relationship with that website, little Nohara?"
That's right!
After hearing Izumi Chiyo mention it, the simple-minded Izumi Sagiri immediately realized the same question.
"As for that, I'm currently one of the people in charge of the website."
One of the people in charge?
Izumi Chiyo looked at Sato in surprise.
She had originally assumed he might just be an online editor. She hadn't expected him to be one of the site's managers.
After all, ever since the Gensokyo website merged with the circle led by the doujin giant Akane Kousaka, it had grown into a massive force.
Not only did it possess enormous influence in the light novel industry, but it was also gradually expanding into every corner of the ACGN world.
Hm? Wait!
If that's the case...
Izumi Chiyo suddenly seemed to think of something.
Her beautiful eyes widened as she stared blankly at Sato.
Several words drifted through her mind...
The strongest middle school light novel author...
Miyabi?!