area51novel Page 141
Page 141
Does he now think that new voice actor is more important than me, his personal illustrator?
Jealousy, resentment, grievance... all these emotions intertwined, making the paintbrush in her hand feel as heavy as a thousand pounds.
She wanted to call Yuto and confront him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Just then, the door to the club activity room was gently pushed open.
"Eri, are you still busy?"
It's Kato Megumi.
She walked over to Eriri with a cup of hot cocoa in her hand.
"You look like you're working really hard. Have something to drink and rest for a bit."
She placed the cup on the table beside her, her gaze inadvertently sweeping across Eriri's phone screen, where a contact labeled "Idiot Yuto" remained uncalled.
Kato Megumi said nothing, but sat quietly to the side, watching Eriri irritably revise her drawing.
After a long while, she seemed to suddenly remember something and said softly, "Speaking of which, Itsuka seems to be very busy lately."
“I passed by his house the night before last. It was very late, and I could hear him on the phone. It sounded like he was talking to a girl.”
Her voice was flat, as if she were stating something trivial.
But Eriri suddenly raised her head and looked at Kato Megumi.
Kato Megumi looked back at her, her eyes as calm and undisturbed as ever, as if her words just now had no deeper meaning.
Eriri's heart sank.
Even Kato knows.
That girl named Aoyama Nanami has already infiltrated to this extent.
She clenched her fists.
An unprecedented sense of crisis, mixed with the bitterness of being ignored, fermented and swelled in her heart.
She realized that she couldn't continue to be so passive.
The competition among animated films in the winter season is like a battlefield without gunpowder.
Even before the battle officially began, the intelligence and propaganda war was already raging.
"Becoming the Strongest Farmer in Another World," a flagship IP of Shinazugawa Bunko and a work by the popular author "Beautiful Girl Knight," has garnered much attention since its anime adaptation was announced.
A-1 Pictures' PR department is well-versed in this.
They keenly sensed a perfect publicity opportunity.
A week later, an in-depth report titled "A Miraculous Encounter Between a Genius Original Author and a Prodigy New Voice Actor - Unveiling the 'Soul Resonance' Behind the 'Farming King' Anime" was published as the headline on the well-known anime news website "Anime Topic" and was quickly reprinted by major media outlets.
The article, written in an extremely provocative style, tells the story of how Yuto Itsuka overcame all opposition to discover the unknown newcomer Nanami Aoyama, and how he used his superb "ventriloquism" to provide one-on-one guidance in the recording studio, helping her transform from a greenhorn to a mature artist.
"...If Aoyama Nanami is a piece of uncarved jade, then the original author, Itsuka Yuto, is undoubtedly the only craftsman who can understand the texture of this jade."
"Their collaboration transcends the typical relationship between voice actors and authors; it's more like a deep resonance of creative souls."
"According to insiders in the production team, whenever Ms. Aoyama felt confused about the character, Mr. Itsuka was always able to use the most precise method to recreate the character's inner world for her alone."
"That tacit understanding amazed all the senior professionals present."
The accompanying images in the article were also carefully selected.
One photo shows Yuto in the control room, looking intently at Nanami in the recording studio through the glass. The angle is clever, making him appear deeply affectionate.
The other picture shows the two discussing something in the corridor after the recording ended. Nanami is looking up with admiration in her eyes, while Yuto is smiling affectionately.
This report instantly went viral online.
"Wow, this pretty girl teacher is so cool! Not only does she write great novels, but she can also do voice acting?"
"This newcomer named Aoyama Nanami is so lucky! It's like a golden finger has fallen from the sky!"
“'Soul resonance', 'for her alone', I think I’ve found an amazing couple!”
"Hey upstairs, can you please keep your own space and not cause trouble for the teacher?"
The speed at which public opinion escalated exceeded everyone's expectations.
Aoyama Nanami's name became known to many anime fans overnight, while Itsuka Yuto was portrayed as a talented talent scout who knew how to appreciate newcomers.
From a publicity perspective, it was undoubtedly a huge success.
……
……
"Kasumi Shiko: Link: The Miraculous Encounter Between a Genius Original Author and a Prodigy New Voice Actor..."
"Xia Shizi: Congratulations, junior! You've not only discovered a gem, but you've also found someone who resonates with your soul. It's truly a cause for celebration."
The moment the message was sent, the group fell into complete silence.
Eriri's profile picture lit up briefly, displaying "typing," but then went dark again after a few seconds.
After repeating this several times, she finally only managed to utter a single punctuation mark.
Eriri: ……
This ellipsis contains a thousand words, yet says nothing at all.
When Yuto saw this message, his scalp tingled.
He knew trouble was coming.
He tried to defuse the crisis with his usual witty remarks.
"Who's more handsome than me? Haha, senior, you're too kind. This is all thanks to the publicity department. You know, those editors love to exaggerate. What's with all this 'soul resonance'? It's all just commercial hype."
Kasumigaoka Utaha's messages were replied to almost instantly - Yi9 Ling Liu Si? Liu Qi 8〧ba.
"Xia Shizi: Oh? Really? I thought that 'recreating one's inner world for her alone' was your unique skill, junior. It seems that your skill is quite altruistic."
"Who's more handsome than me?:..."
Yuto was speechless.
Just when the atmosphere reached a freezing point, an unexpected person broke the silence.
"Random Girl: Speaking of which, a new cat cafe opened downtown this weekend. They're having a grand opening sale, all drinks are half price. Anyone want to check it out?"
After sending the message, Megumi Kato also added a cute cat rolling around emoji.
She abruptly changed the subject, instantly easing the tension in the group chat.
Although everyone knew that Yueyi Eryishanqijiu Lusa nWo was trying to smooth things over, at least it gave everyone a way out.
Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't pursue the matter further, but simply sent a "hehe" emoji.
Eriri remained silent throughout.
Yuto breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied to Kato Megumi in the group chat.
"Who's more handsome than me? Great idea, Kato-kun! I happen to be free this weekend!"
He tried to liven things up again, but to little avail.
……
……
At the same time, Aoyama Nanami also saw this report.
She sat in her cramped rented room, staring at her phone screen over and over again, her cheeks burning.
The wording in the report made her feel ashamed, especially the ambiguous pictures and the phrase "soul resonance".
She knew it wasn't true, but deep down, she felt a secret, unspeakable joy.
Itsuka-sensei... he really is the only one who understands me.
But soon, this secret joy was replaced by unease.
She clicked on the comments section under the report and saw the comments about the couple, as well as a few offensive comments.
"This newcomer is quite something, rising to fame by relying on the original author."
"Was the beautiful girl knight teacher deceived? Be careful not to be taken advantage of!"
These comments made her feel wronged and helpless.
She didn't want to cause any trouble for Teacher Wuhe because of herself.
She picked up her phone, wanting to send a message to Yuto to explain, but then felt that anything she said would be superfluous.
Finally, she could only silently turn off her phone and bury her head in the pillow.
……
On the other hand, Eriri's situation became even worse.
She was sitting in Akane Akasaka's studio, undergoing her routine trial.
“This one is scrap.” Akane Kousaka tossed aside the character design she had spent several sleepless nights drawing, her tone completely flat. “Too much emotion, too many lines. I told you, I want precision, not your personal art exhibition.”
Eriri bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears.
Akane Kousaka picked up her coffee, her gaze sweeping over Eriri's phone lying beside her, the screen displaying that glaring news report.
A cryptic smile played on her lips as she said, seemingly unintentionally, "Sawamura-kun, it seems your original author friend is doing quite well in the industry."
"Knowing how to use new voice actors to create buzz and promote them together is a very clever marketing tactic." She took a sip of coffee, her voice calm but every word piercing.
"However, such relationships based on exploitation usually don't last long. After all, when one party loses their value, they will be ruthlessly discarded."
"This is the norm in the industry; you'll get used to it."
use……
abandon……
Akane's words completely ignited her long-standing unease and fear.
Yes, Yuto Itsuka is a popular author now, surrounded by so many people.
That new voice actress, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and even the always quiet Kato Megumi...
Each of them seemed to be closer to him than he was.
And what about yourself?
Being locked up here, I'm constantly being criticized and attacked.
The talent I was so proud of was worthless here.
What if... what if one day, my paintings can no longer keep up with his pace?
Will he, like Akane Akasaka said, ruthlessly "abandon" himself?
Once the thought took hold, it clung to her heart like a vine, making it hard for her to breathe.
No!
She couldn't take it anymore.
She abruptly stood up from her chair, grabbed her schoolbag, and, under Akane Akasaka's slightly surprised gaze, rushed out of the studio without looking back.
She's going to find out!
She wants to confront that idiot to his face!
She ran wildly, letting her tears fall in the wind.
She didn't know what she wanted to say, nor what answer she wanted to get.
All she knew was that if she didn't vent all the frustration and panic in her heart today, she would go crazy.
When Yuto Itsuka opened the door and saw Eriri standing outside, her eyes red and her whole body trembling like a cat drenched in a downpour, he knew that the long-brewing storm had finally arrived.
"you……"
Eriri opened her mouth, ready with a barrage of questions, but when she saw Yuto Itsuka's slightly surprised face, she was speechless, unable to utter a single word.
A sense of grievance and anger surged in my chest, eventually turning into scalding tears that uncontrollably slid down my cheeks.
She stood there at the door, not saying a word, just staring at him with her bloodshot eyes, as if trying to see right through him.