📢Author's Note
Hey everyone! I realized I messed up a little in Chapter 41 and 42. Please make sure to re-read Chapter 41 first before moving on to Chapter 42 for the proper flow of the story. Thanks for understanding! 🙏✨
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After arguing with Lucien D. Blackthorn, Eriri couldn't help but laugh when she recalled what he had said.
But after laughing, she immediately felt embarrassed.
Why am I laughing at what that idiot said?
Crossing her arms with a huff, she put on a stern expression and stared at Lucien for a long moment, as if to express her discontent.
Seeing Eriri acting so tsundere made Lucien take a deep breath to suppress the urge to smile.
She's so damn cute like this.
If only I could take a photo and use it as my wallpaper...
Every time I see it, I'd feel better instantly.
But because of his illness, the doctor had strictly forbidden him from using a phone.
...
It was getting late.
After a while, Eriri seemed to run out of things to say. She gathered herself and got ready to leave.
Just then, the door to the hospital room opened, and a woman in a smart business suit stepped inside.
It was Ayano Iida, editor at Manga Jump.
After Lucien finished drawing Volume 2 of Attack on Titan, he had asked his mother to call Ayano and see if she was available. He hadn't expected her to arrive so quickly.
"I'm so sorry to trouble you, Ms. Iida, coming all the way here," Lucien said politely.
Ayano smiled. "No trouble at all. I heard Volume 2 of Attack on Titan is done. Of course, I rushed over."
Eriri stood and offered a polite smile and nod in greeting. She had already heard from Sayuri Sawamura that Ayano Iida was Lucien's editor, so she acted with respectful courtesy.
Not wanting to interrupt the conversation, Eriri said goodbye, taking with her the draft sketch of Chapter 10 of Slam Dunk.
As the door closed behind her, Ayano gave Lucien a knowing smile. "Your girlfriend is pretty."
Lucien didn't correct her. There was no need.
"How are you feeling?" Ayano asked.
"Don't worry. I'm stable for now," Lucien replied calmly.
"That's good to hear," she said, her voice lighter than the last time they spoke.
She reached into her briefcase to pull out the latest issue of Manga Jump, but paused when she noticed an identical copy already on the table.
It didn't take much guessing to know that Eriri must have bought it for him.
With a nostalgic sigh, Ayano returned the magazine to her bag. "It's great to be young."
Lucien smiled. Then he picked up a thick sketchbook and handed it to her. "Ms. Iida, here's Volume 2 of Attack on Titan. Please take a look."
Ayano's eyes lit up as she accepted the manuscript. She flipped open the pages, her pace slow and deliberate.
Editors are trained to read quickly, but Attack on Titan demanded focus. The pacing was tight, the tension relentless. If she skimmed, she might miss something critical.
Her expression began to shift as she read. A few pages in, her eyes widened, disbelief painted across her face.
By the end, she was frozen in awe.
Goosebumps ran down her arms.
She looked up, staring straight into Lucien's eyes.
He shifted nervously. "Ms. Iida, what do you think?"
Silence.
Then, finally, she spoke.
"Genius."
Lucien scratched his cheek, flustered. "You're too kind. I really don't deserve that."
"You're being modest," she replied firmly. "You're the most talented author I've ever worked with. This volume will cause a sensation."
She turned back to the manuscript, flipping through it again.
"How fast do you usually work?" she asked.
Lucien answered, "If I already have the plot in mind, I can draw a chapter a day. Faster if I'm in good shape."
"Incredible. Truly incredible."
Ayano had worked with plenty of mangaka who could draw fast. Some were sketching machines, with years of refined technique. But few could match that speed and deliver the kind of emotionally gripping plot that Attack on Titan possessed.
Talent was one thing. But Lucien had both talent and vision.
"Lucien, who taught you to draw like this?"
In the manga industry, the master-disciple tradition still held importance. Most top-tier manga artists had trained under veterans, learning from them directly or working as assistants.
Ayano figured Lucien must have had a powerful mentor.
Lucien hesitated, then said, "You could say I'm self-taught."
"Self-taught?" she echoed, visibly shocked.
He noticed her skepticism and offered a half-truth. "My mother's a university art professor. She specializes in oil and Japanese-style painting. I learned the basics from her growing up."
Ayano relaxed. "Ah, I see. That makes sense. You're like another one of my authors—Shiina Mashiro. She was raised in an artistic family too. That kind of upbringing really nurtures creativity."
Then Ayano grinned, her fingers resting lightly against her chin.
"Actually, I just had an idea."
Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Since you can draw a chapter a day, why don't we strike while the iron's hot? Let's release the next chapters of Attack on Titan as quickly as possible."
End of the chapter
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