Chapter 19: Voices of Doubt [1]
On an early morning in October, Alex heard the first voice of doubt while milking the cows.
It wasn't spoken to his face. It came from the radio—the town's agricultural channel was airing an interview with an elderly professor from the State Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The host brought up Silver Spoon and asked for the professor's opinion.
The professor's voice was thick with a regional accent and agonizingly slow. "Comics... well, for entertainment, they're fine. But to claim educational value... heh, you're better off reading a proper textbook."
The host pressed on. "Have you read Silver Spoon, Professor?"
"I flipped through a few pages," the professor admitted. "The drawings look decent enough, but there are plenty of issues with the details. For instance, the milking technique shown in the manga is one way, but in reality, we recommend a different method. And the chapter on raising pigs... the feed ratio explanation was far too simplistic..."
Alex switched off the radio. The white liquid flowed rhythmically into the pail. His hands moved steadily, using the exact technique depicted in the manga—the same one he learned from his father, and the same one taught in standard agricultural textbooks.
But the professor said it was "incorrect."
He shrugged it off and continued working. Milking, feeding, cleaning the stalls. By the time he finished, the sun was fully up.
Back in his room, he opened his email. There was a new message from Sue: "Chapter 19 received. Excellent work. But there's something you need to see."
A link to a forum was attached.
Alex clicked it. It was "Manga World," a popular hub for enthusiasts. A thread title was highlighted in red: "Rational Discussion: Is Silver Spoon Overrated?"
The original poster, claiming to be a "veteran manga fan," listed several "problems":
Pacing is too slow. Eight chapters to milk a cow? Twelve chapters to learn pig farming? Dragging!
Protagonist is too weak. No hot-bloodedness, no explosive moments. It's frustrating to watch.
Agricultural knowledge is superficial. If you want to learn farming, read a textbook.
Paneling is too "artsy." It disrupts the reading flow.
The copycats are all dead. How much longer can this stay popular?
The replies stretched over a dozen pages. Some supported the OP, some opposed, and some were just arguing.
"OP doesn't know sht! The pacing of Silver Spoon is called 'reality.' Your kind of 'punching a planet to dust' pacing is what's dragging!"*
"Where is the knowledge superficial? I'm an Ag student, and I find it way more vivid than my textbooks!"
"The paneling is god-tier, okay? Do you understand cinematic feel?"
"But the MC really isn't satisfying... I'm used to overpowered protagonists. This kind of stifling/frustrating type is hard to get used to."
There were also those who agreed with the OP:
"Finally someone speaks the truth. Silver Spoon just relies on a fresh theme. In terms of actual skill, it's not worth a fraction of Legend of the Sword God."
"The art is okay, but the story is too plain. Read twenty chapters and felt like nothing happened."
"Once the hype passes, it'll definitely cool off."
Alex scrolled down page after page. The words were harsh, but familiar. In his past life, he had seen similar threads. Whenever a work became popular, there would be doubts, criticisms, and "objective rationalists."
He closed the webpage and replied to Sue: "Seen it. Normal."
Sue replied quickly: "Not just the forum. The editorial department has also received letters from readers saying the pace is too slow and hoping it speeds up. The Editor-in-Chief wanted me to ask for your thoughts."
Alex thought for a moment, then typed: "The pacing won't change. This is the tone of the work. If I change it, it won't be Silver Spoon anymore."
Sent.
He stared at the screen for a moment, then opened a document and began to draw Chapter 19.
This chapter was about vaccinations. Livestock students had to learn to vaccinate cows. Hachiken was doing it for the first time, his hands shaking so badly he couldn't hold the needle steady. Komaba yelled at him, but then guided him hand-over-hand.
He drew with meticulous detail—the angle of the needle, the folds of the cow's skin, the resistance as the medicine was pushed in. He drew the sweat on Hachiken's forehead, the furrow in Komaba's brow, the calm eyes of the cow.
Halfway through, his phone rang. Unknown number.
He didn't answer. A moment later, a text arrived: "Hello Mr. Walker, I am an editor from Manga Critique. I would like to write a review article on the Silver Spoon phenomenon. Could I interview you?"
Manga Critique—a magazine known in the industry for its sharp tongue and caustic reviews.
Alex deleted the text and continued drawing.
On the second weekend of October, Alex went to town to buy art supplies. In the bookstore, Mr. Henderson was arguing with a middle-aged man in glasses.
"I told you, the author doesn't make appearances!" Henderson's voice was raised. "Asking me is useless!"
"I just want to schedule an interview..." The glasses man pushed up his frames. "Our magazine is very influential. It helps promote the work..."
"Whether it helps is up to the author!" Henderson saw Alex enter and winked.
Alex caught the signal, pulled his cap lower, and moved toward the bookshelves.
The glasses man kept pestering. "Mr. Henderson, just pass a message. Our Chief Editor said if we get the interview, the advertising fee is negotiable..."
"Out, out." Henderson started shooing him away. "I don't do that kind of business here."
The man was pushed out the door, muttering, "Just a comic artist, putting on such airs..."
The door closed, the bell jingling.
Henderson walked over, lowering his voice. "Third one this week. Reporters, critics, even someone wanting to film a documentary."
"Documentary?"
"Said it was some 'New Era Cultural Phenomenon' and wanted to track the author's creative process." Henderson snorted. "I turned them all down."
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Henderson pulled a stack of letters from under the counter. "Your mail. A lot this week."
Alex took them. A thick stack. Some in fancy envelopes, some on loose-leaf paper, some postcards. He opened one at random.
"Dear Mr. Walker: I am a reader of Manga Critique. I saw the review of Silver Spoon in the latest issue and felt it was very unfair. That article was nitpicking the whole way through; they don't understand your work at all. I hope you aren't affected and keep drawing. I will always support you."
He opened another. The handwriting was messy.
"What kind of trash is this! Dragging on, boring as hell! Hurry up and end it, stop wasting page space!"
Another one, handwriting neat.
"I am a student at an agricultural school. After reading Silver Spoon, I decided to return to my hometown to start a farm after graduation. Thank you for showing me another side of agriculture."
Alex read them one by one. Encouragement, criticism, abuse, gratitude. Like a mirror reflecting what the work looked like in different people's hearts.
He put the letters in his bag. Henderson watched him. "Not upset?"
"Upset about what?"
"The ones cursing you."
". "
(To be Continued)
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