Basically, I've been working almost exclusively with the publisher where I first won a writing contest.
After all, Eddie-chan, my editor, works there.
Still, it's not like I never get opportunities to work with other companies.
I don't have an exclusive contract, and since I've started gaining some recognition, other publishers have occasionally reached out, asking if I'd be interested in writing something for them.
One of those companies was World Economic News.
And my contact there—the person I usually discuss work with—was, of course, him.
"Kuwahahaha! I really appreciate you taking this on, Sue. I know it was a last-minute request."
"No problem at all. It was another valuable 'experience' for me, and honestly, it was kind of fun."
"I knew you'd say that. You're as eager for a challenge as ever, I see."
A bird-man with a cheerful laugh stood before me, looking pleased.
It goes without saying, it was Morgans from the World Economic News.
Ever since our bizarre alliance in the Sickear Kingdom, we'd stayed in touch, occasionally commissioning work from each other. I'd written a few opinion columns for World Economic News at his request, and for a while, I even wrote a weekly serialized novel for them.
I'd also done some investigative journalism, going to dangerous places that ordinary reporters wouldn't dare visit, gathering information firsthand, and writing articles about it. I was basically a kind of investigative journalist.
At first, I thought, "Isn't this more of a journalist's job than a writer's?" But it offered unique experiences I couldn't find anywhere else, and turning those experiences into stories turned out to be surprisingly fun.
Even though both novels and news articles are written to be read, they work in different ways. Novels paint vivid images in the reader's mind, while news articles deliver information clearly and precisely.
My experience summarizing newspapers on the Kuja ship had unexpectedly come in handy.
Morgans knows I'm a decent writer and fighter, and more importantly, that I'm always eager for a "valuable experience." He knows I'm not afraid to dive into dangerous situations, though I do consider the risks and whether I'm up to the task. If it seems manageable, I usually jump in without hesitation.
Knowing this, Morgans sometimes uses the promise of "experience" as bait to get me to write articles for him.
Not that I mind—I always agree willingly, get paid well, and honestly, I enjoy it. It's exactly as Morgans intended.
Thanks to our easygoing relationship, we now call each other by our first names and speak informally.
Morgans is almost twice my age, but I never feel any real distance between us. He doesn't seem to mind being talked to like that by a young girl like me, either.
The assignment I got this time was another one of those "dangerous places" kind of jobs.
'We Asked 100 Pirates! The Top 10 Hottest Rogue-Friendly Restaurants Right Now!'
I couldn't help but wonder if readers would actually be interested in a section like that.
Well, the content itself was fairly straightforward. It was a ranking of restaurants based on actual interviews with pirates, and my job was to visit these places and write reports on what they were like.
But since these were "outlaw-approved" establishments, they were often located in somewhat dangerous areas. It would be quite a challenge for regular folks to actually get there.
If you let your guard down, you might end up on the menu instead of just ordering from it (and they're good at it).
I actually went to try the place out, but on the way there and back, I was ambushed by human traffickers and pirates about five times.
Each time, I fought them off. Twice, there were bounty targets among them, so I turned them in for some extra cash.
It was weird—I went out to eat for work and ended up making an unexpected 20 million Berry. After deducting the meal cost, I still had a hefty profit.
Not that I'm complaining.
Plus, the food itself was delicious, so I poured my heart into writing the article.
I like to think I managed to make it sound tempting enough to encourage people to visit the place.
(...though honestly, it feels strange to encourage people to venture into such a dangerous area. I did mention the terrible local security in the report, so maybe it'll balance out. I'm not holding my breath.)
The more I thought about it, the more this project seemed like a stretch, both thematically and practically.
Still, if the editorial team was enthusiastic, I figured I'd let them have their way.
I handed Morgans the manuscript and received my payment, along with his usual "Thanks again."
"If anything else comes up, Sue, I'll definitely ask you," he said. "Your articles and columns always boost the reputation of our magazines and newspapers. Why don't you join us full-time? I think we could offer you a pretty good salary."
"I'm afraid I'll have to decline," I replied. "I quite like my carefree lifestyle."
'For now, anyway.'
"Kuwahahaha! Disappointing, but not surprising. Well, if you ever change your mind, you're always welcome."
With a casual "See you around," Morgans walked away, his gait as normal as ever.
Come to think of it, Morgans—the bird-type Ability User with the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Albatross—said he couldn't fly. If that's true, why?
An albatross is, well, an albatross. They're supposed to be able to fly just fine.
Maybe he just hasn't mastered his Devil Fruit powers yet?
I mean, with Devil Fruits—especially Logia and some Paramecia types—you need serious training to transform parts of your body.
Take Smoker's Moku Moku no Mi, for example. In the Original Work, he could manipulate massive amounts of smoke with incredible precision, far beyond just his limbs, effortlessly capturing hordes of pirates.
But that wasn't just because he was an Ability User. He achieved that level of mastery through rigorous training to fully harness his powers.
If I remember correctly, the setting established that even with a Logia-type Devil Fruit ability, transforming a part of your body into its elemental form isn't easy with just a few days of practice.
To truly master a Devil Fruit, reaching the level where you can wield it like an extension of your limbs, generate it while defying the law of conservation of mass, and control its diverse applications... that requires a long and arduous journey, worthy of the "strongest class" of Devil Fruits.
Alright, enough rambling. While I used Logia fruits as an example, the same principle applies to Paramecia and Zoan-type fruits: they're not something you can master without dedicated training.
I myself learned this the hard way. The first time—when I was drifting at sea, half-dead, and got attacked by a pirate ship—I somehow managed to survive through sheer desperation. But after that, it took grueling work to learn how to transform my body into paper and manipulate it freely.
So, maybe Morgans can't fly because he hasn't fully mastered his ability yet?
But Morgans is pretty strong, and it's hard to imagine him slacking off on training... Hmm, I just don't get it.
Anyway... the idea of someone with untapped power struggling to control it for some reason—that's kind of intriguing, right? It could be a cool setup. I'm already getting ideas for a new story.
Might as well make the protagonist a bird-person... or some kind of winged creature. I wonder if such a race even exists. Maybe I'll just go with a bird-like Mink Tribe, or the Lunarian Tribe... though who even knows if they're real? Ah, whatever, I can just make something up if I want.
"A flightless reporter is just a..." No, I need a better tagline.
"Excuse me, ma'am? Would you like a refill of water?"
"Huh? Oh, uh, yes, sorry, I'll take it... no, wait, could I see the menu again? I'd like to order something else."
I was muttering to myself when the waitress suddenly spoke to me, startling me a little.
Perfect timing. I grabbed the menu and decided to order something extra. I felt like I was about to have a brilliant idea, and I needed to fuel my brain with some sugar.
It's happened to me so many times: I think, "I'll figure this out when I get home," leave things half-baked, and then the idea vanishes completely. It's infuriating.
It's like when you have a brilliant idea right before falling asleep or in the shower, and it's gone the next morning. That's frustrating too.
I've learned from experience that if you don't write down an idea the moment it hits you, it's gone. I'm meticulous about it now.
So, I decided to stay right there and brainstorm.
"Certainly. However, your companion already settled the bill earlier..."
Ah, Morgans must have paid before leaving.
"It's fine. I'll take care of everything from here on out. Could I get a new check, please?"
"Understood. I'll bring you the menu right away."
I spent about an hour meticulously developing my story ideas.
While being careful not to inconvenience the staff, I ordered sweets and drinks periodically as I crafted what might become my next story. I carefully recorded everything in my notebook before finally leaving the cafe.
To be continued...