Kasumigaoka Utaha narrowed her eyes, not letting her guard down.
These words sounded entirely like a retort to her earlier statement, so…
"However…"
Izumi Chihiro's expression turned cold.
The twist she was waiting for had indeed arrived.
"Admittedly, putting everything else aside, Kasumigaoka Utaha Sensei, your 'love metronome' is indeed good, but only for the story content of one volume! If it were to enter formal serialization, its flaws would be very significant! One could even say it's full of holes."
He said, his gaze sharp.
"Why do you say that?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha wouldn't be directly intimidated by his sensational statement. What she needed was genuine insight that would make her change her mind.
"First, Kasumigaoka Utaha Sensei, you haven't been in love, have you?"
Izumi Chihiro responded with a question instead of an answer.
"Well… no, I haven't, but that's not such an unusual thing, is it? Not having been in love doesn't mean one can't write good light novels with romantic content, does it? As far as I know, many light novelists are still single, right?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes flickered.
"Pfft!"
Machida Sonoko couldn't help but laugh.
"?"
Her expression was questioning.
"Ah, I remember when Teacher Izumi first submitted his work, he gave me the manuscript for '"White Album"' and said something similar… It seems you two have something in common."
Machida Sonoko explained the reason.
"Boring."
Kasumigaoka Utaha withdrew her gaze.
Then she heard him continue: "This is indeed not a problem, but for the current you, it is a problem! Because Kasumigaoka Utaha Sensei's fantasy of a girl's love contains no other impurities, creating a very high purity… However, with accumulation, it also becomes too cloying! Don't you really feel it? You must have thought about the content of the second volume, right?"
That gaze pressed in.
"Hmm?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression grew more serious.
This question certainly hit the mark, making her ponder for a while.
As an intelligent person, she understood what he was implying.
After finishing the first volume of love metronome, she felt a sense of exhaustion; every time she fantasized about the content of the second volume, she couldn't continue, unable to write as smoothly as before.
She knew that if she forced herself to write, it wouldn't be a work she was truly satisfied with.
Why was this happening?
It was simple: her experience was insufficient.
Having never been in love, the 'love' in her heart wasn't enough to support more story development; she could only circle within a limited space, and afterward, she would only sink into a quagmire, each step becoming more difficult!
Izumi Chihiro actually made a similar mistake when writing "White Album", so he naturally noticed it.
To solve the problem, he could only refer to his later approach, seeking answers in other people's works.
"This is indeed true."
Kasumigaoka Utaha had to admit this.
A maiden's pride wouldn't allow her to be stubborn on such a professional matter.
"Now that Izumi-sensei mentions it, it really seems to be the case!"
Machida Sonoko understood after hearing it.
She had always had a bad premonition, but the perfect performance of the first volume made her overlook it.
Now, she finally found the reason!
It had to be you, Izumi-sensei!
Fortunately, the problem was found before official publication, and modifications could still be made; if it were after publication, it would be difficult to handle, and improper handling could even lead to the risk of cancellation.
This was no laughing matter.
It might not even wait until then.
There were quite a few light novel authors who, due to declining performance and the blow of psychological disparity, simply gave up on themselves.
"Is this enough?"
Izumi Chihiro said no more, waiting for her reaction.
"This is indeed enough."
Kasumigaoka Utaha gritted her teeth.
She had a problem with the concept itself, so no matter how well she performed afterward, she would be greatly constrained.
Therefore, there was no need to discuss the minor details.
"Phew..."
Kasumigaoka Utaha took a deep breath.
She wasn't someone who couldn't accept defeat.
Moreover, bringing up this issue was indeed a great help to her, almost a life-saving grace.
So she stood up and said sincerely, "Izumi-sensei, thank you for your guidance."
Seeing the girl's softened attitude, Izumi Chihiro immediately felt refreshed.
"Ahem, Izumi-sensei, since you've raised the problem, do you also have a solution?"
Machida Sonoko reminded him from the side.
"Oh, oh, it's actually not difficult; just refer to other works more—anime, light novels, games, or even TV dramas—as long as you observe intentionally, many issues will be easily resolved."
He reacted.
"I've noted it down."
Kasumigaoka Utaha's wine-red pupils fixed on him, as if to engrave him firmly.
What she noted down was not just the method and the favor, but also this face!
"Machida Editor, the time we previously agreed upon is temporarily void; please give me another month to prepare, I plan to revise the content of the first volume!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha turned to Machida Sonoko and said with a determined expression.
"I love this passionate look from sensei! I will communicate with the publisher to secure enough time."
Machida Sonoko nodded in agreement, then teased, "If the time is extended again, it really won't be possible to achieve the 'all my authors debuted in middle school' achievement, Kasumigaoka Utaha Sensei is about to enter high school, isn't she? What a pity~"
"Is that so, Nayuta-sensei's age indeed..."
Kasumigaoka Utaha's gaze paused.
Indeed, this world is vast!
One day, she would meet remarkable people.
...
Having dealt with her affairs, and with a new goal, the girl took the elevator downstairs.
When she reached the street, she suddenly looked up at the sky, her expression thoughtful.
The experiences of this day might be very important for her future professional life.
Not only did she receive help and realize her 'weakness,' but it also ignited greater fighting spirit in her.
It turned out that writing novels was not as easy as she had imagined before, and it wasn't something one could casually write and reach the top.
Just wanting to surpass the person she had just met was not a simple task.
"Oh, what was that game Miss Machida recommended earlier? It seemed to be called "White Album" or something? I'll order it online later."
Kasumigaoka Utaha cast aside the distracting thoughts in her mind and refocused her goal on improving herself.
During this period, she will transform love metronome into a classic, long-running romantic daily life light novel series!
Also, let's set a small goal first—surpass Izumi Old Thief!