In the end, it is agreed that I will draw the manuscript for the main serialisation during the day and work on the web version after Konata comes home from school.

“I want a reason why the high school girl becomes obsessed with the manga artist. Just being a fan seems a bit weak to lead to confinement. I think there should be something special that sets her apart from other fans.”

Night.

I mutter to myself as I lightly tap my sketchbook with a pencil.

Yesterday, after discussing it with Konata, we decided to strengthen the horror elements to distinguish it from the romantic-comedy serialised version but I don’t know how to do it.

“Destiny from a previous life.”

Konata responds immediately.

“Reincarnation. It’s a classic, not to mention 『Phoenix』. Personally, I like it because it has a distinct Japanese feel, with a sense of impermanence and transience. There’s a lingering quality to it.”

[TL: It’s a real manga that goes by the name 『火の鳥』Phoenix]

“Yes. If it’s a reincarnation thing, it’s all the rage these days and I think it’s going to be popular.”

“Fu…..”

Haruka-san lets out a chuckle.

“What”

Konata glares at Halka-san.

“No, no, excuse me. Don’t mind me, carry on.”

Haruka-san bows her head lightly and returns to her work.

“…I have a question about a proposal for one development.”

Konata says in a slightly hesitant voice.

“Like what?”

“To emphasise the horror elements, don’t you think there’s a lack of 『enemies』 as it is now?”

“Not enough enemies? The main character’s enemies are the high school girls who lock him up, right?”

“? The heroine is on the hero’s side, right?”

Konata tilts her head.

“No, the viewpoint character in this story is the hero, so he don’t realise until the middle of the story that the heroine is locking him up to save him”’

“Even if it is…..isn’t it standard in battle stories that after facing one enemy, new and stronger enemies appear one after another?”

“Well, yeah, that could work. So, I guess it would be like this. At first, the protagonist thinks the heroine is the enemy, but then realises that she is actually an ally, while being attacked by various other people.”

“That’s right. For example, a former classmates who still contact him regularly even though it’s been more than five years since they graduated from high school, the woman at the flower shop who persistently sends him message cards even though he only bought a bouquet of flowers once two years ago for a drawing, the waitress at Kentucky’s who remembers this manga artist’s favourite part and serves him every time he goes there. The waitress, the editor and all the women around this mangaka, except the heroine, are enemies.”

I nod in agreement and Konata begins to talk like a fish in a barrel.

The examples are all very specific.

I’m not sure if she has any specific recollections or not.

“You mean like『 The Truman Show?』 The whole thing was a set-up? It could work as a horror story.”

“Right? The protagonist is chosen by a six-dimensional life form as a messianic figure to elevate humanity to higher dimensions. The opposing Baal faction, wanting to hinder this, sets honey traps to strengthen the chains of the physical body. However, the heroine is connected by fate, capable of guiding the protagonist with true love, and──…”

“Wa-wait a minute. I’ll write it down now.”

Her ideas do not stop flowing.

Well, it seems that some excessive elements will need to be cut, but the general direction seems to align with what Konata is saying… I can’t say for certain, but the benefit of posting the manga on SNS is that I can easily give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, I can always take it down. So, for now, why not give it a shot and see how it goes?