Immediately, Konata starts studying the tips for creating manga that go viral on social media, putting her words into action.

She has been fiddling with her phone with a piece of bread in her hand since morning, and after coming home from school, she has been staring at social networking sites, taking notes on a loose-leaf paper.

“I don’t understand. Why……”

Konata glances at her phone and tilts her head every so often.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been comparing some of the more buzz-worthy mangas with some of the less buzz-worthy ones, and there’s one that I just can’t agree with.”

“Well, let me see it.”

I turn my body to the side and turn to face Konata sitting next to me.

I can’t give any advice when it comes to fashion or study, but I am indeed confident when it comes to mangas.

“I’ll start with this one. The drawings are beautiful, and the story has a clear beginning and end.”

Konata points the screen of her phone at me.

“Indeed. The artwork is above average, and the manga is meticulously crafted, following the principles of storytelling.”

I nod my head as I flip through the pages. The subtle and delicate moments of excitement that one feels in everyday encounters with the opposite sex are well expressed.

“Right?　So, this one is next.”

“FumFum. I under…stand now…”

I proceed to read the next manga presented to me, and I am at a loss for words.

Breaking through the warning label that said 『※Contains sensitive content』 what awaits me as I flick further is explicit erotic artwork.

This is hitting the edge of the line.

I’m risking the possibility of having my account suspended if I’m not careful.

“Unlike the previous one, the artwork is mediocre, and the ending is abrupt. Yet, this one is overwhelmingly going viral. Why is that?”

“Well, indeed, the drawing itself is more precise than the previous one. But in this one, the colouring is skillfully done… As for the story, it deliberately leaves out certain details, allowing the readers to use their imagination to fill in the gaps.”

I do my best to answer euphemistically and competently.

Of course, it won’t be appropriate to straightforwardly respond to the beautiful high school girl, saying, 『This one is going viral because it’s more lewd』. That will be considered sexual harassment.

Well, in the first place, the popularity of erotic content doesn’t necessarily correlate with the skill of the artwork. Even if the drawing is slightly off, it can be compensated by the colouring. Moreover, there’s often a focus on the situation and ideas rather than just the art itself.

“But wouldn’t the average reader not understand those details like colouring techniques or technical aspects? And when it comes to the story, shouldn’t manga that focus on clarity and provide detailed explanations be more popular these days?”

“Well, that may be true for general comics, but in this case it’s a special case……”

Even non-professionals can differentiate between good and bad erotic manga. Setting aside technical aspects, what’s important in an erotic drawing is that it 『gets between your legs』.

But this is a feeling that requires you to be a man to understand. I don’t know how to explain it logically.

“──Haaa…Since it seems difficult for Sensei to express, allow me to answer instead. While we can come up with various explanations, ultimately, the difference between manga that goes viral and those that don’t is simply because the former effectively portrays sexually arousing imagery and situations compared to the latter. In short, it’s because it’s 『erotic』. Even if the artwork is only moderately skilled, it can’t surpass erotic artwork. Content that caters to people’s desires is simply strong in its simplicity.”

Haruka-san stands up, holding an empty teacup, and glances at me before speaking.

“Is that so?”

“I think so.”

I say, covering my face with both hands.

I don’t do anything wrong, but I feel embarrassed as if the very nature of being a man is being blamed.

“I understand why there’s a buzz about it. But his comics can be read by a lot of people without resorting to such easy means.”

“I agree with you on that point. Eroticism is strong, but there is also a fixed upper limit to sales, so I want Sensei to push through to even greater heights. That’s the first time we’ve ever agreed on something.”

Haruka-san says and heads for the kitchen.

“…..let me gather some more information.”

Konata glances at her phone again and says.

“Oou, go ahead and do as you please until you’re satisfied!”

I shout defiantly, letting it all out.

“If it has come to this, then let’s stick with it until the end.”