[031] Top-tier Treatment!
Putting down the manuscript in his hands, Torishima Kazumitsu couldn't help but express his admiration from the heart.
He rubbed his eyes, which were a little sore, and after closing them for a moment to rest, he opened them again and gave a somewhat apologetic smile to the person sitting across from him, Minano Matome.
"Sorry to keep you waiting so long, I feel guilty about making you, a younger person, spend your time on this."
Minano blinked, clearly confused.
"Aren't we working? Why would the editor-in-chief say it's a waste of time?"
Torishima gave a helpless smile, then waved his hand lightly.
"Well, you're too direct sometimes."
"So, what did the editor-in-chief think after reviewing it?"
"It's fantastic." Torishima paused, then added, "It could even be called perfect!"
"The speed of creation, and the quality it maintains... I have to say, this is what youth is all about."
"Physique, energy, mental capacity... I'm genuinely envious of this kid's vitality!"
Minano paused, then asked thoughtfully:
"Is there a chance that this kid is just a monster?"
"Does it have nothing to do with the factors you mentioned?"
Torishima froze for a moment, then gave her a resentful look.
"Mina, could you give an old guy like me some face? Isn't it a bit too much to crush my feelings like that?"
"I don't think so. As for face... I'll think about it."
Torishima sighed in exasperation, but didn't press further on the matter.
He then asked, "So when can we expect the cover and color pages for the volume from Mr. Akifumi?"
"Mr. Akifumi said he'll bring them by tomorrow afternoon."
"??"
Torishima fell silent, nodding to himself. "I see."
"Considering that Mr. Akifumi can create six chapters a month by himself, it's completely reasonable for him to complete a few color pages in a day."
"Reasonable? Ha! That's a joke!"
One color page requires more effort than several black-and-white ones combined!
And the cover and content—he'll need almost four color pages in total!
This workload is almost equivalent to creating an entire chapter!
What a little monster!
After the initial astonishment, Torishima's face lit up with a bright smile.
"To think that Shueisha has found such a treasure!"
Creative ideas that are wildly imaginative, an incredibly fast pace of work, and not even twenty years old!
If this talent can keep going and only put in half the effort he's showing now, Shueisha could rest easy for the next 30 years.
Feeling elated, Torishima couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness this little monster ended up with us."
If he went to another publisher, they'd have a headache.
Students' pocket money doesn't change, and if they buy works from other publishers, they won't have the extra cash to buy from others.
That's the nature of competition between publishing houses!
As for working part-time to support the things you love... that's still rare.
Not something to count on regularly.
With his thoughts collected, Torishima spoke again.
"Since Mr. Akifumi works so fast, we need to speed things up on our end too!"
"Let's get the final product for the volume out as quickly as possible!"
"There are still some decisions that require your input, though."
"Oh?"
"The original manuscript provided by Mr. Akifumi is 230 pages. Using the standard 32-page format for volumes won't work well."
[TL Note – how the hell someone draw 230 pages of manga in 1 month????]
Shueisha's standard volumes are typically 32 pages, and they hover around 180 pages, which is the most common in the market.
The price is usually around 410 yen including tax.
As for whether the paper size affects the comic itself, the answer is no.
In Japan, authors use B4-sized 135g manga paper, so regardless of whether it's 16, 32, or 36 pages, it's all about proportional scaling.
Torishima smiled casually, speaking without a care.
"Let's switch to a larger 32-page format."
"Given the added content, raising the price to 600 yen or so is reasonable, right?"
Minano silently handed him a pen.
Torishima, not amused, said, "I know you're just trying to squeeze me, you old man."
He quickly wrote out a detailed arrangement on the paper, then stamped it with the editor-in-chief's seal.
"Thank you, editor-in-chief."
Without hesitation, Minano took the paper from him, lowered her head, and looked it over.
After a brief pause, she lifted her head, her face surprised, like a child.
"12% royalty? And the page rate for serialized work is now 30,000 yen per page!?"
Torishima nonchalantly said, "Isn't it normal to offer high treatment when you encounter such a gem?"
"Too bad, though. If the kid had more impressive results, I'd even risk my face and go ask the board members for an even higher royalty."
12% royalty was the highest he could offer directly; anything higher would require board approval.
"With this kind of treatment, the other authors will probably be jealous, right?"
"Jealous? Heh."
Torishima sneered, the warm and friendly old man disappearing, replaced by the air of an authority figure.
"I don't expect them to have the same kind of talent as Mr. Akifumi, but if even half of it was there, I'd happily raise their pay too."
"The real question is, can they do that?"
The answer was obviously no.
Minano, unfazed by Torishima's shift in attitude, sighed a little helplessly.
"Although what you said is true, maybe you should still think about how the other authors might feel?"
"Do you think I'm getting senile?"
"Of course, I know. Signing a confidentiality agreement is basic practice."
Minano nodded.
"As long as the editor-in-chief isn't senile, that's good."
"..."
If you're going to talk, at least say more!!
Despite Torishima's glare, Minano paid no mind.
She smiled slightly, "I'm sure Mr. Akifumi will be thrilled when he hears this news, right?"
"If he's not happy, I can't help it. This old man has done all he can."
That said, Torishima's face still showed a smile.