Great Mangaka

Feeling it was a trap, Takumi didn't take the award seriously.

On the way back, he gossiped about the relationship between Alice and Tsukimoto Genji.

"He's my father, but we're not blood-related."

Alice smiled bitterly and told Takumi her life story. It was actually very simple. Her mother was abandoned by her boyfriend when she was pregnant and then married Tsukimoto Genji, who was older than her. Back then, Tsukimoto Genji was a frustrated office worker. After marrying Alice's mother, he worked hard and became president of Hinotori Publishing.

Although he and Alice were not blood relatives, they maintained a good relationship. Alice's original name was 'Alice'. She didn't want her relationship with Tsukimoto Genji to be known, so she changed to a Western name after graduating from university.

Alice struggled alone in Yanaka for several years, and only quit her job as an agent and returned to Osaka last month.

"Is it because of me?"

Takumi asked with a deep intake of breath. 'If this was the case, Tsukimoto Genji valued himself too highly, and indeed called his daughter from afar to be his editor.'

"No, it's just a coincidence that I'm your editor." Alice shook her head. She had nothing to do upon returning to Osaka. Tsukimoto Genji was selecting an editor for Takumi, so she volunteered: "The entertainment industry is too complicated. I think it's easier to be a manga editor."

The entertainment industry is truly complicated. Many people think it's a hidden rule. Takumi looked at Alice subtly.

"What are you thinking about?" Alice said angrily: "Don't think nonsense. NHK invited you for an animation. Do you want to submit your work?"

Upon mentioning it, Takumi's spirits lifted.

"Yes, of course, but I need to research for a few days first!"

He was very interested in NHK's animation. That animation only required providing the story and setting, and the mangaka didn't have to handle other tasks, which simply filled his free time. However, the manga industry in this world has been underdeveloped for a long time, and the quality of animation needs to be investigated.

"Really?"

Alice asked with a shadowed expression upon hearing the answer: "What a shame!"

"The editor-in-chief of Weekly Shōjo Manga called me a few days ago and wanted to ask you to draw a short girls' manga, but I had to refuse."

Takumi frowned slightly: "Why do you want me to draw a girls' manga?"

He felt strange. 'There were more female readers of Detective Conan than male. Could it be that this made others misunderstand that he was suitable for drawing girls' manga?'

"Your style is very suitable for girls' manga." Indeed, Alice confirmed Takumi's suspicion: "Now many people in the company say that Detective Conan can also be popular in girls' manga, and your speed isn't very fast?"

She had seen Takumi's paintings and still remembered that efficient painting skill.

Adding a short manga shouldn't be a problem, and it doesn't need to be serialized for a long time.

Alice seemed to want Takumi to draw manga, but Takumi wasn't interested in girls' manga. He thought that the national animations NHK would produce were more interesting.

Over the next few days, Takumi researched the quality of animations in this world, and the answer he received was very exciting. The quality of animation in this world is no less than in his previous life. Many technologies already had a good foundation before manga's birth. Coupled with greater scientific and technological capabilities than in his previous life, the development speed of animation far surpasses that of manga.

Takumi immediately decided to submit his work, but at that moment, something unexpected happened.

Because Takumi did not attend the manga award ceremony, his identity was questioned again, and the "Mirai-sensei three-person theory" reappeared on the front page of major newspapers and magazines. Furthermore, this time the doubts did not dissipate as before, but intensified over time.

At first, Takumi didn't take it seriously. When he found out, the matter was already serious, and even the chat group he participated in caused a commotion.

"Sisters, Mirai-sensei turned out to be three people, they fooled us all! The truth came out in the news and Twitter. No wonder he was absent on the day of the award ceremony. It was a scam organized by Hinotori Publishing from the beginning!"

"It's so abominable. It turns out several people drew manga together. Mach lost unfairly."

Takumi was a little confused. 'Why did the chat group make the rumors seem true?'

He searched the internet and soon found the answer. It turned out that some photos were circulating. The content of those photos were three men. There was a scene of them entering Hinotori Publishing, drawing manga together, and even a half-drawn scene...

The image was exactly the same as Takumi's poster. Although it wasn't complete, the date on the photo was earlier than the poster's publication. In addition, a blurry photo of the Detective Conan contract also appeared. It seemed to be taken in a hurry. The signature wasn't clear, but three names were visible.

"What's wrong!" Takumi exclaimed, feeling ridiculous. He looked again and found that the people in the photos were blurry, and their features were not visible.

The source turned out to be "members of Hinotori Publishing." All news and reports using these photos would add a sentence: "These photos were provided by members of Hinotori Publishing. Due to the signing of a confidentiality agreement, the faces of the three 'Mirai-sensei' were mosaiced."

Takumi knew it was full of loopholes as soon as he saw the content. 'How could someone who knew his identity take photos of three people?'

Although he believed it, other netizens didn't. Faced with the barrage of thousands of microblogs and information, these netizens immediately followed suit and cursed without questioning.

"Mirai-sensei, get lost!"

"Liar, give us back the money we paid for the magazine!"

"Hinotori Publishing, apologize!"

The situation worsened. Although Hinotori Publishing quickly took countermeasures, they had no effect after issuing several consecutive statements.

Alice's face also turned very bad.

"Someone hired a network speculator." She told Takumi: "They are deliberately attacking you. Ignore them for a while. As long as you draw good manga, it's useless for them to toss and turn in bed."

Network speculators originally refer to groups that use the internet to plan, implement, and promote specific goals and become influential and well-known. But these groups usually do everything for money. They know the rules of internet operation and mass psychology. They often invent facts and maliciously frame others. In normal times, they act wildly.

And the more attention you give them, the more excited they become, and they will do their best to take advantage of loopholes in your words to attack.

"Takumi, our statement has no effect. You should also go to the official website to appease the readers." Alice said: "The innocent will be innocent. Don't argue with those network speculators."

Takumi nodded, cropped the photos of the three men, and calmly logged into the official website and wrote: "Excuse me, why do these three primates have no faces?"