MTLNOVEL Chapter 46
Lucien D. Blackthorn was a little taken aback.
Standing beside Ayano Iida was a petite girl with a round, cherubic face, looking more like an elementary school student than someone who should be working. Her childlike frame and big eyes gave off the aura of a first-year middle schooler at most.
"Editor Iida," Lucien said, narrowing his eyes in playful suspicion, "isn't it illegal to employ child labor? I thought students under 16 weren't allowed to work in Japan."
Ayano chuckled softly, placing a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "No worries there. Mizuki is already 16 years old. Completely legal, I assure you."
"Completely legal...?" Lucien repeated, unconvinced. He eyed the girl once again.
The girl, looking shy and a little nervous, bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Whale. My name is Usami Mizuki. Thank you for your guidance today."
Lucien blinked for a moment, then smiled. "Ah, no need to be so formal. I'm Lucien D. Blackthorn."
Through their initial conversation, Lucien learned that Usami Mizuki was in her third year at Yuedu Junior High School in Shinagawa. Despite her youthful appearance, she had already secured admission into her desired high school and now had the freedom to explore her interests without academic pressure.
She had a background in art, being a member of her school's art club, and had come to Manga Jump for an internship through her uncle, who worked as a section chief in the editorial department. She helped with simple post-production tasks like outlining and screentone pasting.
After their brief introductions, Ayano Iida handed over some sketchbooks and inking tools before preparing to leave.
"I still have to track down a certain cartoonist hiding somewhere in Shinjuku and coax a manuscript out of him," she sighed. "I'll leave Mizuki in your capable hands for now."
With that, she exited the hospital room, leaving the two alone.
Lucien gestured to a chair beside his hospital bed. "Come on, have a seat."
Usami Mizuki hesitated briefly, then sat down stiffly, her posture perfectly upright.
Trying to ease the tension, Lucien asked with a mischievous grin, "So how should I call you? Usami-senpai or Mizuki-chan?"
"Everyone calls me Mizuki, so you can too, Mr. Whale," she replied politely.
"Then Mizuki it is. But don't call me 'Mr. Whale,' that makes me sound ancient. I'm just a second-year at Hoshinari Academy, two years ahead of you. Call me senpai if you must."
"Then… Lucien-senpai?"
"That works," Lucien said with a smile.
Despite her shy demeanor, Mizuki looked genuinely eager to learn, though she still held herself awkwardly, unsure of how to engage. Lucien decided to help ease her into the conversation.
"So Mizuki, what made you want to intern at Manga Jump? Still a student, and already jumping into the world of publishing?"
She thought for a moment, then replied with honesty. "Because I want to become a manga editor in the future, like Editor Iida. My uncle works here, so I asked for the opportunity."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "That's a tough job. Overtime, late nights, chasing authors for deadlines. Not exactly glamorous."
"I know," she nodded. "But… there's someone I care about who loves drawing manga. I want to support him. Maybe even help him publish his work someday."
She lowered her head slightly, her cheeks tinged pink. Her fingers fidgeted nervously on her lap.
Lucien smiled knowingly. "This someone... would his name happen to be Subaru Uchimaki?"
Her head snapped up in shock. "Ehh!? H-How do you know that name?! Do you know Subaru?!"
Lucien chuckled. "I don't know him personally, but I heard there's a painting prodigy at Yuedu Middle School named Uchimaki Subaru. Sounded familiar."
Mizuki's face turned bright red. "Y-You guessed it..."
Uchimaki Subaru was indeed a genius, though his obsession with 2D anime girls made him completely oblivious to the affections of any real girls, including Mizuki. It was a well-known dynamic in their school's art club.
Lucien tried to suppress a laugh. Her innocence and sincerity were disarming.
Realizing the topic was making her even more embarrassed, he tactfully switched gears.
"Ahem... anyway, Mizuki, have you read any of my manga?"
She perked up immediately. "Yes, senpai! I have! I really like your work!"
"Oh? Really? I wouldn't expect you to be into something like Attack on Titan."
"Ah, no! I mean, it's great too! But I really love Slam Dunk!" she declared with passion.
Lucien feigned a dramatic sigh. "I see... and let me guess. Your favorite character is Rukawa Kaede, right?"
"Yes! How did you know?!"
"Just a hunch," he said, smiling. "You girls always fall for the cool, silent types."
With the ice broken and the tension easing, Mizuki suddenly looked a little more serious.
"Senpai... is it true? That your illness is really serious?"
Her voice trembled slightly with concern.
Lucien gave her a reassuring smile. "It's nothing. I'll be fine. Just a bump in the road."
Seeing how calmly he responded despite his condition, Mizuki's eyes welled up with admiration. She stood up, fists clenched, her expression firm.
"I believe in you, senpai. You'll get better soon. I'll cheer for you!"
Lucien blinked in surprise, then let out a soft laugh. "Thanks, Mizuki. That means more than you know."
The hospital room, once quiet and sterile, now felt warm with the spark of an unexpected friendship blossoming.
END of the chapter