E4 - Budget, Deadline and New Development
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:01] ---
Tomorrow should be fine, Machida-san.
[00:04] ---
I'm also making good progress
on the plot for the new books.
[00:08] ---
I can trust you on that?
[00:10] ---
Have I ever lied to you before?
[00:13] ---
About your books? Never.
[00:16] ---
About deadlines? All the time.
[00:19] ---
I see.
[00:21] ---
In that case, I can't spare any
time for an interview tomorrow.
[00:25] ---
I retract my previous statement.
[00:28] ---
Hold on!
[00:29] ---
Wait just a little bit, Shi-chan!
[00:32] ---
I'll give you just three seconds
if you call me Shi-chan again.
[00:36] ---
How does that sound?
[00:37] ---
We've already reserved some pages,
[00:39] ---
and we ran the announcement
in last month's magazines!
[00:42] ---
An exclusive interview with Miss Utako
Kasumi announcing her next book!
[00:46] ---
Look, my job is to put
words on the page,
[00:49] ---
not to speak in front of someone.
[00:51] ---
Oh, so that's the problem.
[00:54] ---
I worked hard to make these arrangements
because I thought you would be happy.
[00:59] ---
Meaning what, exactly?
[01:00] ---
You see, I...
[02:44] ---
I have to go.
[02:48] ---
I'm sorry, Naoto-kun.
[02:50] ---
Why are you apologizing, Sayuka?
[02:53] ---
I can't be a girl
who tearfully clings to you.
[02:55] ---
I'm sorry that I chose
my dreams over love.
[03:00] ---
I'm sorry.
[03:02] ---
Goodbye.
[03:07] ---
And I'm sorry that I will
always love you anyway.
SIGN #4 "Budget, Deadline and New Development"
[03:18] ---
You read it all the way to the end?!
SIGN "Metronome in Love"
[03:21] ---
So, what did you think?
[03:23] ---
I'm a little short on sleep
today because of it.
[03:26] ---
I couldn't find a good
place to stop reading.
[03:28] ---
Wow, really?
[03:29] ---
I had always thought that light
novels were strictly for boys,
[03:33] ---
but this one is a tearjerker
even for a girl.
[03:36] ---
Kato...
[03:38] ---
I'm so proud of you!
[03:40] ---
Are you sure it's okay
for me to keep all these?
[03:43] ---
Of course it's okay!
[03:44] ---
Anyway, the ones I gave you
were for advocation.
[03:47] ---
I have two other sets: one for
reading and one for archiving.
[03:50] ---
Really? Well, if you have extras,
I guess I'll accept them with gratitude.
[03:53] ---
I'll buy more, of course!
[03:55] ---
We have to replenish your stocks
when your advocation runs low!
[03:58] ---
Sorry, I haven't gotten the hang
of standard otaku procedure yet.
[04:02] ---
I have to say, I can
still hardly believe it.
[04:05] ---
It boggles my mind that it was
Kasumigaoka-senpai who wrote these.
[04:09] ---
True, when it comes to
high school girls and authors,
[04:11] ---
they usually just see light novels.
[04:14] ---
Um... Well, yes.
[04:17] ---
That's part of it, but
when you see her at school,
[04:20] ---
you'd never picture her as someone
who would write a romance novel.
[04:25] ---
It's that dichotomy that really
establishes her character!
[04:28] ---
Learn from her example, Kato!
[04:30] ---
No ordinary human could
hold down a job writing books
[04:34] ---
while being a top student in school.
[04:36] ---
Yeah, it's not just God-given talent,
[04:39] ---
she must also be working
hard enough to sweat blood!
[04:42] ---
Utaha-senpai...
[04:43] ---
or rather, Miss Utako Kasumi is like a god to me!
[04:47] ---
Yes, I can see.
[04:48] ---
You've got the eyes of
a true believer, Aki-kun.
[04:51] ---
Man, I can't wait until her next book.
[04:53] ---
There has to be an anime
adaptation for this one!
[04:55] ---
I wonder what the story will be about?
[04:57] ---
Another pure love type along the
same lines as Metronome in Love?
[05:01] ---
Good point.
[05:02] ---
I'll have to ask her about that, too.
[05:04] ---
Will she tell you
something that important?
[05:07] ---
Isn't that bad, ethically speaking?
[05:10] ---
Ethical...
[05:15] ---
What's with that reaction, like
you're reliving past trauma?
[05:18] ---
I'm not reliving anything!
[05:20] ---
I'm not hurting in the least,
[05:22] ---
so don't get the wrong idea!
[05:26] ---
Um, okay...
[05:27] ---
I won't pry any deeper
on that particular topic.
[05:30] ---
Anyway, today is the one day
I can ask her about anything.
[05:34] ---
Why's that?
[05:37] ---
You see, the reason is...
[05:40] ---
My name is Aki, and I'll be
conducting today's interview.
[05:45] ---
It's good to meet you, Miss Kasumi.
[05:49] ---
What in the world is
the meaning of this, Mr. Ethical?
[05:52] ---
Um, I got a job offer email
[05:55] ---
from your assistant editor
last week through my website.
[06:00] ---
I mean, you're shy around strangers,
uncooperative, and foul-tempered,
[06:05] ---
so an ordinary writer wouldn't be able to
get any comments out of you, right?
[06:09] ---
So I figured that if it was someone
you knew, it would help you relax.
[06:13] ---
I'm leaving. I'm going
home and sleeping.
[06:15] ---
Wait a minute, Utaha-senpai!
[06:17] ---
But I'm shy, uncooperative,
and foul-tempered.
[06:21] ---
Well, that's certainly true...
[06:24] ---
Thank you for your time, then.
[06:25] ---
I'm sorry, I mixed up polite
euphemisms for genuine opinions!
[06:29] ---
You still seem to be doing so.
[06:31] ---
I also thought that you wouldn't
want to do this, Utaha-senpai.
[06:34] ---
But when I was told
this is my chance
[06:36] ---
to learn about your
new book before others,
[06:39] ---
there was no way that
I could turn it down!
[06:42] ---
Just let it happen, Shi-chan.
[06:44] ---
This is childish behavior for
an author who's sold 500,000 books.
[06:48] ---
Says the immature woman who has defiled our
sacred workplace by bringing in an amateur!
[06:55] ---
Utaha Kasumigaoka.
Toyogasaki Academy, Class 3C.
[06:59] ---
Her true identity is that of
best-selling author Utako Kasumi,
[07:02] ---
who won the Fushikawa Fantastic
Grand Prize in her first year,
[07:04] ---
and had a hit in her second year when her
five-volume debut series sold 500,000 copies.
[07:08] ---
And now, in her third year,
[07:10] ---
she is about to embark on her
eagerly-awaited new series
[07:14] ---
with the full backing of
Fushikawa Shoten!
[07:19] ---
So, I'm told your new book
that fans are dying to read
[07:21] ---
is going to be unveiled in this
issue of Undead Magazine.
[07:24] ---
True, it is.
[07:26] ---
I see this series is, like Metronome in Love,
going to be set in Wago City.
[07:30] ---
I'm reusing it, yes.
[07:32] ---
Does that mean we can expect
a link to the previous books?
[07:35] ---
For instance, is it set in the same school,
or will the same characters appear?
[07:39] ---
Possibly.
[07:41] ---
Don't fall asleep 30 seconds
into the interview, Senpai.
[07:44] ---
I can't help it. I was up all last night
working out the plot for the new series.
[07:50] ---
We're the ones who are worried sick
over you making no progress
[07:53] ---
despite your all-nighter and not
getting an introductory article.
[07:57] ---
Can't say that's me.
[08:00] ---
Goodnight... forever.
[08:06] ---
Your new series is the
eagerly-awaited follow-up
[08:09] ---
to your previous hit series,
Metronome in Love.
[08:11] ---
I expect that you're under pressure
from high expectations.
[08:14] ---
Not especially.
[08:15] ---
Um, by that, are you saying "Regardless of
how much my circumstances have changed,
[08:19] ---
it doesn't affect the job at hand.
I will continue to give it my all"?
[08:23] ---
Is that what you mean?
[08:24] ---
Actually, I don't think that my last series
sold as well as it did because of me.
[08:29] ---
Oh, I see!
[08:30] ---
"It was thanks to
the support of my readers
[08:32] ---
that Metronome in Love
was such a big hit.
[08:35] ---
So I'm praying that you all enjoy
my new series just as much."
[08:40] ---
I said no such thing.
[08:41] ---
I have to hand it to you,
Miss Utako Kasumi!
[08:44] ---
Your sincere engagement is
the key to your popularity!
[08:47] ---
It was because of you that Metronome in Love
sold so well, Mr. Ethical.
[08:52] ---
Hang on a second.
What I do isn't that important.
[08:56] ---
Well, what Shi-chan
says is about half right.
[09:00] ---
There was a clear jump in sales after
we were featured on your site,
[09:06] ---
super-blogger TAKI-kun.
[09:09] ---
Prior to that, it seemed like we were going to
have to wrap it up in volume 2 or 3.
[09:13] ---
They were never on display,
there were no reprints,
[09:16] ---
we were getting no word of mouth.
[09:17] ---
To be honest, it wouldn't exist if it weren't
for hardcore Fantastic Bunko fans.
[09:23] ---
Come on, don't give me dodgy
revelations like that, not now!
[09:26] ---
Anyway, that's because
the publisher wasn't doing its job!
[09:30] ---
That's for sure.
[09:31] ---
Fushikawa Shoten is cold to newcomers.
[09:34] ---
That's for sure.
[09:35] ---
Our sales department
has zero enthusiasm.
[09:38] ---
I can't write a single thing
you've told me in this interview!
[09:47] ---
Okay, let's start to wrap things up.
[09:50] ---
Considering how long
we've been at it,
[09:52] ---
this interview has been
precious thin on content.
[09:55] ---
If the subject had been
a little more cooperative,
[09:58] ---
we wouldn't have
had to do it like this.
[10:00] ---
Your mistake was trying to get a bunch
of inoffensive comments from me.
[10:05] ---
Then let's wrap things up
with one honest answer!
[10:09] ---
Please tell my readers what you hope
to accomplish in your next series.
[10:14] ---
Just recently, I was able to bring my maiden
effort, Metronome in Love, to a happy conclusion.
[10:21] ---
In addition, whether or not I am
a maiden has no bearing on this.
[10:25] ---
Keep your mouth shut...
Keep your mouth shut...
[10:27] ---
And, thankfully, it has allowed me new
work opportunities such as this one.
[10:32] ---
And that is the result of
you, my readers,
[10:36] ---
supporting the books of this newbie
who doesn't know right from her left.
[10:40] ---
And so, in order to
repay that kindness,
[10:43] ---
I will give my best in
my upcoming projects.
[10:45] ---
No, even more than that.
[10:49] ---
I look forward to your
continued support.
[10:53] ---
How was that, Mr. Part-time Editor?
[11:00] ---
It was fine.
[11:01] ---
"My gratitude will be repaid
in full with my books."
[11:04] ---
That's the Utako Kasumi I know!
[11:06] ---
Is that all?
[11:10] ---
You'll note that I used the plural.
"Upcoming projects."
[11:13] ---
Are you sure that you aren't
forgetting something, Mr. Ethical?
[11:16] ---
Do you mean...
[11:17] ---
It means that I currently have
two job offers on the table.
[11:22] ---
Client.
[11:25] ---
My project proposal...
[11:26] ---
You're going to do it?!
[11:28] ---
Can I take part in your circle
starting from next week?
[11:32] ---
Utaha-senpai!
[11:33] ---
In return, prepare yourself.
[11:35] ---
If I'm going to participate, I won't
stand for any slacking off from anyone.
[11:39] ---
I'm a little concerned that
Sawamura-san might quit, though.
[11:42] ---
Thank you...
[11:44] ---
Thank you, Utaha-senpai!
[11:46] ---
So I suggest that you do your damndest
to keep up with me, Mr. Ethical.
[11:50] ---
I'll run for dear life to make sure
I'm not left in your dust!
[11:55] ---
Now, you two,
[11:57] ---
can we have a quick meeting
to discuss work priorities?
[12:02] ---
How long have you been awake?
How long have you been watching?
[12:04] ---
And wow, it's late!
[12:06] ---
It's fine, it's fine.
[12:08] ---
This is pretty much when our
editing department starts work.
[12:12] ---
Wow, life in the publishing
biz sounds rough...
SIGN Audio-Visual Room
[12:28] ---
Get this straight, I haven't
decided if I'm going to join up.
[12:31] ---
But I can see that you're
helpless by yourself,
[12:34] ---
so I guess I can help out just a little.
[12:37] ---
If you have time to showcase
the appeal of tsundere characters,
[12:42] ---
perhaps you should simply
join up, Sawamura-san.
[12:45] ---
What kept you, Eriri?
We've already started.
[12:49] ---
Wait, why are you here before me,
Utaha Kasumigaoka?!
[12:52] ---
We were all informed that the club
meeting would begin at 3:30, yes?
[12:56] ---
You arrived late, that's all.
[12:58] ---
No, not that!
[12:59] ---
That's not what I meant!
[13:01] ---
Last weekend, I was personally courted
by Mr. Ethical here, so I had no choice.
[13:07] ---
What's up with that?
I wasn't courted!
[13:10] ---
Please stop saying things that could
be misconstrued, Utaha-senpai.
[13:13] ---
And you should pay attention
to what you say, Eriri.
[13:17] ---
Honestly, you're the type who can never
rest unless she's top dog at everything.
[13:22] ---
A person who would be
a poor choice as a lover.
[13:24] ---
Or one who loses everything as
she doesn't know how to back down.
[13:27] ---
Utaha Kasumigaoka!
[13:31] ---
Fine! Fine! It's all my fault,
so please take your seat!
[13:35] ---
Without any further ado, here is the production
schedule for our ultimate dating sim!
SIGN Scenario 69 Master UP Illustrations 710
[13:42] ---
The game will be
complete in December!
SIGN Plot Scenario 69
10
SIGN Character Design Illustrations 7
[13:44] ---
The unveiling will be at
the Winter Comic Market!
SIGN Master UP
[13:49] ---
In short, our legend will begin
on New Year's Eve this year!
[13:54] ---
Impossible.
[13:55] ---
That's insane.
[13:57] ---
I'd have to devote 100% of my time
to meet such a tight schedule.
[14:01] ---
I have my own club and
circle activities, remember?
[14:05] ---
And this conflicts with the writing
period for my own book.
[14:08] ---
Let's see...
[14:09] ---
If we push back the scenario
start date a month...
SIGN Plot Scenario 7~10
[14:13] ---
I could manage that.
[14:14] ---
Wait a minute,
wait a minute, wait a minute!
[14:16] ---
There isn't enough time
for me to do my work,
[14:19] ---
so what's with pushing back
the scenario development to the end?!
[14:22] ---
Please don't shorten other people's
schedules at your convenience.
[14:25] ---
If the scenario isn't done,
it will just be a crap game!
[14:28] ---
Dating sim players only
look at the pictures, anyway!
[14:31] ---
Isn't it because of people who say such
things that the industry is shrinking?
[14:33] ---
Mr. Ethical is a slacker.
SIGN Small boobs
[14:35] ---
Stop it, stop it, stop it!
SIGN Gloomy loner
[14:37] ---
For now, let's just have you two
focus on the plot and character designs.
SIGN Plot: May Character designs: May-June The rest: Adjusted separately
[14:42] ---
For now, roger.
[14:43] ---
For the time being, I'll try.
[14:45] ---
Great! Now that we've settled
on a course of action for now,
[14:47] ---
let's all get down to work.
So, what should I be doing?
[14:50] ---
Let's see... For now, go out
and buy us some snacks.
[14:53] ---
I'll have a sweet bun.
[14:55] ---
And a coffee-flavored milk.
[14:56] ---
Um, excuse me?
[14:58] ---
I'm this circle's representative-
slash-producer-slash-director.
[15:06] ---
If you're that eager to do something,
you're welcome to do the character designs.
[15:10] ---
And if you're so gung-ho, you can handle
the plot, scenario, and everything else.
[15:14] ---
Are chocolates
and a melon bun okay?
[15:17] ---
Oh, come to think of it, I remembered
one more vital mission for you.
[15:21] ---
What? What?
[15:22] ---
Fundraising, Mr. Producer.
[15:25] ---
Beg pardon?
[15:26] ---
Making a game also involves
DVD pressing fees,
[15:29] ---
packaging and manual design
and printing fees, and so on...
[15:32] ---
That can cost anywhere from
hundreds of thousands to a million yen.
[15:35] ---
A million?!
[15:38] ---
A high schooler doesn't
have that kind of money!
[15:40] ---
Really? At a single Comiket,
I sell ** books for ** yen.
[15:44] ---
My printing costs are 0,000 yen
so the remaining 0,000 is profit.
[15:49] ---
When I put out a light novel,
the first printing is ** books at ** yen each,
[15:53] ---
and since my royalties are %,
I earn 0,000.
[15:56] ---
You guys file income tax returns?
[16:01] ---
That being the case, I can
front you the money if needed.
[16:05] ---
Utaha-senpai?
[16:07] ---
It won't be for free, of course, but I won't
charge you illegally high interest rates.
[16:12] ---
You simply need to agree
to do a little favor for me.
[16:16] ---
F-Favor?
[16:18] ---
You see, it's my...
[16:22] ---
Th-That's about enough of that,
Utaha Kasumigaoka!
[16:25] ---
But the money issue cannot be avoided.
[16:28] ---
Someone has to see
that it's taken care of.
[16:31] ---
Oh, you know that isn't what I'm
objecting to, so don't play dumb!
[16:34] ---
Please don't denigrate my desire
to help the circle run smoothly.
[16:39] ---
You're always doing that, talking to people
like you're looking down on them!
[16:41] ---
Look, cut it out!
[16:43] ---
Enough with this infighting that's the cliched
model of a circle that's going to implode!
[16:48] ---
I'll come up with something
to deal with the money situation.
[16:51] ---
But...
[16:53] ---
Are you sure, Mr. Ethical?
[16:54] ---
And in return!
[16:55] ---
Eriri, you draw seriously moe artwork!
[16:58] ---
Utaha-senpai, you write a scenario
that will make people cry!
[17:00] ---
Can you do that, you two?
[17:05] ---
Who do you...
[17:06] ---
...think you're talking to?
[17:14] ---
So, what should I be doing?
[17:18] ---
Well...
[17:20] ---
She was here.
[17:21] ---
...if you could be a wee bit more conspicuous,
[17:21] ---
I'd completely forgotten.
[17:23] ---
sorta like a main heroine,
that would be great.
SIGN Target is 1,000,000 yen!!
[17:38] ---
I'll do it!
[17:39] ---
I'll see this through, mark my words!
[17:42] ---
We're gonna make the ultimate
dating sim with our own two hands!
[17:46] ---
And I'm gonna make Kato...
[17:47] ---
I'm gonna take that utterly
moe-less heroine and...
[17:50] ---
...raise her into the ultimate main heroine
that everyone will worry about!
[17:57] ---
Welcome. How many are you?
[17:59] ---
Gosh, when was the last
time we were here?
[18:03] ---
Oh, Aki-kun?
[18:05] ---
Oh, is this a friend of yours, Megumi-chan?
[18:07] ---
Who is this?!
[18:09] ---
You can't be doing this!
[18:14] ---
Oh, you mean Keiichi-kun?
He's my cousin.
[18:17] ---
Cousin?
[18:18] ---
His whole family came yesterday for a visit,
but our parents went out to see a play.
[18:23] ---
We got tired of waiting for them, so we thought
we'd go out for dinner by ourselves.
[18:27] ---
Cousin?
[18:28] ---
I had no idea you had a job
at that restaurant, Aki-kun.
[18:32] ---
I go there about once a month.
[18:35] ---
What's the matter, Aki-kun?
[18:37] ---
I know I told you to stand out more,
[18:41] ---
but I didn't say it was okay for you
to stand out in a bad way like that!
[18:45] ---
Kato, do you understand
your position here?!
[18:49] ---
I'm a second-year high-school girl
with absolutely no agency
[18:51] ---
who was brought into a game circle
by the biggest otaku in school?
[18:55] ---
That's your pre-transformation,
assumed identity!
[18:58] ---
The real Megumi Kato is a pure
beautiful dating sim heroine
[19:02] ---
who makes everyone's
hearts beat faster!
[19:04] ---
Hearing you say that out loud again,
I'm really stumped as to how to react.
[19:09] ---
A heroine who exists solely
for the protagonists
[19:11] ---
who will play the game
would never do such a thing!
[19:14] ---
She would never forsake him
to mess with some other man!
[19:17] ---
"Other man"?
[19:20] ---
You mean Keiichi-kun, my cousin?
[19:22] ---
The "cousin" thing makes it
even more problematical!
[19:27] ---
Days long gone by when
you two played at your granny's...
[19:30] ---
You ran too much and sprained
your ankle, and your cousin carried you.
[19:34] ---
The two of you walked
home that night as you cried.
[19:36] ---
Memories of the faint
signs of love...
[19:37] ---
C'mon! In dating sims,
that always leads into memories!
[19:40] ---
Even so...
[19:45] ---
So please, Kato. I'm begging you.
[19:48] ---
Fine.
[19:49] ---
Maybe I'm being unreasonable.
Maybe I'm being obnoxious.
[19:52] ---
Maybe you're thinking,
"What kind of idiot is this guy?"
[19:54] ---
Um, I'm sorry. Leave off the "maybe."
[19:58] ---
But still, I don't want you
to see your cousin anymore!
[20:01] ---
Stay as a heroine who's saving herself
for the users, at least until the game is finished!
[20:05] ---
Aki-kun...
[20:06] ---
Please, Kato!
[20:08] ---
Um, I'm sorry.
[20:10] ---
We're supposed to go out
together this weekend.
[20:14] ---
That's right out!
[21:49] ---
Look, it isn't a date or anything.
[21:52] ---
See?
[21:52] ---
Finally Open!
Grand Opening Sale!
Everything 20% Off!!
[21:53] ---
Rokutenba Mall?
[21:55] ---
Some girls in class invited me, but
I said no because it would be crowded.
[21:59] ---
But then Keiichi-kun asked me, and–
[22:00] ---
Spare me the farfetched excuse!
[22:03] ---
Going shopping with
a guy is totally a date!
[22:07] ---
Your delusions sure
are impressive, Aki-kun.
[22:10] ---
In the bad way, as well as...
No, just the bad way.
[22:13] ---
If you're going to be that
stubborn, I have a plan!
[22:18] ---
What?
[22:19] ---
Go, but with me, not Keiichi-kun!
[22:23] ---
With you?
[22:24] ---
With me!
[22:25] ---
It's not a date, right?
[22:27] ---
You just want to buy
some things, right?
[22:29] ---
So going with me shouldn't
be a big deal, right?
[22:34] ---
Sure. I don't mind going with you, Aki-kun.
[22:37] ---
I'll turn down Keiichi-kun, then.
[22:40] ---
Wait, seriously?
[22:41] ---
You're okay with
going out alone with me?
[22:45] ---
This really is a date, right?
Is this a good idea?
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