III. Maou decides to write a shoujo.

A few days before that, there was an ongoing meeting at the studio inside Fred’s unit.

“You must realize what kind of pinch we are in right now.”

“I know, I know. Recently I’ve been in this kind of slump haven’t I told you guys?”

“Really bad, really bad. Fred, we’re in a pinch, it’s really bad.”

The three of them were encircled on a free space besides the small table surrounded by small fuuton near the bed.

The room was spacious. At least for 4 people.

There were furniture and bookshelves at the far side of the unit, clear windowed cabinets contains tools and stocks of drawing materials. Above those cabinets was a huge corkboard, spanning a range of two feet. Posted there were schedule sheets, random written ideas, some draft sketches mostly nonsense sketches done by Kyrie and photos:

Those were photos of which taken months ago when Fred had just started his career as a manga artist. There were photos taken of them as a group, a solo photo of each, a photo of Fred with Ara, also one with Kyrie, and lastly, a photo with landlady wearing a white dress.

The photo could be described as one taken on an awarding ceremony event as there were lettered placards behind them spelled “Fresh Aspirants”. Fred was holding a trophy and a certificate while standing beside her. It was a memory fresh from 6 months ago.

---

Going back to their ongoing discussion, Ara started a barrage of questions to Fred:

“We should not have any problems at this point. The things is... how can someone as talented as you serializes a manga, and end it after five months?”

“It was not an original work. I was tasked by the old man to serialize an ongoing novel.”

“But the original story was so good. Wait, what was the story again?”

“I just remembered it was a story about a girl travelling on a mysterious foreign land with her cat companion”, answered Kyrie in her usual monotone voice.

“The story was so good I felt bad for its manga adaptation being drawn by me.”

“That reason is not convincing enough.”

“If I were to draw a long running series, I’d rather it is an original work. Adaptations can be tough.”

Fred knew exactly what he was talking. Same applied at the world he previously lived in. Drawing an adaptation of an original work could be compared to painting scenes from a published novel, or stage play adaptations. Only true enthusiasts or critiques could determine whether the adaptation work had been executed good enough to be compared to the original. Eyes of normal fans wouldn't be able to avoid comparison. They just let their own opinions speak out in public.

The series introduced by the “old man” to Fred was a good one, at least not at the bottom, nor at the top. Fred tried to do a few chapters to test how the people of this planet would react to adaptations.

“Well I tried, but it was really uncomfortable for me” Fred tried to mask his real reason.

The series went on for 5 months. Fred set that time to avoid the reader’s mindsets that “It was a series that died really fast.”. Being accompanied by old man, they both went to the original novel author and gave their apologies for ending the manga adaptation too early. It was an apology accepted.

By the time now you probably wondering who this “old man” was, yes it was his editor.

“Besides, we have already sent our apologies to the novel author and he said it was okay. I really feel bad about it, but it was already done. Nothing more can change the outcome.”

Landlady was sound asleep on Fred's bed while they were having a meeting.

The endless argument about Fred’s failure of a serialization continued for a few more minutes.

Cough!

“So, wrapping things up, all of us agreed we don’t want to see old man that furious again.”

They talked about a traumatizing experience.

“Humu~”

“It is about time you tell us the story about your award-winning one-shot and why don’t you want to serialize the series.”

Ara had always been active regarding team meetings and discussions. That was another completely different mode other than her klutz little sister and daring big sister mode.

“…”

Fred stared blankly. He didn't want to talk about it. It’s clear as glass.

“I told you guys it was not a work that was appropriate to have a serialization.”

Fred was being considerate towards the two of them.

“You are employed under me, that oneshot was not something that will run for a long period of time. Considering your situations, I will need something that will keep both of you employed for a long period of time.”

Fred continued to give the two a sermon as Landlady lay down at his bed, now awake.

“This is something that you should have noticed both by now:”

Fred made a brief pause:

“I’m not good at writing stories.”

Ara’s jaw dropped on the floor while Kyrie’s giving an I’m pitying you smile again.

“Okay Ara’s was expected but please don’t always give me that look Kyrie.”

Ara was so shocked it seems like life faded on her eyes.

“The award just happened--”

And a hit by a flying canvas board.

“Don’t give me that shit! You boy, have you hit your head somewhere? Want me to hit it again?”

--was not something Fred would really want to hear from an 18y/o fresh grad but he kind of understands her fury. He went on and listen to her

“How did you even managed to win that award?” -Ara asked while pointing at Fred and Ingrid's picture at the huge corkboard.

“Told you the award just happened to come.”

---

2 big lumps were now visible on Fred’s forehead

“So, what do we do now?” – asked Kyrie as she sipped on a soda

How did she even have that? -Thoughts of the other two. The fridge was outside the room btw.

“Hey, hey, want me to help you write a story Fred?” Landlady’s follow up comment.

Silent but deadly.

“Landlady?”

“Miss Landlady!”

“Ingrid?!”

Overwhelmed by the moment, the Ara, Kyrie and Fred questioned her surprisingly.

---

There was a new challenger,

Now, four of them were encircled on their meeting area. The Landlady, Ingrid, now sitting with them, have brought materials and reference books from her unit. Her unit was located on the innermost unit at the first floor.

Fred was quite familiar with the materials she have brought. It was the same materials she have used six months ago when she have helped Fred on his one-shot.

One of the articles he noticed that he hasn’t checked on tackles about the demographics. Beside picking a genre of the story, you could also target a specific sub-category based on the gender and age of the readers, mainly listed below:

Shonen – boys of 8-18

Shoujo – girls of 8-18

Kodomo – children under 8

Seinen – men 18-40

Josei – women 18-40

Fred as he was when he had won the beginner one-shot awards, wasn’t aware that he have written a shoujo category. That was something he just gained knowledge now, and finally realized it. Back at his own world when he was still the great Maou, he spent some time reading literary works too so he was quite aware of the demographics.

Back when he was first transferred in this world he had nothing. Landlady was the very first human he had met. He had no one to rely on. The very first year Landlady had to shelter him being an informal citizen ofthe country. He was a sad fellow. He lived his very first year weeping with the events on his past world that led him being transported here. It was back when Landlady helped him processing his citizenship and other important matters he needed to consider himself living stable at this new world we got in, she also let him borrow some of the manga volumes she bought.

He was bewildered. Being someone who reads literary works, this was quite a different approach of writing. Mytherion literary books only had Mytherion alpabeths all through out: was what he thought of. Seeing a complete different approach had him a great shock. At the very first time on his life here, he saw something that piqued his interest. He decided and told Landlady that he was going for a one shot.

Her name was Ingrid.

Feeling nostalgic he fell silent.

He looked onto his two assistants.

Deducing was quite simple. Both of them are at their late teens and are both girls.

“Shoujo it is.”

The three of them had satisfied looks on their faces.