Drawing Emiya Kiritsugu was relatively straightforward. Aside from adapting for the differences between manga and anime, where some storyboards had to be modified or created from scratch, most of the process could follow the anime as reference.
However, there were also pacing issues that needed adjustment.
In both the novel and the anime, when Kiritsugu's past is revealed, the audience already has a clear understanding of his personality. Because of that, the scenes of patricide and matricide, while shocking, do not feel abrupt.
But in the version he was drawing, that foundation did not exist. He needed to add foreshadowing at the beginning to briefly establish Kiritsugu's philosophy of sacrificing the few to save the many.
For example, he could introduce an early discussion of the trolley problem.
As his thoughts continued to refine themselves, Akira finally opened his eyes and set his pen to the manuscript.
...
...
"Finally finished!"
Looking at the thick stack of manuscript pages in front of him, Akira stretched deeply.
At first, he had assumed that with his cheat-like memory and exceptional drawing ability, the process would be very easy. But once he actually started, he realized it was not that simple.
For instance, in the beginning, he tried drawing line art directly without doing rough sketches. That approach quickly proved impractical.
Although he could ensure near-perfect accuracy in execution, he could not guarantee that his ideas would remain unchanged.
Even though he had already outlined most of the plot beforehand, new ideas still emerged during the process, forcing him to revise completed sections.
At that point, he realized that modifying rough drafts was far more efficient than altering finished line art.
So in the end, he chose to start properly from rough sketches.
As expected, the inking stage, which usually consumed the most time for most artists, turned out to be the easiest part for him and was completed the fastest.
On the other hand, tasks such as background drawing, shading, and applying screen tones took longer than expected. His drawing ability did not provide as much advantage in these areas as he had imagined.
Moreover, these steps were repetitive and required long periods of focus, making them feel almost like assembly line work.
Even though the workload was not overwhelming, it still left him mentally drained.
Once he had the means, he would definitely need to hire assistants to handle these tasks.
Even so, the one-shot Emiya Kiritsugu reached a full 55 pages, and despite a few minor issues along the way, he completed it in just one week.
Akira could not help but click his tongue.
"Isn't that a bit ridiculous?"
One week was the standard production cycle for a single chapter of a weekly manga. That workload usually required a mangaka and several assistants working late into the night just to meet deadlines.
And even then, a typical chapter was only around 20 pages.
Emiya Kiritsugu was 55 pages, nearly the equivalent of three chapters, and he had completed it entirely on his own. On top of that, he still had to work his day job and could only draw after his shifts.
And yet, he still finished it within a week.
In other words, his individual efficiency was already several times that of a normal manga studio.
That was honestly terrifying.
"…No, that's not quite right."
After his initial excitement, he calmed down and reconsidered.
In reality, during a typical weekly cycle, most mangaka spend around three days planning the story, drafting storyboards, and consulting with editors before beginning the actual drawing.
If they run into creative difficulties, that stage can take even longer.
By contrast, thanks to his memory, he could skip most of that process and focus almost entirely on layout and drawing, saving a significant amount of time.
Additionally, during that week, he had two full days off, which he spent entirely on drawing, allowing him to make rapid progress.
Taking these factors into account, along with his drawing ability, completing 55 pages in one week was not as unbelievable as it initially seemed.
Still, it was undeniably impressive.
More importantly, this experience confirmed many of his earlier assumptions, leaving him quite satisfied.
If he could already achieve this level of efficiency on his own, then once he officially began serialization and hired assistants, the process would become even smoother. Situations like all-night work or collapsing from overwork would likely not apply to him.
So, it was time to submit.
After the peak hours passed, the number of customers in the shop gradually decreased, and Akira slipped into his usual idle state.
To participate in the Tezuka Award, he only needed to mail his manuscript to the address listed in Shonen Jump. After finishing work the previous day, he had already sent off Emiya Kiritsugu, and now he felt much lighter.
Of course, once he got home tonight, he would need to start working on Fate/stay night without delay. Still, that did not stop him from planning a small reward for himself afterward.
Maybe a beef bowl with extra meat at Sukiya.
His budget was limited, so this was about as much as he could afford for now.
Speaking of which, the next issue of Shonen Jump, No. 22/23, would be released tomorrow. Hunter x Hunter should be reaching the part where Gon and Killua arrive at the 200th floor of Heavens Arena.
Hell Teacher Nube was also nearing its conclusion.
"Mochizuki-kun seems to be in a very good mood today. Did something nice happen?"
"Ah, Manager."
Kayo's sudden voice startled him. He quickly composed himself, looked at her smiling face, and nodded.
"Something like that. Something I've always wanted to do has finally made some progress."
"Something you've always wanted to do… that must be the reason you came to Tokyo, right?"
Kayo tapped her chin thoughtfully.
Even though Akira had never said it outright, it was obvious that coming to Tokyo alone was not simply to work full-time at a bookstore.
Most young people who came to Tokyo had dreams, after all. She was no exception.
So she asked with a curious smile, "What is it?"
Akira hesitated for a moment, then smiled awkwardly.
"Let's wait until there are results before I talk about it."
Even though he was confident, if things did not work out, it would be embarrassing.
"Alright."
Kayo nodded, showing understanding.
"By the way…"
As if remembering something, she took out her wallet, pulled out a 1,000-yen bill, and handed it to him with both hands.
"This is a bonus for your excellent performance recently. Please accept it."
"Thank you, Manager."
Since there were no customers around, he accepted it with both hands without hesitation, a smile forming on his face.
A reward.
He had originally planned to eat at Sukiya, but now his plans changed.
Tonight, it would be Yoshinoya.
Seeing his unusually bright expression, Kayo covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"You've really changed, Mochizuki-kun. Before, you would have hesitated for a long time before accepting something like this, right?"
"Because the old me is already gone."
Akira replied calmly.
The minimum hourly wage for part-time jobs in Tokyo was 698 yen, while their shop offered 800 yen. As a full-time temporary worker, his wage was 1,000 yen per hour, amounting to about 160,000 yen per month.
This bonus alone was equivalent to one hour of his work.
As for Kayo, as a full-time employee, her salary likely exceeded 300,000 yen.
The gap was clear.
Returning to the point.
This kind of bonus was actually an informal practice in the industry.
Temporary workers did not receive official performance bonuses, and although managers could apply for them, approval was rare.
As a result, managers often rewarded good employees out of their own pockets, sometimes with cash, coupons, or small gifts.
Whether a temporary worker received such rewards depended entirely on the manager.
Since he started working here, he had occasionally received such bonuses, partly because of his appearance, but also because Kayo genuinely took care of him.
Still, one question remained.
"Why does the manager take such good care of me?"
He could not help but ask.
"Eh? Well…"
Kayo looked slightly surprised, then thought for a moment before answering.
"Of course it's because you're a very good employee. And although you're very handsome, your personality is unexpectedly well-behaved. It's quite cute."
Halfway through, she broke into a grin and spoke frankly.
"Because I just like handsome guys."
"…."
Very honest.
Akira looked at her, speechless, then silently gave a thumbs up.
Impressive.