Original subtitles

Futami-sensei.

I've finished adding the backgrounds for Chapter 6, so please check them.

Oh, sure.

Seems our lunch is here.

Oh, shoot! I forgot to leave out the delivery box so they can leave the food by the door.

Fine, fine. Let's use it next time. I'll just get the food today.

Oh, uh, no, it was me who forgot to put it out, so I'll get the food.

What? Are you gonna be okay?

Y-Y-Yes! Coming!

Thank you for always choosing us. I threw a little extra in there.

Um, I— Th-Thank you very much.

We await your next order.

I freaked out and couldn't say anything.

It was our usual delivery person, right? She's probably used to it by now.

Our usual delivery person... What if she calls me some weird nickname?

You're worrying about that, but you'll still eat the freebie, huh?

But Sensei, you're really great at coloring.

It looks even better printed.

It's all thanks to my competent assistant for helping me out.

Oh, thanks for the compliment.

Now that Chapter 5 is done and we've got enough content for Volume 1,

it feels like we've overcome the first big milestone of a series.

That said, even though we finished the manuscript for the first volume...

There's still work to be done for the book,

like the color adjustment of the cover illustration,

and the mini illustrations for the tsume shogi page.

And Chapter 6 is still a work in progress.

I'm so swamped, I'd even take help from a cat.

Should I bring my li'l Gala over?

Would you?

No, but seriously, what should I do?

At this rate, I'll have to ask you to come over every day, Ha-san.

No, don't worry about me, but...

Aha. Sensei, why don't you hire another assistant?

Huh?

It'll get a little easier if we hire another person, won't it?

That's true. But I wonder if that's okay.

What do you mean? It'll be fine. There's a lot of talent out there nowadays.

It's not that.

You saw how nervous I got just now, right?

I'm worried if my mind can handle building a relationship with someone new from scratch.

Stress over how it's all going instead.

EPISODE 3: I'M SO SWAMPED, I'D EVEN TAKE HELP FROM A CAT.

A new assistant, huh?

Okay, I'll look for someone. Any particular qualifications?

No, this is super last-minute, so I'll take anyone willing to help out.

I can send someone over for a day to see if it'll work out,

since assistants have their own things, too.

Really?

Yeah. You used to be an assistant, too, so you know how it is, right?

Yeah, now that you mention it...

Okay. Sorry for making you do this, but thank you for your help, Sato-san.

Roger that. How did you meet Hazama-san, by the way?

Huh? Oh, we go way back.

Ah, I see.

Yup.

She's one of the few friends I have.

Hey, don't needlessly harm yourself like that.

Okay. I've got someone in mind who might be a good fit, so I'll reach out.

Oh, that'd be great.

The only thing is... Uh, Futami...

Yes?

This person is based far away so all interactions would be done digitally.

Is that okay?

I didn't realize that was an option.

I-I'll do my best.

All right, then.

Ha-san.

Take a look at this.

This is crazy.

This is the social media account of Nekonote-san,

the digital assistant Sato-san introduced me to, but...

"Got my ita-bag done."

"VC!"

This one is a prairie made of laughter.

This whole vibe is overpowering!

That's too straightforward, Sensei.

You're only gonna communicate through chat, right?

Do you think it'll work out?

Uh, I hope this person isn't like this when it comes to work.

I'll give 'em a couple of easy tasks and see how it goes.

What will you have the newbie draw?

Hmm, let's see. A sample of props, a shoji board, and a folding fan.

And maybe a recurring background,

A new assistant, huh?

It's been a while since I last sent proper instructions for work.

Because you're pretty vague with me, aren't you?

I can't believe how you can get things done with such vague instructions. So competent.

Thank you.

So what do you want your "competent" assistant to work on today?

Right. For the background here, just trace it from the photos I gave you before and—

Oh, Nekonote-san sent me a message in chat.

What did they say?

Hold on. I'll open it right now.

I'm so nervous.

IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO. I'M NEKONOTE. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

I'VE REVIEWED THE INSTRUCTION DOCUMENT AS WELL. I'LL GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY.

This person's super...

...polite!

I wonder if things'll work out with Nekonote-san.

I have to see the finished product before I can say anything.

True.

By the way, Futami-sensei...

Yeah?

You used to be an assistant too, right? Who did you work for?

Oh, for Takizawa-sensei.

What? The creator of Kimi Cho?!

I have that manga! That's amazing!

Not really. I only worked as her assistant for under a year.

But it's amazing that you got to work on Kimi Cho!

What's Takizawa-sensei like?

Hmm... Let's see...

She's crazy.

Huh?

Because guess what she said to me when we first met?

What did she say?

Well...

Futami-san, was it?

You seem like a goody-two-shoes.

Um, th-thank you.

That wasn't a compliment.

You want to be a mangaka, don't you?

Yes, of course.

In that case...

You need to become a scumbag.

If you're soft, you'll get exploited as an assistant for the rest of your life.

If you really want to become a mangaka, you've gotta put your own work first,

even if that means ditching your job and dropping off the face of the earth.

CIGARETTE BUTTS

Because my life and yours...

have nothing to do with each other.

I-I'll do my best to become a scumbag!

So yeah. It was a pretty shocking first encounter.

Oh, so that's what made you who you are today.

What's that mean?

Easy now.

But other than that, she was a nice person. She taught me so many things.

She let go of me the very day my serialization got approved.

Starting tomorrow, you don't need to come in. Good luck.

Uh...

O-Oh.

Shoot. I shouldn't have told you that story.

Please don't quit.

Hey.

No, I'll honestly break down if you leave!

Even if you get serialized, keep helping me!

I'm not quitting! And seriously, you can just be so—

HERE IT IS.

I'VE UPLOADED THEM HERE, SO PLEASE CHECK THEM.

Nekonote-san already finished the tasks.

Seriously? Already?

Were your instructions followed?

Let's take a look.

SHOGI HALL

Utter...

...perfection.

What a talent we have on our hands.

Yeah! I might finish the manuscript twice as fast with this kind of help.

I'll send another task.

Okay, I'll work hard to keep up, then.

Ha-san.

Yes?

Thank you. I appreciate everyone. I'm blessed with such good people.

We haven't finished anything yet.

Well, it would've been fine if she'd needed to take a break for the book,

but if she can keep at it, that's ideal.

Some creators get used to taking breaks.

Uh-huh.

Futami-sensei, please check the background.

I'M FINISHED. I'M READY FOR MY NEXT TASK.

Hello, Futami?

I was hoping we could start on the color correction for the cover soon.

I'm still doing all the work in the end! This wasn't how it was supposed to be!

Everything will fall apart if I don't work! And everyone else is so fast with their work!

You didn't realize that before?

Nope, I didn't!

I want help from a cat!

You're already getting it. Now get back to work.

Meow!

By the way, Sensei.

This new character you introduced for the Chapter 6 cliffhanger...

Have you decided what her role is yet?

In the end, we're all alone.

Talk about jumping to conclusions.

Oh, you're from Kyoto?

Are you a college student?

Yes, I'm a second-year.

I'm originally from Tokyo, but I attend a university in the Kansai region.

Oh, really?

Would you like one? It's kind of too much for me.

Wow! Thank you very much. I'd love one.

NAGOYA SPECIALTY MISO KATSU SANDWICH

You have such elegance. Are you from a well-off family?

Oh, not at all.

Hey, Ha-san.

What do you think of this look?

You always get fired-up for meetings, don't you?

Is this look good or not? That's what I wanna know.

I think it looks good.

Phew. Okay, I'm heading out. Can I leave you with the book-related stuff?

Roger that.

Off I go.

See you later.

A spot of online shopping helped her to piece together

her ultimate going-out outfit for the day. But...

she still has her usual drafting bag.

And her shoes are her usual sneakers.

Still...

Dressing up at all to go to a shogi club shows how out of touch Futami-sensei is.

S-Sorry I'm late.

I think you could've kept attacking here instead of defending there.

Um, for example... Like this.

Shogi players are so cool.

You came all the way here, so shouldn't you take some pictures?

Oh, uh, right.

Sorry for making you wait.

I ended up coaching for longer than expected.

Not at all. I should be apologizing for bothering you when you're busy, Toko-san.

And is it okay to do the meeting here?

It's not busy right now, so it should be fine as long as we don't make a scene. And...

Yeah, it's fine. Go ahead and do what you gotta do!

That's what the owner says.

Thank you.

You bet.

So what are we discussing today?

Well, I wanted to see the shogi club and talk about the next chapter.

But putting that aside.

You're putting that aside?

Before we get started, were you doing a shogi simul, taking on multiple players at once?

Oh, yes. I was playing eight games today.

Oh? What's the maximum number of games you've played at once?

Hmm, 20 for me.

Wait, 20! Wow, you really are a genius.

Not at all. That's nothing special.

And I've only won one title so far.

Are you kidding? That's already impressive.

Wow, eight games.

Wouldn't your brain get totally scrambled?

Ah, but it's not that complicated when you start the games.

Oh.

I use the same moves in all of my games.

Like, I just build the Anaguma castle and that's it.

Sorry for interrupting, but before I forget... Here's the copy of the next issue.

Wow! Yay, thank you very much.

I don't get to see the finished product,

so I love reading the manga even though I get to see the storyboard.

Uh, wait! Please don't look at it right now! I feel so embarrassed!

Subaru-kun's super cute. I wish I could teach shogi to a cute boy like him, like Micchan does.

And I'd want him to like me.

Hearing that kind of comment makes me so happy.

Thank you for featuring the manga on your streaming channel, too.

Not at all.

Hi there. It's me, Kakunodate Toko, the female 3-dan pro shogi player.

Today, I'll walk you through the story of To Subaru, the shogi manga I'm supervising,

currently being serialized in Monthly Clover.

Okay, let's begin.

Mitsuki aka Micchan once targeted becoming a pro shogi player, but gave up on her dream.

Her life changes on meeting Subaru, a lonely boy 12 years her junior.

And at his request, she begins teaching him shogi.

Eight years later, aged 14, Subaru emerges as a prodigy,

rising through the ranks to earn a place in the 3-dan League.

Will a junior high pro shogi player be born?

So...

What happens next?

I saw the storyboard, but you introduced a new character as a cliffhanger, didn't you?

Oh, yes, right.

But I'm having trouble deciding on her traits and personality.

In short, she's from the Shogi Promotion Association

who disrupts Mitsuki and Subaru's relationship.

It's okay, Futami-sensei.

Let's figure it out together. That's what I'm here for.

Don't hesitate to ask me anything.

O-Oh!

I-In that case, I have a question for you, Toko-sensei!

Oh, what is it?

You're a member of the Shogi Promotion Association, right? Has there been any, uh...

romantic stuff going on there?

Hmm...

Not for me. I didn't have time for stuff like that, either.

I-I see.

But there were members who paired up, for sure.

Being in the association inevitably distances you from school and ordinary society.

Ordinary society, huh?

So I guess people tend to look for partners within their own group.

I'd think female members would become popular in no time.

Oh, sure, I guess. Since there aren't that many.

So what kind of men tend to be more popular?

The ones who are strong at shogi, obviously.

No matter how awful they might seem in ordinary society.

Women who become members of the Promotion Association are shogi addicts,

so how strong you are at shogi is more important than looks or wealth.

Dating a strong player means they'll play shogi with you

and teach you strategies they've been studying. So there are benefits.

There was this one player everyone called a "witch"

because it was rumored she'd drain your shogi skills if you bedded her.

I won't say who, though.

She said "bedded"!

Did Toko-sensei really say "bedded"?

Sounds straight out of a manga.

Doesn't it?

That's as much as I can say, but what do you think, Futami-sensei? Will it help you—

She's drawing.

Oh, sorry. I got an idea, so do you mind if I draw it here?

O-Oh. Uh, go ahead.

Sorry. I think I'll be done in 20 minutes.

Okay. Got it.

Sorry to ask, but please talk without me. The silence bothers me.

Uh, okay.

There. What do you think, Sato-san? Can you take a look at it?

Wow. May I take a look, too?

Yes, please do.

"I heard you confessed your feelings to Subaru, but are you serious about him?"

"If you're just teasing—"

"I'm not teasing him at all. I'm dead serious about him. Because..."

"You've got to make use of strong men."

"Make use?"

"Don't people want to date someone because they like how they look or like them as a person?"

"Huh? Those are trash in the face of shogi skills."

Huh? She's terrifying!

Oh, I like it. I dig the villain vibe.

Let's go that way with her, Futami.

Sure. But there's one thing.

She's just obsessed with shogi.

That's why she'll do whatever it takes to improve her skills.

It's twisted, but because Subaru doesn't easily give in,

she grows desperate and keeps chasing him.

In the process, she regains a pure love for the game of shogi.

But it's best if she seems a jerk for a bit. The eventual catharsis will be more satisfying.

That said, there's no point putting in dialogue that'll upset the readers,

so if you two can read through with all that in mind—

Oh, sorry! What I wanted to ask was: Can you check the dialogue?

Yeah, don't worry. We heard you.

I'll send it later after I've cleaned it up.

Toko-san, I know you must be busy—

Don't worry. I'm looking forward to reading it.

It's getting late. How about we grab some dinner together?

Oh, that sounds great.

Futami, would you—

Oh, sorry. I'm going.

I want to finish these storyboards while I'm on a roll.

Toko-san, thank you for your time today.

- Anytime. - Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Host.

You're always welcome.

I'll send you the storyboards as soon as I'm done, Sato-san.

Thanks for meeting me today.

Sorry for all the noise.

Not at all.

Would you still like to grab dinner with me?

I'd love to.

I don't know anything about manga, but...

She turned what I told her into a manga just like that.

She calls me a genius, but Futami-sensei is also a genius herself, isn't she?

I've always thought she was a genius, too.

Maybe I should've grabbed dinner with them?

Maybe it was rude for me to leave?

What do you think, Ha-san?

I don't care. Just do your work.

Next episode: It's a Job I Can't Do Alone.