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"...The only source of light in the entire painting falls upon a chubby man, trembling like a lamb waiting for slaughter.
The figure standing at the center of the room—the one who should've been the true protagonist lurks in the shadows instead.
The artist, while using contrast to enhance the depth of the composition, has also embedded profound meaning within it.
Humanity lives under the sunlight—basking in its warmth, yet powerless like sheep while those who control their fate stand in the darkness.
The rope that can so easily snap their necks is nothing more than a toy in the hands of the powerful…"
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By this point, the praise from the critic Futami Jiraiya was practically bubbling off the page.
Among the residents of Ruyi Dormitory, Yukino Yukari who could recite poetry while sipping wine on a rainy day and always find a fitting haiku for any story about herself and Kyousuke—was undoubtedly the most cultured of them all.
Even Kasumigaoka Utaha, who could both write bestsellers and direct stage plays, couldn't quite compare.
After all, Utaha didn't truly love literature; words and techniques were just tools in her hands.
Yukari, however, was different.
When Kyousuke planted an apple tree for her, she softly said, "Even if the world were to end tomorrow, I'd still plant my apple tree."
When he rushed off to try and save Itomori, her gentle gaze followed him as she thought, 'If only I could become a small white chair—so the weary you could sit and rest, watching the sea.'
When Kyousuke held her beneath the eaves as the rain poured down, she quietly whispered, "Listen… even the smallest splash has its beauty."
And when Kyousuke suddenly turned back into a middle schooler, she sat alone in a café, lost in thought. 'What can I do?' she wondered. 'My heart overflows with longing. No prayer or wish can stop this ache.'
As Kyousuke often said, with Yukino's wit and sensitivity, if she had lived in another era, she could've been another Akiko Yosano—a poet whose words reshaped the world of literature…
Though, knowing her, she probably would've been too stubborn to survive long in that kind of world.
That was exactly why everyone loved her.
The quiet intelligence she carried felt like the lingering scent of ink from an old poem.
Even Naoka often went to her for advice, and the two would spend hours discussing art and fashion together.
So when this literary girl who is versed in both classical poetry and modern art, turned her stunned eyes toward the Spencer family's princess, the entire dorm knew something was up.
But that princess, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, had no time to notice anyone else's reaction.
The moment she got her hands on the newspaper, she called for an emergency meeting—the first-ever "Ruyi Reading Assembly."
Everyone, including Momotarou and little Kasuko, was ordered to read the article with full concentration.
"Anyone who dares to space out," she declared, "don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Sakura tugged at Yukari's sleeve, trying to stifle her laughter as the two huddled together to read.
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"...Though I'm far from an expert in painting, I can still feel at least one percent of the artist's intent and that one percent alone is enough to leave me breathless.
What's most admirable is that while showcasing her skill and pouring her heart into the work, the artist never forgot her mission—to create a poster for a novel.
'The Dream and Death of Writer K' tells of a man who escapes his mundane life to pursue writing, only to lose himself in the vicious cycle of fame, tortured by so-called 'honor.'
Most people believe that the author standing under the spotlight, basking in fame, is the true protagonist.
But in reality, he's just another soul trapped under the sun, helpless.
The ones who truly decide his fate are the judges hidden in the shadows the grim reapers who hold his life and death in their hands.
Yet, the poster reverses this completely!
The judge who should've wielded the scythe now lies on the ground, illuminated like a sacrificial lamb, while the writer hides in the darkness, toying with the noose.
But now the roles are completely swapped.
The artist has perfectly captured the essence of the novel, expressing it with ingenious composition and masterful technique.
At first glance, you'll marvel at the skill.
Look again, and you'll feel the despair radiating from that lone source of light.
And once you've read 'The Dream and Death of Writer K' and return to the poster, you'll realize the depth of its artistry goes far beyond imagination.
This isn't just a painting, it's a story, one worthy of O.
Henry himself. Full of twists, surprises, and emotional resonance—unexpected yet inevitable.
Honestly, it's been a long time since I've seen such a talented writer and artist in Japan.
Their collaboration is easily the best news I've heard all year…"
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Eriri's already porcelain-pale face now seemed to glow with brilliance, so bright that the little Kasuko beside her had to raise her hand to shield her eyes.
Kind-hearted Shouko, seeing this, pulled Kasuko into her arms to protect her from the blinding radiance that was Eriri.
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"...I've seen plenty of posters that were beautifully made, but none with this kind of artistic depth.
It's like when a magazine's freebie ends up being more valuable than the magazine itself—if this poster came as a gift with a blank notebook, I'd gladly pay just for it.
And that's not even mentioning that it represents such a remarkable novel.
Earlier today, I read some harsh criticism in another newspaper about Hojou-sensei's new work and its promotional art.
The critic, Matsumoto Motohiro, is a famous literary commentator—his words sharp as blades, cutting deep.
After reading his review and then reflecting on my own impressions, I broke into a cold sweat.
I wondered—was it because I was too ignorant that I couldn't see the supposed 'destruction of Japanese literature' that Hojou-sensei had caused?
Knowing my own limitations, I immediately brought the poster to Akiyoshi Hishida for a second opinion.
Some of you might not recognize the name, but in Japan's art circles, he's a big deal—once a student of the renowned Kano school, later studying in Europe, creating a unique new art movement.
Just to give perspective—one of his paintings sold for three million dollars in the U.S. last year…"
And that is why The Asahi News managed to become Japan's second-largest newspaper, appealing to both the refined and the ordinary.
They hired writers of extraordinary reputation and intellect, who in turn quoted guests of even greater prestige—but still managed to present it all in a way that was entertaining for regular readers.
After all, most people don't know what the "Kano school" is—but they sure understand that a painting selling for three million dollars before the artist's even dead must mean the art is worth something truly extraordinary.
"...Fortunately, when Hishida-sensei saw the poster, he gave it extremely high praise as well. To be honest, many of the thoughts I've shared here were inspired by him.
But unfortunately, while we both love this poster deeply, we do have one major disagreement—
I believe the artist who painted this poster and Hojou-san are a perfect creative match. Hishida-sensei, however, insists that someone this talented should dedicate all their time to painting. He's convinced she'll one day become the pride of our nation."
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After meeting with the writer, the writer said, his worries had finally lifted.
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"It seems my insight isn't as deep as Matsumoto-san's," he continued, "but at least Hishida-sensei and I can still encourage each other. I sincerely ask Matsumoto-san to give both of us a chance to learn from him."
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Then came the sharp twist of irony that made readers burst out laughing—
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"Matsumoto-sensei also offered an interesting theory: that Hojou relies on his beautiful posters to lure people into buying his books.
Out of respect for such a serious claim, I went and looked up all of Matsumoto-sensei's works, wanting to see what kind of spirit his book covers expressed.
But after calling every bookstore I could, I couldn't find a single promotional poster for any of his books.
Using Matsumoto-sensei's own words—'I was shocked.' So I asked a friend: without posters, how does he promote his books? My friend said, 'He doesn't.'
Incredible! Truly incredible—what influence! To think someone can sell books with zero promotion! I was so stunned that I had to ask, 'Then… how are his sales?'
My friend hesitated before admitting, 'Most of his books end up being returned to the publisher.'
Magnificent! As expected of Matsumoto-sensei—he truly practices what he preaches.
He condemns others for using beautiful posters to "corrupt" the literary world, yet he himself refuses to promote his books even if they never sell a single copy!
But just as I was reeling from his noble self-restraint, my friend added, 'Oh, and by the way, Matsumoto-sensei spends a fortune commissioning his book covers.'
...I immediately checked. One of his books on writing techniques had a cover featuring a voluptuous blonde woman. It's also his best-selling title.
I must admit, foolish me thought it was about romance or relationships—but two pages in, I nearly fell asleep.
I can only bow to Matsumoto-sensei's incredible talent for making sure no one but true intellectuals could possibly read his work."
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Then came the punchline:
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"I compared that to Hojou-sensei's novels. The Devotion of Suspect X has a red 'X' stamped over black. The Dream and Death of Writer K has a blue 'K' on white.
Honestly, it made me angry. Hojou-sensei, you've already 'deceived' readers with a beautiful poster—why stop there? Take a cue from Matsumoto-sensei!
If you can't find a beautiful model, take the cover photo yourself! You're handsome enough to pull it off."
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The article wrapped up with one last jab:
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"After all this, I've truly understood Matsumoto-sensei's philosophy. One must never waste effort on posters—only on the cover!
That's the mark of a true writer. Not just Hojou-sensei, even I must learn from him."
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Whenever writers and critics start trading blows in the papers, sales always skyrocket.
One reason is that these literary feuds are fun.
On the surface, everyone writes politely, but the insults are razor-sharp—an art form in itself.
For readers with limited vocabulary, it's practically an education in refined insults.
The second reason is simple curiosity.
The public loves seeing cultured, well-mannered authors tear each other apart.
It's refreshing—watching dignified writers hurl elegant, flowery insults at each other?
Pure entertainment.
The Asahi Daily was famous for this kind of "righteous" scolding.
They scolded politicians, they scolded prime ministers.
Sometimes politicians even paid the paper to publish counterattacks, but everyone knew those exchanges were just "pot calling the kettle black," amusing for a moment and disgusting the next.
Writers, though—writers were different.
Readers often imagined that these creators lived in lofty, poetic worlds.
Seeing them lose their cool in public was oddly comforting. "Ah," the readers thought, "they're just like me—they get mad too! That means I'm basically a writer!"
Still, seeing someone as gentle as Futami Jiraiya so furious was a shock.
Even loyal Asahi readers were stunned. Some who hadn't read The Sankei Daily immediately decided to buy a copy—just to see what kind of person could provoke such anger.
Naturally, that sent both papers' sales soaring.
Tomorrow, when Sankei published a rebuttal, Asahi's circulation would spike again.
And, of course, as the center of the feud, Hojou Kyousuke and his novel The Dream and Death of Writer K were the biggest winners.
If not for the original "The Destruction of Japanese Literature" essay being so vicious, Hikigaya Hachiman might've suspected this whole thing was orchestrated by their strategist to reignite publicity.
After all, praise alone gets boring—but a few enemies? That keeps the fire burning.
Then the article took one last satirical turn—
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"To see whether everyday people were truly 'deceived' as Matsumoto-sensei claims, I interviewed Koyama-san, owner of a ramen shop.
His review: 'It's got a postmodern feel while blending traditional style.
The characters carry a Victorian air, and the background uses pop-art techniques. Anyone would love it.'
The bookstore owner also revealed that Koyama-san pre-ordered ten copies of The Dream and Death of Writer K. Clearly, the deception runs deep!
Tomorrow, when the book officially releases, I'll visit him again to ask if he feels cheated—and I'll share the results with everyone. Please stay tuned, and don't forget to send me your own thoughts after reading!"
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At that point, Hikigaya Hachiman was sure of it— this entire "newspaper war" was orchestrated by their strategist.