After finishing the story, Emily set the manuscript down. Her eyes had grown watery.
Kotone watched her closely.
Emily gave a small laugh as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I don't even have the right words… it's just beautiful. So full of emotion. Do you have any plans for publishing this?"
Kotone let out a faint breath. "Thanks. That was the plan. But I wanted your thoughts before I submitted it."
Emily leaned forward, still staring at the stack of pages. "So, which publisher are you thinking of?"
"Dark Horse is holding a mass submission competition," Kotone said, her fingers twisting the edge of the manuscript. "The winner gets $10,000 and a chance to have their work published. I thought I'd try there first."
Emily's eyes widened. "$10,000? And a publishing deal? That's… incredible. If you send this, you'll take first place for sure."
Kotone let out a faint chuckle, looking down. "Don't get carried away. I've already had two projects turned down. I believe this one will get published, at least I hope, but winning first place… that's harder to say."
Emily crossed her arms, leaning back slightly. "You've got to believe in yourself. I've seen people brag about their work, and half of it isn't even close to yours."
Kotone gave her a quiet smile, warmed by the support but unwilling to argue.
A few days later, she submitted Violet Evergarden to Dark Horse and, on a hunch, also to another major publisher known for romance titles.
At Dark Horse headquarters, submissions had piled high. Dozens of manuscripts were assigned to each editor, their task to sort through them and narrow the list before the next meeting.
That morning, the editor-in-chief set the tone in the briefing. "Our current lineup has reached its limit with male readers, but there's room to grow with female audiences. Look for titles with emotional depth, thoughtful pacing, and strong character work. Stories that can appeal to both male and female readers. If anything has that kind of potential, set it aside for further review."
After the meeting, Elias and the other editors carried their stacks back to their desks. He flipped quickly through the first few titles, marking notes without pausing long. Then a draft caught his eye: Violet Evergarden.
He opened it, expecting more of the same, but the first page stopped him. The detail, the quiet weight in the opening scene, something felt different. He slowed his pace, letting the story sink in, turning each page carefully.
By the time he finished his stack, Violet Evergarden had been placed carefully in the small pile marked top candidates. He leaned back for a moment, letting the opening chapters settle in his mind before moving to other drafts. Even then, it lingered at the edge of his thoughts.
Four days later, the editors reconvened.
"Find anything worth pushing?" Calloway asked as they settled around the table.
Elias adjusted his glasses. "Yeah. One in particular."
The editor-in-chief arrived, and the review began. Drafts were passed around one after another. A few showed promise, polished, marketable, neatly packaged, but none carried the spark they were hoping for.
Then Violet Evergarden reached the table.
At first, the editors read at their usual pace, but soon their rhythm slowed. The art demanded their attention, and the story unfolded with a quiet pull that made them linger on each panel.
By the end, they had reached Violet's first assignment as a Doll. Luculia's request to write to her older brother, Spencer. The panels traced Luculia's hesitance, Spencer's silence weighed down by guilt, and Violet absorbing every word with quiet grace.
When the letter was written:
Dear brother, I am glad that you are alive. Thank you for everything.
The room fell still.
The image of Spencer clutching the letter, caught between pain and relief, lingered long after the page had been set down.
At last, the editor-in-chief closed the draft, his hand resting on the cover for a moment before he spoke. "Do you have any information about the author? I want this published with the highest priority."
No one argued. Heads nodded around the table in quiet agreement. Violet Evergarden had secured its place.
The next day, Kotone was invited to Dark Horse Publishing. She followed the directions she had been given, walking into the office with a mix of nerves and curiosity. She checked her bag once more, smoothing her clothes, taking a quiet breath before entering.
Elias, finishing some final touches at his desk, looked up. "Come in."
Kotone stepped forward. From the way she looked, young, almost like a college student, he had expected someone older, someone who knew instinctively how to pour emotion into a story. Yet the subtlety she had achieved on her own in the comic was remarkable.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Elias," he said, standing.
Kotone nodded politely. "I'm Kotone."
Elias gestured to a chair. "So, Kotone… do you have an agent, or are you part of any comic guild to handle the contract?"
Kotone tilted her head. "Contract? My work has been selected, but I haven't received the official results yet."
Elias smiled. "Yes, but we like to prepare in advance. Once you win the prize, we don't have to wait. We can issue the first issue immediately. And did you draw the entire comic yourself? We didn't see any other names listed."
"Yes. I drew it myself," Kotone replied.
Elias blinked, impressed. Most creators had multiple people handling pencils, inks, colors… and lettering. Seeing one person manage all of it left him momentarily speechless. He shook his head slightly.
"So, how long do you plan to continue releasing this? Roughly, how many chapters or issues will it take? We need to gauge the market."
Kotone took a breath. "The whole story is mapped out. Thirty-five to thirty-six chapters. With comic formatting, that's about thirteen issues."
Elias nodded, turning slightly toward a nearby colleague. "The editor-in-chief and everyone here loved your comic. We don't just want to publish it; we want it to bring in a new female audience. We're preparing a big promotion for it as well."
Kotone blinked, absorbing the weight of his words. "Okay," she said quietly, still taking it all in.
Elias smiled. "Great. We'll handle the logistics on our side, but I wanted to meet you first. To see the person behind the work."
Kotone nodded again, excitement and nerves mixing quietly as the reality of her comic's next step began to sink in.
(TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-a-t-r-e-o-n.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)