Chapter 65: Dreams, Secrets, and a New Beginning
Seeing Eriri's eyes red and her expression miserable, Lucien felt his heart tighten.
He wheeled himself slowly closer and asked gently, "Eri, what's wrong with you?"
Eriri didn't answer at first. She simply stared blankly at him, stunned. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming.
It wasn't until several seconds later that she finally came back to her senses. Her lips trembled as she raised her hand and quickly wiped the corners of her eyes. "I… I just fell down."
Lucien let out a small sigh and extended his hand. "You're such a grown-up, and you still fall down? Eri, you're too careless. Come on, get up."
"The floors here are slippery, okay?" she muttered, half in complaint.
Still, she placed her small hand into his. With his support, she stood, then quickly withdrew, hiding her hands behind her back as if she'd been caught doing something embarrassing.
Lucien's lips curved upward. Her hand had been warm, soft, and delicate. For some reason, the faint heat lingered in his palm.
After a pause, Eriri asked, "By the way, when did you change wards?"
"This morning," Lucien explained. "I didn't have time to tell you. But thanks to the radiotherapy and the targeted drugs, my condition has improved a lot. The doctors even let me get out of bed. I think… I'll be discharged before long."
"Really?!" Her eyes brightened instantly. "That's amazing!"
Her earlier fear melted away, replaced by bubbling relief.
Eriri glanced around. "Where are Uncle and Aunt? Don't tell me you pushed yourself here in the wheelchair?"
"They were called away by the doctor—" Before Lucien could finish, she was already stepping behind him, gripping the wheelchair handles.
"Hey, Eri, do you really want to push me around?"
"Of course!" she said with a grin. "I've never gotten to play with this before."
"You're treating my wheelchair like a toy?"
"It's not like that!" she huffed, though her mischievous smile betrayed her.
Lucien chuckled. "Alright, alright. Play as you like."
"Where do you want to go?" she asked.
"Anywhere."
"I hate when people say 'anywhere!'" she pouted. "Be specific."
"…Fine. The lawn outside. I'd like to see the sun."
"Good choice. Hold tight, let's go!"
"Oi, slow down—!"
But Eriri was already pushing him through the hall, her laughter echoing faintly. For the first time in days, she felt light, as though the nightmare that had haunted her had been nothing but smoke.
---
By the time they reached the lawn, the evening sky had turned a brilliant orange. The warm breeze brushed past them as the sunset painted the hospital garden in gold.
"The nightmare's shadow is gone now…" Eriri thought to herself, her heart finally calming.
"By the way, I've got some good news for you," she said suddenly.
Lucien tilted his head. "Oh? What news?"
She puffed her chest proudly. "Mom managed to get the reader poll and Breaking Report data for Attack on Titan from the Manga Jump editorial department!"
Lucien's eyes immediately lit up.
The "Breaking Report" was based on the earliest one hundred reader questionnaires, while the "reader poll" was based on a thousand randomly selected surveys. Editors used them to gauge a series' true popularity. They could decide which manga appeared on the cover—or which ones faced the risk of cancellation.
Eriri grinned. "Attack on Titan ranked second in both reports! And the gap with first place was only about thirty votes!"
Lucien didn't need her to say which manga had topped the list. It was Legendary Boys of Mars, the long-running titan of Manga Jump.
Still, for a series only in its second volume, to come this close… his heart swelled with pride.
"And there's more good news!" she added, her hand accidentally brushing his shoulder before she snatched it back in embarrassment.
Lucien smirked. "What is it?"
"Your account has over forty thousand followers now!"
"That many already?" Lucien blinked. For a mangaka, forty thousand fans wasn't a small number. It was enough to support volumes of book sales.
"Of course," Eriri continued, "don't get too smug. It's still only half of what Eri Kashiwagi! Have"
Lucien chuckled. "Half in only a few months? I'll catch up soon enough."
Wanting to prove it, she pulled out her phone. "Here, take a look yourself."
But as she opened the app, she froze. The account of Eri Kashiwagi—her biggest secret—was still logged in.
Her face flushed crimson. "That was close…" she muttered, quickly logging out before handing it to him.
Lucien raised a brow. "Eri… you don't have anything shady in your phone, do you? Like some notebook you don't want me to see?"
"I-I'm not one of you gross boys!" she sputtered. "I don't have that kind of thing!"
Lucien chuckled, letting her squirm. "Alright, alright."
Finally logged into his account, the name "Whale" appeared at the top, accompanied by an adorable cartoon whale avatar.
Lucien smiled. "Did you draw this, Eri?"
She placed her hands on her hips proudly. "Of course I did. Be grateful."
"I am," he said sincerely. "Thank you."
He scrolled through the account until his eyes fell on something interesting. Narrowing his gaze, he held up the screen.
"Excuse me, Eriri-san… but why would the famous doujin artist Eri Kashiwagi promote my manga, claiming to be my friend? Care to explain?"
Her heart nearly stopped.
"Th-this…!" She panicked, scrambling for an excuse. "Oh! That was Mom! Yes, Mom asked her friend Kashiwagi-sensei to help promote it!"
Lucien hid his smile. So cute when she panics.
"Then I should thank Kashiwagi-sensei in person," he teased. "Maybe I'll go check her account and look at her books now—"
"NO!" Eriri shrieked, lunging forward to snatch the phone.
"Why not?" Lucien feigned innocence.
"Because—because your health just improved! You shouldn't be looking at… that kind of thing. And besides…" her cheeks turned scarlet, "…isn't it indecent to read that in front of a girl?"
Lucien chuckled. "Fair point. I'll just read it at night then."
"You… you're such a pervert!" she shouted, stomping her foot.
Her flustered outburst made him laugh, but seeing her so genuinely embarrassed, he softened. "Eri, I was only joking. I won't pry into your secrets."
"…Humph. Fine." She crossed her arms but her pout had already weakened. "But if you do peek, I'll tell Auntie."
Lucien laughed again.
At that moment, the familiar ding of the system echoed in his mind.
[Mission Released!]
He quickly scanned the text:
Task 1: Adapt a manga into an anime → Reward: +100 days, +10 Health
Task 2: Adapt a manga into a TV drama → Reward: +100 days, +10 Health
Task 3: Adapt a manga into a live-action film → Reward: +100 days, +10 Health
And then—
[Note: Health Value has reached 30. From now on, Health can only be gained by completing system tasks. Serialization alone will not increase it.]
Lucien's chest tightened. I knew it… things wouldn't stay this easy.
Still, the reward was tempting. If Slam Dunk truly got its anime adaptation, he could complete the task and finally secure his discharge.
For now, he tucked the thought away.
Just then, Eriri returned, holding out a bottle of peach soda.
"Here, it's the one endorsed by Mai Sakurajima. Lucky you, I sacrificed my allowance!"
Lucien smiled at her kindness, but his gaze was steady, serious. "Eri… I've decided on my next work."
She blinked. "Next work? Already? What is it?"
Lucien's voice was firm.
"Your Name."
---
✨ End of Chapter 65
250ps=1 extra chapter
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