"So that's how it is."
After looking over the drawings Fang Zheng had brought, Yamada Youko nodded.
"They really are as you said, Mr. Fang Zheng. They're beautiful, but they have no life... Honestly, I think Black Cat draws better than she does."
"Stop roasting her. Let's get to the point."
Fang Zheng glanced at Mashiro beside him and coughed, trying to change the subject. Yet Yamada Youko became even more excited.
"But you know, Mr. Fang Zheng, something like this is really rare! After all, ordinary people couldn't achieve this even if they tried!!"
"Hm? Oh... You're right, when you put it that way."
Fang Zheng froze for a moment at Yamada Youko's words, then immediately understood what she meant.
Indeed, just as Yamada Youko had said, an artist like Mashiro was one in ten thousand in the manga industry.
The reason was simple. In the manga world, while many manga artists made the same mistakes Mashiro did at the beginning, their actual skill level was low at the time, so their drawings naturally were not especially beautiful. Art without a soul paired with characters without a soul—something like that naturally had no market.
Mashiro, however, was the opposite. She combined soulless characters with art skills that broke through the heavens, creating a powerful contrast. Such a freak was incredibly rare in the manga world. No wonder Yamada Youko looked at Mashiro Shiina as if she had spotted some endangered animal.
Just as Yamada Youko had said, not everyone possessed such an ability.
"I've got a great idea!"
At that moment, Yamada Youko suddenly slapped the table excitedly and jumped to her feet.
"I thought of an amazing story!"
"Oh? What kind of amazing story?"
Fang Zheng became interested upon hearing that, while Mashiro silently adjusted her posture and