Witch Watch (ウィッチウォッチ)

So they will listen to no one? Interesting.

Zack, are you...

Enter not into the cave, and the snake shall laugh.

I, too, am quite stubborn.

We just freed you from the phaseys, and you're not at full strength!

You can't go in alone.

There's an unverified rumor going around

that there may be a whole horde of enemies waiting to ambush us.

If the kappa picks at the water wheel, it remains docile.

However...

The Senate won't stay quiet about this.

If those old geezers insist on shutting themselves away...

I shall tell them myself!

OUR FIRST OFFLINE MEETUP

It's really difficult to come up with your own group name, isn't it?

ARTIST HAIMI (KUKUMI URESHINO)

Ms. Makuwa, you don't have to agonize over it so much.

I'm actually struggling with the layout.

CREATOR DENGEKI MELON (YURI MAKUWA)

The two are working together to create a fan manga for Uron Mirage.

I'm sorry, Ms. Makuwa.

It's all because I can't create a proper manga layout

That's okay, I've been wanting to challenge myself with paneling.

Plus I think it'd be difficult to make a manga out of that short story.

Paneling is when

you place borders, simply drawn characters, and dialogue on a manga page.

Dengeki Melon's role is to prepare the story all the way to paneling it out.

But to think I would get stuck here...

This situation is definitely, "If the kappa picks at the water wheel, it remains docile."

Yeah, I totally get it.

It reminds me of Zack's line in chapter 127 when he says, "I'll tell them myself!"

But you've been posting short stories more frequently on Chitter these days.

SHORT STORY

And you've gained new followers.

I can write those easily because they're quick one-scene stories.

But when it comes to writing a full-length story, I suddenly can't write anymore.

It's not enough just to have feelings of wanting to tell something.

I feel like there's a component

that's akin to a secret ingredient that I need in order to pull the reader in.

I feel so close to grasping it.

But everything's just out of reach. Just like how U.M. is!

I'm sorry, but can I get a little bit more time?

I'd like to have time to think on my own.

Of course, there's still lots of time until the event.

In the meantime, I'll be working on improving my art.

Here, take a look at this.

Oh, it's Madara!

That's pretty unusual for you to draw him when you're an Utsu x Obo fan.

Yep. It was a request from a new friend I made on Chitter.

I see.

Wait, what? You made a new friend on Chitter?

I did! They reply to my posts a lot.

Their name is "Catch Me in the Limelight." We really get along well.

Wow, I see, while I was struggling with the layout, huh? Wow, sounds like fun.

I see. Wait, did you post that you were taking illustration requests?

We've been DMing each other.

I see, so you get along well enough to directly take requests, huh?

We've hit it off so well that we'll be meeting in person very soon.

Whoa, what?

You're meeting up? In person?

Yes, we're having an offline meetup.

Are you going to be okay? Do you know about this person?

She's a high school girl, just like me.

If you're worried, would you like to see our DMs?

This is definitely old guy speech!

Okay, wait, wait! This is an old g... Um, are you sure this is a high school girl?

Yes, she's a high school girl.

Such confident, yet innocent eyes!

She uses tons of emojis, gets excited easily, and talks about herself a lot.

That's definitely an old guy!

Even her username "Catch Me in the Limelight" is really cute.

No, that reeks of old man as well.

And she says she really wants to meet up with me.

See, that's definitely a red flag!

You can't! That's most likely a man in his 50s!

You shouldn't be so quick to meet with people you find online!

What? But it's so horrible to be suspicious without knowing anything.

Limelight is a good person!

You can't underestimate otakus like this.

It's dangerous to bring your internet relationships into real life.

We're also otakus and this is technically an offline meetup!

That's true.

But I'm a teacher.

It's our duty to protect our students!

That's what I'll tell myself,

and now rummage through this Catch Me in the Limelight's account.

Besides U.M., this person posts about golf and Go.

This picture... Is that their reflection in the golf club?

There it is! It's an old guy after all.

Ugh, I can't believe she got tricked like this by an old guy.

What should I do? Should I stop her from going?

No. "Enter not into the cave, and the snake shall laugh." For this...

"I shall tell them myself!"

I know what the person looks like.

I can also prove that I'm a teacher.

Haimi looks nervous.

Oh? Was that a, "I'm just about here" message?

Where? Are they here? If it's that old guy, I'll tell him off.

"Don't you dare touch my student!"

There he is! I'll catch that Limelight!

Excuse me!

Nice to meet you!

- I'm Haimi. - I'm Catch Me in the Limelight.

What? This is Limelight?

What an extremely beautiful girl.

Okay, thanks Dad.

Your dad?

Yeah, he insisted on coming with me.

I see.

I'm so embarrassed!

And this is such a cute scene where two beautiful girls get all moe.

I was so excited to meet you today!

I'm such a terrible person for suspecting her just because of the way she writes!

Haimi, have you been well? I'm so happy to meet you.

I want to be cured by the cute Haimi today. Haha, jk.

Does she talk like an old guy, too?

Do you think the way I talk is strange?

Her face and voice are beautiful, but the way she talks hopelessly doesn't match.

I'm an H.S. girl who likes golf and Go.

So I became good friends with my dad's friends,

and by talking to them through LINE my speech became like this.

Is old guy speech contagious?

Next time I wanna have a sleepover party with you.

Maybe things will get steamy at the bathhouse!

My brain's gonna bug out.

This cute airhead just sounds so greasy and terrible.

Wait, just now...

A hint for my manga!

There's a gap... Misunderstanding each other...

Major big feels?!

A scene is revealing itself to me!

Ms. Makuwa?

Y-You're Dengeki Melon?

Teacher and student? Working together?

Information overload.

Ms. Makuwa, I'd already been talking to Limelight through a voice call app.

I think I forgot to mention that part.

I'm sorry to have made you worry. But I'm happy you came here.

I-I was just doing what any normal teacher would, and...

No, I was probably a little bit jealous.

I was afraid that Ureshino... No, that Haimi would be taken from me. But...

Seeing both of your happy faces filled me with joy, too.

It's such a wonderful thing to have a friend who shares your hobby.

But that's still pretty shocking.

A teacher and a student? That's just like that manga "Fishing Nut's Diary."

That's true.

But that was an office worker and his CEO.

Oh yeah, I had a great idea regarding your group name.

How's this one? Ta-da!

The "Fave Artist" part is kinda embarrassing, though.

I do like the play on words.

Then how about we write it in katakana and... How's this one?

Yeah!

FAVE FANART FILE

I'll register for the event with this!

"I'm glad I got another chance."

"White hair... Oboro became a Whitenling?"

"That's no surprise. His older brother is one, too."

"After going through so much, it's like, finally, you know?"

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED.

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED. LET'S MEET AT OUR USUAL PLACE.

I can't believe this.

CREATIVE SURGE

I was suspicious of it, too.

And we'd just finished paneling out our doujinshi, too.

But now they officially reveal that Oboro has a big brother?

Ms. Makuwa?

- Please calm down. - How can I stay calm?

I DON'T HAVE ANY SIBLINGS, SO... THAT'S A PROBLEM I SADLY WON'T HAVE.

The premise for the story I wrote is that Oboro is an only child.

If he has an older brother, then it's not consistent!

But to discard our rough draft that we paneled out and everything...

I think it'll be okay if we move forward with this rough draft.

When creating fan art, there are people with many different opinions.

There are people who say it's okay to stray from the official setting, and that's fine, too.

But I can't. For me...

the official setting is like a bible.

Canon purists.

This type of otaku loyally protects the original work's setting.

Instead of tweaking the character,

they prefer to stick to the original work as if they were enjoying an extension.

I will not stray from the official works! We look for a crevice!

We drown with imagination in those crevices that're not shown! We allow ourselves to do so!

I understand, Ms. Makuwa!

And so, after rereading it, I noticed something.

In volume seven, that phrase...

Even my parents don't expect much from me.

Do you think this could be hinting that he has an older brother?

Utakata was foreshadowing that!

Oh my goodness!

For my error of not realizing that until now, I shall take punishment.

Besides that...

If Oboro's older brother is a Whitenling,

then that means he's a Feint, right?

That's right.

He hasn't even appeared yet, and he's already got these strong character vibes.

Twitch...

Twitch...

Fwomph.

Twitch, twitch, twitch...