A sheet of manuscript paper slid from Hu Tao’s hand and fell to the ground.
“Eh, what’s this?”
Hu Tao picked it up.
There was no handwriting on the manuscript paper.
Instead, there was a somewhat rough casual sketch.
Black lines outlined the figure of a young woman wearing an elaborate long dress.
She was holding up the hem of her skirt and slightly bending her body.
Regrettably, no extra emotions had been drawn on her face, making her look just like a… doll?
This thought couldn’t help appearing in Hu Tao’s mind.
“The protagonist of the story, Violet.” Velina answered.
As a novel author, having a bit of painting skill was perfectly reasonable, right?
“You drew this, Velina?
It looks pretty good.
Much better than the handwriting… cough cough.”
Hu Tao half-covered her mouth, the eyes that remained visible narrowing into curved crescents.
“Alright alright, I know my handwriting isn’t very good-looking.” Velina helplessly shook her head.
Perfection in every aspect does not exist.
Even she had this one tiny little shortcoming.
“I always feel like it’s missing expression.
Is it that you haven’t drawn it on yet?” Hu Tao grinned twice and then asked.
She somehow felt that the young woman in the drawing shared one or two points of resemblance with Velina.
She must have used her own appearance as a reference.
If she smiled, she would definitely look very beautiful.
“No.
It was originally like this.” Velina shook her head.
“Hmm?”
Hu Tao tilted her head, a puzzled expression appearing in her eyes.
“The story of a young woman who was treated as a weapon, who did not understand what emotions were, and then gradually came to understand what love is.”
When Velina reached the end, the corner of her mouth curved into a crescent-moon arc.
“It’s a very warm, very healing story.”
“Healing…”
Whether it was healing or depressing, Hu Tao was very doubtful about this.
Given Velina’s previous track record, the credibility was even lower.
She absolutely could not believe it.
Hu Tao even felt that Velina’s purpose in writing novels wasn’t only for Mora.
She might enjoy seeing the readers’ reactions even more.
Previously when they went to Wanwen Bookhouse to buy novels, when those readers finished Hotarubi no Mori e and let out wails of anguish…
Hu Tao had seen it clearly.
Velina had been smiling so happily.
“Velina, how much have you written?”
Hu Tao’s eyes rolled as she asked.
“One chapter.”
Velina answered righteously.
It had only been one night.
She still needed to organize her thoughts, recall the plot, and make localized modifications.
The progress was already very fast.
“Only one chapter?
That short?”
Hu Tao made clicking sounds with her mouth.
What kind of words were these?!
Velina felt she was being looked down upon.
But when the words reached her mouth, she lowered her head and looked at herself…
Forget it.
Arguing over these issues was meaningless.
So what if it was short?
Was she proud of it?
“Actually one chapter is already quite long.
Really.
Hu Tao, if you try writing one yourself you’ll understand.”
“No no no, I’ll pass.
I don’t have that kind of talent.
And I don’t read novels that haven’t been finished.”
Hu Tao shook her head and helped Velina rearrange the manuscript paper on the desk.
She casually glanced out the window.
“Mm-hmm, not bad not bad.
Today is another fine day.
A good day for promoting Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s business.
Velina, hurry up and come eat breakfast.”
“Wait for me to change clothes…”
===✧✦✧===
In the blink of an eye, several days passed.
During these days, Velina completely shut herself in her room.
Apart from eating, she basically did not take a single step out the door.
However, her mindset was completely different from when she had been writing Hotarubi no Mori e.
Now she no longer needed to worry about Mora, so naturally she no longer had that sense of urgency.
The manuscript paper on the desk had already become a thick stack.
Velina set down her pen, rubbed her somewhat sore wrist, and nodded in satisfaction.
Very good.
According to the story’s structure, she had now written roughly one-third.
The original film of Hotarubi no Mori e was only forty minutes long, but Violet Evergarden was much longer.
Being able to write this much already counted as extremely fast progress.
“Should I release it in volumes like a serialized novel?”
Velina pondered.
She had read a few long novels from Liyue.
According to convention, a new volume would be sold on every book release day.
It was different from web novel serialization, but not that far off.
However, Velina felt that the Violet she was writing couldn’t really be considered a long novel.
It would be better to ask Editor Mu Yun for her opinion.
“Velina, stop staying in the room all day.
Come out and walk around with me.”
In the main hall of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Director Hu’s eyes lit up the moment she saw Velina and stepped forward to urge her.
“Alright.”
Velina nodded.
“You agreed?” Hu Tao was a little surprised by such a straightforward answer.
“Didn’t you say you wanted me to keep you company?” Velina asked with a smile in return.
It just so happened that she could go to Liyue Publishing House and hand the completed manuscript over to the editor.
“True.”
Hu Tao stretched.
“Let’s go.
We’ll go to Wanmin Restaurant and call Xiangling.
These past few days she’s been saying she came up with some new dishes and is just waiting to go outside the city to gather ingredients.”
The two of them left Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Wanmin Restaurant was located at Chihu Rock in Liyue Harbor.
Velina had been there a few times before.
Because it wasn’t mealtime, there weren’t many customers.
“Dad, I’m heading out with my friends.”
After saying goodbye to Chef Mao, Xiangling excitedly came over to the two of them.
“Hehe, today I’m really going to show off my skills.
My Liyue recipes can add several more new dishes!
Guoba, you stay at home!”
“Lulu~”
A strange yellow creature that looked like a teddy bear was pointed at by Xiangling and had no choice but to stop walking.
It first hung its head in disappointment.
Then, upon seeing Velina, it clearly became happy and handed an apple from the side over to her.
“Thank you.”
Velina accepted it and thanked it with a smile, inevitably feeling a bit of curiosity in her heart.
Of course she knew Guoba’s identity.
The God of the Stove, Marchosius.
In order to quell disasters and protect the people’s livelihood, he had voluntarily fused his power into the land and become the current form.
What Velina didn’t understand was that from the very first time she came to Wanmin Restaurant, Guoba had always been very happy upon seeing her.
It was as if…
A long-separated old friend was reuniting?
Maybe.
Velina couldn’t say clearly either, so she simply didn’t waste mental energy on something she couldn’t figure out.
Along the way, Hu Tao spoke about the new novel Velina was writing.
“Ehh!
Velina, you already wrote another one so quickly?!” Xiangling was shocked.
“It’s not finished yet.
I’ve only written a portion.” Velina corrected.
“This time it won’t be another story with a sad ending, right?
I don’t want to cry for a whole night again.” Xiangling both loved and hated Velina’s novels.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry.
This time it’s definitely a heartwarming and healing story.” Velina said with a smile.
“Hu Tao, Velina isn’t tricking me, right?”
“Mm… probably?”
“?
What does ‘probably’ mean?”
Walking along the streets of Liyue Harbor and listening to the bustling noise of the streets, Velina’s mood naturally relaxed along with it.
Until she heard the conversation of several sailors gathered together.
“Brothers, did you hear?
A beautiful girl who only appears once every three thousand years has appeared in our Liyue!”
“Bullshit.
Where did you hear that rumor?”
“Heh, this isn’t a rumor.
It was said by those big shots in Yuehai Pavilion.
Do you think it would be fake?”
“Hiss… everyone, I have a bold idea.
A few days ago something happened at the Rite of Descension, and now Yuehai Pavilion is spreading this.
Do you think there’s any connection?”
“What?!
So His Excellency Rex Lapis is actually… I’ve fallen even more in love!”
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