Let's Do It Together, 4-Panel Manga
Let's Do It Together, 4-Panel Manga
"This is wrong. To be precise, the historical research is flawed. The coming-of-age ritual where you go deep into the grasslands with nothing but your own body, survive for a month, and return—that's something made up in recent times. It's a coming-of-age style newly devised and proposed by the great-great-great-grand chieftain. In the ancient era that's the background of this work, the coming-of-age ritual was literally fighting for your life against ferocious monsters. What you depicted in your comic is the modern way, so if you're asking whether it's wrong, then yes, it's wrong."
"Bear beastkin gallbladders are good for the body? So the demon race hunted bear beastkin for that? I've never heard such a story. First of all, why would a bear beastkin's gallbladder be good for the body? If it's meant to express the brutality of the demon race, that's fine, but if not, I'm telling you now that you're mistaken."
"The traditional beastkin food that Tab cooks... it's not exactly wrong, but this isn't the right method. The recipe is incorrect. If you're going to do it, be more detailed."
Noel never knew Biryuna was such a talkative person—no, beastkin.
It was truly astonishing.
When she first read the comic at Noel's request, her expression was, "What's the point of this?"
But with each page she turned, she gradually became absorbed in the comic, and at some point, she had become completely immersed in reading Letter Expedition.
And then, even before Noel could ask, she began giving feedback on everything about beastkin depicted through the bear beastkin character Tab in the story.
The level of that feedback was like some kind of dialect exploding...
Not only Noel, who knew her from the original work, but even Theodore, who at least had opportunities to see her face during classes since they were in the same Knight Department, couldn't help but be astonished.
They never knew that Biryuna, who always responded indifferently and spoke only the bare minimum, could speak so fluently and in such detail.
And yet, she kept her eyes fixed on the comic book. Seeing that sight, Noel smiled a triumphant smile.
'Ah, indeed... Teacher Kim Gu, are you watching? The power of culture, the importance of cultural victory that you emphasized—your words were correct.'
Biryuna, completely absorbed in reading the comic.
Seeing that sight, who would think she was the same beastkin who used to snort and say, "I am a lone, proud fox. I have no intention of getting friendly with humans or being tainted by human culture"?
She probably doesn't realize it herself, but from her ears twitching excitedly and her tail flicking whenever she reads the comic, it's clearly not just a simple "it's fun, so I'll take a look" level.
She's completely immersed.
This is why cultural content is terrifying.
Because it makes you fall head over heels without even realizing it.
Considering that the power of cultural content can even overcome hatred, there's a possibility that Biryuna's attitude might improve a bit through this.
Just the fact that she's showing such a talkative side in front of others proves it.
"What, what? Why are you all staring like that?"
Finding it so strange that people were gaping at her, Biryuna, who had been reading the comic, raised her eyes as if to ask what the problem was.
"You said you wanted feedback...?"
At her look that said "I did what you asked, so what's the problem?" Noel smiled and shook her head.
"From things like this, you can see that we have quite a lot of wrong information and misunderstandings about other races. The main purpose of our club's activities is to properly understand that and propagate correct information to amend those misconceptions."
And in that process, Noel planned to create pairings in the direction she wanted, spend time with Lucia, and secure video production technology.
As the first step, she tested human culture as seen from the beastkin perspective, and she felt that the direction was quite decent so far.
"But Noel-yang, how exactly do you plan to correct people's prejudices and misunderstandings about other races?"
Princess Lydia said that just creating something like a pamphlet and posting it on the bulletin board wouldn't be very effective.
"Rosalyn mentioned you were planning to do something?"
"That's right. A wall poster that just explains 'This is how it is~' would be somewhat lacking."
Noel agreed with that, and what she thought of was serializing a 4-panel comic.
"A 4-panel comic?"
Clara was the first to react to the word "comic."
It was a term she'd never heard before, but since Clara had practically become the mother of comics, she could roughly guess what it meant from the words alone.
"Could it be...?"
"Probably what Clara is thinking."
Noel nodded, then opened her notebook for those who didn't understand, and actually drew a 4-panel comic as an example.
She wasn't great at drawing, but she had learned art as part of her general education, so she wasn't completely incapable.
At the very least, it was enough to explain things this way.
Sseuk sseuk—Noel sketched out the 4-panel comic.
Seeing the result, Irina exclaimed in admiration.
"A story unfolding in four panels... It feels like writing a poem with pictures."
Upon hearing that, Lydia, Theodore, and Evelin all opened their eyes wide.
"A poem written with pictures instead of words...! I see, so that's what a 4-panel comic is."
"As expected of Author Homeros..."
"So what's the next part?"
Only Biryuna reacted as if she couldn't care less about 4-panels or anything else, asking where the next volume of Letter Expedition was.
Even while Noel was explaining what a 4-panel comic was, she remained immersed in her own world, not taking her eyes off the comic book.
Thinking about how amazing the power of culture was, and at the same time feeling like she had corrupted a noble warrior into a fangirl, Noel felt a cold sweat trickle down.
Anyway, Noel planned to report the activities of the Intercultural Exchange Club through the 4-panel comic.
And for a comic, you need content.
"I heard there's a saying among beastkin, 'put yourself in the other's shoes,' right?"
She decided to correct people's misconceptions about other races and other cultures by humorously depicting the experiences of the protagonist—the only human—enrolling at an academy full of other races.
It was a bit like an educational comic, but more on the light reading side.
Maybe similar to the informational comics published by public institutions in her previous life.
"The composition is interesting."
After hearing Noel's explanation, Clara said that if it's 4-panels, the work time wouldn't be that long, and there should be enough time to draw a little bit after school and complete it.
Now that Evelin was in the club, if she helped, it would be even better.
However—
"Oh, um..."
For Evelin, who had to work part-time jobs, this was a bit of an awkward situation.
But the atmosphere made it hard to say she couldn't do it.
Honestly, Evelin was also intrigued.
It was a bit different from what she pursued, and she thought it wasn't the time to focus on anything else since she was already busy, so she had been majoring in fine arts exclusively.
But even so, Evelin was a person who drew, and she was interested in the new genre of comics.
After all, she was the one who gave Letter Expedition to Theodore, who only trained in swordsmanship.
Having an interest in comics, she had bought and read comic books, then given them to Theodore.
She thought that once her studies were on track and she had some free time, she'd like to try drawing a comic for fun.
So when Clara suggested she might want to assist with the comic, she was honestly tempted.
She could earn money while drawing.
And she could enter a new genre she was interested in—it would be stranger not to be tempted.
If it weren't for thoughts like, 'This isn't the time to be distracted by other things,' she might have given in.
Drawing comics—she had turned it down to focus on her work.
But she never thought it would come back to her like this.
If it weren't for her part-time job issues, she might have considered it fate and helped out, but Evelin was troubled about what to do.
Seeing her, Noel glanced at Evelin and Lydia.
'Lydia needs to take an interest in Evelin's art and become her patron, so Evelin needs to participate in the 4-panel comic production.'
Originally, Lydia becoming Evelin's patron happened after they advanced to second year.
The first semester was the common route period to enter a specific heroine's route, and when they entered the childhood friend route in second year, the princess became the patron, and Clara, jealous of that, awakened as a villainess. The full-fledged story of trials and the route progressed.
During the second year, they repeated trials and growth, and the two who were merely childhood friends gradually became aware of each other as the opposite sex over the course of a year and fell in love.
Then, in their third year, they completely defeated Clara, achieved justice, lived as a lovey-dovey cockroach couple, and graduated.
So there was no need to rush, but since things had turned out this way, Noel wanted Lydia to become Evelin's patron early on.
For that, she needed the princess to recognize Evelin's potential, and the 4-panel comic production was a perfect opportunity.
Therefore—
"I hate unpaid labor. Considering that making the 4-panel comic is an important part of club activities..."
Noel wrote something and handed it to Evelin.
"I think it's only right to cover that much from the club budget as remuneration."
If you participate in drawing the 4-panel comic, that'll be your pay.
Hearing Noel's words and checking the amount written on the note, Evelin's mouth fell open.
It was an amount that made you wonder if she had miswritten a zero.
With this, she could cut back on one part-time job... no, even two.
'Th-this much for me?'
Flustered, Evelin asked if something wasn't wrong.
"I consider the 4-panel comic that important. We're showcasing the club's monumental first achievement, so I need to be thorough."
This was too large an amount to refuse out of pride or anything, and she had no justification to turn it down.
It wasn't even Noel's personal money; she was saying it was club funds for club activities...
In the end, her deliberation was short, and her decision was quick.
Evelin had high pride, but she wasn't stupid.
"I'll do it! I'll do my best to assist Clara-ssi and draw that 4-panel comic! I'll create a masterpiece that will remain in my life!"
Evelin answered with sparkling eyes, her pupils turning into gold coins, in a clear voice.
Seeing his childhood friend like that, Theodore thought, 'Why am I the one who feels embarrassed?' and somehow found himself turning his head away.
Anyway, this marked the official launch and activity start of the club, the Intercultural Exchange Club, filled with Noel's personal desires and necessity.
And with just the first activity—
"A 4-panel... comic?!"
"A story unfolding in just four panels... This is art!"
"If writing a poem with pictures is like this—oh, Lady Grace, she's a genius!"
The club Noel founded became a living legend within the academy.