I, a Manga Artist, Reincarnated as a Lady-in-Waiting in a Weak Salon at the Heian Imperial Court, So I'll Draw BL Manga and Dominate... Maybe. Episode 1 [Creative Awards 2024 - Manga Original Work Category Entry]

Synopsis
In the Reiwa era, Yayoi Amamidokoro, a moderately popular female manga artist, collapses from overwork. When she wakes up, she finds herself in the imperial court of the Heian period. Yayoi realizes that she belongs to a salon that supports Amako, the third empress of Emperor Shichijo. However, this Amako salon is a so-called weak salon, being overshadowed by the
Teishi salon, which boasts the cheerful Sei Shonagon, and the Shoshi salon, supported by the serious Murasaki Shikibu. Told by the head lady-in-waiting to do something about it, Yayoi, while bewildered, picks up a brush and paper... She decides to challenge the peerless essayist and genius novelist, whose names have endured for over a thousand years, with manga.

Main Story
Prologue
“Um...”
“You there!”
“Y-yes!?”
I hurriedly sat up. It seems I had slumped over my desk and lost consciousness.
“You’ve got some nerve falling asleep when you’re a newcomer...”
A newcomer? What does that mean? I am a manga artist with a decent—no, a very popular—following under the pen name “Sweet Shop Yayoi”. I have many serializations, mainly in women’s manga magazines. What kind of logic is it to call someone like me a newcomer?
“...”
I adjusted my light red-rimmed glasses and observed my surroundings. The women around me all seemed to be of my generation or slightly older. They all had long, black hair parted down the middle, exposing their foreheads. Even more surprising was their attire. They wore brightly colored robes layered over one another, with about five layers in total, and something like a wrap skirt around their waists. Haha, what is this? Ladies, isn’t that just a Heian-period juni-hitoe? No...
“H-Heian Capital!?”
I stood up with a jolt, surprised. The hem of my own garment was slightly disheveled.I’m even debuting in a juni-hitoe...The people around me were staring in surprise.
“Um...”
“... Ouch”
I pinched my own cheek hard. It hurt. It seems this is not a dream after all. I racked my brain and reached a conclusion fairly quickly—though I couldn’t say for sure it was correct, it was likely the most probable one... I, who had died from overwork due to the grueling pace of the Reiwa era, must have reincarnated into the Heian-period imperial court. That’s the most natural way to think about it for now.
“Sigh, honestly, why is it that only these kinds of girls come here...”
A woman older than us sighed, her face tightening. She looked kind of scary.Let’s call her the Head Lady-in-Waiting.
“...Here?”
I tilted my head as I sat back down. The Head Lady-in-Waiting’s lament continued.
“It has been several years since the Emperor adopted the ‘One Emperor, Three Empresses’ system... A truly strange state of affairs has continued, with one Empress and two Chugu (Empresses) coexisting. It is disrespectful to say so, but this state of affairs is not desirable...!”
Eh...? I know that Emperor Ichijo took Empress Teishi and also Chugu Shoshi as his legitimate wives, adopting the ‘One Emperor, Two Empresses’ format. I studied the Heian period quite well, even in boring history classes. But three empresses... who is the other one?
“E-excuse me, what year is it now?”
I asked the woman sitting next to me in a low voice. The woman answered, looking puzzled.
“Eh... it is the fifth year of Choko...”
...That’s an era name I don’t know. I’m pretty sure Teishi and Shoshi entered the palace during the Choho era. Could this be... The Head Lady-in-Waiting continued.
“We must deepen our interactions with Kanshi-sama here. To do that, it is essential to capture the Emperor’s interest...”
“Kanshi-sama is... do you know whose child she is?”
I whispered to the woman next to me. The woman answered, looking slightly annoyed.
“She is the daughter of Fujiwara no Michikage-sama.”
“Michikage...?”
As I tilted my head, the woman asked back.
“You don’t know?”
“...Teishi-sama’s father is Fujiwara no Michitaka-sama, and Shoshi-sama’s father is Fujiwara no Michinaga-sama. Michikage-sama is the younger brother of those two...”
“Oh, so you do know.”
Thank goodness, that was a guess, but it seems I was right. However, I’ve never heard of Kanshi-sama or Fujiwara no Michikage... This means...
“Did I reincarnate into a parallel world of the Heian period...?”
After whispering that, I dramatically held my forehead. The Head Lady-in-Waiting noticed.
“Come to think of it, you...”
“Y-yes...!”
I looked up as the Head Lady-in-Waiting pointed at me with her fan.
“I haven’t introduced you to everyone yet. What is your name...?”
“Um...”
“I can’t possibly give my pen name. Should I give my real name? No, I’d like to avoid leaking personal information if possible. I’ll just give my first name...”
“What’s wrong?”
“My name is Yayoi...”
“!”
“W-wait a minute!”
The Head Lady-in-Waiting and the others were greatly flustered by my statement. I tilted my head.
“Eh?”
“You should avoid making a woman’s given name public!”
“Ah, ahh...”
Come to think of it, that was the case. But another name... I don’t remember one... What should I do... I froze. The Head Lady-in-Waiting, seeing this, threw me a lifeline.
“...It’s your first time serving in the palace, so you’re nervous, aren’t you?”
“Ah, y-yes...”
The Head Lady-in-Waiting might actually be a nice person. Still, I couldn’t think of a name. The Head Lady-in-Waiting sighed and opened her mouth.
“Everyone, this is...”
The Head Lady-in-Waiting pointed at me and tried to speak to those around us. Oh, so she knew. Now, what kind of elegant name will it be? I’m excited...
“Onikami Hyogo-san, please treat her well.”
“W-what, that name is so harsh!?”
I almost fell over dramatically. The Head Lady-in-Waiting continued.
“She is from the Onikami family, and her father serves as the head of the Hyogo-ryo (Bureau of Weapons). It is a perfectly appropriate name for a lady-in-waiting.”
“Haha...”
“From Sweet Shop Yayoi to Onikami Hyogo...It certainly feels powerful, but...”
“Now, back to the topic, we must somehow liven up the area around Kanshi-sama. At present, almost no one comes near us.”
Ah, the so-called “Inner Palace Salon”. The evaluation of the hosting Empress or Chugu changes significantly depending on the liveliness of the social and literary activities here...
“...”
While everyone was silent, one lady-in-waiting spoke up as if it were difficult to say.
“Teishi-sama has Sei Shonagon-sama, and Shoshi-sama has Murasaki Shikibu-sama. Both are renowned talented and wise women... It would be quite difficult to compete with them...”
Wow, so those two are serving in the palace together. I’ve heard that they might not have actually met in person, though... It really is a parallel world...
“What of it? Do you intend to just stand by and watch with your fingers in your mouths? Is there no one here with the spirit to say, ‘I will surpass those talented and wise women myself!’?”
At the Head Lady-in-Waiting’s call, the ladies-in-waiting all looked away. My eyes, having failed to look away in time, met the Head Lady-in-Waiting’s perfectly. The Head Lady-in-Waiting smiled faintly.
“Hyogo, you seem to have confidence...”
“No, I don’t have confidence, but... I thought that if it’s a parallel world, maybe there’s a chance...”
“Huh? Pa, para...? A chan...?”
“Please lend me a brush and paper...”
“Eh...?”
“To compete with talented and wise women, I have no choice but to use ‘Fujoshi’ (rotten girls) to counter them...”
“H, huh...?”
The people around me buzzed at my words.

One
About an hour later...
"It's finished..."
"Th-this is... an illustrated story?
"This is something called... manga."
"Ma-manga...?"
"Yes."
I pushed up my glasses and answered. By the way, they were also curious about my glasses, but when I told them they were a keepsake from my grandmother, they didn't ask any further.
"People are puffing out something like white clouds..."
"As you say, these are speech bubbles. The text written here is what that person is saying."
I explained. Regarding the writing of this era, for some reason, I was able to write it without any issues. My, reincarnation is quite convenient, isn't it? The head lady-in-waiting asked further.
"What are these thick lines here and there?"
"Those are the panel borders."
"Pa-panel borders...?"
"Yes, if you look at them in this order: top row from right to left, middle row from right to left, bottom row from right to left..."
"W-what!? It looks as if the people are moving!"
The head lady-in-waiting was amazed. Considering that this is an era with many manga beginners, I kept the paneling to a minimum and simple.
"... I can draw as many of these as you like."
I pushed up my glasses again.
"H-hmm..."
The head lady-in-waiting and the other ladies-in-waiting began to read the manga. After a while...
"Th-this is... interesting!"
"Yes, and yet it makes one feel a sense of beauty!"
"I-I'm drawn in by the way the gentlemen are connecting their hearts...!"
The reputation was excellent. Though the first manga in Japanese history ended up being Boys' Love.
"Well, it's intended for all ages, and... it's like a parallel world, so isn't it fine? ...Probably."
I muttered in a low voice.
"You all seem to be having fun...?"
"O-Oh, Lady Amako!"
The head lady-in-waiting and the other ladies-in-waiting knelt down all at once. Everyone is wearing beautiful robes, but she is wearing even more beautiful ones. This child, no, is this Lady Amako, the Empress? She has refined features, but she still looks like a middle school student. Is she already married at that age? Even though it's common in this era, it's tough to see it in person...
"What were you all reading?"
"N-no... it's nothing of importance..."
The head lady-in-waiting and the ladies-in-waiting hurriedly hid the paper they were holding. Lady Amako looked sad.
"To keep secrets from me... how lonely."
"Th-that's not what we meant...!"
"Then please show me as well."
"...Everyone, gather the papers... stack them in order... and 'one, two, three...' is written on the bottom left of the paper. Yes, stack them like that... Sorry to keep you waiting. P-please..."
The head lady-in-waiting hands the BL manga to the Empress. What kind of situation is this...
"Hmm, an illustrated story...?"
Lady Amako, who was seated, tilted her head while holding the paper.
"It is something called manga."
"Manga?"
"Yes... you read it in this order."
The head lady-in-waiting pointed to the paper. Lady Amako nodded.
"I see..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
A silence flowed for a while. Only the sound of Lady Amako turning the pages and the sound of the finished pages being gently placed underneath could be heard. After reading the last page, Lady Amako opened her mouth.
"...Who drew this?"
"Th-this person here...!"
I was dragged out by the head lady-in-waiting to stand before Lady Amako.
"...I don't recognize your face."
"This person is serving from today. I am truly sorry for the late introduction... now, state your name."
"...I am Hyogo Kishigami."
Urged by the head lady-in-waiting, I stated my name in this world.
"Ah, of the Kishigami family... I believe your father and brothers serve in the Hyogo-ryo... was it from today...?"
"Y-yes..."
Apparently, that's how it is. I just bowed my head.
"And so, about this thing called manga..."
"Y-yes..."
"...What is this, it's precious..."
"!?"
I involuntarily looked up. Lady Amako was covering her mouth with both hands. Th-this reaction... could it be...?
"...It was interesting."
"Th-thank you very much!"
"I would like to read more..."
"If you give me some time, I can draw as much as you like."
"Then, Hyogo... I'm counting on you."
"Y-yes!"
I bowed my head deeply. Since then, I spent my days making manga. Since BL manga alone wouldn't do, I made sure to write in various genres. The ones that were simply bound and took the form of a book were first read by Lady Amako, and then passed around by the head lady-in-waiting and the other ladies-in-waiting. Because each was summarized in a few pages, mass production was possible in a relatively short period. The reputation was excellent. A story about someone who lost their life after being run over by a rampaging oxcart and goes to another world to have adventures and a story about a dull lady-in-waiting in the court of a continental dynasty who uses alchemy to solve mysteries were well-received. Even more popular than those was a story about a boy who uses Onmyodo, swords, spears, and even bare-handed combat to defeat evil yokai. This book was passed around to everyone, and apparently, the men in the court were also reading it. Eventually...
"Hyogo..."
"Yes..."
I bowed my head when called by the head lady-in-waiting.
"The thin books you draw are very popular."
"N-no, 'thin books'!"
I involuntarily raised my voice. The head lady-in-waiting tilted her head.
"They aren't thick, are they?"
"Th-that's true. My apologies..."
"About that yokai extermination book..."
"Yes."
"... The Emperor also likes it."
"Oh... ehhh!?"
I was surprised.
"The Emperor will be visiting here soon."
"I-I see..."
"This is a golden opportunity. I want the Emperor to become more intimate with Lady Amako on this occasion."
"Yes..."
"So, I want you to draw a new manga that can be a topic of conversation for the two of them."
"U-understood...!"
After a while, I submitted a faint love story where a young man and woman gradually connect their hearts. The head lady-in-waiting, after finishing reading it, slowly shook her head from side to side.
"This is not it..."
"I-is it not?"
"This is not bad either, but the Emperor would surely be more pleased with a story that makes the blood boil and the flesh dance... after all, he is still very young."
Ah, the Emperor is also still a boy... Shonen manga... As expected, the royal road is battle or action... What story satisfies that... After turning my thoughts over, I arrived at an answer.
"...This is it!"
Once again, I submitted a book to the head lady-in-waiting.
"...Hmm, you have vividly depicted the exploits of Yamato Takeru no Mikoto."
The head lady-in-waiting nodded with satisfaction. Yes, I had adapted a part of the 'Nihon Shoki' into manga. It is what is called a comic adaptation. This book was presented to the Emperor.
"The Emperor was also very happy."
After the Emperor returned, Lady Amako told me.
"Th-that is the best news..."
"He said, 'Continue to work hard in the future'."
"Y-yes!"
"I also have a request. The manga that Hyogo writes is very fun. Please continue to draw many more."
Lady Amako smiled brightly. What a dazzling smile. I want to see this smile more and more...
"Yes! I will do my very best...!"
I answered energetically. My life as a reincarnated manga artist in the Heian period court began in this way.

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