Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 3454

When she got home that night, Nocturne called her again. "I just got off the phone with the editor. He said even he didn't expect it to blow up like this. We have to maintain this quality going forward."

"Tell him not to worry," Marina said firmly.

"Also..." Nocturne's voice softened into a gentle smile. "Feel free to read the positive comments online, but don't take the rest to heart."

Marina knew exactly what he meant.

There was a massive gap in their popularity. Nocturne's fanbase was huge, and largely female. Because the two of them were credited together, many of his fans were aggressively trying to give him all the credit while dragging Ashen's name through the mud.

Nocturne had already posted on Twitter, urging his fans to calm down and stop attacking innocent people, reiterating that the manga's success was a joint effort. But a vocal minority of toxic fans were still spewing hateful remarks, sparking a full-blown flame war between their readers.

The hosting platform hadn't stepped in, clearly believing that the controversy was only driving up engagement and visibility.

But Nocturne was worried it would upset her.

Marina laughed it off. "They're just jealous that I get to collaborate with their idol."

Nocturne sighed, amused but helpless. "I've been out of the spotlight for a while, but they still watch my every move. They can be pretty extreme. It's a real headache."

...

Standing in the entryway, Carson listened to Marina's cheerful voice drifting from the living room. "I'm a little excited, sure, but I'll calm down soon and focus on drawing."

His eyes darkened, and he strode into the apartment.

Marina spotted him just as she said goodbye to the person on the phone.

Carson hadn't even taken off his black trench coat yet. The dark fabric accentuated his tall, lean frame. He leaned against the back of the sofa, his dark gaze fixed on her. "What's got you so excited?" he asked with a faint smile. "Tell me so I can be happy too."

She nodded. "His name is Nocturne. He's kind of a legend in the manga scene."

"You haven't drawn in a long time, have you?" Carson pressed. "Why did he want to work with you?"

Marina thought about it for a second. "He said he saw my past work and thought our art styles would mesh well."

And the results proved him right. His previous works had leaned heavily into dark, gritty themes. Her style was bold and rugged, yet laced with a bright, emotional delicacy. Combining the two hadn't clashed at all; instead, it elevated the story into a massive success.

Carson's gaze turned somber, unreadable, though a small smile touched his lips. "Thinking about becoming a manga artist full-time?"

A flash of yearning illuminated Marina's beautiful features, but it quickly settled back into a quiet resignation. "I used to want that. But I had to give it up in the end."

"Why did you give it up?" Carson asked, genuinely confused.