Bokutachi no Remake Ver. β V3 Chapter 2 By: thai130898

Before moving into full-scale production, we had something important left to do.

The game title "Mystic Clockwork," or Misukuro, whose production was frozen midway. While that project would likely never be revived, the copyright for it naturally still existed.

On the surface, we are creating a completely different title, but from the perspective of users and market insiders, we're likely seen as having moved to another company to "remake Misukuro." In fact, we've even factored in the buzz that such speculation would generate.

However, for Succeed Soft, this was naturally not amusing. They had intended to let the staff and creators rot while holding onto the project's copyright, but instead, a rival company had run off with both the buzz and the image.

Therefore, they would likely take some sort of action using copyright as a shield.

And just as imagined, they requested a meeting.

"My name is Hachiya. I am the representative of Succeed Soft's Legal Department."

The man, who had been shown into the guest conference room, quietly handed over his business card.

"I'm Kawasegawa. I represent the Development Department."

After they exchanged business cards, the man calling himself Hachiya sat down quietly without a single word of small talk.

"Normally, conducting this kind of confirmation is itself highly exceptional. However, the events that transpired between our companies were fundamentally unforeseen, and thus we have arranged this meeting. We are very sorry to take up your time."

Although his words were polite, there was no sign of apology in his demeanor.

(Well, it's true that this kind of thing is exceptional.)

There have been past cases of staff who worked on a major series transferring en masse after a project ended. However, even if production was frozen, a case where almost the entire mid-production team transferred to another company was unprecedented.

Of course, that might be why this matter has been successful "so far," but because of that, the cleanup was piled high with troublesome issues.

"Currently, around when do you plan to release?"

Hachiya asked casually.

"It's not certain yet, but it is scheduled to be a title for the next fiscal year or later."

Kawasegawa answered. In other words, it would take at least a year at the very shortest.

In reality, she likely had a more concrete schedule in mind, but judged that there was no need to explain it in such detail.

"I see, understood."

Perhaps it was just a formality, as Hachiya also seemed satisfied with that explanation.

"Then, let us begin."

Hachiya glanced at the lawyer next to him and promptly began to take out documents.

A dark grey suit, hair neatly parted 70-30. The eyes peeking from behind silver-rimmed glasses were narrow, what you'd call slit eyes.

From his appearance, it seemed difficult to discern his emotions. He was a man who fit the word "orderly" perfectly, as if even the intervals of his breathing were controlled.

(I can't believe he's an employee of a game company.)

Unlike the development staff, who have almost no connection to things like suits, he looked exactly like a businessman. Even though we hadn't spoken yet, I was starting to feel a little intimidated.

"If it is all right with everyone, I would like to move on to our discussion immediately. Would that be acceptable?"

Hachiya quietly made the proposal, as if to say any preamble was unnecessary.

"...Yes, let's do that."

Kawasegawa also quickly agreed. From the start, he wasn't someone you could have a friendly chat with. The desire to discuss only what was necessary and be done with it was mutual.

"Then, we will now proceed with an explanation regarding the copyrighted works of 'Mystic Clockwork' owned by our company. Afterward, we will take questions from your company, and then proceed to an exchange of approvals based on mutual agreement. Please confirm that point."

Kawasegawa nodded, and the detailed explanation began.

I recalled the explanation I had received beforehand from the legal department of our parent company, Beecraft.

Succeed Soft's legal department was famous in the industry for being tough, and for that reason, I was told not to say anything unnecessary that could be used against us.

This time in particular, the other party was clearly out to crush us. Indeed, there was an atmosphere suggesting that any careless statement would be pounced upon as a weakness.

"A real troublesome-looking old guy showed up."

A chat message arrived from Kuroda, who was sitting next to me.

"Yeah. Just as they said, I'll try not to say anything unnecessary."

"Right. He doesn't look like the type to get a joke, no matter how you look at it."

Kuroda also seemed to be planning on keeping his words to a minimum.

However, there was one thing I wanted to accomplish this time.

(I have to confirm just this one thing... or it'll be bad.)

It was a point that would surely exist as a bottleneck as we moved forward with production. If we could get by without using it, that would be for the best, but if it came to using it, a failure to confirm that point would be fatal.

Of course, I had spoken to Kawasegawa and Kuroda about it beforehand. However, their judgment was that whether or not we could handle that part well would depend on the discussion.

"If you can speak about it properly, it could certainly be a weapon... but there is a risk."

As Kawasegawa said, if I failed, that part could be suppressed, and we could be left unable to move.

It was a high-risk, but also high-necessity, point.

And to bring it up required good timing and skillful negotiation. I wasn't confident I possessed those things, but through prior study, I had somehow managed to drill the procedure into my head.

In front of me, the snake-faced Hachiya was dispassionately talking about the copyrighted works.

Dealing with this type of person was something new in my life. For that reason alone, just broaching the subject made me overflow with tension.

(Calm down, he's human too. It's not like I'm dealing with a machine.)

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

While trying not to let my nervousness show, I waited for his move.

Eventually,

"Now, regarding this point, does your company have any objections?"

The time had come.

"--Yes."

I slowly raised my hand and began to speak.

◇

The exchange ended in about an hour, the legal representatives from both sides exchanged documents, and the meeting was adjourned. As expected, the atmosphere wasn't one for suggesting "dinner after this," and after the other party left, we were all completely exhausted.

"Phew, it's finally over. That was just as troublesome as I thought."

Kuroda let out a big sigh and scowled.

"Absolutely. Just listening to him was incredibly tense. Hashiba, it's amazing you were able to speak in that kind of atmosphere."

To an impressed Kawasegawa, I shook my head and said,

"No, I was just desperate. I interjected because there was something I absolutely had to say, but otherwise, I would have wanted to stay silent the whole time."

Honestly, when he stared at me with those cold, emotionless eyes, I wanted to say, "Actually, it's nothing," and run away. He was that chilling of an opponent.

"But hey, thanks to you, Hashiba, we got his word on that matter. So for our side, I think we can call this a success, right?"

At Kuroda's words, Kawasegawa tilted her head.

"On that point, yes. But they demanded very detailed checks for similarities in character design and art direction, and from the feel of it, I got the sense we'll have to check things extremely carefully."

The documents the other party brought were what you could call the ultimate in fault-finding.

Things like the number and position of water wheels in the image boards being the same, or a female character's hair ornament using the same design—they naggingly pointed out similarities to an astonishing degree.

Of course, we had also prepared counterarguments. Kawasegawa shut down all of Succeed's points by presenting precedent she had prepared beforehand, cases where similar points were not recognized as similarities in other works.

However, the fact that they came to us with this level of detail beforehand meant that there was a possibility they would come up with similar nitpicks after it was completed.

"It seems like it will be more difficult after completion than before."

We nodded at Kawasegawa's words.

"Well, at any rate, we now have what we need to start creating. Let's forget about them for now and focus on production."

Just as Kuroda said, I was also filled with the desire to move on to production quickly.

"Right. Then, Hashiba, please properly summarize and document the points of agreement from earlier. So it's easy to explain in case something happens."

"I'd like to avoid that as much as possible, but roger."

And so, we were able to settle the pending matter of the agreement for the time being.

◇

"So, with this, we can finally start production!"

When I explained the contents of the agreement, Sakurai-san's eyes lit up in response.

"Yeah, I think Kuroda will talk to you about it later, so check with him for the details."

"Understood!" Sakurai-san said, making a salute. This somewhat childish side of her is the same as before, but the work she does has become quite reliable.

"Concrete proposals are coming in, and we now have sales and PR staff involved, and we're in the process of reviewing whether to give the green light based on rough sales forecasts. But from the looks of it, I think all five teams that applied first will probably be approved."

As she said, the documents were lined with solid, predictable numbers.

"The team members are motivated, too, so I'm excited!"

Department 13 split up in a sad way, but seeing everyone's actions since then, what we did wasn't in vain. Especially for Sakurai-san, I think it was great that she found a place where she could properly utilize her abilities.

Listening to her report with a nod,

"Once you're done dealing with the teams, we need to properly move forward with your game project, Sakurai-san."

When I broached the subject,

"Yes, that's right. Finally... we can get started."

Saying that, Sakurai-san nodded firmly.

Project Grape, which she is in charge of, is a project to support multiple game development projects collectively and build a route from production to sales.

And a game project with an innovative system that Sakurai-san had originally conceived is also scheduled to participate as one of its works. Although the budget has already been guaranteed, she herself said she wanted to wait until the framework for Grape was firmly in place, so it is currently on hold.

But of course, there was no doubt that it was a very important title to her.

"I'm looking forward to it starting, that... oh, right, the title."

When I said that as if I'd just remembered, Sakurai-san giggled.

"That's right, I left it to you, Hashiba-san, so I'm counting on you."

Her naming sense was honestly a bit lacking, so I had been asked to think of one, but I had completely forgotten.

I'll think about it properly when I have time.

"The scale has gotten a little smaller than before, but I'm glad I got to work on the project after moving to BCC."

Sakurai-san murmured, with a look as if reminiscing about the past.

"Why is that?"

"It's partly because I'm still inexperienced, but I realized that for a project of this scale, what's important is how much you can make it exactly as you envisioned."

It's true that the novelty of the project she's currently working on accounts for about 80% of its appeal. If that were to be watered down into something safe due to budget constraints, the very act of proposing the project would become nearly meaningless.

In that case, it might be said that it's much happier for the project to be released to the world without losing its charm, even if the budget is tight.

"I bet that's how doujin games got popular."

"Ah, you're right! My friend also said that being able to complete everything by herself is tough but a lot of fun."

This time, Grape is being advanced in such a way that the contract allows participating teams to enjoy as many benefits as possible.

The initial development costs are covered by the company, but in exchange for zero interest, the maximum face value is small. However, the margin on sales is kept to a bare minimum, so that if it's a hit, the team's income will be large.

Also, even if sales don't grow, repayments are structured to be less of a burden, and we've prepared several installment plans.

In short, we've made it so you can choose a path between doujin and commercial.

"To be honest, I want to make games on the front lines too."

Sakurai-san murmured with a bit of a wry smile.

"Thankfully, I found a job even after quitting Succeed. I can continue with Project Grape, it seems to be on track, and everything is going well. But..."

"Unlike with Misukuro, your involvement in the actual production has decreased, hasn't it?"

At her previous job, she was running Project Grape alongside her development work on Misukuro. So, her main job was always development.

However, at BCC, that has reversed. Now, production management and progress tracking are her main duties.

You could say that the importance of Grape has increased that much, but it's also a fact that her hands-on game development work has decreased.

"So, when I'm able to get my own project moving, I think I'll do it with the resolve to quit the company."

"What, you'd go that far?"

Sakurai-san nodded deeply. I never imagined she had thought that far ahead.

But to be able to see a project through to that extent, I even felt a little envious.

"I wonder if I'll ever be able to think like that."

When I said that, Sakurai-san,

"You will! I can tell you love games, Hashiba-san. When that time comes, be the first to let me know!"

She said, looking very happy.

"You're right. Then, when that time comes, I'll definitely submit it for Grape's review."

"Sounds good~. Of course, the review will be strict!"

◇

One month after full-scale production began. Tsurayuki, in charge of the scenario, told me he would rethink the setting and plot, and we decided to take a little time.

Today was the day we promised to see the results. I was fully prepared and waiting for his arrival, but...

"Sorry! I just couldn't get it done by today...!"

As soon as he arrived, he bowed his head deeply, starting off with an apology.

"I expected some difficulties... but starting from zero right away is a bit harsh, isn't it, Tsurayuki?"

Kuroda was the first to speak, with a sigh.

"I'm really sorry. It would be nice if I had something that could be used as a concept, but right now I don't even have that... All I have are things I jotted down in a memo while brainstorming."

"For now, can you show me that? It might lead to a hint."

At my words, Tsurayuki warned me again, "It's really just a memo," before sending us the text file.

When I opened it, it was just as Tsurayuki had said: a mountain of words, some short sentences, and then what seemed to be intended as punchlines, just lines of dialogue.

Kuroda and I both read it and crossed our arms, humming thoughtfully.

"See? It's nothing yet, right? I just couldn't manage to connect and organize it from here..."

The task of creating something from scratch is accompanied by far more difficulties than one might think.

Just because you have a great idea doesn't mean you can expand on it as is; you won't know until you're at the idea stage. It's only when you actually put elements into the idea and try to expand on it from there that you find out for the first time.

You might think, "Well, why don't you just do it right away?" But it takes a lot of mental energy to fumble your way through expanding on a fragment of an idea that's fraught with uncertainty. Because it's something created by a human, a great many factors come into play, such as physical and mental strength, and the situation at the time.

Tsurayuki is currently writing a long light novel series, and since that has been ongoing for a long time, the game work inevitably becomes an "afterthought." It's still fine because he has a favorable impression of our production system, but ever since the manufacturer's blunder during his time at Succeed, he hasn't been on good terms with his editor.

So, just because Tsurayuki's work is behind schedule, we can't lock him in a development room or hotel to make him write, or push him too hard.

(But, if things continue like this, Tsurayuki's work will definitely become a bottleneck.)

Tasks like setting and plot are equivalent to the entire blueprint. If this is delayed, all work could come to a halt.

Of course, Tsurayuki understands that too, so he decides on the bare minimum information needed for the art and sound beforehand, and has them proceed with their work based on that.

But, of course, there are limits to that as well.

That's why today, we absolutely have to create at least a starting point.

"Well then, let's use the ideas we have here now and explore the possibilities of what we can create. Since they're our ideas, you probably can't use them as is, but we might find something while looking for points of improvement."

Appealing ideas exist as fragments.

"It's like something between brainstorming and finalizing the setting. I appreciate it. I'll definitely take you up on that."

Tsurayuki agreed, so the three of us decided to have a meeting first.

◇

The current work, "Clockwork Destiny," or "Clodis," as its name suggests, has a story centered on the theme of time. Motifs such as clocks, clock hands, and numbers are used frequently in the designs, and the general outline of the story is to pursue the truth of a certain incident while traveling between the present and the past.

This follows from the original work, Misukuro, which also had a time-themed setting and story, but the major difference is that while Clodis's major theme is the past, Misukuro's theme was the future.

This was the direction proposed by Tsurayuki. The aim was to avoid similarity by using the theme of time as is, but completely reversing the flow from there.

Both the future and the past are equally interesting themes, and it was a theme I had readily agreed to, confident that Tsurayuki would surely be able to create a moving story from it, but...

"I got stuck there, wondering how I should tweak it..."

It seems that's where the work of digging deeper came to a halt.

"But hey, the past is a theme that's been used to death in entertainment, right? Even if it's not good to use it as is, can't you use it for reference?"

Tsurayuki clearly shook his head at Kuroda's question.

"The past is already fixed and cannot be changed. No matter how much it's a trope used in entertainment, I can't use something that doesn't resonate with me personally."

At his assertive tone, Kuroda also stopped arguing, saying, "Well, that's true." Conversely, I was struck by Tsurayuki's words.

(Does Tsurayuki... does Kawagoe Kyouichi have no regrets about the past?)

When you've lived for a decent amount of time, thoughts like "maybe that choice was wrong," or "if only I had done this back then," start to emerge. Even if you know you can't get it back because it's already passed, what remains is regret.

For me, choosing a university remains a major regret. Of course, at the alma mater I chose back then, I made precious friends and have memories, so it's true that not all my thoughts are bad.

However, the thought of "what if I had chosen the art university back then..." will probably follow me for the rest of my life. These classmates arguing in front of me, who should normally be miles above me. I can't help but fantasize that there might have been a present where I could compete with them on more equal terms.

But neither Tsurayuki nor Kuroda seemed to dwell on such a future of do-overs. It's not for the simple reason that they are successful now, but surely because they have the confidence that they have made choices without regret each time.

(What about me?)

By desperately clinging on, through a series of miracles, I have now managed to come to a place that feels almost out of place for me. So, from here on, what is it that I want to do?

◆

In front of me, a report is being given on the agreements reached in the recent meeting with "them."

"Next, regarding the visuals, there was nothing that appeared to be a reuse of previous motifs. However, since we cannot guarantee that such things will not appear in the future, as a preventative measure, we pointed out the similarities and made an agreement regarding the response, compensation, etc., in the event that they are acknowledged. Next, regarding the sound sources and so on, this as well......"

Hachiya from the legal department reports what happened on the spot without any embellishment, dispassionately. That's very good. Not just in situations like this, it's human nature to try to make oneself look good when reporting to a superior, but this man was accurate in everything, to the point where one might wonder if he lacked emotions.

I can't let Ichikawa's minions create things so easily. I want to make those incompetents who brandish that irredeemable word, "creative"—so ambiguous and seemingly sweet—suffer to their limits. And if possible, I want to crush their production itself.

(No hints so far, huh?)

However, at present, there seemed to be no particular points of interest. I had been thinking of finding fault with any points where repurposing was clearly visible, but according to Hachiya, it seemed to be nothing more than a check.

BCC, no, its parent company Beecraft, has a legal department about on par with ours. Previously, regarding a patented method of screen presentation they didn't want other companies to use, they formed a coalition with several companies, sued to invalidate the patent, and had it accepted.

(They're so irritating. And on top of that, there's that thing with Kawasegawa.)

Succeed and Beecraft are rival companies. In terms of scale, they are more than twice our size, but looking at their momentum over the past few years, it would not be an exaggeration to call them rivals.

But I don't really care about that. The point is whether or not they get in the way of what I'm thinking.

If there were even a hint of it, I could focus on that point and think about how to proceed, but is there nothing?

Despite my wishes, Hachiya continued to speak dispassionately. The documents in his hand were turned one after another, and finally, he reached the last item.

"Finally, regarding the setting, scenario, etc., only on this matter did we receive a request and confirmation from the other party."

...A request and confirmation?

It's concerning that this was the only point where it came up, when there was nothing on the other points.

"Oh? Who said it?"

Probably. If anyone could say something in this situation, I can only imagine one person.

(If he's come, this could get interesting.)

As if in response to my thoughts, Hachiya's mouth opened.

"It was the current Chief Director, Hashiba-san. At our company, he held the position of Assistant Manager of Development Department 2."

"I see."

My prediction was correct. In that case, this opens up room for consideration.

"Interesting. That is, indeed, very interesting."

When I laughed, Hachiya, too, unusually moved the corner of his mouth. It seems he was smiling.

"On that note, I have an idea."

"What a coincidence, so do I. Why don't you let me hear it?"

This time, Hachiya grinned in a way that was clearly recognizable.

"Understood."

He dispassionately began to talk about his "proposal."

◆

In the conference room, the work of brainstorming and giving form to those ideas continued.

On the whiteboard, related words were being written one after another. Then, they were repeatedly connected with lines and new words were added.

"Yeah, not bad. The framework is starting to take shape. Hashiba, are you strong in this genre?"

"Yeah, I guess it's a genre I've been interested in."

Tsurayuki and Kuroda looked at me with an expression that said, "Oh?"

(Well, it's more accurate to say it's based on my own experiences rather than the story itself.)

At this meeting, I was able to come up with a relatively large number of ideas. But that was not from the perspective of "a work like this that I've seen in the past..." but rather from the perspective of "if you were a person with heavy regrets from the past..."

But that seemed to have turned out for the better.

"Yeah, this might work. In a certain kingdom on the verge of being destroyed by a demon king, there is a boy trying to go back to the past and change history. If we start from the point of him trying to find a way to do that, the introduction might also be able to draw interest, don't you think?"

"Alright, let's do it. I'll put it together quickly, so just wait a minute."

In order to develop it in the fantasy world that is the main setting, Kuroda incorporated the current ideas and framework while making adjustments.

(Being able to quickly summarize in times like these is a real skill.)

When it comes to more in-depth work like story and structure, I'm still not able to work as well as Kuroda. In fact, I'm no match for him at all.

It's frustrating to think that the results of his diligent studies since his student days, which he has applied to his work, are showing here.

"Alright, something like this? I'll put it up on the monitor."

From the PC at hand, he displayed the file on the large monitor. The general parts, such as the worldview, history, and protagonist's setting, had been written out and summarized.

As he followed the text with his eyes, Tsurayuki,

"Kuroda, I still think you should seriously consider the writer route."

He said, impressed.

"I've got a good sample right here. That making a living from writing is hell."

"Haha, no doubt about it."

Tsurayuki gave a wry smile at Kuroda's reply.

(I wonder if he's ever invited him to become a writer before...)

It might have just been an inquiry, but it's possible something like that happened.

But indeed, the summary displayed before my eyes was enough to make me acknowledge Kuroda's ability. It was easy to understand, not too long, and concretely written based on the main points. Even the parts that could have been ambiguous were clearly stated.

"Could you take this back with you and work on it a bit more? You can use it as is, but well, you... wouldn't, would you?"

Hearing Kuroda's proposal, Tsurayuki chuckled.

"I won't use it as is. If I were to admit defeat to you, that would probably hinder progress more."

"I thought so."

They have a good relationship, I thought.

They must have competed with each other like this during their student days.

"Alright, then I'll take this home and think about it today. Kuroda, Kyouya, sorry for taking up your time. Thanks."

Tsurayuki stood up, thanked us properly, and left the conference room looking as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Watching him go, Kuroda and I looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief.

◇

"How did Tsurayuki seem to you?"

After finishing work for the day, Kuroda and I were walking to Tamachi station.

I was at a loss for words for a moment at the sudden topic, but,

"Uh... well, I felt like he might have become a little more at ease."

"Yeah. But he hasn't quite reached the point where he's grasped something yet. He might struggle a bit more."

Saying that, Kuroda tilted his head.

"He seemed interested when he saw what you put together, Kuroda."

"That's just lip service from him. If a really good idea came from someone else, he'd be so frustrated he wouldn't say a word."

I see, I thought. Indeed, considering Tsurayuki's competitive spirit, that made sense.

"At first glance, he seems like a cool professional type, but in reality, he's a hot-blooded type whose insides are always boiling. Well, I guess it's better if the fire in his belly warms up a bit from not being able to produce something good this time."

"You're right," I thought, nodding.

I don't think I can come up with an idea that would stimulate him that much, but I'll try to say things that might be stimulating on a regular basis. By doing so, something might catch his attention.

"Well, I have a place to stop by, so I'll see you."

"Yeah, thanks for today. Next time, I'll try to do it properly one-on-one."

At my words, Kuroda chuckled and said, "Don't push yourself too hard," before leaving.

"It's not just the scenario. We have to move forward with the character designs, and we can finally start placing orders for the sound..."

In fact, full-scale interactions with the members of Platinum will begin, which will force me to be more nervous than ever before.

Akishima-san... Shinoaki, and N@NA-san both seem like very good people, so I don't think I'll have trouble in that regard. But there's no doubt that we're both top-class professionals, so letting my guard down is out of the question.

(At times like this, I wish I had a senior colleague...)

In my department, there's my boss, Kawasegawa, and my colleague, Kuroda. Of course, they're both competent, and I can consult with them, but they're my peers, and since they both have a lot of work and responsibility, I can't just casually ask for advice.

In other words, I have to pave my own way.

"Huh... is that you, Hashiba-kun?"

Suddenly, I heard a nostalgic voice.

My wish for a senior colleague must have summoned Horii-san's voice as an auditory hallucination. It would be one thing in Gotanda where Succeed is, but in faraway Tamachi...

"...Wait, whaaat? Horii-san?"

In front of me was that "takoyaki-san" I used to see frequently until about half a year ago.

"It's been a while. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

Horii-san, smiling cheerfully, seemed completely unchanged from before.

"Um, well... I'm..."

But now, he and I are employees of different companies, and ones whose relationship has soured considerably. Just meeting and talking won't be a problem, but it still doesn't look good.

Horii-san seemed to notice this and, in a small voice, said,

"There's a little-known coffee shop nearby. Shall we go there?"

I immediately nodded in silence.

◇

Down a couple of alleys was the coffee shop Horii-san mentioned.

It was more fitting to call it a traditional coffee shop than a "cafe," with a Coke-logo sign out front, and an interior filled with things that retro enthusiasts would love: soot-stained orange chairs reminiscent of the Showa era and round tables.

"For a long time, there's been a printing shop in Tamachi that I've been indebted to. I went to pay my respects, and every time I came, I would have lunch here."

It was already evening, and since we were about to have a meal, we both had coffee.

"But it's true, employees from our parent company probably wouldn't come here."

"That's right. I think it's at a level where perhaps only the true veterans of Beecraft might know about it."

Having this kind of conversation also felt strange somehow.

Horii-san was my former boss, and in Succeed's 13th Development Department, a motley crew of misfits, he was, to put it bluntly, a manager in name only.

But later, I would come to realize that, including the backgrounds of the department members, this was a huge mistake. The staff were all capable people who had been exiled for defying the company's mainstream faction or their superiors, and their leader, Horii-san, was also a top runner who had once been at the forefront of development.

I don't know why that Horii-san was demoted to the manager of Department 13. But now, as a direct subordinate of the Managing Director, he is once again demonstrating his prowess in a new department.

Normally, he shouldn't even be able to talk to me, a traitor.

"Um, I'm meeting everyone from Department 13 later today."

The words, "Would you like to join us?" almost came out, but...

"I see. Please give them my regards."

He replied quietly, and I thought it was the right decision not to say it.

It's just speculation, but I think Horii-san is currently in a position where he is half-trusted and half-monitored by the Managing Director.

In fact, we hadn't seen each other or contacted each other by email or phone for a long time. There was nothing to hide, but from the Managing Director's perspective, it would be understandable if he thought we were connected behind the scenes and leaking information.

Therefore, meeting with me like this must also be quite risky.

"Hashiba-kun, I'm sure you understand, but..."

Horii-san placed the coffee he was holding on the table.

"Due to my position, meeting and talking with you is not looked upon favorably by the company's upper management."

"...Yes, I understand."

As I thought, my prediction was correct.

"But, I just couldn't help feeling nostalgic, and there was something I wanted to tell you, so I called out to you."

"Something you wanted to tell me?"

"Yes," Horii-san replied and picked up his coffee again. He took a gentle sip of the hot coffee.

"That person has not given up yet. Please do not let your guard down."

I felt a jolt, as if electricity had run down my spine.

"That person"... even without saying it directly, it was clear he was referring to the Managing Director.

I had thought that was probably the case, but the words from someone who is actually close to him were, as expected, powerful.

"Are you saying... he's plotting something?"

To my question, Horii-san vaguely shook his head.

"I don't know. I think his trust in me is close to zero. I've been entrusted with the business, but I'm completely cut off from information about anything else."

"Is... that so?"

It seems my worst fears were confirmed.

"But, there are things I can say. The other day, that person called in Hachiya from Legal to talk. I believe he probably visited you for negotiations as well."

"Yes, he did."

That guy with the nasty look in his eyes, who seemed emotionless.

"Hachiya is in legal, but he has a network of information throughout the game industry and also has production experience. He's a scary man. The fact that he's teaming up with that person is something I think you should be careful about. Please be cautious."

The fact that he knows the field, not just the paperwork, certainly felt scary.

"To the extent that even you would say that, Horii-san?"

"Me? I'm just a foot soldier. I'm just old and know a few things."

Horii-san said, laughing sadly.

"The more I talk about the old days, the more I realize I'm getting old, but recently, I've been thinking about it a lot. That I want to go back to the past and do it all over again."

I remembered Tsurayuki's words from the other day.

"Even you think about such things, Horii-san?"

"It's precisely because I'm a guy like me that I think about it. Especially now, seeing all of you struggling, I can't help but wonder if everything I did was wrong."

I wonder if Horii-san made some kind of mistake. Since he doesn't say anything specific, I can only guess, but I wonder if I'll find out something as I keep listening.

However, Horii-san's story ended there.

He turned to me with a face that clearly said, "I've talked too much."

"Let's end it here. We shouldn't stay too long and be seen by someone."

"...You're right."

As I stood up, Horii-san gently bowed his head towards me.

"Do your best. This is all I can say right now. It's pathetic."

"No, not at all... just receiving your warning is more than enough."

From his tone, I knew all too well that his words came at a considerable risk.

And though it's unavoidable, it was unbearably sad that I could only connect with my former boss through words like these.

◇

After parting with Horii-san, I took a train from Tamachi and headed to Itabashi.

It was a place I wasn't very familiar with, but Miyamoto-san's judgment was that compared to the southern part of the Yamanote Line where there were likely to be many acquaintances, a meeting here would not stand out.

I entered a specialty horse meat restaurant that he frequents. Mixed in with the staff's "Irasshaimase~" was Miyamoto-san's voice saying, "Hey, Hashiba, over here!"

I headed towards the voice and sat down in front of everyone.

"Some kind of meeting? It's rare for you to be last, Hashiba-kun."

Kojima-san asked.

"No, I just had a sudden meeting with someone."

"Hmm," she replied in her usual way, making it unclear whether she was interested or not.

(You can't let your guard down, because surprisingly, she sometimes says she was listening properly.)

After retiring from Succeed, Kojima-san turned down a huge number of recruitment offers and is involved in various businesses as a freelancer. According to what I hear, her monthly income suddenly tripled.

"Hashiba-san is really busy right now... and dealing with other places is also a lot of work."

Sakurai-san added in support.

"No, I really never would have imagined that Hashiba, who came in as a mysterious mid-career hire, would be such a go-getter. It's amazing, seriously."

Miyamoto-san also crossed his arms and nodded repeatedly.

(Well, from my perspective, everyone else is the same.)

It's clear that Sakurai-san is already at the core of development, and Miyamoto-san, after transferring to the online manga business department, quickly rose to an editor-in-chief position. I really think that Department 13 was full of elites.

But looking at it from a different perspective, that might be something that could happen at other companies too. I wonder how much of a loss it is to have departments and personnel with ability who are being left out in the cold.

Thinking about the circumstances of the person I had just met, I had mixed feelings.

"Actually, I ran into Horii-san by chance just now."

I felt the faces of the three of them tighten in an instant.

"He seemed to be doing well. But it seems it's still difficult for him to talk about various things... He asked me to give you his regards."

Everyone seemed relieved to hear that.

"I see. Well, as long as the department manager is okay, that's fine."

"We were worried, leaving only the department manager there."

"I really want to meet and talk to him. I'm finally able to work now..."

Miyamoto-san, Kojima-san, and Sakurai-san.

Each of them had a feeling of gratitude towards the department manager. But because of that, I couldn't tell them about the manager's apparent anguish.

But I have to tell them this.

"And I have one more message."

Everyone's faces turned towards me.

"He said to be careful of... the Managing Director. I don't know what to be careful of, though."

Everyone sighed at once. Miyamoto-san's expression was clearly one of anger.

"That bastard, is he still planning something? He's too persistent!"

"I just want him to leave us alone..."

Sakurai-san must have been really affected by what happened before, as she looked down.

"However, 'be careful' is such a wishy-washy way of putting it. If we had proof he was plotting something, we could take countermeasures."

"I know, right..."

In fact, if you're told to be careful about something you can take measures against, like driving a car or a disaster, there are things you can do.

But taking action against a scheme that may or may not even exist yet is quite the hard mode.

"That's where you come in, isn't it, Miyamoto-san?"

Kojima-san quickly interjected.

"What do you mean?"

"Because, you're at an information site-related company now, right, Miyamoto-san? If you check with companies or outsourcers connected to Succeed, you might find some hints."

Miyamoto-san nodded deeply.

"That's true. Well, there are things you won't know until you try... but still, if we can get information that allows us to get ahead, it's worth a shot."

He immediately took out his smartphone and started making some kind of contact.

"I'm having them pull a list of companies that do business with Succeed. Also, anywhere that has movement outside of main development. I'll contact you if I find anything."

"Thank you, that's really reassuring..."

Miyamoto-san said bashfully,

"Well, I have to be useful in situations like this. I caused trouble for you and everyone else."

"Don't say that, it's fine now."

He seemed to still be bothered by what happened before. It was certainly a difficult situation, but considering what came after, it turned out to be a good catalyst.

"Then, maybe I'll try looking into industries that are hard for you to cover, Miyamoto-san. You probably don't have many routes into B2B system companies."

"Right, that would be a big help!"

And so, they immediately began to exchange information with each other.

In this area, having these two is a real help. Their areas of expertise are so perfectly divided, it's as if it was planned from the start.

"I want to be able to work without any worries soon..."

Sakurai-san let out these words as if from the bottom of her heart.

I felt the same way, but from the looks of it, that time still seemed far off.

"Alright, enough with the gloomy talk, let's drink! Excuse me, four medium draft beers!"

I still had some lingering uneasy feelings, but for the time being, the regular meeting started with Miyamoto-san's call, and before I knew it, my worries had disappeared into the alcohol.

◇

The grassroots investigation began, and we decided to proceed quietly until something was found, so we returned to our usual work.

It was around that time, when I was thinking of getting back to development as usual, that a certain person suddenly came to see me.

"This background has a lot of natural objects, so Miyano-san... but he said he's booked this month. Then I'll give this workshop interior to Oku-san, and with the free hand..."

While staring down the schedule and considering where to order the background art,

"Ah, Hashiba-san, um..."

The staff member sitting directly across from me called out to me with a somewhat tense expression.

"Hm? What's up?"

When I replied, the staff member looked behind me.

"Um, the president is..."

Hearing such an unexpected name, I quickly turned around.

"Heeey Hashiba-kun, good work today~"

Waving her hand, the president of our company, BCC, was standing there.

"Ah, yes, good work to you too...!"

As expected, I stood up and bowed properly.

In terms of size, BCC is not that large a company. That said, it's normal to be surprised when the president suddenly shows up in your usual workspace.

However, this President Ichikawa visits the development department very casually. Apparently, she does something similar at the Beecraft head office, and the employees are surprised every time. I can see why.

"Um, so what is your business here today...?"

The president smiled brightly.

"There's something I'd like to tell you. So I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time."

"Yes, I'm free to move now..."

When I answered, the president nodded.

"Then, shall we go to the conference room? I've called Kawasegawa-san too~"

Saying that, she headed towards the conference room with a cheerful look.

"I wonder what that was about..."

Honestly, I felt nothing but a sense of unease.

(I wonder if she's plotting something.)

On a different vector from the Managing Director, I don't really understand what Ichikawa-san is thinking.

The recent bento battle was like that too. A tense event occurred where I had both my boss and the person in charge of management make me a bento, and I ended up extremely tired.

I really wanted them to stop completely, but in the end, neither Ichikawa-san nor Kawasegawa would bend on their conclusion that they wanted to continue making them, so the result was Kawasegawa on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and Ichikawa-san on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a sandwich of tension.

"Ichikawa-san just wouldn't give in..."

I learned that she is much more stubborn and insistent on having her own way than I thought. I wouldn't go so far as to call her a one-man show, but she was a person who was confident in her decisions, or rather, someone who firmly asserted her will.

On top of that, not knowing what she'll do next is the most terrifying thing of all.

"Something to tell me... I wonder what it is. Maybe about 'Clodis'?"

To go to the trouble of borrowing a conference room, and with Kawasegawa present as well, it's expected to be something that concerns the entire development department.

Surely, it's not an extension of the recent bento battle, though.

"No way, right?"

Praying that the conference room would not become a bloody battlefield, I hurried there.

◇

"Nice to meet you~! My name is Takenaka Rio, and I'm in charge of Nico Nama at Jiwango! It's the 'Take' from bamboo, the 'Naka' from Naka-chan in KanColle, and the 'Rio' from cherry blossoms blooming in a village, making Takenaka Rio! I look forward to working with you!!"

And so, waiting in the conference room was a young woman who was energetic, cute, and had a strangely quirky way of introducing herself.

"Ah, hello, I'm Hashiba from BCC development... but, um, who is this?"

To my natural question, President Ichikawa, with a broad smile on her face,

"Hashiba-kun, shall we try doing a Nico Nama livestream!"

She suddenly blurted out.

"..................Huh??"

When I gave a dumbfounded reply to her all-too-sudden suggestion,

"BCC has just been established, so we don't have our own promotional channel. So, when it came up in the marketing department meeting that we should make one, the President reached out."

Kawasegawa explained the circumstances in her stead.

"That's right! And because they were a huge help when we made Beecraft's channel before, we asked the person in charge at Jiwango to help us out too!"

"Yes! Ichikawa-san, I, Takenaka, am truly indebted to you!"

Okay, I understood up to the point of why this Takenaka-san was here. I understood, but.

"So then, why am I the one doing a livestream...?"

The explanation seemed like it would drag on, so when I asked the question myself,

"Because it's better to have someone from the development department who can explain the situation, right~? So when I checked with Kawasegawa-san, she said if that's the case, then Hashiba-kun should do it."

"K-Kawasegawa...?"

When I instinctively stared at Kawasegawa, she clearly averted her gaze, made an apologetic face, and pursed her lips tightly.

(Th-that Kawasegawa, she used me as a scapegoat...!)

In the first place, I think it's proper for the producer to appear in these things, but the shy Kawasegawa probably hated the idea.

I wanted to complain that she had spoken so confidently at the BCC transfer event... but she looked like she was about to collapse from nervousness afterward, so maybe it can't be helped.

"Ah, but if that's the case, then Kuro-"

"Hashiba, if he were to appear on the stream every time, would you want to watch?"

Kawasegawa cut in, almost talking over me.

I think Kuroda's appearance could be called handsome, but he has a mean look in his eyes, a foul mouth, and is far from user-friendly. In fact, it's at a level where Kawasegawa has ordered him not to use social media on behalf of the company.

He might attract female fans who want to be dominated, but that's not what we're looking for, so this option is out.

"Sorry, that's not happening."

I deny it, but then the question is, what do we do?

At this point, it's increasingly looking like I'm the only one left, but...

"Um, I'm not good at talking, and my voice isn't particularly distinctive, you know?"

"No, no, no, it's to-tally fine! Hashiba-san, you have a pretty cool voice ('ikebo'), and I think you'll be able to do it smoothly once you learn the initial ropes!"

For some reason, Takenaka-san has taken a liking to me and is pushing for me excessively.

"Even if you tell me that..."

I've been hit with a proposal so high-hurdled that it makes me want to complain in a Kansai dialect.

(Well, there's no one else suitable, I guess.)

It would be too much for Sakurai-san, so perhaps the answer is already decided.

"I understand. I'll do it."

When I told them okay, the president and Takenaka-san both shouted "Yay!" in joy. Kawasegawa, perhaps feeling guilty as expected, made a praying gesture with one hand to convey her "sorry."

"Well, since that's settled, shall we have the first stream as early as tomorrow!"

Ichikawa-san clapped her hands and said something outrageous.

"What? T-tomorrow!?"

I'm not mentally prepared for that, and you're telling me so suddenly!

"I thought it's better to do these things sooner rather than later, but is it impossible?"

"No, I mean, for this kind of thing, don't you usually need preparations, like a logo for the stream, setting up a studio, and so on?"

I said I wasn't mentally prepared, but there must be things to prepare before that. I know at least that much from the knowledge I've gained so far.

However, as if she had seen right through that, Takenaka-san smiled fearlessly.

"Fufufu, that's actually fine~. Department Manager Kawasegawa has already ordered everything from the logo onwards for this stream!"

"Wh-what!?"

I looked at Kawasegawa in surprise. Once again, she averted her eyes and made a "sorry" pose! This is unbelievable!

"...So you were planning this from the very beginning."

In other words, this plan had been in motion for a long time, and it had already been decided that I would be the streamer. On that premise, they ordered the logo and everything else, with the plan to reveal it all the day before the first stream as a big pre-stream reveal.

"Mhm, that's great, Hashiba-kun, you're making a great face~"

Seeing my surprised face, the president was smiling happily the whole time.

(I've been had.)

Well, it wasn't that harsh of a prank, but I never thought my streaming debut would happen like this.

From now until the stream starts tomorrow, I should at least study by watching other corporate channel streams...

"Um~"

As I was entering a state of resignation, Takenaka-san quietly approached me.

"Hashiba-san, this whole exchange, we've actually been filming it all..."

Where she pointed, a video camera was firmly set up.

"I was thinking of editing this and releasing it, too~"

"Y-you'll at least let me check it, right~!"

All I can say is, I thought being a streamer must be tough.

◇

After having a terrible time, I decided to go home right away and left the office pretty much on time. I got on the Yamanote Line, and was about to transfer to the Odakyu Line at Shinjuku when,

"Maybe just for today, it's okay to have a little drink."

I muttered to myself, thinking it would be fine as long as it didn't affect tomorrow's stream.

"That's fine~. The President will give you special permission!"

A voice suddenly spoke from behind my neck.

I stared back at the person with the most reproachful gaze possible.

"I don't usually say this, but please treat me today, President."

"Of course-erooni!"

I received an instant reply with a cute smile that didn't look like a president's at all. To an outsider, we probably looked like colleagues or a direct boss and subordinate. But in reality, our relationship is the unchangeable one of employer and employee.

A few minutes' walk from the nearest station, Yurigaoka. I enter the izakaya where I had drunk with Ichikawa-san before.

Thinking back, I used to frequent this place often until it was revealed that she was the president. Ichikawa-san seemed to be a regular too, and we often ran into each other by chance, but after getting hit with the terrifying spoiler that "I'm actually the president of your company~," my feet somehow started to stay away.

"Lately, Kyouya-san hasn't been drinking with me at all, so I'm lonely~"

As soon as we entered the shop and sat down, the president began to complain.

"Normally, salarymen don't drink casually with their president."

"Ah, so cold! So that's how you talk, how awful! I'm gonna lower your performance review!"

From a department head, maybe, but if the top brass said something like this, I don't think a normal salaryman could survive.

In any case, we ordered the same kind of snacks as always, the same kind of drinks as always, and the drinking session began.

"So, why the sudden talk about a livestream?"

When I asked, Ichikawa-san laughed like Kuroda with a "hee hee hee."

"That Takenaka-chan from Jiwango, isn't she cute? So energetic, and a hard worker to boot. I figured she's probably your type, Kyouya-san!"

"Please answer the question, honestly!"

Well, Takenaka-san was certainly cute. She looked like a university student, with a kind of small-animal cuteness that made you want to rustle her hair.

"It's exactly the reason I just told you~. Nowadays, people get their information from the internet far more than from game magazines, so it's better to have a place to broadcast from, right?"

"W-well, that's true, but in that case, couldn't we have done more, like bring in a voice actor as the personality?"

When I expressed my protest on that point, just in case,

"Cost reduction, and my personal hobby."

"Huh?"

"It's just as I said~. If we call a voice actor for the weekly stream every time, it'll cost a lot, and if we bring in a scriptwriter, that'll cost too. On that point, if it's you, Kyouya-san, you can write the script and vet the information yourself."

"And, what about that hobby part?"

"I've liked your voice for a while, Kyouya-san~! So, when I had Takenaka-chan listen to a secret recording of your voice from a meeting, she replied, 'Seriously, this guy has a cool voice!' so I was like, 'Right~?!' And that sealed the deal!"

I sighed. Putting the latter half aside, I thought the reason in the first half was certainly true, but as it is, it seems unlikely to get good numbers.

"We need to think of a segment, like making some kind of rule, and if I can't do it, there's a penalty game, and then showing me getting flustered in that flow, and then..."

As I was talking about what I'd thought of, I noticed Ichikawa-san grinning at me, and I stopped talking.

"Aw, I wanted to hear more about your ideas."

"I'm not doing it. I'd rather just talk about the game."

Ichikawa-san looked dissatisfied, but I decided to cut the conversation short. If I had kept talking, she might have suggested we record request voices.

"Well, I'm going to talk about the game, is that okay?"

"That's fine."

Ichikawa-san's eyes seemed to... sparkle.

"I heard that Kawagoe-sensei decided to create a new setting and plot."

I almost choked on my snack.

"Y-yes, that's right, but what about it...?"

"It's not a problem or anything. It's just that, considering all the circumstances, I thought it was a courageous decision."

Saying that, Ichikawa-san quickly downed her sake.

(She points it out properly, as expected.)

I've heard that Ichikawa-san was in charge of progress management at Beecraft's head office for a long time. Moreover, it was apparently an overseas studio, so she must have gone through considerable hardship.

For that reason, she probably wanted to confirm any points that could lead to delays.

"Of course, in terms of time and effort, I believe choosing to arrange the existing material would have been the correct answer. However..."

"However?"

After composing my breathing, I answer in a firm tone.

"We caused Kawagoe-sensei a lot of trouble at the previous workplace. It is our responsibility that we couldn't provide an environment where he could create without inconvenience. That's why this time, we want to follow his intentions as much as possible and back him up."

Just like Ichikawa-san a moment ago, I also quickly downed the sake in my hand.

"I'm sorry, this may sound presumptuous, but I want to cherish that point."

I thought she might look at me with cold eyes... but contrary to my expectation, the president was smiling at me.

"You really value your creators, don't you, Kyouya-san."

"I intend to... yes."

"But please remember. As I've said before, this is a business. Brand, reputation, and sales. Please make your decisions with the goal of achieving a definite plus in all these areas."

Ichikawa-san's tone, which should have been light and floaty from being drunk, became sharp just for this moment.

"Yes, I'll be careful."

Now that I've decided, I thought I should take responsibility and act accordingly.

After returning home, I immersed myself in watching archives of corporate streams. That said, I didn't learn anything particularly useful, and only gained a few common-sense points to be careful about, like speaking as clearly as possible and avoiding negative comments.

"I guess I'll just have to try it first."

My anxiety was endless, but I had no choice but to believe that only experience would resolve this.

◇

The next day. I went to work with a somewhat heavy heart. My mind was filled with thoughts of the first stream, scheduled to start at 8 p.m. after work, and I could barely focus on my tasks.

To my great regret, it seemed that a streaming booth of sorts had already been set up in the office, and the equipment was all in perfect condition. Though, apparently they leased it because the budget wouldn't cover buying everything.

I received an internal call from Kawasegawa, so I headed to the conference room where preparations were complete.

"Whoa."

The former conference room had been so completely transformed into a studio that a voice escaped me involuntarily.

Inside, Takenaka-san was briskly setting up the equipment, and Kawasegawa was watching the work with great interest.

"We've been setting this up for about two weeks, and we've got some really great equipment, so please stream to your heart's content without worrying about a thing~!"

Since we're officially requesting this from Jiwango, Takenaka-san will continue to come as an equipment engineer and assistant.

That's helpful, but I'm still a little dissatisfied about how they brilliantly set up this prank. Not with Takenaka-san, but with my two bosses.

"I'm sorry. Putting aside the fact that you're the one doing it, I wasn't very keen on the prank part."

Kawasegawa spoke to me, looking somewhat apologetic.

"Huh? But didn't you say, Department Manager, that you wanted to see Hashiba-san's flustered face once in a while?"

At Takenaka-san's leak, I glared at Kawasegawa's face.

"I have work to do, so I'll be excusing myself now."

She scurried away to her desk. Takenaka-san giggled.

"You're so loved, Hashiba-san~"

"I'm just being played with. I'll have to get my revenge someday."

"When that time comes, Takenaka will help you~. Ah, I'm doing a sound check, so please say a few words."

As told, I give a simple self-introduction and talk about today's weather.

"Okay! That's great~, the volume is perfect, but more than that, your voice is really good, Hashiba-san. Have you never streamed before?"

"Yeah, never."

I answer, waving my hand from side to side.

"In that case, maybe you should take this opportunity to try it out seriously. In the next few years, streaming is definitely going to hit its peak."

Takenaka-san says cheerfully. As someone who makes a living from games, it's complicated, but since the Nico Nama boom, game streaming has become an existence that even manufacturers can't ignore.

"Right now, is game streaming the main thing?"

I'm not very knowledgeable about it, so I took this opportunity to ask.

"That's right, there are many people who do it as an extension of Nico Nama, but from now on, I guess it's probably Virtual YouTubers~"

"Virtual YouTubers... you say?"

Since I do this kind of work, I was at least aware of the name, but to be honest, I didn't have much knowledge about it. But since an expert like Takenaka-san says so, it must be a promising genre for the future.

"We're pushing it quite a bit at our company too, producing them and helping with their streams, but I have a feeling it's going to get even more exciting in the next two or three years!"

"Streaming, huh."

I'm the type who used to watch game streams on Nico Nama, so I can sort of understand how those kinds of people will be stepping up from now on.

But how do they monetize it? Can they get by on just donations? Even if they do live shows, how developed is the infrastructure for that?

(I'll have to study up on it eventually.)

In front of me, Takenaka-san is skillfully preparing for the stream. She's lively and seems lighthearted at first glance, but she appears to be very serious and diligent about her work.

I haven't had much interaction with people in the live streaming scene, but it's true that they were much more proper than the preconceived image I had.

"By the way, Takenaka-san, have you always been working in streaming?"

When I asked out of curiosity, she replied, "Well~" while connecting something.

"Originally, I wanted to try making games too."

"What, really?"

An aspiring colleague from an unexpected place.

"I had been doing music and art for a long time, so I wanted a job where I could use those skills, but I just couldn't seem to find a person or work that I admired."

"You weren't that passionate about it?"

"Yep, yep, it was more like, 'Well, I'm good at it, so why not~'."

I see, I thought. I entered the industry purely out of admiration, but the motivation of "because I can use my skills" is certainly a plausible reason.

"So, I went to a normal university and was job hunting, I failed miserably with the game companies, and for some reason, only Jiwango picked me up."

At the time, Jiwango was pushing Nico Nama and various real-life events, so she had been working behind the scenes and planning for them all along.

"It was fun once I joined, and what's more, I get to meet people working on the cutting edge, so I thought, 'You never know until you try.' Now, I'm really enjoying it."

True to her words, Takenaka-san seemed to be moving with great vitality.

I dedicated my youth to games and was saved by illustrations, music, and light novels, so I think I will continue to follow such media.

But it's also a good opportunity, and I've started to think that maybe it would be good to take streaming a little more seriously from now on.

(And my voice was complimented.)

Of course, there's probably a lot of social courtesy involved, but being complimented is genuinely nice.

"Alright, it's 15 minutes to go, so let's just review today's flow!"

To the energetic Takenaka-san who was taking charge, I replied with a loud "Yes!"

◇

The day after the stream, I was waiting for someone in the conference room again.

Eventually, on time, the person I was waiting for opened the door and came in.

"Good work, thanks for making time when you're busy toda—"

Shinoaki, who had just entered, spoke cheerfully right from the get-go.

"Kyouya-kun, I watched the stream~!"

Honestly, I just wanted to disappear.

"...Can I go home today?"

"Nope! I've got a lot of things I want you to check, so I'm definitely not lettin' you go home~"

She deliberately stood in front of the door, blocking my way.

"You don't have to be so embarrassed, it was fun~"

"It was tough for the one doing it! Honestly, I have nothing but regrets from start to finish..."

I held my head in my hands and hung it down in exaggerated dejection.

The first Nico Nama livestream, held last night. I was the main host, with Takenaka-san in an assistant-like position, but right after we started, my mind went blank, and after skipping everything I was going to say in my greeting, it was a situation akin to the torments of hell.

I got the title wrong, misread people's names, got the order wrong, misread the viewers' comments, got the remaining time wrong, I got everything wrong.

Thanks to Takenaka-san throwing me a lifeline, the stream itself somehow managed to maintain its appearance. However, as for me, I was too nervous and tense, and it was nowhere near a level where I could talk about quality. After it ended, I was exhausted, and Takenaka-san encouraged me by saying, "For a first time, it was perfect!" but that consideration was, conversely, painful.

In any case, the first stream was the absolute worst for me.

Because I was in such a tattered state, Shinoaki's innocent "I watched it~!" hit me with the force of a powerful gut punch. To recover from this, I needed to grasp some kind of impetus for the next stream.

But, of course, there was no such thing.

"If the viewers were happy, that's good enough. Besides, it's only gonna get better from here, so don't you worry."

Shinoaki's smile makes me feel pathetic, yet happy.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll try my best."

In a previous meeting with Tsurayuki and N@NA-san, I made an agreement with Shinoaki... Akishima Shino-san, to speak informally and use first names.

Of course, it didn't go smoothly at first, and the scene of me accidentally speaking politely and getting protested by Shinoaki each time repeated itself many times.

And finally, after a few meetings, we started to be able to talk frankly, but in that process, I realized one thing.

(I-I'm being healed.)

Yes, she, the most important and respected creator of the Platinum Generation, was an incredibly healing presence.

Her relaxed way of speaking, the Kyushu dialect that seems to come out when she lets her guard down, her mannerisms when she does something—I realized now, after all this time, that each and every one of these things was very comforting and soothing to the soul.

Of course, that doesn't mean anything changes. She is, without a doubt, an important work partner, someone with whom I will be interacting more and more to produce deliverables. To bring a kind of impure feeling into that would be to do a disservice to Kawasegawa and Kuroda, who put me in this important position.

"Kyouya-kun, next is this one."

"Y-yes... okay."

But, that soft voice that comes unexpectedly always makes me let my guard down for a moment.

Previously, in an interview for her art book, there were words from her editor published as a supplement. While naturally praising her work and the resolute attitude with which she creates it, they also said that once you work with her, you become a fan of her as a person. I was only now recalling those words.

We finished checking today's submissions, and had about 30 minutes of scheduled time left. She said she had a meeting at a publisher in Iidabashi later and wanted to kill some time. Of course, I was happy to accompany her.

After talking about yesterday's stream and about Kawasegawa and Kuroda from the development department, the topic shifted to her creations.

There, I finally said what I had wanted to tell her for a long time.

"I... was once saved by your art book, Akishima-san... Shinoaki."

I first got my hands on her art book when I was 27, five years after I started working, so about three years ago.

At that time, it was around when I realized that the bishoujo game maker I had boldly changed jobs to was actually a super exploitative company. In those days filled with nothing but anxiety and suffering for a future I couldn't see, even though it was an industry I had longed to enter, my spirit was on the verge of breaking.

In that miserable situation, I happened to buy her art book. The characters, leaping and smiling, seemed to be alive and moving. I was encouraged, and strength was born in me. It was all truly painful work, but it gave me the energy to at least try to create something.

If I hadn't come across her art book at that time, I think there's a high probability that I would have either severely broken my body or resorted to self-harm. I was that cornered.

That's why I believe she, her work, saved my life. I told Shinoaki something along those lines in brief.

It had turned into a very selfish, almost confessional message, and I regretted it a little after speaking, but...

"I'm so happy...! To think that something I made was able to help you, Kyouya-kun, it makes me glad I became an artist."

"I'm glad you said that."

I was relieved from the bottom of my heart.

Of course, I'm sure there was some social courtesy in her consideration for me, and even if she had found it annoying to be told such things, I felt a sense of guilt for having created a flow where it would be difficult for her to say so, as if I had done something very unfair.

Still, it was something I had wanted to thank her for for a long time. The story of a 30-year-old man saved by a single creation. To others, it might be something to wonder "why so much?", but for me, it was a moment equivalent to meeting a god.

Shinoaki took a sip of the tea in her paper cup.

"When I draw a new character, I'm serious, I draw with the intention of bringing them into this world. So, when you said they look like they're alive and moving, Kyouya-kun, I was very happy, and that was my ideal."

The character's clothes, mannerisms, build, personality, way of speaking. After inputting all information about the character, she literally gives birth to them. The effort involved was extraordinary.

"So, it takes a lot of stamina every time, and it gets tiring~. But if I don't do that, even if I manage to draw the picture, it feels like it won't come to life and move."

She laughs, "fufufu," and gently looks up at the ceiling as if remembering something.

"For Misukuro, too, Tsurayuki-kun thought up the character settings so carefully, and based on that, I came up with all sorts of characters. Among them, the one he said was the most important, the magical girl who controls clocks, that girl... turned out very well."

I remembered.

When I joined the company, there was a character design that had already been completed. Among them was a character who was drawn with particular care, from her expression to her movements. Her name was O-clock-chan, taken from "o'clock." She was popular with the staff.

"I really liked her, you know. When a character really comes to life in my heart, there are times when I feel like they could actually start living and moving, and that girl... was exactly like that."

From the clear case I was carrying, I took out a rough sketch in an envelope.

"This... is the character, right?"

The moment Shinoaki saw the character, her expression brightened up.

"Yes! It's this girl, how nostalgic... Have you been well?"

And when she received the drawing, she traced it over and over with her finger, a gentle smile on her face. Seeing her like that, I felt a little like crying.

The words Shinoaki said earlier, about giving birth to a character. I was convinced that they were true words, without a single lie or falsehood.

She wasn't just tracing the picture. She was stroking the child she had created. That's how much effort it takes to create something from scratch.

It's a matter of course, but I was made to realize it.

"It's not just with Misukuro, but with art jobs, sometimes you finish drawing something and it never sees the light of day, it just gets stuck somewhere."

Startled, I looked up.

"I understand that since I'm drawing pictures, making them into products, and getting paid, there are some things that can't be helped. But to be told 'we paid you, so it's fine' without much of a reason, and to have what I created just put away somewhere... it's painful."

"...I'm sorry."

"It's not for you to apologize, Kyouya-kun. If it's someone like you who treasures them like that, I can work with peace of mind."

Shinoaki smiled and said that, but I couldn't bring myself to be happy about it.

(We... that company, did such a thing.)

Company circumstances, power struggles, strategies for selling. I understand, of course, that a company, in its role of generating profits and moving society, cannot always operate ideally.

But behind the scenes, an act akin to bloodshed is being committed: taking something filled with someone's feelings and locking it away in a coffin, in a room that will never be opened again.

A single image file of several hundred megabytes, a single text file of several hundred kilobytes, is packed with the joy and suffering of the life of the person who created it.

Perhaps concerned by my silence,

"Sorry, sorry, this has gotten a bit heavy. Shall we end it here?"

"Ah, me too, making a gloomy face."

No matter how serious a face I make, it won't solve anything. The most effective means of preventing further tragedy should be to properly advance the game we are creating right now.

"Oh, right!"

Clapping her hands with a "pachin," Shinoaki says as if she remembered something.

"Hey, hey, Kyouya-kun, we're done with today's checks for Clodis, right?"

"Yeah, we finished with that last one."

When I answered, Shinoaki made a pleading gesture.

"Could you give me some advice on one more thing?"

"Uh, sure... what is it?"

Shinoaki took out the portable LCD tablet she was holding and arranged several rough images on the screen. They were all in portrait orientation, with a composition of one girl and a background.

"We talked a little about the next art book before, right?"

I nod, saying "yeah." It's something I heard in a meeting a little while ago.

It's scheduled for release in 2-3 months, so there was also the matter of wanting to include pictures from Clodis in advance for promotional purposes, and we were in the process of discussing permission with the publisher.

"Right now, I'm cutting the roughs for the cover... but I'm having trouble deciding on a composition."

She enlarged and spread out the image to show me.

This time the theme is "Spring." In line with that theme, variations of a girl standing or sitting were laid out in front of precise, spring-like backgrounds such as cherry blossom-lined streets and lush green trees.

"I'm thinking of choosing from among these, but I just can't seem to find a decisive one."

At first glance, they all seem correct to me. There isn't a single one with a lazy composition, and even from just one of these roughs, you can tell she is a rare talent.

"From your perspective, Kyouya-kun, what do you think?"

I'm being asked something incredible, I thought.

I'm being asked for my opinion, "which one is good?", by the person who drew the single picture that changed my life. Not even a few dozen minutes have passed since I gathered my courage and spoke to her in person for the first time. Honestly, I have nothing to say, but...

"I..."

I once again stare at the screen so hard it feels like I could burn a hole in it.

The roughs had some basic colors in them, but the balance was also very good. There were no flaws, but it wasn't boring either.

But, if I had to say something.

(It's a little... different from "Sunflower".)

In her first art book, I was captivated by the character's expression, but the composition and direction that led to it were truly brilliant.

Compared to that skill, the skill of this cover illustration seems to come from a slightly more practiced hand, or rather, from a place of being accustomed to it, in a good way.

But when it comes to expressing that concretely, my words fail me.

(That said, I wonder if saying nothing is also different from what's being asked.)

After wracking my brain, I...

"The, um, background is..."

"Hm?"

To Shinoaki, who asked me to repeat myself,

"Ah, well, the picture I saw before was just the character, but this time the background is well-drawn, so I thought maybe that's why it feels a little strange, or like the image is different."

I couldn't say if it was good or bad, I just ended up stating the difference in impression.

It was really an opinion on the level of "if I had to say something," but...

"Hmm..."

Shinoaki didn't say anything in particular in response; after listening to my comment, she stared back at the roughs.

"Ah, um, it's really just my opinion."

I hurriedly said something like a follow-up, but there was no particular reaction from Shinoaki.

Eventually, after a good few minutes of silence,

"I see, thanks!"

Suddenly, Shinoaki replied in a cheerful voice, put her LCD tablet in her bag, and quickly packed up to leave.

"Well then, good work~ See you at the next meeting."

And then, waving her hand, she gently pushed open the conference room door and quietly left.

"Ah, yeah..."

A little late, my reply followed after her retreating figure.

After she was completely out of sight, I held my head in my hands for a bit.

"I wonder if I said something unnecessary."

Honestly, I didn't think it was a very good reaction. Even after I spoke, she just kept looking at the roughs and thinking about something, and there was no particular comment about my opinion.

Maybe it would have been enough to just say "this one is good" from among those few sheets. Instead, I said something about the background bothering me, something that would change the overall tone.

Thinking about it that way, I suddenly felt embarrassed.

"I think it's fine to answer since I was asked, but..."

If this causes her creative hand to stop in any way, I'm a failure as a director. I should have asked more about what her thoughts were when she drew it, what her aim was.

But now, it's too late.

"The illustrations were submitted properly, after all."

In terms of progress, I received something so good that there was no room for complaint.

For that very reason, I spent the rest of the day endlessly thinking that perhaps the end was a bit unfortunate.