Chapter 178. Theresa, You Don't Want the Mini-Game Festival to Run into Trouble, Do You?
A crowd of publishers hurriedly called the organizers of the Mini-Game Festival, and after a frantic round of scrambling, they soon received news that let them breathe a sigh of relief.
Gensokyo Company would only attend as a special guest, would not compete for the final rankings, and the rewards for the top ten would not be reduced.
"Oh, special guest, huh—then it's fine."
"If Gensokyo actually took part, what would we even be fighting for? Might as well just aim for second place."
Yes, that's how influential Gensokyo is now.
Thinking that just a few years ago Gensokyo was a brand-new company like them, everyone couldn't help but feel a little wistful, and even a faint longing stirred in their hearts.
The St. Freya Mini-Game Festival had been the springboard for Gensokyo's rise.
If Gensokyo could do it, couldn't they as well?
...
At the St. Freya residential area, having just hung up the phone, Xander Masato suddenly thought of something and—smack!—slapped Seele's thigh.
"Oh no!"
"Ah!"
Seeing his regretful expression, Seele puffed her cheeks and said, aggrieved, "Brother, why did you hit Seele?"
"Ahem, my hand slipped."
He had been stroking those white stockings just now, and his hand went down on reflex.
To ease Seele's pain, he reached out and rubbed the spot again.
"What's up?"
Feeling mind and body satisfied and lazing on the side, Bronya asked casually while eating fruit.
"Nothing.
It's just that Academy Head Theresa agreed so readily—if I'd known, I would've knocked something out of her first."
Clicking his tongue, Xander said regretfully.
"'Theresa, you don't want St. Freya to be short on funds, do you?'"
Saying that on one hand, and on the other forcing Theresa to put on a magical girl outfit, then taking hard-shot photos with a thick, hefty camera.
He had even talked about this with Kallen before, and Kallen was deeply interested.
This was a chance to improve his relationship with Kallen—and even with Otto—and he'd just wasted it.
"I'm not talking about that.
Did you just agree to join the Mini-Game Festival?"
Peeling a banana and holding it, Bronya reflexively took the tip into her mouth, circled it with her tongue, then suddenly realized something was off, calmly bit the tip off, and didn't show a single crack in her expression.
"Mm. I agreed."
"Bullying people again?"
"We're special guests, not counted in the rankings.
Plus there's a three-week front-page feature.
Never say no to free promotion.
We'll use it as practice."
Seeing her brother and sister start chatting, Seele immediately tucked away her pout, picked up the fruit, and started feeding again.
She knew perfectly when to act spoiled and when to be quiet.
"A new team, huh?
Then it's indeed good training for them."
Bronya took another bite—half the banana gone—and asked a little thickly, "What about the game mode?
Decided yet?"
"More or less.
I was originally going to have them make a turn-based strategy game for fun, but two months is a bit too short."
When he heard Theresa invite them to participate, a line had actually flashed through Xander's mind.
"'From the first stirrings of life beneath water...'"
That war-strategy game players jokingly call "a pack of tea, a pack of smokes—one game of Civilization lasts all day."
Unfortunately, it couldn't be done in two months, especially by a rookie team.
So, he changed his mind.
"What then?"
"A city simulation and management game.
We'll make it fun."
"Simulation management?"
Bronya blinked, then laughed.
"You're really planning to make a small game this time.
Isn't that overkill for a new team?"
You couldn't blame Bronya for saying so.
In this world, simulation-management was a perennially lukewarm genre.
Most were small workshop products, and forget any big-studio blockbusters—titles like The Sims didn't even exist.
As for "overkill" for the new team?
He felt they were short-handed, if anything!
"What's wrong with small games?
Are you questioning the power of Plants vs. Zombies?"
"...All right, all right, you win."
In their last match, she and Kaguya had basically been rubbed into the ground by Xander.
Look at her own sales, barely over one million even now, then look at Plants vs. Zombies approaching one hundred million in total sales.
The gap was... not small.
Though she was completely convinced by her lover now, the thought still irked Bronya a little.
Getting up from the sofa, she walked to where Xander lay.
She bent down and, as he stared in alarm, grabbed his arm.
"N-no, not happening.
Definitely not happening right now."
"Pfft~"
Amused by his reaction, she couldn't hold back a laugh, let go, and patted his shoulder.
"What are you imagining?
I was going to drag you up to the third-floor gym to get some sun and move your body a bit."
"...You should've said so earlier."
Feeling his reaction just now was a bit embarrassing, Xander sat up, saw Seele sneaking a giggle, and immediately pulled her up too.
"What are you laughing at?
Come on, let's go work out together!"
"Okay~"
Smiling sweetly, Seele hugged Xander's arm, went on tiptoe, and pecked his cheek.
Just as Xander was basking in his good little sister's obedience, he suddenly heard her say, with pointed meaning, "Brother needs to train hard~"
With that, she scampered to Bronya's side, hugged her sister's arm, leaned her head out, and cheekily stuck out her tongue at him.
"..."
Endure!
Xander took a deep breath.
Two years from now, he would let Seele understand what cruelty meant.
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—don't bully someone just because his "kidneys" are poor!
Before his grin could even crook, he felt a slap on his butt.
"What are you spacing out for?
Let's go~"
"Okay...
Kiana, why are you butting in again?"
He looked at Bronya and Seele already heading upstairs, then at Kiana beside him, clasping and unclasping her palms with a goofy smile.
He had the distinct feeling she'd just taken advantage of him.
Was that his imagination?
"C'mon, let's go have some fun together.
Move, move~"
Prodded from behind, Xander started walking.
"Okay, okay, okay, stop pushing.
I'll walk."
"Then walk faster.
Don't keep Seele and Bronya waiting."
Hugging Xander's arm as if nothing were happening, Kiana let that sturdy forearm sink into her softness.
Before long, Kaguya and Mei also came upstairs, and Elysia—done gossiping on the phone with Eden—of course joined the fun.
Only a certain blowfish-streamer young lady, exhausted from her broadcast, had fallen into the sleep of an infant.
That upturned smile had to be a sweet dream~
A week passed quickly.
Xander boarded Schicksal's shuttle to HQ right on time.
Pinching a small envelope in his hand, he couldn't help a twinge of guilt.
In the end, he had still made a move against Theresa.
Flying along Schicksal's dedicated route, it wasn't long before Xander felt the light loss of weight from the plane's descent.
So this is a private jet, huh?
Comfortable—more so than the regular flights he'd bought tickets for.
A sofa, a bed, snacks, a dining area—being on board was practically a vacation.
When bored, you could watch TV or play games, and it had the most advanced gaming equipment.
He hadn't had time to enjoy any of this before, and now he couldn't help but marvel at the luxuries of the rich.
Gensokyo could get a big toy like this too, but it just didn't feel necessary.
Rather than that, building a giant robot with Bronya would be more fun.
He drifted through these idle thoughts until the standardized voice of the crew in his ear brought him back.
He stood, and under the guidance of the flight attendant, deplaned.
The wind was strong on the open runway.
As soon as he stepped out, a gust whipped Xander's coat, making it snap and flutter.
Early spring was still a bit cold.
He pulled his coat tighter and walked down the gangway.
A car was already waiting at the bottom.
Holding down his wind-tossed hair, Xander squinted toward the person leaning against the car and waving gently at him.
White braided pigtails floated in the wind.
A dark overcoat hung from her frame, and she even wore oversized sunglasses.
As Xander came up to her, Kallen lowered her voice and asked, "Did you bring it?"
Pausing, Xander pinched the envelope in his pocket, lowered his eyes slightly, and handed it over.
"I brought it."
No sooner had it left his hand than Kallen whisked it away and tucked it inside her coat.
Stifling her excitement, she said, "Let's go.
This isn't a place to chat."
Soon, the two of them were in the waiting business van, pulling away.
In the lounge, the attendant had just left after pouring tea when Kallen could no longer keep her composure.
She tore off her sunglasses, took out the envelope, and opened it.
Staring at the shots of Theresa in a magical girl outfit, posing with a face full of shame, Kallen pressed her cheeks and grinned like a fool.
"Hehe, Theresa is so cute—hehe..."
Seeing her so satisfied let Xander relax a little.
To get closer with his elder Kallen, he'd chosen to sacrifice his dignity: using the Mini-Game Festival as a pretext to "press" Theresa into a magical girl outfit and take photos.
Recalling Theresa's mortified, man-eating glare, Xander sighed.
For the smooth progress of him and Theresa, dear sister-in-law, please sacrifice yourself a little.
That said, although Theresa looked ready to die together with him when she put on the outfit, he somehow felt she was... happy toward the end?
Weird.
Only after he'd finished a cup of tea did Kallen finally finish admiring the photos.
She put the envelope away and carefully slipped it into her bag.
Noticing Xander waiting quietly opposite, Kallen looked a little embarrassed.
"Ahem.
Sorry you had to witness a somewhat undignified scene."
"It's nothing.
Just like with Theresa, Academy Head Theresa is indeed very cute.
I was a diehard fan of Magical Girl ☆ Theresa when I was little."
He smiled as he replied.
Hearing that, a grin of shared taste blossomed on Kallen's face.
"Right? Right? Theresa's always been that cute!"
Then her tone shifted.
"It's a pity—she could've been a proper idol, but insisted on being an academy head.
I'm happy she has something she loves, but still..."
With a small, regretful sigh, she quickly perked up again and probed, "Are there more besides these?"
"Mm, for now that's all.
I'll go try my luck with the academy head again later."
There were actually quite a few more.
He'd shot for a full half hour, top to bottom, inside and out.
But of course he couldn't hand them over all at once—building favor works best in installments.
"Really?!
Then I'll be counting on you.
Ever since Theresa hit thirty, she refuses to put on cute outfits in front of us.
Honestly."
There was something oddly phrased about that, but Xander only gave a dry laugh, traded a few pleasantries, and asked, "How is Theresa's situation?"
At that, Kallen blinked, then smacked her forehead with one hand.
"Ah!
I got so caught up in Theresa's photos I almost forgot Theresa.
When I went to pick you up, the researchers were calibrating the equipment to make it convenient for you to communicate with her in virtual space after you wake her."
"Virtual space?"
He asked, puzzled.
Kallen gave him an equally puzzled look.
"Huh?
Didn't that kid Theresa tell you?
Theresa's body is very weak right now, and she can't speak properly in the nutrient solution.
If you need to communicate, it's best to do it in virtual space.
It also helps keep Theresa's mind active."
"...No, it's nothing."
After he'd tricked her like that, Theresa actively volunteering explanations would be the real miracle.
Thinking a moment, he feigned embarrassment and asked, "Theresa told me a lot at the time, so I don't remember it all clearly.
Could you go over anything I should watch for, Kallen-sis?"
"Precautions?
I recall you're a test subject on the Anti-Entropy side too.
Just do it the same way as there.
There's nothing in particular."
Kallen furrowed her brows in thought, then answered slowly.
"I see."
So Theresa was being reliable, after all.
If she had withheld crucial info, that would've been bad.
Relaxing, Xander smiled across at her.
"In that case, shall we go now?"
Kallen took out a strangely shaped device that looked like a phone and tapped it a few times.
"Mm.
They're ready over there.
Let's go."
With that, they stood.
Kallen led the direction-blind Xander through a winding route back to the same research room as last time.
Doors with one security layer after another slid open—proof of how much protection Otto had placed around Theresa.
Soon, in the innermost room, he once more saw the sleeping girl.
Smack.
As he stared at Theresa, he suddenly felt a pat on his back.
Turning, he saw Kallen grinning as she gave him a little push and said, meaningfully, "Go on, go on.
I'll leave Theresa to you for now.
I'm off to share Theresa's photos with Otto~"
"Thanks, Kallen-sis."
Looked like his efforts hadn't been in vain.
"Come on, no need to be so polite with me.
Hurry up.
Don't keep Theresa waiting."
Kallen gave Xander's shoulder another friendly pat, waved, and left the room.
The door behind him slowly closed.
Xander took a deep breath and walked toward the center of the room.
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