Chapter 184. Elysia: I Didn't Get Fat~
After breakfast, Xander Masato was hugged by Elysia and rested for quite a while before he reluctantly headed to the company.
As for being late—he's the boss; does he still need to clock in?
Sitting in the office chair that had been vacant for a few days, the familiar feeling made Xander Masato exhale in comfort.
"Brother, these documents need Brother's signature."
The little secretary Seele walked over holding a small stack of files and gently placed them on the desk.
"Okay, leave them here first. I'll find time to sign them later."
"Mm."
Nodding softly, Seele came behind the chair and put her small hands on his shoulders.
"Seele will give Brother a shoulder massage~"
Because she had arrived much earlier than Xander, today's miscellaneous tasks were mostly done. Seele smiled as she stayed by Brother's side.
"I want one too!"
Not far away, Bronya raised her hand to request Seele's service.
"Okay, Bronya-sis, please wait a moment~"
Smiling sweetly, Seele pressed down slowly with both hands.
The moderate pressure made Xander Masato, who was scanning the files, feel even more at ease. He had just wanted to say something when a knock interrupted.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in."
The door opened from outside. Wearing a proper shirt and trousers, Ken Sugisaki walked in with a stack of papers.
As soon as he entered, he met Xander Masato's gaze.
He froze for a second, then smiled and said, "Just got back and already enjoying yourself, huh."
"This is the boss's privilege~"
Hearing Ken Sugisaki's voice, Bronya also looked up and said, "Xander is already back. Report the follow-up to him."
"Got it, boss-lady~"
The teasing made Bronya's face redden a little, but she only nodded lightly without any rebuttal.
In this company, only Xander's three friends would be so relaxed in the boss's office. Of course, only when Xander was present; if he wasn't, the three would naturally be proper and well-behaved.
"Do I need to start from the top?"
Coming to Xander Masato's desk, Ken Sugisaki flipped through the files in his hands as he asked.
"No need. While I was on the trip, Bronya showed me your meeting minutes every night. Just start from yesterday."
"Mm."
Nodding, Ken Sugisaki split off a portion of the materials to Xander Masato, then began to speak.
"At present, there are some issues with the custom map editor. We may need help from a few veteran staff from the Scarlet Devil Mansion team; otherwise the task schedule could be affected, and also..."
As he reported the game's progress and the problems encountered, Xander Masato listened quietly. Only after Ken Sugisaki finished did he speak: "There's a lot going on with Yu-Gi-Oh! over there, so I can't transfer too many people to you. Tentatively, five from Scarlet Devil Mansion and five from Hakugyokurou."
"At that rate, two months might not be enough," Ken Sugisaki said with a frown.
"It's fine. I'll step in."
Propping his chin, Xander Masato smiled. "They're still doing a lot of groundwork over there, so every day I can spare half my time for the new team. That should be okay, right?"
"If you're coming, then it's fine."
Relaxing with a smile since the main matter was settled, Ken Sugisaki then thought of something and couldn't help adding one more thing.
"By the way, shouldn't our group have a name? Those newbies keep hinting to me about it every day. I feel like my ears are getting calluses."
Spreading his hands, his expression was quite helpless.
"Newbies? The youngest of the new hires are fresh bachelor's grads. You're actually younger than them."
After a mock scold, Xander Masato continued, "Bronya already mentioned this to me last night. You've brought it up again today. Tell them not to rush it. I actually wrote the name and the backstory a long time ago—it depends on whether they have the ability to win it."
Looking at Xander Masato's smile-filled expression, Ken Sugisaki was puzzled. "Now even a name has to be fought for?"
"Times are different. Scarlet Devil Mansion and Hakugyokurou were the promotion phase—meant to show everyone. Asking me to whip up a story just because you say so—isn't that a bit much? I'm the boss, you know~"
"...You win."
Although Xander's words made sense, Ken Sugisaki still felt he was being hoodwinked.
"Don't worry, I'm not making it hard for them. Just bring me a result I'm satisfied with in this Mini Game Fest. Let me think... When the time comes, compare the first-week revenue. We'll measure against the combined total of Cities: Skylines and the festival's top ten."
"Revenue, not sales volume?"
"What, you want a bit of a challenge? I don't mind changing it."
"No no no, let's settle it like that!"
Afraid Xander would propose some other strange reason, Ken Sugisaki just wanted to make his escape.
"Oh, right!"
Calling out to the almost-escaped Ken Sugisaki, Xander Masato said with a squinting smile, "Tell everyone in the new team that because it's tied to some of the company's future plans, it's going to get harder and harder to obtain a name and backstory from now on~"
"...You're something else."
Clicking his tongue, Ken Sugisaki hurriedly opened the door and ran.
"You brat, you should be hung on a streetlamp!"
Only after Ken Sugisaki had completely left did Bronya make a joking remark.
"Ahem, just giving the newbies some motivation. We're a conscientious company—overtime pay is double."
Gensokyo's benefits are now first-tier in the gaming industry, in no way inferior to the Big Three. Countless résumés flood the company mailbox every day, giving HR headaches daily.
Of course, every month-end, seeing the bank account deposits would also make them selectively forget the hair they'd sacrificed in handfuls.
"Yeah, yeah. Everyone in the company is fighting to work overtime."
Seele smiled and echoed from behind him.
"You always take his side."
Bronya rolled her eyes at Seele. Seele pretended not to see and kept cheerfully kneading Brother's shoulders, even humming softly by his ear.
"I'm not lying. We're going to build communities later and set up dedicated subforums for each team. There'll be plenty to keep them busy. If we don't increase the difficulty a bit, how will they put heart into maintenance? What comes too easily won't be cherished."
Hearing this, Bronya frowned slightly. "So this is another way of cultivating their sense of belonging and identification?"
"Mm-hmm~"
"...Fine. Whatever you say goes anyway."
Seeing Bronya turn her head away in awkwardness, Xander Masato looked over at once and said with a laugh, "If you agree, just say so. Don't be shy, Duck-Chief~"
"What shy? And don't call me Duck-Chief!!! That sounds awful!!"
"Okay, Duck-Chief. Got it, Duck-Chief~"
Listening to her lover's infuriating voice, Bronya silently clenched her fist and gave Xander a dark look.
Let it slide for now. In a couple of nights, she would make him taste defeat!
"What about Seele? What about Seele? Did Brother give Seele and Kaguya-sis nicknames?"
After thinking for a bit, Xander Masato leaned back in the chair and drawled, "Kaguya is obviously 'Her Highness the Princess.' As for Seele—little cutie, little darling, Brother's most favorite good sister, the universe's number one cutest—mmph..."
"E-enough, enough, Brother doesn't need to say more!!"
With her cheeks all red, Seele hurried to cover Brother's mouth.
Why suddenly say all that—so embarrassing.
"So I too have one?"
Smiling at the scene, Kaguya also spoke. One hand propped her chin, her long black hair casually draped down. The look she gave her husband was full of love.
"You use that self-address every day; it's obviously 'princess.' Also, why is mine the only one that sounds awful?!!"
Bronya threw in a complaint, then got even angrier.
"Doesn't it make you stand out? In my heart, Duck-Duck, you're one of a kind~"
"Th-then... why are you so talkative today..."
Hearing words that didn't sound fake, a faint blush immediately rose on Bronya's face. She swiftly turned serious toward the screen as if that page of code were some peerless painting. The latter half of her sentence turned into a whisper so soft it barely made a sound.
"Brother..."
"Of course, Seele is the sister I like the most and find the cutest~ And Kaguya is the most perfect, most elegant Princess in my eyes~"
Since everyone present knew each other's strengths and weaknesses intimately, the compliments naturally had to be evenly distributed.
"Smooth talker!"
Being not the only one praised, Bronya was no longer that shy.
"Not at all. It's my heartfelt truth."
With that, he looked up at Seele, who was delighted by just a couple of simple compliments. "Seele, switch to a gentler song. I'm going to read documents."
"Okay~"
Simply flopping onto Brother's shoulder, Seele leaned close to his ear, thought for a moment, and softly hummed a lullaby.
The morning had already started late. After sorting out the accumulated files, it was lunchtime.
"What's on the menu today? Have the cafeteria send a few over."
Stretching, Xander Masato looked to Seele beside him.
"Okay, Seele will call the restaurant right away."
Just then, the main door suddenly burst open with a bang.
Pink long hair against the backlight, gleaming brightly. Elysia walked in cheerfully with two big bags in her hands.
"Good afternoon~~"
"Elysia?"
Watching her put the bags on the coffee table, then turn and wave at them, she said, "I didn't have much going on today, so Miss Fairy transformed into the Snail Girl to bring everyone lunch~"
"Shouldn't the Snail Girl deliver lunch secretly? Since when does a Snail Girl swagger in through the door?"
Xander Masato joked with a smile, and immediately saw Elysia wag her finger at him, saying with an air of mystery, "That's why this is the fairy-edition Snail Girl~"
"'All rights of final interpretation belong to me,' is that it?"
"Bingo! Correct!"
The lively back-and-forth made everyone laugh. Xander Masato walked over first and curiously rummaged through the bags.
"What goodies?"
Catching a whiff of a slightly spicy aroma, he looked up and asked Elysia.
"Heh-heh, of course it's the dark cuisine that Miss Fairy of the Fairy Kingdom hates the most yet can't refuse—the demonic temptation that lures fairies into the abyss!"
"Barbecue?"
"Mm!"
His gaze moved instinctively to the little belly cinched tight with a ribbon—stop sucking it in; he saw it already...
A chill ran through his heart in an instant. He hurriedly lifted his head and met Elysia's pink eyes, which had not a trace of laughter in them.
"I didn't get fat~"
"But..."
Smack!
Elysia clamped Xander Masato's cheeks with both hands, leaned in, and narrowed her eyes. "I didn't get fat~"
That increasingly dangerous aura made Xander correct himself at once: "Right. How could Elysia be fat? In my eyes, Elysia will always be 54.8 kilograms—the world's number one cutest, number one most beautiful young lady!"
"Aya, I'm not as amazing as Xander praises, but I'm very happy~"
Elysia let go, and the cold air immediately vanished without a trace. Xander also quietly exhaled.
St. Freya Dorm Survival Rule Number One: Elysia's weight cannot possibly exceed 54.8 kg. If the number on the scale goes over this value, immediately throw away that broken scale, then buy a new one to put in the original spot one week later. Remember: one week later. Absolutely no earlier, or suffer the consequences!
Opening the bags, besides all kinds of skewers there were also many flatbreads covered with seasonings. This made carb-loving Xander Masato thoroughly satisfied.
Although Seele grumbled a little, she soon couldn't resist and joined in.
This stuff is indeed unhealthy, but it's just too tasty.
After calling Kiana and Mei over, the seven of them quickly polished off the two big bags of barbecue.
"Phew, satisfied, satisfied~"
Patting her round belly, Kiana sprawled lazily on the sofa.
"Eating that much every day—where does all the weight go?"
Looking at the sliver of slender waist revealed as Kiana lay down, Bronya said with a touch of envy.
To maintain the figure that Xander loved so much, she worked hard in the third-floor gym every day.
"Aya, run a bit more and it all gets digested~"
Waving her hand casually, Kiana spoke lazily.
Hearing this, rubbing her own little tummy, Elysia puffed her cheeks and glanced at Kiana.
Mei tidied up the mess on the coffee table. Seele opened the windows for ventilation. After he was full, Xander Masato lay with his head in Kaguya's lap, looking like he was about to fall asleep.
As the lunch break drew to an end, the group—fed, watered, and rested—naturally threw themselves into the afternoon's work.
Xander Masato first went to the new team to hold a meeting for everyone and, along the way, helped Ken Sugisaki adjust the follow-up plans. Then he turned and went over to the Yu-Gi-Oh! side.
As one of Gensokyo's current key projects, the Yu-Gi-Oh! production team basically comprised most of Gensokyo's veteran staff. Once the new team finished participating in the Mini Game Fest, they would also be joining in.
"Sakura, nothing major recently, right?"
Walking to Sakura's workstation and seeing the pink-haired girl working earnestly, Xander Masato asked softly.
Her hands that were typing code paused after a few seconds. The serious, furrowed gaze soon withdrew. Sakura exhaled, then smiled and said, "No big problems. But since we only have the design document, everyone's a bit uncertain on some details."
Checking the time, Sakura thought for a moment and added, "Boss, do you have time now? How about I call in a few team leads and we hold a meeting to discuss together?"
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