While the girls were discussing how to take the group photo, Mo Li quietly turned his gaze toward Kamisato Ayaka.
At the moment, she didn't seem to notice anything unusual. Hu Tao had pulled her aside, and she was standing there with a gentle smile, listening to the lively chatter of the Hall Master.
After thinking for a moment, Mo Li came up with a perfect excuse to show off the designs for Ayaka and Miko's characters.
"Ayaka, Miko—come take a look at the characters I designed for you two."
The moment he spoke, all conversation in the room ceased. Every girl turned to look at him.
Ayaka and Yae Miko both looked pleasantly surprised.
But soon enough, they seemed to realize something—why did he choose to bring it up now of all times?
They had already noticed the subtle change earlier. Originally, the group photo was supposed to include all the girls in the studio. But at the last minute, it had been changed to feature the Honkai Impact 3rd characters instead.
Of course, both Ayaka and Miko could guess why—the others were being considerate of their feelings.
They didn't say anything, but deep down, they were genuinely touched. Any lingering trace of resentment they might have felt melted away completely.
They had noticed Mo Li glancing in their direction several times earlier. And now, right after the group photo, he immediately brought out their character designs…
The intention behind it was obvious—he was trying to make them feel included.
As professionals in the gaming industry, both of them knew how secretive character design work was.
And this wasn't just any design—it was for a much later version of the game.
For Mo Li to show them the concept ahead of time… it meant a lot.
"The modeling should be fine," Mo Li said. "But if you two have any ideas, feel free to suggest them."
Not just Ayaka and Miko—the other girls also gathered around curiously.
Mo Li didn't just show them the models, but also the skills and background lore for both characters.
Kamisato Ayaka — The eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan, which leads the Yashiro Commission in Inazuma. Widely known as the White Heron Princess.
Elegant, graceful, noble in character.
Yae Miko — The chief shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine, confidant and familiar of the Raiden Shogun, bearer of the fox bloodline, and chief editor of the Yae Publishing House.
Clever, capricious, hard to read—a woman skilled at toying with hearts.
Both character profiles matched the real Ayaka and Miko almost perfectly.
And the concept art and modeling—utterly flawless.
"Wow… they're so beautiful…"
Kiana couldn't help but gulp.
Whether it was the poised elegance of Kamisato Ayaka or the alluring intelligence of the foxy Miko, both took her breath away.
The other girls nodded in agreement.
"As expected of the boss," Yae Miko teased, covering her mouth with a giggle. "You really do know how to design women's outfits."
"Yeah, but the male characters' outfits are so plain in comparison…" Himeko grumbled. "My costume's the worst of all. Boss, you're not getting revenge on me or something, are you?"
"Of course not," Mo Li replied, feigning innocence. "I just think… well, your beauty doesn't need any embellishment from clothes."
"..."
"You've really picked up Elysia's sweet-talking habits fast," Himeko muttered.
"Hehe~ Looks like our boss has already turned into an Elysia clone~" teased another girl.
Mo Li: "…"
What kind of nonsense was this? Had the pink fox started openly driving this kind of conversation now?
He quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem—so, any suggestions?"
The girls all shook their heads.
"I think… it's already perfect," Ayaka said shyly. "If anything, it's almost too flattering… 'White Heron Princess' and all that…"
"Oh, I think it fits you perfectly," Miko said with a soft smile. "Aren't you as graceful as a princess, Ayaka? As for me, I'm quite satisfied with my in-game persona. No complaints here. I'm just curious…"
"The Raiden Shogun—male or female?"
Mo Li chuckled.
"Ahem… the Shogun's a woman. One who can't cook, actually."
If Mei just switched her hairstyle to the Shogun's, she'd be a perfect match.
"Wanna see the character PVs?"
"You've already finished those?!" Ayaka covered her mouth, clearly astonished.
Kiana and Hu Tao were practically bouncing with excitement.
"I wanna see! I wanna see!"
Everyone else looked eager too. After all, both Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd were known for their top-tier character PVs.
Only through the PV could players truly appreciate a character's charm.
Even now, many newer anime-style games had copied Mo Li's strategy—sell characters, release stunning PVs, and use strong character appeal to drive sales.
Without wasting time, Mo Li opened Kamisato Ayaka's PV.
It began with Ayaka seated beneath the eaves of a Japanese-style building.
The girls immediately noticed the architecture—clearly inspired by the Sakura Nation.
They remembered the setting from the character intro: Inazuma.
"Boss, will it take long to unlock Inazuma?" Ayaka asked curiously.
"Yeah, that'll come in Version 2.0."
Hearing that, Ayaka felt even more moved. Mo Li was revealing this so far in advance—just to make them feel included.
Even Yae Miko's eyes shimmered faintly.
These weren't rushed designs—they were clearly crafted with care.
He wasn't really asking for feedback. He just wanted to reassure them.
They used to think acting as game characters was beneath them—but now, they truly loved this studio's atmosphere.
They loved Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd.
If Mo Li hadn't offered them roles, they'd have been disappointed instead.
"That man… really has a heart," Miko murmured with a quiet smile, her mood brightening.
The video continued.
The PV was presented like an anime short, filled with graceful cinematography—though it didn't yet have voice acting.
Subtitles appeared instead.
"I've always wanted to test myself against swordsmanship from a distant land. If you would…
Please, duel with me~"
Then, the music swelled—an elegant, soothing melody.
A fan opened in the frame, and Ayaka's concept art slowly unfolded.
"Kamisato Art: Tachi Jutsu, full transmission—Kamisato Ayaka."
"At your service~"
The elegant notes made the White Heron Princess look even more divine.
"Wow~~ she's so beautiful~~" Hu Tao and Kiana exclaimed in unison.
Even the girls couldn't help feeling mesmerized.
They sneaked glances at Mo Li—but he just smiled faintly, watching quietly. Of course he wasn't surprised; he'd made it himself.
Bronya smirked inwardly. He's probably seen it a hundred times already.
The PV moved on to Ayaka's attacks. Graceful sword strikes, perfectly timed close-ups—every frame exuded refinement.
Her combos flowed like water, soft and fluid… until she sheathed her sword and the defeated enemy fell behind her.
At that moment, she radiated the sharp poise of a samurai facing life and death.
This Kamisato Ayaka—she was someone players would fall in love with at first sight.
Then, the music rose to its climax.
Ayaka twirled lightly, raising her hand.
"Let us dance~"
The frame froze. The camera circled her elegant pose.
Her figure—graceful as a swan, flowing as a dragon in flight—captured the room.
Even Ayaka herself stared at the screen, lips slightly parted.
Am I… really that captivating?
"She's so elegant! So beautiful!!" Hu Tao and Kiana cried again.
"Ah~ as expected of Ayaka~" Elysia sighed, hugging her. "Even I'm falling for you~"
Ayaka's cheeks flushed.
"It's all thanks to Boss Mo Li's video and music…"
"I never realized before," Yae Miko mused, eyes twinkling, "but Ayaka really is my type~"
"D-Don't tease me, Miko…"
Himeko nodded in admiration.
"Once this video drops, it's going to win over countless players."
"I can already imagine the uproar it'll cause," Bronya added calmly.
The video ended to a chorus of praise.
"I wanna watch it again…" Hu Tao mumbled wistfully.
"Let's see Miko's next~" someone suggested.
Mo Li smiled and switched the video.
Character Demo: "Yae Miko — Tales from the Shrine of the Celestial Fox."
The video opened to a pink-hued scene filled with cherry blossoms.
Unlike Ayaka's PV, this one had voice acting.
"Reborn, I became Lady Guuji Yae herself. Assigning shrine maidens their tasks, sipping tea, meditating quietly…"
The footage transitioned through sketches of Miko sitting elegantly, serene and composed.
The girls exchanged looks—this calm, well-behaved version of Miko felt so wrong.
Sure enough, the scene soon cut back to "reality."
"Oh, come now~ something this dull and documentary-like can't possibly be called a light novel~"
The girls realized this was a scene where an author was pitching a story to Editor-in-Chief Yae Miko.
And, of course, Miko wasn't impressed.
Then, the mischievous fox began teasing the poor author.
"A light novel should ignite the imagination. For example…"
As she spoke, the scene shifted into her imagination—Miko surrounded by enemies, yet still wearing that sly, unbothered smile.
"My, my~ You went to all this trouble to set a trap for me~"
With a flick of her wrist, she lifted her gohei.
Ethereal, mysterious music played. Her concept art appeared—robes flowing, smile enchanting.
This outfit made her even more stunning than her office attire.
It was as if her usual OL outfit had been restraining her beauty.
Then came her skill animations—graceful, mesmerizing, set to traditional Japanese instruments.
Eden's lips parted in surprise.
She had assumed Mo Li only mastered Chinese traditional and Western orchestral music—but he was fluent in Sakura Nation music too.
She couldn't help but feel humbled.
That famous line floated into her mind—"The clown performs in the hall, while the master wanders in the wild."
It wasn't self-deprecation—just awe.
For a talent like Mo Li to be buried in the game industry… what a waste.
Before she could dwell on it, Elysia tugged at her arm excitedly.
"Waaah~ those ears are so cute!!"
On screen, close-ups of Miko's fox ears twitching made Elysia squeal.
"Miko's ears~~ I wanna touch them~~"
Even the real Yae Miko looked a little tempted—if only she actually had fox ears…
When Miko's radiant, teasing smile filled the screen, Kiana's heart skipped a beat.
"Ah~ Miko-sis!!" Hu Tao blurted out.
"I'm right here~" Miko cooed. "Does little Hu Tao want a hug from her big sister~?"
"Yes! Yes!!"
"Elysia wants one too~"
"Me three!" Kiana added instantly.
Mo Li chuckled.
"Then I'll take one from Mei."
"No way!" Kiana snapped, glaring at him.
"Why not? You're not Mei."
"Mei would never hug you! Hmph, get lost!"
"Kiana…" Mei said softly. "You're letting him bait you again~"
"I-I know, but that dog Otto's just too annoying…"
"Hehe~ and that's exactly why I enjoy watching you get worked up," Mo Li teased.
"Ugh—Mei, look! He's being awful again!"
Himeko couldn't help laughing as she ruffled Kiana's hair.
"It's because you're so easy to fluster, Kiana. I can't resist teasing you too."
"Even you, Himeko-sensei…"
Kiana flopped into Mei's arms.
"Mei's the only one who still loves me~"
"Oh? So your real sister, Durandal, doesn't count?" Mo Li quipped.
"N-No! She's great too! Everyone's great—except you! Hmph!"
"Oh, are you actually mad?" Mo Li asked, holding out his hand. "Want to bite me to vent a little?"
Kiana bared her tiny tiger teeth playfully.
"Hmph! Scared now, huh?"
"Terrified. I surrender," Mo Li laughed.
Kiana quickly forgave him—she always did.
After all, by now, she was used to his teasing.
And with all the other "big sisters" laughing instead of helping her, what choice did she have?
So she snuggled back into Mei's arms with a sigh.
"Mei~~ recharge me with your sisterly love~~"
And just like that, the studio was once again filled with warmth and laughter.
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