Game Development Department room.
As evening approached, I was still lingering there, handling remote work through the Shitten Box while supervising the Game Development Department girls as they worked and studied.
Of course, this excluded Aris, who had only just enrolled and had not yet formally started classes, and who, compared to game development work, more urgently needed to develop a more mature language framework.
"Ugh… I can't write it…!"
After holding down the backspace key and deleting the half line of text she had barely written, Momoi stared at the screen that remained completely blank despite all the time she had spent, let out a wail, and collapsed onto the floor in a starfish pose.
Then she crawled back up, cast an envious glance at Aris, who was happily playing games, turned to me, and drew out her voice pleadingly.
"Sen~Sei~ let me play with Aris for a bit too~"
Without even looking up, I delivered a simple and clear verdict. "Denied."
"How can you be like that!" Momoi flopped back down, rolling around on the floor like a spoiled child. "I'm the script writer! To create better scripts, drawing inspiration from games is an indispensable step. Research can't be called playing!"
I sneered. "If you can't write, then don't. Go review your lessons with Midori and Yuzu."
Momoi stopped rolling and said with a miserable face, "Waaah… Sensei is bullying me…"
"Onee-chan, stop that."
Midori, who was seriously reviewing together with Yuzu, could not help speaking up. "You were the one who said you suddenly got inspiration and had to write it down immediately, and now you're also the one saying you can't write and need to play games for research. If this keeps up and you fail the exams, what are you going to do?"
At the various academies of Kivotos, failing exams meant being forcibly required to attend remedial lessons organized by the student council, followed by a retest.
In other words, for the Game Development Department, which was currently facing the risk of being disbanded, not putting time into studying meant risking even more time being wasted.
"I know…" Momoi said troubled. "It's all Yuuka's fault. She suddenly said some resolution about system improvement passed and that she's coming to conduct a qualification review, so I got distracted!"
"Why are you worrying about that? Aris is already fine, right."
Midori, who usually poured cold water on things, seemed to have swapped roles with her sister, who normally boosted morale.
Just how heavy a blow writer's block was to Momoi, and how much the twins liked contradicting each other, was plain to see.
"Everything is already fully prepared, right."
I then said to Aris, who was immersed in the game world. "Aris, introduce yourself."
Aris reluctantly put down the controller and paused the game. "Okay. My name is Aris the Colorless. I am a hero by origin. The weapon I currently use is the Sword of Sun and Light. Guided by the Golden Tree, I returned to my long departed homeland, in order to become the Lord of Ilden—"
"I didn't mean your in game identity!"
Now even I, who had spoken so confidently just moments ago, could not help but worry.
Aris nodded. "Ah, I understand. My name is Aris. I am a first year student at Millennium Science School. Because I only transferred recently and missed the course application period, I have not yet completed course registration, but I am scheduled to officially begin attending classes next month.
"Although I cannot yet attend classes, club activities are already available, so I joined the Game Development Department."
After listening to Aris's fluent explanation, I nodded in satisfaction. "Momoi, do you have anything to add?"
But before Momoi could comment, Aris continued.
"My position in the Game Development Department is tank and light attribute damage dealer—"
"That's wrong, wrong! It's programmer!" Momoi hurriedly corrected.
"Yes, I am a programmer!" Aris hastily amended herself. "Ever since birth, compared to my native language, I first came into contact with the Japanese language…"
After thinking for a moment, Momoi said righteously, "Sensei, I think it really is necessary to let me play… I mean, accompany Aris in some more practice!"
So that's your real goal, huh?
I could not even be bothered to comment on Momoi, and in truth, there was no need to.
Although Momoi was often unreliable, she was not the type to truly slack off on her own when her companions were all striving to deal with a crisis.
For the sake of maximizing time efficiency, the girls decided to balance game development and studying, and after discussion, staggered their respective work schedules.
The Game Development Department had already decided that the type of game they would make was an RPG. And for an RPG game, the most fundamental and important element was naturally a sufficiently excellent script.
After the rough script was decided, Yuzu, as the planner, would design appropriate gameplay systems, stages, and enemies, and only then could Midori draw character illustrations and assets that matched the style.
That said, no one was forcing Momoi to start writing immediately.
For creators, a lack of inspiration was the norm. Momoi could just study for now. Who knew, inspiration might suddenly strike while she was studying.
Her true state of mind remained a mystery, perhaps existing in a superposition of wanting to slack off and wanting to work hard.
In any case, Momoi touching a game right now was out of the question.
"Don't worry. Even if there are some trivial issues, Yuuka will definitely go easy on you."
"Is this really just a trivial issue…?"
Momoi's worries were not entirely unfounded.
Just in time, I had more or less finished handling Schale's official work, so I personally stepped in and went over the final confirmation statements with Aris before Yuuka arrived.
Time flew by, and at last, the blue haired girl pushed the door open and entered.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Yuuka examined Aris standing before her. "You must be the Aris from the rumors. The new student who transferred into Millennium yesterday, the fourth member of the Game Development Department. Hmph… very suspicious. To have already chosen a club you like on the second day after transferring?"
While Yuuka was observing Aris, Aris was also observing Yuuka, her expression growing increasingly serious.
Just as Yuuka, having waited a long time without an answer, was about to continue questioning, Aris suddenly took half a step back.
"Monster," Aris said warily. "A monster has appeared…!"
My natural smile nearly broke.
Yuuka's body jolted, the light disappearing from her eyes. "J-just now, that kid… she called me a monster, right?"
Momoi improvised desperately. "Y-you misunderstood! You must have misheard and thought she said monster when she meant fairy, right. Geez, Aris wouldn't just say random things like that~"
However, Hayase Yuuka was not someone so easily fooled.
"Damn it… I'm already used to being the bad guy, but I never expected to be called a monster by someone I just met." Yuuka's brows shot up as she fumed. "You've got some nerve…!"
An accident had still occurred.
But the other party was Yuuka, after all…
It should probably be fine, right?