Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna

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Chapter 2 | This is What Reality Looks Like | Remake our Life! 


Part 6

We left the office on time that day and settled down at Stabo, a place near the office, to begin a strategy meeting.

Stabo is a famous Coffee Shop Park... The store is similar to the one we visited, and if you ask, Sakurai-san used to think up projects here.

We decided to use it as a frontline base to think about the future.

"Um, I'm not quite understood yet, but what do you mean by 'strategy'...?"

Sakurai-san gave me an anxious look as she was mashing a tall-sized strawberry float with a spoon.

"First, let's figure out what the problem is right from the start."

"Problem, what do you mean?"

"I'm talking about the problems that the 13th Development Division is having right now."

Why are we in this situation? And why is it that we are not able to develop, even though we are in the development department?

It was a matter of rethinking that.

If we act only out of a sense of urgency to do something, it may end up being better to have done nothing at all.

So, first of all, we need to get a clear picture of the current situation, and from there, we need to come up with a solution ... or so I thought.

"It might take a little time, but I think it's worth talking about."

"Y-You're right ... Okay."

Sakurai-san nodded, but still seemed not fully satisfied.

"You want to get this project through, don't you?"

"Eh?"

"It's the project we talked about yesterday. It was Sakurai-san's idea. My strategy was to buy some time to get it through."

As it is, that project is still in a rough state, even if there are brilliant ideas.

With numerical targets, marketing, and solid backing there, this talk will gradually move closer to reality.

So now we are at that preparatory stage, another step in the process.

"That's why, I'm sorry for being out of work, but please cooperate――"

I was about to say it, but I was at a loss for words there.

It was because Sakurai-san was staring at me with the most serious eyes I had ever seen.

"Sa, Sakurai-san...?"

When I called out to her, feeling pressured, she shook her head repeatedly with her cup filled with float.

"I want! I will do it! I'll do anything as long as it doesn't embarrass me as a person! Anything, as long as we can make the game with my ideas."

Perhaps because it was louder than expected, the eyes of the people around us all turned to us at once.

"D-Don't worry, it won't affect your dignity in any way!"

I was a little concerned about the future, but I decided to start with the first step.

First, the premise. I will summarize the situation we are in.

"We are in the development department. And yet we haven't been able to develop the game."

This is the first part that stuck with me.

"But that's a development department in name only, and in fact we are not..."

I shook my head, interrupting Sakurai-san halfway through her words.

"That's the point, just because the real situation was the way it was, doesn't mean we were told not to develop."

"Eh, is that so...?"

I nodded,

"I confirmed it properly. It's customary for the 13th Development Department to do general affairs and administrative work, but it doesn't seem to be stated anywhere as a rule."

The company basically operates according to rules in the form of company regulations and documents. So it would have been quite a pinch if it had been clearly stated there, but fortunately it was not.

"So we can develop something too!"

Sakurai-san's voice is lively.

"Yes, but no one actually wants to do that. Why do you think that is?"

Hmm, after tilting her head,

"Because we have so much else to do that we don't have time for it."

General affairs work is what it is all about.

"Do you think what we're doing is something that can never be moved?"

"Then, isn't it?"

The question was answered with a question.

I guess it was that much of a given in her mind.

"First of all, we have to get rid of our preconceived notions. We have to start from the point that everything can be changed."

"Y-Yes...!"

Sakurai-san's eyes lit up, but I was still in a situation that left me feeling uneasy.

(Not that I'm confident, so I'll have to think carefully while being bold...)

I can't show my insecurities in front of her, so I'll be imposing, but considering them on the inside.

"So first, tell me about the three sections before I came."

"I understand."

She saluted me, and I asked her a question.

Was the department like this from the beginning? Where does the work come from in the department? Are there any particular areas of work that are concentrated on ...... something like that.

After about three hours and a lot of talking,

"Okay, I guess that's okay. Thanks for today."

"Eh, it ended up with just listening to the story, but ... is that okay?"

The Squirrel Girl looks surprised.

"That's okay. So, tomorrow, I'll sort through the list of tasks that you just mentioned."

"Haa"

"And the day after that, we're going to come up with countermeasures."

What I learned at Bishojo Game Company.

With no one to teach me anything, I learned that there is a "flow" to problem solving.

Everything has a cause. If you destroy the cause, things will start to work. To find the cause, we need to find out what the flow of events is.

First, research. Then, analysis. Finally, practice. If this process is followed properly, about 80% of the problems will be solved.

Of course, there are some uncontrollable factors that cannot be solved by that.

"We need to bring in someone who can play politics in that area..."

"Eh? Who are you going to call?"

"Ah, sorry, sorry, I'm just talking to myself."


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