Chapter 4 | Catch the Tail of Your Dreams | Remake our Life!
Part 1
Morning. Normally, I would have been rushing around in a frenzy of preparations, but on that particular day, I had quite a bit of time to get ready.
I took a leisurely shower, shaved, and dressed neatly. If it had been a company that wore suits, I'm sure I would have pulled down a new Y-shirt.
"Finally... It's time"
Slap both cheeks to get fired up.
The TV, which I had turned on at random, informed me that today's fortune was bad. Well, maybe that's about right.
"Fighting against a monster, I don't even have a great fortune."
What kind of opponents will come out?
With both anxiety and anticipation, I turned off the TV and opened the door to the house.
"So dazzling..."
The summer sun was shining heavily. Around me were waves of people who, like me, were heading to work in the city center.
I joined them and headed toward the station.
Most of them were in suits, but their appearance varied. Some were on their smartphones all the time apologizing for something, while others were mumbling aloud about the material in their hands and occasionally glancing into the air.
(I wonder what kind of enemy everyone is going to be fighting now?)
Hopefully, they will all achieve certain results.
I boarded a train bound for Shinjuku with a secret wish.
In the completely familiar train window, the building district of the subcenter that changed everything that day floated in the distance. In the shimmering sunlight born of the heat, it all seemed like an illusion.
(It's a... reality)
From dreamlike time, I am forcibly pulled back to reality, and then I am trying to turn it back into a dream again.
Destiny is not something someone prepares for and you receive like a lottery ticket.
I came to realize that it is something I have to get it for myself.
The Odakyu train stops at Shinjuku and transfers to the Yamanote Line. From a train that was not so crowded to one of the most crowded lines in the world.
This usually uncomfortable crowd seemed to be functioning well today as the essence of getting into the spirit of the day.
The train arrived at Gotanda Station and an avalanche of people flooded out.
Mixed in with them, I headed for the skyscraper district from the west exit.
I entered the Succeedsoft building and went down to the basement from a different path than the others. For a long time, I hated this route. I thought it was a symbol of the obvious difference and the fact that I couldn't do anything about it.
But now I am proud to pass this way. Because my friends who fight with me will also come through here.
When I opened the door marked 13th Development Department, it should be an empty, deserted room with the usual dusty smell ... or so it was supposed to be.
"Ahre...?"
But this day was different.
In this room, where I would normally be the first to arrive, there was an employee other than myself who had arrived at work.
"...You're early "
When the words came out of my mouth, they all smiled back at me.
But unfortunately, Miyamoto-san was not there.
Since then, he had become much more withdrawn than before. We exchanged only the bare minimum of words, and he left work early after work.
Somehow, I wanted to talk to him. I wanted him to understand at least that we had our own preparations and plans.
And if possible... I wish that we could have had this day together.
(No, let's not think about that now)
On the day of the presentation, it is best to avoid anything that could kill our enthusiasm.
Because if we don't focus on how to present our proposal, we will be beaten back.
"Good morning ...!"
To get myself fired up, I greeted them in a loud voice.
Finally, the battle begins.
Part 2
The 22nd floor of the Succeedsoft headquarters building was suddenly tense.
"Do you have enough tea?"
"Don't worry, also, check the documents, please once more."
A person from the sales department, who had been hastily dispatched, was prepping for the meeting.
The massive conference tables and luxurious carpets were clearly different from those on the other floors. The spacious room was filled with elements of elegance and prestige other than functionality.
"Ah-ahahaha... Am I really going to make a presentation h-here...?"
Sakurai-san's whole body was filled with a tension far beyond nervousness.
"But, well, if you were in the 13th Department, you wouldn't come here first."
The queen, as usual, does not seem perturbed by this situation.
"I-I hope you guys don't get nervous, do your best, I'll be rooting for you too."
After Sakurai-san, the department head offered words of encouragement in a nervous tone.
"Sakurai-san"
"Y-Yes"
I gently put my hand on the material she holds in her trembling hand.
"It's okay, it's a project we've all worked hard on together. Be confident, okay."
Once again, she looked at the thick material.
And with eyes full of power,
"Yes...!"
The moment she answered, the trembling in her hands had stopped.
"I-It's about time."
Everyone stood up together at the same time the queen looked at her watch and said so.
At the same time as the 1:00 chime sounded, the door to the conference room quietly opened and executives entered one after another.
"Eh, what is today?"
"I'm sure the executive director called up something about the 13th Department project or something."
"13th Department? Did he call us for a project from such a remote place?"
"Well, you see, that's what the executive director..."
"If it's boring, that's something we can talk about."
A total of six executives were seated at the table, ranging from the ordinary directors in charge of development, human resources, sales, and corporate planning, to the executive directors and assistant directors.
All of them seemed to be a group of peculiar characters.
They were in their late 40s to early 60s. It was supposed to be a relatively young composition compared to other companies,
(Well, it's not like they're very... understanding, is it)
They all look at us doubtfully, with reluctant expressions on their faces.
"U-Um, thank you so much for your time today..."
When the department head was about to greet them,
"That's all right, just make it quick. We're running out of time."
"I'm here because the executive director told me to, and I don't have time for Department 13, you should know that."
"Yes..."
Poor guy, the department head fell silent.
Beforehand, Kawasegawa had told me that none of the current directors were on the executive director's side. He told me to be prepared to make a presentation from a clearly disadvantageous situation.
(I wonder what will happen...)
I have only heard a little bit about the executive director's personality.
Even just the thought of having no allies and having to deal with people who are even more peculiar than this side of the group is exhausting.
(I have to support Sakurai-san well...)
When I made up my mind and clenched my fist,
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, well, the previous talk got pushed back. Sorry sorry."
In a strangely lighthearted manner, one young man entered the conference room accompanied by Kawasegawa.
He walked nonchalantly to his seat. He walked with a steady pace and a straight back that gave the impression of confidence.
All the executives stood up and bowed to the man.
We hurriedly followed them.
"Ah, okay, okay, let's get started now, shall we?"
The man brushed them off by raising his hand and sat down, facing us.
(This is... Executive Director Matsuhira, huh?)
I had heard that he was 28 years old, the same age as me and Kawasegawa, but he seemed much younger than that.
However, I occasionally caught a glimpse of a sharp gaze on his smiling face. I wondered if he was bringing his opponents to their knees with this mixture of hard and soft approaches.
(Whatever it is, be careful)
According to Kawasegawa, we were told to be careful because although he should be an ally in terms of his position, he can easily turn into an enemy depending on the situation in the field. He probably meant that this presentation would be a good way to find out if we are useful or not.
I decided to keep an eye on the executive director.
"Now then, we will have a presentation of the new project by the 13th Development Department."
Kawasegawa, the moderator, announced this in a quiet tone, microphone in hand.
Various speculations and tensions are mixed.
The extremely important presentation that would determine our future was about to begin.
The blinds on the conference room windows automatically closed, and the panel behind us shone.
The screen shows the same material that was distributed to each of them.
"The game is a fresh experience that overturns preconceived notions of what an RPG should be, and betrays expectations in a positive way. That is the goal of this work."
First, Sakurai-san gave a detailed overview of the project.
The title, which had always been tentative, seemed to have been decided as "OVER_WORLD". The title was quite interesting, as it had multiple meanings, such as "overturn the world view" and "go beyond the world.
From what we proposed early on, we were able to talk about good ways to cut through the drawbacks in terms of graphics and the niceties of using gimmicks in terms of systems.
(Sakurai-san, you're so good...)
Without a doubt, I can say that she has grown.
(But we're just getting started)
One could say that it all starts after she has finished her full explanation. This is like a preface, so to speak.
The directors were staring intently at Sakurai-san's presentation with the air of experts in a hundred battles.
How do we fight them? In that respect, we had a plan.
Part 3
A week ago, just right after that time when we were all able to come together as one.
"... So we had to make a presentation of our project in the midst of a gathering of executives."
When I told them this in front of everyone in the department, they all voiced their surprise.
"I'm amazed you were able to get such an appointment! All the executives are slow to act, it's amazing that you were able to get them all together ~!"
Takoyaki-san seemed excited, with steam coming out of his head.
It must have been that difficult in the company.
"If they approve it here, it would be the same as a GO signal for the project."
I nodded at the Queen's words.
"So, by planning perfectly here, I think I can make sure that the executives will not complain at all."
While all nodded their heads in agreement,
"... Nevertheless."
Once I hung up my words, I began to flip through the proposal again.
"Indeed, I think this proposal is well organized. It's well monetized and addresses some of the concerns."
"What's wrong ... with that?"
Not knowing what to worry about, Sakurai-san innocently asked the question.
"That's why I want to impress them even more. That this is perfectly thought out."
After saying that, I began to draw lines on the proposal.
"There are several checkpoints in this project."
I marked three places on the revised draft we made.
"I'm going to intentionally stop the presentation at this point and let the executives get involved there."
"Eeh, but if that's the case, we'll be opposed..."
"We just need to give them a good explanation before they do so. If we can answer in a way that says, "I knew you would ask that," we can show that we have thought about how to respond properly and make a strong impression, right?"
"Oh~," they raised their voices.
If we just follow what is written in the book, we may end up with a bland impression.
Then, it would have a stronger effect if we dared to make them participate in the presentation by "making them curious" about the contents. That was my strategy.
"... That's a good idea. Let's do it!"
Sakurai-san said, and Kojima-san looked pleased,
"Fufu, I feel like I'm working for the first time in years."
With that said, I carefully wrote down the designation with a marker.
"All right, then, let's dig a pit. An oversized one that the executives could fall into."
Part 4
"...This is an overview of the project. At this point, do you have any questions?"
Suddenly, a hand went up from the executive in charge of sales.
"Maybe it's a good project, but it's just plain."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, this will be hard to sell as a stand-alone product. I saw it in the materials earlier, hoping to get some buzz on social media... that's just wishful thinking."
"Besides, wouldn't it be a degradation of our brand to release such a small title under our name?"
"Exactly! Don't you feel any shame?"
As if happy to find a place to butt in, the executives started to get all worked up at once.
I couldn't help but look at everyone and smile.
(See, I told you so, didn't I?)
Then I turned to them,
"... Now, with that concern in mind, please see the next panel."
The presentation continued with an appearance of being well-prepared from the outset.
"This work is indeed a modest title. But we are also aware, of course, that it is not enough to fight for it."
A small temporary logo of the RPG title that was just displayed appears on a panel on the screen.
"... Therefore, we have decided to move 10 titles under development at the same time."
The logos for nine more works were displayed around the logo.
A surprised "Oh," was heard from all of them.
"...I see."
The executive director seemed to chuckle as well.
"This group of works is truly diverse. The works were small but varied in type, including male-oriented, female-oriented, and age-specific genres. Moreover, each of these works is by a creator who has already established a reputation for his past works, so we can expect a certain level of purchases."
Numerical information was displayed on the support base for each genre and the size of that support.
"And another concern was about the brand name..."
The panel lit up again.
The Succeedsoft logo appears in large size.
"As you all know, we are a well-established brand that has focused on major titles. If we were to release a series of smaller titles, it would certainly cause confusion, and it would also weaken our brand."
She speaks smoothly, as if she is aware of such things.
“So we have decided to erase the Succeed brand name altogether this time.”
The Succeedsoft logo disappeared and was replaced by the project name logo and the logos of several software house brands.
"The title of the project is Success Produce. We will only supervise the development, and invite small software houses and doujinshi game circles for the actual development."
Hou... I heard a voice from among the executives.
I was looking at the scene,
(Operation "hit by a few shots" succeeded for the time being...)
That time before, when I was working overtime.
It was a casual remark by the department head that brought us to this point.
I want to keep Sakurai-san title. But as it is, we will be branded as an unsuccessful company.
Can we expand the zone of sales by other factors without touching the contents?
What made such a reckless setup possible was the feat of "releasing a lot of products at the same time."
"We are planning to invite some of the most influential illustrators and planners in the industry to participate in the production of these works."
With the connections I had, I managed to solidify the selection of authors for this area. I really wanted to enlist Miyamoto-san's help here, but I was lucky that I managed to cross the line just in time to be included in the proposal.
"... and so on, we are fully prepared for the development of this product."
The best solution could be shown in the form of an interception.
(Okay, 2 points... held)
There were three concerns that we had prepared in advance. Two of them unfolded as expected.
There is one left. If this doesn't come from the other side, it's over.
If it comes out ― it will be another fight.
After a short pause, he quietly raised his hand.
"Please"
The executive, who had remained silent up to that point, slowly opened his mouth as I gave him the opportunity to speak. He was a man with a reputation for sharpness, who had risen through the ranks from sales representative to head of the Corporate Strategy Office.
"I am in a position to consider management strategies, but I see some somewhat optimistic observations about the market, so I will ask a question."
His tone was more polite than ever. I waited for his next words with nervousness, since he was not speaking out of emotion.
"With the Japanese market having cooled down so much, what are the prospects for sales, even for downloads?"
I knew that would come out.
“Even on the major download sites, DL works such as doujinshi are mega hits with tens of thousands of units. Moreover, most of those titles are sold for their explicit sexual descriptions and so on. In this context, I would like to know the basis on which you believe that the title you just mentioned will be strongly supported in the market."
I could see a look of satisfaction on the faces of the executives lined up in the room.
They were apparently frustrated that the young man was taking points for this and that, but I think they were inwardly pleased to see us silenced by the blow from their colleague.
(It's not supposed to be that kind of place in the first place.)
Well, now is not the time to question the pros and cons, so I quietly took the microphone.
And I simply said it.
"Well, we will not sell it in Japan... I think"
At my words, everyone present was stunned for a moment.
And the next moment, the place started to get noisy at once.
"Then where on earth are you going to sell it?"
The executive from earlier opened his eyes again. The other faces were beginning to voice their dissatisfaction and confusion all at once.
"W-What should we do, Hashiba-san...?"
Sakurai-san was pressed by the fierce words of the executives and was at a loss for what to do.
"It's okay, just watch."
I looked at the executive director directly in front of me with a calm expression.
He kept grinning and smiling. Then, just like that, he quickly raised his hand.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, please"
The executive director's expression never changed,
"You are that, aren't you, you seem to have a rather nasty personality."
"I'm sorry"
"It's okay. Even for me, I don't have a good personality."
...You are aware of it, I couldn't say that as I should have.
"And you went out of your way to say it that way, you know?"
The executive director spun the pen in his hand, turned it around, and stopped it with a snap, pointing it at me.
"The point is that you have no intention of selling it in Japan, right?"
The place became noisy again.
I nodded firmly in the middle of it.
"That's right. These works will be sold ― overseas."
The following panel, which had been prepared, was displayed.
"Storm is a download service with 100 million users worldwide. We're thinking mainly of selling our products there." (Note: Storms is a Singapore-based gaming startup that focuses on social instant-play games and hyper-casual mobile games publishing)
This was the key to our proposal.
When I was at my last job, I had information that Japanese novel games were beginning to sell well in the North American market. The company went bankrupt just as I was thinking of translating and developing the games, but I kept the information in case I could use it for something else.
I'm so glad I got into the habit of stocking up on a regular basis.
"I see. I understand that there is potential in this new market."
It was the executive I mentioned earlier.
"However, if you are going to sell overseas, of course you will need to translate. What are the costs and staffing requirements for this."
I nodded,
"For software translation, we are prepared to support five languages from the beginning. Kojima here has already finished listing the translators."
Amid the surprised faces of the executives, Kojima-san stood up and quietly bowed her head.
She looked full of confidence.
Part 5
In fact, we had not initially planned to say this much about the release of this translated version.
"I'm sure this international version will definitely be poked in the translation, but as expected, I don’t have that at the moment..."
"Really... What should we do?"
Sakurai-san and I are both holding our heads.
"Is it not good to ask that to a contractor?"
"If it's a localization company, there are some that we do business with."
I shake my head at the suggestion of Sakurai-san and the department head.
"That would cost too much. And indie novel games have such strong textual characteristics that normal translation doesn't convey the tone of the game."
In fact, there were even some titles that failed to be translated overseas and were given low ratings.
"I see, it's difficult..."
"What should we do?"
While we all folded our arms,
"You know what"
She raised her hand.
"Kojima-san, what's wrong?"
"I have a connection. Translator."
All of us rattled out of our seats at once.
"Eeeh?!"
"How does it work?"
"Don't tell me, actually, a returnee or something like that..."
In response to everyone's panic, the queen calmly said,
"I got bored at work and went overseas for a long time."
When I asked her about it, she told me that every time she went on vacation, she traveled from place to place with inexpensive tickets.
"I met some of the people there, and I met them again in Japan. They are all otaku, so we can talk to each other and even if you say "leaf," "key," or "katazuki," they can understand you." (Note: traditional-style Japanese popular ballad)
I immediately sent a question to the group chat on RINE,
"... I got a quick reply saying something interesting."
"They're all otaku, and if a translation of their favorite author's work is a crap translation, they want to kill him."
And things went smoothly.
We were able to find translators who matched the tone of the work at a much lower cost than we would have paid to a regular localization company.
Part 6
Finally, we presented model cases and other information on actual sales at Storm.
"I think the market will probably fill up quickly. By then, I think we can have a positive impact on the other titles we develop by making sure they are well developed."
Executives suddenly began to buzz when they realized they were involved.
"Is this Storm or Steam thing really going worldwide?"
"Yes, we have detailed statistics, and I will show you those as well."
When I projected the materials on a panel and explained them, the executive who had just spoken seemed to be convinced.
"Indeed, if you include this market, it's something worth considering."
"I'm glad you understood."
The executive director also nodded in satisfaction,
"In the future, more and more consumer games will be compatible with Storm. As a stepping stone, it would be useful as research to launch dedicated titles."
"Yes, as you say."
Finally, being able to push this point was a big plus.
With this, we were able to firmly hold down three points of concern.
(We got a good head start, and we were able to get where we wanted to go)
Now if we can just settle the matter peacefully, we will be able to go through with the approval process.
"I don't think there's anything to worry about now, what do you think?"
Looking around, all the executives seemed convinced.
"Well, I guess that was pretty good for something that came out of the 13th department, wasn't it?"
"There is some concern, but it's not like it's affecting us, well..."
The way he said it caught me a little off guard, but let's not worry about that.
Now it's just a question of how to take the first step.
The executives seemed to have nothing more to say.
"Now then, with this, let’s decide to approve the plan..."
Kawasegawa's crisp voice echoed through the room.
Ah, this somehow paid off.
I was relieved and relaxed a bit.
I had been going through a tense time and was quite tired.
Just when I thought it was going to go with the flow, just when I thought it was going to end like this,
"Good, that was really interesting!"
Suddenly, the Executive Director raised his voice loudly.
“U-Uhm... Executive Director?”
Kawasegawa looked at him suspiciously, but he didn't care,
"Well, I never thought I'd see a project like this coming out of the 13th department! It's really great, isn't it?"
Suddenly, he began to praise us for our proposal.
(Eh, w-what is it...?)
Unsure of his intentions, I turned my attention back to the executive director.
"Yeah, right... I thought it was a good project from someone like them..."
As if to follow, one of the executives interrupted him with a word,
"From someone like them? What are you talking about? It's the future, it's profitable, and it's a revolutionary idea that has never been done before!"
"Eh...?"
The executive who interrupted him was speechless at the power of the executive director.
"Don't you understand? I'm saying. Why is it that these groundbreaking ideas are not coming from those of you who are supposed to be working in the main department! It's pathetic, really!"
(W-What's he talking about, this person...!)
It was a sudden, challenging statement.
That's pretty harsh and strong language, too.
"Executive Director, isn't it a little too much!"
"That's right! Unlike the 13th Department, we have our regular work to do. We cannot be blamed for not coming up with a plan!"
The executive director's rude words were met with a bloodthirsty response from the board members.
"No, no, even they were doing their jobs properly. Moreover, they even came up with a plan for improvement and came up with this project in their spare time, which is admirable, isn't it? It's worthy of being featured in an economic program of that kind!"
Still, he tried to compare us with them and put us down.
Naturally, the way the executives looked at us gradually became stern again.
(W-Wait a minute, why are you trying to add fuel to the fire here!)
It didn't make any sense at all.
If he wants to praise us, he should just do so, but why say something so offensive to them?
Before a moment's hesitation, they were,
"I do not agree!"
Finally, he began to explode with anger toward us.
"What's the point, in the first place, you can't just call in a planning meeting and start talking about it like it's a big deal!"
"You guys don't know this, but the 13th section is on the list for liquidation. No matter how many good projects those people bring in, they mean nothing!"
It was a ridiculous accusation.
Moreover, they were even mixed back into the conversation before this meeting was held.
"I can't just leave this project to the 13th department."
"That's right, I think it would be a good idea for 6th Department to take it over and develop it there."
That's absurd!
As expected, I raised my voice, saying that it was too absurd.
"W-Wait a minute, are you planning to steal the plan we came up with?"
"Don't talk nonsense! You don't even have any development!"
"Let the indies do it, let them fail, and we'll be the ones who have to take the blame!"
It was no longer a complete exchange of ideas.
The executives, who were so emotional that they were making all kinds of difficulties, and we, who were losing the battle, were talking back to them.
I kept trying to think of something effective to say during the process.
(No good. If I lash out in anger, things will go in circles)
Even if I become angry, I must do so in an orderly fashion.
But.
What was the person who brought this about in the first place thinking?
With eyes filled with anger, I looked at the executive director.
He remained silent, with a hellish smile on his face.
(He is laughing...?)
Are you saying that he didn't misspeak or anything, but rather that he predicted what was going to happen?
I was angry with him for his behavior, but I thought about the reason why he was there.
(... Don’t tell me)
Is this a test of resolve?
Instead of a somewhat reluctant acquiescence, syou want them to go ahead and screw it up?
I looked around again.
The executives all have their own egos and are not happy that we are "active" anyway.
If we back down here, it's over.
But if we show a willingness to fight, he will support us properly.
... To me, the executive director's attitude seemed to be that way.
(Honestly, I'm scared. But... I have to say it.)
I look to the side. Everyone is looking at them with a frustrated expression.
So I made up my mind.
Grit your teeth.
Looking ahead.
And just as I was about to open my mouth,
"Then nothing will change!"
It wasn't me.
Surprised, I looked right beside me and there she was.
"... Then, nothing..."
There was Sakurai Ritsuko, her hands clasped tightly together, her lips trembling.
It was a cry from her, from her heart.
In an instant, the conference room was silent and still. The eyes of everyone there turned toward her.
The hardships we have had to endure. And the unreasonable interference with the answers she had come up with. She felt a tremendous amount of anger.
It came out in the form of words.
But she didn't have any further words. There must have been so many things she wanted to say, but she couldn't put them together.
That's why she screamed. To rip the air. To remake this place.
I quietly raised my hand, taking in her thoughts and determination.
"... May I"
Once, I cleared my throat.
We can't go back now.
(Let's say everything. What I have been holding on to and everyone's thoughts)
How did this project come about in the first place?
The reason for this, which could be called the behind-the-scenes planning intent.
"This time, the project was designed by Sakurai, who had been submitting proposals for many years only to have them rejected."
I remember that mountain of rejected proposals.
It all started there.
"It is true that many of her projects were difficult to sell and difficult to see their intentions. However..."
I remember the first time I was shown a pile of proposals.
Many of them were not usable, but there is definitely passion there, and...
"If you look at it with proper scrutiny, there was definitely a gem in the rough there. The project that we presented to you today is the one that has been carefully polished and carefully arranged."
Yes, there was.
This is a gem in the rough where those who were once involved with her missed it.
“This is not a miracle. It is something that would have taken shape long ago if only the meeting had kept the form it was supposed to have, and had been checked properly. Essentially, the supervisors had to find the seeds of the problem, but they failed to do so, and this is the result."
Perhaps feeling awkward, everyone's eyes turned away from me.
"Always have a planning meeting at the meeting. I think this is a wonderful spirit of the president, the founder of the company. But it is fair to say that it has become a complete formality"
Once, I used to admire it.
The staff of a game company.
"What is being done here is so far from the ideal. All I heard was taking credit and giving reasons for denial, and there was little constructive talk. It is a pity that the young and inexperienced ideas should have been supplemented by the experience and wisdom of all of you, but instead they ended up getting burned."
I wanted to make something I liked.
When I actually went in, it was no different.
That's why... I took action.
"I will say it again. Our company will remain as it is and everything will remain the same. It is a great loss. To change them from the ground up, please embrace the new. Otherwise, what awaits us is... death"
A period of silence ensued.
But it was only for a moment.
"If we just shut up and listen, you'll be cocky... It seems that the education of Horii-kun has been very good."
"Yes, why don't you, the head of your department, take note of all this rude behavior!"
The executives all began to point the finger at department head Horii.
They probably thought it would be easier to control the situation this way.
"How cowardly, if you want to say it, here..."
I uttered unintentionally.
"No, uh... well, if you put it that way..."
The department head was still smiling and wiping the sweat from his forehead.
But suddenly, the expression on his face,
"Even if you say so... Everything he says is true, so it would be strange to pay attention to it."
He changed.
“Rather, what you should be careful about is... how you respond?”
It was a cold, contemptuous look at the executives.
“Department head...!”
Our eyes, on the other hand, lit up at once.
"No, you see, a department head is only... in times like this"
Quickly, he wiped his forehead again,
"There's no such thing as a job."
Fufu, his smile returned again.
"Wha!"
"Y-You...!"
Naturally, the executives were furious.
"Executive Director! Kawasegawa-kun! Let's kick these rude people out!"
"That's right! They don't even know how to talk!"
The executive director waited slowly for them to finish speaking, and then,
"Is there anything else you would like to say?"
Yes, he said coldly.
“E-Executive Director, are you going to let it slide? This rude outburst by a mere employee!"
"That one employee pointed out perfectly the problems that our company is facing. And with examples."
The executives' mouths dropped open.
"I think we should all just shut our mouths and reflect on what's happened?"
"Ah..."
"Ugh..."
One by one, the executives closed their mouths and slumped into their chairs.
There was no longer a single person left who was willing to resist.
After looking at all of their faces, as if he was enjoying himself, the executive director turned his attention to me.
"Now then, Hashiba-kun."
"Yes"
“Good presentation, but I have a question... Do you mind?”
"What is it?"
Unintentionally, I felt my hand tighten.
He was the one who had made the situation so complicated that it had almost come to a conclusion. He was sure to confront us with something that would be difficult to answer.
(Frankly, if he pokes that one, it's... tough)
This project was almost perfectly laid out, from the battle strategy of letting them dare to butt in, to the trump card of overseas expansion.
However, there was one area that could not be covered by any means.
As I looked at him nervously, he said to me in the same tone he had used up to that point.
"About what you said earlier about Storm, I thought it was an interesting idea."
"Thank you very much"
"But you know... that's all."
"... Yes?"
The executive director turned the pen in his hand toward me.
"It is very risky to devote new development efforts to an unknown section. That's why I wanted to have a clear number."
The metal on the tip of the pen shimmered in the sunlight.
"For research purposes, it would be sufficient to play existing titles without preparing any new ones. Fortunately, we have titles that have already been translated and packaged for sale."
"That is..."
I was beaten, I thought.
Yes, the companies' past titles were sold as archives at Storm, and moreover, they were highly rated.
For research purposes, it made sense to release past titles first and then new ones, rather than risky new ones.
"No, the research is just a byproduct of the process, and this is where we develop new titles for the market and take on the challenge."
"That's weak! Every department is short of money right now. If you don't have a proven element involved here, it won't be very convincing."
"Uwh...!"
The executive director is still grinning and smiling.
There was no such thing as a past track record.
It is absurd to ask a market that is about to be newly developed to use the data from previous sales as a basis for its development.
"Hashiba-san... are you okay?"
Having been backed into a corner at the last minute, Sakurai-san looks as if all is not well this time.
For my part, I never thought I would be pushed into a corner like this here.
"We're in trouble... There is no such thing as somewhat predictable earnings."
Kojima-san also frowned.
"Wh-what's going on..."
The department head, who had been so dependable earlier, became weak all at once.
The executive director is probably not looking for a detailed number.
This is a game. He must have known that we were running out of cards in our hands and challenged us to this fight.
So, something, just one thing. If we can present a factor, which has been proven in the past.
(We should be able... to win this battle)
Thoughts were running through my head.
Something, there must still be something. There is something that we were not prepared for, something that we can say that we can recover our budget here―
Then suddenly,
"Please wait!"
A loud voice echoed.
Everyone in the room looked toward the entrance of the conference room where the voice came from.
There is,
"I'm terribly sorry! I'm late for the meeting! I will join now!"
Bowing his head deeply, Charaji... Chief Miyamoto appeared.
"C-Chief...!"
While everyone was surprised, Miyamoto-san walked briskly into the room and joined us.
And without making eye contact with anyone,
"You would like to see proper data support this in the past ... You mentioned that earlier, didn't you?”
He turned to the executive director and asked him.
"Yes, that's what I said."
The executive director responds with a beaming smile, without any agitation at all.
But the Chief did not flinch in the slightest,
“I thought you would say that, so I prepared... Sakurai.”
"Y-Yes"
The Chief handed her an SD card.
"Here. Open it up and display it on the panel."
As instructed, Sakurai-san inserted the SD card into her laptop and displayed the images on the panel.
"Eh, this is...!"
At the same time, our voices were raised.
"Could you take a look at it?"
The chief grinned and pointed to the panel.
"―This is the proven record of our past track record."
On it were the names of manga and light novel authors who are active in the publishing department right now, with big hits in their works.
A large red circle was surrounded by the words "Comicalization is possible at the same time!" was written in large letters.
"Thanks to the cooperation of all the artists here... We plan to expand the media for the proposed work at once."
The panel was replaced by the following.
The total number of works sold by the artists so far, as well as information on their eagerly awaited next work, were displayed.
"As you can see, their new works are highly anticipated by readers. And most importantly, they have an established reputation for their comic book works―which I think will be a major factor in their future media development"
The way he said this with dignity seemed to be filled with confidence, "I laid the foundation for this."
"Based on our sales predictions, even if we achieve half of what we're expecting, the budget will pay for itself, and given our long-term outlook, including e-books, I think our concerns are infinitesimally small. What do you think?"
The chief then looked at the executive director.
"―No, it's not. I think it's enough as a basis."
Saying that, he nodded slowly.
"Thank you very much"
The chief bowed, a beautiful bow that did not match his appearance, and then quietly sat down.
"C-Chief... Thank you very much for your help."
Sakurai-san thanked the chief with tears in her eyes.
"Hey, Sakurai."
"Y-Yes..."
"It's a really good project."
"Eh……?"
"That's why I wanted to make sure it was a success. That's all."
Sakurai-san's eyes widened and she took a deep, sweeping bow. Perhaps she thought she would cry if she spoke.
It was a little late, but it was a nice appreciation for her hard work.
And the chief looked at me,
"... I'm sorry, I'm really late."
"No, thank you very much... I didn't know what would have happened if the chief didn't come."
I say, smiling wryly,
"You should be thankful for my popularity."
He patted me on the back.
"... You're right"
I am sure that he worked hard to persuade the creators to go ahead with the project, completely separately from us. And he must have thought of this as a back-up plan when the situation finally came to a pinch.
(He is not being honest, really)
Anyway, now everything is really set up.
(All that's left is to see how the last boss decides...)
Our eyes all turned to him at once.
He was quietly looking over the place―the executive director uncrossed his hands and said,
"Well done"
He nodded in satisfaction and stood up.
"I am very pleased with your presentation. Let's keep this matter in my custody."
And in a calm voice, he said so firmly.
For a moment, we all couldn't quite catch up with what had happened,
"And that means..."
Eventually, we each received the meaning of the words,
"We're..."
"The presentation was a success!"
We were so elated that we formed a circle and rejoiced with each other on the spot.
"Sakurai-san, we did it! Your project has been approved!"
"Y-Yes, thank you very much!"
"I'm glad, I'm really glad, Sakurai!"
The executive director smiled and applauded, then quietly left the conference room without further ado.
We were as happy as ever, and the executives sat with reluctant faces.
(Did we manage to pull it off somehow...?)
I was overjoyed, but my feelings of relief were greater.
Or rather, we faced a tremendous stage at the end.
I was going to go peacefully, but I can't believe things turned out like that...
"That's right, Kawasegawa..."
I had to thank the person who made this happen. I followed her figure with my eyes and saw that Kawasegawa was just about to leave the room.
"Kawasegawa, thank..."
She looked at me for a moment as I was about to say something.
"..."
It was not a look of joy.
She looks somewhat sad or melancholy.
Then she left the room without changing her expression and without saying a word.
"Kawasegawa...?"
But I had no idea what that meant at the time.
Thus ended the planning meeting for the survival of the 13th Development Department, with the mystery remaining but causing a commotion. However, I was already beginning to get the feeling that this was not going to be the end of it.
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