**The Next Day**
*Offices of the Tokyo Headquarters of Kodokawa*
*Grand Amateur Game Contest*
In the spacious hall, rows and rows of booths were set up, filled with a wide variety of participants. However, the most notable booth was one that hardly seemed "amateur" at all. A display that could easily pass as the work of a major company stood proudly like a beautiful swan among a group of ugly ducklings. At the top of the podium, the logo of Strawberry Productions was prominently displayed for all to see. Some contestants, along with a curious crowd, approached to take a closer look. Their eyes sparkled as they saw beautiful girls in incredible outfits.
…
Kaguya: "Do we really need to do this?" she asked, embarrassed.
Kaguya was dressed in a cosplay of Rin Tosaka, a character from the game.
Chika: "Yes! Come on, Kaguya-san, we're supporting Tadano-kun with his project! We need to be more proactive!" she exclaimed with determination.
Hearing her words, Kaguya couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Kaguya: "Then what are you wearing?" she asked with annoyance.
Chika: "What? Don't I look awesome?" she said while flexing her muscular arm.
Kaguya: "…"
Chika was wearing a full-body costume of the character Berserker.
Chika: "Fufufu! Tremble before my mighty muscles, you incompetent heroes!" she said fiercely, moving around in her costume.
Kaguya: "Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked, looking to her side.
Hayasaka: "What do you mean, Kaguya-sama?" she replied with her characteristic serious tone.
Kaguya: "…"
Hayasaka was dressed as Illyasviel, though she was struggling to keep her hat in place.
*Meanwhile*
Ai: "Master! Look! Look! Ai is super cool, right?" she said, moving around in a golden armor that seemed to have come out of nowhere.
Tadano: "Yes, Ai looks very brave∼"
Ai: "Yay! I was praised! Yamai-nee is the best… I didn't think I'd get this so quickly," she said, hugging Yamai, who was wearing a simple business suit.
Yamai: "It's nothing… anything for my little star," she said while pinching one of Ai's round cheeks, making the girl laugh happily.
Tadano couldn't help but roll his eyes.
At least, until a gloved hand touched his face.
It was none other than Shouko, who was dressed in the characteristic outfit of Saber, or rather, Artoria Pendragon. She looked at him with expectation reflected in her onyx-colored eyes.
Tadano: "You also look great, Shouko-chan. You look very brave and cool," he said while patting her head.
The young girl smiled happily.
Shouko: "Y-Y-You l-l-l-l-look very h-handsome too…" she said shyly.
Tadano: "You think so?"
Shouko nodded.
Tadano was cosplaying as Archer, or rather, Emiya. The red outfit and his white hair contrasted well with his dark complexion, giving him a mature look that caught the attention of many women in the room.
Tadano: "Thanks… now, let's get this show started."
…
It was no surprise that there were no major upsets. With Strawberry Productions being so famous at the moment, it didn't take long to catch the judges' attention. Some might argue that this was an unfair advantage, but since the company was still relatively young, it could still be considered amateur, and since it was a branch handling this project and not the whole company, everything was fine. Or at least, that's what Agari said after thoroughly investigating the contest rules.
Once they caught the judges' attention, it was an uphill ride with no brakes. The captivating story, along with the striking characters and their conflicts, entranced the judges, and the project was given the green light immediately. The judges were also impressed by how polished the game was for being relatively amateur, featuring character voices, detailed artwork, and even short animations worthy of a televised anime. It was no surprise to anyone that they won first place.
And the audience was greatly surprised when Tadano and Ai came forward to receive the award and distribute copies of their game. The appearance of the stars of the moment in such a small venue caused an uproar, much to the delight of some of the company's high-ranking executives, who gained a good impression of Tadano's company.
…
Tadano: "Well done, great job, everyone…" the young man congratulated the members of his team.
Everyone: "Yes!"
Ai: "But I have to say, I didn't expect so many people… I felt like I was going to be crushed at any moment," she said, trembling a little.
Shouko nodded furiously.
To be honest, they were the ones who suffered the most. Ai, because of how famous she was, and Shouko, because she looked so cool in her Saber costume, on top of her already stunning appearance.
Yamai: "Maa∼ Maa∼, both of you, have some bubble tea and relax," she said with a kind smile, handing each of them a cup.
Tadano: "I owe you all big time for this grand stage, girls…" the young man said to the trio behind him.
Kaguya: "As long as you like it…" she said quietly.
Hayasaka: "I'm at your service…" she said calmly.
Chika: "Well then, I want a hug…" she said, opening her arms with a cheerful smile.
Kaguya: "…"
Hayasaka: "…"
Yamai reevaluated the threat level of this pink-haired girl at that moment.
Ai almost choked on her tea.
Shouko gave Chika a strange look, but after making a few comparisons, she felt she wasn't inferior. Still, she decided to keep a closer eye on this pink-haired girl.
Tadano: "… well, I guess I can do that," he said, somewhat dazed.
Chika: "Hehe… lucky me! Come on! Come on!" the pink-haired girl jumped up happily.
As they hugged, the eyes of three of the girls burned with fiery intensity.
Meanwhile, our airheaded pink-haired girl was enjoying herself to the fullest.
Chika: "Ah! Tadano-sama… so warm, so strong…" the young girl murmured.
Tadano thought to himself, "This side of Fujiwara is unknown from the original series. Although it's interesting, it could be a bit problematic. Right now, she's starting to resemble her older sister a little."
While Tadano was lost in thought, a steel grip latched onto the pink-haired girl's shoulder and pulled her away.
Kaguya: "Well, Onii-sama, we have things to do. We'll be going now. Have a good day, everyone…" she said with a blank tone while dragging Chika away.
Chika: "Eh? But I wasn't finished! Wait!" she said with a tearful expression as she was dragged off.
Hayasaka followed them silently after politely saying goodbye to the rest.
…
Author's Note: "Here's a somewhat short chapter, enjoy it! Remember to drink plenty of water, and know that I love you all. Sincerely, your favorite depressed author."
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