Chapter 3. New Game
After dinner, Xander took a short rest, sat on the sofa, chatted with Seele for a bit, and then went back to the studio on the second floor.
The studio was furnished very simply.
Aside from some office supplies, there was just one sufficiently powerful computer, a projector, a big screen, a pen tablet, and a transparent glass display case.
On the top shelf inside the display case sat two game boxes printed with charming young girls, the two games he had released before.
He planned to put every game he made in this cabinet.
When the cabinet was finally filled, that would be the time he could look back on this life.
Sitting in the ergonomic chair, Xander turned on the computer.
A cute chibi with green twin-tails hopped out from one corner of the screen, and the speakers played a voice with a hint of electronic texture: "Master, welcome home."
The little character on the screen smiled as she waved happily.
This was Anti-Entropy's most advanced artificial intelligence.
Bronya had it, and naturally Xander wouldn't miss out either—both came from Cocolia's private sponsorship.
Of course, the AI was freeloading on Anti-Entropy's servers; his side was merely a receiving terminal.
In his current state, he certainly couldn't afford the cost of running an AI.
When he first saw this thing, an image deeply imprinted in his mind surfaced.
Hatsune Miku.
And so, a cute little avatar waving a leek appeared on his computer.
For the first two games, the programming was basically done by Miku.
However, while such simple games were fine, once it involved complex AAA titles later, he couldn't rely on her alone.
"Help me create a new folder."
"At your command!"
Miku adorably raised her little hand, then pulled a folder out of the pocket of her skirt, and with a "Heave-ho!" tossed it onto the screen.
"Master, all done~"
"Mm, nicely done."
He praised Miku once, and seeing her grinning face, Xander closed his eyes in a good mood.
The "tome" of memory opened.
One game after another he had lingered over in the past surfaced in his mind.
He first gazed, a little drool-y, at big titles like Titanfall, Dark Souls, and Grand Theft Auto, but alas, right now he couldn't make those even if someone paid him.
Stifling the stirring in his heart, he turned his attention to smaller-scope games he could pull off with his current ability, which also met the requirements for the mini-game festival.
Vampire Survivors, Noita, ICEY, Plants vs. Zombies...
Flipping through them one by one, Xander fell into thought.
Any one of these could cut down that mecha game of Bronya's with ease, but as his first game (non-galgame), he still had ideas of his own.
In his memory was an enlightenment work that made his past self fall in love with single-player games.
Even now, he still remembered it vividly.
He had played many single-player games since childhood, but the one that truly made him fall in love was that afternoon when he accidentally clicked an icon.
Searching through his memories, he quickly saw that familiar name and those scenes that had once moved him.
He didn't hesitate long before making up his mind.
For St. Freya High School's mini-game festival this time, he would use it as his entry.
It would also be the first mark he left on this world's gaming history.
Of course, eroge didn't count.
Soon, stage after stage and scene after scene replayed in his mind like a movie.
After a long while, he opened his eyes.
This game wouldn't be too hard to make.
Relying on himself plus Miku's help, he could get most of the base game done.
The hardest part instead was how to produce the music.
Looking at that blank folder, the knowledge he had studied and his prior experience quickly straightened out how to build this game.
Before long, he began to tap on the keyboard, and his speed gradually picked up.
This unhindered flow of thought and the smooth, fluid typing felt pleasurable down to his bones.
With Miku's assistance, the contents of the new folder quickly filled up.
It wasn't until a crescent moon hung high and the night grew quiet that Seele's knocking woke him.
"Brother, it's already very late.
Time to shower and rest~"
Wearing cute little bunny pajamas, Seele was toweling her still-damp hair as she spoke to her brother in the room.
"Got it~"
His gaze dropped to check the time.
It was almost eleven o'clock already, so it really was time to rest.
Xander tidied up the files and had Miku shut down the computer.
He stood up and stretched long.
His long time sitting made his back groan, and the tingling sensation made him suck in a breath.
Looks like he will have to exercise on a schedule from now on.
He rolled his neck, a crisp series of clicks sounding out, then walked behind the already-turning Seele and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Brother?"
Seele looked back in puzzlement.
Her just-washed little face was flushed, so cute he wanted to take a bite.
"Showers aren't urgent.
But if I miss the chance to blow Seele's hair dry, that would be a pity."
Smiling as he took the towel from Seele's hands, Xander headed to her room first.
Seele's eyes lit up, and she followed behind her brother with a beaming smile.
The door wasn't locked, so Xander easily turned the handle and walked in.
The main tone of the room was a cute pale pink.
Though Seele's favorite was pure sky blue, that cool tone ultimately wasn't very suitable as the main base tone of a room, so in the end they chose warm pale pink—cozy while still retaining a young girl's cuteness.
Tap—tap—, Seele moved her feet and sat obediently in front of the vanity.
Xander picked up the hair dryer on the table, turned it on to test the temperature, and after confirming it was fine, stood behind Seele.
Woo—woo—, the warm air blew over Seele's hair.
Xander's movements were gentle, and his five fingers slowly threaded through the thick strands, now scented with shampoo.
Feeling her brother's gentle motions, Seele closed her eyes in contentment, a relaxed smile on her face.
Bronya-sis worked late every day and hadn't helped her blow-dry in a long time.
She didn't expect Brother to remember this, and Seele's heart felt sweet.
"What was Seele doing just now?"
His hands kept moving as Xander asked casually.
Just now—of course she had been knitting a scarf for Brother!
But that was a surprise, so she couldn't say it yet.
Seele's big eyes darted left and right, then she answered as if offhand, "Just some crafts Seele likes.
Nothing much~"
"I see."
Xander didn't doubt it.
Since childhood, Seele had liked to tinker with cute little things.
"But Brother, were you making a new game?"
Seeing that, Seele hurried to change the topic and looked at her brother's eyes in the mirror as she spoke.
"Yeah.
Does Seele want to know what it's about?"
In the mirror, Xander raised an eyebrow and spoke with a hint of mischief.
At once, Seele recalled her brother's two previous works.
Th-that—she was still a sixteen-year-old girl!
How could she know those!
Even if they were Brother's works, she had only watched a little, really just a little—no more!
Red spread over Seele's cheeks.
She stammered, unable to speak.
"Looks like Seele knows my works quite well."
Seeing her silent, Xander added another line, making Seele even more embarrassed.
She simply shut her eyes and chose to be a little squirrel hiding away.
"All right, all right, I won't tease you.
This time I didn't make the kind you're thinking of."
Seele's hair was almost dry.
Xander put away the hair dryer and lifted his hand to pat her little head.
"Really?"
Seele turned her head, opening moist, shy eyes.
Ripples of rarely seen charm shimmered within them, and her murmuring voice was half-pouty and half-bashful, like sticky honey.
This enticing look made Xander blank out, his heartbeat quickening, and his face growing warm.
He hurriedly turned his head away, coughed twice, and said, "Of course it's true.
Don't worry—when it's done, you'll be the first to play."
With that, he hastily fled from Seele's room.
Outside the door, once he closed it, he let out a breath.
Thinking back to Seele's soft, delicate look just now, ripples rose in his heart again.
It seemed he had been too confident in his own self-control...
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