Days after C&C's attack, in the Game Dev Clubroom:
"Hmph, hmph, hmph!"
Alice and Mash were doing push-ups.
"Alice, what're you—!?"
"Training!"
Alice claimed her loss was partly due to lacking combat experience… and muscle. So, she trained with Mash.
"Alice wants to be a buff macho like Sensei!"
"Welcome aboard."
"No way! Alice is perfect as is!"
"Buff Alice? No thanks…"
"Muscle girls are cool, though."
"Not that kind of muscle girl!"
"Sensei, we need sugar post-workout!"
"Right. Cream puff?"
"Yay!"
Alice gleefully ate her cream puff. Mash, noticing Momoi holding something, asked:
"Momoi-chan, what's that?"
"This? Alice, look! A maid outfit!"
A small maid outfit appeared.
"—!" Whoosh!
Alice, face paling, swallowed her cream puff and chopped the outfit in half.
"Alice Chop!" Rip!
"Whoa!?"
"Wow, split clean in two."
"Oops, reflex…"
"Trauma's deep."
"A few centimeters closer, and I'd be sliced…"
"Your fault, big sis. I warned you."
"Body's healed, but the heart needs time."
"Alice wants to be friends, but… scary!"
As they talked, Yuzu returned from an errand.
"Sensei, about the building damage…"
"All good. Talked it out—handled as an club activity accident."
"Really!?"
"Thanks, Yuzu-chan, for explaining."
Yuzu had faced questioning as Game Dev's rep for the school damage from the C&C fight. Though Mash and Alice caused it, C&C struck first, and the mirror issue was nullified.
"Also, Alice, Neru-senpai says, 'See you again.'"
"Eek!?"
"And to Sensei, 'I'll win next time.'"
"Yikes…"
"Sensei's not scared at all."
"Not that scared."
Yuzu opened her PC, connecting it to an external monitor.
"Millennium Prize started."
"Crackers if we win? Maybe cake. But if not…"
"We'd pack up. Yuzu-chan and Alice-chan…"
Midori's worried voice hung heavy. They had no response, but Mash did.
"It'll be fine. Absolutely."
"Sensei…"
"Believe in your effort. I do."
"Right… I believe!"
They turned to the screen.
Millennium Prize Venue
The D.U. district hall, packed for one of Millennium Science School's biggest events, drew attention from other schools and companies (except Kaiser, avoiding Mash).
"Starting the Millennium Prize! I'm Kotori Toyomi from the Engineering Club, your host!"
"Kotori-chan!"
"This year saw the most entries ever, likely due to Seminar's new rule requiring club achievements to stay active!"
"Hmm, most entries? That's rough…"
"Yeah, tough…"
More entries meant higher competition. Doubt crept in, but—
"Taking first would be bragging rights."
Mash's words snapped them back.
"Last year's winner, Noah Ushio's poetry collection, was praised as Millennium's top insomnia cure."
"Noah-chan's amazing."
"Though not her intent… This year, we have toothpaste-disguised mozzarella containers, missile-equipped umbrellas, tie-shaped batteries, optical camouflage underwear, a can-sized pencil-case fridge…"
"All so quirky… Optical camouflage underwear?"
"Kinda curious."
"Is that okay?"
"And… the Gravity Dumbbell!"
Mash's Gravity Dumbbell was among the wild inventions.
"They made another… Impressive."
"The Gravity Dumbbell, loved by Shalle's Mash Burnedead, is a certified hit!"
"Looks intense."
"Thanks to it, I'm stronger."
"Stronger!?"
"And stirring Kivotos' internet: the retro multiplayer Tales Saga Chronicle 2! From triple-digit entries, only seven win glory!"
"Here we go…"
Gulp.
"Seventh place: Engineering Club's Utaha with optical camouflage underwear!"
"Why!?"
"Even I'm like… why?"
The underwear, letting skin show through, was eccentric but praised for enabling "legal" exhibitionist hobbies.
"Perverted judge?"
"Don't say that, Sensei."
Sixth, fifth—no Tales Saga Chronicle 2. Fourth, third, second—still nothing.
"Finally, the top honor of the Millennium Prize!"
The peak of over 100 entries.
"So nervous…"
"Maybe…"
"Please…"
"Heart's pounding…"
"First place goes to…"
Gulp.
"…After the commercial break!"
"Alice! Sensei!"
"Let's go!" Grabs Mash.
"Hamstring Magic: Big Ba—"
"Stop! No attacking! I get it, but…"
"Okay, no assault."
Phew.
"But I wanna talk."
"With an iron staff!?"
"Calm down, okay?"
The commercial ended.
"Here we go!"
Gulp.
"Please, please…"
"God, grandpa, lend us strength…"
"The long-awaited first place…"
"Momoi Punch!"
Momoi smashed the display in frustration.
"Kyaa! Why!?"
"They're taking everything anyway!"
None of the seven winners included Game Dev.
"Waaah! It's really over!"
"This can't be…"
"Calm down, big sis, Yuzu-chan—"
"I know!"
Momoi's anguished shout echoed.
"It's not all for nothing! We grew since that worst-game ranking. We can keep growing, make better games, get better results, a bigger clubroom!"
Momoi felt pride. The net wasn't all bad—they'd grown since the worst-game days. But—
"Yuzu and Alice…"
The club's disbandment was inevitable.
Yuzu would return to the dorms. Alice had nowhere. Shalle could take her, but it wasn't a fix.
"Don't worry, Momoi, Midori. I'll go back to the dorms."
"Huh…?"
"Nobody'll call me a trash-game maker now. Even if they do, I'm okay. I have you three and Sensei. I'm not scared."
Yuzu, holding back tears, smiled at Mash.
"Thank you, Sensei."
"Wait, it's not over. There's gotta be a way…"
"Since you joined, we changed so much. You supported and believed in us. Thank you. But Alice-chan…"
Alice was crying.
"We can't… be together anymore?"
"Sorry, Alice-chan! I'll visit every day! We'll make games again!"
"No… I don't want to split up! We're so close!"
"I… want to stay together!"
As they hugged, sobbing, Mash thought desperately.
"Still not over… Arona, any way to make them smile?"
"Sensei, calm down! The announcement—"
The door burst open. Yuuka rushed in, beaming.
"Momoi! Midori! Alice-chan! Yuzu! Sensei!"
"Yuuka-chan, wait, there's still—"
"Congratulations!!"
"Huh… congratulations?"
"Congrats?"
Puzzled, they tilted their heads.
"What's with that reaction? Didn't see the results?"
"Results?"
"We didn't make top seven…"
"What's that mean?"
"You didn't watch?"
"Big sis smashed the display…"
"Seriously? Here, my phone."
The screen read:
The Millennium Prize has awarded works for practicality, aiming for a better future. But this time, one work showed practicality differently, evoking nostalgic pasts and future possibilities. Thus, we made an unprecedented choice.
"Special Award: Game Development Club, Tales Saga Chronicle 2."
"What!? No way!"
"What's happening…?"
The judges continued:
"Its retro concept transcends time, with unexpected twists and an enigmatic world. Initially confusing, it captures RPGs' core joy—journeying, bonding, defeating the demon king. It vividly recalls childhood gaming passion. For this, we award it the Millennium Prize Special Award."
Game Dev didn't rank but won a special award.
"Congrats! I played it. Not perfect, but it had that unique post-great-game feeling."
Ring…
"Momo! Mido! I played TSC2! Super fun! It's blowing up online! Veritas says it's outsearching idol names!"
"Really…?"
Yuuka's words, Maki's call—still processing, they were stunned.
"Confirmed: Three hours ago, Tales Saga Chronicle 2 had 7,705 downloads, 1,372 comments. Post-announcement, downloads hit 10,000 in 26 seconds, with 500 new comments—242 negative/skeptical, 191 positive/expectant, rest neutral."
"So… no disbandment!?"
"Yes. It's temporary reprieve, not an official win, but Seminar's holding off clubroom seizure and disbandment until next semester."
Not the expected award, but voiding a special award post hoc was unfair, so Game Dev stayed.
"And… sorry. I called your consoles junk and was harsh. You reminded me of childhood games. Thank you."
Yuuka smiled, thanking them.
"Do the clubroom extension and budget paperwork later. See you! Congrats again!"
She left briskly.
"We did it…"
"Yay!!"
"Such a relief!"
"So happy!"
"Um… what?"
Alice, confused, was gripped by Midori's tearful smile.
"Alice-chan! We got the special award! This clubroom stays ours!"
"So… Alice can stay with everyone?"
"Of course!"
"Here on out, too!"
"And… Sensei!!" Rush!
Momoi, Midori, and Yuzu leapt into Mash's arms. He caught them gently.
"Thank you! For the ruins, the mirror, everything!"
"For always encouraging us!"
"For… believing in us…"
"Sensei! Alice too! Thank you…"
"You're welcome?"
"Alice… joins in!" Rush!
"Oof!"
Alice tackled Mash, hugging everyone.
"The happy-ending god didn't abandon us!"
"Luck's on our side! Thank you, God!"
"No, you two. Happy endings aren't waited for—they're seized. This isn't luck. It's your hard work."
Mash hugged them, speaking softly.
"Congrats, and well done."
Game Dev burst with joy and messy emotions.
"Alice-chan!"
"We…"
"Will always be together!"
"Yes! Please, forever! Sensei too!"
"Of course."
Mash hadn't understood games at first, unsure if he could protect them beyond strength. But he safeguarded their clubroom and smiles.
(May this story last forever…)
He thought quietly.
Data recovery: 98.00%.
System activation… ready.
Program set… Divi:Sion.
AL-1S… no… Alice…
My precious… @#$%^&(!@$!!*
Mash… Burnedead… Irregular existence…
He's… too dangerous…
Incapacitation… and…
Elimination… under consideration…
---------------------------------------------
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