Yosuganosora Animation Studio.
Inside the office, Morishita Aoi, dressed in a black women's business suit, placed the studio's consolidated financial report for the past three months in front of Kamiyā Yuu.
With such a beautiful woman standing before him, Kamiyā Yuu wasn't sure whether it was merely his imagination, but he caught the faintest trace of a fragrance. It was subtle and elegant. Even Kamiyā Yuu, who normally disliked the smell of perfume, inexplicably found it pleasant.
"Yuu, these are the financial reports for the past three months. I've also included the recent financial figures related to the company's 'Type-Moon World Setting Collection' project."
Kamiyā Yuu picked up the financial report. Looking at Morishita Aoi's refined, serious face, he asked with some curiosity, "Aoi, are you wearing perfume?"
Morishita Aoi nervously brushed aside the bangs of her short black hair. Her straight black hair had been meticulously trimmed, and its neat edges further accentuated her stern, cool beauty. Kamiyā Yuu's question brought a hint of embarrassment to her expression.
"You can tell?"
"A little." Kamiyā Yuu put the financial report down again with a smile.
She anxiously studied his expression before asking nervously, "How is it?"
"How is what?"
"Do you like this perfume?"
"It's not bad."
Morishita Aoi's slender brows furrowed slightly. She leaned down, extended a delicate finger, and pressed it against his nose in displeasure.
"Yuu, you know I don't like ambiguous answers. If you like it, say you like it. If you don't, say you don't."
Without hesitation, Kamiyā Yuu replied, "Then I like it. As long as it isn't too strong."
Morishita Aoi sighed in relief. Retracting her right hand, she played with her neck-length black hair and explained, "Mm~ I sprayed a little on my hair after showering this morning. I thought it wouldn't be very noticeable."
"My nose is fairly sensitive. I'm a little surprised you'd use perfume, Aoi."
Kamiyā Yuu naturally reached out with his right arm and wrapped it around Morishita Aoi's slender waist. With a slight pull, he drew her entire body into his embrace. Her black hair brushed across his cheek, and the delicate fragrance lingering at its ends drifted into his nose.
Once pulled into his arms, Morishita Aoi naturally shifted herself into a comfortable sitting position. Feeling Kamiyā Yuu smelling her hair, the stern chill on her face instantly melted away.
"I used it last time too. Does it not suit me?" she whispered.
"No. I like it very much."
Sensing Kamiyā Yuu growing restless, Morishita Aoi helplessly picked up the financial report from the desk.
"Yes, yes~ As long as you like it. Now, I'll leave these financial reports to you."
Kamiyā Yuu rested his right hand on her thigh, feeling the warmth of her skin through her stockings.
"Want to read them together?"
She curled up shyly. Feeling the subtle movements of his right hand, her heartbeat quickened. She stiffened her body and suppressed the turmoil inside her.
"I compiled these financial reports myself. Reading them again wouldn't serve any purpose."
"Then stay here with me for a while. If there's a problem with the financial report, you can give me an immediate answer."
Kamiyā Yuu spoke as though nothing unusual were happening. His words might have been slightly more convincing if he had actually released Morishita Aoi's slender waist.
"Ah~ Do whatever you like."
The repeated tremors running through her body left Morishita Aoi without the strength to resist. She simply held the financial report in both hands over her thighs and waited for Kamiyā Yuu to read through it.
Kamiyā Yuu opened Yosuganosora Animation Studio's consolidated financial report for the past three months.
Every financial item was laid out very clearly, so reviewing it did not take long. Only after reading this report did Kamiyā Yuu gain a clear understanding of just how profitable Yosuganosora Animation Studio had become.
'RWBY', despite receiving a cold reception in Japan, had generated nearly 200 million yen in subsequent profits.
Over the past three months, 'Magical Girl Nanoha' had also enjoyed a modest resurgence thanks to the magical-girl craze triggered by 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', bringing in more than one billion yen in net profit.
The most outrageous performer was naturally 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica'.
The period immediately after an anime finished airing was when its commercial activity was at its peak. Through collaborations negotiated by Yosuganosora Animation Studio's operations department, countless licensing agreements, and merchandise profits, the series had generated more than ten billion yen in earnings.
And Yosuganosora Animation Studio had only exploited a small portion of its commercial value.
The unexpectedly enormous profits had led some mainstream media outlets to dub the phenomenon the "Madoka Magica Economic Sphere," estimating that the potential market economy created by a single anime might exceed one hundred billion yen.
Finally, there were the profits generated by the 'Fate/Zero' anime and its related projects.
They were nowhere near those of 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica', but profits exceeding one billion yen were already enough to stand at the very summit of the anime industry. Moreover, 'Fate/Zero' was only halfway through its broadcast, and its various related projects had only just begun.
All expenditures related to the 'Throne of Heroes' project, including Kirigami Ruri's astonishing manuscript fees, had already been offset by revenue from sales of the 'Type-Moon World Setting Collection'.
Turning to the final page of the financial report and seeing the company's total earnings recorded there, Kamiyā Yuu's mouth fell slightly open.
He turned to Morishita Aoi in surprise.
"Aoi, I have that much money?"
Yosuganosora Animation Studio's total profit over the past three months was 13.2 billion yen, equivalent to roughly one hundred million US dollars.
It still couldn't compare with the profits of 'Warship Girls Collection', but these were the earnings from anime he had personally poured his heart and soul into creating. By the standards of the current industry, the figure had broken records, leaving him especially satisfied.
Morishita Aoi calmly replied, "Yes. The anime produced by our company has always performed exceptionally well. Although it's somewhat difficult to believe, if we measure purely by profit figures, Yosuganosora Animation Studio is the most profitable company in the history of the anime industry. We also retain the copyrights to most of our anime. That alone puts us in a far better position than ordinary animation studios."
Far better was an understatement.
Yosuganosora Animation Studio's profits over these three months alone exceeded what even some of the industry's top animation studios earned over their entire existence.
Kamiyā Yuu added, "The risks are much greater too."
Profit and risk went hand in hand.
But Yosuganosora Animation Studio had now produced four immensely popular anime and retained their copyrights. Going bankrupt would actually be rather difficult.
Even if dozens of anime with the same production quality as 'Fate/Zero' were made without selling a single copy, the company would still face no budgetary pressure.
Morishita Aoi turned her head and reached back to caress his cheek, smiling softly.
"Looking back on it now, it really does feel unbelievable. While I was handling everything, I never felt like I was managing something so incredible. I also never imagined that our company would grow to its current scale in just a few years."
Kamiyā Yuu fell into thought before suddenly saying, "Aoi, I'm sorry."
Morishita Aoi looked surprised. "For what?"
"I never let you participate in anime production. Producing anime was your dream, wasn't it?"
Kamiyā Yuu spoke apologetically.
He had originally planned to let her serve as the company's general manager, then transfer her back to the production department once the pressure on the company eased. But now, Yosuganosora Animation Studio's operations department could hardly function without her.
Hearing that Kamiyā Yuu still remembered what she had told him long ago, a blush appeared on Morishita Aoi's face. She shook her head and whispered, "Dreams can change. I like this job more now. And I get to spend more time by your side."
As she finished speaking, a shy yet contented smile blossomed across her face.
"Thank you."
Kamiyā Yuu kissed her cheek, then couldn't resist burying his face against her slender neck as he breathed in the fragrance of her hair. His right hand slid along the inside of her thigh, enjoying the soft sensation beneath his touch.
"Mm~~"
Morishita Aoi's breathing grew heavier, and a moan unconsciously escaped her lips.
After quite some time, Kamiyā Yuu finally stopped teasing her and wrapped his arms around Morishita Aoi's soft body.
"The man holding you right now is a billionaire. Any thoughts, Aoi?" he teased.
Morishita Aoi's entire body was limp and weak. Leaning against his shoulder, she nuzzled him and smiled faintly.
"How much would you be willing to pay for me, Yuu?"
"Everything."
After thinking for a moment, Kamiyā Yuu answered seriously.
Morishita Aoi froze. Her eyes filled with a warm, watery smile as she shook her head.
"Ten billion yen? I have some confidence in myself, but even I don't think I'm worth that much."
"I'm not joking either. There are plenty of ways to make money, but a considerate woman like you isn't easy to find."
Kamiyā Yuu gently took her earlobe between his lips as he spoke softly. His right hand continued enjoying the smooth sensation of the stockings covering her thigh, though he had no intention of going any further.
His words were essentially the truth.
With his abilities, earning tens of billions of yen was hardly difficult. Whenever he entered MAYA in his previous world, the financial accounts of the Matrix Company contained figures so enormous that he was almost becoming numb to the concept of money itself.
Morishita Aoi rested her head against his shoulder, peacefully enjoying this brief moment of intimacy.
Given how well she understood Kamiyā Yuu, she naturally knew whether those words were sincere.
By now, she had already grown accustomed to being with him. Whenever she saw Kamiyā Sora or Busujima Murasaki at work, she inevitably found her thoughts wandering. Her feelings had struggled back and forth countless times, yet in the end she still chose to remain beside Kamiyā Yuu.
Or perhaps there had never truly been a choice to begin with.