Gensokyo Corporation's office.
"How is it?"
Sato sat across from Kosaka Akane, but with the computer screen blocking his view, he could not see her expression clearly.
When Kosaka Akane remained silent for a long time, Sato slightly furrowed his brows.
Just as he was about to ask again, Kosaka Akane suddenly raised her head and looked at him with a somewhat solemn expression.
"Miyabi-sensei!"
"Hm?"
"It's selling like hotcakes!"
Her excited voice echoed through the office.
A flicker of light passed through Sato's eyes, and he gently nodded to show that he understood.
Seeing this, Kosaka Akane asked with interest, "Why aren't you reacting to this anymore, Miyabi-sensei?"
Sato picked up the tea in front of him and took a light sip. "There isn't anything surprising about it being a hit at the beginning. Just as you said, our production team is incredibly strong."
"With a lineup like this, it's only natural that we would attract some people at the beginning. What's important is how things develop afterward."
Having a fan effect when a game was first released was perfectly normal, but the success of a work still depended on its reputation and sales afterward.
Kosaka Akane looked at Sato with a charming smile. "So it seems Miyabi-sensei is quite confident?"
"I'm very confident in the work. As for the market... we'll have to see the feedback."
"The feedback is very good. A lot of stores are already placing additional orders. That means they're also optimistic about the market going forward."
They were already placing additional orders?
Sato froze for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
It seemed this work would be able to continue shining in this world after all. That could also be considered one of his successes. At the very least, it had given him quite a boost.
"The feedback from here on will probably come in gradually. Miyabi-sensei, why don't we have lunch first and talk afterward?"
Lunch?
Sato subconsciously glanced at the time and realized that it had already reached noon without him noticing.
"Sure!"
"Great. I happen to know a nice little place nearby."
...
Sato and Kosaka Akane took the elevator downstairs together. Suddenly, Sato reached out and pressed the button for a certain floor.
"Miyabi-sensei?"
Kosaka Akane turned toward Sato in confusion.
Sato explained, "I'll stop by and see my older brother while I'm at it."
Kosaka Akane immediately remembered that Sato's older brother also worked at a company on one of the floors in this building.
Futaba Commercial Company's floor.
Kosaka Akane waited outside while Sato followed the receptionist's directions and walked into a lounge area.
It happened to be lunchtime.
From a distance, Sato could already see his older brother.
He seemed to be discussing something with a somewhat chubby-looking coworker. The two were standing together with their heads lowered, talking quietly.
Was that person's name Kawaguchi?
Sato recalled for a moment before walking toward Nohara Hiroshi.
As he drew closer, his excellent five senses allowed him to hear their conversation.
"Senpai, the latest one is almost out!"
"Which one?"
"You know, that one! Maki Sakai's photo book!"
"Oh, that one! Wait! Kawaguchi, keep your voice down!"
"Yes, yes! I got it, Senpai."
"Senpai, let's go buy it together tomorrow. That guy Makuguchi from the group next door said he's going to buy it first thing tomorrow morning. It'll probably be in high demand."
"Ah! No, I can't! Misae cut my allowance again recently because I got completely drunk at an izakaya last time and made her angry."
"Tch, I'm so jealous of you, Senpai!"
"What's there to be jealous of...? Haha, Kawaguchi, you should find yourself a girlfriend soon."
"Ahem!"
At that moment, a low cough suddenly came from beside the two of them, startling them both.
When they saw who it was, Nohara Hiroshi immediately looked at Sato in surprise.
"Sato, what are you doing here?!"
Kawaguchi looked at Sato curiously.
Isn't this Senpai's incredibly capable younger brother?
Sato looked at the two of them with a somewhat complicated expression. "I came upstairs to take care of some things at the company."
Hearing this, Nohara Hiroshi nodded in understanding before asking with some concern, "Did you run into some kind of trouble?"
"No. A game was just released, so I came over to check the data."
"What game?!"
Kawaguchi asked instinctively, clearly quite interested. He seemed to be a gamer himself.
"Yosuga no Sora, a galgame."
"Yoshi! I'll buy a copy and support you too!"
Kawaguchi patted his chest as he spoke.
"Thank you."
Sato politely thanked Kawaguchi before glancing at the bento Nohara Hiroshi had already eaten more than half of.
"Then I'll be going. Someone is waiting for me outside, and I can't keep her waiting too long."
"All right! Go ahead, then. You shouldn't keep someone waiting too long."
Nohara Hiroshi hurriedly urged him on.
After Sato left, Kawaguchi suddenly turned to Nohara Hiroshi with an awkward expression.
"Senpai, you don't think he heard what we were just talking about, do you?"
Nohara Hiroshi froze. His old face immediately flushed red as he glared at Kawaguchi.
"It's all your fault, Kawaguchi!"
Kawaguchi shrank his neck and muttered, "How is that my fault? You were talking about this stuff yourself back then, weren't you, Senpai?"
...
After leaving Futaba Commercial Company, Sato said to Kosaka Akane, who had been waiting for him, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Kosaka Akane took Sato to a small restaurant near Futaba Business Building. It was a yakiniku restaurant. Although the place was small, it had everything they needed.
There was a small grill in front of their table, and it actually used charcoal.
Sato and Kosaka Akane chatted about various matters concerning the company while grilling meat. Although Kosaka Akane did most of the talking while Sato listened, Sato would occasionally offer his own opinions.
Although he had not personally experienced some of these things, Sato's knowledge and perspective undoubtedly surpassed those of this era.
He had seen many things that did not yet exist here, and he knew which directions would lead to the best development.
Kosaka Akane's eyes shone brightly as she listened.
Many of the things Sato talked about actually had little to do with the development of Gensokyo Corporation, but they would be extremely useful for her own company.
As they were talking, the door of the yakiniku restaurant suddenly opened.
Sato vaguely heard someone call out the name Gabriel, which made him curiously turn his head.