Just past 4:30 in the afternoon.
The moment Kaguya Shinomiya removed her VR headset after finishing the game, stepping out of the vivid virtual world, she immediately turned to Chika Fujiwara beside her and demanded:
"Wait a minute, Fujiwara-san, why did my Growlithe turn into a Beautifly?"
"And what exactly was that button you told me to click earlier?"
At Kaguya's questioning, Chika, who had already taken off her gear and was heading for the door, turned back shakily and laughed awkwardly:
"Ah! That was a magic button that turns dogs into pretty butterflies!"
"See? Your dog became a lovely butterfly, didn't it?"
Kaguya blinked in confusion, then turned to Ai Hayasaka, who was sitting nearby, fixing her hair:
"Ai, does this game really have such a feature?"
Kaguya had never played console games before—not even well-known ones like Pokémon.
Her knowledge of Pokémon came entirely from media and the occasional mentions by Chika, a hardcore completionist who collected every entry in the Pokédex.
Thus, faced with an "authoritative" explanation, Kaguya was left bewildered.
At Kaguya's question, Ai's gaze drifted toward Chika, who was clasping her hands together as if praying at a shrine. Ultimately, Ai chose to side with her own young mistress:
"There's no such magical function in Pokémon. Lady Kaguya, you were likely tricked by Fujiwara-san into using the trade function."
"Trade function?" Kaguya turned her head, her face expressionless, but her eyes brimming with murderous intent as she stared at Chika. "So... my Pochi is now in Fujiwara-san's hands?"
"Eh? You even named your Growlithe already?"
Chika Fujiwara was stunned for a moment, then shrank her neck as she faced the murderous aura emanating from Kaguya Shinomiya:
"I know I was wrong, I'll return Growlithe right away..."
"Does Chika-nee like Growlithe?"
Kei Shirogane, who had joined the game midway, looked over curiously:
"Come to think of it, when I came to play with Megumi last time, I caught one, too. Do you want me to trade it with you?"
"Really~~" Chika Fujiwara instantly perked up, then giggled as she hugged Kei: "Kei-chan really is my best friend~~"
No sooner had she spoken than Chika's expression changed again, muttering under her breath: "Unlike certain people..."
"Fujiwara-san, I can hear you," Kaguya said calmly.
Chika shuddered, then somehow produced a few sweets from nowhere, saying sheepishly:
"Um...would you like some candy, Kaguya-chan?"
Kaguya glanced at the unbranded sweets in Chika's hand - these were veteran performers, having been used to placate Luo Shu several times already, making even Kaguya remember them well:
"These must be the penalty sweets left over from your games with the gaming club, right?"
Utau Hoshina, who had just stood up nearby, gasped in shock and stared at Chika in disbelief.
"...How could that be?" Chika turned her head away.
Before Kaguya could respond, Utau said irritably:
"So that pineapple-flavoured sweet you gave me earlier was a penalty sweet?"
Thankfully, Utau had gotten pineapple rather than durian or stinky tofu flavour, otherwise she'd have really suffered.
Chika fidgeted with her fingers, looking guilty:
"I made sure to keep all the bad flavours properly stored away."
Seeing this, Utau pinched Chika's cheek, sighing as the girl yelped in pain:
"You really never learn your lesson, do you, Chika Fujiwara?"
With her cheek still being pinched, Chika weakly protested:
"...I really did store the bad flavours properly."
Watching Chika being punished, Kaguya said nothing, simply picking up the flip phone on the nearby table to check the time before smiling:
"It's getting rather late. I should be heading back soon."
"Eh? But we haven't settled Growlithe yet..." Chika blinked in surprise.
"You can keep Pochi until we play together next time."
Kaguya maintained her perfect young lady's smile, as if graciously forgiving Chika.
"Kaguya-chan~" Chika immediately teared up and hugged her: "I'll take good care of Pochi-chan~ I promise~"
Ai Hayasaka looked thoroughly unimpressed by Chika's display.
No wonder Chika was so moved - with Kaguya's gaming habits, this was practically giving Growlithe to her.
But to Lady Kaguya, this was truly just temporary storage...assuming she ever remembered to play this game again.
"So you don't want my Growlithe anymore, Chika-nee?"
Witnessing this display of friendship, Kei looked thoroughly confused.
But the next second, she saw Chika Fujiwara raise her right hand with her back turned, making an obvious fist-pumping motion.
'Ah... So Chika-nee wants both after all.'
Just as Kei Shirogane was stunned, Kaguya Shinomiya, who thought she had successfully placated Fujiwara-san, turned her head and asked Utau Hoshina:
"Would you like a ride back, Hoshina-san?"
"No need." Utau Hoshina casually refused as she picked up her personal belongings from the table, calmly stating, "I have things to do. Let's meet another time."
"Chika, I'll take my leave first."
"Oh, take care on your way."
Utau Hoshina waved her hand and then walked out of the game room without looking back.
Seeing this, Kaguya Shinomiya glanced at Utau Hoshina's retreating figure before turning back to Chika Fujiwara:
"Fujiwara-san, later you..."
Chika Fujiwara, who was fiddling with data transmission on the display screen by the recovery bed, casually replied:
"I'll be staying here with Kei-chan today."
"If you want to go back, Kaguya-chan, you can leave first. Don't worry too much about me."
At this, Kaguya Shinomiya exchanged a glance with Ai Hayasaka before saying softly:
"In that case, we'll be going then."
The two bid farewell to Chika Fujiwara and Kei Shirogane together before stepping out of the game room's door.
...
Several minutes later.
Hidden Management Department, 3rd floor, Luo Shu's office.
A knock sounded at the door.
Luo Shu, who had been reviewing the Shigemiya family's financial report, glanced up at the door before calling out softly:
"Come in."
As soon as he spoke, the door swung open, revealing the striking figure of Utau Hoshina in his line of sight.