After the video finished playing, everyone returned to their seats.
Gokou Ruri, dressed in her favorite dark gothic lolita outfit, sat with her back straight and posture impeccable. She looked just like a noble young lady who had received an aristocratic education.
Looking at Sato, she asked expectantly,
"Senpai, is this what Gensokyo plans to release next?"
"Yeah."
Sato nodded and smiled at the poised Gokou Ruri.
"What do you think?"
"It's excellent. I'd even call it an invention that transcends its era."
Her eyes shone as she offered her praise without the slightest hesitation.
For someone like her who wasn't particularly fond of socializing, the danmaku system could be considered an entirely new form of online interaction. Especially after hearing Sato mention integrating it into livestreams, it gained the additional advantage of real-time communication.
"Kuroneko is right. This really can be called a revolutionary invention."
Kasumigaoka Utaha nodded in agreement, her beautiful eyes sparkling.
Seeing their reactions, Sato seemed to relax.
"If that's what you all think, then I feel a lot more confident."
"When we get back later, I'll ask Editor Machida for the promotional footage of Hero Throne. Kosaka-sensei's side can speed up development of the danmaku system, and we'll use Hero Throne as a test run."
"Senpai's work is airing in January, right?"
"Yeah."
Sato nodded and joked,
"When the time comes, make sure you all watch it and help boost my ratings."
Utaha rolled her eyes at him.
A look of disdain appeared on her beautiful face.
"Miyabi-sensei, are you making fun of us? With Hero Throne's popularity, does it really need our tiny contribution to the ratings?"
"Every little bit helps."
Sato laughed before turning toward her.
"Kasumi Utako, I heard your work is getting an anime adaptation soon too?"
"Yeah."
With the conversation suddenly turning toward her, Kasumigaoka Utaha looked slightly uncomfortable but still nodded with composure.
"Huh? That fat woman is getting an anime adaptation too?"
Eriri suddenly raised her head and looked at Utaha in surprise.
The astonishment on her face seemed entirely genuine.
"Damn it, why is her work getting adapted too?!"
The blonde twin-tailed girl couldn't help grinding her teeth in frustration.
"Oh?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"It sounds like Kashiwagi Eri-sensei just used a rather dangerous word."
When she mentioned the name "Kashiwagi Eri," she deliberately emphasized it.
A dangerous gleam flashed in her eyes as she looked at Eriri.
Did this blonde with the body of a child not know there were certain forbidden words for girls?
She wasn't fat.
She was voluptuous.
Could she really not tell the difference?
How rude...
Kosaka Akane chuckled softly while lifting her coffee cup.
Gokou Ruri sat upright without even glancing over.
Both of them clearly looked like they were enjoying the spectacle.
"Y-You! Keep your voice down!!!"
At that moment, Eriri nearly exploded.
Lowering her voice, she glared at Utaha through gritted teeth.
Kasumigaoka Utaha crossed her arms beneath her ample chest, supporting a presence that could not be concealed with one hand.
Looking down at Eriri with a condescending gaze, she suddenly opened her lips in mock surprise.
"Ara, Kashiwagi Eri-sensei, what are you doing?"
"Why do you look like an angry golden retriever right now?"
"How adorable."
"Unfortunately, I don't have a bone with me. Otherwise I'd definitely reward you with one and comfort you properly."
"Y-You!!!"
Eriri's face turned bright red with anger.
She had barely managed to utter a single word before Utaha interrupted her.
"You? What about me?"
"Kashiwagi Eri-sensei, why can't you even form a complete sentence?"
"Oh! That's right."
"Since you're mixed-race, perhaps your Japanese isn't very good. That's understandable."
"But... why have I heard that your English grades aren't very good either?"
"Hmm? In that case, what country's language are you actually speaking?"
"After all, you can't even tell the difference between fat and voluptuous."
"Someone with a figure so flat that if you stuck them against a sheet of glass in a vacuum and gave them a little push, they'd slide all the way down wouldn't understand the burden of this kind of weight."
Utaha deliberately straightened her chest and shot Eriri a provocative look.
"I... I..."
Eriri's eyes filled with tears.
Yet all she could do was stare at Utaha while trembling, unable to form a complete sentence.
At that moment, her mind had gone completely blank.
Utaha had utterly overwhelmed her.
"Waaah!!!"
Suddenly, Eriri dove headfirst into Sato's chest and burst into tears.
Kashiwagi Eri vs. Kasumi Utako.
Kashiwagi Eri suffered a complete defeat.
Seeing this, Kasumigaoka Utaha narrowed her eyes and bit her lip.
But she said nothing as she sat back down and took a deep breath.
That blonde...
Looking at the girl crying against his lap, Sato gently stroked her golden hair.
It felt like the finest silk, unbelievably smooth.
Even so, he couldn't help laughing.
"Alright, alright. Who told you to call Kasumi Utako fat first? Especially when you can't win an argument against her."
"Is that any way to comfort someone?"
Eriri's muffled, tearful voice came from where she lay against him.
As she spoke, she angrily reached out a soft little hand and pinched his thigh.
But the force behind it was so weak that it felt like a mosquito bite.
"Then what do you want me to do?"
"You... you should argue back for me!"
Argue back?
Sato looked up in surprise.
Kasumigaoka Utaha had clearly heard Eriri's request as well.
After gritting her teeth for a moment, she fixed Sato with a dark expression.
Those icy eyes seemed to say:
If you've got the guts, go ahead and try.
Sato sighed and continued comforting Eriri.
"How about another approach? I can't win an argument against her either. Kasumi Utako is pretty fierce, and she has the sharp-tongued attribute too."
"T-Then call her fat!"
"Fat?"
Sato raised his head again and looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha.
His gaze unconsciously drifted toward her chest.
Well...
It did look pretty big...
A trace of smug satisfaction flashed through Utaha's eyes.
Then she calmly uttered two words.
"Pervert."
Instantly, Eriri raised her head.
Her eyes were red from crying as she glared at him.
"Just where are your eyes looking?!"
Sato: "..."