Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Fairy Scarlett
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[Best House Contest! Show off your home!]
Famitsu.
Just as Americans would name Nintendo Power or Computer Gaming World as top gaming magazines, most Japanese picked Famitsu as the best in their country.
'Hmm... A Village Maker diorama set as a prize for the winner? That's mine for sure.'
Tanaka Kiyoshi, a 27-year-old ordinary freelancer in Japan.
He couldn't help but smile upon seeing the contest announcement in this week's Famitsu.
The Village Maker housing contest.
Village Maker had only been out in Japan for about a month, but Kiyoshi had already logged over 200 hours. He'd gathered every material needed for housing, so he brimmed with confidence about winning.
The Village Maker release on Nendo's Neo Famicom had exploded in popularity across Japan, far beyond expectations.
'The characters are so cute.'
'No fighting, which is nice.'
'So much stuff to customize however I want?'
In America, the farming aspect fueled its success. In Japan, it was the charming characters and collection mechanics over combat.
It especially captivated kids and women who rarely played games.
But it wasn't unpopular with men either.
'The developer knows their stuff.'
Kiyoshi himself was hooked on Village Maker lately, and the reason was simple.
"Ah... No way!!!"
In Village Maker, visiting the general store at noon game time displayed that day's crop buy prices.
Those prices brought joy or despair to countless players.
"Why is radish only 12 silver?!"
The crop prices were utterly random.
Kiyoshi had gambled everything on radishes for a big payout, only for the price to tank at 12 silver, ruining him.
(Radish seeds cost 10 silver, so factoring in time invested, he hadn't even broken even.)
'This is just pachinko!'
He'd toiled plowing fields, planting seeds, and hauling water to irrigate—only for his efforts to end in red ink. Fury boiled over.
But he knew better than anyone it was his own fault.
Village Maker's crop prices were pure RNG, so the safe way to profit was diversifying crops evenly.
However,
'How am I supposed to craft the Heavenly Pickaxe like that?!'
The 'Heavenly Series'—top-tier gear in Village Maker.
Calling it unobtainable for casual players wasn't an exaggeration.
The sheer volume of materials required took at least two weeks to farm.
And materials weren't enough; crafting demanded massive fees too.
Thus, most players skipped the Heavenly Series entirely.
The game was fully playable without it anyway.
'For casuals, maybe. I need it.'
But Kiyoshi desperately needed the Heavenly Series.
Recently, while playing as usual, he'd stumbled on a hidden in-game character.
'Hi, I'm Scarlett, the fairy of the forest!'
She appeared near the lake while gathering materials in the woods—the fairy character 'Scarlett.'
He first thought she was standard, but research revealed only certain players could meet her.
- From compiling user reports: Appears as a hidden heroine after fully completing all five main heroine storylines without marrying any.
A hidden heroine?
Irresistible bait for hardcore gamers like Kiyoshi (especially eroge/visual novel fans).
But,
'I like things that sparkle! You don't have anything sparkly?'
Courting Fairy Scarlett was no easy feat.
Other heroines started with dialogue and requests. This tiny thing outright refused to talk, driving him mad.
- FYI: First Scarlett requirement—hold 5,000+ gold to even converse.
FYI?
'Damn it! What kind of fairy judges conversations by your wallet?!'
5,000 gold took ages even with top gear. Worse, it was just step one.
'I like transparent things!'
Scrape together 5,000 gold to talk, and she'd snatch it from your inventory without a word, then demand something transparent.
'Transparent' meant diamonds—special ore mineable only with the Heavenly Pickaxe, impossible with normal tools.
And so, Japan's Village Maker players gritted their teeth, pooling gold amid the fairy's pranks.
"You're the only one left."
"I... I'm not it, Scarlett."
Savior HQ, second floor.
Where development and management shared space—a place of terror for employees.
Because it was home to Savior's CAO and head of administrative support, Scarlett.
'Supplies don't grow on trees. How should I approve new keyboards and mice just because they look cool?'
CEO Huck overlooked non-work matters with leniency. Scarlett sliced through everything with precision.
Every Savior employee had endured at least one 1-on-1 with her.
'Felt like an interrogation.'
'For last year's raise talk, I listed every achievement. She shut up after that.'
'When she crushed that company for pirating the Byte series? Gave me chills.'
Most crumbled without rebuttal.
One man faced her interrogations most often: Jason.
Now dubbed Savior's enigma beyond Caltech, Jason led development—and was infamous for frequent Scarlett summons.
"Sure, I designed Village Maker's female characters."
"Admitting it now?"
"But the name overlap? Pure coincidence."
Jason was cornered again in the so-called 'Room of Truth' by Scarlett.
Not a real room—just a partitioned area for serious talks or client meetings.
Scarlett used it most, grilling staff 1-on-1, earning its name.
"Name similarity was coincidence?"
"Yes! Scarlett's a super common name, right?!"
"And that character just happened to be ridiculously materialistic?"
"Uh... yeah?"
Snap.
Scarlett smirked bitterly, raising her left hand at Jason's reply.
"Eek!"
Jason flinched, bracing for a slap. Nothing happened, so he cautiously opened his eyes.
"Jane, handle this for me."
"Then... approve that new Yamaha headphone request?"
"Essential sound gear, so yes."
Jason spotted sound director Jane approaching at Scarlett's call.
"W-wait, Scarlett. If Jane hits me, I'm dead!"
"Bold move for someone who knew that."
Jane looked like a frail girl, but Jason trembled for good reason.
- Got nothing to show? Oh, I'm good at this!
Crack.
At Jane's welcome party, drunk and rowdy, they'd demanded a talent show.
Blushing, Jane demonstrated: snapping a beer bottle neck barehanded.
Jason learned that day—human hand strikes could slice, not just shatter.
"If there's an accomplice... no, mastermind?"
"Mastermind?"
To Jason, gun-like Jane was long Scarlett's loyal pawn.
Sound work thrived on gear, so Jane begged Scarlett for approvals anyway.
Having witnessed Jane 'execute' a staffer recently (crime: accessing porn on company PC, nearly spreading viruses), Jason made a desperate last stand.
"Who's Village Maker's main director?"
"CEO, obviously."
"Would Huck miss me hiding a character in his own game?"
"..."
Jason was certain.
Huck knew the scheme and let it slide.
'That guy's fine selling out friends for laughs!'
Convinced Huck was the true culprit, Jason sold him out fervently.
"Jason, your point has merit."
"Right?!"
"But I'm Huck's subordinate. Can't gripe about his decisions or half-kill him, right?"
"Huh?"
"You, though? Fair game."
"Ah... no!"
Jason hadn't realized.
Company hierarchy existed for a reason.