Vol. 2 Ch. 1 Ep. 20: The Millennium Prize

Aris! Aris! Check it out!

Ta-da! It's a maid costume!

Eek!

Heehee! This is so fun!

What is wrong with you? Can't you tell Aris is scared out of her mind?!

You okay, Aris?

Um... Please keep anything or anyone wearing a maid uniform away from me from now on...

She seems to be feeling better.

I went to the Student Council to discuss the building we destroyed.

Thankfully, they deemed it a product of a "sanctioned club accident."

Wow! Really?! I thought we'd get expelled or something.

I think C&C smoothed it over for us.

And Neru said to me:

"See you soon."

Eek!

Aris! Get out of the cabinet! What have you been teaching her, Yuzu?

Well, that's good news and all, but...

Right...

The Millennium Prize announcement ceremony has begun.

You know the drill, right? If we take home the gold, we party like there's no tomorrow. But if we lose...

We have to pack our bags.

Which Momoi and I can do, but Yuzu and Aris...

...

...

Hello and welcome to the Millennium Prize Award Ceremony! My name is Kotori, and I'll be your host for the day's proceedings!

I hear this year's competition has more entrants than it's ever had before!

Probably because the Student Council made it mandatory that each club enter or something!

Looks like everything worked out for Kotori.

Well, the Engineering Department is one of Millennium's most valued clubs.

But more entrants means more competition, right...?

That's not good...

Last year's winner was Noa's "The Meter of Memory". Though unusual for poetry, it was praised as a sure-fire cure for insomnia due to its extensive use of long metaphysical terms.

This year, we have tubes of what looks like toothpaste but is actually cheese, a large missile-equipped umbrella for self-defense...

A necktie power bank, optical camouflage underwear, a portable pencil-case-sized refrigerator, perfect for exactly one can...

And finally a retro-style mobile game that went viral on the Kivotos network: Tales Saga Chronicle 2!

Out of the hundreds of submissions, only seven will make it to the top!

*gulp*

And so, we're kicking things off with our seventh place winner!

In seventh place, we have the camouflage underwear set designed by Utaha of the Engineering Department! I'm not sure whether this underwear puts form over function...

...but they received very high ratings for allowing exhibitionists to exercise their hobby with peace of mind. I'd like to know who the reviewers are! Anyway, it's only better from here on!

Well...

It's okay. Our game doesn't belong in seventh anyway.

Moving on to sixth place! It's...!

...

In fifth place is...!

They haven't called our name...

Next is fourth place...!

They should have called our name by now...

It's time to crown the top three! Snapping up third is...

I can't bear to watch anymore!

Please... Please...

Second place was a real tight race, but in the end it went to...

...

Please be us... Please be us...

N-No way... They...didn't call our name?

That means...

*gasp*

Last but certainly not least, we have our winner. Our contestants that will be taking home the Millennium Prize!

I can't take this.

And our first-prize winner will be...

I think I'm going to lose my mind.

...announced after this commercial break!

A-Aris!

Laser is fully charged.

Please don't shoot it at the awards ceremony!

Ahhh! This anticipation's too much!

And we're back, folks!

The first place prize goes to...the New Material Development Club!

Agh! Why'd you shoot the TV?!

What does it matter? We're going to lose everything!

Ahhhhh! It's all over!

*sigh*

So this is it?

It's all right, Yuzu. We can still...

I've got it! There's no need to get all depressed!

The reviews we got weren't too bad. We've come along way from being the legendary losers of the Worst Game of the Year award.

We're just going to keep getting better.

Even if we get kicked out, we can gather more club members and make something even better! When we reopen, we'll have an even bigger and better club room!

But...what about Yuzu and Aris?

It's okay, Midori.

I'm going back to the dorms.

Huh?

I don't think anyone will call us failures anymore. And even if they do, it doesn't bother me now.

Because I have you guys...and Sensei.

I want to thank you, Sensei.

Ever since you came to this club room, we've all grown and changed.

But for Aris...

"Leave it to me."

"Come to Schale with me, Aris."

Aris...

Aris...

...

I-I'm sorry.

It's okay.

I know I can trust Sensei.

However.

That means...

I can't stay with you guys anymore.

...?!

I'm so sorry, Aris!

I'm going to visit you at Schale every day! Seriously! Every day!

We'll always be linked by the game we made together.

*sniffle*

No!

You can't take her, Sensei!

Sh-She can stay in my room! We'll share the bed! I'll split my meals with her!

I can share too!

Guys, please don't pressure Sensei. If anyone were to find out...

Momoi! Aris! Midori! Yuzu!

Ack! Yuuka's already here?!

You couldn't wait even a minute to evict us?!

That's just too cruel! How can the Student Council be so heartl...

Congratulations!

Wha..?

...What are you talking about?

What the...heck?

Hmm?

What's with you guys?

Didn't you see the results?

Yeah...?

We didn't even make it to seventh place...

Huh?!

What are you talking about? Turn on the TV.

It has some, um, bullet holes in it.

Sheesh. Fine, watch from my phone.

The Millennium Prize's purpose has always been to award students for creating something practical.

However, practicality fails to fully cover the emotions which can be brought on by an interactive experience.

And so, for the first time in the history of the Prize, we are awarding a unique top honor.

Our Special Honors go to the Game Development Department's Tales Saga Chronicle 2!

S-Seriously?!

What's...happening...?

We were charmed by a concept that transcended retro, a story not hung up on formalities, and a strange world which complemented both.

Navigating a strange and unknown world, meeting new people, and overcoming a demon lord.

We believe it is a piece of work that truly captures the essence of the RPG genre.

It's a game that reminds us why we came to love video games in the first place...

It is for these reasons that we saw fit to award the game with the Millennium Prize's Special Honors.

W-Wow...

Congrats again! I gave it a try too. It wasn't the most exciting game I've ever played, but it was a fresh experience! I really liked it!

Momo! Mido! I tried playing TSC2! It was so much fun! It's gone totally viral!

Veritas says it's being searched more than any celebrity in Kivotos!

I...can't believe it...

I see.

Tales Saga Chronicle 2 was downloaded 7,705 times with 1,372 comments in just the first three hours of being uploaded.

And in the 26 seconds following its announcement at the Millennium Prize, it has amassed over 10,000 downloads!

*gasp*

Of the 500 new comments, there are 242 negative comments, 192 expressing excitement, and the remaining 66 are uncertain.

D-Doesn't that mean they don't like it?!

Not exactly.

Huh? What do you mean, Yuzu?

...

...

Take a look at the most liked comment thread...

...!

But, wait! Do we get to keep our club room?!

Well, as before, the confiscation is postponed. Since the award you won wasn't official, the Student Council decided to give you another year to reevaluate if you get to keep your club room.

And, also...

*squirm*

Huh?

I, uh... I'm sorry I called your consoles junk.

Playing your game, I remembered how much I loved playing games as a kid... It was like I was experiencing it all again for the first time.

Congratulations. Come to the Student Council room to apply for a club room extension or funding. I'll be seeing you.

That means...!

*gasp*

We...

WE DID IT!

Ahhhhh!

Thank goodness... We really did it.

...?

Uhhh...?

We did it, Aris! We get a budget and get to keep our club room!

So, does that mean...

...we get to stay together?

Of course!

Let's keep making games together!

...

I... I'm so happy!

Aris!

We really did it!

The dream lives on!

Yeah!

A perfect result!