Winter vacation was rather short. It was mostly a break for the students to celebrate the new year. It might be more appropriate to call it the New Year's vacation.

"Winter vacation... what can I even do?" Mika grumbled. "It's just going to be celebrating the new year."

Seiji smiled upon hearing this. "Apart from the new year, there's also another important event. You definitely shouldn't take that event lightly..."

Mika's heart was moved when she saw his expression. Apart from the new year being celebrated over winter vacation, there was one other important holiday known as the Winter Snow Festival.

The Winter Snow Festival was a holiday exclusive to this world. In name, it was supposed to be for appreciating the snow, but in actuality it was a holiday where young people—mainly young couples—would engage in special activities.

Fine then, the special activities were actually "dates," "first kisses," "renting a hotel room," "the first experience," and so on!

It was just like a version of Valentine's Day. But in some ways, it was even more open than Valentine's Day.

'What does he intend to do during the Winter Snow Festival?' The pigtailed girl's heart started beating quicker. This was a topic that was very close to her heart.

"During the holy battle of winter, I absolutely must receive the abundant prizes of victory!" Seiji exclaimed with a clenched fist and bright eyes.

"...Eh?" Mika could only make a foolish dazed sound. The holy battle of winter? This term seemed somewhat familiar… it was almost as if she had heard it from him before.

"Oh, so you're talking about that." Chiaki blinked in realization. "I know about it, although I've never visited it before... the otaku doujins.h.i.+ convention, right?"

"That's right! It's only held twice a year—once during summer and once during winter, and it's the largest doujins.h.i.+ convention of all!!" Seiji explained animatedly. "Since there's so much hard work and preparation involved in this doujins.h.i.+ convention, it's also known as the 'holy battle!'"

Mika didn't even know what to say anymore. She now recalled that Seiji had mentioned the phrase "holy battle of winter" when he first told her that he intended to make a game.

"When is it exactly?" Mika asked.

"It starts next Sat.u.r.day and lasts for three days," Seiji answered. "I'm going to attend for all three days and buy everything that I like! Perhaps there will even be products there that will be useful when we make our game—simply as reference material, not plagiarism."

"Would you guys like to go together with me? We intend to sell our game at next year's summer convention. I think it would be a good idea to go see what type of place it is."

Chiaki looked towards Mika. "I'd like to go check it out. How about you, Mika?"

"...I'll go as well." Mika felt rather disappointed inside when she realized Seiji wasn't referring to the Winter Snow Festival.

As for this doujins.h.i.+ convention thing, since it was an event that Seiji placed such importance on, it was only natural that she would go along and check it out. And so, the three of them agreed to go to the convention together next Sat.u.r.day.

Later that night, Seiji logged on to his chatting application and summoned his knights to their chat group.

Hisas.h.i.+, Yukari, Rion and Kotomi, Hos.h.i.+, Chiaki, and Mika all logged on and arrived.

"Everyone gathered, I now declare the second meeting of the Knights of the Round Table." He sent a solemn emoticon. "There's an important topic to discuss—reconsidering the basic scenario of the game script."

"Why are we reconsidering it, Milord?" Hisas.h.i.+ asked.

"Because after careful consideration, I feel that our original storyline will be quite difficult to write into an excellent dating sim, so it'll be ineffective," Seiji answered. "The storyline is interesting, without a doubt, but as I consider it, the more I think it's novel-material instead of dating-sim-material."

"Its main points are too different from the way a dating sim works, so there's too little synergy..." He explained what his thoughts regarding the game's storyline. "That's why I believe we should discuss the game's storyline together and create a new one."

"Originally, the storyline came from me, Sweet Pig Knight, and Knight of Ice and Fire. Now, we have over double the original number of members, so I believe that we should have a new discussion which will help us to create an even better storyline."

"Now, let us state our ideas in order. While each knight is giving his or her opinion, the other knights may also request to speak up as well. Sweet Pig Knight, you're up first."

Hisas.h.i.+ remained silent for a moment. "A better, more suitable story for a dating sim... This humble one doesn't have any ideas at the moment," he confessed. "As for me, as long as the main topic is about a boy in female clothing, I can accept anything. Although it's also okay to incorporate other interesting topics as well, I would still like to use my favorite topic for the first game I create. Milord, how do you plan on changing the storyline? Do you wish to change the topic entirely and start afresh or create side-plots within the main plot?"

"I'd like to take everyone's ideas into consideration before adding my own thoughts," Seiji replied, "but this is just my personal opinion. I would like to keep a trap as the main character and still find a voice actress for each female character's route and write the routes appropriately. For example, Phantom Knight can be the female lead's voice actress, and I'll also use her as the original character model. Taking her ideas into consideration, I'll write an appropriate female lead's route based on her own personal life story!"

Everyone was rendered speechless by Seiji's pa.s.sionate internet speech.

"So you mean to say that you'll write a story about me for my route?" Chiaki asked.

"Yep," Seiji responded. "I believe that this method will both a.s.sist me in writing an excellent story as well as help you, a voice actress, act the part of the character convincingly."

"This... is awesome!" Chiaki sent a delighted and excited emoticon. "I like this idea. Just imagining what story our king will write based on my life makes me excited! I'd definitely be able to do an excellent job at being the voice actress for a story based on myself! I'd be at 100%... no, 120% of my usual level, or even higher!!"

Chiaki sent several more excited emoticons in a row.

"I think it's excellent as well," Yukari added. "With our king saying that he'll base the female lead's route on the voice actress, I'm also a little tempted to voice act as well… Can I be a voice actress while simultaneously being the artist for this game?"

Hisas.h.i.+ sent a shocked emoticon. "You're actually female, Ice and Fire Sensei?"

"I am. You should have noticed long ago, Sweet Pig Knight, so stop pretending."

"I did faintly perceive it, but I didn't think it was actually true! My shock isn't faked at all!!" Hisas.h.i.+ sent a series of shocked emoticons. "For a professional master-level ero artist like Romance of Ice and Fire to actually be female! This is a huge scoop!!"

"If you dare to tell anyone, I'll kill you."

"Er... If Ice and Fire Sensei doesn't wish for it to be known, this humble one shan't mention it to anyone. However... there is one question I'm really curious about."

"What?"

"Ice and Fire Sensei, have you ever used yourself as the model for any of your drawings?"

"That's s.e.xual hara.s.sment, you pervert!"

"I can't control this humble one's overwhelming curiosity! Milord wishes to know the answer to this question as well, right? Or… have you asked it already?"

"Of course I haven't asked such a question!" Seiji said angrily. "Don't get me involved somehow in this."

Yukari sent a shy expression. "If Milord wishes to know, I can tell you in secret."

"Why is there such a large difference in treatment!?" Sweet Pig cried.

"Because our king is incredibly handsome."

"Wah! As I expected, that was the answer... d.a.m.n you, this cruel world..." Hisas.h.i.+ sent a given-up-on-the-world emoticon.

"Enough, we should be discussing the game. Let's stop getting off topic." Seiji sent a stern emoticon.

"Milord," Yukari said seriously, "I apply for the position of voice actress in addition to being the artist, so please write a story for me as well!"

"Milord, we would like to make the same request," Rion and Kotomi said immediately after.

Hisas.h.i.+ was astounded once again. "Silver Knight is a girl as well!?"

"Can I also be a voice actress?" Hos.h.i.+ asked.

"The Knight of Light is also... wait a moment, aren't you a boy!?"

"I can act as a girl, since I'm already the character model for the trap." Hos.h.i.+ sent a sweet-smile emoticon.

"Act as a girl!?" Seiji snorted furiously. "Like h.e.l.l you will! Please, stop making things more chaotic!"

Their lively round-table discussion continued for a good while.