Chapter 40: Dad's Support

"It was released at the end of April. When I launched it, I got some streamers both domestically and internationally to help with promotion. Plus, the game's quality is pretty decent, so it's sold around 150,000 copies so far," Ichin explained.

"150,000 copies? How much are you selling the game for?" his dad asked.

Ichin answered directly, "Since the game isn't fully developed yet, it's currently in early access. I set the price in the domestic market at 50 yuan per copy. In lower-priced regions, it's a bit cheaper, and in higher-priced regions, it's a bit more expensive. Once the final version is out, I'll raise the domestic price slightly to around 65 yuan."

On the other end of the line, Ichin's father was doing some quick mental math, muttering to himself, "Let's see… 150,000 copies at 50 yuan each… subtracting taxes and revenue shares…"

There was a pause before Ichin's dad took a sharp breath and exclaimed, "You've really got some talent, kid!"

Ichin grinned at his father's compliment, "It's not bad, I guess. Could be better."

"Not bad?!" His dad laughed. "I've known you were into games since you were little, so I've got some idea about the game industry here. What you've accomplished is incredible, especially considering you developed it on your own. And it's not even been a full month since the release. But Ichin," he continued, his tone turning serious.

Hearing his dad call his name, Ichin knew the real conversation was about to start.

"As for your studio plans, I'm on board. Don't worry about your mother's opinion; I'll handle it. But if you're going to do this, then you need to do it right. No quitting halfway. And your studies can't suffer either—you have to keep your grades up. Understood?"

Without hesitation, Ichin responded, "No problem! I'll keep my grades in the top three every time."

He didn't promise to always be number one because Utaha was also very strong academically. If she went all out, she might surpass him at times.

Ichin's dad wasn't too fixated on his son always being at the top; he just wanted to see the right attitude. Nodding, he said, "Alright. Since you've agreed, make sure you stick to it. Now, how many people are you planning to hire for this studio?"

After a brief moment of consideration, Ichin replied, "For now, about seven or eight."

"Seven or eight, huh?" his father pondered for a moment before coming up with an idea. "When I was arranging your current place, I worked with a friend in Japan. The apartment building you're in was built fairly recently, so there should still be vacant units. I'll call him and have him get in touch with you. If there are two adjacent apartments, you can take them. If not, find something nearby and buy two units to connect them."

Wow, Ichin thought. He had planned on renting, but his dad was suggesting outright buying two apartments? That would save him a huge expense!

Overjoyed, Ichin said, "Thanks, Dad!"

"No need to thank me. Consider this my support. Keep up the good work. Oh, and send me the name of your game—I want to check it out."

After a few more brief exchanges, Ichin's father hung up.

When the call ended, Ichin's mother turned to her husband. "You agreed just like that?"

"Well, what else was I supposed to do? He's doing great, so of course I should support him," he replied. He received a message from Ichin with a link and led his wife into their home office. Opening up the computer, he clicked on the link, which directed him to Slay the Spire's store page on Steam.

After seeing the number of reviews and their content on the store page, he searched for some news articles related to the game and found them full of praise for Slay the Spire.

With a satisfied smile, Ichin's dad turned to his wife, "Now you can relax, right?"

Having seen everything, Ichin's mom had no choice but to agree. "Alright, let's let him give it a try. As long as it doesn't interfere with his studies, this could be really beneficial for his future."

Since his wife was on board, Ichin's dad proceeded to contact his friend in Japan. Not long after, Ichin received a call informing him that a unit on the third floor of his building had just gone up for sale, and the adjacent apartment was also vacant—perfect for his needs.

After a brief discussion, they tentatively decided to proceed with the plan, intending for Ichin's dad to purchase the units right after the upcoming meeting.

Oh right, if the studio does come together, Ichin thought, I would need to officially register the company. 

After all, he'd be hiring people and paying them salaries. With that in mind, Ichin consulted his dad's friend about it. His dad's friend agreed immediately, offering to help with the company's registration paperwork as early as the next day—no problem at all.

This put Ichin completely at ease. After expressing his gratitude and hanging up, he got back to work with renewed focus.

The next day, around noon, Ichin's doorbell rang.

He had been working nonstop since getting up that morning. Hearing the doorbell, he went to open the door and found Kasumigaoka standing there, holding a lunchbox.

Seeing his messy hair, Utaha couldn't help but laugh, "Don't tell me you just got up?"

"Not really, I just washed my face and didn't bother with my hair—too much trouble," Ichin said, scratching his head. He stepped aside to let Utaha in. "What brings you here?"

"I came to check on you. Didn't you say you'd be busy with the new game today? I figured you might not have time to cook, so my mom made you something to eat."

Noticing the lunchbox in her hand, Ichin smiled gratefully, "Thanks. I hadn't made lunch yet, and I was just planning on ordering takeout."

"Perfect timing, then. Just eat this," Utaha said as she placed the box on the dining table and opened it. "I thought if you had already prepared lunch, you could save this for dinner."

Inside the lunchbox were several neatly arranged, beautifully prepared dishes alongside a portion of rice.

Ichin's stomach growled. He had been so focused on his work that he hadn't realized he was getting hungry. Smiling, he said, "Sorry for troubling your mom."

"It's no trouble. You helped me a lot yesterday, didn't you?" Utaha replied.

Ichin didn't say anything further. He nodded and picked up the chopsticks, diving into the meal.

Watching him eat with such urgency, Utaha asked, "Is one day really that tight for you?"

"It's not too bad," Ichin replied after swallowing a piece of chicken. "The main issue is that I have ideas for two games, so I want to get some preliminary plans ready for both, including gameplay concepts, art design, and character settings. There's a lot to handle."

Speaking about the games, Ichin's expression became focused. "Those people are all professionals who have developed complete games before. I have to be 1000% prepared."

Listening to him, Utaha couldn't help but smile.

…

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