The demo version of Hollow Knight wasn't too long. Unlike Slay the Spire, which required a lot of strategic thinking, this action game didn't demand as much mental effort from Eriri. In just over half an hour, both she and Yukino had completed the demo.
Setting down her Switch, Eriri stretched with a satisfied expression. "Even though it's just a demo, this is a really good game. What do you think, Yukino?"
Yukino nodded in agreement. "I don't play many action games, but this one feels great. At first glance, its art style isn't as flashy as some big-budget titles, but the gameplay is solid. I'll probably buy a copy when it officially releases."
In most places, this might not be a big deal, but here, Ichin's game had successfully turned someone who had never played video games before into a gamer.
Seeing that both of them had finished playing, Umiko swiveled her chair toward them and asked, "Did you encounter any bugs?"
The two shook their heads simultaneously. Their gameplay experience had been smooth, without a single glitch.
Umiko finally relaxed. "That's great. Looks like this demo is stable enough for players to enjoy without issues."
After returning the Switch, Eriri prepared to start her work for the day.
"Yukino, I'm going to get to work. If you're bored, you can go next door and play some games."
Yukino shook her head lightly and pulled a novel out of her bag. "No need, I'll just read."
However, even after Eriri started working, Yukino didn't immediately sit down to read.
She first went to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of tea. As she stepped back into the studio, her gaze naturally drifted toward the cat tower in the corner.
At the very top, Mozuku lay with half-lidded eyes, surveying the entire studio from above—just like he used to do back at Eagle Jump, exuding an aura as if he were the true owner of the place.
Yukino glanced around at the others in the studio. Each one was wearing headphones, fully engrossed in their work.
Placing her teacup on the dining table, she carefully tiptoed toward the cat tower.
Mozuku noticed her approach and lazily glanced in her direction, showing no signs of tension or fear.
"Meow~~"
The cat let out a relaxed purr and shifted slightly, moving a little closer to Yukino.
Her eyes widened in surprise. She wiped her slightly sweaty palms on her skirt before hesitantly reaching out with trembling hands—gently lifting Mozuku into her arms.
So heavy!
That was the first and most immediate thought that crossed Yukino's mind.
She had always assumed Mozuku looked plump because of his thick fur, but she hadn't expected him to be so… solid.
Cradling the cat, Yukino returned to the dining table and sat down, placing Mozuku onto her lap.
Yukino had always loved cats. Back when she was still in school, she would keep a couple of cat treats in her bag, feeding stray cats whenever she came across them.
Unfortunately, most strays, even if they ate her treats, wouldn't let her pet them. The moment they were done eating, they would scurry away, leaving Yukino feeling disappointed every time.
But Mozuku was different.
Back when Hazuki worked at Eagle Jump, she would always bring Mozuku to the office. The cat had long since grown accustomed to being surrounded by people.
Over time, Mozuku had become comfortable with human presence. Being held by a girl was as natural to it as eating or drinking water. Even though it had never met Yukino before, it instinctively knew that anyone in this studio wasn't a threat. There was no reason to be afraid.
And Yukino's way of petting was incredibly skilled. Within moments, Mozuku was already squinting his eyes in contentment, stretching out on her lap and turning onto its side.
As she gently scratched under Mozuku's chin, Yukino felt like she had ascended to paradise. Pure joy flooded her heart, and in that moment, she completely lost herself in the bliss of cuddling a cat.
"So Cute!"
"It's adorable, isn't it?"
Hearing the voice beside her, Yukino instinctively nodded. "Yes, very cu—huh?"
Turning her head, she saw Hazuki standing behind her with a gentle smile, squinting at her playfully.
Her pupils shook.
Yukino instinctively tried to stand up, but Hazuki firmly pressed down on her shoulders.
"Relax, there's nothing to be nervous about. You were just happily cuddling the cat, weren't you?"
Hazuki poked Yukino's cheek lightly before sitting down beside her. With a knowing smile, she asked, "Yukino-chan, do you really love cats?"
Yukino averted her gaze slightly, avoiding eye contact. Seeing this reaction, Hazuki's smirk widened as she gently lifted Mozuku from Yukino's lap.
"Ah—"
The moment Mozuku was taken away, Yukino's face visibly fell, a look of undeniable disappointment flashing across her features.
"Hmm~ hmm~ hmm~"
Holding Mozuku by his front paws so that his sleepy face faced Yukino, Hazuki chuckled from behind. "If you admit it, I'll let Mozuku stay with you a little longer~"
As she spoke, she moved Mozuku a little closer.
Yukino's cheeks flushed a deep red. Unable to withstand Hazuki's teasing any longer, she suddenly snatched Mozuku back into her arms, stood up, and quickly ran off to the break area next door.
"Oh my, she ran away~"
Hazuki, however, didn't seem disappointed in the slightest. Grinning, she took out her phone and admired the photos she had just taken—snapshots of Yukino completely absorbed in cuddling Mozuku.
Yukino had been so lost in her moment of bliss that she hadn't even noticed Hazuki approaching, let alone the fact that she had taken pictures.
"Hehe~ Yukino-chan is just too cute!"
Smack!
Suddenly, a swift karate chop landed on Hazuki's head.
Umiko stood behind her, expressionless. "Have you laughed enough, you creep? Get back to work."
Without another word, she dragged Hazuki back to the work area.
---
Time passed day by day.
Although both the Hollow Knight demo and promotional video had been completed and approved by Nintendo, Ichin and the team didn't slow down. If anything, they became even more focused on development.
Meanwhile, on August 20th, the final update for Slay the Spire—its official full release—was launched.
Not only was the game now officially out on Steam, but the Nintendo Switch version was also released simultaneously.
Ichin hadn't made much of an announcement about the Switch version beforehand. Given that Slay the Spire had already surpassed 600,000 sales on Steam, he hadn't expected much from the Switch release. However, on launch day alone, it still managed to sell over 7,000 copies—an outcome that surprised everyone in the studio.
"This kind of casual strategy game really suits the Switch platform," Yagami Kō mused as he reviewed the sales data. "If even Slay the Spire, which has been out on PC for a while, can achieve these first-day numbers, I'm feeling even more confident about Hollow Knight's potential!"
By August 25th, after just five days, Slay the Spire had sold 23,000 copies on the Switch.
For an indie game, this performance exceeded all expectations—even surprising Nintendo itself.
However, there was no time to dwell on Slay the Spire's success.
Because now, the Cologne Game Show had officially begun!
---
That evening, after dinner at 7 PM, Ichin sat in the studio, setting up his streaming equipment. A webcam was positioned next to his computer screen, the microphone was in place, and after a quick check, he opened his Bilibili live stream.
...
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