Chapter 15: Game Center Elf

"Alright, we're starting back up!"

Top Chat: Eeeelfuuu!
Top Chat: Stop cutting the stream without even saying goodbye!
Top Chat: But hey, being able to announce your streams on social media now is a big step up!

"I did say 'see you later,' though?"

Top Chat: What are you, classmates after school?!
Top Chat: At least make us miss you a little!
Top Chat: Yeah, exactly that!

"What kind of farewell am I supposed to give to make you miss me, though?"

Top Chat: ...Huh, good question.
Top Chat: Maybe have a signature outro...? No, that's not it.
Top Chat: Maybe give a heads-up a few minutes before ending...? Ugh, not sure...
Top Chat: This elf really likes making us put instinctive stuff into words, huh.
Top Chat: Anyway, where even are we right now?

"Glad you asked. We're playing here today."

I point the camera at the signboard of the shop in front of me.

Top Chat: Game center.
Top Chat: An arcade?
Top Chat: Wait, are you even allowed to film inside?

"Already got permission, so we're good!"

It's right along the same street where the soba shop was. I only moved a few minutes, but I ended the previous stream just to be considerate.

Top Chat: You asked just now?! lol
Top Chat: Props to the shop for giving you the go-ahead.
Top Chat: Are you, like, extra hyped today?
Top Chat: Elf gets way more excited when games are involved.

"Alright then, let's enter! Onward!"

Top Chat: What is this, a dojo challenge?
Top Chat: Whoa, it's actually a pretty big place.

Machines of every shape and color flashed and whirred, music and sound effects blending into a chaotic harmony that instantly hooked me. Crane games, fighting games, rhythm games, games I couldn't even guess the rules of, and games I completely didn't understand—all of them running nonstop.

"Ooooh..."

Top Chat: Someone's way too happy right now.
Top Chat: I've never heard that tone from you before.
Top Chat: Is this your first time in an arcade?

"First time."

Top Chat: Seriously? First arcade at your age, that's rare.
Top Chat: Cultural thing?
Top Chat: Hey, stop it, maybe they're just from the countryside! Like me...
Top Chat: Haha, your hometown's just as inaka as mineeee.
Top Chat: Self-burn disguised as a roast lol.

"Arcades were banned, too."

Top Chat: Oh damn, that's kinda dark.
Top Chat: Oh right, Elf has some messed-up education backstory, huh.

"What should we play?"

Top Chat: Racing games!
Top Chat: Let's hop between crane games.
Top Chat: Horse racing.
Top Chat: Do Battle Race Champ, it's really fun!
Top Chat: Rhythm games.
Top Chat: Classic puzzle games.

"That's all over the place."

Top Chat: Way more divided than I thought.
Top Chat: Racing games seem slightly more popular, though.
Top Chat: Why not just try a bunch of stuff first?

"Alright then, let's spend about an hour playing random games, and wrap it up with a racing game."

Top Chat: In that case, start with the nearest crane game.
Top Chat: You're the one who pushed for crane games, huh lol.
Top Chat: I have no idea what you're talking about, no sirrr.

At the entrance, rows of crane machines lined the way. Some of them didn’t even have cranes, but there were prizes inside, so I guess they were just variants.

"Never played a crane game before, though. Which one should I go for?"

Top Chat: In that case, avoid boxed figures for now.
Top Chat: Go for low-value prizes.
Top Chat: Best to start with a small candy prize machine first.

"Then, this one."

The machine I picked was noticeably smaller than the other crane games. The claw was tiny too, looking a little unreliable.

"Alright, 100 yen, going in."

Top Chat: Go for it!

Following the instructions, I pressed the button. Light, upbeat music kicked in as the claw whirred sideways, wobbling slightly as it moved. At the right spot, I stopped it, then without moving the camera, I stepped to the side of the machine to check the angle through the glass while nudging the claw forward.

Top Chat: Elf-san peeking through the side glass so seriously lol.
Top Chat: Getting stared at like that is making me blush.
Top Chat: Sorry, I’m in love!

With the two-step controls done, the claw slowly descended.

"Grab a whole bunch…"

Top Chat: Elf-san’s still crouched at the side, not coming back to the camera—too cute.
Top Chat: This is healing content.

The claw plunged into the mountain of candy, closed its tips, and started lifting. But—

"Ah, ah, ah! They’re falling, they’re falling!"

The candies slipped right through, jammed between the claw tips that didn’t close fully. One by one, they tumbled back down into the pile.

"Aaahhh…"

Top Chat: That’s the sound of pure despair.

Refusing to give up, I crouched by the prize chute to wait—and at last, a single survivor plopped down with a soft clink.

"Got it."

Top Chat: The smug face is real.
Top Chat: Massive victory.

"Tastes good."

Top Chat: Has a single ramune candy ever brought this much joy before?
Top Chat: Looks like this’ll be a nice, peaceful stream.
Top Chat: F L A G C O N S T R U C T I O N I N P R O G R E S S
Top Chat: Don’t you dare raise any flags!