#hyenahunttl

[hyenahunt]

[TRANSLATION] Chocolat ◆ An Exceptional Rouge and Ruby - Masterlist

ES will be holding its own Chocolat Fes from this year onwards. Wanting to show off Eden's authority, Ibara announces that they will also be performing on stage as Adam & Eve.

✦ Season: Winter ✦ Writer: Umeda Chitose ✦ Release Date: 15th February 2023 ✦ Characters: Ibara, Jun, Hiyori & Nagisa ✦ Proofreading: royalquintet (JP) & Skyress (ENG) ✦ Translation: Mirei (Adam) & hyenahunt (Eve)

Prologue: ✦

February's Situation:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4   ✦5 ✦6

Youth's Depression:

✦1   ✦2 

Warmth & Compassion:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4  

Eventual Affection:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4 

Epilogue: 

✦1   ✦2  

✦✦✦✦✦

Mirei's comment:

it's an event that means a lot for Ibara because he learned that the underlying attachment he has on Eden grows big enough to make him feel unconsciously complicated sacrificing "his work" for the higher up's need. So I wish everyone get to pay attention to the very different yet warm way of each Eden member's support for Ibara in this event to reach the goal he wish to bring for Eden itself!

Jay's comment:

Jun has anxiety and Ibara learns about love. Also there is a lot of chocolate and Nagisa is happy to eat it. And Hiyori larps shoujo manga. Eden's V-day event story from 2023 and yet another collab with Mirei, finally up on the day of its anniversary!! Thanks so much to Mirei and the team for all their patience with me... and of course to everyone reading as well It's pretty much the spiritual sequel to Solid Stage and refers back to it, so definitely check that out before reading!

[hyenahunt]

[TRANSLATION] Reminiscence＊The Obbligato Played by Iridescence - Masterlist

In order to revitalise its affiliated schools, CosPro has organised a project named COMP. As part of their student body, Eden, Tatsumi and HiMERU gather together for a performance. As they work with the theme of school life memories, Jun realises that HiMERU in the present isn't quite the same as he was in the past...

✦ Writer: Akira ✦ Release Date: 30th April 2022

✦ Characters: HiMERU, Tatsumi, Jun, Hiyori, Nagisa, Ibara

✦ Proofreading: 310mc + Remi (JP) & Skyress + honeyspades (ENG)

✦ Translation: Peace (HiMERU, Tatsumi, Adam from In Praise of Folly onwards) & hyenahunt (Eve, Adam from Prologue to Ship of Fools - 3 + The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 11)

Prologue: ✦

The Baptism of Jun Sazanami:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4   ✦5   ✦6  

Ship of Fools:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   

The Devotion to Tatsumi Kazehaya:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4   ✦5   ✦6   ✦7   ✦8   ✦9

✦10   ✦11   ✦12   ✦13  

In Praise of Folly:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4   ✦5

The Punishment of Kaname Tojo:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4   ✦5   ✦6   ✦7   ✦8   ✦9

✦10   ✦11   ✦12   ✦13   ✦14    

Epilogue:

✦1   ✦2   ✦3   ✦4 (END)

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i have been waiting for this event and jun’s backstory and eve’s first meeting for four years and currently i feel absolutely insane

UPDATE 7th April 2024:

Jay's comment:

I didn't know what to expect when I signed up for almost two years ago the moment Obbligato dropped, but I had no idea that it'd rapidly become one of the most beloved and emotional events of the !! era. Being able to learn about Jun's early days in Reimei was something I'd always dreamed of, and though the first meeting of Eve I'd hoped for may not have happened this time, it was incredible to see the initial foundation of Eden being laid down, of Hiyori and Nagisa picking themselves back up in the aftermath of ex-fine, of Jun's unwavering perseverance and commitment to staying true to himself throughout all the hardships he'd gone through… and I dearly hope both he and Tatsumi will one day learn the truth of what happened to the person he'd have been happy to be called a friend by. It was such a delight and honour to be able to work on all this with my good friend Peace, who in my opinion is the true MVP of the project considering just how much of the workload and Akira's endless monologues she took on! I'm as much a supporting role to her as Jun was to Tatsumi and Kaname, and she did incredible justice in bringing to life their earnest ideals and emotional struggles (especially in forming a voice from scratch for the latter!), along with HiMERU's bitter revelations as well as Adam once I entrusted them to her. I think our translation styles mesh very well whenever we collaborate, and who knows, maybe we'll be back for the eventual sequel!? Many thanks of course to our wonderful team for their support and hard work the whole time as well, and to all the friends who'd cheered us on! Real life happens and I know this more than anyone, but the self-imposed guilt of being unable to release our translation in its entirety until now has eaten at me for the better part of these two years, so it is a great relief and a great triumph to be able to present it to everyone at last. Thank you everyone for your patience after all this time, and I hope you enjoy our translation of this tragic tale with its promise of hope, of Reimei's dark past and those entangled in its oppressive web, and two boys who found solace and inspiration in each other and sought so desperately to reform it.

Peace's comment:

When Jay and I started this project back in May 2022, just a week before my birthday, I couldn't have imagined the way it would change my brain chemistry forever. I'd always loved Tatsumi's growth as a character, and having translated him several times before (researching quite in-depth into the sort of religious person he was, down to reading Japanese articles about the people who still live in Japan as he does) I was really excited to do it again! Taking on the Tojo brothers was something I was pretty excited and nervous about too actually, mostly since I had minimal experience with HiMERU himself and I'd be creating a whole voice for Kaname as I conveyed Akira's words the best I could. My thoughts when meeting Kaname was that he's a very distinct character, especially compared to his brother, and in his off-times he was such a brat! I loved that about him, and he had such a charming innocence about him I couldn't help but want to make that shine even more. In the later chapters when he starts to act more "HiMERU-like", I found it pretty fun to reflect that in his word choices and tone shifts... though he always cracked around Jun and Tatsumi, who I feel like he would be able to call his friends if he had the breathing room to. His relationship towards his older brother is as incredible sweet as it is sad, and I only wish they'll be able to speak plainly to one another someday. About halfway through our project, I decided to take charge of Adam's translations as well. I'd translated Nagisa a little before, but Ibara was a new face entirely! I was surprised by how much I enjoyed translating him actually, since I was a little afraid I wouldn't end up liking it at all... neither of them are my usual type, but I guess I was playing against it with everyone I worked on this time actually? (lol) People know me more for Trickstar and their sort, but I used to translate a lot of Valkyrie too! Ibara and Shu are similar in a perfectionist way, they're both very human in a certain way that others can't stand, and I had a lot of fun figuring out the best way to convey both Ibara's snake-oil salesman personality as well as his more "true" voice that comes out a bit in the story. Nagisa was such a blessing for his simplicity. Obbligato is a sorrowful tale of a group of boys made to grow up too fast, too soon, and the repercussions of that; it deals with generational stigma and trauma as a result of that, and while it is a genuinely hard read at times both for the descriptiveness of Tatsumi's childhood as well as the abuse Kaname and Jun have suffered due their names, don't shy from it. I've rarely had the delight to breathe life into such human characters before, painful as they are, and I can definitely say I'm happy with the finished project... in no small part thanks to the people I worked with over the past two years, because it was really nice to have my proofers' back-up when it came to certain economic lingo I wasn't as familiar with as well as the voices of some of the characters too. Having avid fans of Eden, Tatsumi, and HiMERU checking over my words made me feel so self-assured! Last but not least, thank you so much for your patience these past two years! We've worked really hard to make sure it's been worth the wait, so I hope you'll read it a thousand times over! Much love, Peace ♡ p.s. jay'll probably say i was a huge mvp working on this with her, but she's the one uploading everything, so don't let her fool you. she's doing hard work in the trenches.

[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Devotion to Tatsumi Kazehaya - 13

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, three years ago

Characters: Kaname, Tatsumi, Jun

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace & hyenahunt

Tatsumi: The root of all misfortune lies in inequality and injustice. They are the root of all unhappiness. That is why they must be corrected.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Kaname: ... I feel the same as Sazanami. If the fame and shine doesn't belong to my own name, then there's no point to it.

But... Still, it seems as if "Tatsumi Kazehaya" is doing well for itself.

Maybe I should learn from it. Throw away this pride of mine and ensure success through that.

All so I can become the sparkling idol I've always dreamed of being.

Tatsumi: Haha. If you so wish, then we are able to help you in a number of ways. We offer idol practices, studies, and can even help you find work — all free of charge.

In fact, I pay everyone who comes to one of my gatherings an equal part of my own wages.

Kaname: What do you mean...?

Tatsumi: You see, I have no interest in money. All of the money that "Tatsumi Kazehaya" accumulates is thus given out in equal shares to those gathered here.

No matter how much you've done, or what you've helped with, you're given the same amount of pay as the person next to you.

Hence, I've asked them to help me with the work I've received as much as possible.

Kaname: Are you for real? You're the one paying them?

It isn't the other way around? They're only managing to catch rays of the limelight because of you, aren't they? And yet... you're paying them?

Tatsumi: That's right. I likened it to a company, didn't I? Anyone who becomes a part of "Tatsumi Kazehaya" is offered the same regular pay as everyone else within it.

It's only natural to reward those who work a reasonable sum, isn't it? I would never ask someone to do my work for free.

Such a thing would be against our doctrine— nay, against human decency itself.

Jun: Ohhh, I get it now... I see just why these guys don't care for working on their own and are perfectly content just being "Tatsumi Kazehaya's assistants.”

They can just kick back and let their earnings pour in that way. Why wouldn't they? The cash they earn through this kinda fixed income is definitely gonna be way more than whatever an idol with no accomplishments could get through independent work.

And on top of that, Kazehaya-senpai's so brilliant at what he does that his work's a huge success every single time. Thanks to that, these guys get the chance to shine while avoiding any risk of failure or injury, or of being thought of as useless.

Sure is a dream job — one fit for morons.

Kaname: And on top of that, if I'm understanding correctly, you pay those a fair wage even if they haven't worked at all?

Tatsumi: I do. We don't discriminate here, you see. All are equal.

Jun: Mmm, well, I’m not that educated so I might be wrong, but this whole arrangement'spretty much that thing, isn't it? Starts with a c and ends with ism....

Our country's a capitalist nation, so y'know, the opposite of that —

Tatsumi: There's truly no need to go that far. I only wish to treat everyone as equally and fairly as possible.

Such a world would be ideal, wouldn't you agree? I want to make it a reality.

Tatsumi: Everyone is treated equally, given the same opportunities, and is paid fairly for their work. That way, everyone is able to live a happy, fulfilling life.

The root of all misfortune lies in inequality and injustice. They are the root of all unhappiness.

That is why they must be corrected.

There is a distinct disparity between the Special and Non-Special Students here at Reimei Academy. I'm doing what I can to close it.

It doesn't matter who you are, what you are, or even where you came from: you will be treated equally. Everyone will carry the same weight, walk the same amount of steps, and reach the same destination.

Everyone finishes at the same time. Everyone will be granted the same first place result, fairly and ideally.

And that is how we'll stop needless fighting over who's won and lost, we'll cease begrudging others for what they have, and we'll share the same happiness with one another.

That is the ideal world I dream of.

To bring it even slightly closer to reality, I'm doing what I can— though at the moment, this small sphere is all I'm able to influence in such a way.

Tatsumi: One day, I will take all those who inhabit Reimei Academy, the teachers and Special Students alike, as well as those in the idol industry, in this country, in this world...

And change their ways so we may live in such an Eden.

No, it's more than that. That is my mission in life as the Voice of God, as someone born within a family who teaches His words.

I truly believe that, and so I will live by that faith.

Tatsumi: May all of God's creations be blessed. Amen.

[ ☆ ]

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: Epilogue - 4 (END)

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: Hiyori, Jun, Tatsumi, Nagisa, HiMERU

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: Peace & hyenahunt

Tatsumi: Amen.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Hiyori: Haha. Yes, do continue to lavish your praise upon our Jun-kun!

...Honestly, when I was first shown around Reimei Academy, I found myself feeling as though we'd gotten the short end of the stick.

At that time, we had nowhere else that we could go, so we'd no choice but to resign ourselves to it. That before we could escape from Hell, we'd continue to be trapped in its depths for a while longer still.

Hiyori: But you see, as I walked along preoccupied with such melancholy thoughts, I happened to look out the window, and there I saw Jun-kun, dutifully practicing in silence all on his own.

The atmosphere of Reimei Academy at the time was truly dreadful — everyone seemed either dead inside, or they glared at each other with pure resentment.

Jun-kun was the only one with none of that air about him — instead he aspired only to improve himself.

Hiyori: And what a beautiful sight he was... Of course, telling him that to his face would be too embarrassing — it'd go to his head and he'd never let me hear the end of it.

It was while watching this boy that I found it in myself to believe my decision hadn't been made in vain. That if there was even one person like him here, then perhaps it wasn't all so bad.

And so that's why I made the decision to enroll at Reimei Academy, with Jun-kun as my goal. Honestly, I was there initially to scope out Shuuetsu Academy, a school made up of nothing but Special Student elites.

But I found myself believing that I should start all over again at rock bottom and covered with mud, just like Jun-kun.

After all, when you're up somewhere so lofty and high, you'll fail to see what's truly important.

Jun: And just what have you been so cheerfully badmouthing me 'bout, huh~?

Hiyori: Goodness, I wasn't badmouthing you. You're simply being paranoid.

Jun: You swear?

Tatsumi: That's right. I believe that you're rather important to Tomoe-san, Jun-san.

Hiyori: It's true! You rank right after my family, namely Nagisa-kun and Mary!

Jun: I rank below a dog, huh?

Hiyori: If that bothers you so much, then climb your way up! Come now, put your all into it and work ever harder for my love!

Jun: Shut it... It's not like I'm working hard for the sake of your love, y'know~?

I'm working hard so that I can be a better version of myself. Maybe my life looks all kinds of unfortunate and pitiful besides yours, but...

That's precisely why I wanna become the best and strongest idol, so that someday I can declare that's who I am, loud and proud.

It's then that the hard work of my past self will finally all be worth it.

So I'm gonna work hard, right now. I'm gonna give it everything I've got — 'cause giving it all that I've got is all I can do.

Tatsumi: That's right. Fufu, you truly do have no need for God's divine protection.

Jun: You got that right. I don't need no God to save me — 'cause I'm gonna be the one who'll save myself.

Tatsumi: .......♪

Nagisa: ... Shall we stop this idle chatter and begin recording, everyone?

... Though we could simply just rehearse today, and leave the actual filming for another day…

... We don’t have another day to spare, do we?

HiMERU: HiMERU agrees. There is no time to be looking back on days gone by.

We must look towards the future instead, and live earnestly.

So long as we are allowed to do so.

HiMERU: (Kaname. My poor, pitiable little brother. I shall take your place, at least for now.)

(I hope that one day, when you are able to walk once more, you will be able to live a little happier than before.)

(I'll arrange an environment in which you can, and secure a place for you in it as well.)

HiMERU: (I am your older brother, after all.)

HiMERU: (When you awake, when you're able to walk once more…)

(I won't fail this time. I'll make your wish come true.)

(Long have I lived alone, void of any dream at all — and now what was yours has since become my own.)

Tatsumi: (... Ah, even though this is the same place as then, the same Reimei Academy…)

(It feels different. Right now, I feel so refreshed and full of energy.)

(Are you the one I should thank for that, God?)

Tatsumi: (Our Father who art in heaven, you have always guided my life with your hand.)

(Dear fate, dear faith, I thank you for leading me to where I stand today.)

(We have faced much sorrow, despair, and tragedy.)

(Nonetheless, I stand enveloped in the warmth I had always craved. If this is reward for my piety, O God, then I truly could never detest you.)

Tatsumi: (Even if it happens that God does not exist, and this is nothing but a series of coincidences…)

(Then I shall call those coincidences miracles, rewards, and love you all the more.)

(Amen.)

(Fufu. I shall do as Tomoe-san did and use Jun-san, whom he loves so much, as an example; I'll begin at the very bottom, crawling my way through the mud.)

Tatsumi: (No matter how often he gets knocked down, how often he collapses, he still stands right back up.)

(I am forever grateful for that. Not only do I have God on my side, but friends as well.)

(Such invaluable friends who support one another…)

(Who share their warmth, and move forward with happiness in their hearts.)

(We shall walk together on this road, step by step.)

Tatsumi: ♪～♪～♪

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[hyenahunt]

[SONG TRANSLATION] Ruby Love / Eve

Translation: Mireiarchive and hyenahunt Proofreading: hyenahunt Graphic: findermao

Text lyrics under the cut!

Ruby Love Lyrics: Saori Codama (こだま さおり) Composition/Arrangement: SHOW - Digz, Inc. Group

(Hiyori | Jun | Both)

Sweet..

Trip, trip, Bloody pink (Bloody pink) 

Mad, mad, Sensual red (Sensual red) 

Trip, trip, Bloody pink (Which one?)

Mad, mad, Sensual red (For you)

Let us reveal this captivating Collection

Among these Jewels of February, awakened by love.

The one that most suits your taste

Is a Ruby of destiny

A rosy pink, hidden deep within your heart 

(Yeah...)

Chocolate that looks as if it could let slip a sigh (Oh...)

So beautiful beautiful beautiful, so radiant

With a dripping Flavour of burning desire

If it has reached

(For you)

Those lips of yours

Then, ready your resolve 

as if the world would end tomorrow and...

Now, with a gaze more like you mean it

Show me how you'll make a single choice

Ahh, do it more indecently

Let's try and paint it with Valentine's Love 

Trip, trip, Bloody pink 

Mad, mad, Sensual red 

(Ruby love)

Trip, trip, Bloody pink 

(Which one?)

Mad, mad, Sensual red

With a distorted vexing Clarity that drives you mad

(So deep)

No one but you can show this sinful Quality

Coating each and every nude temptation

A chocolat trap of a timer

That it may reach

(...for you)

The depths of your heart

How I pray for that love

To ripen safely within it 

Now, with only more of that desire

Show me how you'll make a single choice

Ahh, no strategy could overcome

This luscious Ruby... Valentine's Love

For that anxious expression

You still wear upon your face

We'll dress you in a ray of light to give you 

The courage to take that next step

Sweet... So sweet

Sweet

Now, with a gaze more like you mean it

Show me how you'll make a single choice

Ahh, do it more indecently

Let's try and paint it with Valentine's love

Trip, trip, Bloody pink 

(Bloody pink) 

Mad, mad, Sensual red 

(Sensual red) 

Trip, trip, Bloody pink 

(Which one?)

Mad, mad, Sensual red 

(Ruby Love)

[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: In Praise of Folly - 3

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: Nagisa, Hiyori, Ibara

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: Peace & hyenahunt

Hiyori: Someone like Tatsumi Kazehaya, however, may truly believe in such dreams from the bottom of his heart.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Nagisa: ... That is true. Tatsumi Kazehaya's ideals of "equality" and "fairness" could never coexist from the very start.

Hiyori: But of course. It seems everyone here is well aware of this fact, so while there is no need to elaborate on it any further, allow me to do so anyway.

The compatibility of equality and fairness, hm? Say we applied such concepts to a foot race — That would mean everyone would start at the same time, and everyone would reach the goal at the same time, yes?

Hiyori: However, each individual has their own differences, or shall I say, their own individual quirks. Be it their athleticism, their stamina, or even simply their condition on that day — everyone is different.

That's why, were this to be held in the usual way a race operates, you would essentially be creating a ranking order amongst them just by making everyone start at the same time.

If there are no external factors that could influence the outcome, then by every right the fastest person would win the race.

And that's essentially natural law, no? The one who ought to win shall be the one to win.

But in ranking each person, you are then creating "inequality".

Though everyone may have a "fair" start, the finish line itself becomes "inequal".

And then if you aim to remove that contradiction and aspire towards "equality" instead, then the "fairness" of it would grow questionable.

The two concepts are simply incompatible. Why, you would be taking the fastest child and binding weights to their legs to force them to slow down.

Or instead, you must have them run a longer distance than anyone else — of course, assuming that everyone is running with all their might, for if not then the end result would not be equal.

In essence, in order for the outcome to be “equal”, then the starting point must be “unfair”.

Nagisa: ... I see. That’s a very clear explanation.

... If you are to seek either “equality” or “fairness”, the opposite will inevitably surface. The two concepts are wholly incompatible.

Ibara: That's right. That is why Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya's idealistic thoughts were nothing but just that: thoughts.

Oh, certainly no one would disagree with a world where one could be treated as equally as another, while at the same time being fair about it. In fact, I'm sure everyone would be quite happy with it.

However... The truth of the matter is that the world is made up of unique individuals, and so long as that is the case, that ideal is nothing more than a pipe dream.

A heaven, an early paradise, that can only exist as a concept — that truly is something a religious leader would think up.

Nagisa: ......

Ibara: At the same time, I for one have never seen Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya as someone so foolishly blind to reality.

He's simply someone who's sought to make his dreams come true through pure religious zeal.

Hiyori: That's where he differs from Eichi-kun, isn't it? He used pretty, idealistic words like those to win everyone over, but ultimately they were used simply as a convenient front for what we were actually doing.

Someone like Tatsumi Kazehaya, however, may truly believe in such dreams from the bottom of his heart.

Ibara: That may be true. I believe we all agree on what we just discussed — that “equality” and “fairness” cannot coexist. And for my part, I believe it to be an undeniable truth.

However, there is a way for our reality to come ever closer to that idealistic view.

Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya has done just that—with the exact conviction that any brave but tragic martyr may have had.

His ideals, if only for a moment, became reality.

Nagisa: ... I thought that such a thing was impossible for humanity, however.

Ibara: It is. That is why, if only for a moment, he must have become "something beyond human comprehension", such as a god or an angel, or perhaps a saint.

Hiyori: Saints, hm? They play a role much like that of myriad gods within polytheistic religions.

While it wouldn't pass within religions that worship a one and absolute God, saints are treated akin to gods, with the only difference from them being that they were once human.

Idolatrous images are made out of them and worshipped, and in turn they grant their worshippers divine protection.

The same can be said about demons. A certain unified church has been filching the various concepts of both saints and demons from other religions to worship them as godlike figures on their own.

Nagisa: ... I agree. A saint is someone who merely fills in the gaps that God cannot reach alone.

Ibara: I have no interest in discussing religion. But it is true that Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya did something meritable enough for others to call him a saint.

In order to allow the contradiction of "equality" and "fairness" to coexist, there must be something to counteract it: an "exception" to the two.

Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya himself is that very "exception".

Hiyori: ..Whatever do you mean?

Ibara: To put it simply, the system he established accounts for the equality and fairness of all except himself.

By allowing himself to take on the burden of being treated "unfairly" and "inequal" to those around him, everyone else reaps the benefits of the earthly paradise he sought.

Just as the original saint of Christianity, Jesus Christ, had done so long ago, crucified upon the cross to absolve humanity of their sins.

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[hyenahunt]

Saga: Rivals - 21

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: Jun, Hiyori, Seiya, Jin, Mika, Madara, Akiomi, Sora

Proofreading: 310mc (JP) & hyenahunt (ENG)

Translation: kotofucius

Akiomi: Ahaha… Oh, how I wish you'd told me that much sooner.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Location: Reverse Live Stage

Time: Hours later. Reverse Live, at the start of the second day.

Jun: “♪~♪~♪”

“Lilith! The original heretic! The revolutionary who spoke against God’s deception when none dared to!”

Hiyori: “Lilith! The mother of humanity, flung into the depths of Hell! How she screamed of love and sang of hope, no matter how far she fell!”

Seiya: “Lilith! That is who we are! Buried in the depths of history, we are the true idols, long forgotten by the world!”

Hiyori: “How long it has been! How I waited to meet you again! In the darkness, you were the only light I could see!”

Seiya: “I love you! I’ve loved you since this world came to be!”

Jun: “Destiny split us apart, and yet, we’ve been brought together once more!”

Hiyori: “Never shall we part again! Your warmth is forever ours!”

Jun: “Now, let us embrace! Let us love together, even if the very world forbids it!”

Seiya: “We are Lilith! It is to love you that we’ve arrived…!”

“♪~♪~♪”

Jin: …Ooh, how passionate. Or maybe over-the-top. Kinda like Valkyrie, actually.

Mika: Hey, you ain't ever gonna catch us sayin' love, love, love over an’ over like that! We’re passionate but artistic! Even if we’re speakin’ about love, we’d be a lot more subtle 'bout it.

Madara: Hahaha. It does seem like a refined… or rather, popularized version of Valkyrie’s methods.

They’ve got extravagant production for their stage too, probably thanks to the big shots all wanting to suck up to Hidaka Seiya —

So, their melodramatic lines suit the atmosphere, actually.

But unlike Shu-san, they’re not drowning in their own world. Instead, they're opening it up to the public; they gaze into their audience’s eyes and actively pull them in.

Akiomi: Lilith… I’d been wary of what tactics they might use, but they've been taking an unexpectedly materialistic and straight-forward approach.

They maximized the promotion, stage production, and everything else they could; and even shamelessly used Hidaka-daisenpai’s fame to call in an army of fans.

War is essentially about numbers. With everything so perfectly coordinated like this, well, there's no way to fight back through ordinary means.

Hidaka-daisenpai has truly made the most out of his advantage as an active, highly popular, professional idol.

He is on a completely different level from us, who finance our own small-scale concerts within the confines of an idol training school.

Even budget-wise, he definitely has one or two more zeros on us, I'm sure.

Madara: Hahaha. Especially when we as Ba-barrier don’t really have that much work, so we have no funds for battle, either…

We've turned our lack of cohesion into our selling point, making a novel show with each of our unique charms and gaining an upper hand that way.

In other words, we resort to clever schemes to put up a semblance of fight, so we’re at a disadvantage against planned head-on attacks.

Mika: …They’re so vulgar. I don’t reckon I like ‘em. They’re totally different from Valkyrie, 'kay?

Sora: HaHa~♪ Yep, totally different!

Valkyrie paints a single color over and over until it reaches a density no one can reproduce —

But Lilith kinda takes a bucket of paint and goes “splash!” with it, I guess~?

…And by spilling that much paint, they erase all the other colours.

Jin: Ooh~… I thought I heard grumbling. Turns out it was the defeated Akiyan and his merry men.

Akiomi: You're truly something… We're your good rivals and comrades from the same school, who have been supporting you this whole time both behind the scenes and out in the open — Is that any way to talk to us?

Madara: Hahaha. I’ve got no comeback since we did lose spectacularly last night!

Smashed to smithereens, in a most dramatic death! If Rain-bows are rainbows, then we must be fleeting fireworks!

Mika: Why're ya havin’ so much fun even though we lost, Mikejima-senpai?

Madara: Well, when the opponent did such a fine job in gaining the upper hand on us, the loss felt conversely exhilarating, see!

I quite enjoy defeat, actually! Especially when it’s the result of an all-out fight!

Mika: I can’t understand that feelin’…

Valkyrie an' Lilith are totally different, but fer some reason it jus' reminded me of the time when fine kicked us down.

Madara: Hmm. Their methods indeed resemble that of the former fine…

If there's a quantifiable way to win, then pouring all you possess will bring definite victory.

In the war last year, Eichi-san used all the lofty assets available to him to invent a game board that worked to his advantage.

Well, he was only making the most of his perks as a rich heir with money and authority… so it wasn’t exactly a low move.

Akiomi: Hmm. In this case, all participating units are new groups formed specifically for Project-Saga…

More often than not, it’s the audience’s first time seeing them.

As it’s hard to tell everyone apart at a glance, Lilith ends up standing out due to their expensive costume and production. Their lavish extravagance only makes them all the more eye-catching to the audience.

Not to mention, the famous Hidaka Seiya is in the group. That’s more than enough name and power.

Though yes, of course, these things don’t decide the entire value of an idol.

But under these circumstances, it becomes a challenge to even put up a fight. Without a good strategy on your side, they'll simply overpower you.

Madara: Wow, how ruthless! I guess miracles don’t happen all the time! Hahaha☆

Mika: Seriously, why d’ya look like yer havin' the time of yer life? I’m right frustrated, personally~ Unlike you, Mikejima-senpai, I ain't a fan of losing!

Madara: Alright! Let’s turn that frustration into motivation, then! We might’ve lost yesterday, but let's win today!

Liltih may have wiped the floor with us, but we're steadily winning against all the other units we’re up against! We still have a chance!

Akiomi: That's right. The rule isn’t as simple as retiring with one defeat.

While we’re nowhere as active as Rain-bows, we're still one of the most senior players of Project-Saga —

As a result, we've amassed fans through all our activities. We won't lose so easily to newbie units.

Sora: Yeah! Schemes and tricks are Sora's specialty~ Magic exists for the oppressed minority!

Even if the conformist majority closes in on us, we'll sidestep them and make a miracle happen!

Mika: Ahaha. Everyone in Ba-barrier's so tough an' dependable~ ♪

Jin: Haha. Who'd have thought you'd get along so well, Akiyan?

You’re definitely having fun being an idol, aren’tcha? Unlike me, you retired with regrets.

Akiomi: On the contrary, I have left my regrets behind.

We had accomplished our role with the success of Rainbow Stage, so we could’ve dispersed right then and there…

But that performance garnered us a good reputation, with many fans requesting that we continue…

And I thought we might come in handy someday, so I continued on with Ba-barrier.

Compared to the other Mentors out there, I am a level below them in terms of achievements, so I did have my reservations. But well, I’ve always been the shameless sort, anyway.

Jin: Really? You’re more competitive than shameless, in my opinion… The more people look down on you, the more you fight back to prove 'em wrong.

I’ve always admired that side of you since long ago.

Akiomi: Ahaha… Oh, how I wish you'd told me that much sooner.

Jin. We are giving our all just to hold our current position; I do not believe we’ll have the leisure to protect you.

However, you are the main character of Project-Saga, so by all means, find a way out of this predicament with your own two hands.

Lilith may prove to be a much stronger opponent than we thought, but if it's you, then surely you'll be the one to win — I’ll say this even without anything to back it up, just as I did in the past.

Jin: Thanks. I think having you there to always tell me that… was what helped me to hold out much longer than I would've on my own.

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 13

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: Kaname, Tatsumi

Proofreading: Remi (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace

Tatsumi: I like the idiotic you.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Kaname: Is that—

B-Brother?

Tatsumi: ... Brother? Ah, has your family come to see you?

I'm jealous. My own has never once come to cheer me on in my own idol activities, you see.

They are far too used to hiding themselves away in places the light cannot reach. To them, I am a dissenter.

As sad as it is, my family always thought of me as odd, terrifying, and even incomprehensible.

Tatsumi: That is why... I was so happy that you believed in me.

I am no god nor saint, so I am a little troubled that you hold such faith in me. Still, I am thankful we are able to walk on the same path at the same time as comrades.

Reimei Academy is Hell, however... I have always been surrounded by a gentle warmth.

I'd like to thank God for that.

Kaname: That's my line.

How were you able to believe in me? You've always done everything yourself, for as long as I knew of you.

You sought to change everything on your own, without asking for a single bit of help from anyone.

That's why when I asked you to form a unit with me, I was surprised you agreed.

What if I betray you again and steal your stake in it all?

You and I are the same rank right now. We've announced such to the world, and they've acknowledged it. Who's to say I won't simply use my status and take whatever I'd like from you?

You and I are the main heads of this unit. That is how it appears on the outside, while in reality I'm the one who manages everything.

I could keep you in the dark. If I did that, then I would become Reimei Academy's Top Idol in more than just name.

Tatsumi: I don't believe you'd do such a thing.

You already stood at the summit of Reimei Academy without having to go through such lengths to form a unit in line with my ideology.

There was no benefit in it for you to bring me, a risk to your interests, into your arms.

In your position, you could have simply excluded myself and every Non-Special Student and ruled Reimei Academy with Special Students alone.

Tatsumi: Rather, it would have been far easier to do that — in this day and age, the world is clearly favoring that direction.

However, you expressly included myself and the Non-Special Students within it, despite how much the Special Students detest us.

The backlash you face from this will be inevitable, and it will certainly hinder your future activities.

No wise man would have risked himself like that.

Kaname: ... I'm an idiot, aren't I?

Tatsumi: I like the idiotic you.

Kaname: ......

Tatsumi: I am as much of an idiot as you are, after all.

I had a dream that was not meant to come true.

Those wiser than myself tried many times to warn me against pursuing it, but I disregarded them and tread on alone. Stubborn as a mule, I tried to create the utopia I had long dreamed of by force.

I was like a young child, chasing after an unrealistic ideal. No matter how wise my words may seem, I am no different than those children who draw their fantasies of heroes and monsters.

Tatsumi: I wasn't raised properly, and so now I play pretend as anyone might have done when they were a toddler.

Something that any sensible adult would scold me for.

And now, I pursue a dream anyone would have forgotten as they grew up.

However... You, who likes me for the way I am, nestled closer to play along.

You weren't disturbed by me, and we became two of a kind — two people who should have been scolded for fooling around by others.

It truly made me happy.

That's why, even if you were to steal all that I possess, I would forgive you. Because no matter if your feelings and words were falsehoods, I was grateful for them.

Kaname: ... I wasn't the only one who nestled close to you — plenty of others must have too.

Your followers, the ones who gathered in the catacombs — they would have been your playmates whenever you'd like them to be.

So why... Why was I the only one chosen? Why am I the only one you favor?

Isn't this an example of that "inequality" you can't stand?

Tatsumi: That is because in Reimei Academy, you are the only one who tried to be the "same" as me.

Not as someone to follow the beliefs of, nor as someone to look upon as an enemy, but as someone to stand on equal footing with.

You know, I've always longed to have a friend like that — one who would stand equally right by my side.

However, being foolish and inexperienced as I was, I had no idea how to get one.

You were the only one to show me how, the only one to act on it and manifest my desire. You became my equal and reached out to me.

You tried to befriend me and walk at my side.

That is why I took your hand. I was overjoyed.

That's all.

Kaname: That's all, huh.

Tatsumi: Yes. And now that strange child, naive and without common sense, has finally found someone to play with.

That's all.

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 11

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: ???, Ibara

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: Peace & hyenahunt

Ibara: Oh, are you ignoring me? Well, no matter. I'll continue to talk nonetheless.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

???: ( — What are you doing, Kaname?)

(What on Earth are you thinking...?)

(Who told you to say any of that?! You're to do exactly as we ordered you to do! That was the agreement, don't just do as you'd like!)

(When you lost your esteemed title of Special Student, who was it that saved you?)

(Was it Tatsumi Kazehaya, the man you’re standing side-by-side with right now who has such a saintly smile on his face?)

???: (It wasn't! I did! I'm the one who helped you! No one else but me!)

(And yet here you are! Have you forgotten the debt you owe me...?!)

Ibara: Hmm~? My, what's this, whoever could this be~?

???: ...?!

Ibara: How strange! No matter how I look at you, you appear to be the renowned top idol of Reimei Academy — Mr. HiMERU, correct?

But right now, isn't Mr. HiMERU standing on the stage and making a speech? In that case, who is this observer over here?

???: ......

Ibara: Oh, are you ignoring me? Well, no matter. I'll continue to talk nonetheless.

My apologies if it grates on your ears! But you see, running my mouth like this is precisely how I conduct my business!

???: Who are you?

Ibara: That would be my line, but here, my card — this is who I am.

???: Ibara Saegusa, is it? You seem to be a manager affiliated with CosPro's company and institutions such as Reimei Academy and the like.

Ibara: Indeed. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, nameless stranger.

It's been you all along, hasn't it? You're the mysterious stranger who's been providing Mr. HiMERU with support from the shadows.

At first, I thought it was that person — the man who dwells within Reimei Academy, a monstrous existence who must not even be named.

The man whose very name is taboo within this industry...

That man has taken to residing on the school grounds, living and doing as he pleases. He's been fending for himself and doing things such as starting bonfires and grilling meat, it seems.

But it must be known that this man is no ordinary vagrant who has made the school into his home. The truth is that he's a legend of the industry — a lingering reminder of the original Super Idols.

He's a monster who built up the idol world on his own.

Well, that monster bore children left and right, and that is nothing unusual about him if that’s truly all he had to him. For the record, I, Ibara Saegusa, am one of that man's descendants as well.

But unlike me, that vagrant of Reimei Academy is a most untouchable existence.

Of course, I don't need to explain any of this to you, do I? Tojo —

???: I discarded that name.

I had no intention of ever being involved with the likes of you.

Afterwards, I left everything behind and sought a place abroad.

Ibara: Certainly, you have. I gathered similarly from the investigations I've conducted.

You discarded both your name and your face, becoming a disciple of a certain someone and mastering the art of disguise. In that way, you've lived on wearing many different faces, taking the place of others and acting on their behalf.

???: I only bought the technique to do so off of that man.

He approached me simply because I happened to have a slight blood relation to the original Super Idol.

He more forced the technique onto me than anything, though. While it's convenient, I don't feel any debt towards him for it.

I cast everything away. My name, my heart. My connections to others.

???: (Or I was supposed to, at least.)

(I received a letter from my father, who I hadn't heard from for the longest time.)

(Even now I haven't a clue of how he obtained my address, but I have a hunch that that man — the Priest — was involved.)

(Naturally, I immediately crumpled that letter into a ball and tossed it away without reading a word. He and I are strangers now, and it's annoying to be contacted out of the blue.)

(That's what I thought. But I found myself unsettled by my lack of knowledge of what it said, and so I read it.)

(Within, he wrote of a younger brother I had. And it just so happened that my brother was in a difficult situation, asking to be helped out.)

(Until that moment, I hadn't known I had a brother at all.)

(Without knowing anything at all, my younger sibling — Kaname Tojo — thoughtlessly became an idol.)

???: (What an idiot. A descendent from such a sinful family, tainted to the core by taboo—)

(Who, without knowing anything at all, became an idol.)

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 10

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: Kaname, Tatsumi

Proofreading: Remi (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace

Kaname: Will this make you happy, Mom? Will you understand me, Brother?

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Kaname: "I know you Special Students may ask why you should care."

"That's why, as the poster child of you all, I'll demonstrate the benefits of it — no, I'll introduce you to a harsh reality."

"At the moment, our unit has a monopoly on nearly all of the work offered to the idols of Reimei Academy."

"These jobs were originally given only to the group that Tatsumi Kazehaya-senpai created..."

"But when he grew ill and wasn't able to perform, I took on the mantle he left behind."

"I was offered so much work, I wasn't able to do it all myself — and so I distributed it to other Special Students and had it done that way."

Kaname: "How was it, Special Students? Didn't you have fun working as idols?"

"But those jobs didn't count towards you. They were entrusted to the idol Tatsumi Kazehaya-senpai — we were merely acting as his proxies."

"In short, now that he's returned with improved health, there's no need for our involvement."

"I planned to return what was once Tatsumi-senpai's without complaint..."

"On one condition. That he forms a unit with me, as equals, so he won’t do everything on his own."

"From now on, we'll be doing everything that Tatsumi-senpai used to do alone."

"Distributing jobs, selecting suitable members, dividing the income we receive equally among everyone..."

"We'll work together to accomplish all of this together. That way, Tatsumi-senpai's burden is diminished and he remains in good health."

Tatsumi: "Fufu. When faced with such a passionate explanation, I couldn't help but agree. I could tell that HiMERU-san's feelings were sincere."

"He earnestly wished to help, to stake his life on alleviating my burden."

"No, his true wish was for the two of us to become one. He will become part of me, half of me — the way that the Messiah was an extension of God."

Kaname: "Simply being a follower or subordinate wasn't enough. I wouldn't be able to control him even if I were over his head either. In order to make good use of the unprecedented existence that was Tatsumi Kazehaya, I became a part of him."

"I'm managing the 'face' of the Super Idol Tatsumi Kazehaya, which he himself cannot even control."

"Rather, this is the only way that 'troublemaker' could be controlled."

"With that in mind, I made my decision."

Tatsumi: "Troublemaker, am I? Well, I suppose you're right."

"I pushed others around as I saw fit, claiming it was for their happiness. However, the more I forced it on them, the less happy they were."

"I wish to atone for that. I believe this is the only way that I can."

Tatsumi: "I couldn't handle it alone. It is impossible for one person."

"That is why I am adding to 'myself'. While I am only one person in the flesh, I will be giving a part of 'me' to HiMERU-san."

"We, as a colony, will be run like this from now. We will survive."

Kaname: (Ah... My dream, it's come true.)

(I said so, didn't I? I wanted to become you.)

(I wanted to be a brilliant existence, just like you. I wanted to become an idol that could make everyone smile. I wanted to become the precious, irreplaceable light that my mother loved so much.)

(I went to great lengths to make this happen. I even capitalized on the blind trust of the older brother I was so indebted to.)

(That lot in the catacombs called me a traitor for stealing Tatsumi-senpai's fortune away.)

(The Special Students were the same, saying I'd deceived them all for my own gain.)

(But even still, I wanted this.)

Kaname: (Tatsumi Kazehaya, Tatsumi Kazehaya, Tatsumi Kazehaya—)

(I want to become like you. No, I want to be you.)

(Now, everything will go well. Me, who climbed to the top and became the Special Student everyone would look up to, and Tatsumi-senpai, the savior of the Non-Special Students...)

(By joining forces, every student at Reimei Academy is under our control. The disparity that was the root of everyone's unhappiness will soon disappear.)

(From now on, our unit will assume responsibility of every job that comes in for the idols of Reimei Academy.)

(We'll distribute it fairly between Special and Non-Special Students alike.)

(After that, we'll split the profit fairly between them as well.)

(And at last, we'll have manifested a just and fair world, where no one is discriminated against. We’ll create the very utopia that Tatsumi-senpai envisioned.)

Kaname: (There'll be some opposition at first, of course. It'll be difficult to stand side-by-side with one another and think of the other side as a comrade.)

(The Special and Non-Special Students hate each other far too much not to fuss.)

(But that's why we're going to change the system, even if we have to do it by force. We'll get rid of the differences between the two of them and erase the line previously drawn.)

(From here on... We will control all of the idol work that comes into Reimei Academy. If you won't become one of 'us', then you can't be an idol.)

Kaname: ("We" are the only ones who can be idols.)

(That's why everyone'll have to become part of 'us' if they want to keep their heads above water after this.)

(And once they become one of 'us,' there won't be exceptions to the rules. You're treated equally, whether you're a Special Student or not. Even if you hate it.)

(The disparity will disappear. While the Special Students will remain such in name, we'll be the ones who manage the students on behalf of the school.)

(An ideal system.)

(Eventually, we'll expand our sphere of influence — and take control of the whole idol industry. That way, we'll create an ideal world where everyone can be happy.)

(As everything in the industry falls to ruin, we'll live on together just like that.)

(The road to that world is a long and hard one, but...)

(There is hope. Tatsumi Kazehaya is our compass.)

(He really is amazing. He's a true idol — unlike me.)

(Unlike me, who's experienced only with mistakes.)

(Everyone's sure to be happy with someone like him at the helm. He'll never abandon me either, even if I'm utterly useless, and let me live as an idol.)

(That's how I'll become an idol.)

Kaname: (Will this make you happy, Mom?)

(Will you understand me, Brother?)

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 3

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: Jun

Proofreading: 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: hyenahunt

Jun: (No matter what, we're only human in the end. There's no way for us to remove ourselves from that fact, and live on all unsullied and beautiful.)

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Jun: Gyaaaagh!?

Damn 'em all! They seriously threw me out! Kicked and chased me off like a stray dog or some shit...! Goddamn! Goddamn! Goddamn!!!

Jun: Ugh, what a fuckin' useful word this is! GODDAMN!

(By saying that, your anger is directed only at God... That's what Kazehaya-senpai told me.)

(And if we don't say things that'll hurt other people, then maybe we can have "a kind world where no one gets hurt", huh?)

(In this society that's nothing but unreasonable, we should curse God or fate rather than other living, breathing people. In that case, that's right: no one will get hurt.)

(But you know, Senpai... that's a seriously idealistic way to think. It's not some faceless God out there somewhere that pisses us off.)

(Instead, it's the other people around us, each and every time. What we wanna do to them is hurt them and drag 'em through the mud, and even make them disappear if we could.

(In the end, that's what we truly want.)

(That's why it’s impossible for us to live in that idealistic way Kazehaya-senpai so desires.)

Jun: (............)

(No matter what, we're only human in the end. There's no way for us to remove ourselves from that fact, and live on all unsullied and beautiful.)

(And even Kazehaya-senpai, who lives as purely as he can, is no exception to that.)

(He's only human, too. That's why, after taking on such an absurdly huge amount of work upon himself all alone, it's only natural he'd physically fall apart.)

(I couldn't just stand by and watch it happen, and I asked him over and over to let me help, but he turned me down each time. I don't get why, though.)

(I kept a distance from the group in the Catacombs he lead ‘cause it gave me the creeps, but...)

(Kazehaya-senpai had countless "followers" who adored him with a dedication far beyond mine, and yet...)

(Not a single one of them could save him.)

Jun: (Of course, I'm sure they wanted to — after all, everyone loved Kazehaya-senpai. He's the one who’d always help to fill in whatever we were lacking.)

(The one who toiled and suffered away just to grant us what we wanted, all without a single reward.)

(We loved him, relied on him and respected him.)

(So everyone should've wanted to help him out all together. Everyone should've chipped in with the work, or done something — anything — to support him.)

(But he wouldn't hear of it. It seems like no matter what, Kazehaya-senpai rejected each and every offer of help — )

(Everyone who tried to disregard what he said and insisted on helping him anyway just didn't succeed...)

(There's no doubt about it — Kazehaya-senpai was the top idol of Reimei Academy. What he carried upon those delicate shoulders of his was a burden so heavy no one else could have borne it.)

Jun: (His followers tried to take on work requests made to him on their own accord. They tried to stand in as substitutes and bear the work on their own, just so that he could rest —)

(But they were all bound to fail. They couldn't meet the standards for the requested work. And that's because the idol known as "Tatsumi Kazehaya" was in fact a colony headed by Senpai.)

(It was a monster that grew all the stronger for its swarm-like numbers. Even if a fraction of that colony tried to undertake the work meant for the entirety of "Tatsumi Kazehaya", they didn't have a hope in hell of succeeding.)

(It would've been impossible to meet what was required of them.)

(It wouldn't have been enough, no matter what they did. They couldn't do the work properly and just kept making mistakes.)

(And by messing up over and over again, it took a heavy toll on the reputation of the whole of "Tatsumi Kazehaya".)

(When Kazehaya-senpai was in charge and called the shots, everything would go smoothly.)

(But now that he's been run into the ground, it's turned into a vicious circle.)

(Not a thing has been going well... And to make things worse, Kazehaya-senpai's "followers" have started pinning the blame onto him, all to avoid getting hurt themselves, even though he's the very one they're supposed to love.)

(Claiming that it wasn't them that failed, it was the whole of "Tatsumi Kazehaya".)

(By saying shit like that, they could hang onto their self-respect.)

(Even though they owe everything to Kazehaya-senpai…)

(Instead they turned their backs on him and started shitting on him.)

(And that’s how they started to rot to the very core..)

Jun: (They gave me bad vibes from the start, but it's gotten to the point where I don't even wanna breathe the same air as 'em.)

(They gather together in that underground darkness, and do nothing but talk shit about Kazehaya-senpai.)

(They can then go about their normal lives like there's a weight off their shoulders, smiling away to themselves like idiots.)

(Sure, how easy things would be if you could just dump everything you hate onto someone else, right? But y'know, the guy you shoved everything onto is also only human — Kazehaya-senpai is only human!)

(He's nothing like a god. He's a human being made of flesh and blood, just like us.)

Jun: (It's precisely 'cause we're human that we can get hurt. And when those wounds get too much to bear, we'll fall apart. That's why Kazehaya-senpai wound up in the hospital... not just for his ruined physical condition, but for the sheer mental toll it's taken on him, too.)

(Why can't everyone understand something so simple?)

(How could everyone forget something like that?)

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: Epilogue - 3

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: Ibara, Tatsumi, HiMERU, Nagisa, Hiyori, Jun

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: Peace & hyenahunt

Hiyori: Someone like Jun-kun grew up with such an embittered childhood, and yet he could be transformed into such a "warrior of love" — You are the very reason for that.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Ibara: Alright everyone, thank you so much for your patience! We've finished writing up a tidy little script, so please do give it a once over!

Tatsumi: Thank you. The truth is rather difficult to speak of, so a script is necessary.

Ibara: Isn't it just! Trust me, so long as everyone plays their part in my script as they should, then this shall be a resounding success!

HiMERU: —HiMERU can hear the cynicism dripping from your words.

Is everything all in the palm of your hand?

Ibara: A-ha-ha! ☆ It would be wonderful if everyone did as they were tasked this time around!

It isn't as if I have a grudge against any one of you either, after all!

I’d rather not hurt nor humiliate any of you right now. I won't gain a single thing in doing so.

HiMERU: —No, HiMERU doesn't think you meant any ill will by it.

Though you aren't kind either. Should you only treat others as if they were pieces on a board, HiMERU believes you will face severe retribution.

Ibara: I've already been facing that plenty, thank you very much!

I don’t know how you perceive me, but you should know that my plans have always gone astray somehow; there's always some snag or hitch that keeps it from going accordingly!

Just what am I doing wrong? I'd thought everything through, and yet it never went smoothly!

Oh, I should have never picked up His Excellency or His Highness in the first place! They're unmanageable!

Nagisa: ... Ibara, do I trouble you?

Ibara: I'm surprised you only ask so now! It feels as if I'm tossed and tugged around by you far too often in my memories, Your Excellency, especially as of late!

Nagisa: ... Sorry.

Ibara: Well, it isn’t something you need to concern yourself with. The benefits I've gained in working with everyone in Eden outweighs the headaches you've all given me.

Ibara: Rather, I'll simply account for whatever toil and trouble comes for the next scheme.

The same can be said about what happened at Reimei Academy. Though I failed to control everything and caused its ruin instead, so long as I don’t make the same mistake twice, I will remain as the Ibara Saegusa you are all familiar with.

Nagisa: ... It feels as if you're making the same mistakes as before, however.

Ibara: Don't interrupt me with needless remarks!

I worked behind the scenes of everything that happened at Reimei Academy, which kept me from having a good idea of the situation as it developed...

But no, not anymore. I have been involved with COMP from the very beginning, ensuring that I have complete control over the situation at any given moment for my own benefit.

Tatsumi: My, how greedy. Though perhaps I should be a little more so myself.

HiMERU: ... HiMERU does not wish to see you become similar to the Deputy Director, Tatsumi.

Hiyori: Fufu. Tatsumi-kun, you're never one to reject anyone, instead only ever accepting them for who they are. That is both your greatest quality, and your greatest flaw.

It’s because you accept and love just about everyone that everyone comes to love you.

But you know, each and every person has their limit, yes? If you try to accept beyond that limit, you'll only hit your breaking point and fall apart again.

Tatsumi: Thank you for the advice, Tomoe-san. I'll take it to heart.

Hiyori: No need to thank me. I'm terribly fond of you, as well.

Tatsumi: I don't believe we spoke to one another at school, though.

Hiyori: Ibara prepared a script in which I claim to have paid you visits at the hospital, befriended you from there and became fast friends, you see.

Though that's a beautiful and yet completely fabricated story with no basis in reality — I would truly like to befriend you all the same.

Hiyori: I've heard so much about you from Jun-kun. That's why long before I met you, you'd already earned my respect and love.

Hiyori: Jun-kun was a true menace with it, especially in the days when we first met. Any chance he got, he'd be going on about Tatsumi-senpai, Tatsumi-senpai, Tatsumi-senpai — why, I've heard about you ad nauseam.

Hiyori: ...You see, Jun-kun dearly regrets that he wasn't able to stop you from falling to ruin.

That in the time that the two of you grew apart to the point of rarely talking, you had been thrust into the very depths of despair. Jun-kun has grieved that, all this time.

Tatsumi: ......

Hiyori: That's why, even if it's not quite compensation for those regrets, he would risk even his own life to devote himself to me. So that he may put every effort into loving me, this time without looking the other way.

Hiyori: Someone like Jun-kun grew up with such an embittered childhood, and yet he could be transformed into such a "warrior of love" — You are the very reason for that. And so I've always thought that surely, you must be someone incredible.

Tatsumi: I don't believe I did anything in particular to influence Jun-san, though. Rather, all we did was drink tea and chat about trivial things with one another.

Hiyori: To Jun-kun, who lived in a waking hell, that must have been his one and only salvation.

You've had a greater impact beyond what you've always believed of yourself.

And Jun-kun is the very proof of that.

Jun: ......

Hiyori: Look at him now. How he'd detested the very thought of COMP, a plan intended to boost the image of the school that had tormented him so much with its system, and yet —

Jun: ......

Hiyori: He's reading the script in intent silence, and warming up so that he may boost the quality of his performance by even the slightest degree.

He’s such a diligent, earnest boy, don’t you think?

In order to perform as everyone wishes, he's pushed away his own misgivings. He strives to improve himself, all so that he may bring our fans even a single ounce more of delight.

Tatsumi: Yes, Jun-san certainly is splendid.

No matter how the world fell apart around him, he alone stayed the same.

Tatsumi: I should have reached out to him, rather than speak so patronizingly about what I thought I knew — I should have followed his example.

Tatsumi: I should have asked about his way of life and learned from it, so that I would be able to become even slightly better of a person than I was before; but it's far too late for such regrets.

I became an idol so that I could find a place to belong. A rather impure motivation, wouldn't you say?

Tatsumi: But Jun-san... More than I, more than anyone else, is walking that path with pure, genuine intentions.

I have a deep respect for him. Though he may have been scorned for being the son of a failure, I believe Jun-san must be the person who won most of all at Reimei Academy.

He is the only one who didn't lose a single thing. That is why even now he shines so brightly, glittering with all that he has gained.

Tatsumi: Ah, how envious I am.

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: Epilogue - 2

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: Tatsumi, HiMERU

Proofreading: Remi (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace

HiMERU: It was laughable to think the world would change for anyone who wasn't a god.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Tatsumi: Why did it end up this way? You and I sought to manage a unit where all would be equal, all would be fair, to create an ideal world just the same.

Yet the moment we stepped onto the road that would lead us to such a dream, the bright future we imagined went dark.

Why is that? Did we do something wrong?

While I was hospitalized, no matter how much I asked such questions to God, I received no answer. Not even my faith could save me.

That is why recently, I've taken to unraveling this twisted world by thinking for myself while learning common sense, all so I don't make the same mistakes I did before.

HiMERU: In the end, it was not a dream meant to come true. It was laughable to think the world would change for anyone who wasn't a god.

HiMERU: (The idol industry was built from the ground up by a generation of godlike Super Idols.)

(But of the innumerable idols who have emerged since then, not one has come close to godhood.)

(Not "that Akehoshi," nor "Priest." None who have yearned for it, have driven towards it, have been able to truly replace God.)

(God is dead. I've heard that the one who strove to imitate God, "Priest," met an unfortunate end during the recent SS as well.)

(Deputy Director Saegusa told me as such, being as I have a right to know.)

HiMERU: (I didn't care much for "Priest" anyway. That man replaced God — known as "Godfather" — long ago.)

(I wasn't fond of my parent's house. I ran away and, due to being slightly related to "Priest," came under the care of that man.)

(I have no feelings towards him. I simply learned from him. In truth, "Priest" was little more than a stranger to me — I wouldn’t care one way or another if he died.)

(I have no love nor respect for an imposter who pretended to be my grandfather or great-grandfather.)

HiMERU: (However, Kaname was different.)

(My poor little brother.)

(He was innocent, he simply wanted to be an idol. His mother, the only one who'd ever shown him love, asked him to.)

(He wanted to live up to her expectations. He wanted to be loved more by his favorite parent. That's the sort of child Kaname was.)

(His mother loved idols.)

(So much so that she was obsessed with them and became a stalker of "that Akehoshi," whom she adored most of all.)

(When the news broke out that "that Akehoshi" was married, she flew into a jealous rage and crowded onto the stage when he was performing, calling him a traitor, a lying cheat.)

(You were a complete stranger to him. You weren't his family, a lover, anything like that.)

(You already had a husband.)

(Kaname's mother had an obsessive love, one that drove her mad.)

(Love and faith can do that to a person. And as idols, we unknowingly spread it as well.)

(What a sinful occupation.)

HiMERU: (... As she went mad on stage, she struggled with "that Akehoshi" and fell off the stage.)

(Unfortunately, she died immediately due to a skull or neck injury.)

("That Akehoshi," who was at the peak of his career, fell fast out of favor due to that incident.)

(Due to the coverage of various newspapers and gossip magazines, he was cited as "the absolute worst idol" and put under fire for killing someone onstage.)

(However, no matter how you look at it, it was nothing but an accident. In fact, "that Akehoshi" was the victim in the situation — harassed by a crazed fan whilst on stage.)

(Whatever force was working behind the scenes, it ended with the man being put behind bars and eventually dying there.)

(And so it became a taboo incident within the idol industry.)

(Even now, the fact that he was that woman's son was enough to cause reluctance in anyone who might have given him a job.)

(Those who tout it around as a worthy reason are the very same who can justify their violent acts against Kaname.)

HiMERU: (Yes, that day that mob surged into the auditorium, they used that fact to erase their wrongdoings and be acquitted for it. I suppose the higher-ups of the school managed that.)

(It's fine to corner and crush someone, since they're the son of a criminal. That's what their superiors decided.)

(When one of the teachers who'd become part of their group told them as much, the Non-Special Students used it as an excuse to get rid of the Special Students they hated so much.)

(They'd never forgiven the Special Students.)

(In particular, they wouldn't allow that abhorrent Special Student HiMERU stand on the same stage as their beloved leader — Tatsumi.)

(So they burst. Their dissatisfaction turned to anger and they weaponized it.)

HiMERU: (That is what happened then. The end of Tatsumi's revolution.)

(Due to meaningless grudges and long-held debts, the ideals Tatsumi held so close to his heart were obliterated.)

(It was, in the end, a dream never meant to come true.)

(Yet, it… is far too cruel.)

(... The woman who ended "that Akehoshi's" career as a Super Idol is dead.)

(But that woman had a husband and child.)

(Her husband had split from her a long time ago, and so he lived alone.)

(It seems that fans of "that Akehoshi" took to blaming him for the incident, condemning him daily, even though he had cut ties with her long ago; they were practically strangers at that point.)

(Innumerable fans who weren't satisfied with the outcome of the incident took to acting like he was the villain and, due to the constant barrage, the honest man grew sick.)

(Sick and broken.)

(Taking pity on the man, the Godfather offered him protection on a piece of land he owned. Perhaps he couldn't simply abandon the man, seeing as they had a blood relative between them.)

(Or perhaps he'd wanted to see the broken form of the man who'd been married to the woman that'd stolen his favored "Akehoshi" from him. Who could say?)

(It's too late to ask why; God is dead.)

(The husband never fully recovered, and later was often found half-dead, wandering the premise of the missionary school that would become Reimei Academy.)

(It was as if he was a ghost or the undead, simply roaming about.)

HiMERU: (Maybe it was to atone for his wife's misdeeds, but it seems he was rather kind to the young idols who attended the academy.)

(As he roamed, he cleaned up here and there without being asked.)

(It seems he regained his mind at times, such as when he contacted me.)

(Kaname is my younger half-brother. He is the only son of that man.

(Kaname and I's father had a wife previous to the one who'd ended "that Akehoshi's" career, my mother. She died from illness after I was born.)

(As a result, I was fixated on my own mother from a young age. That is where I am similar to my younger brother — to Kaname.)

(When my father remarried, I thought he'd forgotten my mother and considered him a traitor — I hated him.)

(As it worsened, I grew tired of being there and ultimately escaped overseas.)

(I didn't know nor care to know about him after that.)

(Whenever he bothered to send letters, I threw them all away without reading them. That is why I never knew that he'd had a child with that crazy woman — that they'd had Kaname.)

(At first, I was perplexed. I couldn't believe I had a brother.)

(However after much begging and pleading, I decided to help my little brother. When I first contacted him, he'd said he missed me so innocently. He called me big brother and turned to me for help.)

HiMERU: (It made me happy, Kaname.)

(I thought I would always live on my own.)

(But I was wrong.)

(Kaname gave to me what my parents had not.)

(And so, I wished to repay him for that.)

HiMERU: ......

(But it was all for naught. I wasn't able to turn Kaname into the idol he'd dreamed so long about becoming.)

(My father asked me to take care of him, and Kaname asked me to help him achieve his dream; I did everything I could to succeed in both.)

(Until that moment, I thought of myself as a great man. I thought I could live alone, that I was strong and amazing enough to do so.)

(However, that failure shattered my self-confidence entirely.)

HiMERU: (... That is why I am here now, working to make my brother's dream come true for him.)

(It's simply for my own peace of mind.)

(I failed. That is a fact which cannot be undone.)

(Kaname most likely doesn't want me to do this, but...)

(That is why this is just for myself and my pride.)

(I'll become the idol that he always dreamed of being.)

(The vision that we created together, HiMERU, will become a true idol.)

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: Epilogue - 1

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: HiMERU, Tatsumi

Proofreading: Remi (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace

HiMERU: (I believed every one without question, priding myself in having such a wonderful little brother — in Kaname — without a second thought.)

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Time: Present day.

Location: On the stage for the filming of COMP's promotional video performance

HiMERU: ( — My warning came too late.)

(We vastly underestimated the resentment of the Non-Special Students, who had been persecuted at the time.)

HiMERU: (I wish I could rationalize why, say that I wasn't able to read the air as well as I should've been able to due to being unable to do much from my base abroad...)

(But if I had truly wished to protect my brother, protect Kaname, then I would have been there for him.)

(He is my family — I should have dropped everything to be at his side. Sooner, before everything came to an end.)

(I will always regret not doing so.)

HiMERU: (I believed every word of my brother's reports, even though we hadn't interacted before then.)

(I vainly assumed that, because he was my brother, that he would be just as brilliant as myself.)

(However, Kaname was the opposite. Every step was a misstep and, not wanting to be scolded, he covered each one well.)

(Everything he said to me was nonsense, merely dressed up to appear otherwise.)

HiMERU: ("This job was a huge success!" "I'm flawless, without parallel." "Nothing's wrong." — He'd repeat these claims over and over again, but every one was a lie.)

(A lie a desperate child might make so that his guardian wouldn't abandon him.)

(I couldn't see through those lies. I believed every one without question, priding myself in having such a wonderful little brother — in Kaname — without a second thought.)

(I will always regret not doing so.)

(I was an idiot.)

Tatsumi: In thinking over the memories we're to speak on for COMP once more—

There's hardly anything we can record, isn't there?

HiMERU: You knew that from the start, Tatsumi.

An unbelievably cruel social disparity. Rampant discrimination, bullying rife with violence — a thriving cult-like group who called the catacombs home.

And at the end of everything, a riotous fight broke out.

There is not a single thing in those memories we could boast about to society. No, not a single person would want to enroll in Reimei Academy if they heard of it.

Tatsumi: There were happy, fun moments as well, as few as they were.

Certainly, those days were my youth.

HiMERU: Prettying it up with cathartic words like "youth" won't change the fact it was Hell.

Additionally, that incident that ended your youth — it absolutely can't be publicized.

It has already been dismissed as a simple scandal, a story long forgotten.

There is no one who'd like to dig it up now.

Tatsumi: You know, I always wondered about what happened at the end. I still don't quite understand it to this day.

— "Do you remember that Akehoshi?"

The day that HiMERU-san and I formed our unit, a video with that mysterious line began to play in the auditorium.

HiMERU: It reminds HiMERU of the past SS. No, perhaps they used that video once more as it proved successful in destroying your rebellion.

Even in death, “that Akehoshi” keeps on causing problems for the industry. No wonder he’s a taboo subject.

Tatsumi: You mustn't speak ill of the dead. There are no religious connections to that, it's simply human decency.

Tatsumi: In any case, once that video began to play, the Non-Special Students who had gathered climbed the stage in a frenzy.

Then, before we could stop them, they cursed HiMERU-san and began to assault him.

The teachers turned a blind eye. The Special Students, who were obliged to HiMERU-san and held him high as their representative, didn't help him either.

I thought such violence was wrong, and I went to stop them—

But I failed, and before I knew it they had struck me off the stage.

HiMERU: Mm. And the Special Students, who had thought you such an eyesore, took advantage of the situation and assaulted you as well.

It truly was a nightmare. A scene straight out of Hell.

Tatsumi: Yes. Naturally, I don’t like to recall what happened back then.

You and I were hospitalized, seemingly without any hope of recovery... It's a miracle we are able to stand here as we do today.

You especially, HiMERU-san, as I got off quite lightly compared to you.

HiMERU: Hmph. HiMERU is resilient, that's all.

HiMERU: (What a joke. Truthfully, the damage that was done to Kaname cannot be undone — he's still in the hospital to this day.)

(He remains in a near-comatose state, waking only to scream incoherently.)

HiMERU: (My little brother was destroyed, torn to shreds by hatred and brute force.)

(Trampled by idiots, he's still suffering in agony at rock bottom.)

(Even though he hadn't done anything wrong.)

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 14

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: Tatsumi, Kaname

Proofreading: Remi (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace

Kaname: "Run... a...way?"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Tatsumi: ......

Kaname: Tatsumi-senpai? Are you alright? Your body is swaying.

Tatsumi: Fufu. I suppose my health hasn't quite recovered fully just yet. My doctor said I needed complete bed rest, but I slipped away—

So, once this is over, I'd like to return to the hospital again.

I'll leave the rest to you, HiMERU-san. Please love, protect, and care for those who still suffer in Reimei Academy.

In my place.

Kaname: ... How could I ever replace you?

Tatsumi: What's the matter?

Kaname: I'm nothing but a mistake. I couldn't do most of the work I stole from you properly, and each time I made mistake after mistake—

Though I only took your place for a short time, I was worn out entirely. You're a natural superhuman, while I'm merely ordinary.

I thought about it daily. I was never cut out to be an idol.

Kaname: I would forget everything from lyrics to the choreography of the songs I had to dance to. I can't remember the faces or preferences of the clients that ask after me.

When I spoke it was incomprehensible, and fans who drew close ran away in fear.

I wasn't good at anything I tried, and I grew sick of myself.

Tatsumi: You're still young and inexperienced as an idol, it's only natural you would struggle as you catch up. Any beginner would be the same.

No one is perfect at the start.

That is why we support each other, influence one another positively, and grow by working together. That is how a school should have been.

I'm certain Reimei Academy was the same.

Kaname: ......

Tatsumi: So let this be the beginning for both of us.

Let's live happily with everyone.

Kaname: But I'm— I'm not perfect—

Kaname: —What?!

Tatsumi: ...? What is that crowd doing at the doors of the auditorium?

They're... the Non-Special Students who always joined me at the catacombs. Naturally, I remember each and every face.

Isn't that nice? They've come to support us as well.

Compared to the Special Students that you gathered, HiMERU-san, there weren't many Non-Special Students at all, so I was a little worried they wouldn't...

And yet, here they are. Thank goodness. It wouldn't be good if we were liked by one side alone.

A just and fair environment can only be attained by the support of all involved.

Kaname: ......

Tatsumi: Hm? What is it, HiMERU-san? You've gone pale.

Kaname: M-My brother's—

Tatsumi: Your brother? I do remember you mentioning him earlier, so is that man there your brother? I'd love to say hello to him, as your friend—

Hm... Is it that man? He looks a little worse for wear in that dirtied Reimei Academy uniform, but—

Ah, that's the Elder. No one else has such an appearance.

Kaname: Elder...?

Tatsumi: He's related to someone who was rather influential in the past, and he would do all sorts of favors for me if I asked. I was warned by the teachers not to become involved with him, though.

Is the Elder your brother, HiMERU-san? You two look quite alike, if I do say so myself.

Kaname: ...? Sazanami said something similar, but that vagrant you see every now and then on campus has no relation to me.

It's offensive to even be compared to him.

Kaname: Anyways, moreover, my brother—

He's yelling something with a terrifying look on his face! What is it, brother?

Kaname: "Run... a...way?"

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[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Punishment of Kaname Tojo - 12

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, two years ago

Characters: ???, Ibara

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & Skyress (ENG)

Translation: Peace

???: (However, innocence is not a sin. My little brother, Kaname, has done nothing wrong.)

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

???: (However, innocence is not a sin. My little brother, Kaname, has done nothing wrong.)

(Despite that, ever since he was born, he has faced unreasonable discrimination. He's shunned by those higher than him in the industry due to violating a taboo— )

(He has done nothing wrong, yet he has fallen so far.)

(He was a brother I’d never spoken to before. And I pitied him.)

(Fortunately, I had skills and wisdom. I had to acquire both in order to survive when I'd left home.)

(And now, I could use them to help my little brother.)

(After all, I had always made a living by disguising myself as a jack-of-all-trades, and my client this time just so happened to be a family member.)

(I didn't accept it for my father's sake. I wanted to help my poor younger brother.)

???: (For his sake, I learned as much as I could about something so particular to Japan, so foreign to those overseas — I learned all that there was to know about idols, which was akin to inscrutable faith.)

(Once I had learned enough, I offered my hand to Kaname. So long as he heeded my instruction, he'd be able to bloom anew as a wonderful idol.)

(Or, that was what should have happened.)

... What is this? What is he doing? Do you know anything about this?

Ibara: Perhaps, perhaps not? If I'm to be honest, even I'm taken back by this series of events!

This gathering was organised by Mr. HiMERU and his associate, funded out of their own pockets. It has nothing to do with idol work — it appears the students are gathering entirely of their own accord.

As I have various other projects on my hands, there is no way for me to keep a constant eye on the developments within Reimei Academy, please understand.

Ibara: As a result, my response to independent activities such as this has been rather delayed.

Were this an official idol activity, or work-related, then I would have been able to detect it early on from tells such as bank account activity and so forth.

Which is why I was late to become aware of even the movements of the gatherings within the Catacombs.

Were it not for that, then I would have stepped in to put a halt to things the moment Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya began to build his suspicious religious cult-like group. After all, religion cannot be suppressed, which makes it far outside my field of expertise.

I thought we'd finally gotten a hold on that religion by way of giving them work and incorporating capitalism into the mix...

But this gathering truly was unexpected. I wonder what they're meeting about?

???: Hm. Then you and I are the same; I also came to see what, exactly, was going on.

Ibara: Oh, I’ve already made an educated guess on what might happen next, you know? However this came about, I’ve certainly predicted its conclusion!

The leaders of opposing powers meet, showing their solidarity by way of shaking hands in public. In this case, those leaders would be Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya and Mr. HiMERU.

By doing so, they will strike down the long-standing feud between their two factions.

An era of peace shall descend upon Reimei Academy.

A-ha-ha! ☆ How magnificent! It'll end as happily as a fairy tale!

Ibara: ... But unfortunately, reality isn't so sweet.

The students of Reimei Academy have already fallen prey to the anger and hatred that have accumulated throughout their lives.

Towards those that they detest with all their being, they’re unable to sweep it all under the rug, and allow bygones be bygones.

Ibara: Well, if they did all band together as friends, then I'd be in something of a pickle myself! Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya's ideology and capitalism don't mix well, after all. It sufficiently counters the latter.

That's no way to run a business, you see? I'm against the idea entirely.

The plan was to force him out of Reimei Academy entirely by pushing an unreasonable amount of expectations onto him, so much that his well-being would falter and he would drop out...

But unfortunately, it would seem Mr. Tatsumi Kazehaya is stronger than expected. Not once did he break, falter, or give in. Instead, he's done the opposite: no matter how persecuted he becomes, he only rises again and again from the ashes akin to a phoenix.

What a nuisance... Though at the same time, I do respect it. If we didn't have such a conflict of interest, I'd absolutely welcome such a stupendous person as a brother in arms!

And so, despite our differences, it truly is hard to watch a remarkable man fall victim to such ruin...

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