episode_0021

021 – My Favorite Idol # 3

This place was the lowest and hottest venue even within Soul Society: the executive meeting room.

The women seated at the round table grumbled in one voice.

“Huh? A change of performance venue?”

“It’s ‘Happy World’ instead of 「Elysium」? And what’s this address? It’s not even a concert hall.”

“Megaira, I’m disappointed.”

They were women so feared that merely speaking their names caused dread; they were called the goddesses of vengeance.

Their names were Managing Director Alecto, Executive Director Tisiphone, and just plain cute Megaira.

“Huh? Girls, look at this. It says ‘Venue Manager – Joy’.”

“So the man named Joy is the mastermind who created this terrible situation, isn’t he?”

“Megaira, rage!”

The concert, which had been scheduled to take place in the new city of Elysium, was an event that even the executives had greatly anticipated. But now, the concert venue had suddenly changed to the most secluded slum in 「Happy World」.

And what’s more, it was a street concert.

“An act of displaying impropriety after inviting the executives.”

“We can’t help but punish the person in charge, can we?”

“Heheheh.”

The person in charge.

Everyone shifted their gaze to the name ‘Joy’ added to the pamphlet.

At this moment, a goddess who had remained silent for a long time since the start of the executive meeting opened her mouth.

“This concert. It will definitely succeed.”

It was Melinoye, the Goddess of Nightmares and Vice President of 「Happy World」.

She stood up from her seat, looked around, and spoke in a relaxed and soft voice.

“I can trust Manager Joy. He has a firm goal for success. Therefore, this concert will succeed.”

“Huh? Are you telling me, Alecto nim, to just listen to your words and go all the way to this shabby slum?”

“Unlike the princess who was relegated to a minor position, we are busy, you know. Because of the rebels.”

“Overtime…”

With public safety inside Soul Society being uncertain, it was a somewhat difficult matter for the executives to go to the slums. If any accident or incident were to occur, it might be irreversible.

However, Melinoye spoke with a voice full of conviction.

“If the concert turns out to be a waste of time, I will bear that responsibility. I swear by the Styx River.”

An oath by the Styx River.

That was the highest level of pledge that gods could make.

“That responsibility. How do you intend to bear it? Can you even bet the shares you hold?”

“Alright.”

“You’re saying ‘alright’?”

“At the next executive meeting, if the opinion that the concert failed exceeds the majority, I will give 2 percent of my 10 percent shares to everyone.”

“Huh…!? 2 percent, that’s two-tenths of your stake!?”

Even the goddesses of vengeance faltered at the resolve Melinoye displayed, and the executives who had shown no particular reaction to this situation were greatly surprised, their eyes shining.

“2 percent, huh.”

“Even if one holds just 1 percent of Soul Society’s shares, they are called an executive, you know.”

“It’s because it’s not easy to obtain.”

However, in Managing Director Alecto’s opinion, Melinoye’s boastful promise was like pouring oil on herself and trying to jump into the flames.

“Our princess seems to trust that man, Manager Joy, immensely. Seeing the princess, who has never once praised anyone, speak so confidently.”

“However, if the concert succeeds, I will take 1 percent of the 5 percent shares held by you Erinyes sisters. As compensation for doubting me and Joy.”

“Huh?”

1 percent share.

It would be an extremely big loss, but Alecto was confident.

There was no way a mere street concert could succeed.

“Alright. By the way, Melinoye, if you lose shares, the position of ‘CEO’ will become increasingly distant. Aren’t you disappointed? For your dream to become distant because of such a trivial matter.”

“Just wait and see. You all will come to know that it is precisely trivial matters that are the most important.”

The concert of 「Happy World」.

It became fair to say that Soul Society’s future depended on this performance.

Thus, time passed, and Kronos’s clock pointed to evening.

# # #

‘Are you sure it’s okay? Are you really sure it’s okay?! The executives are coming, you know!’

Among the executives of Soul Society, many possessed black wings like crows. As such beings began to gather one by one in the slums, the residents, who usually walked with a swaggering air, hid themselves like mice before a cat.

“L-let’s run away….”

“What on earth is this?”

“Is it the day of Happy World’s destruction…!”

If she had her way, Arachne felt like hiding too.

Forcing the concert through in the slums of 「Happy World」.

When she heard Manager Joy’s words, that option sounded plausible, but when the matter actually came right before her eyes, her vision blurred, and cold sweat kept breaking out.

‘If this fails, I might become a spider again as punishment for ridiculing the executives! If that really happens, Manager Joy, I will resent you my whole life! My whole life! Forever! Foreveerrr!’

Arachne now turned her eyes towards her singer, who would be in charge of today’s performance.

Euriol.

A mature and calm yet cheerful blonde nymph.

She had been deep in meditation with her eyes closed all day long.

Euriol always fell into meditation like this before performances. Producer Arachne thought she had become accustomed to this sight, but today, that sight somehow felt uneasy.

Arachne was saddened, as if thrown into a storm without a single thread to hold onto.

“Whimper….”

She simply trembled in fear.

At that moment, someone entered the temporarily prepared performance staff waiting room.

It was Manager Joy.

“Are the preparations going well?”

“Manager Joy! This is terrible! It’s a big problem! The executives have really come all the way to this slum, you know! If things go wrong, Manager Joy, you will have to take responsibility! Ah, I don’t know…!”

“Now, now, Miss Arachne. Don’t be anxious. You know the skill of the idol group 「E&S」 you raised better than anyone, don’t you? Then you should trust them.”

Ding-ding-ding-ding-.

Thus, the hourglass’s alarm rang, announcing the performance’s start time.

Euriol, who had her eyes closed, and the sea nymphs, the Sirens, all stood up from their seats as if they had been waiting, and stood on the stage formed around the yellow-flowered cactus.

A narrow alley.

The black-winged and fierce-eyed executives stood with their arms crossed, making extremely grim expressions.

“Since you invited us to such a humble place, show us your tricks,” — that was their attitude.

If they failed to move their hearts, they would not simply overlook appropriate condemnation.

The Sirens exchanged glances, then tapped their drumsticks.

The accompaniment to 「E&S」’s biggest hit song, ‘I Forgot You’, began.

Doom-doom-doom-.

Low-lying bass.

Into that, main vocalist Euriol, holding the microphone with both hands, opened her mouth.

“───.”

At this moment, goosebumps spread across everyone’s bodies.

Because her voice split the space like a sharp knife cutting silk.

Even the executives, who had crossed their arms and threatened to conduct a thorough review, had their wings flutteringly tremble as soon as they heard this first verse.

‘It’s a good song. Indeed, a good singer. But….’

Director Alecto, known as the pickiest among the goddesses of vengeance, frowned.

‘…Still, it’s not enough to invest my precious time?’

A good song.

Just that much.

Rather, she also felt pity.

‘How good would it have been if they had performed in Elysium’s lavish stadium? Here, the hastily pulled-together sound equipment, the narrow stage, and even the audience can’t keep up with the band’s skill.’

As expected, the venue was the problem.

「E&S」’s producer had shown excessive enthusiasm, pursued excessive innovation and change, and ultimately ended up ruining everything.

In some ways, it was also philosophical.

‘Excessive change. And failure. It’s the same as ‘Work Innovation’ or this ‘Happy World’, isn’t it?’

Thus, the first song ended.

Alecto thought there was nothing more to listen to and turned her steps.

Some executives had already left their seats.

‘Melinoye, in the end, I won this bet. We will gladly take your 2 percent shares.’

It was then.

“Today, at this venue, we would like to announce our new song. The song title is 「Happy World」. It’s a song I thought of while looking at the yellow flower blooming on this cactus. Then—.”

Ding-ding-ding-.

Euriol began to strum her lyre.

“──.”

The moment the first verse ended, Director Alecto’s steps came to a complete halt.

“…What!?”

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the idol on the stage.

For approximately 1 minute after the song began, they couldn’t even move, as if fixed to the floor.

The harmoniously blending accompaniment, and above it, the high-soaring vocal’s voice—.

They vied with each other as if competing, and sweat poured like rain from their foreheads.

It was a song that deeply resonated with everyone’s souls.

The executives who had left returned one by one and kept their seats.

The fastidious goddess Alecto shed a single, clear, round tear, not blood tears, which trickled down.

“Oh? Why are my tears….”

Everyone forgot even their words and lent their ears to listen to the song.

At the terrifying executives’ appearance, even the prisoners who had hidden in the darkness and corners each opened their windows and stuck their heads out to listen intently to the song.

Even Sisyphus, who was absorbed in pushing his rock, and Kronos, who was tending his field, stopped their hands.

It was then.

“You, why are you holding a weapon?”

Amidst the crowds gathered to hear the song—.

Melinoye discovered a man holding a chillingly sharp knife.

The man, startled, shouted.

“Th-this, damn it! If you don’t pretend not to see, I’ll stab you! This is a real knife!”

The man aimed a knife at Melinoye.

At this moment, Melinoye’s red eye-glow exploded like an oil-fueled flame.

“How dare you aim a weapon at your goddess. Do you want to spend a horrible time?”

Bang-!

Melinoye’s fist, dashing forward like a comet, powerfully struck the man’s stomach.

And other executives also discovered ruffians holding weapons here and there.

“Huh? You rat-like rebels seem to have been led out by the song!”

“How dare you interfere with the performance!”

“Arrest all of them!”

# # #

“It’s a huge success! A huge success! Euriol, Rilke! Carnoy! The new song you all made, Happy World!”

Arachne was very happy.

Good songs receive good evaluations.

But masterpieces are bound to contain a narrative.

“Even the hidden rebels came out to hear the song and were all caught in one sweep, you know! This will become a hot topic! It will become a spark that will make Soul Society burn hot, beyond Happy World!”

Even hidden rebels forgetting their own situation and coming out to hear the song—.

It was more than enough as a story and incident that occurred on the new song’s release day.

“Look at this! Black feathers! It’s a gift from the Goddesses of Vengeance! It means they will watch over us and continuously support us from now on, right?! This new song is truly a success among successes!”

Wiggle-wiggle-.

It was Miss Arachne, alternately raising her left and right arms and swaying her hips.

“Hii-oong…!”

At this moment, Miss Arachne thought of Manager Joy.

‘That man, surely he didn’t anticipate all of this…!?’

How incredibly bold a gambler he is!

‘Undertaking a difficult gamble and winning a large stake is like a fundamental virtue of a successful person. That man, truly a great raw gem. It seems like he won’t stop at the manager level, so let’s get along well with him!’

Miss Arachne’s evaluation of Manager Joy rose vertically in her heart.

However, Euriol, the main figure who had successfully led the performance, had an unpleased expression.

She stood in front of the cactus flower and looked up at an old multi-family house.

When everyone opened their windows and stuck their heads out to hear Euriol’s song, when even those executives listened intently and even the prisoners forgot their punishments—.

Over there, on the 4th floor, the house with the light on—only that one house did not open its window and did not listen to Euriol’s song.

As if there was a problem with this new song.

In fact, Euriol also had many points that bothered her with this new song.

‘It was made too hastily, so it’s less infused with soul.’

Euriol clicked her tongue in disapproval.

‘If it had been that man….’

If it had been someone Euriol knew—.

Even if it was a hastily made new song, everyone in the world would have listened intently to that song.

Therefore, Euriol thought her new song had failed.

“Over there, isn’t that Mr. Krauser’s house?”

At that moment, Arachne linked arms with Euriol and raised her head high.

Unit 404.

It was the house where Krauser, the singer of the strange ‘Happy Metal’, lived.

“Krauser?”

“A strange person lives in that house, you know. He’s named Krauser, and they say he does a strange genre called ‘Happy Metal’. Oh dear, Euriol, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“…Krauser of 「Happy Metal」.”

Euriol felt a slight defiance.

She resolved that sometimes she would come to this place and sing a song worthy of opening that window.