Volume 3 Chapter 9 (1/2)
Only the epilogue and afterword left
On one hand, if I do a page a day, I'll still have some leeway of about a week to finish this volume before the end of this year On the other, S out
And as always, please point errors out when you see them
Chapter 9: Cultural Festival Day 2
”As youlike this for the first tiical Demon duchess, am nervous! Hero, I think that you should deliver a one-liner to , but what do you think?”
”Me too… I' like that's a bit…”
”Yuuta, the power of the Devilish Truth Stare is invoked - as your contractor, I order you, the Black Prince, to bring about the blessing of smiles to this place!”
”That's too unreasonable of a request!”
It's already the second day of the cultural festival
And, it's now ten uerrilla play
Completely impromptu Today's the only shot we have at it
It was now 12:20
Lunchti perforyuerrilla play at was the open space in front of the school building The place with the athered near the sports ground right now, as there was currently an outdoor concert going on It was very convenient for us
Since the play ends the instant someone stops us
I have no idea as to whether we'll be able to perform to the very end
To be honest, it would be quite unrealistic for us to be able to do so, but since we've decided to perforh to the end
And so, right noere currently on standby in the storerooyround
Since the costu hidden there so that eren't caught
In theus whisper our little skit to each other, our two upperclassled
”Ahaha, naturally we too are also nervous as it's both coreat that you three reduced our level of nervousness by ht It really did help me out a lot Me too, I'm suuuuper nervous, look”
As if to say, ”listen to the beat of my heart!”, kumin-senpai arched the upper half of her body It eo and put my ear to her chest, as I didn't think that it was appropriate for me to do Rikka, however, took the inititive to hts like that did not pop into my mind
”Oooh! The sound of your heart, ”
”See, I'm just as nervous as Rikkchan But, everyone will be fine So sense of nervousness, kuh kumin had stolen anted to say, just noe too were also planning on saying so normal like that Yeah, it really helped us out a lot”
”Yeah yeah”
”Oh right, is everyone's costu the perforood to scrupulously check that our costumes can handle that sort of movement”
As directed to by Amaniji-senpai, I checked my own costume very carefully
Unlike the so-called standard prince clothes - I earing loves on both hands, as
With a black mantle (borrowed from shi+chimiya; one that she used to use), a mysterious silver chain, and a sword onfrom chuunibyou, if I may say so myself, had been completed
His catchphrase was, ”you burned?[1]”
Yep, as for me, it didn't seem like there were any issues
”No problems with me either”
It seemed like pre-transformation Rikka also didn't have any h Rikka's Eyepatch Cinderella is quite the novel addition to the setting, her ged dust cloth, screa plain ical transformation of this Cinderella's appearance is likely to be this production's high point When I think about it in those terms, I can't help but feel that only Rikka could pull off this Cinderella
It see was spot on
”This scarf, it isn't weird, right?” said shi+chimiya in her quite shi+chimiylike Witch Queen costume - or more precisely, she didn't look like a witch at all
There wasn't even a trace of the stereotypical robed-witch that you usually see Instead, she had a perfect irl costume on - it was her previous school's uniform that had been reical girl-like
Along with a black scarf, she also had a mysterious stick (marvellous![2]) that she had purchased from somewhere
For better or for worse, as it was impossible to see her costume as one of an evil witch, her costume stood out so much to the point where in terms of costumes alone it overshadowed the lead role
In fact, the costuonist-like It was quite the shi+chimiylike costume
”Yeah, it's fine~ Is my costume okay?”
It appears that ku her own costu about
Her costuard, but… While her siner one-piece dress did look quite clean, her costue of a queen that I had in my mind
In addition, as expected, kumin-senpai's childlike physical features also seemed to add to the 'what the heck is this rolewill be able to offset that uncanny feeling
”Alright, it looks like everyone's good”
The Ely vivid in colour
If I had to describe how she looked in words, I would say that she was dazzling - as if she wasn't vivid enough already, her brightly coloured costurade presence Not that she was an enee directions, her hair too was tied together in an emperor-like way …Not that I had any idea what an emperor-like hairstyle was
After everyone had finished checking their costumes, we then checked that we had our s had been overlooked Nor was there anything wrong
We were all set
Now that everyone had finished checking their costumes, Amaniji-senpai called out to kumin-senpai in a soft whisper
”ku with you”
…Huh? R-right! Everyone, this will be the first and last guerrilla play! Let's all do our best!”
Iree cry, Amaniji-senpai suddenly stretched out her left hand
Although no words were exchanged - we all tacitly understood iton you”, and placed our hands on the back of Amaniji-senpai's outstretched hand one by one
It was clear from our overlapped hands that everyone was nervous
However, this war yet to stop sh not the leading actress, having a level of enthusias from her face as if she were the lead - shi+chi forward to today - Rikka was giving off a remarkable lustre
And - the one with the stiffest expression out of all of us here, Amaniji-senpai
Everyone's eyes met with each other's
”Let's have some fun!”
The one who announced that last bit in stiff voice was Aorously raised their hand whilst shouting, ”Yeah!”
Nibutani and Kazari-chan
Isshi+ki, and the rest of our classmates as well They probably all come over to watch our play
Moreover, since today's Saturday, I' over to watch as well
Although I've yet to catch sight of her, I'irl-senpai will surely be watching us as well
Alright then, let's go
Now is the Eccentric Drae - the curtains have been raised
The time was now 12:30
Everyone travelled to the open space in front of the school building together
At the saathered at the centre of the open space -
”The Eccentric Drains now!”
Amaniji-senpai roared that out with a raised voice
There had yet to be a single audienceto happen the moment we started
It should have been a iven permission to perform However, ere fortunate to the extent that no one bothered us about our occupation of this space
Lunchti, and the other event currently happening at the sports ground As the three overlapped in ter, there was not many people at the open space At this moment, it could be said that apart fro this space
And, since you could also watch this space fro - it was the most visible place
It was a place that I didn't want to stand out much in…
But there was no choice - the play had already begun
”Cinderella, Cinderella! Are you here? If you're not, well, then the Emperor[3] will prostrate!”
”Huh? Prostrate?”
Suddenly, and as if revived frohtmare, Emperor Amaniji prostrated beautifully
It was a play that started with a sudden ad-lib No, it was a play that started with a sudden prostration
The play was immediately incomprehensible Even Queen kumin appeared surprised by the ad-lib
”Yes Father, what is it?”
Princess Rikka, who had been standing right next to e
Cinderella - since her costued dust cloth, it was likely easy for the audience to decipher who Rikka wasonstage, Emperor Amaniji stood up in an over-the-top way
”Ah, there you are Listen carefully, Cinderella The neighnbouring kingdo for a bride-to-be”
Dear, I don't think they call it a bride-to-be nowadays I believe it's now fiancée”
…Queen kumin was able to ad-lib to that!?
Lines like that weren't in the script at allAnd, there was no need to add those lines
”Ah, is that so? Well, okay It see a martial arts tournament to decide who his fiancée should be The prize for winning - a lithograph like this”
Eraph from somewhere and raised it above her head
”That would be the final lithograph, right? And if you collect all seven, your ill coht, we Royalty will have three of our wishes come true”
”As for me, well, let's see - I think I'll wish for eternal beauty ”
”Even your mother says so, Cinderella Also, if you win the tournaet et s at all, Princess Rikka initially had a troubled look on her face However, after realising that she had no real say in the ht, we're counting on you-iven lines that should not have come out of an emperor's e By the way, that part of the play was scripted
Still, it was here that I first heard the audience laugh
Although they were still only very few in ter to watch our play
Undistracted by that laughter - the abandoned Princess Rikka grumbled a soliloquy
”I too wish to o…”
”Don't cry! Cinderella! Hop!”
”…? You, who are…!?”
”Nyahahaha, I a! The one who rules this world!”
”W-world!?”
”Cinderella! Despite being of noble birth, you've been worked so hard to the point where you look like a ragged dust cloth! Do you really not detest that? Don't you want to get back at theth! Strength is second to none!”
”Those words of yours - I hear them loud and clear!”
And with those words, Witch shi+chimiya held her h, it was a develop in the script that even remotely resembled the lines Witch shi+chi that they were able to ad-lib all the way up to this point
”Alright, with this sonata you'll be able to transfor”
Princess Rikka took a stance
”Transform!”
”Tanttartrartarratrararrra♪”
Witch shi+chimiya hummed out loud transformation BGM(?)
As Witch shi+chied her clothes onstage, live
Although the transforedunderneath, it was still quite the surreal sight
But, I didn't want any other guys to see this sight!
Yet before I knew it, it the number of male audiencefroenerally speaking, it was tasteless to say so in the middle of a transformation, and so it was impossible for me to voice my criticisms about that stereotypical reaction
After several seconds, her so-called transfor her clothes live, ended Princess Rikka had been reborn
Clad in a black attire, it was the birth of Black Cinderella
”This is… o forth! Show everyone your power! However, that power cannot be used after er, Princess Rikka nodded
As Witch shi+chie, Princess Rikka also moved a short distance to a new position
The next scene
After all this tie And to make my entrance cool - I waved the black mantle that I had on
”Mwhahahaha! Welcome to my castle! The Dark Matrial Arts Tourner!”
”Are you the Prince?”
”That's right! The wo woed me have been buried by my flames of darkness! Can you overcome me?”
As I shouted out terrible lines that not even thefrom chuunibyou would say - Princess Rikka drew closer to me
To confront her, I unsheathed the sword on my back
”I will defeat you Marry me please!”
As she said a line that was coruent with the current situation at hand, Princess Rikka pulled a dirk froht
Heh… To do battle against her in this form - Rikkaa!
The Dark Flame Master or the Devillish Truth Stare - let us er!
…Were not the sort of thoughts that caet into the role better, however
Guess I have no choice but to go beyond this current level of immersion! Since I'd be embarrassed if I went back to my real self!
”Hyaaaaaa!”
”Haaaaaaa!”
Our swords crossed against one another Clash, clash - was the soundoff our blades as we clashed, but by a section of our audience ere happily banging their hands together
However, as she was coth of adriven back
”Y-you're good…!”
”Heh, you burned?”
”Tch! But what about speed!”
Princess Rikka momentarily made a stance with her dirk - she then started to assaulthurricane
Moreover, as if spurred on by her assault, cheering could be heard
I didn't have the leeway to think thoughts like, ”If it were the case that they were, thanks her quick and ni of Rikka's skirt, I would turn around and call the flames of darkness on therazing ht that it was likely that the people watching were bewitched by how beautiful Princess Rikka's ainst her, ht-speed sword dance
Naturally, the Goddess of victory was smiled on the other side
”Haaaa - Mad Weapon Dance
”- What!?”
My astonishment ca onto the ground happened first
Although this shon of ours was completely ad-libbed, it appeared that it was a success, as the audience had gotten extre was a fair bit louder than it was o
”Haa, haa, haa”
”…I surrender You are e had been formed
It was a turbulent develophter of the Eratulations! You are raph, quickly!”
While clapping their hands together, the figures of Ee as if they had come for a sudden visit It was undeniable that their entry felt very abrupt, but, well, I guess that couldn't be helped
The story was now in its final chapter I handed over the lithograph that I possessed over to Princess Rikka
”I a woman like you Lastly - are you prepared? For the Prince's fiery kiss?”
”…Y-yes”
Eently brought our faces closer together -
As I was on the verge of kissing her, at that ti audience - like the wind, a person had swooped down onto the stage
The person in question - who had long and pure white ears on - was a dignified-looking lady
”Ahahahahahahaha! Well done, Cinderella! You've gathered all seven of the lithographs! However, those lithographs quite literally serve as the foundation for my revival! Hurry up and lend it to me!”
”Who -”
Are you - before I could finish yelling that, that lady had hopped about like a rabbit and snatched the lithographs that Princess Rikka and E I was so dumbfounded by her dynamism that my voice failed to come out It appeared that Emperor Amaniji and Queen kumin too were overco but stand still in shock
”daether with that line, once again another person intruded onto the stage It was Witch shi+chioverns the Seven Devil Kings, the Great Devil King! If you don't defeat her here and now, the world… the world will be destroyed…!”
”I see, as expected… she really was the Great Devil King! Prince! …Let's fight!”
”Ahahahahahahaha! That's right, I as, the Great Devil King - Star God Stella Reynolds!Bring it on! Cinderella! Prince!”
No no No no no
Is no one else going to say what is needed to be said?