Ash Returns to the Sky 8

Wataru: Now, ladies and gentlemen, our party has reached its peak!

The time has come for the public execution of us Five Oddballs, who have tread upon your hopes and dreams and driven the innocent masses into a crucible of tragedy!

You all certainly know who I am, but let me introduce myself without regard to that!

I am Hibiki Wataru, your Hibiki Wataru! Share from the goblet of my blood and pray for your eternal prosperity!

Let the show begin! Rather, let all of the tragedies be put to an end! Put your hands together, please!

May the whole of humanity resound loud and clear!

Eichi: I’d ask that you don’t start without me. You’re so loud and full of life, aren’t you?

Wataru: Fufufu! At last, our leading actors have made their appearance!

If I don’t raise my voice to this level, the audience in the back of the theater won’t hear me. There is quite a lot of booing, after all.

The audacity! To think that you all hate the Five Oddballs so much!

Most of you have never even spoken to us before, and yet you act as though we’ve killed your parents!

Eichi: That was how I designed it. Still, it makes my chest hurt to watch such vitriol and abuse be slung at a hero I admire so much.

Wataru: Your chest? How terrible! Your heart must be weak; are you all right? Would you like a massage?

At the very least, don’t let it stop beating until after the curtain call.

This is the grand stage I’ve wished for, and it is my pride to give a perfect performance until the very end!

I shall accompany you, O beloved members of fine!

...Oh, me. It seems as though you’re missing a few.

Eichi: The show hasn’t started yet. My people are businesslike, so they they stay backstage and refuse fanservice until it’s time to go on.

Our relationships are on the brink of collapse, so we don’t get along anymore, and we act in groups.

They will perform on this final, grand stage, though, no matter the cost.

They signed the contract and executed it flawlessly. They are weapons, and they will become obsolete once the war is over.

I’ve made every arrangement so as to use them for all they’ve got here.

I don’t know or care what happens to them after the war. For now, it’s enough that they burn themselves up in a display of destructive power, as I’ve willed it.

Wataru: I’ve been wondering this for a while now, but you don’t have any friends, do you?

Eichi: Do I need them? Rather, isn’t the pot calling the kettle black?

Wataru: I have friends. Though I wouldn’t say that grants me a victory in this regard.

We met by happenstance when you dubbed us the Five Oddballs... I am grateful for that, from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you.

Eichi: I don’t really know how to react to a statement like that...?

Tsumugi: Eichi-kun.

Sorry for bothering you just before the live, but... could I ask you something?

Eichi: What is it, Tsumugi? If it’s not too important, I’d rather save it for after the show.

I want to savor this moment of bliss that I’ve been dreaming of.

Tsumugi: No, it’s just... sorry, but I have to check on it now or it’ll keep bothering me.

I’m no good with these kinds of things~ I guess I really am high-strung.

But, um, Eichi-kun... It says that just like Nagisa-kun and Hiyori-kun, my role in fine is also being absolved after this live.

Look, I have the contract.

Is this a misprint or something?

Eichi: ? I don’t understand your question. I would never make a mistake in such a crucial contract.

After this show, all members of fine, excluding myself, will be relieved of their duties after this live.

When a war is over, the military is dismantled because it no longer has a reason to exist. I’ll summon you again if necessary, and at that time we’ll make a new contract.

Besides, I’m sure you’ve had enough of all this by now, right?

You’ve put up with my selfishness while we treated you like a servant... You can’t say you have no complaints.

I made you take part in so much hurt, ruin, and destruction of others. As kind as you are, you must have hated it.

Yet you were unable to oppose me, and so you stifled your discontent and bowed your head to me.

But it’s fine now. You don’t have to do that anymore... Don’t worry. Thanks to you, I realized the plans I painstakingly made.

It’s a happy ending. The arduous and bitter play is over now.

And just in time, right? Thank you for working so hard. You were more useful to me than I could ever have hoped for.

Tsumugi: Eichi-kun. The reason I stuck with you isn’t because we signed a contract.

That’s just a flimsy piece of paper; I thought it was a joke, actually, until now. I barely even skimmed it.

Eichi: Wait, really? That’s not like you at all; you typically enjoy reading through documents and books...?

I gave you that contract so long ago, and yet you still haven’t looked over it?

Um, Tsumugi... then, why did you go along with me this whole time?

Tsumugi: Don’t you get it, Eichi-kun...?

Eichi: You helped me because you wanted to clear your mother’s crippling debts, correct?

Because she went bankrupt, and her wasteful spending habits have incurred debts to the black market?

It’ll be fine, don’t worry about that! It’s barely pocket change to me.

I’ll pay off all of your debts up to now, and I’ll also get your mother into counseling so as to avoid a relapse!

There’s even a chance I could help with legal matters, such as revoking your mother’s custodial rights so you can finally cut her off.

Or were you looking for revenge instead? I could lend you my lawyers?

Tsumugi: ......

Eichi: You were hoping for compensation along those lines... and in return you offered to be my friend. Right?