Celestial Rendezvous 1

Keito: ...Ah. Never mind; this isn’t the time for me to commit seppuku.

Apologies, Kiryuu, Kanzaki... it seems there’s some trouble with the student council. We’re in charge of setting up and managing the venue, so I’ll need to step away for a moment.

Kuro: Oh, I see someone from the council wavin’ atcha. Guess this is it for us.

Shame since we won n’ all, but I guess Akatsuki is leavin’ the stage for now.

Our performances are designed around you as the center, Hasumi-danna. If you leave, we can’t put on a perfect show.

Souma: Mm? Worry not, Kiryuu-dono! If it be only we two, we can still perform splendidly to display Akatsuki to the world—

Mmph?!

Kuro: Read the room, Kanzaki.

Nazuna: Umm...?

Keito: Well, if that’s how it is. The rules state that if you win a round in the Tanabata Festival, you have the right to remain on stage.

Whether or not you actually remain is up to the unit itself.

We will have to stand down this time. It’s frustrating to accede to another unit, but that’s just how it has to be.

I am part of Akatsuki, yes, but I am also the vice president of the student council. I can’t just slack off.

And if I overlook these operational problems, the entire festival could collapse as a result.

As the losers descend from the stage in accordance to the rules, we victors will follow them voluntarily.

The next unit to take the stage is a matter of who gets there first.

You Ra*bits are still young and energetic...

So you could still stay up on stage if you wanted. No one will stop you.

If you keep doing the same performance over and over again, the audience will surely get bored, but if one unit is replaced with another, it should prevent things from getting stale.

So keep going if that’s what you want to do.

It can be compensation for what you went through during the S2, when you had almost no one in your audience.

We have no obligation to do so; at the time, we believed it was the right thing to do and executed our plan diligently.

But now I do feel a little guilty about it... I would like to alleviate that guilt, if only slightly.

You guys have worked to improve your skills to an extent, so I can trust you to take over from here.

Nazuna: Keito-chin... Th–thanks. You’re passing the baton onto us?

Keito: Don’t mention it. Seriously. ...Well, then, Ra*bits. I look forward to your fierce battles.

Nazuna: Y–you got it. How about it, guys? You still up for it? If so, let’s take them up on their offer and keep fighting ♪ Or are you tired already?

Mitsuru: Nope! Actually, I’m barely even warmed up ♪

Hajime: To be honest, I am exhausted... but I’ll do my best. I’m just happy we can have more opportunities to perform for the audience.

One of my wishes has come true ♪

Tomoya: It’s Tanabata, after all. I can keep going too, Nii~chan ♪

Nazuna: Got it. You guys really have gotten stronger... ♪

All right, then let’s go another round! With our deeper bonds and all our growth...

We’ll definitely beat any unit that tries us ♪

Eichi: Hmm, any unit? That’s quite the bold statement, Nito-kun ♪

Nazuna: Eugh... T–Tenshouin! Is fine taking the stage?!

Eichi: Do you have a problem with that? The units that faced off in the first round both left the stage temporarily.

The next unit to appear will be the one to claim it, yes?

That’s what you said, right Keito? Then there’s no reason we can’t make good on that ♪

Keito: Eichi... what are you thinking? You don’t have the stamina for this; if you start performing so early in the event, you’ll run our of steam right away.

Eichi: Don’t mistake me, please. It seems you aren’t listening to my request, Keito...

So I have no choice but to do it myself. If I collapse from exhaustion, you’ll have only yourself to blame.

Keito: Eichi. Ra*bits still has a way to go, but they’re starting to show signs of growth. They would be easy to crush now, but it would only be a loss in the long run.

I thought you were the one who likes to invest in the future.

Regard your soldiers as your children in time of peace, so that during wartime you can use them up like disposable goods.^[1]

That’s the art of war, but this isn’t the time for that. What’s the big hurry, Eichi?

If you’ve decided on being a tyrant who mindlessly slaughters his people, then even I will abandon you.

I won’t hold a service for your death; I’ll just watch as you’re cast into hell.

Eichi: That’s very unlike you. Are your glasses fogged up? Such naïve collusion, even corruption, was what caused Yumenosaki Academy to rot.

You remember that, don’t you?

Do you wish to return to that era? If so, I must say that’s rather disappointing.

I can no longer consider you a friend. From this moment on, you will be displayed upon a shelf of things I’ve discarded. A confused ally is far more troublesome than any enemy, after all.

First, I will offer Ra*bits up in bloody sacrifice; then, I intend to execute the depraved Akatsuki.

If you wish to call me a tyrant, go right ahead. I have no luxury to hesitate or turn back... understood, Keito?