Epilogue 6

Jun: But still, Hidaka-sensei may be able to predict the future, but he’s no god. There are some things he has no control over.

So that’s probably why he took precautions, ‘cause he thought he really might get assassinated.

Some documents he gave to me and Kagehira-san had a whole buncha stuff about some guy called “the Priest.”

If someone with authority released that to the public, the very least that’d happen was people would know all about him.

Even if this “Priest” looked like Akehoshi-san’s dad, we’d have the opportunity to show that he’s a fake. At worst, seeds of doubt would be planted in people’s minds.

Nagisa: ...Yes. I suppose Hidaka-sensei could not forgive the Priest for attempting to impersonate the people he loved.

...At the same time, Sensei taught me some methods to see through the Priest’s disguises.

...He also gave me a device that is capable of neutralizing disguises created by the cutting-edge SSVRS.

...Sensei has a long history in the industry. He must have known about the Priest and the tactics he was likely to use. His advice was accurate, and thus helped me greatly.

Jun: For real. He wanted me to tell you all about this if possible.

I’m guessing he figured out that you were going head-to-head against the Priest behind the scenes or something.

Nagisa: ...He really is a scary person, don’t you think? It’s as if he can see through anything.

...However. The Priest must have known that it would be difficult to assassinate him.

...He chose a different path, under the consideration that we had taken Tori-kun into our protection to avoid just that.

...Perhaps it would arouse some suspicion, but he told the Red Team that we had kidnapped Tori-kun and fostered hatred toward us.

...This gave the Red Team justification to defeat us, and they did not hesitate to do so.

...It was divine retribution for our stealing away their precious child, you see.

...As a result, I was forced into a corner. Just as I had planned.

...I became the defeated commander, the root of all evil.

...The final nail in the coffin was the announcement made by Crazy:B. When they claimed the possibility that the voting system had been manipulated.

...I was deemed the culprit behind such a scandal.

Hiyori: But there’s no way you were at fault for that. Actually, was the system even manipulated in the first place?

Nagisa: ...I am suspicious of it. I don’t believe something like that happened.

...That is because if the system were being manipulated, the obvious suspect would be the SS Administration Committee, which manages it.

...But the Committee was under the control of the Watchdog, who is the Priest’s archenemy. I don’t think the Watchdog would overlook something that worked so much in the Priest’s favor.

...And if such manipulation were possible, then the Priest would have worked to ensure the White Team’s victory, because it was the team of “Lucifer,” whom he had planned to impersonate.

...It would be very convenient for him. Or rather, it would make things simpler.

...If that happened, he could easily kill someone from the White Team to make his appearance as the support.

...Then, without doing any work at all, the Priest would be able to claim victory and the glory that comes with it.

...Along with a sizable reward for winning and the status of a hero who saved the White Team from trouble after losing a member.

...But. The White Team endured continuous defeats due to the oracles I sent out.

...Which caused an unfavorable development for the Priest. With that in mind, I’ve concluded that the Priest was not able to interfere with the voting system.

...So there was no manipulation of the votes.

...But facts are irrelevant. To Crazy:B, the only thing that mattered was to destroy the premise of a live showdown based on public votes.

...That is the sort of unit they are. They are terrorists who engage in acts of destruction for the sake of their own ideals.

...Because Amagi Rinne-kun acted alone, it is likely that he did not intend to bring his beloved friends, the others in Crazy:B, into this.

...He, too, tried to carry the burden alone, just as he did during the summer.

Jun: Looks like that guy hasn’t learned his lesson at all, huh.

Ibara: Even if he hasn’t, he’s still making progress—irritatingly enough. He was able to achieve his goal with precision this time.

Though to be honest, I have no clue what that goal is. I would think he’d rather welcome the format of a live showdown, since it’s designed for last-minute comebacks, but...

Jun: Maybe it doesn’t matter to him so long as he can stick it to the man or something.

Ibara: Just how troublesome can that monster be...? The Finals for SS this year are formatted such that the winning team gets all of the rewards; perhaps he couldn’t accept the supposed “inequality” of it.

“All idols should have value”—I suspect he can’t stomach the idea that only the strong can reap profit.

Nagisa: ...Yes. And it was because he such a person that he was able to understand my intentions better than anyone else, because I have the same resolves.

...That is why he accused me as the one who manipulated the votes. Because of that, I was forced to make my final move.

...Only then did the Priest finally take action. He took the bait.

...He wanted to make me culpable for all of the sins committed, eliminate me, and then make his appearance as Lucifer.

...And then, he would stand at the pinnacle of the idol industry, with a perfectly innocent look on his face.

...He would be a messiah who destroys the villainous and brings an end to all tragedy.

...It is likely that he would expose and condemn the sins of my Father, and at the same time claim that I as his “son” was equally a criminal.

...And so he would create an easily understood villain, put on the mask of an ally of justice, and win over the people’s trust.

...He would become the ultimate idol, praised and admired by everyone.

...To climb to the top by stepping on others. It is what those in charge of CosPro did at SS last year, too.^[1]

...I am glad that history did not repeat itself this year.

...I am so glad that we could intercept these wrongdoings before it was too late.

...Even now, I still see Subaru-kun’s expression in my dreams.

...If nothing else, I don’t want to cause that boy to make that same face again this year.

Ibara: Hmph. I suppose things didn’t turn out in a way which Akehoshi-san would jump for joy at, considering he was falsely lead to believe his father was still alive.

But it was nothing more than a vile scheme.

That said, I’m sure you saw it yourself, Your Excellency. During the battle between Trickstar and Knights just now—

Akehoshi-san was wearing that irritatingly bright grin on his face the entire time.

Even when it started to fall, his comrades and his respected rivals continued to shine brilliantly—

And he reflected that light back to keep shining, himself. He cast away all his worries so as to sparkle, just like the sun.

I don’t believe Trickstar is any better than we are, but when I see that smile, I can’t help but feel that we cannot measure up to them.

Or rather, I find that I wish we could smile like that, as well.

Nagisa: ...That is not a hopeless wish that can never come true, Ibara.

...We have always had that opportunity.

...Let’s grab hold of that joy and go forth. To the stage.

...It seems that I do not have the luxury to be crushed by the weight of my sins or to remain unmoving, after all.