Melée 7

Nagisa: ...Fufu, you are very aware of Anzu-san, aren’t you? I think it’s good that you have such a respectable rival.

...It would be nice if the Red Team and the White Team could engage in that sort of friendly rivalry, as well.

Ibara: That will be difficult in our present state... If attempted right now, I predict we would in all likelihood end with petty in-fighting.

In the meantime, the Red team will use their strong sense of unity to claim victory.

Must be nice to be on the Red Team... I’m sure everyone over there is getting along swimmingly, eating delicious food together, and strengthening their bonds of friendship right now...

Nagisa: ...I wonder about that. They have Eichi-kun on their team. He is skilled at mobilizing the masses, but he also possesses the bad sort of genius to disrupt peace among fellows.

Ibara: Surely His Eminence wouldn’t be so stupid as to sabotage himself at such a crucial point in the game...

Ohh, this sucks! If we lose here, our authority as commanders will be called into question.

Nagisa: ...That is the most pressing matter. How might we get those on the White Team to act how you want them to?

...In that regard, I believe the Watchdog played his hand skilfully, though it was the result of foul play.

Ibara: Hmph. It wouldn’t affect my uncle in the slightest if the idols hated him or opposed him.

But that’s now the case for us! We have to continue playing nice with the other ES idols in the future!

If we attempt to coerce them into submission, they will only ostracize us!

And if it were to be exposed to the public, it would be impossible to continue working as idols in the future!

Nagisa: ...Yes, that’s true. We are in different positions.

...If the Watchdog is by chance accused of a crime, he only needs to offer up a sacrifice to the authorities.

Ibara: That’s the mafia, or the yakuza for you. People fail to understand this, but mafioso are not in the mob because they’ve done bad things.

It’s the reverse order. The mafia enjoys a certain freedom from the law that allows them to act as they wish.

And these sociopathic organizations have any number of convenient scapegoats they can use to serve their due time in prison.

Ordinary people impressed into submission and pushed to their limits, a naïve youth whose life is traded for a paltry lump of cash...

These are the types of people who are punished for the crimes of those with real power in this organization.

They commit their crimes, and then they give the authorities one of these people instead as the “criminal.”

Their scapegoats bound by debts and blackmail, coerced through laws and moral obligations, and robbed of their very personhood—they’re utterly expendable commodities.

And then they’re made to bear the burden of the crimes those in power commit.

They cut them off like a lizard’s tail, then continue their life of crime without ever getting themselves dirty.

Nagisa: ...I see. This isn’t something that interests me, so it helps that you are able to explain it so easily.

...I feel much lighter now that you’ve cleared up something that I couldn’t figure out.

...I had always wondered why people repeated their past misdeeds.

...They are able to ignore the law, and so they can commit their crimes with impunity.

...They ensnare people with violence, coercion, or money they’ve pilfered, then use them as scapegoats who can easily be arrested.

...And with that sheer number of scapegoats at their disposal, the mafia is able to commit their crimes indefinitely.

...So that is the mafia? And this is the circuit of evil they’ve built to allow them to continue their operations.

...Really, that’s very fascinating.

Ibara: ...Speaking of fascinating, it seems they’ve prepared a sort of “support” for both the Red and White Teams.

But just who is that “support” supposed to be? Have you heard anything, Your Excellency?

The Team list we were given has only a blatant alias written on it—

Nagisa: ...Hm. It seems that the Red Team’s “support” will be the last active super idol, Hidaka Seiya.

Ibara: Well, well, well! I suppose his son, Hidaka Hokuto-shi, will just be beside himself with anguish when he learns about this! Ahaha ☆

Nagisa: ...Hidaka Seiya-sensei cannot be overlooked in terms of prowess; he’s too great a threat. He will certainly be a trump card for them, since he can win again any individual unit just by himself.

Ibara: He’s a living legend, after all. However, they have the choice whether to use their support or not.

To my understanding, the supporting idol is only someone we may mobilize due to the absence or incapacitation of other competitors. Hidaka Seiya-shi’s presence at the finals will depend on circumstance.

Nagisa: ...As to be expected, everyone is taking care of their health in preparation for this important event. It doesn’t seem likely for anyone to get sick.

...But one can never tell what will happen on the idol stage.

Ibara: Well, no, you should absolutely be able to predict that?!

The public tends to expect impossible miracles from us, but the ideal performance is that which is meticulously calculated from beginning to end!

Nagisa: ...If that’s the case, I think it would be better to have machines perform instead of humans.

Ibara: Urghh... Speaking of, is our support actually a human?

In order to prevent a disparity in power, this should be the case...

So the White Team should be assigned a support who is equal in strength to Hidaka Seiya-shi.

But among the idols active today, does any such equal exist? It’s common enough knowledge that I don’t need to say this again, but even as a solo artist, he is the strongest out there.

To be frank, we could just declare him the top idol and be done with SS right now.

Nagisa: ...That would be a problem for ES, since it is sponsoring the event.

If ES cannot make SS the largest, most profitable event in the idol industry, there will be a lot of investors grieving because they didn’t make any money. ^[1]

...Or perhaps even Hidaka Seiya-sensei has become a sacrifice in order to awaken a great monster?

Ibara: You can’t mean—

Nagisa: ...I’ve said too much. My lips are sealed now. You’ve gotten better at asking leading questions, Ibara.

Ibara: Wait, what do you mean, your lips are sealed?

Nagisa: ...By the way, what is the name of the White Team’s support? The one who is supposed to be Hidaka Seiya-sensei’s equal.

Ibara: I will ask you again to please read all of the documents and materials that I give you. Though I know you only ever read things that pique your interest these days.

Nagisa: ...Stop complaining and answer my question.

Ibara: Yes, yes. Umm, it’s almost certainly an alias, one which I’m embarrassed to even speak out loud—

But the name of the White Team’s support seems to be “Lucifer.”