Vol. 5 Chapter 9.2

Translated by SoundDestiny Edited by SoundDestiny

“「「Bufoooh!」」”

The moment I stepped into the bedroom, Shima-san and Masaki-chan burst out simultaneously.

A baggy navy suit and a wrinkled shirt. A needlessly vibrant red tie and round glasses.

A posture even more stooped than usual.

You know him as the Modero Project’s rookie manager, Fumijima Sajio style.

“You don’t have to laugh that much…”

“Uh, yeah, s-sorry. B-but, no, no good, can’t, hehe… buhuh…”

“No way, that’s, hahaha, no way… that’s cheating, seriously.”

It took about five minutes for the two of them to calm down somehow.

During that time, they trembled and shivered while covering their mouths.

“Ah… I thought I was going to die.”

“My abs hurt, Fumio-kun.”

While rubbing the corners of their eyes with their fingers, the two managed to regain their composure, tears still glistening.

‘…Is my outfit really that terrible?’

In contrast to me, who intentionally went for a geeky look, Shima-san and Masaki-chan were dressed stylishly in Kurosawa-san’s coordinated outfits.

“I think you two look… well, really good”

Shima-san was wearing loose-fitting pants, a top with open shoulders, a style that’s popular this year. The colour coordination of mint green bottoms and a muted orange top felt skillfully done and made her look incredibly fashionable.

On the other hand, Masaki-chan had an attire that exuded the aura of a refined summer maiden. A light yellow floral dress on a white base, paired with sandals in the same pattern. The straw hat suited her really well.

“I feel kind of embarrassed. I don’t think I suit this kind of stylish advanced look”

“It’s not true. Shima-chan, you’re tall, so these kinds of outfits suit you really well”

“I-I wonder if that’s true”

Shima-san blushed while scratching his head cutely.

“Well then… shall we go?”

“Sure.”

“Alright!”

Calling out to them, I activated the 『Revisit』  ability and connected the door to the back alley of the First Beauty Office’s self-owned building in Roppongi.

Finally, the day of the Death Game’s opening had arrived.

Here’s the plan;

First, the four of us – Kurosawa-san, Shima-san, Masaki-chan and I – will visit the First Beauty Office’s office. Probably, President Kurashima and Manager Yamauchi Kiyoka will come out on their end.

Shima-san and Masaki-chan play the roles of models that I manage.

I want President Kurashima to allow these two to transfer along with MISUZU.

At the stage where we’re about to sign the contract, suddenly everyone loses consciousness. Then, when we realise it, we’re sitting around a round table in the Death Game field.

The remaining two targets – Akira Mitsuki and Hikami Kirito – are to be abducted by Freesia-san and Torture, respectively.

And for each participant in the Death Game, there are individual rooms, with the names of the following eleven individuals written on their doors.

Fumijima Sajio, MISUZU, NATSUMI, MASAKEY, Kurashima Itsuki, Yamauchi Kiyoka, Akira Mitsuki, Hikami Kirito, Ryoko Terashima, Kyoiko and Kanaya Chihiro.

The models of Modero Project, to which Kurosawa-san belongs, apparently have their stage names in alphabet characters according to the president’s preference. In a hurry, Shima-san and Masaki-chan also followed this pattern.

And [Kyoiko] is actually Kyoko.

It seems to be the name she uses when performing on stage in a girl band but it’s incredibly uncool. Feels like something from the Showa era.

So, this time, she’s not participating as the 『sweet lolita』 but in her original rocker style.

Initially, I had cast Shiratori-san as the 『survivor of mysterious Death Game from the previous round who kept making meaningful statements』 but unfortunately, she flat-out declined. I tried to persuade her but she was dead set on being busy. I couldn’t possibly persuade her and in the end, she managed to outmanoeuvre me to the point where I couldn’t even make a sound.

Lili mentioned that it would be a hassle to rewrite the scenario at this point and in my exasperation, I called Kyoko to my bed, asking, 『How about it?』 Kyoko responded with, 『I’m really into death games and stuff like that! I want to do it!』 She leaned in eagerly, so she was officially cast as Shiratori’s replacement.

There’s a certain unease considering Kyoko’s casual personality, but…

As we stepped out of the door, Kurosawa-san was already waiting there.

She had a photoshoot in the morning, so she had come to Tokyo earlier.

“MISUZU-senpai, welcome back! I’m the rookie model NATSUMI!”

“I’m MASAKEY! Senpai!”

“W, wait! Cut it out! Seriously, you two!”

Kurosawa-san protested.

Actually, even though Kurosawa-san tends to tease others, she’s really uncomfortable with being teased herself.

Of course, Masaki-chan knows that and is doing it intentionally.

The four of us exchanged greetings and then headed towards the entrance and visited the First Beauty Office’s office.

As we stepped into the entrance, it seemed like the information had been communicated ahead of time. Before we could even speak, the receptionist smiled and said, [Please take the elevator to the fourth floor].

And upon reaching the fourth floor, just like last time, Manager Yamauchi Kiyoka was waiting for us.

“We were waiting for you.”

As she said that, she looked at Shima-san and Masaki-chan, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

“Fumijima-san,who is this?”

“Yes, well, um, these are the models I manage…”

Upon hearing this, she gave a perplexed nod with an [I see] and led us to the reception room with the same quizzical expression.

Once the sound of Yamauchi Kiyoka’s footsteps leaving the reception room faded, I hurriedly went out into the corridor and affixed the word 『Door』 above the reception room door.

Behind that door, we had already set up a room identical to the reception room we had just entered. Inside this decoy reception room, we waited for the president’s visit.

After a while, with a brusque push, the door swung open, and President Kurashima and Yamauchi Kiyoka entered.

As always, he looked like a forceful middle-aged man.

He glanced at Shima-san and Masaki-chan, then fixed a stern gaze on me.

‘…Does he have to give me that intimidating look every time, seriously’

“Who are these kids?”

“W-well, regarding me and MISUZU-san’s transfer, I was thinking if I could bring along some promising models from those I manage…”

Instantly, President Kurashima’s expression turned serious.

“Well…you, I might say that but there’s a certain code of conduct in the industry…”

Laughable to bring up honour and duty at this point. With that thought in mind, I put on an ingratiating expression.

“Please find a way around that!”

“But you see…the smaller one there might have potential demand in the niche market… As for that one… I wonder.”

“Niche market…”

Masaki-chan’s smile twitched and Shima-san let out an exaggerated exclamation.

“Boss! Boss! Don’t you think we’d be good for variety shows? We’ll do our best, so please consider it somehow!”

“Boss…”

Seeing President Kurashima’s face distorted with displeasure, Kurosawa-san interjected.

“President, please, I’m begging you. These two are precious juniors to me as well. As part of my contract terms, please include a contract with them too.”

Upon hearing that, President Kurashima exchanged glances with Yamauchi-san and let out a deep sigh.

“If MISUZU-san…says that, I guess I don’t have much choice.”

“Thank you!”

“Well then, Yamauchi-san, bring the contract.”

As President Kurashima spoke, Yamauchi-san handed a saddle-stitched contract to Kurosawa-san.

“This is the contract document. One copy is for our company and the other is for you to keep, so please sign and stamp both, and don’t forget the seal as well.”

“Very well, MISUZU-san. Please sign and stamp.”

“Eh… You mean, right here, right now?”

“Yes, exactly. This isn’t a draft, it’s a formal document. We’re not offering more favourable terms than this. We want to finalise and sign the contract here.”

Seems like they have no intention of consulting others.

I gave a small nod to Kurosawa-san as she looked at me for confirmation.

And just as she was about to pick up the contract──…

“MISUZU-chan! No! Don’t sign it!”

The door swung open forcefully and a woman burst into the room, yelling as she entered.

All eyes turned toward her at once.

With medium-short hair that framed her face, freckles on her nose and an orange girly dress, the woman was Sameta Yasuko, an editor at Morita Publishing.

It was Pompoko-san.

She had a desperate expression that didn’t seem fitting for her gentle round face. She snatched the contract from Kurosawa-san’s hand and as if seeking revenge against a personal foe, she crumpled it up vigorously.

“Pompoko! You, what’s the meaning of this!”

As the president yelled and glared at her, she looked momentarily taken aback.

But in the next instant, she opened her eyes wide and shouted desperately.

“When I heard that you were signing a contract with MISUZU-chan today, I couldn’t just stand by anymore! I know, you see! The president has been signing contracts with and suppressing annoying models one after another!”

President Kurashima gritted his back teeth and turned to Yamauchi-san, shouting.

“What were the security guards doing! Oi! Yamauchi-san, call the police! Get this idiot out of here now!”

“Fine, go ahead and call the police or whatever! I’ll spill everything I’ve heard from the models! I’ll reveal it all!”

As President Kurashima and Pompoko-san glared at each other, Yamauchi-san repeatedly tapped on her smartphone.

The call wouldn’t connect. There was no way it could connect. Not within this 『room』.

I quietly whispered to Kurosawa-san.

“Did you talk?”

“I’m sorry… She asked me to go out for lunch together and I declined… I never thought things would turn out like this.”

As we exchanged hushed whispers, I heard Lili’s voice in my ear.

“If anyone else comes, it’ll be troublesome,Devi. Time to start it, Devi.”

“Got it.”

I nodded subtly and activated 『Sleepwalking』.

Suddenly, a purplish smoke-like substance covered everyone’s faces except for me. Kurosawa-san, Shima-san, Masaki-chan,those seated slouched over, those standing like Yamauchi-san and President Kurashima and even Pompoko-san, who had been standing, all collapsed to the ground simultaneously.

At this point, I was the only one still awake in this place.

“Um… hey, Lili. What should we do? Pompoko-san…”

As I asked, Lili manifested in the air.

“Pompoko, that raccoon-faced, right,Devi? Well, can’t be helped, Devi. Let her join as an impromptu participant. Fortunately, there’s an extra room from Ryoko. We have enough rooms.”

“…It might be better than sending her back and letting her cause a scene. But Pompoko-san seems like a kind person, so I hope she doesn’t get into too much trouble…”

“I’ll handle it properly. Alright, give the command to move everyone to the Death Game, Devi.”

“Okay.”

I summoned the door connecting to the Death Game and instructed everyone who was asleep to move through it.

And so, they began to walk slowly, as if they were sleepwalkers.

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