Time flew by on the Ferris wheel like an arrow. Most of the conversation was led by Aru, with Hifumi chiming in here and there, but neither Nana nor Haruka seemed to have any complaints about it.
As we reached the top and started to descend, the sunset cast a beautiful glow over the amusement park.
To be honest, however, my heart was already halfway out of this place.
I wasn’t trying to say I didn’t like this group or anything. It was just that, since two people who would eventually become connected were in one location, the conversation flowed smoothly like water, and just listening to it was plenty entertaining.
That said, it was hard to deny that I wanted to share this scene with someone special.
No, it wasn’t even something to deny.
I simply… wanted to set aside some time later to ride the Ferris wheel with Nagisa, just the two of us, and have a little chat while looking down at the gently rolling red sunset or the nighttime amusement park.
By the way, I’m sure Azusa and Mitsuki have already tipped Nagisa off well, right?
“…Well, it turned out like this.”
That thought completely vanished when I saw Azusa stick close to me the moment we got off the Ferris wheel, without Nagisa saying a word to intervene.
While it was somewhat fortunate that Mitsuki didn’t cling to Aru, my curiosity peaked about what had really happened back there, given that Nagisa said that part wasn’t neatly resolved.
I turned my gaze toward Kayoko to solve that mystery, but when I saw her tidying up her earbuds, she really seemed like she had no idea what happened because she was just focused on the music. I gave up on that.
It looks like I’ll have to talk to Nagisa separately later.
Maybe because we spent quite some time on the Ferris wheel, after eating dinner, it seemed like we just about hit the timing for the start of the parade.
So there I was, waiting for the parade to start while settling down with my group…
BANG—!!!
A sound echoed out of nowhere. People jumped in surprise all around, murmuring in confusion. Yet, I felt a strange sense of understanding about why this calamity had occurred.
“…Mitsuki-chan?”
“Oh, um~? Mitsuki-chan did nothing wrong~!”
While saying that, Mitsuki seemed to realize that this was her fault, as she slyly put her hands together and stuck her tongue out. I know this is a normal occurrence in Kivotos, but every time I see it in person, I can’t help but get a headache. It would’ve been better if I could just get into the mindset to enjoy myself like everyone else.
With a sense of impending doom, I thought to myself that I hoped it wouldn’t be anything serious, though I had my suspicions about the low possibility of that.
And sure enough.
[Ah, dear customers, we regret to inform you that today’s Momo Friends parade has been canceled due to an accident. We apologize for any inconvenience. Once again, we announce that due to an accident—]
“What do you mean, the parade is canceled?! That’s got to be a joke…? Ugh… This must be a cruel prank. It has to be…!”
“Calm down, Hifumi. It’s disappointing that we can’t see it today, but we can come back a few days later and catch it.”
Hifumi, who had been looking forward to the parade more than anyone, seemed unable to adequately express the immense feeling of loss. Moreover, based on the schedule for the collaboration event, unlike Azusa’s consolation, the chances of Momo Friends declaring an early end to the event were high, so Hifumi was probably feeling like the sky was falling at that moment.
“Ugh…”
Azusa, who was trying to comfort Hifumi, looked visibly disappointed, and it seemed like even Mitsuki felt the pressure of the situation.
“Mitsuki-chan, just to check… No, what’s the point of asking about something that’s already happened?”
It was probably something that got accidentally left behind while handling explosives or mines during setup. I guess it was unfortunate that it was in a place where the parade vehicles pass before the parade started, leading to that explosion and incident.
“Given that it has come to this, we should just head back—”
Seeing Hifumi’s condition, it didn’t seem right to linger around, so I was about to suggest leaving when I caught sight of a familiar silhouette.
In the dark shadows of the amusement park where the lights didn’t reach, someone was looking this way and then turned around, walking with creaky movements, as if beckoning me to follow.
That had to be Maestro, one of the members of Gematria.
“Hey, guys? Just wait here for a moment.”
Leaving only those words for the kids, I hurriedly pushed through the crowd to follow Maestro.
I caught up with Maestro, who, despite his creaky movements, wasn’t walking that slowly. We were near an attraction that had stopped operating, making it a deserted area.
It wasn’t just sparse; there was definitely no one around. It was clearly an unusual setting, but considering it was tied to Gematria, I wasn’t that shocked.
“It seems you’re in a troubling situation, my muse.”
“No more of that muse talk, please… Why are you even here, Maestro? I can’t wrap my head around it.”
“Hmm? For an artist, a muse is someone who provides inspiration. And artists are those willing to sacrifice a lot if it means they can gather inspiration. Yes, in this case, what I’ve sacrificed is time.”
…Sacrificed time? No way.
“Are you saying you were just stalking me?”
“Stalking is a term that conjures up inappropriate impressions. There is no vile intent behind my presence here. I merely wish to observe you to create the most perfect work of art—”
“No, that’s what we call stalking!”
“…”
I don’t really know, but it seemed I was also feeling quite embarrassed in this situation, especially since who wouldn’t feel uncomfortable with someone saying they’re watching your daily life for inspiration?
“Well. Regardless of anything else, I’d appreciate it if you respected my privacy. Yes, I know you aren’t exactly the type who would listen if I asked you not to.”
“That is unnecessary worry, my muse. Although love is undoubtedly the most primordial theme of art, I am not hungering for inspiration to the point of provoking your ire. To seek small gains while failing to grasp the forest would not allow a fool to call themselves an artist.”
“So that’s a relief… Not at all. It’s not something to be happy about…”
Honestly, I don’t know what trouble Beatrice is putting me through. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have had any dealings with Gematria. I never imagined she’d been stalking me from behind while everything was quiet.
“So, about that trouble you mentioned… can I take it that’s referring to the current situation of the canceled parade?”
“Yes. You and your group, as well as you, surely had expectations for this parade.”
“I mean, I had no expectations at all…?”
“My muse, I would like to propose a deal to you.”
Oh great, just what I need—being ignored outright.
Sure I was a bit interested in the Wavecat parade car, but Maestro shouldn’t know that since I’ve never told anyone…
“This amusement park is home to the joy of countless people, and it continues to accumulate even now. I call that joy.”
His words struck a familiar chord, making it easier to understand the context. This was directly related to one of Blue Archive’s main contents: the battle royale… specifically, the birth of the bosses Shiro & Kuro, created using Maestro’s ability called Mimesis in the abandoned amusement park, Slumpia.
“And I possess the ability to recreate and replicate this joy. Through this, I can return the parade float that was damaged moments ago to its original state. Perhaps even into something more splendid. Resurrecting the entire parade procession into a form that is more complete and artistic than before is entirely within reach.”
“…Um, is that safe?”
“Of course. My muse, with this ability, I shall ensure that the canceled parade proceeds as scheduled. This proposal arises solely from my goodwill toward you, so you may set aside any trivial concerns.”
Hahaha! Well, that sounds like a lovely offer, but whether I accept it or not depends on what exactly you want from me, right? Even if it’s for my precious junior, I can’t just comply with some weird request.
At this, Maestro clapped once with his creaky joints, producing a surprisingly solid sound.
“Very well. You may accept this as pure goodwill. It is true that I desire something from you, but even if you refuse to pay for it, my offer to revive the parade remains valid. In all honesty, I usually wouldn’t conduct an experiment in such a public place, but for my muse…”
Ugh, this is maddening. Hearing him say that I’m his muse is exhausting. If I had a gun in my hand, I would have pulled the trigger by now.
In reality, I have no intention of attacking Gematria or Maestro, who has been overly kind to me by generating bosses that give resources to players. How could I possibly do something like that?
I just wish I could do something about hearing that “muse” nonsense…
“First of all, I’ll gratefully accept that goodwill. Thank you, Maestro.”
Out of consideration for Hifumi and Azusa, I do have some curiosity about the Wavecat parade car. On top of that, a parade resurrected by Maestro using Mimesis to recreate the joy without turning it into a horror? How could I resist?
“So then, what do you want? Just so we’re clear, if you make any unreasonable demands, I will absolutely refuse.”
“What I originally desired as the price for this transaction was the opportunity to explore every possibility contained within your Shinpi.”
What the hell, you can’t be serious right now…
“Excuse me, but you’re not talking about the idol business, are you?”
“What else could there be? My muse… I shall personally! Strive to make you shine brighter than anyone else on that stage!”
“…”
Wow, this is… wow.
“…snort Haha! Ahahaha!”
Hearing such a bizarrely serious offer from someone with such a strange appearance makes it hard not to laugh.
Honestly, I could die from how hard I’m laughing. For someone who wouldn’t have been greatly injured by typical attacks, perhaps the best way to hit me is like this.
“Ha, ha… Phew… Are you being serious about that? Do you even have any experience in this area?”
“Don’t they say that all part-timers eventually return to their roots? My muse, remember that all branches of art eventually converge into one great sea of artistry.”
“Meaning you don’t have any experience.”
“… I assure you that the results I can produce will be far superior to anything the fools here could ever hope to offer. You will never be disappointed.”
Honestly, I should say I’m a bit tempted by this proposal.
Especially imagining Maestro showcasing some awkward dance while saying, “This is the choreography! Watch and learn properly.” is something I’d want to see more than once.
Still, compared to what Maestro would gain by studying my Shinpi, this offer seems gallingly humble…
“Alright, take it. I’ll accept that offer. Yes, consider it a repayment for the goodwill you have shown me.”
With that, I snapped my fingers and sent a shower of glittering stars shining even in this dark place toward Maestro. The swarm of stars floated away slowly, like dandelion seeds blown by the wind, and Maestro caged them within a transparent cube of some sort using a method known only to him.
“Ooh… This is the sublime aspect of the ‘greatest archangel’! I had no expectations that you would actually provide this when making the offer. I can truly accept this?”
“Yeah. But it’s not without conditions.”
As soon as I delivered that, I presented Maestro with three conditions verbally. Though they were merely verbal agreements, I trust Gematria implicitly on this. No immature adults who don’t keep their promises exist within Gematria anymore.
“… My muse, I shall adhere strictly to the conditions you laid out.”
“Haha, then that means our contract is established.”
“One day, I shall present to you the great work I have completed with everything I possess. When that time comes, I hope you will grant me a round of applause.”
“I’ll think about it☆”
Maestro, still with his creaking movements, bowed deeply after carefully cradling the shard of my Shinpi.
“The parade must continue. Don’t you think so?”
With that, Maestro turned away and began to walk somewhere.
“It’s time for you to return to your group now, my muse.”
The second encounter with Gematria was, unlike the first, a remarkably pleasant meeting.
