121: Slave Dynasty

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Whoa—Did he seriously not even bother with an explanation? He just jumped straight into the song without any warning!

Shouldn’t he have said something about taking the stage even though Crazy:B isn’t supposed to be hosting?

I agree. However, the audience was confused for only a moment—and then they were buzzing with energy, as if they’d been anticipating this. I wonder why. It’s… strange, isn’t it?

Was the audience told beforehand that Crazy:B was going to perform?

No, we weren’t… But maybe they already knew what Crazy:B was planning to do?

I mean, everyone’s already wild about them to begin with. They’re the hottest thing at ES right now.

But they’ve been so out of line that other idols at ES are keeping an eye on them.

Some of the idols who’ve been victimized by them even asked their fans not to go to their lives.

So there might be a lot of people who are into Crazy:B, but it’s hard to support them since they have to take their public perception into account.

They can’t even openly praise them, since supposedly they’re just “troublemakers” who keep rampaging around.

Hm, I see. The general public is teetering on a precipitous state of mind, so Crazy:B gave them an excuse.

…What do you mean?

Originally, Crazy:B was not meant to perform at Idol Royale.

So the audience can say that they didn’t come to see Crazy:B—that they were never interested in them, that they were never their fans.

That they just so happened to come to Idol Royale, and Crazy:B just so happened to perform there.

That it was surprising, unexpected, and that it was quite annoying to be shown something they never wanted to see in the first place—

They were given an excuse. They could simply say it was like being stung by a bee while walking down the street.

? So in other words, um… What does that mean? Is it that important?

I think the audience should just go see what they want to see. Why do they need to make excuses for it?

Hiro-kun, you don’t understand how the mind works at all. Of course it’s important…

By having an excuse, the people who were curious about Crazy:B can come see them, all while protecting themselves. So they’re happy they might get to see something that’ll stir up some buzz, but they can still call it some freak accident.

—Some buzz? What’s that?

It means that a lot of people are talking about it. Nowadays, everyone has accounts on social media, and they all share their own stories.

Increasing the hits on those stories and gaining popularity—Perhaps in this day and age, that is considered more valuable than turning a profit.

Hmmm… The city works in mysterious ways, huh.

Better get used to it, Hiro-kun.

Anyway, as it is now, Crazy:B is being treated like the bad guys, and so it’s getting harder for them to attract an audience.

So that’s why they set up such an easy “in” for them.

The more people in your audience, the more L$ you get.

And then the audience buys lots of merch, since it proves they were there…

Crazy:B probably made a killing off of this event.

And if you have a lot of L$, you’re considered a great idol in the eyes of ES…

Nghhh, but something doesn’t add up, right? Just because Crazy:B had a good strategy and made a lot of money, doesn’t mean they’re good idols.

That’s just one side of things, though. Unfortunately, idols are also a kind of cash cow—at least, in the eyes of the public.

Urgh. I really can’t stand that. I’ve always thought the way ES presents its idols smelled fishy.

I get that this is reality and we’re not living in some fairy tale, but…

Gyahaha! So whatcha think? Pretty slick, amirite? In this world, winner takes all ♪

Eep?! Huh—What? Amagi Rinne…!

Hey hey, whatcha callin’ me by my full name for? Treating me like some stranger? Didn’t we talk about our dreams together back at the hanging gardens, Aira-chan? ♪

We did not! You were just pushing me around!

Actually, why is Amagi Rinne here…?

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“♪ ♪ ♪ ~”

“~… ♪”

Wait, no! It’s not just him… I didn’t even notice, but all the members of Crazy:B are parading around in the aisles!

Oh? Well, it’s not against the rules.

But this isn’t at all like the HiMERU-san who would always stand imposingly at center stage—He really has changed a lot, hasn’t he?

Gyahaha! The cornered rat bites the cat, didn’tcha know! When there’s nowhere to run, you get desperate.

Meru-Meru was pretty reluctant, though~ Keeping a distance between idols and fans is a good tactic too—

But that’s exactly how we get to deifying all these idols—it’s how we end up with those one-off super idols like that Akehoshi guy.

The masses thought that idols were gods, and that they could do whatever they wanted because they weren’t human. And then those same masses turned around and climbed up on stage to kill those gods just for funsies.

……

That era’s over. But on the other hand, the era of idols you can get up close and personal with is also so last season—

Nah, this is the age where idols bow down in deference to the guests who’ve been so gracious as to come to see us.

We’ll do whatever our masters wish of us! We’ll please them, make ‘em feel good!

Serve them as their slaves—Yanno, “the customer is god” and all that!

And in return, we get paid.

We’re all worker bees—and all those old-fashioned idols who got it in their heads that they’re some kinda gods are gonna rot away and be left behind if they can’t get with the program!