133: Maneuvering
Ngh~… I’ve been wondering this for a while now. Can’t ES as a whole do something about Crazy:B, since they’re always getting up to some shit—I mean, since they’re always doing bad things?
You don’t have to treat me like your boss, Shiratori-kun. Many of you kids behave so uninhibited without care to who you’re with, so it’s almost isolating when you give me this superficially polite treatment.
In any case, it’s true that Crazy:B is one of our ES units, and so because the great deal of damage they’ve caused has affected the organization—
It would be possible to punish them or disband them under the name Crazy:B.
They’ve crossed a dangerous legal bridge, and so we could even sue them or otherwise ruin their lives.
I am sure that Saegusa-kun, their direct superior at CosPro, is prepared to do such a thing should it become necessary.
However. Even in the event we physically remove them, the mud that ES has slung upon them—that poison will not disappear.
The world spreads out far beyond ES. If we banish them, they will likely just make their escape and continue criticizing us.
They appear to have ample skill in manipulating the masses. They may be able to use that to gain followers in order to oppose ES.
ES has earned itself many enemies, now that it’s emerged so suddenly to dominate the industry.
Especially overseas, there’s no end to those who want to take advantage of the idol industry now that it has become so large.
Should Crazy:B collude with those forces and revolt against ES—Well. It wouldn’t be pretty. It would become a massive scale, inescapable war—
There are some such as Saegusa-kun who might be overjoyed to play war, but I hold a different view.
I’ve had my fill of wars; I say this with the utmost sincerity. I don’t know how much longer I will live. I don’t have the time to play these pointless games.
Civil wars only whittle away at a nation’s power. Harming each other, crushing each other, these things will only serve to benefit the other industries.
The idol industry continues to expand, and all the other sectors of the entertainment world are already starting to feel their own space narrow.
There is technology which advances due to war, but in this day and age, I can’t help but call all of it nonsense.
Uncontrolled chaos and disorder will only lead humanity to needless degradation.
That’s why, before this turns into an all-out war that rattles the earth—
I want to put out this fire while it’s still contained within ES, and bring an end to this whole affair.
Hmm. I agree with you; it would be devastating to fight amongst each other. However, you say you want to end things with such ease—How do you plan to do that?
There are several different ways. And the method we choose will depend on the answer you all give to my proposal here.
Us…?
Yes. You have been listening in on this as if it’s all someone else’s business. But you are all far more important than you believe. At least, in terms of strategy.
No, depending on the circumstances, you have the ability to surpass your status as a lowlife underachievers—and evolve into a special existence.
You can become brilliant idols, messiahs who rescued ES from an unforeseen disaster.
Perhaps you could even become that which you never could have dreamed of: protagonists of a story.
……
However, there is a certain risk in making use of you. So long as our opponent is Amagi Rinne, who seems to love gambling so much—
It will be dangerous indeed to set foot into the enemy’s castle.
And furthermore, you are all still astonishingly weak. You’re all deplorable children who would be blown away in a slight breeze.
Should you be thrown into the heart of a casino, you would lose everything in an instant.
That’s why I can’t just force you to do it. There’s a considerably high chance of you marching straight to your deaths.
You might not believe this, but I don’t want to make any more sacrifices—not if I can help it.
So this is your bad news. I am showing you a path that, depending on the circumstances, will lead you to be trampled upon, crushed beyond recognition underfoot.
It’s up to you to decide whether or not to take it.
……
It would be wise not to chance such a dangerous path. I wouldn’t consider you cowardly.
There are not many who can feel death’s grip upon their shoulder and still be brave.
In reality, you were frightened by the chance of being laid off and as a result have been treading on eggshells.
Because of that, you all have become very boring to watch, and you are especially plain and lacking in excitability when put up against Crazy:B.
I understand how you feel—that instinct to cling desperately to life. However, should you dare to surpass your instincts—
If you are willing to risk your lives to fight for ES, to fight for the idol industry, and become heroes—
Then I, the Emperor Tenshouin Eichi, will give you everything I have to support you. I will give you the weapons you need in order to fight our enemy.
And then, you will become soldiers battling to protect the land of idols. You might not go down in history, but you will be heroes worthy of admiration.
……