Chapter 1

“Tomoya-kuuun!”

“Tomo-chaaan! Come out, come out, wherever you are! It’s okay, we’re right here!”

Amazing! This is entirely unforeseen! To think that Tomoya-kun would entirely shake off his pursuers and conceal himself within the Dark Side!

I don’t really think this is an Amazing kind of moment?! Do you have any idea where Tomoya-kun is, Hibiki-senpai? You’ve been with him this whole time, haven’t you?

I was physically present, yes~? But as I’ve already explained, I was a mere child who knew nothing when I was wandering around with Tomoya-kun.

I just don’t understand! You guys are always like that—Just because you don’t know anything doesn’t mean you can shirk responsibility…!

Wawawa—Please stop shaking meee? All of the tricks up my sleeve will come falling out!

Why would you prepare tricks for a situation like this! How shameless can you be, Hibiki-senpai?!

No, everyone is being weird! We don’t know where Tomoya-kun is, so we decided on a live performance to broadcast all over SANCTUARY—

All to calm Tomoya-kun down and lure him out of hiding! But why can’t we just talk to the police or something?

And if something can’t be shown to the police and you know it, then just stop doing it! Please just get it through your head and put some thought into your actions for once! Urghhh!

…Hajime-kun is acting unusually aggressive. I’ve never seen him like this before.

Me either… But he’s still cute even when he’s pissed off. I guess that’s just his luck?

I guess you get disillusioned because he’s such a sweet person usually, so it’s like “huh? I didn’t know you were like this!”

(But. I know it’s kind of inappropriate to say, but I’m a little jealous of you—Hajime.)

(The last time I had an outburst like that I was still a kid, probably?)

…Hey, Eichi-sama.

What is it? Do you have something to say to me, my adorable Tori? ♪

…No, never mind. It’s nothing.

(Hang on. This isn’t the time to throw a tantrum.)

(I’m doing this for Hajime—He’s been way too good this whole time without ever getting anything back for it… He can’t even meet up with his good friend right now.)

(So I have to do whatever I can, both as nobility and as Hajime’s friend.)

Hajime. Don’t bother trying to chew out Rapunzel over there; you’ll just end up biting yourself. Besides, it’s not like we can do anything about this—Let’s just keep calling out his name, okay?

I mean, I’m sure he’ll come out if you’re the one calling for him, right? And if he ignores you and keeps hiding, I’ll give him a piece of my mind later.

Wha…? There’s no reason to get mad at Tomoya-kun, though! He’s doing his best, just like always!

The problem is that Eichi-onii-chan was doing, like, experiments? on Tomoya-kun—no, on all of us!

Fufu. What is done in the dark will eventually come to light, hm? Heaven’s net is wide and coarse, and yet nothing slips through.

But I’d ask that you don’t make any hasty assumptions. I had no choice in the matter; it was for the sake of my order.

I had to strike a balance between my secret order and working in the best interests of ES.

All in order to bring SANCTUARY to fruition. It’s beneficial to ES, so this is all I could do with what I had.

I had no room for failure; I could only take the most appropriate actions within the limits of my orders.

Are you sure? M–maybe you really did have no choice, but—

There’s no way to confirm what your orders were, so it’s basically a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. I can’t tell if you’re lying at all.

(Of course I am. But I can’t just come out and say that.)

(As the one who implemented the orders system, I have an intimate relationship with the Administration. I wasn’t given any orders or secret orders, myself.)

(And the same goes for Tori and Yuzuru. Wataru was the singular exception and was bound as a check on my own power, but fine was given free reign—None of us received orders.)

(Such is the privilege of those who created the system. We’re in a much better position to fight in SS compared to other units.)

(Not that it matters, does it? All these Machiavellian tricks are our strength.)

(The orders may be tormenting the other idols so much, but as far as we’re concerned, they are simply convenient excuses we can offer up when our actions are called into question.)

Hajime-chan! There’s no point grumbling about it, let’s try yelling for Tomo-chan together!

There’s not a lot we can do, but we gotta go all out with what we can do!

Then we’ll be able to jump higher and run farther than the guys who don’t do anything! You just gotta change your perspective! That’s all!

Right… But I was so frustrated, so ashamed of myself, that I ended up letting it all come out.

I feel like I’ve been used like a convenient tool again.

Better than being ignored! C’mon, smile! Tomo-chan’s not gonna come out if you’re looking like that!

“♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪”

“… ♪ … ♪”

……

Saved by the sounding of the gong, hm?

Why are we suddenly talking about animals I like?

No, I didn’t mean King Kong, Eichi-sama.

Right. What a good comeback; you really are growing up.

Yours was somewhat lacking. I’m relieved that you were able to stave off the accusations made by Bocchama and Shino-sama, though.

However, if I may be so bold, you won’t get away with these games of smoke and mirrors forever.

I know. But I don’t want you getting the wrong idea about this—

I don’t want to be one of those shameless adults who are satisfied with just giving out lip-service about their ideals. No, I won’t be a fraud.

I really am going to change the world. And one day I will stand before the world I’ve reshaped with my ideals, and I will proclaim that this is the world I’ve dreamed of.

Ideal without action is the same as talking in your sleep. I’ve already risen from my hospital bed; I walk in this reality on my own two feet.

Is that the truth? Such a declaration sounds like mere deception, an excuse that a child would make to his parents when he’s failed.

How harsh. You really are starting to resemble Wataru, aren’t you? Long ago, when I was already consumed with troubles, that devil of a man would whisper things into my ear that made me break out into a cold sweat.

Surely you jest. …Oh?

Hey guys~! Thank God! We found Tomo-chin~!