Chapter 9

(Fwahaha! All according to plan…!)

(After all is said and done, the ones we need to be most cautious of during this year’s SS are, in fact, last year’s champions: Trickstar.)

(Based on the way the voting works during the Finals, they, along with the group they’re part of, are most likely to rake in the votes.)

(Everyone wants to bet on the winning horse, after all, lest they be embarrassed with a loss. So they’ll vote unquestioningly for the party in power, just like in a normal election.)

(I assume there’s a considerable population of people who think that way. Not everyone takes interest in idols, so they’ll cast their votes based on the limited information they have.)

(In a situation like that, the previous winners hold a particularly important title. They’re too great to simply ignore.)

(Everyone tends to judge others based on their appearances and titles when they first became acquainted.)

(Which is why the fact that even though he had a lot on his mind, His Excellency contacted Trickstar and gave them that certain tidbit of information was an unexpected gift.)

(The biggest stain on the idol industry is still alive—Akehoshi Subaru-shi’s father.)

(He was supposed to have died an unnatural, violent death, but he survived. And then he took over my bastard ancestor’s position to rule over the idol industry from behind the scenes—)

(It’s a useless conspiracy theory that not even an idiot would believe.)

(But if given that information, Trickstar will surely be shaken up.)

(Until the truth is either confirmed or denied entirely, Akehoshi-shi won’t be able to regain his equilibrium. And so he won’t be able to work properly as an idol.)

(Oddly enough, that is the supposedly impregnable Trickstar’s only weakness, which they exposed at last year’s SS. It’s a taboo—their Achilles’ heel.)

(It’s uncertain whether this was His Excellency’s intention, but he hit the nail right on the head.)

(As a result of that, Eden can take the most of this brief period before the Finals to outmaneuver Trickstar while they waver and hesitate, along with all the other units who have been exhausted by the Qualifying Rounds.)

(The only ones who have seed rights, and the only ones who are still brimming with energy, are us.)

(So right now we can solidify our strategy for winning at the Finals and finish up our preparations so that we can take on the Finals with splendor.)

(And then, we will fulfill our long-awaited dreams—or perhaps not dreams, but rather our unfinished business: claiming victory at SS! Fwahahahaha ☆)

(…Or, that was the plan at least.)

“—Now then. Allow me to once again explain the rules for the SS Finals.”

(How did he get here?! The wirepuller of ES, Tenshouin Eichi! fine…!)

“Fufu, I believe Eden already gave a brief explanation the other day.”

“But it’s imperative to understand the rules of this competition, so no amount of rehashing can be too much.”

(We visited a shrine to pray for victory at the SS Finals.)

(The four of us, who had up to that point been working separately, came together in a sudden development our fans couldn’t possibly overlook—)

(It was on that broadcast that the rules of the Finals were first revealed, so it was meant to garner significant attention from both inside and outside the industry. That was how I calculated it.)

(Taking into consideration the fact that it would be seen by the general public, we put emphasis on our image as young men with a go-getter attitude who desperately want to win.)

(I even had His Highness and Jun bring their dog out because everyone always loves seeing adorable animals on shows—)

(The strategy would be flawless! The fans would be overjoyed! Our personable, friendly image would hit an all-time max!)

(It was supposed to emphasize everyone in Eden as sympathetic people who deserve love and attention!)

(…That is, until fine suddenly swooped down in a helicopter. “Wow, what a coincidence!” my ass!)

(How is that a coincidence?! They were obviously aiming to destroy our operation! Goddamn!)

(And then they explained the rules for the Finals, which were supposed to be extremely high-profile, and announced that further details such as the group divisions would be given at a later date—)

(They entirely destroyed all of our goals, not to mention the program itself.)

(You’ve done it now, Your Emminence Eichi! I’ll be sure to repay you tenfold…!)

(Ahaha, he’s sooo angry. Saegusa-kun is cute; it’s almost like looking at a younger version of myself.)

(However, we each have unique experiences—The blood we’ve shed is different… I won’t let you have your way just yet, boy.)

(…Now that Trickstar is wavering, fine will step up to oppose Edden. We’ll become the bulwark that stifles their plans and prevents everything from being dyed in their colors.)

(We’ve always been tied by fate to Trickstar, and we have a slight advantage in experience.)

(So I’ll ask you not to lay a finger on them. You’re mere newcomers who merely came to crash the party.)

(Fufu. “I’ll be the one to defeat you!”—You sound like you’ve come straight out of a shounen manga.)