Chapter 1

……

(I suppose this means the SS Qualifying Rounds have come to a close.)

(Surprisingly, I feel at peace.)

(With this, I can finally relax…)

(Rather than suffer the dull throb of defeat and regret, I would prefer a quick death—)

(Is it because the blood of my samurai ancestors flows in my veins that I think this way? By committing seppuku, I wash away the shame and crimes of my ancestors, of the Suou house.)

(Of course, live showdowns, SS—they are not true wars. Even if we lose, we will not die. But that is the most painful part of it.)

(I cannot atone for my actions with my death.)

(I wonder if Leo-san felt the same way I do now when he closed himself off from the world.)

(The people I love were sullied, battered, put through hell—and it’s entirely my fault.)

(Even if I were to offer up my everything to atone for what I’ve done, I could never redeem myself.)

(This is what defeat means. This is what despair means. This is—)

—Bou.

Oukawa…?

What more could you possibly want?

……

If you love me—no, if you respect me even a little, then please, don’t say anything. Just go.

I don’t want you to see me like this.

Caught in a trap and defeated, without even the will to stand up and fight again. A coward who can do nothing but cower away, all alone.

Honestly yeah, what’s Knights doing, leavin’ ya all by your lonesome when you’re in this state?

What, they don’t need some dumb, incompetent, idiot child anymore?

I’d ask that you don’t slight my senpais. I won’t allow that even from you, Oukawa.

I respect them deeply. Unlike me, they are strong. Even after that day, when you all sprung your trap and robbed us of all the money we had—

They have not given up; they are still making their last stand, struggling until the final moment.

I imagine that Ritsu-senpai and Narukami-senpai are both performing at the theater we rented, exactly as planned. Even though we can’t win with that anymore. Even though there’s no purpose in it.

Despite that, they are still singing and dancing with all their power, for the sake of the fans who gathered to see us.

……

And yet, I could not do the same… It’s as if the very core of my body has been ripped out. I am cowardly, pathetic—I want to die.

I’m utterly useless. In my place, our newcomers, the very ones we have made light of, are persevering.

In my place, they are standing on the stage, pouring their souls into entertaining everyone.

They are undoubtedly more precious idols than I.

I am but an insignificant person. My senpais acknowledged me, loved me, entrusted me with the crown. And still, I could do nothing—

I stained the good name of Knights with our miserable defeat. And with that one little thing, I have been rendered unable to move even the tips of my fingers.

How shameful… Everything has been all for naught.

All that I thought to have amassed, all that I believed to have grasped in my hands—It was never mine to begin with.

It was mere illusion, no different from the brilliant clothing the naked king thought he was wearing.

Hmm. So that makes us that smart li’l kid who called out askin’ why the king was naked.

Indeed. You lot are on another level entirely. Just like everyone from Trickstar—You were born with nothing, as no one.

You are so much stronger than I, who was born with the blood of the great Suou family in my veins, who was granted the throne of Knights.

Your strength, your brilliance isn’t a mere papier-mâché façade, unlike mine.

I envy you immensely—

Kokoko ♪ You’re all down in the dumps, huh. Good to let it run its course; it’s good medicine.

You’re so full of yourself and short-sighted when it comes down to it, so you never really care none for all the losers and weaklings like us.

So now you’ve walked a mile in our shoes, can I assume you finally get what all that disgrace an’ humiliation feels like?

I do. It’s so, so painful—

—Nah, forget that. Sorry, I take it back.

…?

You’ve changed.

In the past you were just an obnoxious, nasty li’l brat who stared down your nose at people all up on your high horse like it was second nature.

You were just as arrogant as the rest of the Suous, never even noticin’ what you were tramplin’ over.

But now, somehow, you’re different. You used to be just a baby with no redeeming qualities other than bein’ cute, but now—now you’ve become a great man, someone people can admire.

You’ve been workin’ to protect an’ take care of all your little newbies who came crawlin’ up to Knights after they looked at ya an’ got blinded by y’all’s light.

I’m sure they’re grateful for that, too.

And that’s why they’re up on that stage right now in your place, while you can’t move.