Funeral Lilies Conjured With a Sleight of Hand - Track 3

(Uwaaah… I need to pull myself together…!)

(Ev3ns are here in the flesh…! No, wait. This is for work. I’m the girl representing WanWon right now!)

Umm… Today’s meeting was supposed to be regarding Kugu⁠—I mean, Domeki-san’s idea for the visual promotion…?

(I-I almost slipped up, but it’s fine!)

Yeah! That’s right! Right, Kuguri-san?

Ufufu. What do you look so confused about cica? Is there something worrying you?

(It’s not that I’m worried… I’m just excited that Nayuki-kun and Ev3ns landed this job as makeup ambassadors.)

(I still can’t believe he wouldn’t tell anyone his ideas until today… That’s normal for Kuguri-san, but jeez… it’s kinda making me anxious.)

(We will have to step in immediately if Domeki-san tries to say anything weird…!)

You too, picim. There’s no need to be clenching your fists under the table. I decided on the theme like you wanted.

B-By all means, please share it with me!

The theme is the “Grand-Guignol”¹… A dark and grotesque show performed by a circus troupe.

(The Grand… what?)

OMG that’s perf! A dark circus concept toootally matches your vibe, Kugurin!

The foundation can make skin look lifeless, like it’s made of porcelain. Combine that with some lipstick and eyeshadow, and that will be a perfect fit for the Monochrome Collections’s vibe.

You think so too, right, lány?

A-Absolutely! I think it’s wonderful…!

(Oh, she’s completely smitten… I-Is that okay? Kuguri-san’s always been good at convincing people…)

(But wait, Chihiro-kun is an expert on makeup and he said it was fine… so maybe it’s actually a good proposal after all…?)

Could we get a circus tent set up for the shoot? It would be good if the interior could reflect a dreadful yet beautiful atmosphere.

(Did he just ask for a huge set like it was nothing…?!)

Wouldn’t this be a bit tight on the budget…?

Not at all! Leave it to me! I’ll make it happen no matter what!

Woooaaah… Kuguri-sama and Ev3ns in a dark circus look would be so beautiful… I’m getting so motivated…!

Ufufu… what a devoted little lány you are. I’ll reward you.

……

Oh, right. I already decided on the roles we’ll be playing in this circus too.

Maci will be the magician.

……!

Uhhh. Alright. I mean, I can do simple tricks…

Nyuszi will be the clown.

Like a jester, right? A circus would be a bust without one! You can leave the juggling to moi~!

Plüss will be on the trapeze.

Understood. Role confirmed. I can also perform three hundred and sixty degree flips if necessary.

And the lion will be… him. A brainless, savage beast is perfect for a naked king like him, isn’t it?

Oh, me?

And by the way, the beast tamer will be you, picim.

One wrong step, and you’ll both be consumed by the flames of hell. A beast and its master burning together would make for quite the show.

With the gaudiest costume possible, I’ll make you into a disturbingly vile beast.

(Woah, hold on. Calling him a “brainless beast” is a little harsh, isn’t it…?)

Haha! I’m the beast and Nayuki is the beast tamer! That’s just how we normally are. You got us there.

……

So, Kuguri, could it be that you chose a lion because my blond hair resembles a lion’s mane?

…What?

Ooh, true! Kugurin’s a smartie like always~♪

Besiiiiides, lions are like the king of the jungle, aren’t they? And Raitin is a king for sure! Lions are all protective of their packs too, so it’s the perf role for him!

……

(Raito-san looks pretty happy… Well, if he’s okay with it then it’s fine.)

I do hope you’re aware I won’t be partaking in the photographing?

You haven’t heard of the rumors about Ev3ns having a good-looking manager? If you showed up on screen, the fans would eat you alive, pipsqueak.

Do you really think I’ll fall for that?

I don’t really care if you do. I’m just talking about the roles.

Sigh… This break is getting pretty boring.

By the way… what role are you going to play, Kuguri-san?

The ringmaster. Obviously.

(Ohhh… So Kuguri-san is gonna be the leader for Ev3ns… Will they be okay…?)

Well then, I’ll take this concept back to the company for now. I personally think it’s an excellent theme…! But just to be sure, please allow me to consult with the creative director as well.

WanWon’s creative director… you mean Kitami-chi?!

Oh, yes. Kitami is a member of the company.

Huh? Do you know them, Chihiro?

I’ve never met him, but he’s like, super famous! His skills are crazy good, and his aesthetic is totally recognizable. He’s pretty stylish too!

The whole reason Chii’s a WanWon fan is because of Kitami-chi’s promo vids!

You’re right. Kitami is very unique.

If there are no issues after running this by him, I’d like to proceed with makeup tests and costume fittings before the shoot.

The proposal said we were gonna do a promo vid too. What’s the plan for that?

If you can, we’d like to get a formal proposal from you all for that as well.

Alrighty! We’ll do some real brainstorming! Any ideas, Kugurin?

What a pain. Why don’t you handle it, nyuszi? You’re the expert.

Okie dokie! One solid proposal comin’ riiiiight up~♪ I’ll make sure to snag some ideas from you, though!

That’ll be great…! I’m excited to see what you come up with, Chii-sama! Alright, th-that settles that! Thank you!

(Who’d have thought I’d be promoting makeup… You never know what hand life’s gonna deal you.)

(But still, a circus troupe?)

(The theme is “monochrome memories”, so why did Kuguri-san pick a circus troupe?)

(Circuses aren’t actually monochrome, are they? They’re more… colorful… Or is that an idea that only existed in the Heisei era?)

Oh, it sure is.

Oh my, it looks like the magic tricks are up next.

(The circus was colorful… But I guess some parts of what I remember are monochrome.)

(Maybe Kuguri-san watched a circus show too in the past…)

Oh, maci. That’s quite the heated look you’re wearing. Are you trying to invite me over tonight?

No! Absolutely not! Could you stop saying things like that the second we make eye contact?