Before the Storm

(Sigh. I accidentally got myself wrapped up with someone dangerous… Anyone who has the guards doing their bidding is definitely bad news.)

This seat’s empty… I guess I’ll eat here.

(Well, at least there’s food here in prison… Even if it does look and smell like garbage. Compared to being out on the streets, this is heaven.)

Oissu-chii~! Chiitizensss! Are you all aliiive?

Today I’m gonna be showing you allll of this island prison’s grub!

Ugh, not this guy again…

I don’t give a damn if he’s an “influencer” or whatever, he’s the only one here eating good.

(What the…? A camera?! Is he recording inside the prison?! Not only that, but he’s the only one eating something different too…?)

(What the heck is an “Influenza” anyways? He doesn’t… look that sick to me.)

There’s salaaaad, hayashi riiiice, and pudding for desserrrrrt~! Aren’t the cherry tomatoes on the salad seriously just the cutest?

The red gives it suuuch a nice pop, Chii is totally into it!

(I can’t figure out half of what he’s talking about…)

Om~ Mmm, yummyyy!

Chiitizeeens~! If you thought today’s lunch looked super good, hit that like button!

Alright, here’s today’s videoooo~ Guard-san, edit it all nice and spiffy~!

Humph! For a fraud, you sure act all high and mighty.

(Fraud…?)

Hm? Whatcha lookin’ at? Were you checking Chii out? Are you a newbie?

…!

Oh, sorry. You kinda stood out, so…

No biggie! Standing out is part of the whole influencer thing~☆

Is it all good if I sit here? By the way, I’m Natsuyaki Chihiro! You can call me Chii, though~ And you areeee~?

Uhhh… I’m Tao.

(So easygoing! Is he some kinda gyaru…?)

Taotao it is~! It’s okay to use your first name right? We’re like the same age anyway~

Um, what are you filming for…? Or actually, what were you filming for?

Ohhhh, that. I have like a hundred million followers, so I was put in charge of boosting the prison’s rep. Some kinda special gig like that~

(Followers…? I don’t really get it but I guess it means he gets a lot of influence. Good meals, too. Fixing up this place’s image sounds like a lie…)

Buuut being stuck in jail isn’t exactly the most dazzle-worthy thing ever… It’s starting to feel like a toootal drag~

Oh, Taotao! Wanna guest in one of my vids~? You’re so tall, so we’d make a good duo while filming, right?

Huh? I… don’t really do well on camera.

Really?

Ahh, I’m totally stuffed! Dessert tiiiime ♪ Taotao, do you want any of my leftovers~?

But you’ve barely had anything to eat, Chi…hiro. Would you even be able to do any duties on an empty stomach…?

Huhhh~? Well even if Chii’s on duty, he’s still pretty buddy-buddy with the guards n’ stuff ♪

Didn’t they call you a fraud…?

Well yeah, because Chii’s in for fraud.

But none of that was with bad intentions, okay?! Getting thrown in here was all part of the PR strat.

Oh, but the scandal kinda waaaas my fault~!

(For such a weird guy he’s… pretty honest?)

Hey, you know how there are gangs here in this prison? Are you in any of them?

Gangs? Like the ones the King Kitakata Raito and that quirky Doumeki Kuguri guy are running?

Chii isn’t really in any of those since he’s always on the guards’ good sides, buuuut you should probably join one of them, Taotao~

Are those the only two options?

Uuuum, well there were a few guys that ran the place before those two got here…

But, y’know, Raitin and Kugurin aren’t exactly enemies.

(“Raitin”…? “Kugurin”…?)

Taotao, you get a special First Meeting Bonus from me~ ♪ I heeeaaard that a little something was happening real soon ♪

……？

There’s. Gonna. Be. Waaar ♪

Kuguri-san… This is the next recreational program…

Oh? Is that so?

What a perfect chance… to show the Naked King¹ despair.