Dialogue (6)

Juis-kun, why are you here…?

You were gone for a while, Kuon. So I just got a little curious.

Kojika Juis. I have no business with you.

So harsh. Still, I don’t hate small talk. I won’t bore you, either.

Is that so? I consider pointless small talk to be a waste of time.

Time spent with shallow people that barge into conversations is especially meaningless… people like you.

Haha. Just as I’d heard. You really do have quite the arrogant attitude.

Not many people like that around these days… Well, I don’t mind arrogance if it stems from confidence.

Although… If you’re messing with Kuon and not me, then I can’t just let that go.

If you have something you want to talk about, I’ll listen. So don’t be too hard on him.

Did you not understand that this is none of your concern and you should step aside?

Not willing to listen? That’s odd. What on earth did you do to make him so angry, Kuon?

Umm~ Gramps can’t really think of anything he did specifically, but…

Apparently, Itsuki-kun is worried about Mika-kun… and he thinks that Gramps might be what’s making him so anxious.

So he was asking about all kinds of details.

Hm? Is that actually what happened?

It’s true that Mika-kun and I knew each other before, and I only had the chance to talk to him recently too.

But I really don’t know why Mika-kun’s been acting weird…

You still intend to hide the truth at this point? Well, it isn’t like I had even expected you to give me a straightforward answer to begin with.

There’s nothing to hide. Kuon doesn’t seem to have any idea what you’re talking about.

Couldn’t you have the wrong idea about this?

Hmph. One look at Kagehira should make that obvious. Do you still intend to play innocent? Or are you deliberately turning a blind eye to this?

You’re bringing up that supposed incident from the past to confuse him, aren’t you?

Like blackmail or intimidation. Considering that this is happening during “MM”, it’s most likely that you forced him to concede the victory.

No way! That’s such a reach!

Gramps swears he’d never pull something that shady?!

Do you really think I’d believe that? Unfortunately, I’ve gotten quite used to people like you…

No matter what tactics you use against us, we will never yield.

You’re getting a little too heated. This is hardly a discussion.

I’m perfectly calm.

Are you? If you really were, then you’d realize that what you said couldn’t be possible.

…What do you mean by that?

You’re claiming that Kuon threatened him so MELLOW DEAR US could steal the win.

—But why threaten someone we could just beat legitimately?

…Oh?

Today’s performance made that obvious.

Your performance this round may have been better than it was in the first round…

But, in the end, the ones that shone more brightly on stage were still MELLOW DEAR US.

…How can you utter such nonsense without a hint of shame?

However, I will acknowledge that your performances are superior to those of the vulgar masses.

Really? That’s some surprisingly high praise.

Failing to recognize the facts for what they are is no different from being blind.

However, even you still have weaknesses that can be exploited.

The proof of that being your defeat at the Megasphere… Although, I do have my own reservations regarding that performance.

I remember that well. After that incident, we agreed to give it our all and never let our guard down, no matter which unit we were up against.

You say we have a weakness you can exploit, but if something like that really exists, I’d almost look forward to seeing it.

Or did that Producer give you some kind of strategy?

Non! Spare me these foolish questions.

Valkyrie’s performances are meticulously planned ourselves.

We may work with that girl to put the finishing touches on a project, but we are not the kind of unit that will just entrust her with complete authority and blindly do as she says.

Of course, whether that results in victory or defeat for us is something we alone must hear.

Though, from the way you spoke earlier, it seems MELLOW DEAR US is different.

I don’t understand. Wasn’t your victory during Mainstream Megasphere only possible because the Producer was there?

If she hadn’t come back to the Megasphere, then the ES idols would have lost.

Idols and producers are meant to coexist with each other, aren’t they? I don’t think it’s a bad thing if one fills in where the other falls short.

Coexist? What you have is not coexistence, but dependence or devotion.

I won’t claim that our victory that day was solely the result of the idols’ efforts. That girl’s choices and expertise were important as well.

However, it was the idols that were present… that decided they needed her. They certainly hadn’t stopped thinking for themselves.

That is the clear difference between us and you. There is no future for those who continue to entrust their production to others and forget how to express themselves.

I can say this for certain… If you continue operating like this, the day you collapse as a unit will come.

……

…I follow the impulses that well up within me and give form to beautiful things in the way most befitting them. That is the proof of my existence.

The same applies to that girl as well… Although, she still falls far short of my level.

Having lived as artists all this time, there is no way we could lose when it comes to self expression.

The dirt on which you struggle could not be much farther from where we stand.

Even if you were to manage advancing through “MM”, it will not be because of your own abilities. It’ll be thanks to the recognition you gained through NiceP’s skill.

Those who abandon even their own ability to think are nothing more than weeds, destined only to wither away.

…Are you already making up excuses for when you lose?

You find this kind of back and forth pointless too, don’t you?

If you think we’re just a part of the vulgar masses… then prove that you can beat us, Valkyrie.