Butlers - Prologue
Aug. 19th, 2021 08:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Prologue
Season: Summer
Writer: Kino Seitaro
Location: Chalk White Manor, on set
Narration:
Deep in the woods lies a chalk white manor—
Wherein five butlers attend to their young mistress.
HiMERU: My lady, the day has come for your seventh birthday.
I have diligently prepared a letter for you from your dear parents as well...♪
Would you like to read it? Fufufu, that will have to wait until after dinner.
Which should align just perfectly with the completion of your arithmetic work ♪
Nazuna: Midi, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t flaunt the letter so flippantly in front of the young mistress.
Didn’t I say it was to be set aside as a special treat after her birthday dinner? I’d prefer if you didn’t use it to bribe the young mistress to study. Watch your manners...
HiMERU: Oh my, the head butler. That was quite unbecoming of me...♪
Please do forgive my unmannerliness, sir.
Nazuna: Forgiven, so long as you’re coming from a place of sincerity. There’s just the five of us here, after all. Be a shame to start bickering over something so trivial.
Anyway, seems like we’re short on men for the evening preparations. I’ll take care of our young mistress here; in return could you go lend Soiree a hand?
Himeru: Understood. Although I do not enjoy working with that straight-laced man, it may serve as something to draw out my skills, will it not?
Nazuna: I’m counting on you, Midi.
Now then, my lady. Once you are finished with your studies, allow me to assist you with your preparations for this evening’s affair.
Let us make tonight’s birthday celebration the most grand as of yet!
Narrator:
But behind these butlers’ unsuspecting facade—
Are five warriors of the night, sworn to protect their young mistress from harm’s way.
Makoto: It looks to be all clear this evening as well. No irregularities to be reported.
… No, something's not quite right. Over there, by the window! Was that a prowler?
Sir! I have detected a presence by the window. Shall I deal with it tout-suite?
Nazuna: Stay on guard. It could be a trap.
What do you make of this, Strategist?
Makoto: Um… I have mentioned this several times before, but my name isn’t actually just “Strategist”...
Hm… I believe the would-be intruder to be a decoy, and the main party will attempt to infiltrate from the rear entrance.
After all, why would they be so heavily equipped if their only target is the young mistress? They look as though they’ve just stepped off a battlefield.
Izumi: Seriously, Strategist? One false move and our young mistress will pay with her life.
Makoto: Matin?! Have you been here this whole time?
Izumi: Obviously. Even a fool could tell something’s not right. The underbutlers should be making their way over here by now too.
Makoto: Hold it, didn’t I just say so earlier? My name is not just “Strategist”! I have been blessed with the name Nuit, a name with a long and honorable tradition...
Izumi: And? Listen: I’m the second-in-command to our head butler, and you’re our strategist. We’re men who work under the cloak of midnight; who cares about things like fancy names or lineage?
Makoto: But Matin...
HiMERU: Please, let us quarrel not. Proper execution of our operation should take greater precedence.
Souma: Midi, such serious behavior is the last thing that I would have expected of you— have you eaten something strange, perhaps?
HiMERU: I am not any more serious than usual. It's simply that my natural sexiness inadvertently captivates people...♪
Souma: Hmph. I fail to understand just what is so ‘sexy’ about you.
Nazuna: Men, calm yourselves. Our judgement here is key, and our cooperation is crucial.
We need to protect the young mistress even at the cost of our own lives: that’s our duty as her butlers.
Strategist, how do you suppose we deal with the intruders?
Makoto: Let me think…
Soiree and Midi should see to the extermination of the decoy. Matin and I will do battle with the main threat at the back entrance. We always have fought in pairs.
Izumi: I suppose that’ll do. There’s no need for our head butler to dirty his hands with such a trivial matter.
Nazuna: Then it’s settled. Men, take your positions. Let’s turn the tables on these scoundrels!
HiMERU & Souma: As you wish.
Souma: Hah. It seems as if they dawdle not in their approach— although, with such heavy armor as that, it is more as if they are begging to be felled.
Haah!
HiMERU: Fufu, what an excellent kick indeed. How terribly sexy of you.
Well then, I shall pay them my welcome with this throwing knife ♪
Makoto: They’re drawing closer over here too, Matin!
Gyragh! Ack, agh!
Izumi: Try not to trip over your own feet, would you? For someone so busy overanalyzing our foe’s tactics, you seriously need to step it up on the battlefield.
Whatever—choke on this, you scur! Haah!
---
Makoto: … Heheh. Looking back over the recording of the scene we filmed earlier, I’ve gotta say: I think it’s looking pretty good!
Souma: Mhm. Although Nito-dono is currently filming another scene, I would like for him to see as well.
HiMERU: Fufu. How was HiMERU’s performance?
Souma: I am still unsure of the meaning of the word “sekushii”, but…
I must say, it is well-suited to such a curious character as you, “Himeru”-dono.
HiMERU: Hmm. Though it’s vexing to be referred to as a “curious character”... The fruits of your labor showed in your being able to pronounce “sexy” correctly, Kanzaki-san.
Souma: Mhm. I must be conscious of it, else I have the ability slip hastily out of my fingers, but somehow I was able to deceive the audience in spite of that.
Izumi: …
Makoto: Uh, what did you think, Izumi-san?
Izumi: … Nope, sorry. Can we scrap this?
Makoto: Huh?! You seriously didn’t like that take, Izumi-san? Was there anything specific?
Izumi: Let me think… How about the entire scene? Everything about it felt off but sure, just let it fly over your head, Yuu-kun...
Souma: However, it is crucial that we not strain ourselves. There are plenty of “akushon” scenes among the ones we are filming now— forcing ourselves will only lead to an overall loss. I do not believe that filming again is—
Izumi: So you’re really okay with this? With showing all of your dedicated fans something less than absolute perfection?
Makoto: That’s not what he’s saying! Alright, so maybe it didn’t reach the crazy high standards you set for yourself, Izumi-san...
But we made it through the whole scene… The director gave us the OK too. I really think you’re overthinking things.
It might just be that you’re not used to filming movies or dramas, Izumi-san. Why don’t you try to put your faith in everyone on set and just act?
Everyone’s acting was great. So take it easy, okay? Just relaaax...
Izumi: … Are you serious? Can you please explain to me exactly what about that scene just now qualified as “good acting”?
Our lack of rehearsal was so obvious it was painful! It felt like we were a bunch of grade schoolers putting on a school play! The action scenes were all over the place too! And you’re seriously okay with that?
HiMERU: … Quit complaining and shut up.
Izumi: Excuse me?
HiMERU: Did you not hear HiMERU? He told you to shut up. If HiMERU could be likened to a buzzing worker bee, you would be nothing more than some worthless fly, would you not?
Izumi: You did not just call me a fly.
Makoto: (Eek! … Things seem to be pretty touch-and-go between Izumi-san and HiMERU-kun!)
(How’d those two end up like this again? I thought both of them agreed to make up?)
Collaboration with an anonymous translator.
Proofread by royalquintet and Souta.