Submarine: Epilogue - 3

[verdantgrove]

Location: Okinawa Qualifiers Stage

 

Chiaki: “♪~♪~♪” 

Kuro: “~...♪ Yo, Morisawa. How about a duet while we’ve got the chance?”

Tetora: “Ahh, that’s not fair! Morisawa-senpai just keeps stealing everything that matters to me…!”

Shinobu: “Awawa, your microphone is on, Tetora-kun! We’ll get flamed online again if you throw careless remarks like that! Don't get involved with Morisawa-senpai! Just keep your eyes only on me!1”

Midori: “That’s also gonna cause its own kind of misunderstanding…”

Keito: “You guys, be serious. Birds of a feather flock together—and as such, don’t let yourself get influenced by Ryuseitai, Kiryu. Be true to our rough-and-tough style.”

Kuro: “Hah? What’s the point of a joint performance if we’re just gonna stick to ourselves without influencin’ each other?”

Keito: “Guh… I know there’s nothing I can do about it, but nobody is listening to me this time around. It feels so lonely.”

“No, I should reflect on myself for being so naive in thinking that you guys would always listen to me.”

“I was completely ignorant to the stress you must have felt all this time, due to how I would always do as I lik—”

Kuro: “Oh, zip it! Quit lookin’ so gloomy! Don’tcha know the main rule for idols is to smile on stage? So c’mon now! ♪”

Chiaki: (Heheh, Kiryu’s incredible as always. He’s always so sincere about being an idol.)

(...I want to do the same—Let’s start from there.)

(We aren’t back to square one, and we haven't lost anything, either… We’ll go back to our baseline, and build up from scratch.)

(I’m good at that sort of thing, and I already know that everyone in Ryuseitai will work hard alongside me.)

(I’ll never, ever forget the moment you guys rushed over to help me clean up that day, like it was the most natural thing to do. It meant everything to me.)

(The heroes I’ve waited so long for had finally arrived.)

Souma: —Hm. Somehow, this atmosphere feels much like that of a grand finale.

However, there are things I do not understand, Shinkai-dono.

Kanata: yes? me?

Souma: Mhm. Even at this stage, I still do not understand what exactly you wished to do.

Being in a state in which I could not receive orders from Hasumi-dono, I desired the guidance of others—and so I did as you had asked of me.

Hasumi-dono and Kiryuu-dono are my role models, my beloved and respected seniors, and my masters.

Although the respect I hold for you is of a different variety, you play the same role for me—you are a magnificent being who is worthy of my obedience.

Therefore, I followed your orders without hesitation. I changed the very nature of the conflict unfolding in Okinawa and made it as laid-back as a variety television program.

We have won many victories in Okinawa and acquired much wealth, and so we have the ability to do that much. Our hostile adversaries, such as those at CosPro, have already retreated in order to limit their losses as well.

Moreover. Because of that, we are holding this peaceful live together. All of these results are in keeping with your request, and yet—

I do not understand your intentions. Have you simply grown tired of war, and you only wish for peace?

Kanata: hmm~, something like that.

to be honest, i let Ryuseitai move freely while Chiaki was gone. or, i should say, that is what they wanted.

Souma: Haha, so that was the kind of order you were given. Something along the lines of “While Morisawa-dono is absent, Shinkai-dono must lead Ryuseitai”, hm?

Kanata: not exactly, but it is something like that.

actually, tetora, midori, shinobu—i had them each manage Ryuseitai.

i persuaded them into doing that by subtly giving them Guidance.

that is often seen in Tokusatsu Shows. it is normal for the Focus and the Characters to change every episode.

and that is the Ryuseitai i wanted. they correctly carried out my Directions and managed Ryuseitai.

it would be a pity if the burden was forced mainly onto chiaki, or tetora, alone. hmm, that would be unreasonable, after all.

i would have liked to maintain Balance like that, so this Order i received was a good opportunity for me.

Souma: Yet it is unclear to me why the steering committee would give you such an order.

Similarly, in our case, the leader who usually holds the reins was ousted from the center of our unit— 

There appears to be a tendency to attempt to coax them into delegating their full authority to someone else. The intent behind this is unclear. 

Kanata: the Leader’s Plan of Action tends to decide the Unit’s Course of Action, after all…

don’t you think that they just wanted to try and change the Atmosphere, even if only for the duration of SS?

by doing that, they avoid people getting Stuck in a Rut. they avoid people giving up.

Souma: So that is their business strategy, then? I see; this is very typical of Ensemble Square—it is a for-profit organization, after all.

Kanata: there may be other Reasons, but by now, i am not sure… it is a relatively unimportant Point.

what is important is that i made Ryuseitai act Freely, even if only Temporarily.

by doing so, i was Controlling all of them by making good Use of the Power i had gained.

i gave my Children casual Guidance… and on top of that, i gave you Orders as if i am someone extraordinary.

Souma: You are, in truth, extraordinary, so I see no issue in you carrying yourself as though you are. Rather, I feel quite strange hearing you, whom I love and respect, abase yourself as such.

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The first half of this chapter was translated by 310mc.

TL Notes: 

1: Alongside the switch to no ninja-talk while on stage, Shinobu uses "boku" here instead of his usual "sessha" (the more ninja way to refer to oneself)