A
light sound came out of the speakers.
The
song was an idol song from a year or two ago. It is a representative song of
the unit whose costumes Hana and Marika wear. The song was chosen because all
the members knew it and it was relatively easy to sing.
During
the prelude, Lucille returns to the back and Chisato takes a deep breath.
The
first phrase was sung by just one person.
Chisato
sang hard with her lovely voice, which was not like a man's.
At
that moment, the space around them changed.
Suddenly,
a wall appeared in the middle of nowhere, blocking the edge of the crowd. There
was another wall and a heavy door about a meter in front of the entrance.
Above
is the ceiling. And spotlights illuminate the venue.
If
examined closely, the textures of the objects may seem cheap, but the scale of
the work is more than adequate, or even better than expected. This much is
achieved without adding dynamic images and sounds. In other words, Riko's
[Illusion] has not been neglected in her training, even though it has not had a
chance to be active recently.
And
when she hears someone's voice saying, "Wow," she feels a little
superior.
**a
「Wait
a minute, isn't someone other than the representative supporting them?」
「No
problem. It's just an illusion, not an ability that affects the mind. There is
no direct influence on the representative, and this is not a competition but an
entertainment during the interval」
In
response to Kaname's protests, Kaede replied. Apparently Kaede sensed that
Riko's ability was not emanating from the power of mental manipulation, or
vectors. For once, Chihiro is grateful for her sister.
And
the point of appeal is not over yet.
The
remaining three singers sing in unison, and then the dance begins.
『Izumi-kun
is the vocalist. You don't have to dance, just sing』
『Are
you sure?』
『Yes.
We'll do the dancing』
That
was the instruction Chihiro received from Marika beforehand, but the reason was
simple. Chihiro and Chisato can't keep up with Marika and the others' dancing.
――To
be honest, their dance was not that of mere amateurs.
Lucille,
who was positioned at the back of the center of the stage, seemed to be in a
position where it was difficult for her to move, but she leaped in front of
Chihiro while stepping beautifully with Hana, then came back and put her hand
on Chihiro's shoulder, then moved to the left and right to get involved with
Marika and the others.
The
knowledge and repertoire of the dancers were covered by their [Genius]-like
sense and mobility.
Marika
and Hana's moves were also quite impressive. Marika, who used to aspire to be
an idol, had a good sense of rhythm, although she may have had a long absence.
Hana also borrowed Ayase's [Pretending] to maximize her appeal.
「What
is this? These girls aren't professionals, are they?」
「Wait,
the girl in the middle is cute, but she's a boy, right?」
The
mixture of admiration and bewilderment in their voices made me feel that I had
done it.
Almost
everyone knew that Kaname was an idol. However, when Chihiro and the others,
who had thought they were just ordinary students until then, gave such an outstanding
performance, it was a surprise.
That's
exactly what Chihiro and the others are aiming to surprise and get people's
attention.
Besides...
（Nii-san.
This is so fun）
（Yeah）
At
the center of Marika's group, the siblings' hearts were pounding with passion,
including the excitement of catching a glimpse of a new side of their friends.
The
rhythm of the music and the flow of air created by the dance was pleasant.
Naturally,
not only Chihiro and Chisato but also the other three were smiling.
They
are not afraid to move their bodies. Once they concentrate on the performance
and forget their shame, the only thing that remains is a sense of togetherness.
Chihiro
is just a bystander, but before long he is absorbed in the performance.
He
noticed that most of the audience was looking at him happily.
Soon
after the first song was over, they started the second song.
Since
they haven't practiced much, this second song is the end of their performance.
**b
『Thank
you, everyone』
Suddenly
a voice by [Telepathy] is heard, and Chisato glances at Marika.
The
petite girl looks forward, talking to the members without stopping her
choreography and lip-synching.
『I'm
glad I joined. It's been a long time since I've danced like this』
『...Hmm』
『That
was nice』
Lucille
and Hana's voices, which contained some deep emotion, echoed in succession.
（Look,
Nii-san too）
Chisato
is urging Chihiro with her singing voice.
Fortunately,
Chihiro's voice reached Marika as he put his heart into it, not knowing whether
he could let his heart's voice be heard when he was withdrawn inside.
『Let's
sing, Hazuki-senpai』
『Izumi-kun?』
『It
doesn't matter if only we can hear it. I want to hear Hazuki-senpai's song』
Marika
turned around.
When
she looks at Chisato as if to ask her if it's okay, Chisato nods.
『...Okay』
A
few seconds later, the song of the angel overlapped with the fourth voice in
Chihiro and the others' brains.
Maria
and the others who had interacted with Marika to some extent squinted in
fascination at the voice, which was so transparent because it was not mixed
with any noise.
――And
then, like a wave, the reaction spread little by little throughout the entire
room.
It
was transmitted.
Marika's
[telepathy] is being transmitted to those who have just met today.
It
is not a miracle.
The
distance of correspondence of [Telepathy] is proportional to the closeness to
the other person.
And
singing is a communication tool.
If
the sight of Chihiro and Marika's singing, and the sight of Marika trying to
convey the song with her mouth, moved the crowd even a little, it is enough to
let her voice reach them at this close distance.
Well,
Chihiro didn't calculate that much to get Marika to do that.
Thanks
to this, the mini live performance by the representative members of Shibahou
Academy was a great success.
After
the second song, [Illusion] in the live venue disappeared amidst a moderate
applause. Riko later said, "That was so exhausting. I don't want to do it
again for a while if I can help it," but her cooperation surely
contributed to the excitement of the event.
After
bowing to the audience, Chihiro and the other four slowly exited the stage.
They
returned the microphones to the competition staff and returned to the crowd
with Aika, who was in charge of the sound system.
**c
「Thank
you very much. I think both schools gave great performances in between the
battles.... Are there any other schools that would like to participate?」
In
response to the staff's question, the student council president of Shibakkou
shook his head on behalf of the two schools.
「No.
After seeing such a wonderful performance, we are not willing to follow them.
Rather, we are eager to compete」
「Yes.
Now, let's move on to the third event」
Apparently,
someone had the ability to set up a special stage. The stage disappeared at the
same time as the voice of the management staff, and a small box appeared in its
place.
On
the box was a red button. It was the one for answering quizzes often seen on
TV.
「The
third event is [Word Seeking]. You have to find the balls hidden throughout the
school building, guess the sentences from the letters written on the balls, and
answer the questions with that answer button. Each school will have three
chances to answer. Do you understand?」
The
place is quiet and only the voices of the staff members are heard, and Kaname's
eyes turn to Chihiro and the others.
The
emotion in her eyes is hatred.
Is it because she has been interrupted in her
mission, or is something else affecting her? She silently tells them that she
will not let things continue as they are.
