81 - Episode 7: Formation! An Idol Unit That's Too New-Age!
Meanwhile, at Rubes and the others' base.
"Heeeee-choo!"
In a corner of the hut they had been assigned, the Three Idiots were sneezing loudly.
"Did you catch a cold?"
"I hate it, all three of us at once."
"I've chilled through after the bath."
The idiots were all gathered together, worrying about their health, but it was a useless concern.
Now, as for Shannon, who had been seen naked during the bathhouse incident.
"I was seen, I was seen, I was seen, I was seen..."
She was sitting in a fetal position in the corner of the hut, burying her face in her knees. She had already been depressed like this for about thirty minutes. Seeing this, Later spoke up with an exasperated expression.
"Hey, cheer up already. It's fine, it's not like you lost anything. Contrary to your face, your little guy was quite impressive. Hold your head high, hold it high."
"Now, now, Ray. Some people have a complex about being big, so it can't be helped. Especially at that age. Right, Shannon-kun?"
"I'm a girl...!"
The two guys spoke with lukewarm, concerned gazes, but Shannon glared back and countered with stubbornness. To Shannon's claim, which sounded more like a cry from the soul than mere stubbornness, Marianne crossed her arms and thought meaningfully.
"Hmm..."
"What's wrong, Marie?"
"For someone who let out such a gag-worthy scream, she recovered quickly."
"No, I was surprised because it was so sudden, but thinking about it, isn't this a delicious character trait in its own way? I think an otokonoko is a great idea."
This woman's karma is as deep as ever...
Those thoughts were meaningful, but they were about something utterly useless.
"Besides... it seems there are some circumstances, right?"
"..."
When Marianne turned her gaze to Shannon and asked again, Shannon eventually let out a sigh as if resigning herself.
"Sorry... it's gross, isn't it...?"
What is?
"Eh?"
However, Shannon, who had asked, was surprised by the question that came back without a moment's hesitation.
"Um, insisting you're a girl even though you have a man's... thing..."
After the Three Idiots tilted their heads for a while, Geoglyph clapped his hands as if realizing something.
"Ah. Right, this is the Middle Ages. Moreover, it's the dark ages long before people started loudly preaching about diversity and other outdated ideas from a position of superiority."
"Ah... I see. A target for persecution."
"That is true. It is something we have been familiar with since long ago, but if the values are like those of medieval Europe..."
After all, medieval values, when compared to Earth, were from an era where inquisitions were common. To be precise, witch hunts continued into the early modern period, but in any case, it was a dark age where anything different from the norm could be labeled heresy in the name of God, and even if it wasn't, they would label you, torture you until you confessed, hold a one-sided trial, and the result was usually execution by fire by default.
Not just in Europe, there is no way that lukewarm ideas like human rights or humanity would be the basic framework in the Middle Ages. Though, the common people were also mostly running wild in a Hyahhaa-like manner.
Now, this world isn't quite that extreme, but it is still a world where scientific technology hasn't evolved much. Therefore, theoretical refutation is also difficult. Certainly, an existence where one cannot tell if they are a man or a woman would be an incomprehensible existence to the average person in this world.
However.
The Three Idiots here are people who have used their otaku culture from their toes to the top of their heads, including futanari, otokonoko, and TS, despite the factions and disputes. Their individual impression was that while it's a rare character, it's not exactly non-existent, right?
Well, not limited to subculture, such genres have existed in Japan since very long ago, even being depicted in shunga from the Edo period.
"I... was originally a girl. At least during the day."
Perhaps because they showed no rejection, Shannon... no, she began to talk about her circumstances in a halting manner.
Originally, she was born and raised as a female. Therefore, her gender identity is female, and normally her body is also female. However, seven years ago... when she was eight years old, her life changed completely after she touched a certain piece of armament.
What she showed them was the blue spear she possessed. It was roughly 170 centimeters from the butt to the tip, about one head longer than Shannon's height. It had decorations that looked like flickering flames in key places and was somewhat sinister.
"The Magic Spear, Bartholomew. This is a magic tool with the ability of Phenomenon Reversal."
"Phenomenon Reversal? Amazing, it's a conceptual weapon."
"Conceptual weapon? What's that?"
"A weapon that twists the laws of the world and forces its own laws upon the world."
"It can't do something that amazing. It can only reverse the force or the flow of force coming toward it."
"Come to think of it, she was bouncing back arrows that flew at her."
That was the force that returned the arrows to their owners during Rubes and the others' attack. It doesn't have the versatility its name suggests and seems limited, but the Three Idiots thought that being able to manipulate vectors is still strong.
"It has a similar atmosphere to Sensei's staff... what was it called, Ul-something?"
"Night Sky's Sovereignty, Ultuna. It was just something rolling around at my parents' house, so it doesn't have a special ability like that."
"Just being able to withstand Geo's amount of magic is abnormal enough."
At Later's words, Geoglyph also took out his great staff. It was about the same length as his height, and the decorative part was shaped like a distorted crescent moon, and it was indeed somewhat sinister. It certainly had the same atmosphere as Shannon's Bartholomew, but as far as Geoglyph had investigated, this great staff had no such special ability.
However, perhaps because it was made by a master craftsman, a tattered appraisal document was attached, and it was revealed that the staff's name was Night Sky's Sovereignty, Ultuna.
Furthermore, perhaps because she liked the sound of it, it was a recent occurrence that Latia happily gave him a nickname, saying, 'Then Geo, who holds the Sovereignty, is the Demon King of the Night Sky!'
For the sake of his honor, it should be noted here that Geoglyph's common sense from his previous life was writhing in discomfort at the itchiness on his back.
Anyway.
"But, because of this spear... I was cursed..."
When Shannon said this with a sorrowful expression.
"Understood. It's a forced TS. Moreover, a reversible TS with conditions. I wonder if the condition is day and night? During the day, the original gender of female, and at night, becoming male... is that about it?"
"As expected of the walking 18+ material, you're knowledgeable. For people like us whose range of interest is outside that, there are too many derivatives and factions, so it's confusing... though I could talk forever about the degree of kemono-ness."
"That's true. I could also talk forever about annihilation engines, degenerate reactors, wave engines, dimensional connection systems, or phase transition engines. At most, the amount an average person touches is probably about half of that legendary manga artist's work. Core otaku stuff like explosive space-time and such. So, Shannon is usually a girl? And you only become a boy at night."
"Um... that's right, but..."
Shannon was the one who couldn't keep up with the understanding of the Three Idiots, who showed comprehension at super speed. From her perspective, she probably thought it was only natural to be avoided, found creepy, or even treated as a monster.
However, these Three Idiots, as mentioned before, are subculture specialists, otaku, though their tastes differ. Moreover, they are old types who experienced the persecution period, the witch hunts, during their sensitive adolescence. A little bit of heresy now doesn't shake them at all.
"Hey, why is your understanding so fast...?"
Eh? It's normal these days.
"Foreign countries are so advanced..."
That is not the case. Simply, the Three Idiots' range of interest is too wide, and even in modern Japan, there are cases where understanding is not shown.
"Then, Shannon. I will treat you as a girl from now on, is that alright?"
"Eh, u-um. It would be helpful and I'd be happy if you did that, but..."
Marianne declared this while clapping her hands and letting her mouth loosen into a grin, and Shannon nodded timidly. Seeing this, the two idiots who sensed various things shrugged their shoulders in exasperation.
"Hey, Sensei. This idiot is thinking of something bad again."
"Hmm... well, I think it's fine. The partner isn't Latia."
"That's true. I don't mind as long as the partner isn't Kazuha."
"Now, you idiots over there! It's girl time now! Get out of here! House, house!"
As expected, Marianne kicked Geoglyph and Later out of the hut, and while protests like 'Wait! Where are we supposed to sleep!?' and 'I'll make sure the princess skips breakfast tomorrow!?' could be heard, Marianne ignored them.
With a smile like the Cheshire Cat, she turned back to Shannon and thrust her hand into her storage magic...
"Now, it's time for the costume fitting...!"
"Hieee...!"
She pounced on the frightened Shannon with clothes in one hand.
This woman is truly faithful to her desires.
●
The city's number one tavern was wrapped in an unusual heat.
The Rainbow's Edge Inn, which can accommodate the most customers among the taverns in the city of Sade. It is among the long-established shops in the city, and by coordinating with the adjacent inn district, it expanded the shop, eventually reaching a scale of over two hundred seats.
That tavern is now facing a period of transformation.
The chairs were removed, the tables were pushed to the corners of the walls, and the customers focused their attention on the stage... a place that used to be a platform. It had been expanded before they knew it, lighting magic tools were installed, various equipment was lined up, and several people were there.
And a man standing beside the stage... Rubes, in a tuxedo and bow tie, took a deep breath.
"Ladiiiiiiies! Aaaaand! Gentlemeeeeen!!"
He spat out an incredible rolling R into the amplification magic tool, the microphone, in his hand.
Furthermore, neither he nor the customers understood the meaning of the words. They seemed to recognize it as something like an introduction or a preamble. Some were first-timers, and some were asking the veterans who were nodding with knowing faces, and they were convinced when told that while the meaning is unknown, it is something that announces the beginning. One could also say they have been completely trained.
"Hey, you lot! Thanks for coming! Tonight, the Serious Breakers have come to the city of Sade! They're fired up to make you hot with a setlist that will blow away this damp season!!"
As Rubes hyped them up, the veteran audience members began to shout and whistle. The first-timers, while confused, began to ride the wave of this enthusiasm.
"Now, I'll introduce the crazy members!?"
As Rubes raised his right arm, the lighting technician operated the magic tool to cast a spot on a part of the stage.
"Physical labor where rhythm runs! Roar, muscles! Scatter, sweat! The Red Ogre carves the beat today as well! Furry fan? Drummer? No, Later!!"
Later, sitting in front of several drums, ran his sticks and hit them as a greeting. His red ponytail went wild, and he certainly looked like a Red Ogre.
"I am the bassist. Echo, low tones! Demon King of the Night Sky! Geoglyph Triad!! But please spare my mother!?"
The next spot hit Geoglyph. As he stroked the modified lute in his hand, the low tones echoed, truly like the roar of a Demon King.
"That beautiful voice, truly the singing voice of an angel. The silver angel who descended upon Albestein! Marianne Romanette!!"
The next spot hit Marianne, who stood in front of the microphone stand with a guitar in her hand. Unlike Later and Geoglyph who were in their everyday clothes, she had changed into a thin red dress, so an especially thick voice rose from the audience, and she responded with blown kisses and such. This woman is totally into it.
Furthermore, the audience probably doesn't dream that her inside is a middle-aged man who is a yuri pig.
"And and! Another singing angel who forms a pair with Miss Marie is here! The Azure Valkyrie! Sha----non----!!"
The last spot hit Shannon.
Wearing a blue frilly dress to pair with Marianne, she held a microphone in her hand. She seemed to be on the verge of tears, but that also seemed to invite a protective instinct, as the thick cheers did not stop at all. Furthermore, the reason for the frilly dress was said to be Marianne's taste and because it's easy to hide the body lines.
"They are the elusive Serious Breakers, who dare to challenge an unreasonable world and might be reliable! Whenever you want to get hot, just let us know!!"
And the instrumental for the first song of the day began.
"What on earth am I doing...?"
Just before the singing started, Shannon's quiet mutter, as she suddenly came to her senses, melted and disappeared into the cheers of the enthusiastic audience.
●
"Wow, we made a killing today too! I'm already earning more than my main business of peddling!"
"Right! I never thought a music performance would be this profitable!"
"Kufufunufu. That's why I told you, didn't I? That I'd break the serious."
In a room of an inn they had rented as a dressing room, the loud laughter of Morgus, Rubes, and Marianne echoed.
Now, about six days have passed since the 'Is Shannon-chan attached? Not attached? Incident'. After that, Marianne combined the magic tools she had on hand with Morgus's products to create instruments, microphones, and lighting magic tools using alchemy.
And, while practicing on the way along the road, they promoted themselves like a chindonya, and made money by performing lives, which were performances in the name of entertainment, in the villages and towns they stopped at.
Currently, the political situation of the Albestein Kingdom is not good. While there are people like Rubes who are struggling, considering the current situation where the national structure is maintained, the economy is rotating to some extent.
Marianne noticed that and decided to collect money by providing entertainment.
The audience, who at first gathered just out of curiosity, became deeply hooked, attracted by the beauty and singing voices of Marianne and Shannon.
After all, they didn't cut corners on the performance. The setlist Marianne created consisted of anime songs and game songs from start to finish, and because Geoglyph and Later, who were laughing and acting out, mixed in other genres, it became quite chaotic.
Since the meaning of the words might not be understood as they are, they localized them to some extent, but if there were any reincarnators among the audience, they would definitely spray their drinks out of their mouths because it's breaking the serious worldview of another world to that extent.
"I thank you, Boss, Miss. Thanks to you, I can support my family."
That said, for Rubes and Morgus, who don't know such background, the results are everything.
For Morgus, it's a seed for a new business, and for Rubes, it's new work for his family.
"This is only the beginning. We cannot stand on the stage forever. This unit is temporary, so it's only until the Radock territory. We have to think of the next step."
"Our kids, right?"
At Rubes's question, Marianne nodded quietly.
His family... the families of the former bandits have many girls. Originally, the gender ratio was equal, but rather than letting them be in the bandit business, he sent the boys out to serve as apprentices to acquaintances' craftsmen or merchants to reduce the number of mouths to feed. The receiving side also welcomed the boys with open arms if they were apprentices with potential, as a way to resolve labor shortages.
On the other hand, it's the girls for whom it's hard to find someone to take them in.
Boys are still okay. Male labor is in demand wherever you go, and as long as you don't pick a specific job, it's not impossible for even a child to eat. If they apprentice under some craftsman, they can secure at least basic food, clothing, and shelter, and acquire a skill. Eventually, independence would be within sight.
But in the case of girls, it doesn't work that way. Even if it's discriminatory treatment in modern Earth, with a medieval-style sense of ethics, gender difference bares its fangs directly.
Since this world still has magic, if they have the aptitude, they can polish their combat ability more than a mediocre man, but girls who don't have that are treated as the absolute bottom unless they have a family with a family business.
For them to survive, their options are limited to serving in cheap, steady, and surprisingly heavy labor like seamstress work or as maids, or establishing themselves in the pleasure district. Yes, the options are truly narrow. And the receiving side is not necessarily in a position of abundance.
To put it harshly, they are weak in power, have less physical strength than boys of the same generation, and since a debuff is forcibly applied every month due to their monthly cycle, their performance drops, making them difficult to use in the market. Unless there are special circumstances between individuals, it's only natural that the user would think, 'If I want the same work, a boy is fine'. It can be called a natural judgment for the side paying the same cost.
It would be different if they had brains that more than made up for it, but there's no way that the majority of girls have such specialty. If it were an era of abundance, perhaps, but this world doesn't have the leeway to find them, educate them, and find their value, and therefore they are lumped together and discarded.
Those who remained with Rubes and the others were such girls.
However, through this incident, a path has opened for them as well.
"There were several children who seemed like they would shine if they were fed properly and given lessons. It's a crash course, but there's still no one who has thought of such entertainment. In a blue ocean, profits should come even while raising them from scratch."
"The privilege of the pioneer, as they say. Of course, the Morgus Company will provide full support."
"And eventually, taking the 'idols' we've raised and running all over the continent... huh. Not bad."
"Yes! And Rubes! You will become the world's first producer!!"
"Ha! That's far more dreamy than being shut in a mine all day! I'll do it, Miss! I'll gather all the kids with nowhere to go and make every single one of them shine with these hands...!!"
"That's the spirit! The password is, I choose you, idol!! (T/N: Reference to Pokemon's 'Gotta catch 'em all!')"
The idiot raised his arm and shouted, and Morgus and Rubes followed with 'I choose you!'. This woman is truly beyond help in many ways.
"Hey, Sensei. That idiot intends to master idols in real life. The vibe is Pokemon."
"Most likely, it comes from the desire to gather girls who giggle with effort, friendship, and victory, and secretly watch them from the background... but considering the aspect of saving the weak in this world, it's not entirely wrong..."
Later and Geoglyph, who were watching from a distance in the same room, looked exasperated, but looking back at the results, they couldn't really find fault.
Geoglyph was a politician in his previous life, and in this life, he is from a lord's lineage.
Therefore, worrying about the situation, he took measures such as suggesting to his father to increase the number of orphanages, at least within the territory, and pretending to be a teacher at those orphanages. But it was only up to the territory, and creating innovative jobs that transcend that was difficult in terms of authority.
Yet Marianne, with a merchant's perspective and method, quickly created one job. The motive is impure, and it's so full of desire that it's almost refreshing, but still, the number of girls who will be saved in the future will certainly increase.
If beautiful girls become idols and the pie they fight over decreases even a little, vacancies will be created in the work that conventional girls do, and a way to live will remain even for those who are not beautiful.
For the nuclear warhead of our group, the Serious Breakers, she's doing a surprisingly good job, Geoglyph honestly admired, but on the other hand, there was a girl who suffered.
"Ugh, ugh... I've been defiled... I can't get married anymore..."
It was Shannon. She was sitting in the corner of the room, hugging her knees, with the highlights gone from her eyes, muttering something.
"This one is in critical condition on her end."
"Just get used to it already, Azure Valkyrie."
"Don't call me by that name! Why do I have to be a sideshow!!"
That said, this scene was also on its sixth day, so when the two idiots, who were already completely used to it, treated her roughly, an angry Shannon shouted.
"Well, that's because you're the one who told Boss Morgus to help everyone, right?"
"The law of the initiator. It doesn't make sense to impose a burden on others and then do nothing yourself. If you didn't want to put your body on the line, you shouldn't have spoken up from the start."
"These people are usually crazy, but it's cruel how they suddenly hit me with sound logic...!"
At that time, Shannon had asked Morgus to help without thinking much, but looking back calmly, that was the case. Without any authority, without promising support as a noble, she had just emotionally said she wanted them to be helped. It's a wonder Morgus didn't get angry. Despite the fact that she tried to push all the burden onto him.
She was pointed this out by Marianne and reflected on it. But who could have imagined that she would be taken advantage of and forced to stand on stage in a frilly outfit, singing and dancing. At least Shannon didn't think so, and when the talk of this entertainment came up, she refused several times.
But each time, she was logically cornered by the Three Idiots and ended up as the star of every performance with tears in her eyes, and now she even has a fan club.
Furthermore, a fan club was also formed for the pairing partner, Marianne, and she herself is enthusiastic, saying 'It's time to earn!', and is making money through handshake events and merchandise sales. She is a woman with a strong commercial spirit.
"Helping someone, you know. It's not as easy as you think. That's why even if we have the power, we try not to wield it easily for anything other than ourselves."
"When you wield power, take responsibility until the end. If you stick your nose in with half-hearted determination, both sides just end up unhappy."
The Three Idiots know this from their experience in their previous lives.
Getting by on momentum is only for when you're young... and only when there are adults to help you. When you become an adult and move to the side of helping, you first realize. That the reason you could force things and be reckless back then was because some adult helped you.
Therefore, including as a reminder to themselves, they made rules and follow them. It's true they have hero-class power by this world's standards, but that doesn't mean they can do everything as they wish. That's why they do what they can, and with the remaining energy, they laugh loudly and live for their hobbies.
That is how they keep their feet on the ground in this other world and become independent as residents of this world... that is what they thought.
"You guys... why are you so strong?"
For some reason, such a mature or old-fashioned way of living looked dazzling to Shannon, and she unintentionally voiced that question.
"That's because we have things we've accumulated."
"I'll tell you this because it would be troublesome to be misunderstood, but we were originally ordinary people and worldly people. We just became strong by looking ahead because we were aware of that, we weren't like that from the start..."
Just as Geoglyph spoke those admonishing words.
"And I will create a garden of yuri!!"
Some idiot let out a shout full of worldly desires.
"Ordinary and worldly? Not eccentrics and weirdos?"
That one was like that from the start.
The two idiots shook their heads, asking not to be lumped together, but they were fifty steps and a hundred steps apart. Only the direction of their tastes differed, and like calls to like, idiots call idiots.
"Anyway, it's only until we reach the Radock territory, so bear with it a little."
While enduring the awkwardness, Geoglyph told her that, and Shannon realized. The Three Idiots were originally aiming for the Empire. She also knows that they are looking for people from time to time.
"What do you plan to do? From now on."
"We'll return to the Empire, but the problem is the three girls..."
"That's true. But we haven't gathered any reliable information until we came here, so it might be better to just return honestly for now. Unexpectedly, unlike us, they might be waiting at the base in the Imperial Capital without having transferred."
"The companions, what were they called again?"
"Yeah. Important ones, right."
"Well, whatever happens, it's only about two backstreets, right? Once we get there, we're not doing idols anymore, so it's better to enjoy ourselves."
Blown to an unknown land, separated from important people... and yet still able to laugh and enjoy themselves, Shannon looked at them with wonder.