Step Forward If You Want to Die! – Part 02

Now what? Singing out on the field would allow more people hear her, but there was already a singing event in the gym, and anyone wanting to listen to karaoke would prefer a place where they could sit.

Still, I wanted as many people as possible to hear Eu’s performance, just the way she wanted.

A performance? Right. That was an option.

“Let’s do it,” I said.

“Do what?”

“A concert!”

“But… how?”

“In return, no backing out, no matter how many people show up. Are you ready for that?”

Eu nodded firmly. I turned on my heel and headed back to the spot where the magic show had been.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” I called out to the Magic Club, who were starting to clean up, and explained the situation.

Then, I asked to borrow the speakers they’d used earlier, the ones that could blast sound at high volume. They agreed immediately.

Next, I pulled out my phone. I dialed a number I had only recently gotten.

“Hello, this is Yoshida! Yuki Yoshida.”

“Tomonori. I need a favor.”

“A-Aikawa? I can’t believe you’re calling me. That makes me so happy. What is it? I’ll do anything!”

“I need permission to use the field. The teachers don’t think highly of me, so it’s kinda hard for me to ask. You’re with Hiramatsu and Mihara, right?”

Hiramatsu and Tomonori had good standing with the teachers, so they’d probably get the permission in one shot.

“Yup. We’re watching Cinderella right now.”

“You shouldn’t be on the phone during a play.”

“You’re the one who called.”

“Anyway, can I count on you?”

“Got it! What are you planning?”

“An outdoor concert.”

I was sure Tomonori could picture the grin on my face through the phone, because she laughed out loud. Laughing that hard while watching Cinderella would probably be rude to the drama club.

---

To let as many people as possible hear Eu, I searched for someone. The school festival was nearing its end, and most of the cafés had already closed.

Where was she? Where could she be? I checked all around the school, but I didn’t run into that group anywhere.

They should be moving in numbers. I thought I’d spot them easily, but I couldn’t. I had to hurry, or the festival would be over.

Where are you, Lovely Kirara?!

On my way to the old school building, I spotted something: a girl holding a sketchbook above her head with both hands. The words written on it read: To Las Vegas.

“What are you, a hitchhiker?” I couldn’t resist the urge to comment.

The girl was short, wearing a gauntlet and plate armor. She had chestnut hair and catlike eyes. A Magiclad Girl. Wait, where was the mana siphon she was wearing around her neck? Did she notice it was causing trouble and threw it away?

“What are you up to?”

“Perfect timing. I wanted to see you too.”

“What?”

“I need you to compose a song for Eu.”

“I already have one.”

“What?”

“The leaf lady wrote the lyrics, and I composed it. It’s on a CD too.”

So that instrumental piece actually had lyrics.

“Right. Okay, Eu. Let’s use that song for the concert. I’ll handle the preparations. You just practice.”

“Okay. I’ll do that.”

“One copy costs 100,000 yen. Thanks!”

“You’d ask your friends to pay?!”

Eu went into the old school building with Haruna to practice singing. I pulled out my phone and called someone.

“Wow, you calling me? That’s unusual.”

It was Orito. His voice sounded lazy, exhausted from cooking too much yakisoba.

“How’s the yokai café?”

“Just finished. What’s up?”

“I’m looking for Kirara Hoshikawa.”

“What? She was just with Sera—oh, she’s here now. Want me to give her the phone?”

“Please.”

He didn’t bother putting me on hold. About five seconds later, an intimidating voice spoke.

“It’s me.”

I hesitated for a moment. Summoning courage, I explained my request.

“Could you hold a concert?”

If she did a concert, it would surely attract a crowd. She probably had the most drawing power in the school right now.

“I’m not in the mood for one. Bye.”

“I see. I guess I’ll just ask Sera, then.”

“You haven’t forgotten, have you? If Seraphim becomes popular…”

“She’d be picking a fight with you and the daughter of the chief. I get it. But I don’t care.”

“Is that a threat?”

“I just want to watch you perform, that’s all.”

“You ought to give me more credit. Do you really think I’d believe such a lie? Explain yourself. Who knows, I might just agree.”

I told Saras everything. Eu could speak currently and wanted to sing. She wanted as many people as possible to hear her. And I wanted to set everything up for her.

After I laid out my request, she said, “Very well. I’ll do it.”

“Really?”

“I’ve heard about Eucliwood Hellscythe’s misfortune. I wouldn’t mind helping her.”

“You really are a tsundere, huh.”

“A-Absolutely not! I’m only doing this to bring our chief back to life.”

“Ah, but thank you anyway.”

“Mm.”

With that, all that was left was to wait for the preparations to be ready. I was getting excited.

Did Eu and Haruna have to suppress this kind of feeling all the time? Thinking about it made me realize just how hard it must be to hold back your emotions.

---

Saras was holding a concert. That news alone filled the field with people. She really was that popular.

It looked like the theater performances had ended too. Tomonori and Hiramatsu in their sailor uniforms, Mihara and Anderson wearing their uniforms over their basketball jerseys, and… Orito something were all cheering in the front row.

I, now in my school uniform, was with Eu in her chiffon dress, Haruna in her plate armor and gauntlets, and Sera wearing the red skirt from her Hanako of the Toilet outfit, behind the morning assembly platform, setting up the music.

Haruna wanted to join Saras’s concert too, but if she used her voice now, it would cause chaos.

The lighting focused on a single point, illuminating the idol. Music blared from the speakers at a volume that reached the entire field.

Saras stood on the platform, holding a microphone. “Step forward if you want to die!” Her stage presence was insane.

“Kirara-tan! Kill me with your cuteness!”

They loved it. Oh, and the one who just shouted was the spiky-haired four-eyes. I thought he hated Saras.

Seeing the crowd at its peak, Eu looked tense the whole time.

“How did practice go?” I asked.

“It went fine,” Eu said. “I already practiced back when Haruna and Sera were making the CDs.”

I see. Even when she couldn’t speak, she really wanted to sing.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her hands rested over her chest, as if to keep her heart steady. I didn’t know she could get this nervous.

“Don’t worry. Miss Hellscythe sings very well,” Sera said with a smile, a gentle expression she’d never show me.

“They say at times like this, writing the character for person, 人, three times on your palm and swallowing it helps,” I added.

“Like Saul and Pippa?”

Come to think of it, Saul and Pippa were that kind of yokai.

“Your hand, please.” Sera took Eu’s pale hand and gave it a massage. “These are pressure points to release tension. You should feel a little better.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ve been looking forward to hearing those words from you,” Sera said.

I felt the same. And If I could knead Eu’s bare hand, it would be pure bliss.

Even more, I was touched just watching Eu’s unarmored hands being gently pressed.

“I wanna sing too.”

“No way. Stay put.”

Haruna frowned and slammed her notepad down.

Lovely Kirara’s song started. It wasn’t a cute, pop number. It was a rock song with English lyrics. She was rocking out loud in a ridiculously adorable outfit.

Haruna’s eyes sparkled. Unable to stay still, she dashed from behind the platform toward the audience. She had no intention of holding back her emotions at all.

When the song ended and the crowd erupted, Saras ran her fingers through her hair, sweat gleaming, and stepped down from the morning assembly platform.

“Come, Eucliwood Hellscythe. Our god. Please enjoy yourself to the fullest.” Saras went down on one knee before Eu.

The Vampire Ninjas were a race created by Eu. In that sense, calling her a god wasn’t wrong.

“Ayumu.”

“Are you scared?”

Eu shook her head. “I’m fine. I’ll do my best, so watch me.”

She didn’t smile, but I could swear there was joy in her voice. I must have been grinning like an idiot, because Saras smacked me on the back of the head.

“What the hell was that for?”

“You should be grateful. To be struck means we’re close.”

Well, yeah, you don’t just hit someone you barely know.

“So what, you’re saying you want to be close with me?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, worm!”

As Saras kept punching me, I looked up at the assembly stage. I really didn’t get this woman.

On stage, a silver-haired girl in a white chiffon dress adjusted the microphone stand. The crowd had originally come to see Saras, but even when Eu appeared, their excitement didn’t die down.

Just as Eu was about to let her angelic voice ring out, a downpour crashed down.

The sudden torrential rain sent everyone scrambling toward the school building. The lights went out, and screams echoed as the field fell into darkness.