VS★GOURMET – Flood of Customers (Chapter 1–7)

Characters

Writer

Akira

Translation

310mc

Proofreading

ryuseipuka

Chapter Index

Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Ch 7 - Translation Notes

Chapter 1

Season: Spring (2nd year of ES’s Establishment)

That night, in the Gourmet District’s vegetable fields…

Dear Aira-san.

A few days have passed since I was sent to the fields.

Fufu, at first, when I was sent to such a remote area… I was at a loss about what to do, and simply gripped onto the amulet charm Aira-san gave me.

However, as I awoke alongside the sunrise, and made conversation with fate… My body and soul became purified, and I’m now growing to enjoy life here, bit by bit.

Thinking that perhaps, settling here wouldn’t be such a bad life either… Juuust perhaps. ♪

If you’re ever nearby, Aira-san, please do come visit my home.

It may be just a tiny tent, but I’ll be sure to treat you with fresh vegetables to the best of my ability… Sincerely, yours truly.

…I really don’t think it’ll be possible for you to settle down here, y’know?

Eeep, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorryyy! I’m at fault for indulging in delusions just because there’s nobody around!

…Wait, ehhh!? C-Chiaki-san!? Why are you here…!?

Is this a hallucination after passing so much time in this place…?

My mind could no longer bear with the solitude, and so I began to hallucinate Chiaki-san for my benefit…?

No, I’m no hallucination. What exists here is undoubtedly the actual Morisawa Chiaki.

…You see, on the third day’s screening, I was sent to the fields. I just arrived here a moment ago, after being guided by the staff.

“Sending to the fields” is exactly what it sounds like, huh? I didn’t expect there to be a vegetable garden within Gourmet District.

I-Indeed. I was also surprised.

So, what am I supposed to do here?

I was told by the staff that there’s a guide out here in the field, so I should ask them for guidance, but…

Ayase, you’ve been here for a few days, so surely you know what we’re supposed to do. Could you let me know?

H-Hah…

Ermm… We primarily do field work here, under the name of ‘assistance’.

Field work…

Could it be that if we’re sent here, it’ll be much harder to return back to the audition…?

No, I don’t think so. The ‘assistance’ work isn’t particularly difficult either, so at most it’d be missing out on one day.

Ahh—! That’s good to hear…!

Wait, no. Missing out would only be a drawback, so that isn’t good…

…Mm? Hold on; if that’s the case, then why are you still in the fields?

T-The truth is, I’ve already completed my ‘assistance’ work to return to the contest, but I’ve chosen to stay heree…

Life on the fields surprisingly suits how I operate, for some reason…♪

I-Is that so. Well, if you’re here under your own will, then I won’t insist on anything…

By the way, regarding that ‘assistance’… What exactly are we meant to do in order to return to the audition?

Fufu. It really is simply the typical field work. Watering, gardening, and harvesting crops…

Also, I was told that it’s alright to use the crops you’ve gathered for your own cooking, and it’s also possible to sell them for management funds.

Since crops won’t fully grow within the audition period, they constantly replace them with ripened seeds while we’re working in the fields.

It’s as if we’re inside a gardening game, so to speak.

Hm. That’s a big help.

I thought it’d just take away all my time and bring nothing but drawbacks, but… There was another aspect to it, huh?

It seems that from the very start, being sent to the fields is not just a penalty, but also a form of aid.

You can obtain ingredients without using up your funds… So actually, it shouldn’t be impossible to gain more profit here.

Alright! If that’s the case, it’d be a waste to spend my time just standing around idly. Let’s start doing field work without delay…!

Huh? Right now?

The sun has already set, and it’s dangerous to work with gardening tools in the dark, you know? How about starting tomorrow morning…?

It’s alright. I could pluck weeds or water the crops… It can even be simple tasks like that. I just have to start doing something straight away!

E-Even if it were simple tasks, it’s so dark that you can’t even see what’s directly in front of you. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do right now.

But I can’t afford to take it slow and—…

What will you do if you push yourself and end up getting injured here?

There’s no need to be in a hurry; it’ll be alright, Chiaki-san.

It’ll be alright…? How can you say that it’ll be alright?

Of course I’d be in a hurry! I’m nothing but a failure right now!

As I stay here, the gap between me and top rankers just grows wider and wider…!

If I don’t put even a little bit of forced effort here… I’ll never catch up with the top…!

I can’t stand the thought of it coming to an end without getting a chance to do anything!

C-Chiaki-san…

…………

…Haha, I accidentally raised my voice. I’m sorry…

How pathetic of me… I keep telling myself that this isn’t the time to be in low spirits, but today’s results really came as a shock to me.

I had tried my absolute best to come up with a strategy in my own way…

But at this rate, I’m going to end up with an outcome that I won’t be able to bear facing everyone in Ryuseitai with.

Shit! Just remembering today’s results makes me so ashamed of myself…

When did I become this pathetic?

…Ahh, what’s wrong with you, Morisawa Chiaki! Aren’t you a hero?

If you are, then you should laugh in the face of this adversity and stand back up immediately. And then—

And then…… What am I supposed to do?

…Chiaki-san. How about we rest for today, okay?

What you need right now is time to calm your heart.

…………

Chapter 2

The next day, early morning. Gourmet District’s vegetable fields.

—Inhaaaaale… Exhaaaale… (Breathe in, breathe out)

……Mm.

(The clean air is so serene, it feels nice. My mind feels clearer now.)

(I wonder if it’s because there’s a lot of greenery in this field?)

(I somehow feel like it’s been a while since I got to take a deep breath…)

(I see… So all along, I had even forgotten to properly breathe…)

(I must’ve strained myself more than I can handle.)

(Ever since the audition began, I kept feeling like I can’t show an unsightly side of myself, that I have to be the leading role — all so that I maintain my role as a hero…)

(That might’ve been how I subconsciously put myself under so much pressure.)

(I have to express my gratitude to Ayase — for facing me directly, and then stopping me.)

(I’m sure if I kept on going in such a panicked rush, I would’ve collapsed at some point.)

…………

The red flame is the mark of justice. The sun of life, burning bright red. Ryusei Red, Morisawa Chiaki……

—Alright.1

Yaaawn… Good morning… Chiaki-san.

GOOD MOOOOORNING! ☆

Hahii—!? G-G-G-Good morniiinggg!?

Fuhahaha. Did that surprise you? My voice came out louder than I thought it’d be!

…………

I’m sorry about yesterday! And also, thank you!

Thanks to you making me rest, all the panicked rush from yesterday faded from me like it never happened.

And so, I was able to face myself properly.

Because of that, I’m brimming with energy today! ☆

Fufu, that’s exactly how Chiaki-san’s meant to be…♪

To me, I think it’s just right for you to be dazzling like the sun, to the point that being besides you feels unbearable.

Huh—? Could it be that my presence is a nuisance to you, Ayase…!?

No, no, no no!? That’s completely wrong! Entirely not the case! I didn’t mean it that waaay…!

Sobs… sobs, sobs…

Mm? Hold on a moment. Do you hear someone crying…?

Eh?

…………

…You’re right. Is it coming from this direction?

I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry……

I won’t do anythin’ bad anymore, so please forgive me, I beg of you…!

Why… do I always end up doin’ a bad deed… sniffles…

Hojo-kun? Why are you here…!?

Uu… Chiaki-oniisan and Mayomayo Onii-san…?

What on earth happened…?

Y’see—…

Time passes…

Ah, so that’s what happened… I never imagined that you’d get sent to the fields for breaking the rules…

Uuu… I’m so sorry…

Yesterday, I used flowers to make my fried eggs look cute…

But it seems that bringin’ flowers from the hotel’s lobby counts as ‘theft’, so it was not allowed…

Then, the next morning, the staff came to my hotel room as I was sleepin’, and brought me here…

I see… Hojo-kun, what’s done is done; there’s nothing you can do about it now.

Let’s properly reflect, and then apologize to the hotel staff once we’re back.

Besides, maybe it’s a little off to put it this way, but… Being sent to the fields is still a much more preferable outcome, y’know?

In the worst case, you could’ve been disqualified from 4piece.

Indeed. Nice-P had strictly expressed that such acts are prohibited, after all.

However, Raika-san… Stealing is a crime. No matter the circumstances, you mustn’t do that, okay?

If you don’t follow the rules, you’ll be shunned out of society…

I don’t want such an adorable child such as Raika-san to taste the hardship and loneliness that I do.

While I was fortunate… because everyone from ALKALOID and ES stretched their hands out to me—

It is not a guarantee that everyone will encounter such luck.

If you take one wrong step, you may lose those who are important to you… and become someone who will forever live in solitude, you know?

Uu, uu… sniffs. I’m so, so sorry…!

Alright! Then how about you make a pinky swear with us! ☆

Pinky swear…?

I’ll hook Hojo-kun’s and Ayase’s fingers like this, and…

Pinky swear, whoever lies will be made to swallow a thousand needles—

A thousand needles!? No, I beg you to spare me from that at least…! If I swallow that, my stomach will tear open!

Exactly. You don’t want to swallow something like that, right? So don’t steal anymore, okay? It’s a promise between men! ☆

H…Heh-heeeh~…! (Prostrates on his knees with his hands forward)

Alright, then how about we start with the ‘assistance’ work so that we can get back to the venue as soon as possible!

Understood. I’ll also do my utmost best!

I’ll help as much as I possibly can, as well…!

Fuhahaha! ☆ Having such reassuring comrades here — The future sure is bright!

Aaalright, let’s do this…!

Chapter 3

Alright then, let’s harvest all the vegetables here together…♪

—I promptly refuse!

Ehhh!? This is different from what you said five minutes ago, Chiaki-san…!?

I don’t wanna… I just don’t wannaaa…!

Umm. Where did all that vigor and energy go…?

Actually, why do you have your eyes closed?

P-Please…! Could you hide those densely ripened purple colors elsewhere!? Someplace that won’t be visible within my sight…!

Mayomayo Onii-san, what is “purple colors” supposed to be referrin’ to…?

Could it be about… eggplants?

Uuu… Everywhere I look, there’s just an abundance of eggplants! This is hell on Earth…!2

Chiaki-oniisan, are you alright? You seem very pale…?

Ghh—… Somewhat…

…If these vegetables are makin’ Chiaki-oniisan suffer, then I want to punish them!

Savin’ Chiaki-oniisan is undoubtedly a “good thing” to do, after all.

But wastin’ food is a very “bad thing” to do, so… W-What… What am I supposed to do here…!?

Ah, no. Thank you, Hojo-kun. Your feelings are enough for me.

However, this puts us in a fix. If you can’t handle them to this extent, then…

I’ve already harvested nearly all the other vegetables, and it’s still too early to harvest the rest… The only ones that are most ripened at the moment are the eggplants.

But it would be horrible to force Chiaki-san to pick them up, so how about Raika-san and I harvest them?

You can rest on the other side in the meantime, Chiaki-san.

N-No, there’s no way I could let you do that for my sake… It’d be too inexcusable of me to allow that! And in terms of the rules when being sent to the fields, it wouldn’t be a wise idea either, would it?

But…

(Breathe in, breathe out)

Just… Just give me a little bit of time! I’ll prepare myself in the meantime!

I’ll make sure to take responsibility and harvest all the field’s eggplants stretched out before me…!

Time passes…

………

I may have said that… but what on earth am I supposed to do?

(If it were that easy to overcome, I wouldn’t have struggled with them for this long…)

Shoot! This is such a hopeless situation, like an immortal final boss appearing on the very first episode of a show…

……(Watching Chiaki with worry)

Mayomayo Onii-san. Is there any way we can help Chiaki-oniisan?

I’ve been helped by Chiaki-oniisan so many times during this audition…

I want to be of help this time around…!

Indeed… I also feel the same way, but…

Ah! How about singin’ a song? Whenever I sing, I forget all about the upsettin’ and scary things.

Also, singin’ brings me good things too~♪ I received money, and Nice-sama even picked me up…

Would Chiaki-oniisan differ from me in that sense?

…Erm. How about this for a plan, then?

Screen transitions to where Chiaki is at

I have to do it…! I have to resolve myself — Please! O vegetables, lend me your strength…!

…Mm?

Crispy lettuce and bright red tomatoes~♪

What splendid vegetables, coming in all colors~♪ Let’s be friends even with the eggplants you can’t stand~♪

…? What’s that?

I talked it over with Raika-san, but what do you think about harvesting to the rhythm of a song?

Perhaps it’s because you think about making contact with an eggplant that it feels scary… So I thought maybe a song would help focus your mind to the tune instead.

Fufu, I see. So that’s how that cute song came about, huh?

Thing is, though… I honestly doubt that would be enough for my mind to stray away from eggplants.

If it were Takamine, I bet he’d be really thrilled, saying it looks like a yuruchara dance…3

………

If it were Takamine…?

(—Hold on. It’s because it’s me trying to harvest the eggplants that I find it impossible. However, if I were to let Takamine possess me inside…?)

(Takamine is a boy who loves vegetables, suited to don the Green of compassion.)

(So if I let him possess me, then wouldn’t even I, the weakest person against eggplants, be capable of fighting against them…!?)

It’s Den-O ♪ Den-O! ♪4

Making Takamine possess me — Or rather, tracing him is a piece of cake for me! I haven’t been watching him this whole time just for nothing! I’ll show you that I can become Takamine perfectly…☆

Ayase, Hojo-kun, I’d love to make use of your idea! So could you sing and dance while harvesting eggplants with me?

Aye! I’m a beginner at dancin’, but… ‘Course I will!

Alright then, let’s sing and dance the song from the beginning!

I’m Takamine…I’m Takamine…I’m Takamine… mumblemumble

Crispy lettuce and bright red tomatoes~♪

What splendid vegetables, coming in all colors~♪ Let’s be friends even with the eggplants you can’t stand~♪

The sun shining bright, delighted and excited~♪

Here we have vegetables blessed by the earth~♪ Enjoy your meal with these splendid vegetables~♪

(It’s coming… It’s coming to me!)

(I feel myself becoming one with Takamine in body and soul…!)

—I… I AM TAKAMINE NOWWWWWW!!

Chapter 4

That’s Gundam. It’s not even Den-O.5

Awawawa—!? M-Midori-kun, you shouldn’t try to throw the remote at the TV…!?

And what the hell’s that “I am Takamine” about…?

Why’s that guy yelling my name on prime-time national television? Don’t get me involved with this. Makes me wanna die…

fufufu. this is a [national debut], isn’t it, midori~

I thought we’d already made our national debut as idols a long time ago, though?

He really only ever does unnecessary things. Now I’ll have more things on me to deal with…

Things to deal with? …Mm? Midori-kun, what are you checking on your phone?

Mm? I’m just going through different forms of contact and social media, and blocking all of Morisawa-senpai’s accounts, is all.

That would have Morisawa-dono in tears if he knew.

Not to mention, didn’t you block his number too, Midori-kun?

uu~… because of that, chiaki comes to me to relay every one of his messages as a [mediator], and it is such a [bother], so i would much rather it stops.6

Mm, okay, okay. We’re goin’ waaay far off from our objective here, guys~

We gathered in the common room to cheer Morisawa-senpai on, remember?

Midori-kun’s meant to be cheerin’ him on too, so what’s the point in blockin’ him? Well, I understand how ya feel, though.

Woah, you understand…

Tattsun-senpai, c’mon, hurry~! The audition program’s already starting!

Gosh, why is it that today of all days is when our meeting takes forever to end?

Ah! Aira-kun, Kazehaya-dono. Welcome back~

We’re baaack~♪

Ah! It really has already started! Where’s it at right now?

They just started broadcasting the parts for Gourmet District’s.

Ahh, then we made it just in time, yes? How is Mayoi-san doing right now?

Oh, Ayase-senpai’s actually on screen right now.

He’s doin’ farmwork at the vegetable fields together with our Morisawa-senpai, while dancing and singing a weird song.

That’s way too much info at once!? Huh, huh!? What does that mean…?

Ah! Morisawa-senpai also got sent to the fields at one point…!? Mayo-san is still there, too!? And they’re singing a weird song!?

Uu, I don’t get it at aaall… How the heck did they get in this situation!?

Also! Why’s Mayo-san getting himself used to being in the fields!?

Fufu. Everyone seems to be having fun at the vegetable fields. ♪

Being able to see Mayoi-san enjoy himself this much makes it worthwhile that he appeared in the audition, no?

No way. It’s an audition, there’s no point to it unless he wins!

Ahh, jeez~! Ugh! What’s with this song!? It’s corroding my mind…!

crispy lettuce and bright red tomatoes~♪ hmhmhm~hm~♪

This song really sticks in your head, doesn’t it…? It’s looping endlessly in my mind, too.

Huh—…!?

…? What’s up, Midori-kun?

He’s singing a weird song, and the dance looks really gross… I thought for sure he’d be getting slandered online, so I tried looking it up…

He really looks up “Morisawa Chiaki” immediately…7

Yeah, so what if I do… It’s fine, isn’t it? That guy always instantly neglects keeping contact when he has a long-term job, for one thing. Someone needs to monitor him, right…?

If that’s what you say, then it’s really puzzling why you block him. Your words and actions are entirely contradicting each other.

this must be what you call a [tsundere], yes~?

I feel as though there’s nothing but the “tsun”, though…?8

Ermm… What happened after that? What did you see after looking up Morisawa-dono?

It looks like this weird song is going viral on a massive scale on social media…

It’s number one on the trending page. And it seems that fans are also uploading videos of themselves singing the song.

…Oh hey, you’re right. Looks like they find it super funny.

But I think I get why it’d go viral. I mean, this song just stays stuck in your head forever.

But it’s like, “what’s the point of going viral through something like this”… This is an audition, so he needs to go viral through the meals being judged.

Well, I can’t say it’s not like Morisawa-senpai to end up like this, though…

that’s true~ pulling everything into his [pace] before you know it is how chiaki does things~♪

It feels like everyone in Ryuseitai’s pretty chill about all of this…? You aren’t worried or anxious by the possibility of Morisawa-senpai losing in the audition?

Won’t he be fine? He looked like he was on the brink of death yesterday, but it seems like he got it all shaken off, so?

Yup, yup. The classic, orthodox hero story is a pretty troublesome one, y’know~?

It always involves the hero arrivin’ in the nick of time, and in the end, winning no matter what.

Chapter 5

Fifth day of 4piece, in the morning. Gourmet District’s kitchen…

Fuhahahaha! ☆ Morisawa Chiaki has revived in aaall his glory~!

We’re back, Tenma-kun! We’ve returned safe and sound from the fields!

Chia-chan-senpai! Welcome back!

Uuu… I was super duper lonely while everyone was gone~!

…Wait. Huh? Where are Mayo-chan-senpai and Raika-chan? They aren’t with you?

Yeah, see, Hojo-kun is making an apolog—… Ahh, no. He’s away due to personal reasons at the moment. But he should be back soon enough.

As for Ayase… It appears that he’s grown very fond of life in the fields, oddly enough. He likely intends to stay there until the final day from the looks of it.

Huh? Does that mean he won’t be part of the screening with us anymore?

Won’t that be lonely, though? I don’t want that~!

Mm~ If that’s what Ayase says he wants, then I don’t think any of us should make any further comments…

I share that same lonely feeling as you, but if nothing else, how about this instead: We fight as best as we can for his sake, too!

…Alright, gotcha! It feels lonely without him, but I’ll respect his wishes.

I’m gonna work hard for Mayo-chan-senpai’s sake too, and tell him all about how we won~!

By the way, Tenma-kun. I have an idea… Could you hear me out for a moment?

For today’s screening… Would you like to cooperate with me?

Cooperate…? What do you plan on doing by cooperating? Will we sell the same stuff together?

For a concrete method, we can brainstorm something after today’s designated meal is announced.

From what I’ve heard about yesterday’s results — There’s a pretty big gap in profits between the top two, Tomoe and Sakuma, and the rest of the idols, right?

Mhm. I didn’t really get to show anything good yesterday either, so it’s like I’m a few laps behind.

We’ll likely need a plan that’s out of the ordinary if we want to catch up with those two. That’s where you and I can cooperate.

If we manage a restaurant together, we’ll have double of everything; be it battle funds, ingredients, and even publicity.

And of course, time as well. We should have a much wider range of strategies if we do away with the one-man operation system.

Only thing is, profits will be split evenly between the two of us, so… It might be presumptuous of me to offer to cooperate with you, when I’ve barely achieved any proper results the past few days.

But your cooperation is absolutely essential to me.

Tenma-kun. —Would you please work with me?

………

A-Are you against it after all…?

Nope! I’m gonna cooperate with you, Chia-chan-senpai!

If we team up, I should be able to work not just twice as much, but maybe even five or ten times extra! That’s how reassuring it is to have companions, y’know?

Besides, I won’t be able to catch up with the guys in the lead if I don’t change something, and I haven’t thought up any good plan to do that in the first place.

And if a dependable, highly capable idol like Chia-chan-senpai’ll become my ally, then I feel the same as you — Like how they say, it’s “everything I could ever ask for”!

Tenma-kun…!

Ahaha, now I’m excited for today’s match~! Let’s hype up 4piece together, Chia-chan-senpai!

You got it! The hero always arrives in the nick of time…☆

We just need to focus on running for as long as it takes to reach the forefront!

Time passes…

Chia-chan-senpai, sorry to keep you waiting!

Ooh, Tenma-kun! I was waiting for you! Did you get all the ingredients we need?

‘Course I did! I’d never lose in a race~♪

Since they said that today’s theme is pizza, I asked you to get the ingredients that would best suit making one—

We’ve got cheese, sausages, salami, beef, chicken… And there’s canned tuna too… Mhm, mhm, you managed to get everything we wanted~♪

Heh! ☆ This is nothing for me, I could’ve handled even more…♪

But are you sure we don’t need to buy veggies? We don’t have any of the veggies that are usually in pizza, like tomatoes and onions and stuff.

It’s gonna be a cheese and meat pizza with only these ingredients!

Heh-heh-heh… Tenma-kun, have you forgotten where I’ve been until this morning?

In the fields…?

Yep! Anyone who gets sent to the fields is allowed to cook with a variety of vegetables from there!

For the pizza, I plan to use the tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers I harvested.

Considering this’ll save up on our expenses, and I can also make use of many vegetables, I’m surprised to say that being sent to the fields didn’t turn out so bad after all.

You harvested all of these veggies from the fields!? Nice one, Chia-chan-senpai!

That being said, even if we simply made a pizza here, our execution won’t be any different from other participants.

Since the two of us are cooperating together, let’s challenge ourselves to use a coordination that represents us!

I think so too! But what should we do…?

Mm~, a coordination, huh… Like making pizza while doing gymnastic formations together?9

Ah, I didn’t mean coordination in that sense…

But, well, I get how you feel; the idea of gymnastics formations sounds exciting! Combined mecha robots are cool, after all! ☆10

A combined ultimate finishing move only we can do — Or well, not exactly a finishing move, but you want to make it a combined dish, right?

Combined… Oh, I know! We could just combine it together!

Mm? Are we really going to invent a combined technique for us!? Like combining your leg strength and my stuntman skills to do something…?

Not like that! I mean that we should combine my pizza and Chia-chan-senpai’s pizza!

Mm? What do you mean? Combining my pizza and your pizza…?

—Ah! I get it now… you mean it like that! You’re right, if we do it that way, we’ll be able to bring out our individuality and demonstrate the value of cooperation at the same time…!

That’s an incredible idea, Tenma-kun. It’s definitely worth it to give that challenge a shot!

Ehehe, I’m so happy you agree, Chia-chan-senpai! Then let’s get to kneading the dough!

Here’s my ‘quattro-cheese pizza’, lavished with four different cheeses I chose myself!11 Enjoy your food. ♪

(—My commercial had a bit of an effect, but… It wasn’t enough to dramatically shake up the rankings, hm?)

(My publicity skills versus Ritsu-kun’s cooking skills… Perhaps this competition will be between the two of us until the end?)

(There are a couple of idols that could catch up with us, but they’re still falling a bit short.)

Fufu. The veracity of my extraordinary abilities was more than proven through this audition, no? This is such fine weather…♪

A little too full of ourselves, aren’t we, Hiyohiyo? You’ll have the rug pulled out from under your feet at some point if you keep that up, y’know~?

Such strange things you’re saying, Ritsu-kun! This isn’t me being full of myself, but the plain and frank truth.

Well, as long as nothing big happens, it’s reasonable to consider that our ranks won’t change.

Since, aside from the top ranks… It seems like the idols ranked in the middle have lost all motivation ‘cause they don’t feel like they could ever beat us.

—But y’know. The scary part about auditions is that the unexpected can happen at any moment, yeah~?

…What exactly is your point in the end, Ritsu-kun?

Fufu. I have no clue if they’ll be able to catch up with us, but — Moririn and Mitsuru-kun seem to be doing something pretty interesting~

Hmm? Chiaki-kun and Tenma-kun, you say…?

Chapter 6

Chia-chan-senpai! Could you make one with these toppings next?

Got it! I just finished cooking this pizza, so take it over to the customer, please!

Gotcha~! Woooosh~☆

Sound of footsteps

Sorry to keep you waiting! Here’s your veggie-filled salad and teriyaki chicken half-&-half pizza!

So, so, is it tasty!? Ehehe, I’m so glad to hear that!

(Phew… We’re flourishing so much that there isn’t any time to rest. This is all thanks to coming up with the half-&-half cooperation tactic!)

(With pizza, you can combine two different flavors and serve them at the same time.)

(Thanks to that, we can meet the needs of all sorts of customers, and by splitting the work between serving customers and making the food, it’s possible to have a smooth business!)

(Tenma-kun is in charge of serving customers, as he’s agile and fast on his feet. And there’s also a reason why I’m the one in charge of cooking food. It’s because—)

Now then everyone, all eyes on me! While waiting for your pizza to finish cooking, I’ll demonstrate a little performance for you! ☆

There we—go! Ooh—And—…!

(It’s to make a show out of stretching pizza dough in the air as if I’m throwing a basketball into the net…!)

(With this, we can even entertain the guests as they wait for their food. And it’s showing real results; at the moment, our restaurant seems to have the most attention on it.)

…Alright, that was a huge success! Did you all enjoy the side show while waiting for your delicious pizza to arrive?

Amazing, Chia-chan-senpai! All the customers are having a blast~☆

I bet even the people watching 4piece are getting excited seeing this!

Mm. There’s nothing better than knowing everyone is enjoying it!

Thank you for the loud applause, everyone! Please wait a little longer for your pizza to be ready!

(However… There’s still something lacking if we really want to catch up with the top rankers like Tomoe.)

(This plan isn’t dramatic enough to shrink the gap from the last four days…!)

Screen transitions to a different area in Gourmet District

—You see how interesting it is? Who would’ve known they’d tag team in an individual audition contest, huh?

Still, it’s impossible that they’ll catch up with us through that alone. Working together means splitting the profits, after all.

That may be true. But isn’t there that one in a million chance it could happen?

Hiyohiyo, you seem to be underestimating Moririn an awful lot, but…

If Moririn was the type of person who would give up and collapse in a place like this, then he never would’ve been able to lead Ryuseitai, y’see.12

Fufu. So how about we see what he’s truly got…♪

…………

Nearly an hour later…

Whew… We’re getting a much more bearable amount of customers now. I was making pizza without any rest, so I’m drenched in sweat.

Chia-chan-senpai, thanks for all your hard work!

Thank ya for your hard work, Chiaki-oniisan!

Ehihi. So many people came to your shared restaurant, that even I’m happy somehow…♪

Ooh, well if it isn’t Hojo-kun! Oh yeah, what did you do for today?

I did the same thin’ I’d been doin’ a few days ago; I researched other restaurants while sellin’ pizza and singin’ songs!

Oh right! I had a feeling I’d get busy with the restaurant today, so I asked Raika-chan to do the research in my stead!

How’d that go? Did you spot any restaurants with lots of attention?

Aye! Sakuma-sama and Hiyohiyo Onii-san’s pizzas were super tasty…♪

So it really is between those two’s restaurants after all. What sort of pizzas were they?

Hiyohiyo Onii-san’s pizza had treasure as a toppin’!

Treasure…?

Aye. On top of the delicious pizza was smashed gold!

I had the honor of havin’ the judges’ leftovers, and it felt like I was a noble eatin’ it…!

Hm. From the sounds of it, he might’ve used edible gold leaves. Since he made so much profit from the start, he’s able to purchase such high-class ingredients too, huh.

What was Ritsu-chan-senpai’s pizza like?

Sakuma-sama’s pizza was the best…! It was such a ground-breakin’ pizza, where ya can enjoy two flavors at once.

Crunchin’ on the right had all the tasty umami of tomato, and crunching on the left was a swe~et fruit and sauce toppin’…♪

And eatin’ both at once felt like an unknown flavor spreadin’ in my mouth…!

Hey, Chia-chan-senpai, isn’t that…

A half-&-half pizza!? He plagiarized our restaurant!

Screen transitions to a different area in Gourmet District

Found you! Ritsu-chan-senpai, you better apologize~!

Sakuma! You stole our idea, didn’t you!?

“Stole” is such a harsh word, I can’t just let that slide, y’know~… Besides, you don’t own the rights to the idea, do you?

Any pizza place has half-&-half in their menu, anyways. Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves to act like you’re the ones who came up with it?

Guh… I suppose that’s true, but…

Still, why, Sakuma? Aren’t you making a good enough profit…?

Heh-heh-heh… I said it at the start, didn’t I? That I’m part of the ‘enjoying ourselves group’.

—To be honest with you, I’m starting to get tired of the contest~

I was seriously hoping I’d get to enjoy the audition with Ma~kun, but I don’t even know which venue he’s in… Nobody’s pampering me, either…

If it was gonna be this way, I wish I’d just ignored Su~chan’s orders and enjoyed the program with Mikarin in my dorm room.

Whaaa!? Then what was all your hard work up until now for…!?

Well, it wouldn’t be any fun if Hiyohiyo was the sole winner now, would it? Who would wanna watch such a fixed game like that for a program?

And to be completely frank here, Moririn tripped over himself at the very start, while Mitsuru-kun is waaay too desperate about hyping up the program instead of the actual audition.

That’s why I pitched in and helped, is all. There’s three days left if we include today, so I’ll leave the rest after this to you guys~♪ (waves)

H-Hold it right there! Are you saying you’ll withdraw from the contest!?

Nah. I didn’t mean that — I’m going to corner Hiyohiyo even more and kick him down.

I don’t care what tactic is used. If you follow my plan, one of you should be able to come out on top.

……?

Chapter 7

Hold on, Sakuma. Could I hear your plan first?

Hm, well… The typical strategies are to tamper with the food, or spread bad rumors… There’s all sorts of methods.

Since Hiyohiyo seems pretty clever despite how he may look… Isn’t it just fitting to pull a sly move on him?

…………

(That’s definitely one way to extend the gap with Tomoe as it currently stands. If I accept Sakuma’s offer, it could work.)

(But is that sort of thing really what I wanted to do in this audition…?)

(No, the form of myself I actually want to show is—)

I’m sorry to say this after your kind offer, but… I can’t go along with it, Sakuma.

Even if I came out on top through unfair acts — it wouldn’t be a result of my true capabilities.

I’ve decided to always remain honest and straightforward no matter what. Whether it be towards myself, towards my comrades, or towards my rivals… Those feelings of mine will never change.

That’s why — Even if it leads me to losing in this audition, I would rather overcome this situation my way, through my own means.

Mhm. Same goes for me! I’m gonna hype up 4piece in the sportsmanship way until the very end; fair and square!

Ritsu-chan-senpai, you mentioned that I’ve been trying to hype up the program, but… That doesn’t mean I’ve been cutting corners with the contest, y’know?

I’ve grown lots and lots too! I’ll prove to you that I’m not just a cute li’l bunny forever!

…Ah~ah. Guess it won’t go in my favor after all, huh.

I thought my burdens would lessen if I got lucky and enticed you simpletons, y’know~?

But if you’re really all that earnest about it, then it’s time I obediently withdraw…♪

No, I’m not going to let you do that!

Eh…? Huh, what do you mean?

Tenma-kun! I’ll carry Sakuma on my back to the center of the venue, so you go and look for Tomoe!

Ooh, I dunno what’s going on, but gotcha! I’ll go fetch Hiyori-senpai!

Huh? Huh…?

Come on now, Sakuma! You can’t tell me this is how it ends for you, right? Don’t you know, the contest is still underway…☆

Several minutes later. In the center of Gourmet District…

“Everyone in the venueeeee! And, all the idols participating in the Gourmet District audition! Listen closely!”

“First, the idol in the lead right now: Eden’s Tomoe Hiyori!”

“…Chiaki-kun. What on earth are you trying to pull? Do you intend to hinder my performance?”

“And! Knights’ Sakuma Ritsu, who’s chasing after the top ranker Tomoe Hiyori!”

“Both of you, appear before me! C’mon, c’mon, you have to hurry…☆”

“Ahh, jeez, don’t yell… You were loud the whole time you were carrying me too, I feel like I’m gonna lose my hearing at this point…”

“Whoops, sorry! Then I’ll keep it short!”

“Let me start by introducing myself. The red flame is the mark of justice! The sun of life, burning bright red!”

“Ryusei Red, Morisawa Chiaki…! I’m in your caaaare!”

“—I vow to you. No matter how much the gap widens, I will never give up until the very last end!”

“In the name of Ryuseitai, I swear to stand victorious against you two!”

“…Wow, that zeal sure came as a surprise, hm? But you know, I don’t dislike that impulsive side of you…♪”

“Very well then, Chiaki-kun. A contest like that… I, Tomoe Hiyori, shall take up the gauntlet!”

“If Chiaki-kun is the burning bright red sun, then I’m the brilliantly shining blessed sun…♪ Even if you burn out, my glimmer is eternal!”

“Sakuma. You’ll also clash against me with all your might in this contest, won’t you?”

“Uwah, there’s no way I can back out of this now, huh. But then again, if I do back out here, it’ll affect my honor as a knight…”

“Fuhahahaha! Yeah, that’s exactly what Knights is all about! ☆ And there’s actually one more idol I want to offer a match with.”

“—Come on over, Ra*bits’ Tenma Mitsuru! Thank you for fighting alongside me today! However, from tomorrow onwards, we’ll be rivals who’ll clash against one another!”

“I also had loads of fun managing a restaurant together! Next time we meet, I’ll take up your challenge as a rival!”

“There is something I got to truly feel and understand through all our fights so far: Our very conviction is essential to achieve victory…!”

“The persistence to carry out your desires, pushing straight-ahead — That might have been the sort of resolve that I lacked.”

“There’s only a little bit left of this 4piece audition! Let’s clash against each other with all our might, fair and square until the very end, so we leave no regrets behind!”

“I’m sure the other idols feel the same, don’t you? Come, I’d love you to come on stage and express your desires to your heart’s content!”

“I welcome you all to clash against me, as well…☆”

Time passes…

Ahaha, that was so much fun! Hiyori-senpai and Ritsu-chan-senpai kept getting so many declarations of battle from other idols!

It’s a pretty rare sight to see those two so overwhelmed~♪

That being said — Chia-chan-senpai, you were so cool! I’ll also work hard as a rival from tomorrow onwards~♪

Tenma-kun… You joined hands with me as a comrade, yet I went ahead and betrayed that with a surprise attack.

I think that today’s sales… should all go to you, Tenma-kun. Since technically speaking, you had no obligation to rescue me, who dropped considerably in the ranking, right?

Mm, no. We made these sales together. So we should split them evenly!

I wasn’t really making a huge profit all the time either… I could’ve ended up being sent to the fields at any point.

Plus, I had sooo much fun managing a restaurant with you, Chia-chan-senpai!

And I didn’t tag team with you out of pity, either. It was ‘cuz I thought I’d get to have fun if I worked with you!

We’re companions, but we’re also rivals… That sort of thing is important. That’s why, let’s think of it as: Today is today! Tomorrow is tomorrow! Let’s make sure to get through today first!

Thank you, Tenma-kun. I’m in your care until the very end…♪

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Translation Notes

1. ↑ Midori has said his Ryusei Green catchphrase in a similar manner to Chiaki here twice before. Once in his Idol Story 1 (takes a deep breath beforehand), and another time in Dollhouse Chapter 1 (ends it with “—Alright”).
2. ↑ Chiaki despises eggplants, be it appearance, taste, or even its name. See here for more information.
3. ↑ Midori loves yuruchara; yuru meaning “loose,” “soft,” “laid-back,” + the word “character”. Yuruchara are a type of mascot characters, with their defining feature being that they have very peculiar designs, ranging from bizarre-cute to adorkable. Midori’s Ryuseitai was also themed around yuruchara, read Tropical to learn more about that as well as Midori’s leadership.
4. ↑ This is referring to Kamen Rider Den-O, a tokusatsu series. Although Chiaki’s plan seems out of the ordinary, the reference is extremely appropriate here, because Den-O involves the main character getting possessed by outer beings in order to transform into a powerful Kamen Rider. For a full in-depth explanation of this reference, please read this post I made that breaks down Chiaki’s plan.
5. ↑ In Japanese, Chiaki yells ore ga takamine da at the very end. This is extremely similar to a very famous quote in Mobile Suit Gundam 00, where the main character states ore ga gundam da (I am Gundam). For a full in-depth explanation of this reference, including why Midori says “It’s not even Den-O”, please read this post I made that compares the Den-O and Gundam reference.
6. ↑ The phone blocking and Kanata acting as a mediator has been mentioned before in Supervillain, Dark Star 8.
7. ↑ Midori looking up Chiaki’s name online has been mentioned before in Comet Show, Plans for the End 4. See his Comet Show 2nd Mini Talk for more about this as well.
8. ↑ Tsundere is a term for a character that starts out with a harsh personality, but eventually warms up to people. The word is two words combined together; tsun(tsun) for “blunt/cold/aloof” and dere(dere) for “lovey-dovey/infatuated manner”. Read more about tsundere here and here.
9. ↑ Gymnastic formations is human bodies posing next to each other in order to create art (shapes, formations, etc…). Read more here.
10. ↑ When different mecha robots combine together to make one ultimate mecha robot. It also comes with a very strong finishing move that isn’t possible unless combined. It can be found in Super Sentai shows and Gundam series.
11. ↑ Hiyori says “pizza” like how you would in Italian.
12. ↑ Ritsu is likely referring to Chiaki’s time as the Ryuseitai leader back in Chiaki’s third year of Yumenosaki.