Sudden Death - Romanticism Chapter 7
Aug. 5th, 2022 10:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Winter
---
Location: Downtown Osaka - Evening
Tsukasa: I know it must be cloying by now, but I insist: we have a chance at victory.
As I assume you both know—we Knights no longer have only five members in our ranks.
We now have more than our main roster, so to speak. The Knights family has expanded significantly, and we are now raising a new and rather large generation.
Ritsu: Yeah, I guess that's true. We do have a lot of newbies that we've been calling our second string and reserve troops and whatnot.
It's just that, in terms of fame and ability, most of those kids aren't anywhere near pro level.
We can't count them as firepower just yet.
Plus, following ES's new policies, we've tried our best to detach them from us and have them do their work independently in their own units.
Just like with Ryuseitai, it's been decided that we should leave training and taking care of our juniors to the experts, which are the Producer Association and Yumenosaki's producer course...
...and that we should just focus on our own idol activities.
Arashi: You're talking about it like you weren't the one to set all that up during euthanasia, Ritsu-chan.
Tsukasa: Heh, I am well aware of those "adult matters", and understand their logic.
Thus far, we have been following ES's lead and have not resisted nor made any waves without good reason.
However, we still have a strong connection to those "newbies" of ours.
We have showered them with our blessings, so to let them run completely free rather than have them work as our apprentices is rather vexing.
Besides, in more practical terms, we still have some juniors who have been unable to join their own independent units, and remain as part of Knights alone.
Ritsu: Right, but that basically means they aren't good enough to stand on their own yet. Rather than knights, they're more like the helpless citizens we need to protect.
Tsukasa: Even so, they are members of Knights. Of course, there are also several Knights-affiliated units that we have trained now participating in this year's SS—
But nearly all of them have been placed in other regions and are in no position to cooperate with us, due to the rule that forbids leaving one's assigned region.
However, the small number of new recruits that remain in Knights alone are here with us in Osaka. It's only natural—they are part of the Knights family register.
Ritsu: Family register...
...Though, SS puts a limit on how many people can be in a unit—minimum two people, maximum fifteen.
But they also said that they'd prefer larger units to be around five to seven people.
In the end, though, it's just ES expressing what they want—seems like there's no actual penalty even if you exceed the real limit of fifteen.
Arashi: Right... But ever since Tsukasa-chan became King, we haven't really done anything too rebellious.
Ritsu: Well, we don't want to have a repeat of last year and end up wasting time trying to fix our reputation.
Tsukasa: You speak as if following orders from above is something bad. Sturdy hierarchies are important, and so are the rules that uphold them.
Ritsu: Yeah, I guess that really is true...
But thanks to following that unit limit rule, we've only brought like, five or six newbies with us.
These kids really had no place to go and aren't strong enough to be independent yet, so they had no choice but to go with us.
Tsukasa: Indeed. In terms of raw ability, they are not at the level at which we can allow them to perform publicly. This is why we've kept them hidden until now.
However, they are still part of Knights. I believe we can make use of them during the week and some that we will be performing.
I am no fool—I do not honestly think we can remain standing for so many days without a moment to eat, drink, or rest.
It may be possible if we strain ourselves, but that would no doubt affect our performance.
Ritsu: At the very least, I would hate skipping sleep for so long.
If I get too tired to stand it anymore, my true nature might show itself, and I might end up biting you two in a ravenous search for life energy.
Tsukasa: You are still playing that vampire-like character?
Arashi: Eheh, I get what you're trying to say, Tsukasa-chan. You want to use the new kids smartly so that we can take regular breaks.
Tsukasa: That's correct. They are inexperienced and few in number, but if we have them team up and work together, they should be able to stand in for each of us.
For instance, if we have them substitute for Ritsu-senpai temporarily, then Ritsu-senpai will be able to eat and sleep during that time.
However, there remains the possibility that you will be accosted and challenged to a head-to-head battle if you were to rest in another room—
So I'd prefer if you slept somewhere in a corner of the stage if possible.
Ritsu: On the stage, where the music's booming? Though I think I can still sleep there anyway, considering I'm a sleep professional (?) ♪
Arashi: Yeah... I guess it's slightly better than performing without resting, eating, drinking, or even stopping.
Tsukasa: ...I do feel a bit sorry for our new recruits.
We've hardly ever used them, and only now that we're in trouble, we're treating them like our convenient workhorses.
Ritsu: Well, they're still indebted to us. Besides, I hear that they like to strut around acting like the Knights name gives them so much authority—they should actually do work for us sometimes.
With great power comes great responsibility.
Wouldn't giving rights to somebody who can't even do their job be kind of inhumane, anyway? Like treating them like a pet instead of a human?
Tsukasa: Indeed. We have no choice but to employ this theory to justify using our new members.
They may resent us afterward—but I cannot think of any other way to overcome this ordeal.
The plan is already being put into action, either way. Our juniors have already arrived at the theater and are currently preparing rations and other things for the week.
Ritsu: Eh, they probably didn't have much else to do, anyway. They were ready to move right away—unlike us, who had to work right up until now because we couldn't cancel the job we booked for today.
Tsukasa: Yes, let us rush to the venue, rendezvous with our juniors, and begin our show posthaste.
The venue workers and other staff have already been paid with SSL$.
Of course, upon their employment, we requested them to keep our location secret.
Until we arrive at the theater, no idols will try to start a fight with us.
This is why we've required all staff to swear to secrecy.
If they were to violate this agreement, this would be considered a breach of contract, and they would be dismissed at once.
In addition, the only employees who can be paid with SSL$ and L$ are office workers affiliated with ES—
I doubt they would harm us and risk losing trust at ES. They will carry out their tasks thoroughly and without fuss.
Ritsu: Heh, you're surprisingly making pretty good use of ES's systems, Su~chan.
Tsukasa: Rather, someone of my position would naturally be well-acquainted with the act of taking advantage of such systems and moving people around at will.
In fact, the idea of putting emotions first and building trust before borrowing someone's skills...
The bold disregard to benefits and losses I often saw at Yumenosaki—that was the most difficult for me to understand.
---
< Romanticism Chapter 6 || Masterlist || Romanticism Chapter 8 >
---
Location: Downtown Osaka - Evening
Tsukasa: I know it must be cloying by now, but I insist: we have a chance at victory.
As I assume you both know—we Knights no longer have only five members in our ranks.
We now have more than our main roster, so to speak. The Knights family has expanded significantly, and we are now raising a new and rather large generation.
Ritsu: Yeah, I guess that's true. We do have a lot of newbies that we've been calling our second string and reserve troops and whatnot.
It's just that, in terms of fame and ability, most of those kids aren't anywhere near pro level.
We can't count them as firepower just yet.
Plus, following ES's new policies, we've tried our best to detach them from us and have them do their work independently in their own units.
Just like with Ryuseitai, it's been decided that we should leave training and taking care of our juniors to the experts, which are the Producer Association and Yumenosaki's producer course...
...and that we should just focus on our own idol activities.
Arashi: You're talking about it like you weren't the one to set all that up during euthanasia, Ritsu-chan.
Tsukasa: Heh, I am well aware of those "adult matters", and understand their logic.
Thus far, we have been following ES's lead and have not resisted nor made any waves without good reason.
However, we still have a strong connection to those "newbies" of ours.
We have showered them with our blessings, so to let them run completely free rather than have them work as our apprentices is rather vexing.
Besides, in more practical terms, we still have some juniors who have been unable to join their own independent units, and remain as part of Knights alone.
Ritsu: Right, but that basically means they aren't good enough to stand on their own yet. Rather than knights, they're more like the helpless citizens we need to protect.
Tsukasa: Even so, they are members of Knights. Of course, there are also several Knights-affiliated units that we have trained now participating in this year's SS—
But nearly all of them have been placed in other regions and are in no position to cooperate with us, due to the rule that forbids leaving one's assigned region.
However, the small number of new recruits that remain in Knights alone are here with us in Osaka. It's only natural—they are part of the Knights family register.
Ritsu: Family register...
...Though, SS puts a limit on how many people can be in a unit—minimum two people, maximum fifteen.
But they also said that they'd prefer larger units to be around five to seven people.
In the end, though, it's just ES expressing what they want—seems like there's no actual penalty even if you exceed the real limit of fifteen.
Arashi: Right... But ever since Tsukasa-chan became King, we haven't really done anything too rebellious.
Ritsu: Well, we don't want to have a repeat of last year and end up wasting time trying to fix our reputation.
Tsukasa: You speak as if following orders from above is something bad. Sturdy hierarchies are important, and so are the rules that uphold them.
Ritsu: Yeah, I guess that really is true...
But thanks to following that unit limit rule, we've only brought like, five or six newbies with us.
These kids really had no place to go and aren't strong enough to be independent yet, so they had no choice but to go with us.
Tsukasa: Indeed. In terms of raw ability, they are not at the level at which we can allow them to perform publicly. This is why we've kept them hidden until now.
However, they are still part of Knights. I believe we can make use of them during the week and some that we will be performing.
I am no fool—I do not honestly think we can remain standing for so many days without a moment to eat, drink, or rest.
It may be possible if we strain ourselves, but that would no doubt affect our performance.
Ritsu: At the very least, I would hate skipping sleep for so long.
If I get too tired to stand it anymore, my true nature might show itself, and I might end up biting you two in a ravenous search for life energy.
Tsukasa: You are still playing that vampire-like character?
Arashi: Eheh, I get what you're trying to say, Tsukasa-chan. You want to use the new kids smartly so that we can take regular breaks.
Tsukasa: That's correct. They are inexperienced and few in number, but if we have them team up and work together, they should be able to stand in for each of us.
For instance, if we have them substitute for Ritsu-senpai temporarily, then Ritsu-senpai will be able to eat and sleep during that time.
However, there remains the possibility that you will be accosted and challenged to a head-to-head battle if you were to rest in another room—
So I'd prefer if you slept somewhere in a corner of the stage if possible.
Ritsu: On the stage, where the music's booming? Though I think I can still sleep there anyway, considering I'm a sleep professional (?) ♪
Arashi: Yeah... I guess it's slightly better than performing without resting, eating, drinking, or even stopping.
Tsukasa: ...I do feel a bit sorry for our new recruits.
We've hardly ever used them, and only now that we're in trouble, we're treating them like our convenient workhorses.
Ritsu: Well, they're still indebted to us. Besides, I hear that they like to strut around acting like the Knights name gives them so much authority—they should actually do work for us sometimes.
With great power comes great responsibility.
Wouldn't giving rights to somebody who can't even do their job be kind of inhumane, anyway? Like treating them like a pet instead of a human?
Tsukasa: Indeed. We have no choice but to employ this theory to justify using our new members.
They may resent us afterward—but I cannot think of any other way to overcome this ordeal.
The plan is already being put into action, either way. Our juniors have already arrived at the theater and are currently preparing rations and other things for the week.
Ritsu: Eh, they probably didn't have much else to do, anyway. They were ready to move right away—unlike us, who had to work right up until now because we couldn't cancel the job we booked for today.
Tsukasa: Yes, let us rush to the venue, rendezvous with our juniors, and begin our show posthaste.
The venue workers and other staff have already been paid with SSL$.
Of course, upon their employment, we requested them to keep our location secret.
Until we arrive at the theater, no idols will try to start a fight with us.
This is why we've required all staff to swear to secrecy.
If they were to violate this agreement, this would be considered a breach of contract, and they would be dismissed at once.
In addition, the only employees who can be paid with SSL$ and L$ are office workers affiliated with ES—
I doubt they would harm us and risk losing trust at ES. They will carry out their tasks thoroughly and without fuss.
Ritsu: Heh, you're surprisingly making pretty good use of ES's systems, Su~chan.
Tsukasa: Rather, someone of my position would naturally be well-acquainted with the act of taking advantage of such systems and moving people around at will.
In fact, the idea of putting emotions first and building trust before borrowing someone's skills...
The bold disregard to benefits and losses I often saw at Yumenosaki—that was the most difficult for me to understand.
---
< Romanticism Chapter 6 || Masterlist || Romanticism Chapter 8 >
