Scenario:Unbound Asterism - Chapter 1: Mirror Image - Episode 4

Unbound Asterism - Chapter 1: Mirror Image - Episode 4

When Lodi appears on the stage of the arena, Kolulu recognizes him as the man she met outside. Following Manamel's strategy, the crew wait for Lodi to call out their seat numbers after the concert for a special greeting time, but are disappointed to find that the numbers had been changed last minute. After the event, Troue is suddenly stabbed in the back, but the culprit is nowhere to be seen. Manamel is sure that there is a traitor among the crew.

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Tens of thousands of eyes—all filled with anticipation—are on the man standing on the stage.

(Captain) and company are overwhelmed by the palpable excitement of the princesses around them.

Lodi's Fan 1: Oh my gooosh! Take me awaaay, my prince!

Lodi's Fan 2: Golly? What's with the golly, Lodi!

Vyrn: Ack! I get this is a concert, but I didn't think it was gonna be this loud!

Kolulu: Huh? That's... the person who said they didn't have to go to the toilet!

Lodi: I happened to meet someone on the street who said "golly" a few times. That really left an impression on me!

Lodi: Actually, why don't we try saying it together? Ready, and...

Lodi: Gollyyy!

The Three: Gollyyy!

Tikoh: Those three are really enjoying themselves...
Anyway, any idea about the mic, Cupitan?

Cupitan: There's no doubt about it! The shape's slightly different, but...

Cupitan: It's the same as the picture I saw before... The Horoscope Parashu!

Lodi: All right, my princesses! Let's do what we usually do, nice and loud now!

Lodi: Chemistryyy!

Princesses: Chemistryyy!

Fiorito: What the... What's going on?

Manamel: Chemistryyy!

Tikoh: Manamel's screaming it too!

Manamel: Time to get with the program! It's what you do at concerts—you get excited and show it!

Fiorito: I was kinda suspecting it, but... you're a fan of Lodi, aren't you, Manamel?

Manamel: It's not fan, it's princess!

Tikoh: That makes a lot of sense. And that's why you know so much about concerts, isn't it?

Manamel: Technically I've only been to one concert. I don't remember where and when, but I just couldn't forget this song I heard there...

Lodi: Well then, let's start with our first song, shall we? A cover of a classic, as I think about my future with all of my princesses...

Lodi: "Kimi to Boku no Mirai."

The music plays, and Lodi begins to sing, putting his soul into the song.

His powerful voice, charming dance, and the refreshing smile of a prince on his face...

Every member of the audience is captivated by him.

Cupitan: Wow... The entire arena is emitting a pure color of delight!

Manamel: Amazing, right? I'm so happy too!

Kolulu: ...

Kolulu: (Lodi... Are you really the same person?)

The time passes in the blink of an eye like a fleeting dream. Before long, Lodi is saying goodbye, the sweat on him sparkling in the light.

Lodi: Thanks so much, everyone! Let's finish this special time with the usual.

Lodi: That's right—the meet and greet!

As the audience is listening attentively to Lodi's speech, the crew members swallow nervously.

Manamel: It's time... to begin our plan to meet Lodi!

Lodi: The meet and greet is a chance for three lucky princesses, chosen from the audience, to talk with me backstage after the concert!

Lodi: Now, I'm going to say three numbers that come to mind... These numbers are the chemistry between me and the princesses sitting in those seat numbers!

Tikoh: Normally, it'd be impossible to get chosen randomly among a crowd this large...

Manamel: The arena is filled with people. It'd be quite a hassle to actually take random people who got chosen backstage, which means...

Tikoh: Ah! You mean the numbers are actually determined beforehand so the staff will have an easier time guiding people?

Manamel: It was just a theory. But with the others' help, Vega found the note with the seat numbers written on it!

Fiorito: I can't believe that dagger even has vision... I have to say, that sounds like a pretty solid plan.

Manamel: Hehe! With this, he'll definitely choose our seats!

Manamel: He didn't call out our seeeats...

Tikoh: Too bad... Maybe they changed it right before the show.

Manamel: Oh em gee. No freaking waaay!

The crew exits the facility and splits up to cover the vicinity, hanging on to the last hope of catching Lodi as he's leaving the venue.

(Captain), Vyrn, and Lyria are standing by behind the arena.

Vyrn: Hmm... I dunno how likely we're gonna actually see him just come out of the venue...

Manamel: (Captain). You got a sec?

Lyria: Manamel? Didn't you say you were going to watch the other side?

Manamel: I just found out something and wanted to tell all of you right away.

Manamel: Vega helped eavesdrop on some conversation between the staff.

Manamel: Apparently they realized the seat numbers they were gonna choose had gotten out before the show started.

Vyrn: Wha! So that's why they decided to switch 'em up...

Lyria: But how... We're the only ones who knew about your plan, right?

Manamel: I've got... a bad feeling about this.

Suddenly, Manamel's ears perk up.

Distressed Cry: Aaah!

Manamel: ...!
That voice...

(Captain) and company immediately spring into action, running toward where they heard the cry.

They push past some curious onlookers and are met with a startling sight.

Troue: Rrgh...

Lyria: Troue!

Troue is collapsed face down on the ground, a knife sticking out from his back as blood continues to pool around him.

Manamel: ...!
We need first aid, Vega!

Troue: Manamel... Thank you...

Vyrn: Wha... How the heck did this happen?

Onlooker: Seems he got stabbed in the back by someone!

Onlooker: The blood just kept coming out... but the person who stabbed him was nowhere in sight...

Troue: There's... too many people... They must have lost themselves... in the crowd...

Troue: I can't use my... Gift of Visions either... There are too many emotions...

Vegalta: ...!

Manamel: The wound's surprisingly shallow... and looks like they missed the vitals.

Troue: I dodged so they'd miss... I felt someone behind me, so... I did what Roland did in his memories...

Vyrn: So the guy Durandal used to belong to, Roland... He must've been some super skilled swordsman, huh?

Troue studied swordsmanship himself by copying what he saw in the memories contained within Durandal.

Troue: It was a close one... If I didn't manage to evade it, I wouldn't be here now...

The captain puts an arm tightly around Troue, whose body is shaking from either the loss of blood, or fear.

Manamel: ...

Manamel: The deliberate explosion on the airship, the leaking of my plan...

Manamel: Is this all so that we wouldn't be able to get to this island and meet Lodi?

Manamel: Not to mention, they targeted Troue—someone in our crew who has superior searching skill—and knew exactly when to do it so they wouldn't be found...

Manamel: I'm pretty sure that the only person who can pull that off...

Manamel: Is someone within our group. A traitor.

(Captain) finds it hard to believe what Manamel is insinuating.

But the blood trickling down (Captain)'s arm from Troue is clear evidence of the reality, rendering the captain speechless.

The ocean waves sweep quietly across the sand.

Under the moonlight, a former priestess swings her staff.

Nereus: Ophiuchus—fleeting and beautiful, exceptional yet conventional...

Nereus: His crimson blood advances the story... and consequently, I make my appearance.

Nereus: Close, yet so far. As a certain gospel says...

Nereus: "Are not two birds sold for a coin? Yet under the watch of the caretaker, not one shall fall to the ground."

Nereus: "Every strand on your head is noted and numbered. Thus there is nothing to fear."

Nereus: "There is nothing to fear"... I do not know of any other truth as fearful as this.

Nereus: The Goldilocks zone... Divine providence told only by the sound of the waves.

Nereus: You, too, shall know of it someday.