Kingdom/Chapter 84

I got a little bit off topic. You might not understand the meaning of my words just yet, but i want you to think about it.

I want you too to contribute for the sake of the idol business's future.

Are you telling us to become your soldiers... Emperor?

Not mine, I want you to become the soldiers of our idol business. I'd even go as far as to say I want you to be its slaves.

Not just that though, I want you to serve with joy- I want you to become happy slaves.

I am thinking in long term, I am thinking about the system. I don't have an interest in who wins the individual matches.

I want the existence known as an idol to not just end as a boasted-about brawl in our country, I want it to properly take root as a greatly respected martial art, as a hero, as a culture, and leave its name in the history of mankind.

I will pull up the thing known as idol to become a culture on its own... No, I will make it into an even greater existence.

I want you to help me with that. You can do that. You have talent, you have potential. I'm sure you will bring great results.

It is because I have come to see you as such that I have called you here.

Hidaka-kun, I've already went through this with your parents. They seem to be cheering you on- if you doubt me, then feel free to confirm with them.

It's time to stop playing around and step foot on the real battlefield.

M-My parents don't have anything to do with it. I can understand that my parents who also love systems agree with your opinion.

I am performing as Trickstar because I didn't want to become a heartless cog.

You're just in your rebellious phase. You have to let it go and become an adult, Hidaka-kun.

Youth is short, it's already too late when you start regretting after you're tired and unable to move anymore.

The competition has already begun- they do say that anyone left standing should use everything at their disposal, even their parents.

Even though you are blessed with a good environment, even though you have family that you can make use of, turning your back to that is just you throwing a tantrum.

......

Of course I will compensate you. I am asking you to use your precious youth, your young days for me, after all.

Let me prepare an amount that equals that. Let's see... how about 100 million yen per person?

Are you bribing us?

It's an investment. Yes, I think that is an appropriate compensation for the labor.

No matter how many brawls you win, you'll only feel better for a bit. But soldiers make profits, and those gains in the end will come back to them: that's how it works.

Akehoshi-kun, if I remember correctly, you like money, right? If so, won't you agree with 100 million yen?

It might be a small salary for a top idol, but for a person who still isn't anything, it is a great reward.

I want you to accept it; my proof of the expectations I have for you, that is.

Stop joking around.

It's true that I like money, but your money doesn't shine.

I don't understand what you mean. Should I pay you with coins, gold bullions or jewels?

Well, it's fine. I have shown you what your conditions will be. The ones who will make the decision to take my hand or not are you yourselves.

I'd be happy if you could feel my sincerity from the fact that I did not coerce you into anything even though that would be easy for me to do.

I want you to properly give it a thought.

That's right, my fine will be participating in a DreamFes after this.

I want you to watch, by all means. It's an unofficial stray match... in other words, a B1, so you can observe it without having to have a ticket.

I want you to choose whether to become my comrade... whether you will be choosing to think long term or to keep stubbornly struggling after seeing what I am capable of.

I also have a small announcement to make, so you won't lose anything from coming to watch.

I am counting on you, who are still no-names, to make a sound decision.

However, I won't wait very long. I've said this many times already, but youth is short, however in life you can't waste even a single second.

It would be a waste to just let things end with making a merry uproar.

This is the point in life you will always be looking back to. I want you to think deeply about this. The time has come to face not some kind of vague dream but the harsh reality.