168 – Rehearsal
Writers are people who create characters. It can be seen as a basic ability to set appearance, personality, and goals in non-existent things.
But playing that character is a different case. I don’t even have an acting career to speak of. I was born to lie, but acting and lying are different. I’ve never studied acting, so I can’t say for sure, but I think so.
As the people in the room waited anxiously for their turn behind a special wall where they couldn’t see me, a lively voice was heard.
“Okay. Let the rehearsal begin!”
With a sigh at Estelle’s voice, I recognized the spatial coordinates of where I should appear. Estelle, who thinks it’s just a fun game, can’t find any tension on her face. I laughed bitterly. It is impossible to complain from the position of receiving help.
“Start!”
At Estelle’s signal, a newly modified dimensional exit was created. It is the complete opposite of the one developed by Principal Nelson.
I didn’t think about the efficiency of magic at all, I just recklessly increased the size of the dimensional door. Thanks to that, to the eyes of those who saw it for the first time, it looked menacing enough to give the illusion of a huge abyss appearing as the space that had been fine was suddenly distorted.
As I passed through the dimensional exit, I did all the cool things I had practiced before. I let out a sigh at Estelle’s mouth twisting her lips as if looking at me like that.
To talk about why I ended up doing this kind of acting, I have to look back a few days ago.
***
A few days ago.
“Do you do some acting?”
At my sudden question, Estelle froze as if frozen. As I was scratching her head, not knowing how to react, I heard a pathetic voice.
“Did you seriously ask the assassin to act? Are you really stupid Disguising as someone else is standard for assassins! You pitiful bastard!”
Listening to it reminded me that she asked a stupid question. Come to think of it, Estelle is also the legitimate successor to the group of assassins. Like I said, the camouflage will do just fine.
But I felt a sense of incongruity. If you’re good at camouflage, why are you so shy at the academy? It wouldn’t be smoke.
She asked just in case.
“Then is it possible without a mask?”
Estelle twitched her body like a cat straightening its fur, then she looked at me warily.
“Well, then of course….”
Estelle answered with a hint of her tongue. It’s a voice you can’t trust at all. As I narrowed my eyes and sent her suspicious glances, Estelle placed her hand on her waist, sticking out her small breasts.
“What! Do you think I can’t even do that? Let’s test it! You suspicious pig!”
To Estelle’s words, I answered straight away without hesitation.
“Then, please act as a lively, talkative girlfriend.”
Estelle seemed to be at a loss for words. I really didn’t think I would test myself. She trembled as much as she could see, and then she raised her hand as if determined to take off the cat mask.
A blush appeared on Estelle’s cute face as she looked at me. Looking at her determined expression, she was looking forward to it.
“Lo, Ross~ My husband, boyfriend… man, boyfriend… hehehe….”
Tears began to well in Estelle’s eyes as she bit her twitching lips and desperately held back her laughter. Thinking that if I left her like this, she might really cry, I quickly put her mask back on her.
An awkward air flowed in the room for a while. I scratched my forearm in embarrassment as I thought I had done something wrong at the sound of her sniffling.
“Come to think of it, Estelle doesn’t even have to take off her mask….”
“It’s a pig! Think about that quickly!!!”
Estel slapped my forearm with a fist full of emotion. My fist felt like it would bruise, but I endured it, thinking it was the price I paid for making Estelle cry.
Estel, who had been venting her anger for a long time, asked with a sigh.
“So, why did you suddenly ask about acting?”
I answered in a serious voice when Estelle glared at me with eyes that said it was nothing special.
“I am thinking of creating a fictional character to divert the attention of the religious leader.”
“A fictional character?”
For some reason, Estelle’s purple eyes seemed to shine brightly.
“A mysterious wizard who uses space magic that suddenly appeared… Wouldn’t that be enough to get the religious leader’s attention?”
Estelle seemed interested or curious at my words, so she stood close to me and waited for my next words.
“Anyway, the Green Mage Tower will start an investigation as Tarantra won’t be able to contact you. Rather, I think it would be better to use it to spread the name of Lily by spreading rumors that Lily punished Tarantra.”
Amber, who had been quietly watching the conversation from the sidelines, suddenly interjected.
“Shall we stay in the green mage tower? I’m sure he’ll go around poking here and there to get revenge.”
“I am sure it is. If the rumors are true, it’s a matter where the honor of the Mage Tower is at stake.”
Rather, if the Green Mage Tower openly puts a bounty on the neck of the lily, it’s a welcome with both hands up from this side. Rumors and fuss will do enough to attract attention.
Amber gave me a worried look and added with a smile.
“It is a fictional character that does not exist anyway. If Modest handles things well, nothing dangerous will happen.”
For some reason, Estelle, who had been restless since before, raised her hand as soon as she finished her words.
“I have a good idea for that! I will appear as a lily at this gathering. Before that, we spread a lot of rumors about lilies. A monster with no blood or tears!!!”
In the meantime, she was a voice full of interest that Estelle couldn’t hear. I nodded and said the correction.
“However, as Estelle said, you cannot be a murderer who blindly kills people without blood or tears. There is no need to be checked by unrelated people.”
Amber clapped her hands as if she had a good idea.
“Then what about a monster with convictions? A righteous monster who only punishes followers of the Church or the Demon King… ! Without trying to instill fear in the good citizens, the Church will surely pay attention to the new enemy and investigate it. Perhaps he could order us to investigate the lily.”
I shrugged and nodded. Also, Amber does a good job. The setting direction of the lilies I was thinking of was also that way.
“I was thinking of clearing the name of the killing club in the second year anyway, so I think the setting of the church and the apostle of justice to punish the wicked would be fine. Now that this has happened, rumors spread that Lily was the killer of Prince Six.”
Amber’s eyes lit up at my words.
“Then, in the future, the evildoers dealt with by Modist may be attributed to the actions of the lilies! If information related to lilies is manipulated and sold by us, it may cause confusion.”
Should I say that Ilmeori is working well? It’s not a bad thing to make a profit somehow. After all, we are in a symbiotic relationship.
“As Estelle said, the first appearance of the lily of rumor is at a gathering of Modests. It will draw attention, and you will have to show the attendees what kind of person Lily is.”
It wasn’t even a promise in advance, but when I finished my words, Estelle and Amber nodded at the same time.
“Okay! Leave it to us to spread our rumors! I’ll take this opportunity to clearly imprint on that little brain how much Modist can help you!”
I replied with a smile to Estelle who said that confidently with her hand on her waist.
“I look forward to it.”
“Huh. Get ready to smoke! We have to make sure that no one notices that the person behind the rumors we spread is actually a sloppy first year student!”
I nodded, thinking that it would work somehow.
***
… I want to tell my complacent past self that I am stupid.
“That’s not it! There’s no impact Impact!!! Are you going to walk so pathetically? Walk again and again! Don’t let your arms sag! Wave your right arm in sync with your left foot!”
A training center assistant? The words rose to his throat, but he swallowed them.
The white robe that Amber made herself is subtly uncomfortable. To be precise, it tightens between the legs. It would have been nice if it was a little larger in size. When Amber said that it is better to be a little cramped in order to save the body, the recipient of the gift cannot complain.
“I mean, focus your attention on the moment you come out of the dimensional exit! So that you naturally think, ‘Oh, this guy is not an ordinary guy!’!!! It means to exude a strong presence! Mix your sincerity with your acting!”
I felt like letting out a big sigh when I saw Estelle putting her hand on her waist and scolding her like a veteran teaching new actors, but I held it in.
“Still, I raised my mana to the maximum, but….”
When I said that as if to make an excuse, Estelle snorted.
“Do you think the participants will be interested in just that much? Among the participants, there are sword masters and imperial palace mages. If you have just this much of a presence, they might think the rumors are exaggerated and look down on you.”
Estelle spread rumors about the lilies to the capital’s aristocrats, as she asserted. Now, the story about the lily is gradually spreading to the academy. In other words, it’s a situation where I just have to do well.
As I glanced at her, she patted Estelle’s small breasts as if feeling frustrated.
“Just like when I fought Dwynn, let’s try to exhale something like intense fighting spirit! Back then, I did well without being asked to do it, but why can’t I do it now!”
“No, that is… Because I just can’t control it….”
“Why? Why not! Think there’s an opponent to kill right in front of you! You can immerse yourself! Focus on your poor imagination!!!”
Having said that, Estelle instantly spewed out a bloody murder as if to demonstrate her. I scratched my forehead again at the sight of Estelle, who had changed from a cute girl into a bloody water cannon.
When fighting Dwin, it only happened because of her berserker effect. It was a condition that automatically triggered when I was close to death, so it wasn’t something I could control.
“At that time, I almost died, so it was like an instinctive ability that flowed naturally….”
As she paused, Estelle responded immediately.
“Then, if you almost die, you will naturally become a person suitable for Lily without having to act?”
“… Uh, if you put it that way, it is.”
Sensing something ominous, I lowered her voice and answered, and Estelle smiled brightly.
“I thought of a good way.”
A smile full of innocence was even more ominous for some reason.