Parallel World - Ch. 5

[nazunyan427]

 

Parallel World - “Cuteness is Unjust” Chapter 5

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Rhythm Link Office

Ideia-sama:

“Very well. Let’s leave the idle chatter born from getting to know one another at that.”

“I’d like to delve into the main topic at hand.”

Hajime:

Umm, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! If there’s something about me that you don’t like, I promise to fix that part of myself right away! Please don’t blame my shortcomings on everyone else…!

Tomoya:

Why are you assuming that Bishojo-senpai is mad at you?

Hajime:

I-I mean, I’m the only one who’s been interacting with Ideia-sama so far.

Mitsuru:

Maybe, but it’s weird if you’re the only one bowin’ your head like that, Hajime-chan. Your mistakes are my mistakes—no, those mistakes belong to all of Ra*bits.

Hajime:

Mitsuru-kun…

Tomoya:

(Wow. Mitsuru can be seriously cool now and then. I wish I could casually come out with stuff like that.)

Ideia-sama:

“Heh. You are even more valiant than Hajime-san described you as, Tenma Mitsuru-san.”

“For someone like you, doesn’t the cuteness of Ra*bits feel stifling?”

Mitsuru:

What are ya sayin’? I’ve never once thought of Ra*bits as stiflin’! 

Ideia-sama:

“Really? Then have you ever been worried that you might not be suited to be a member of Ra*bits?”

Mitsuru:

……

Ideia-sama:

“Ra*bits are cute, beautiful, young male idols who soothe everyone who lays eyes on them with their smiles.”

“And so, in your heart of hearts, do you honestly believe this to be your true calling? Do you believe this to be the most appropriate position for you assigned by heaven itself?”

Mitsuru:

Just what are you tryin’ to say? All you’re doin’ is ramblin’ on and on and I don’t understand a word of it!

Tomoya:

H-Hey, Mitsuru… Didn’t I tell you not to speak to our superiors like that? This is a major figure we’re dealing with here, and we’re the ones they’re angry with.

Mitsuru:

But they’re gettin’ on my nerves! Ramblin’ on and on through a screen ‘cause they won’t even show their face! I don’t understand why they have to go gettin’ all mad at us!

Ideia-sama:

“Heh. It seems you’ve come to think of me as an enemy who is here to cause harm to Ra*bits.”

“And that’s why Mitsuru-san—may I call you that? And that’s why Mitsuru-san here is baring his teeth and desperately barking back at me.”

“Even harmless herbivores are capable of putting their lives on the line and going on the offensive for the sake of protecting themselves and their herd.”

“If anything, I’m rather annoyed that Tomoya-san seems to be dismissing me as someone narrow-minded enough to be put in a foul mood by such a cute threat.”

Tomoya:

What, me? I-I’m s-so s-sorry!

Ideia-sama:

“You needn’t apologize. And that goes for all of you—Hajime-san, Mitsuru-san, Tomoya-san. And of course, Nazuna-san too, who’s been silent this whole time.

Nazuna:

……

Ideia-san:

“Nazuna-san is wise—no, he is an adult. He can’t tell what my intentions are, and so he’s chosen to stay silent so that he won’t say anything that might set me off.”

Nazuna:

…Honestly, I’m just bad with words. And I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. That’s all.

Ideia-sama:

“There’s really no need to be so on guard.”

“It seems as though the agency staff has misrepresented my message to you in the first place. In fact, I’m not particularly angry with you at all.”

Hajime:

Oh, you’re not? Thank goodness…♪

Ideia-sama:

“No, don’t relax just yet. This is what I said to the higher-ups at the agency.”

“‘I’m requesting that from now on, Ra*bits are no longer marketed as a unit that specializes in cuteness.’”

“‘Make them quit ‘cuteness’ altogether.’”

“‘And if you don’t accept this demand, I will withdraw all permissions to use my music and leave this agency altogether.’”

Nazuna:

Wh-What? Why would you say something like that? Why should we do that?

Ideia-sama:

“I will explain shortly. But first, since that was how I expressed things, I gather that’s why the agency assumed I was angry with you.”

“I suppose that can’t be helped. If I was the member of staff who’d heard that, I too would have a sneaking suspicion that you Ra*bits had done something to upset me.”

“And I’d assume that since you’d gotten on my nerves, I’d go after your number one selling point—cuteness—and put pressure on you to toss it aside.”

Tomoya:

S-So that’s not the case? It isn’t because we’ve done something to upset you? But then why would you give our agency such a strange demand—

Ideia-sama:

“From this moment on, I am speaking to you off the record.”

“The reality is—a certain country is planning to build what may well be referred to as a utopia for female idols. One that happens to be a huge corporate conglomerate, equivalent to Japan’s ES.”

Tomoya:

A-A utopia for female idols…?

Ideia-sama:

“Correct. Though it seems to still be in the planning stage right now, so it will probably take some time before it comes to fruition. But in the near future, such a corporation will be founded overseas.”

“This is the unavoidable future that awaits us. It is our destiny.”

“Our country’s idol industry, shaped by the Godlike Super Idol after the war, is a twisted creation that places a disproportionate emphasis on men.”

“With the founding of ES, I did anticipate that things might change, but ES made its true intent clear during the recent SS.”

“‘Women are unnecessary.’”

“‘This world belongs to men.’”

Tomoya:

No way… But the results of SS were determined after a fair fight between everyone.

Ideia-sama:

“Is that so? …Mitsuru-san.”

Mitsuru:

Huh, me? What…?

Ideia-sama:

“I’m going to give you an example that’s easy to understand. One athlete must run 50 meters. But another must run 1000 meters.”

“If you were to compare the time it takes the two of them to reach the goal, the difference is unmistakably clear.”

“But even so, if the two of them were to put everything they had into running as fast as they possibly could, should the results still be accepted as they are?”

“One of these athletes only ran 50 meters, yet since victory belongs to him, he is showered in praise and given all the glory that goes along with it.”

“Do you think this is a fair result after a fair match up?”

Mitsuru:

Those’re two different kinds of matches.

Ideia-sama:

“Exactly.”

“However, our country’s idol industry has continued to treat such warped matches as just all of this time.”

“I’m sure you can understand how illogical this is, Mitsuru-san.”

Mitsuru:

……

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Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki