18. Raising the Curtains (Pixiv Fanbox)

The script for the drama club’s play was based on the story of “Amour’s Scales”. The writer had taken the folktale, which had been passed down for many generations in Bauer, and written their own original retelling. The script of course captured the competition between the two men over their maiden, Henriette, as well as the moral collapse of their kingdom during it. However, for the sake of the play, the events had been dramatized, putting a large emphasis on the romance.

And so, the curtains were raised to a scene with the maiden, Henriette, as well as the two men strongly influential in the kingdom’s politics, Auguste and Alain, competing over her.

“I am the one! I, who possess superior wealth, status, and looks… I am the one who is worthy of her, of Henriette!”

The girl playing the role of the taller man in the folktale―the role of Alain―boldly projected her voice throughout the theater. In contrast, when Lydie, who had taken the role of Auguste, responded, her voice sounded conflicted.

“It is true that I may not have been as blessed as you… However, the one who truly needs her in my life, is me!"

Lydie had previously confided with us that she felt Auguste needed to appear lost. In our rehearsals, Lydie’s portrayal of Auguste would come off very confident and unyielding to the taller man. However, her current performance made it seem as though a dark shadow had been cast over Auguste. I personally wasn’t sure whether or not that was for the better or for the worse, but the current Auguste did appear lost to me.

The scene changed, taking us to one of the Spirit Church’s Great Sanctuaries.

“Oh, Great Spirit… I must confess that I have lost my way. Will I be able to continue on as your holy maiden…? Even when my desires for a worldly love continue to burn me from within…”

Louise’s portrayal of Henriette too didn’t seem to be as disparaging of her own desires for romance. In our rehearsals, that line sounded as though Henriette couldn’t stand that she was experiencing such lowly feelings, but now, I felt her internal struggle, caught between her faith and her love.

“Ah… Great Spirit. Please guide me…”

“Guide me…”

“Guide me…”

“””And enlighten me to… the path you have divined!!”””

With that, the play’s opening scenes came to their end.

“Alright, Lily-sama, we’re up next.”

“O-Okay…!”

“If you get stuck, please leave it to me. I’ll improvise our way through.”

“P-Please do.”

Gripping Lily-sama’s hand tightly, I looked into her eyes one last time before we parted to opposite sides of the stage. Taking a deep breath, I waited for my cue and gauged the appropriate timing before stepping out onto the stage.

“Love… Love, huh. Even Alain-sama and Auguste-sama find themselves in its clutches and unable to properly govern their territories. Ah… Love must simply be that enchanting and thorny for all who tread through it. I understand. Because my own love too, burns hot from within.”

The scene took us to a church. My line was a rather long one, but I felt that I had managed to articulate it well. While making exaggerated motions befitting a stage play, I finished my line.

“Elder sister!”

With that, Lily-sama emerged from stage right.

“Sophia… I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What might be the matter, dear sister? Going out of your way to ask me to the church… There’s no service planned for today, was there?”

“That’s right, there isn’t. I didn’t come here today to worship. I came… To ask your hand in marriage!”

Getting on one knee, I took Lily-sama’s hand. Lily-sama acted surprised, immediately slapping my hand away.

“Please, dear sister, don’t jest! Just what do you think you’re saying in front of the Great Spirit!”

“This is no jest, Sophia. I am serious.”

“Oh… Oh no, my dear sister has gone mad…!”

In the play, the character I played, Josephine, had fallen in love with the character Lily-sama was playing, Sophia. Josephine’s feelings portrayed not only homosexuality, but also incest. Considering the values in that era, her feelings were beyond depraved and sinful. Our role in this play was to show just how far the kingdom had strayed. That said, compared to the original folktale, our script had been altered to feel more hopeful.

“‘Tis not madness. I truly do love you from the bottom of my heart, Sophia, my beloved.”

“Oh, dear sister, please I ask that you stop. We are here in the presence of the Great Spirit!”

“What does that matter! If it means I can claim your heart, I could bear even the flames of hell!”

“Dear sister, just what has become of you… You should know that my heart has long been alongside yours!”

With a despondent look on her face, Lily-sama cast her gaze downward before running away, offstage.

“Wait, please, wait! Sophia!”

With that, I chased off after her.

“Good job out there, you two, you both did great!”

“Take it easy for a bit until your next scene.”

Lydie and Louise were there waiting for us at the side of the stage. The two of them were up next.

“Has Mei said anything since?”

“Yeah, just a moment ago she contacted us saying that the monsters had been dealt with. She said she still needed to make a report to security, so it’ll still be a bit before she can join us.”

“I see…”

“She said she was disappointed she’d miss her chance to see you two on stage.”

“M-Mei-chan…”

Mei wasn’t really the type to let her emotions show, but I knew. In her own way, she had put her all into practice. And then, even if it meant tossing all of the effort she had poured in aside, she chose to fight to protect the academy. Even if it meant that she had to pass off her role to Lily-sama.

“Come on, we should be focusing on the things that we can do. I’m sure that’s the best thing we can do to reward Mei for her efforts as well.”

“… Yes, you’re right.”

“L-Lily will do her best, for M-Mei’s sake as well!”

“Yeah, that’s the spirit.”

Just as our mood was beginning to drop, Lydie refocused us. She was exactly right. Ensuring that the play was a success―that was the best thing we could do to pay back Mei for her efforts.

“Alright, we’re just about halfway through. Let’s stay focused until the end.”

“Of course.”

“O-Okay.”

　◆◇◆◇◆

Even though Lily-sama had come in as a sudden replacement, the play was continuing well. With the middle coming to an end, the story entered its final section.

“Oh, my beloved, I love you so, but as sisters we mustn’t!”

We entered the section of the script that Lily-sama and I had practiced together the other day. It was a scene where Sophia, played by Lily, would reject Josephine’s, who was played by me, feelings for her.

“But why? Why must you say that, when we already possess a bond deeper than that of lovers!”

“It runs too deep! Dear sister, this abyss, is surely one that will take us all the way to hell.”

“Even then! If it’s with you, I will plunge down to any depth!”

I felt a strange excitement wash over me. An elation even greater than the one I felt the other night. It felt almost as though my own love for Lily-sama resonated with the love the character I was playing, Josephine, held for Sophia. It was a strange experience.

“I’m so sorry, my dear sister, but even then I…”

“Sophia…”

My feelings were rejected. Even though I knew we were on stage, in that moment the pain felt real. It felt as though my heart had been torn to shreds… Why…? Why…!?

“I… I will never give up on you!”

Having let my emotions take the better of me, I snapped back to attention as I realized what I had done. Lily-sama stood in front of me, her expression stiff.

(I, I… Went off script…!)

According to the script, Josephine was meant to give up on her love here. After this, Josephine was supposed to channel her emotions to a normal familial love, and the two would return to being a close pair of sisters.

(But I…!)

Even though I told Lily-sama to rely on me at the beginning of the play, here I was the one who messed things up. Confused by my sudden mishap, my thoughts spiraled in chaos and my decision making grinded to a halt. Lily-sama, in front of me, was also panicked.

At this rate, our act is going to fall apart―that was when we heard something.

“… What’s this…?”

We could hear the sound of a beautiful melody playing. The melody wasn’t a part of the script, but it also somehow sounded familiar.

(… Lily-sama. Hymn twelve, from the sixth verse.)

(Mei-chan!? … Okay, I understand!)

Matching the tune, Lily-sama began to sing. The sounds composing the melody didn’t sound like that of an instrument, but rather spirits coming together in song. The tune was likely constructed by Mei’s wind magic. Her performance, accompanied by Lily-sama’s clear singing voice spun together to create something that sounded ethereal. It felt as though their song could wash anything and everything clean, yes, even feelings of love and obsession.

“My dear sister, this is my answer to you. I belong by the side of the Great Spirit, and I cannot go with you.”

The Saint―the title that she had once been given, and was revered as. Lily-sama offered me a smile befitting of that title, and steadily walked herself off stage. As I stood there, completely motionless, the spotlight fell on me and the other lights were all cut. After a short delay, the spotlight cut out as well.

(… Alea, you need to get off the stage too.)

(R-Right…!)

And so, with things back on track even after my mistake, the play continued as planned.

　◆◇◆◇◆

After that, things continued smoothly and the play reached its finale.

“I, here and now, swear that I will protect you to the very end…!”

Lydie dedicated the Amour Poem’s most famous line to Louise and the curtains dropped. When they did, we could hear a resounding applause coming from the other side.

“Alright everyone, it’s time for the curtain call. Let’s get in line.”

Unlike a normal curtain call, the students who had worked on the backdrops and props, as well as the stagehands also joined us. Once again, the curtain rose up, and we all bowed. When they saw us there, the crowd’s applause grew even louder.

“Everyone! Thank you so much for coming to see our drama club’s play today!”

Lydie, the drama club’s president, thanked the crowd on behalf of everyone else.

“There were some troubles along the way, but we managed to see things through to the end. To all my reliable clubmates, thank you so much, really!”

In response to Lydie’s words, the club members wore a shy smile. The crowd gave another round of applause

“And finally, I want to thank the Acts of Kindness Club from the bottom of my heart, for coming to help us when we needed it most. If you all hadn’t come through for us, this play wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you!”

The four of us, from the aforementioned Acts of Kindness Club bowed together. The crowd again gave us a round of applause.

“And finally… Louise.”

“Huh!?”

Suddenly having been called by name, Louise seemed to be at a loss. Then, as though it had been planned beforehand, the lights cut and the spotlight fell onto Lydie and Louise.

“My confession to you during the play was of course acting… But I truly do love you. Would you please accept my confession?”

“Eh, wait, what, huh…!?”

It seemed that Lydie chose to take this moment on stage to confess to Louise. In response to the unexpected development, the crowd’s excitement had reached its peak.

“What do you say?”

“Uhm, well… You really surprised me but…”

“But?”

“If you’d be alright with me… Yes.”

At the end, Louise’s voice trailed off as though she’d disappear from embarrassment, but she definitely did say yes. The crowd responded with the loudest applause that we had heard today.

“Thank you. I, here and now, swear that I will protect you to the very end.”

“Oh gosh… You silly…”

In response to Lydie’s cheesy line ripped from the play, Louise pouted. Their little exchange spread smiles across the faces of everyone there.

“Alright, well, there was a little bit of a surprise as well, but this is truly the end of our drama club’s performance. Next up will be a performance from the Orchestra Club. We hope that you will continue to enjoy the festival. Once again, thank you very much for coming today!”

When Lydie bowed, we too bowed alongside her. With one final round of applause, the curtain dropped, signaling the end of our play.