Arc 1.5 Chapter 2: Promotion, and the Voice of an Idol

12/3/2030

Mare Melum; City of Lost Destiny: Nameless's Cafe

11:34

Stargazer's POV

"Promotion?"

I said questioningly at Kishinami who is sitting in front of me as she sips her hot choco. It's been a few weeks since our last "date" and ever since then, Kishinami and I have been hanging out and getting to know each other when we have free time. She is wearing the same outfit as last time with a black turtleneck shirt and and brown winter coat, but because it's already december, the temperature become much more colder compared to last month's fall season, she now wear a pink scarf around her neck and now wearing a pants and winter boots unlike last time where she wears a skirt with a pantyhose. Right now she is sitting with me in Nameless's Cafe discussing some kind of promotion.

"Yeah, I managed to convince both Nero and Tamamo for you to work at Mare Aurum and Mare Luxuria as caretakers of their castle." Hakuno said.

"She convinced Tamamo?" Something about this is fishy as hell.

"That's great and all, but I must ask: why? I mean I'm doing well here in Nameless's cafe."

"Yeah, Fujimaru here is doing well, why suddenly shift work?" Nameless said as he walked in front of us.

"Yeah, plus I actually enjoy working here, the payment is decent," I said, trying to reject the offer, I feel like my life will be in danger when I step into Tamamo's castle.

"Your monthly salary is 50,000 QP." Hakuno offered.

"Deal" I answer with no shame at all.

"So Fast!" Nameless falls from his chair at my sudden agreement. Hey don't look at me, I need money to live okay?

"Great! Here, I made you a schedule." Hakuno sends me a message through the terminal. Opening my terminal I can see a short schedule about my work days and in which place I am depending on the day.

"You made me a schedule? You didn't have to, you know I could make my own."

"Don't worry about it, plus both Nero and Tamamo have approved of the schedule

Schedule:

Monday to Tuesday: Mare Luxuria

Wednesday to Friday: Mare Aurum

Saturday to Sunday: Off days

"At Tamamo's place on Monday?" I grumbled.

"Also don't worry about you going back to your apartment every day to sleep, Nero and Tamamo made an arrangement and built a room for you in both of their castles for you to sleep there."

I somehow doubt that Tamamo, who in her eyes, is a stranger who has become close to her beloved person, would give me a comfortable room to sleep in.

"I think I'm now actually regretting my decision," I muttered under my breath.

"Don't worry about it, I aligned some of the schedule so there will be some days where I am there while you are working."

Well, that's a relief at least.

"I'm gonna go now, thanks for having some time, also you'll start next week, Bye Nameless, bye, Fujimaru."

"See you next week Kishinami." "Take care, Master." Both Nameless and I wave at her.

Man, I feel like I'm going to suffer next week, aren't I?

12/9/2030

Mare Luxuria: The Capital of Lust; Millennium Castle

7:00

I now am in the Millenium Castle, inside one of the rooms for the wardrobe I change into wha's essential, my uniform. It's a kimono with fox chibi designs splattered in it, contrary to the other caretakers who said that I could pick my kimono's color and that I could wear any kind of pants instead of leaving it as it is. They explain it so that I can be spotted easily amongst the caretakers. So having more options I pick the blue one and wear pants.

After changing into my kimono, I headed to the main room where Tamamo is, and once again, this hallway is too freaking long!

About 15 minutes of just walking I finally arrive at the main room sliding the door, I was greeted by Tamamo laying and posing on a red couch, kind of like those in a magazine, while she lies she eats cookies in the shape of fox. She doesn't seem to notice me as she is continue eating while looking at a piece of paper. Feeling like I don't even exist, I put my hand on mu mouth and cough.

"Ahem"

"Hmm? !"

Hearing the sudden sound, Tamamo looks up and sees me, she suddenly panics and she immediately sits up and the plate of cookies that are in the floor were put in the table near it brush her kimono, she sits like a proper lady before opening her eyes which now seems like that of a business woman.

"So, you finally arrive, Ritsuka Fujimaru." She said in an intimidating voice which would totally work on anyone but…

"Pfft..!"

"That's disrespecful! Why did you laugh?!" Tamamo stands up to her sit and points at me, while I try to cover my mouth trying keep my laughter inside.

After calming down, I tried to keep and straight face and face tamamo again.

Key word 'tried'.

I look at the side and cover my mouth again to keep my laughter.

"Stop that!" Tamamo angrily points and shouts at me.

"S-sorry, it's just that, how can I take you seriously when just a minute ago, you look like an unemployed person on a tuesday night."

"That's rude AND disrespectful!"

"Sorry, sorry, ahem okay serious time." I exhale and turn her this time not trying to laugh at her ridiculous display earlier. Seeing this Tamamo also coughs a bit and fixes her posture before sitting gracefully.

"Okay then, let's talk about what you are going to do in this mansion of mine. First here are some of the rules here: first; whenever a guest will arrive you shall respect them in any form, be it bowing, respectful tone, unless the said guess is or will be hostile that's where the formality will be dropped. The second is that: My and my husband's word is absolute, unless the situation is dire, wheneverShe or I are around here in Mare Luxuria no one will move and bark orders or made decision on their own unless my Husband or I give them permission to move independently, BUT if you do have any ideas you're free to share it. That's the rules, understand?" Tamamo explained the rules thoroughly, and hearing it, it absolutely makes perfect sense, if anything she acts like what a decent ruler would be. After that she continued.

"Now, let's talk about what you are going to do here every monday and tuesday. Every monday you'll be directly working in this mansion and you have a quota to fill before 11 in the night. Here is the list that you'll be doing. Snap" She snapped her fingers and a girl in a white kimono walked up to me and handed me a piece of paper before bowing with a smile and leaving.

H-how long has she been standing behind the door?

Looking at the paper, here is the list I need to do everyday.

Clean the entire mansion

Help the chefs cook

Take care of the garden

Buy the supplies for the chefs

At first glance it seems like it's a very reasonable list to do, but here's the thing…

I need to do this and finish this within a day, in a freaking mansion!

I look up to Tamamo bewildered, and upon meeting her eyes, my eyebrows twitch due to the smug aura she radiates.

Is this her revenge because of the "date" Kishinami and I have?

"Let's continue, every Tuesday you'll not be in the mansion, instead every week you'll be assigned to one of the four departments and assist them in any way you can." Wow and I thought that this job would not get any more tiring.

Kishinami explained to me that In Mare Luxuria has four companies, two of them being a joint department with Mare Aurum, these departments are the most prominent businesses around .PH.. In Mare Luxuria, these two independent companies are, the entertainment company; where as the name suggest, is the department where the objective is to make events or idol concerts and the such that can entertain the populace, tour and guide department; where it's everywhere in .PH even to the most obscure small town where a resort is made for the travelling wizards basically an onsen and hotel/motel. The joint departments are the SFS or SERAPH's Food and Supply Department, where the two kingdom along with mare regalius handle the food and supply, and the other is the Supreme Court where; they oversees and judge the criminal or suspect with Mare Regalius being it's founder so I guess its a three way joint.

"And the one you are assigned to tomorrow is the entertainment department. Most specifically, you'll be the co-manager of Elisabeth Bathory's singing and dancing nanumber and aaeber."

"Huh?" I become dumbfounded, the first thing I need to do to my job… is be Eli's manager.

Where's Miss Crane where I need her the most…l

"You'll probably wonder why that girl gets the permission to sing, especially during our very first Christmas party celebration. Well, let's just say that she and I got to a deal that honestly would benefit me more." Tamamo said before having a creepy smile and giggling to herself.

Eli, you have my condolences.

13:09

Stargazer's POV

Wow.

This is easier than I thought!

Of course, it's still hard but not that horrendous, and the added help from other caretakers made it easier. I first watered the garden and it took me about 2 hours. And then along with the help of some sentient NPCs, we buy supplies and food ingredients. And after that I help with the cooking process, and the chefs are really nice and Tamamo even offers all the people working to eat with her. When I ask she says that they work hard so they should be rewarded even a little, myself included.

I thought that Tamamo would be, I don't know, more petty than this but it seems like she is taking it easy on me, at least for now.

After lunch, I resume my job and begin to clean the floor with the help of other caretakers. The other caretakers talk to me and says that in inorder to ease my job they say that I should primarily clean the bedrooms, and because there are only about one master room, 3 rooms for the generals and about ten unused guest rooms, so with the Master room, I guess the time I would clean the room will be about 10 hours, adding to my one hour break time. Just enough time for me to relax in the room designed for me and 8 hours of sleep, not a bad deal.

20:57

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Finally, I thought it would never end.

The cleaning of the room itself is not hard, especially the guest rooms because I'll just clean the dust that formed due to not being used. For the room of the generals it's a bit easy, in Medusa's room I just put the book back and sweep lightly. For Karna, I also just sweep, in Eli it's a bit more complicated but basically, I just iron her scattered clothes and hang them, while also neatly arranging her bed to be more presentable. All is good and all…

…and then we get to the master's bed a.k.a Tamamo's bedroom. The room itself is enormous and that wouldn't be a problem itself, but Tamamo is there watching me clean and while I clean she either nitpicks the most obscure tiniest speck of dust and then intentionally falls some of her book from the bookshelf. It took me about, 6 hours, 6 HOURS IN A SINGLE ROOM.

Well, whatever, please just let me sleep, I'll start at 8 tomorrow, so I'll take all the rest that I need.

I hope tomorrow will not be this tiring, but since it's Eli, I doubt that very much.

12/10/2030

9:34

It's the next day and for the past hour and a half, the star of the show, Elizabeth Bathory, still haven't arrived yet, and as the production staff is waiting for her rehearsal, I help some of the propsman carry some luggage across the stage, and being their run man, sending messages or calling someone, and after a few more minutes, Eli finally arrive.

"Hey I'm here." Eli without a care in the world just walks in the music room with a yawn unfitting of her noble figure.

" Miss Eli, how many times do I have to tell you that you need to be here on time." The Wizard who is also Eli's vocal teacher angrily scolds her, while Eli just brushes her off and begins to practise her voice, feeling ignored the vocal teacher becomes even more outraged and yells at her.

"Why can't you just listen for once you damned brat! Don't you know that all the people here, even the damned NPCs are trying to help you?! Don't you want to sing great?!"

"Huh, watch your mouth human, I can kill you right here, and parade your severed head, If I want to." Eli glared at her and in response the wizard backed off out of fear, seeing the petrified human, Eli just smiled hauntingly.

"Why am I even here in the first place? An Idol like me should be in some kind of convention giving handshakes to my adoring fans, not in a dump like this." Eli said.

"W-what, don't you know how much QP we wasted for this stupid project of yours, and you can't even bother to show up in time." The teacher said so.

"Yeah, so?" Eli said not to even bother trying to look at her, it seems like this version of Eli seems immature and childish compared to the Elizabeth Bathory I know back in Ch_dea, back there Eli seems a bit more mature compared to the one I'm seeing right now. Planning to speak up and break up the fight, I suddenly notice Eli's hand clenching in a fist and her legs shaking a bit, while her lips are twitching.

"I can't believe this… you know what you do you, I don't care anymore, it's not like you are a good Idol in the first place." The Vocal teacher scoffs at her. That comment seems to snap Eli as she looks back at her and glares.

"What did you say?!" Eli outrage by the comment screamed at her, but contrary to the events that happened earlier the Vocal teacher didn't flinch. Elizabeth, trying to summon her weapon to kill the wizard, trying to stop her before it gets violent, the Teacher speaks one thing that presumingly the one thing Eli don't want to heard.

"Don't even try to hide it, even I heard from the Holy Grail War that all you did is switch with masters and keep losing over and over again, hell even I'm sure that the priestess herself decides to approve of this stupid project is because she just amused you in the first place." The Vocal Teacher ruthlessly brings down Eli with words alone, and Eli hearing this seems to take a step back.

"It's a wonder why the sovereign even bothers to spare you and let you join back after your betrayal not long ago. I'm sure that even she is annoyed by you I mean everyone here agrees no matter what how you looked at it."

"No, you're wro–" Eli looked around only to see the people from the production team giving her the stink eye, some of them even whispering ill things about her.

"Tch, what a brat."

"Why did she even bother to come here if all she does is complain and be a bitch."

Being a servant enhances your overall senses of course that includes hearing so no matter how quiet you are the servant will always have a high chance to hear even the tiniest whisper. Eli hears all of this.

"...tsk!" Seemingly annoyed storms out the places. I looked at the other people and they just continued their business as if nothing happened. I look at where Eli runs off and remember that scene.

It's only for a brief moment but I can see it.

A tear that formed in Eli's eyes.

"Hey, I'm taking my early break. Can you handle this." I said to one of the runners.

"U-uh yeah, I'll handle it."

After that, I walk to where Eli run off, and when I get there I seem to have lost her, having no other choice I use reinforcement on my hearing and use the regalia a bit to know where she is.

And after 5 seconds I can hear a quiet sobbing, right inside the storage room at the back of the main stage. Opening the door, I can see Eli sitting on the ground sobbing quietly. Wanting to know why she is crying I called out to her.

"Hey, can I sit here?" Upon hearing my voice Eli became startled, normally a servant can sense whenever someone is approaching unless they have a presence concealment skill, but I would guess that those senses can dulled when in an emotional state. Upon seeing me she stands up and points at me quickly wiping her tears.

"W-what are you doing here?! Wait scratch that, how did you find me?! Also more importantly I'm not crying or anything okay!" Eli shouted at me, while I just chuckled.

"Yeah sure, sure." I just wave my hand and take a seat on the ground.

"W-what, who told you to sit there?!" Eli questioned me.

"You."

"No I didn't!"

"You basically said 'sit there' from your last sentence right? So I take that as a yes."

"My previous sentence is clearly a rejection."

"Wow you would reject your fan?" I made a joking gesture. When she suddenly turned silent.

"...do you mean it?" She muttered but I could hear her clearly.

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Really really?"

"I mean it."

"Mmmm, thanks for being my fan I guess." Eli said before sitting next to me.

"So what's the problem?" I know already or at the very least have some idea, but I guess it's better that she was the one who told me instead of just laying it out for her.

"...Maybe those people are right." Eli muttered softly, instead of interrupting her I just let her speak out her mind. All of it, sometimes, having someone who listens to you is enough to heal you.

"Ever since I was summoned, all I've done is lose, and lose and lose, I tried my best to be a competent servant and a good Idol, but all the people I've met, maybe aside from little squirrel and the rome emperor, said that I'm nothing but just deadweight. A loser, a brat, a spoiled princess, a sore loser."

That's right, even back in Ch_ldea, Eli is what you can call a sore loser, someone who tries to do something but ultimately fails in the end.

"The real reason why I'm doing this, why I want to be an Idol is because I saw what my future is."

My eyes widened because of that statement. I've never really considered why she wants to be an idol in the first place.

"I say it's because I want to torture them, as being an Idol means that the men will be a slave to me, women to wail me, that's true, but I guess I just want to be more than the historical figure known to torture and kill, I saw my future self, and the kind of person I will become, I want to reject that future, I don't want history to remember me simply as a monster, but when I was summoned and become part of the mooncell, I saw it, the existence called "Idols", they simply sing, everyone can do that but when they do it, many people adore them and in turn I adore them, and said to myself, I want to be like that. I want to be the light, where everyone looks at me, I want to be envied, I want to be needed by someone, I want to be loved, but more importantly, I want to be an important person, not just a simple sore loser, nor a monster who only know how to torture someone. But people called me selfish because I want to be an Idol." Eli said that tears, flow from her eyes, gone the selfish, merciless girl, and now next to me is a girl who wants to understand why people are mad at her.

"If you are asking me, there's nothing wrong with being selfish." I said.

"Huh?"

"Being selfish might be bad for a lot of people, but personally being selfish can also be a good thing. Hell, selfless action can be considered selfish in the eyes of others, and it's perfectly valid for them to think so. So what if you are selfish, as long as you are not bothering others then be selfish as much as you want. Your wish of being an Idol can be considered selfish too." That's right, wanting to be someone, or something to the point of rejecting your future is a bit extreme but if it makes you happy, then who am I to judge your happiness.

"But inevitably you're going to find some people that don't like or even outright hate you, if that is the case then why bother even to give them the time of the day. Unless what they do or say is something that is very important to you, then just ignore them if you want, and focus on other people that actually like you or matter to you." I said before standing up and offering her a hand.

"So what do you say and practise your singing. After all, as your fan, I want you to sing as beautifully as you can, right?" Upon hearing that, she wiped away her tears and took my hand and got up. She walks up to the door and speaks.

"Even though I tell you the reason why I want to be an Idol, you still foolishly call yourself my fan, you're like a naive child dog you, I don't even know if that is worse than those pigs. But I guess I have no choice, as an Idol I need to keep my fans happy. So come on now puppy! Follow me and watch me make those pigs eat their words." She said before turning around and pointing at me with a big grin on her face.

"Now that's the Eli I know." I smiled, gone the sobbing quiet girl from earlier and now, the dazzling selfish narcissistic girl who claims to be an idol is now back, more brighter than ever.

12/15/2030

15:35

I'm in my room as Eli practicing and after finishing her song she looks at me with a proud face. It's been a few days and when I have free time I help her practive her singing, giving advice, and telling her what's good and not.

"So, what do you think?"

"The lyrics are great, but your voice ehhh, how do I put this...it hurts my ear."

"Rude, I thought you'll be helping me not downplaying me, I made this song with a full passion of my heart, a song dedicate by me and me only and you're just dissin on it?!" Eli angrily tells me.

"There that's the problem, you're singing for yourself, and yourself only."

"How's that a problem, I thought it's okay to be selfish!"

"Yes I said that, but I think the reason why you sound so bad is because instead of singing for your fans, your only singing for yourself, Idols do not sings for themselves, instead, they sing for their fans." I explained to her.

"But what if they don't like it..." She become downed again.

"Okay here how about this; why not try closing your eyes and imagine that you're singing for the people you know will accept you."

Blood Countess's POV

Listening to puppy, I closed my eyes and imagine the people I would sing for.

Little Squirrel

The Roman Emperor

and Puppy

Those three appeared in my mind as I begin to sing all my heart out. As I sing with all my heart I can see the three of them cheering for me, their face has no signs of disguise, instead they eyes says that they accept me and support me so in return I would sing for them beautifully.

After finishing my song I slowly open my eyes, and there puppy is smiling softly at me, for some reason seeing his face made my heart beat for a moment before shaking my head and ask him.

"H-how is it?"

He smiled and says to me looking proud:

"As expected, when you sing for other, your voice sound so beautiful."

And as if the environment change, my heart begun explode with happiness.

"Really?!"

"Yeah of course."

After that I begun to celebrate. Before puppy stand up and open his terminal.

"Continue your practice, I'll just call somebody."

He said before leaving the room, I just shrugged and continue to sing. A few minutes later puppy came back again.

"Where did you go? You've been gone for 15 minutes." I ask him

"Sorry, I just need to make a call." He said before continuing.

"Eli, let's do it again alright."

I Nodded. I close my eyes again and begun to sing. I see them again cheering me on and I smiled and continue to sing with all my heart, I imagine in a big stage with many crowds cheering but despite that, all of them are are shadows with no face, the only visible people are puppy, squirrel, and that emperor, but for now that's enough for me.

I finish the song and hear clapping I slowly open my eyes again to see puppy clapping with a smile on his face, but beside him is something I did not expect.

"Little Squirrel?!" The Sovereign herself, Hakuno Kishinami sitting while clapping and a big grin in her face.

"Wow, Eli you sound so good!" She said while clapping.

"W-when di you get here?!" I ask frantically

"Fujimaru called me here, saying that there's something he wants to show me, I must say, your good." She said and I look at puppy.

"Is that the call you made?!"

"Yeah, sorry for not saying something." He said while scratching the back of his head.

"I-idiot, stupid, moron!" I screamed at him while he just laughs and squirrel on the side giggling.

"But in all seriousness, you sound beautiful, Eli." He said.

I stop for a moment before asking.

"R-really?"

"Yeah, you sound so pretty, Elizabeth." Squirrel said while puppy nod.

Ah

My heart begun to tighten, not because of being hurt, but because of happiness.

Finally, someone sees me, somebody finally accepted me. Not being able to fight back the tears flowing form my eyes, I tell them something that feels out of character for me.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" I said while shedding tears of happiness.


Hey welcome back!

It's official that there will two short chapters after this and an epilogue and after that we'll go the Next Arc.

I plan to make this chapter an short story collection about the few weeks after Ritsuka and Hakuno's "Date", but I feel like it's appropriate to split it as the next chapter "midquel" (Middle sequel, a story where the events happened between the cuts in the story) will be focusing Ritsuka learning a few tricks and after so keep an closed eyes in the dates to know the chronological order. After that will be the Christmas Event and after that is the Epilogue and let's say there's gonna be a surprise character debuting in the epilogue that will be a major character in the story moving forward.

That's all, and as always enjoy the chapter and comment what your thoughts on it!