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「Houho! Of course, I will take account of you Inglis, the Heroine! It’s for the sake of creating a better work of art, after all!!」
「Yes! I am declining the heroine role!」
「EEeehh?!! H-, hold on, what are you saying, Glis?! What about our meal……!」

Rafinha stuttered in her question. Of course, it was only natural that she would be so concerned.

「I know that, Rani. Count Weissmall, please give the role you were going to give to Senior Silva to me instead!」
「Hoho?!! Th-, then, who will fill the heroine role?」
「Please give it to one of the men!」
「Men……?!」
「Yes. In other words, Mariabelle the heroine will be a man. Conversely speaking, the two main characters who were supposed to fight over her will be women!」
「So you’re saying……you want to reverse the gender of the cast?」
「Yes. That way, you don’t need to revise the plot! You said it yourself, Count Weissmall, the highlight of this play is the gaudy battle scene between two suitors! If so, we just need to focus on that highlight. I’m sorry if I sound rude, but in terms of combat sequences and piloting Flygears, I am more proficient than the actors of the troupe! Let us show the audience something that will satisfy them!」
「Hmm, I see the logic. The sight of you fighting, Miss Inglis, is truly beautiful and dignifying… it would be a spectacle for the audience.」

Redas nodded at Inglis’ statement.

「Indeed, you really look majestic when you’re fighting! Come to think of it, I discovered you because I saw you fought, did I not.」
「This is an age where women have to be strong too! It’s old-fashioned to think that women are mere flowers who can only be wanted and loved by men! We must show that we possess the strength and will to grasp what we want in our hands! That’s what I want to convey to the audience!」¹　
「Hou ho ho……! Ho Ho!」
「Don’t decide just yet who will win the duel, the rival or I! As the winner will be rewarded with the kissing scene! By purposely letting the plot open, we should be able to create the intensity of an actual battle!」
「Ooh!! What an unprecedented idea! This is fresh, really fresh!! I am excited!」
「No, rather than a stage play, wouldn’t that be more like an exhibition match then?」
「If Inglis were to have a serious fight on the stage, though, the entire theatre would be leveled……」
「Forget that, a single stray bullet from her will kill anyone!」
「Ssh!! Everyone, be quiet! This is a new stage production in the process! It’s art!」
「Indeed it is! What is it if not the most fascinating experiment! There is no progress without challenge! And so, the one to play the role of your rival will be Rafinha, is that how it is?」
「M-, me? If anything, I would rather play the role of the cute heroine……」
「No! Not Rani!」

If it was her, that meant either Inglis or Rafinha would have to perform the kissing scene at the end of the show. Both of them mustn’t do that, absolutely. Inglis’ goal was to avoid the kissing scene while still being able to be on stage and eat as much of the bribed cater as she wanted, but that would be putting the cart before the horse. Although she was also thinking of fulfilling another goal in mind with this agenda she tried to push through…

「Who is it, then?」
「Yes. I’m thinking of asking senior Yua to play the role of my rival!」

In a snap, Inglis pointed her finger to Yua.

「……Howeeh?」

Inglis quickly waltzed towards the still puzzled Yua then whispered to her ear.

「Senior Yua, this is a huge chance to kiss the man of your choice! After all, they will listen to our opinions about the casting!」
「Ooh!! I can choose freely? All to my heart’s content? I’m the one who picks the handsome guy?」
「Yes! However, for the sake of the production, you will have to fight with me in earnest, but… please defeat me if you want the kiss.」
「……Deal. I’m in. It’ll be fun, after a while. Fufufufu——」

Yua showed a light curve to her lips, smiling. Seeing how the poker-faced Yua showed an expression like this, she must have been quite enthusiastic with this idea.

「Yaay! Thank you so very much!」

As for Inglis personally, she would be having the perfect opportunity to duel with Yua as much as she wanted. She would be fighting on the stage until she was satisfied, and when the time was right, she would concede the victory as well as the kissing scene.

This was the surefire method of killing three birds with one stone; she evaded the kissing scene, she could go on the stage and had her fill, while also realizing her long-awaited wish to duel with Yua. A wonderful idea, even if she said so herself.

「And so, Count Weissmall… we’ll be asking for a change of cast and personnel!」
「Yes, yess! We will do just that! This is getting more exciting by the minute!」

Seeing the excitement between them, Rafinha blurted out her thoughts.

「Glis really is unfair~……In the end, everything just falls right to her lap.」
「Ahahaha! Well, rather than playing a cute and docile heroine, playing a heroine that trashes around the stage befits Inglis more……」
「And she is very quick-witted too, to boot! Although, her wit is not where the right is.」
「That has nothing to do with her being smart. Glis is Glis, that’s all.」
「When you said it, Rafinha, it somehow carries more weight…」
「Be that as it may, we better give our best aid too!」
「Yeah. Like teaching the actors how to handle a Flygear, right?」
「No. As Leone had said, the theatre itself could be destroyed by Miss Inglis, and so it is our role to ensure the safety of the audience by creating an enclosure with our Artifacts.」
「Th-, that might be really essential, yeah…」

While Rafinha, Leone, and Liselotte were whispering to each other, Count Weissmall gave out his final word.

「Well then, I would like to take a look at your skills, Yua! We can’t be wrong with Inglis’ recommendation, but just for caution’s sake!」
「That sounds great! It’s natural that you want to see her in action by yourself, too!」
「Nn……Got that.」

Yua didn’t hate the notion either. My long-held wish finally comes true! This is how it should be! Now I’m getting festive too.

1. Mab: Oh Inglis, always the hypocrite..