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Esu Sagiri - Idol Story 3

Characters: Esu, Kanna

Translator: Mika Enstars

Proofreader: 310mc

"You can say that so casually only because you don’t know how insane Yume is… Please reflect on it, reflect deeper than the sea and reconsider higher than the mountains."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Summer

Location: Toy Store

ES’ second year of establishment. A small way out from the ES Building, in the downtown area by a toy store…

Kanna: ……

Esu: I’ve found you at last, Kanna! It only took a million light years!

Kanna: “Light years” are not a unit of time, though.

Esu: Ahaha! You are so “Natsu Kanna” right from the get-go! Oh how I’ve missed it (natsukashii)! Na~tsu natsu natsu Natsu Kanna! Thank you so much! (?)

Kanna: What business do you have with me?

Esu: Ooh, and as calm and collected as ever…! You’re like that in person too?! Do you get through daily life alright?!

We had only communicated online up until recently, so I’d assumed you came off emotionless ‘cause it was through messages!

Kanna: Conversely, you are interminably loud in person.

Esu: Well, ‘cause I’m excited!

Maaan, it was a surprise getting to see you again yesterday, but to think I’d end up becoming an idol with you, Kanna! Even Indians wouldn’t be able to see it coming!

Kanna: …I deduce that statement was the result of mixing the sayings “Even Buddha wouldn’t be able to see it coming” and “Even Indians would be amazed”.[1]

Esu: What deduction! Are you a robot?!

Kanna: I often get that assessment. Anyhow, Esu-san, do excuse me for continuing to press the question—what business do you have with me?

Esu: Ah yeah, could you be Esupuri’s leader?

Kanna: Huh?

Esu: So~, apparently the guy who was supposed to be leader dropped out last second or something, and now I’m the leader of Esupuri for some reason.

But I’m not the type to be a leader, y’know?

Kanna: I find you to be perfectly suited for it. Out of all the members of Esupuri, the one with the most knowledge regarding idol activities is you, Esu-san.

Esu: Huh, where did you get that impression?

Kanna: Through the internet, I’ve gathered that your father was an idol.

Esu: Ahh~, and so that must mean I’ve inherited his idol-ness?

Kanna: Not quite. If you had an idol as your parent, then you’re likely familiar with the entertainment industry.

At the very least, more so than Raika-san, who we have little clarity on what they were doing prior, myself, who is simply a child, and Yume-san, who appears to have been a hobbyist cosplayer.

Esu: I dunno, before this I was just an adventurer traveling the world. I know little about idols, if I’m being honest.

It’s just the kind of work that my father used to do.

If anything, I’d say that Yume-san would be the most compatible, as someone who’d do commercial work as a cosplay suuuper once in a while—With that industry, I mean.

Kanna: Is that so. Then the role of leader should be left to Yume-san.

Esu: You can say that so casually only because you don’t know how insane Yume is… Please reflect on it, reflect deeper than the sea and reconsider higher than the mountains.

Kanna: What reason makes you think I would be more qualified to be the leader than anyone else?

It was you who Nice-san appointed to be leader. Presumably as you are the eldest member of Esupuri, and have both initiative and looks.

Esu: Oh, you’re complimenting me! I’m happy, even if it’s just flattery!

Kanna: They are objective facts.

Anyhow, I am the converse, as Esupuri’s youngest—Likely amongst the youngest active members in ES, in fact.

Are you certain you want a child to take on the important and responsible position of a leader? Even if you are fine with that, Esu-san, what would the public think?

They may find us unreliable, and wonder what the adults are doing apprehensively.

Esu: There aren’t any adults in Esupuri though, huh… We’re all kid newcomers.

Esu: But, back when I was an adventurer, you were my partner and you saved me countless times!

More than once or twice, you rescued a life that otherwise would’ve been inadvertently lost. I believe in your judgement, your intellect, your talent, and your humanity.

Kanna: ……

Esu: That’s why I wanted to entrust being leader to you. Any doubts in my judgement?

Kanna: Yes. You largely overestimate me.

As you can see, I am still a child who wants toys.

Esu: Ooh, this is a toy store, huh~! What did’ja get? I’ve shut myself away for so long I have no idea what’s in nowadays! Urashima Taro![2]

Kanna: I have purchased a popular handheld console alongside some exclusive games for it.

Esu: Yeah, yeah! You really are amazing, huh Kanna!

Kanna: …?

Esu: You’ve predicted my actions and acted accordingly, haven’t you?

You’ve got information processing skills that rival a computer’s, skills that’d not only put an adult to shame, but send a professional in the field running!

You’d be able to predict the actions of someone as simple as myself with ease! After all, you saw how much I hated it when I was appointed leader!

Kanna: ……

Esu: And so, analyzing my personality, you concluded that I would try to delegate the role of leader to someone else. That’s why you prepared a reason to decline in advance.

Isn’t that right, Kanna!

Here you are, buying a slightly-outdated game console that every toy-loving kid would have only just now.

The three games of your choosing completely lack cohesion, they look like you just randomly picked up whatever was nearby.

Kanna: ……

Esu: You anticipated that I would reach out to you, and bought a toy as proof that you are “too young to assume the role of leader”.

And now here you are, showing those games off to me.

Am I wrong, Kanna?

If I am, then explain to me what these games you wanted are about. Tell me, what made you want to buy these?

Kanna: ……

…Is it really that strange?

Esu: Huh?

Kanna: I said. Buying an RPG with a lot of cute girls, a hard-core old-fashioned shogi game—

And a party game I could enjoy playing with everyone. Is it really that strange?

Esu: Wha, but, but—You don’t seem all too interested in girls, and you do seem like you’d like shogi, but don’t we live in an age where you can download as many as those things you want for free? And—

Kanna: And I don’t seem like the type of person who is sociable and would want to have fun with other people?

What a cruel assumption to make. I’m hurt. …I really did like them, and I really did want them.

Esu: Huh wha? Uaaaagh! I’m sorry?! I’m such a despicable Onii-san I should just go and die!

I’m sorry I’ll think about what I’ve done! I was being presumptive! And I was acting upon an adolescent impulse to out the truth with a smug look on my face!

I’m seriously so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you at all, Kann—

Kanna: —If you didn’t intend to hurt me, then don’t try to put a heavy burden of responsibility like a leadership position on a child younger than yourself.

Esu: Huh…?

Kanna: Please perform your appointed job properly, Onii-san.

Esu: R-Right… I’ll do my best, even if I hate it. I’ll be the leader.

Kanna: I am relieved to hear that.

Ah, I won’t be needing this game console or these games, so you can have them.

Esu: Huh? Wait, you mean you—

Kanna: Yes. Your guess was correct. I’m a little surprised; I’ve always thought you can be strangely sharp at times, despite looking like a complete idiot through and through—

I had thought that part of you might have dulled while you shut yourself away, but that part of you hasn’t changed at all, huh, partner.

Esu: Ooh—Whuh? Could you not just walk away satisfied, Kanna-kuuun?

Kanna: No. I’m tired of having walked around fruitlessly, so I’m going back. I have some specialized books I would like to read.

Esu: You don’t care about things like games after all, huh?

So even though you searched up the toy store’s address on the web, you couldn’t figure out the exact location and tired yourself walking around in circles, didn’t you? Right?

Kanna: Yes, what of it.

By the way, Esu-san, I have recorded all the statements you made earlier, including ones such as “I’ll be the leader”. They have already been uploaded to the online cloud.

How unfortunate. Now you have no choice but to take on the role of leader now, Esu-san.

Esu: That’s fine… Besides, I know it’s a bit too late for me to say this, but I don’t like the idea of imposing such a heavy load onto a child like you, anyway.

Kanna: You are also just a child, though.

Esu: Yeah. So, I think I’m gonna enjoy playing these games you imposed onto me.

Or actually, you should play with me, Kanna-ku~n! Let’s have fun playing this party game~! We’ve finally gotten the opportunity to be companions, after all!

Kanna: It’s a hassle so I don’t want to.

That being said, I’m also aware from experience that entanglement with you will bring forth countless hassles.

So I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to get used to it now.

Esu: Exactly! We’ll be idols together from now on, so please get very used to me! Let’s get you introduced to Yume too! And invite that Raika-kun kid too!

Let’s all play together, and deepen our friendships with everyone in Esupuri!

Kanna: We didn’t join together just to play.

Esu: It’s fine~! Usually, the job of children is to play!

I mean, didn’t you also buy something like a party game because you wanted to play together? Am I wrong?

I’m not, right? This also gotta be another prediction of yours unfolding—

Kanna: No. I truly did not predict for it to get to this point.

You are far more intense, and far more obnoxious, than I predicted.

Esu: You’re saying that with a straight face?! You’ll hurt this Onii-san of yours! That’ll make even an adult cry, you know?!

[ ☆ ]

story directory

The tagline used in an old Special S&B Curry commercial in the 1960s, meant to mean that their curry is so good that even those from India, the birthplace of curry, would be amazed. See a commercial for it here!

A tale where a fisherman, Urashima Taro, rescues a sea turtle and is brought to a palace as a reward and entertained by a princess for several days, only to realize upon returning home that he was gone for at least 100 years. Esu calls himself like “Urashima Taro but for real” in VS★PRINCESS too.

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