Human Comedy - Epilogue 1

[bakemonoremy]

Location: Repayment Festival Stage (Va)

Shu: ~.....♪

Fufu. This is the first time I’ve ever felt this tranquil stepping upon the stage. Perhaps it’s thanks to Ra*bits.

Well, I wasn’t the one who created this performance from scratch, so maybe that contributes to the comfort I feel.

Mika: Oshi-san. Umm, I’ve been meanin' to ask ya somethin’...

Is yer grandfather doin’ alright? Ya said he’s hospitalized an’ in pretty critical condition right now…

Shu: Right… Well, it’s too soon for my mind to be at ease regarding his condition. Although, when I went to visit him with Kiryuu, I carelessly let slip our current state of affairs, and he gave me hell.

“There are people out there waiting for your performance! You should be grateful to them! Quit dawdling your time away in a place like this!”

“No one would miss me if I died, so if that’s what it takes to sever your ties to me, I swear I’ll jump out the window this instant!”

It took my entire family to restrain my raging grandfather.

It’s been awhile since he last flew off the handle like that… I feel like an idiot for worrying about him. That man will indubitably live to see his 300s.

Mika: I see… I’m real glad to hear he’s doin’ well, but it’s still a concernin’ situation. Wanna go visit him when all of this is over?

Shu: Yes. It’ll be reassuring to have you with me. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I fear that if I go by myself, it may break me...

It’s astonishing just how much I treasure that senile old fool.

No matter how much one may wish to live forever, human lifespans are finite… But that is the way of the world.

I empathize with our ancestors, who attempted to leave behind works of art that would never fade and disappear.

Kagehira. Let us also leave behind, at the very least, one such work of art... Before we die and turn to ashes.

Let us create a precious performance that will never decay, one that will only increase in value as the years pass.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”…

That may be God’s design, but let us preserve all that is precious and worthy, and deliver them to the beautiful new world we are heading for.

If that is a sin… You will fall to hell with me, won’t you?

Mika: Yeah, I’d follow ya to the very bottom. Even if we sank to the muddiest depths, even if the whole world forgot ‘bout us an’ left us behind…

I’ll always be with ya. That’s why we… No, that's why Valkyrie, is eternal.

Shu: Does that mean you’ll inherit the Valkyrie name?

In that case, I can be at ease… Even if every single one of my fingers were to break, even if I were to die, you will preserve my artwork for the generations to come.

No, I’m sure that even if I should fail to reach my ideals, you will succeed in my place.

And even if they’re beyond our reach, those who have been inspired by us will get there eventually… I have no doubts about that.

They will reach Heaven; God’s domain that humanity has been dreaming of since the dawn of history.

Mika: Yeah. We'll carry those who are beautiful an’ worthy to Heaven… ‘Cause we’re Valkyrie.

I always thought the name “Valkyrie” had some deep, personal significance to ya, Oshi-san…

That’s why I had qualms ’bout inheritin’ it — it felt like I’d be stealin’ a part o' yer soul.

But apparently the name wasn’t chosen for any significant reason, so that puts me a lil’ more at ease… ‘Course, that don’t mean I’ll treat it roughly.

Shu: That goes without saying. Excellent; that’s a weight off my shoulders… You really caused me some anxiety there, Kagehira.

Allow me to confess something. When I told you to go back to your hometown and pushed you away, I believed the chances of it stirring you were about 50/50.

It was a heartbreaking thought… No, it was the gamble of a lifetime for me.

You were going to be ruined if things kept going as they were. I believed that you were going to spend the rest of your life simply doing chores for me.

And while you may laugh and say you’re happy with just that…

I, for one, couldn’t stand that. Because I am in enormous debt to you, and because you mean so much to me…

While these are my own selfish feelings, I also believe that it’d be a great loss to the philistines this world is composed of.

The reason why Valkyrie is so popular right now…

It’s because of your deep empathy towards unloved children; because of your passionate, persistent desire to save them.

Your life’s tragic circumstances… That is to say, the experience of being discarded by your parents, is perhaps what made you cultivate these traits.

Of course, you also acquired extensive knowledge and the finest of skills by virtue of being my assistant.

However, I was born into a family of fairly good standing, and growing up, I wanted for nothing…

And while I am fond of children for their features and purity, I loathe this vulgar world that makes people hurt each other like foolish animals.

Your love for children, on the other hand, is on an entirely different level.

The way you enthusiastically speak about the children from your hometown always reveals that your love for them is so deep and rich that it could flood the oceans.

Enough to make every pitiful, unloved child in the world happy, without leaving a single one behind…

It is because the children can feel that passion of yours that Valkyrie is so popular with them.

In that respect, I haven’t done much to contribute to it.

In fact, all I ever did was point out your faults… At the same time, I slowly noticed the rare qualities, talents and artistic style you possess.

I knew I had no choice but to raise you. And the moment I realized this, I could no longer think of you as a doll.

You have what it takes to become an even greater artist than me… That’s why I can’t allow you to remain my assistant for the rest of your life.

Oh, how future generations would sneer at me for it. “What a waste… That Itsuki Shu must be an utter fool”, is what they’d say.

Mika: Ahaha. I’m sure that’d be unbearable for ya, Oshi-san.

Ngah~. Y’know, I don’t really get it myself…

Back in my hometown, I was always a quiet, plain 'n good lil’ kid. I was the oldest of the bunch, their “Mika-nii”.

I took care of all the lil’ ones, an’ never complained one bit.

I gave all the best stuffs to other kids, and was content with the damaged stuffs I kept for myself. I never fought with no one, an’ I always behaved myself.

‘Cause I was convinced that if I didn’t, I’d be thrown away again...

But to tell ya the truth, I dunno how many times I buried my face in my pillow an’ cried my heart out. I kept thinkin’, “Why? Why’s it gotta be me?”

“Is it ‘cause my eyes are different colors? Did they throw me away ‘cause they were creeped out by that?”

“Still… I got it pretty good compared to other kids, who ran away from home to escape all the awful abuse they endured there.”

“I ain’t the most unfortunate, pitiful child on Earth.”

Thinkin’ that, I endured… An’ endured, an’ endured… An’ kept on living.