bakemonoremy

Guest translation by Soup

Location: Meeting Room

Early October. Immediately following the Antique Market, after an interview with Hidaka Hokuto and Ran Nagisa.

Akiomi: ...I would presume it was similar to a traffic accident.

Even if they’re insistent on putting up a front, in the end they’re still children.

Both Double Face and Valkyrie are inexperienced here — Double Face are not expert investigators, and Valkyrie have devoted themselves towards artistic expression.

To put it crudely, they come off as geeks with no real world experience.

Even if those inexperienced kids try their best to pretend to be adults, I know it won’t go well for them.

And of course, it ended up in an accident... That’s basically what happened in the incident involving the Antique Market.

Really, it’s so stupid, isn’t it? I wish those children would just stay quiet and do as the adults tell them.

Even though we adults spend all of our time and effort fixing and setting the stage so those children can live comfortably and peacefully...

They disregard it, and our kindness goes to waste.

This is something for you to hear too, Anzu-san.

I don’t know if you’re just killing time or something, but can you really be spending your time playing detective like this?

You also have your regular work to do, yes?

If you’re flawlessly completing all your work, then you’re free to do whatever you want in your spare time — but, frankly, the way you are currently working does not warrant praise.

Even so, compared to last year, you’re doing much better.

But please, don’t forget this—

You’re an amateur who gained not even two full years of experience; you’re still early in assuming your role as a Producer.

Idols may put you on a pedestal, but make sure you don’t get cocky.

In the idol industry, where one must keep their wits about them, if you are careless you will be crushed.

Pardon? “You’ll be misunderstood if you aren't more careful about what you’re saying”?

I’m a teacher, Anzu-san. Our job isn’t to make friends with our students; it’s to help them learn and grow, even if they resent us for it.

The reality is that it’s right to fear me, or even to hate me.

Hm? “Mikejima-kun said something similar”?

How cheeky... He’s still a child who needs to be protected too.

Well, it’s fine. I don’t have much spare time either, and I’d like you to return to your duties soon, so I'll keep it brief.

The Antique Market was planned and held by the Producer Association and the four idol agencies.

You needed to come in contact with someone who is looking over the operation, and I'm guessing I'm the only one you could contact.

It wouldn't do to perform a personal inspection, as the agencies would take it as a hostile action. As a member of the Producer Association, I’m really the only one you can ask.

“You’re not the enemy at all,”... I’m glad you have that much faith in me.

Anyhow, various conspiracies and misinformation about the happenings surrounding the Antique Market are spreading around.

The testimonies of those involved may very well be mixed with lies, and that issue tends to lead to confusion.

There’s no such thing as an omniscient orchestrator who understands everything that's happening. In actuality, that’s how it is for all of reality; it’s just the way life works.

Nevertheless, people are inclined to pursue the existence of God, of a creator that knows all.

People can’t just accept an ambiguous reality so immediately. What they wish for is a clear, black and white color-coded explanation.

Even though the likes of who is just and who is evil will be decided by the one who writes the script, but even that author is not a god who asserts control over all.

Oh? “I don’t want to hear that kind of philosophical talk”?

I intended to teach you how the “life of an adult” works, how it’s easier to understand if you don’t think about it too deeply.

That would save you an explanation, after all.

Anyhow, Mikejima-kun and Kagehira-kun were my associates in Ba-Barrier, which I led during the Saga project.

Since I am somewhat involved in this problem, let’s talk about what we need to discuss to protect their honor.

To begin, as a premise, neither Valkyrie nor Double Face are “evil” in this series of events.

To be precise, neither of them have committed any crimes. The police cannot conduct an investigation, arrest them, or prosecute them, at least.

They haven’t done anything wrong.

However, even people who have done nothing wrong can be involved in a crime, either accidentally dragged into the incident, or targeted as a victim.

For now, they're all victims—well, Double Face is questionable, but Valkyrie definitely are. They've simply run into trouble this time around.