Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight ReLive Main Story Series 8 - Part 4: The Knight's Pearl

This story continues from Part 3: The Marquis's Jade. 

Part 4A

Before the Monarch ascended the throne, he never quite understood the idea that the start of the reign is a curse that only turns into a blessing at the end [1]. For this reason he ignored the warnings that there were factions plotting against him. And as he now stands at the path to death...

The Monarch collapses, and the Chancellor helps him up. They are running out of water, and they are nearing the end of the line. Yet, the Chancellor tells him their task is not done. Surely if the crown jewels were not found before the Monarch dies, the Crown will crumble, and with it the Kingdom.

They approach a Chorus attacking Yachiyo. With that, the Monarch draws his strength and slices the weird bird monster into tiny little shreds. That's when Akira remembers -- Tsuruhime Yachiyo.

The timeline moves to 2 months ago. Michiru reports a note she found to Akira. In the notebook it reads:

"After Yukishiro Akira became Frau Platin, the status quo has started to fall into place. As ordered by the Chairman, I have been tasked with not only keeping an eye on 'Edel', but also to infiltrate their operations. However, this task never seems to end.

...

What am I to do?"

Akira asks if this is all that was written, and Michiru replies that this fell out of Yachiyo's notebook, and given that Yachiyo came back to look for it, there is no doubt it was really Yachiyo's. Akira wonders how Michiru managed to recover the note without being detected, but Michiru asks Akira what is her next move. Akira has noticed that Yachiyo has stepped up with the weird behaviour, and wonders if this note Michiru found has any connection with that behaviour. Michiru wonders if there really is a spy in Edel working for an as-of-yet-unknown Internal Affairs department. Maybe that would be the reason why she is being so secretive. Akira tries to figure out what the student council needs an Internal Affairs department for and Michiru turns up a blank. Nevertheless, Akira decides to put a stop to this.

The next day, Yachiyo sums up the materials needed for the props (500 deci of leather, 4×50m bolts of cloth, 20 pieces of plywood, nails, glue gun and other consumables) and sends the report to Michiru. She leaves afterwards, and as she walks down the hallway she sums up the day's happenings:

"After lessons today, I continued my duties as the treasurer. No changes from yesterday. Everyone in the student council seems to be getting along well. Clearly with Yukishiro Akira at the helm the status quo has solidified..."

"My task to surveil Edel and infiltrate their operations is about to be coming to an uneventful end," 

Akira cuts in as the jazz music stops. She pushes Yachiyo to the wall and questions her on what she was doing. As Yachiyo tries to push the blame on Akira for peeking into her notes, Akira counters that she has already been noticing suspicious behaviour from Yachiyo, and she wants to know what is happening. Yachiyo then asks how she knew, considering it's not like Akira has been watching her every move, to which Akira replies that there is nothing that slips from the eyes of the Student Council Chairman --Frau Platin--. Knowing that she has been caught red-handed, Yachiyo spills the beans that everything she wrote in her notebook was...

"...all true," 

Akira completes the sentence, just as Yachiyo was about to say it was all out of her imagination.

What?

Akira continues that she has found out that Yachiyo has been sent from the Internal Affairs department to spy on Edel. Yachiyo is puzzled at this turn of events. Akira then continues that she has noticed that there has been quite the web of intrigue within Edel. At this point Yachiyo senses what is happening and compliments Akira on how she has managed to find out everything. Yachiyo then questions Akira if she knew about the "thirteenth basement stage". This is new to Akira, and she now knows she has an interesting source in her hands. Akira continues that she also knows the past that Yachiyo thought she has expunged long ago.

Being a spy for Internal Affairs was just a cover: the truth behind Yachiyo's activities was that Yachiyo is the sister of the 58th Student Council Chairman, who mysteriously disappeared, and Yachiyo has arrived to find the truth behind her sister's disappearance. Yachiyo confirms that she is the sister of Siegfeld's 58th Student Council Chairman, Tsuruhime Chitose. She infiltrated Siegfeld to find out the truth behind Chitose's disappearance during a performance of Elysion. Her infiltration into Internal Affairs was the way to enter the Student Council and gather information about the disappearance of her sister. Akira knows that Yachiyo knows too much and issues an ultimatum to Yachiyo: Either help Akira and double-cross Internal Affairs, or die for her crimes. Yachiyo mocks Akira for wanting to destroy Internal Affairs despite the trust they have for her, and if she were burned Akira may also see the same fate under Internal Affairs. Akira continues, saying that she has no worries about being burned, for only she knows what has happened, and the Student Council will surely continue as normal without Yachiyo. In this time of grave danger, Akira reiterates her ultimatum. Before she can give her answer...



Part 4B

...Michiru bursts in. She's had enough with these two girls. From Michiru's point of view, what was supposed to be a basic wellness check turned into an extended improv drama. Yachiyo confirms that was what happened, and Akira explains that she thought Yachiyo wanted a drama scene. Yachiyo continues that she basically got dragged further into it by Akira. Michiru wonders how long Yachiyo has been playing the role of a spy for Internal Affairs, and Akira expresses her admiration that Yachiyo was able to weave that role into her daily life, while Yachiyo returns the compliment by saying how Akira managed to make up such an intriguing thriller out of what is basically an improv. Michiru then explains that Akira does these kinds of improvs all the time, and deduced that whatever Yachiyo has written on her notebook was nothing but imagination from Yachiyo's overactive mind. Yachiyo then mentions that she has always had an active imagination from young, and always thinks up of scenarios where she is someone else, somewhere else. This has always met with puzzlement from the people around her. Basically, as Akira summarises, to Yachiyo, the entire world is a stage for her. Yachiyo wanted to see if she can play the role as a member of a shadowy faction without anyone noticing. Akira figures that playing this role can actually be quite thrilling, to which Yachiyo wholeheartedly agrees. Yachiyo thought she played her role well enough and wonders where she has left the cracks open. Akira explains that there is really an Internal Affairs department, and it is chaired by...

Michiru.

What?

Yachiyo, in her confusion, asks if Internal Affairs really exists, and if Michiru really chairs it. Michiru tries to play along, saying that discovering Yachiyo's notes has made her nervous. Michiru then scolds Akira for revealing it to Yachiyo. Yachiyo then asks what kind of organisation Internal Affairs is and what they do. Michiru replies and says that the head of the department is the school principal, Viktoria Siegfeld, and that is already written in the Student Handbook. It is also a large organisation composed of 108 students [Press X to doubt: that's already 16% of my high school's population. Stasi, one of the largest secret police departments by percentage of population, only comprised 1.6% of East Germany's population.]. Yachiyo then apologises for acting out her delusions right in front of the actual organisation. Akira then concludes that acting out different roles, whether real or imagined, is the essence of being a Stage Girl. The world of imagination and possibilities is the world that the Stage Girl lives for. As Shakespeare put it in As You Like It, "All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Clearly something Akira learnt from Junna over at Seisho. Therefore there is no shame in acting out any delusions that one holds over here in Siegfeld. This is met with relief by Yachiyo, who notes that this is the first time anyone understood what she was doing, or even tried to play along with the scenes she thinks of. It's something only the Stage Idiot can understand, as Michiru interjects to Akira's displeasure. Maybe she could be the successor to the role of Frau Platin, Akira thinks, to Yachiyo's surprise. Akira then continues with the possibilities Yachiyo can build up once she becomes Frau Platin, with Shiori and Meifan alongside her. When Yachiyo expresses her concern that Akira would no longer be Frau Platin if the helm passes to her, Akira replies that this is the essence of the quote, that the start of the reign is a curse that only turns into a blessing at the end. Akira then tells Yachiyo that until then, she shall fulfill her duties as Frau Perle.

『千代に八千代に　独演かさね
磨き上げたる　孤独の真珠
舞台の境界　芝居の彼岸
そこで光るは　真実の白金プラチナ
「フラウ・ペルレ」　鶴姫やちよ
この世は舞台　王すらも役者――ですよ？』

"A solitary performance spanning aeons
A lone pearl, continuously polishing
The platinum shines absolutely
From the frontiers of the stage, to the dramatic finish
--Frau Perle-- Tsuruhime Yachiyo
This world is the stage, and the King -- its actor."

As they walk home together, Akira comments that Michiru might have made the organisation a bit too large. Michiru complains that it was Akira's idea to suddenly drag Michiru into the improv and make her the Internal Affairs chairman, to which Akira replies that it's an improv after all. Michiru then comments that Yachiyo was impressive to play such different roles in her daily life, and Akira replies that this is the essence of a Stage Girl. This is the first time that Michiru has seen such a girl in real life [Maybe she hasn't seen chuunibyous before]. Akira concludes that this constant playing of such roles has had its results, which Michiru connects that this was why Yachiyo was chosen to be the Goddess of the Earth.

As the Monarch walks along after pearl is recovered, a spring overflows from the ground. The Chancellor figures that this is the guiding path of the pearl. The Monarch feels rejuvenated with the courage for the future. The courage for the future that the Knight holds. A perfect successor to the Crown. Such a sudden decision for the Monarch to make, but the Monarch continues, saying that the Knight isn't just some random person, but rather the product of a one night stand [?] between the Monarch and a girl he knew in his travels [??]. If he can find the last crown jewel, return to the capital and pass it to the Knight, there is still hope for the Kingdom.

The Chancellor is taken aback by this development, but remains cordial. They then set the course for the ice fields in the North, where the Sapphire lies.

[1]『生きる王の開演は呪縛なり・死せる王の終幕は祝福なり』

Continue on to Part 5: The Chancellor's Sapphire