This story continues from Part 5: The Chancellor's Sapphire.
Part 6A
They two walk to the end of the Northern ice fields - Valhalla. The King comes to terms with his death. He realises that during his reign he has forgotten the passion he had for his kingdom, the love he had for his subjects. Obsessed with tradition, he neglected the youth and rejected the knowledge of the learned. He ruled the kingdom with an iron fist, while taxing them heavily. This was why the revolt started, starting from the knights and the peasants. With the crown jewels retrieved, he remembered everything. That day when the throne was engulfed in fire; that day when he was stabbed. He laments his foolishness. Though he still feels nothing but gratitude for the people who have once again entrusted him with the crown jewels, it was too little, too late. The Chancellor consoles him, telling him that even so, he still came to his senses and retrieved the crown jewels. The King thanks the Chancellor for guiding him even in the beyond, and remembers the reason he was here in the first place.
With that, Akira remembers why she put up this play. Even though Seisho put up their ReLive with a changed ending, their ReLive remains unchanged from the original script. For this, Akira is determined to end this play as they have always done, in true Siegfeld tradition. With all the members of Edel assembled, Akira leads the charge and skewers the Chorus boss.
『ポジション・ゼロ！
神なき舞台に 王者の光を！』
"Position Zero!
The King's radiance, for the mortal Stage!"
The king arrives at the gates of Valhalla. It's time to bid goodbye to this world. Before he continues into Valhalla, he makes his final request to the Chancellor: to pass the crown, now complete, to the Knight. The Knight who killed him, not out of lust for the throne, but for righteousness. To end a tyranny and to seek salvation for the father he never knew. The King also tells the Chancellor to tell the Knight to seek out his own crown jewels; trusted advisors who will work with him to rule benevolently. And that the start of the reign is a curse that only turns into a blessing at the end. The Chancellor acknowledges the order, only for the King to reply that he is no longer the King, and is asking the Chancellor, no longer as a subordinate, but as Johann Saphir, his friend. The Chancellor returns this last moment of familiarity, no longer to the King, but to Franz Platin, his friend.
As Franz crosses into Valhalla, he reflects on how he can no longer bring his title nor his crown with him in death, and in death, he is but a man. With everything he has done complete, and his last requests fulfilled, he crosses into Valhalla, satisfied for he has met his King, as the curtains close on the Revue Stage.
"Today's performance has come to a close. Take care when leaving the theatre and ensure that you have not left anything behind. We hope to see you again." Eru delivers the closing speech.
Part 6B
Michiru welcomes everyone back, before correcting herself and congratulating everyone on a performance well done. Shiori thanks Akira and Michiru for saving them from the stage. Meifan wonders how they ended up trapped in the performance. Yachiyo also wonders, since it just felt like they have always been performing in that stage, to which Akira quips that it's just how being a Stage Girl is.
With the missing role revue complete and the Choruses defeated, Elysion is also saved from destruction. Meifan realises Eru was there, while Shiori is surprised by Andrew, thinking that Andrew is just a costume. Andrew tries to charm Shiori with his introduction, while Meifan asks Michiru where she has seen Andrew before [can we reserve an F for Andrew?], to which Michiru replies that he was in the shop that they always go to. Meifan then asks why Andrew is here in the Revue Stage, to which Michiru shrugs. Even she has no idea what Andrew is doing here. Akira then wonders if the Choruses absorbing all the stage plays is the same issue as what happened at Seisho, and if left unchecked, would also end up absorbing Elysion. Michiru becomes angry as she notes that the Choruses have nearly absorbed Elysion--Monarch as well. Akira then asks Eru if she has any idea why this is happening, to which Eru replies that she still cannot explain where the Choruses came from or why they are coming for the stage plays. Meifan scolds Eru for letting this happen, but unfortunately Eru is not a Stage Girl herself and cannot stand on stage. Therefore she needed to enlist the most radiant Stage Girls so that they can defeat the Choruses. Michiru wonders, considering Eru knows so much about the Revue Stage, to which Andrew interjects that even though Eru can't stand on stage, she does learn quickly anyway. This interruption irritates Michiru, who asks Andrew what he meant by "learning fast", and what kind of role he plays on the Revue Stage. Merely a store mascot, or purely for comic relief? Andrew replies with a non-answer by calling himself cute and immediately gets shot down by Meifan who critisises him for being dull, unsettling and having dead eyes. That level of impunity is picked up by Akira, who immediately chastises her for it, which Meifan apologises for. Andrew then critises the entire group for being stiff and not understanding what cute means in an attempt to reverse the sledgehammer blow Meifan gave him, which results in Michiru saying that she does know what cute means, mentioning Shiori as an example to Shiori's surprise. And besides, as Stage Girls they live for the stage and they don't need to focus that much on what is cute, to Yachiyo's agreement, and Andrew's irritation. It appears that he is still bearing a grudge after what that Kyoto girl did to him. Akira then reassures Andrew that it's not like she was going to refuse to help them, since if Elysion disappears, then Edel will too. As a member of Edel, this is their duty. Shiori confirms that any Stage Girl would help too, including her sister. Eru lets out a sigh, and thanks everyone. With that, Andrew then asks that if this happens again he will ask them for help too, to which Michiru tells Andrew that this is not the way to ask for help, and to remember to say "Please", which ticks off Andrew again. Andrew and Eru leave the stage.
As Yachiyo thanks Akira and Michiru for putting up this play, Akira replies that with their help, she was able to reflect on why Elysion is the King of Stages. Elysion is the product of the hopes of the entire school community, all distilled onto this stage of the four horsemen and their King, who gives the Stage its radiance. Therefore, as the King of their Stage, she has to embody the values of passion and mercy, while keeping in mind the endless possibilities of the Stage as she is grounded in the knowledge bestowed upon her. With this, the King will shine on the Stage, brighter than even the gods. Michiru agrees, but acts coy when she is pressed about it by Akira. Michiru then tells Akira that she will pass the mantle of Frau Platin when she reaches senior year next year, just as Michiru will have to pass the mantle of Frau Saphir. This means that they will no longer be playing Elysion--Monarch with the current Edel team, which also means that their performance of Elysion--Monarch earlier will be their only performance as the current Edel team. Yachiyo wonders who is the audience for their previous performance is, to which Meifan replies in alarm that maybe the Choruses were their audience [that would be awfully impolite of the Choruses, no?]. Michiru then reassures Meifan that it was just a thought she had in mind. Shiori also wonders who was their audience for their performance [what? Stage Hands need to sit back and watch sometimes.], to which Akira then figures that it would be very confusing if they thought it was an actual performance of Elysion--Monarch. After all, this performance was to save the rest of Edel anyway. This is when Akira declares that the next Frau Platin would have to step up her game to perform Elysion--Monarch perfectly, which no doubt puts a lot of pressure on Yachiyo, while motivating Shiori and Meifan to give their best performance in the revues to come. Akira then says that while she is looking forward to the next Elysion performance, she still wants to perform with the current team for a bit longer. With that, it's time for everyone to return, for the Student Council tasks aren't going to complete themselves.
『命の炎は一瞬なれど
煌めき絶えぬは 真白の白金（プラチナ）
人の舞台は一瞬なれど
永遠（とわ）に継がるは 王者の舞台
我ら、シークフェルト音楽学院！
神なき舞台に 王者の光を！
エーデル・フォン・シークフェルト！
我らの全ては、王の舞台のために！』
"Though the fires of destiny burn fleetingly
The platinum's pure white shines unceasingly
Though the stage of men lasts momentarily
The stage of kings will continue successively
We, Siegfeld Institute of Music
The light of the king, for the mortal stage!
Edel von Siegfeld!
All of us, for the King of Stages!"
"Neither the crown nor the throne follows man in death. As he walks through the gates, leaving this world, he is merely but a man. With his responsibilities fulfilled, the story ends here. He... was the King."
End of Series 8.
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