Disclaimer: While translations have already existed for this story from both official and unofficial sources, I am writing this as a complete clean-room implementation, ie I am writing this translation/novelistion with absolutely no knowledge of existing translations. This is purely only for completeness as I feel that it is not right to leave an existing translation incomplete. Once the series translation is complete, I will return to other ideas such as my unwarranted opinions on random stuff that I encounter.
This story continues from Part 2: The Exiled Knight
Part 3A
Another day passes in 1st year General Education. Rui is slowly getting used to it, but she still worries about her beloved Tamao-senpai. The doors open and the second year basketballers are here to talk to Rui. Since she no longer has theatre activities, that means Rui is free to join their club, right? Rui flusters as the basketballer pitch their club to her. The basketballers are interrupted by a tennis club member, who are in turn interrupted by a ballet club member, and then a fine arts club member, and then a lacrosse member (this is getting ridiculous), who take turns pulling Rui's arms in the hopes that she will join their club. Rui runs away, saying that she needs to join Tamao.
Meanwhile at the 2nd years, Fumi and Tamao are preparing to practice for the Rinmei Chronicles after class. Rui comes barrelling down, wanting Tamao's help, but Tamao tells Rui to not come to her any more. Rui couldn't stand this anymore, not being in Theatre Performance with Tamao. Just thinking of the days that they are no longer together is too difficult for her. Tamao agrees, saying that those were carefree days, but still, she doesn't want Rui to put her on a pedestal and saddle her with such, and walks away from Rui with Fumi.
Fumi and Tamao arrive at the theatre resource room, which they have coopted as their practice place under the guise of cleaning it up for the inevitable eviction. Tamao tells Fumi not to look at her as if to see if she is happy at what she has done, and Fumi replies that maybe that might not be the best way to reject involvement in superficial things. Yet, Fumi notes that this is still hard on both Rui and Tamao. Tamao continues that even though she said she didn't want Rui to put her on a pedestal, she really wanted to trust Rui with what they are doing, and that Rui did seem to be having quite a bit of trouble. Even so, this has to be done, and Fumi agrees, saying that they should continue with what they are supposed to do.
Over at the rooftop, Ichie sets up her camera equipment for a new program she is filming: Otonashi Ichie's Ichi-ichi-channel. This episode that she is filming is about starting up Rinmeikan's Theatre Performance on her own. In this program, she states that she still doesn't recognise Theatre Performance's shutdown, and so even if everyone says it no longer exists, she will still acknowledge its existence, and that's why she needs her viewers' help to keep it alive, even if she no longer has any performance programs or practice locations. She continues and opens a letter from a certain "Cuisine Maiden":
"Dear Ichie-san, this is the first letter I am sending to you."
After greeting this mysterious "Cuisine Maiden", she continues...
"I found out about your 'Self-officiated Rinmeikan Theatre Performance Start-up Project' from your earlier video. I find it awesome that even though the department has shut down you are still performing on stage."
Ichie thanks the viewer, and explains that this has always been something she wanted to do since leaving the idol industry, and even if her department shuts down it's not like her passion is going anywhere.
"So I have been suggesting... Sorry for making you wait, Ichie [1]. Let's perform together. Rinmeikan's lost theatre play -- The Rinmei Chronicles --..."
As she read up to this point, she figures out something is up. At this point Tamao and Fumi arrive at the rooftop, which shocks Ichie. Fumi asks Ichie what she is doing recording a program on the rooftop, and Ichie replies that recording outside would fit this kind of grandiose program much better. Also, now that they have gone and went into the frame she can't use the footage any more. Fumi then tells Ichie that she won't need to record any more videos. When Ichie asks why, Tamao replies that they will be doing what they have written in that letter. To bring back the lost theatre play -- The Rinmei Chronicles --, they need to enlist Ichie's help. Ichie asks if it is the same Rinmei Chronicles as she was thinking, which Tamao and Fumi are surprised that she knew. Ichie then asks what happened to suddenly make Tamao change her mind, considering she decided to give up when the first announcement was made. Besides, as Ukaji-sensei said, it's not like producing another theatre play is going to stop the shutdown. Tamao agrees, but this is not what she wants. What she wants is not a sound argument, but rather what is the true answer. The failure to stop the shutdown of Theatre Performance may be on the teachers, but the failure to continue the memories of Theatre Performance is on them. Therefore, this isn't just standing on stage, it is a performance that will bring out the most of them, a piercing drama that they will stake their lives on. They will bring back the Rinmei Chronicles. Even through defeat, reluctance, or worries, this is more important than any of them. Tamao implores Ichie to accede to her selfish request. Ichie then wonders if Tamao bought Fumi over with ponzu, to which Fumi replies that it's a bit more than that. Tamao expands on that by saying that it is still a selfish request from herself anyway. Fumi then tells Ichie that it isn't the time for idle talk, which flusters Ichie, who asks why they are performing a play that their seniors have removed over ten years ago. Tamao replies that this is no ordinary re-production of the play. This will be a play that they will bring back, with their passion. This will no longer be any old classic, but a modern, living play that truly belongs to them. Ichie asks how they will achieve that, considering that the original outline has to remain unchanged, and the tale seems a bit too ordinary to keep the audience engaged. Tamao replies that they will design new outfits for this performance, and after the main performance they can even have a singing performance depending on the cast. Of course that includes Ichie's own songs, costume designs and choreography. It is all very surprsing to Ichie, considering that the Rinmei Chronicles ends with all the characters dead, and that is not what the audience want any more. Tamao then replies this is exactly why they need to bring it back. To bring their own rendition to a format considered outmoded. To put their passion and everything on the line to bring back what has been lost. To reach out for something that doesn't appear twice. To shine brightly for this moment, as Stage Girls. For this, there is no performance that show this other than the Rinmei Chronicles.
Ichie then asks where it will be performed, what the script is like, and who will be directing, to which Tamao replies that they will be playing this by ear. Ichie then asks if it is alright doing something on their own without any official approval. Tamao then asks if there is no point in a Rinmeikan without Theatre Performance, if she is going to leave this school if anything happens after this. Fumi adds that besides, Ichie was already trying to bring back Theatre Performance by herself. Tamao then says that this performance would be worth it, even if the price is expulsion. At this point, Tamao does a dogeza, while asking Ichie for her help. This shocks both Fumi and Ichie.
Part 3B
As Tamao keeps her stance, Ichie gets flustered. She wasn't expecting Tamao to go this far with the pleading, or that she was willing to put everything on the line for the final theatre play of Theatre Performance. Ichie asks if her songs and stages are why Tamao have asked for Ichie's help for this case. Though that was the initial idea, Tamao replies, she really was looking for anything that could help in theatre production. Ichie admits that she was initially really puzzled at Tamao's behaviour, but agrees to help with Tamao's plan, and make this theatre production more interesting than they have planned.
As Fumi agrees with Ichie, Ichie then continues that she was harbouring regrets all this while, that maybe there was something more that they could be doing ever since she was moved to General Education. Fumi wonders if this is why Ichie hasn't been putting up her livestreams regularly. Ichie continues by saying that it feels like there is something she still has to do. Fumi and Tamao are surprised by this, but Ichie reassures them saying that they are all in this together anyway. And with this, she makes her proclamation:
探して求めた 唯一無二も
選んだ舞台は 断崖絶壁!?
だけどここから 一発逆転
一期一会の 晴れ舞台！
凛明館女学校演劇科 音無いちえ！
聞かせて魅せます 命の響き！
This one and only Stage that I longed for
Turns out to be a steep cliff!?
But from here I turn the tables
And create a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle!
Rinmeikan Girls School Theatre Performance - Otonashi Ichie!
So it shall charm everyone - the music of life!
With this, Ichie accepts Tamao's offer to produce the Rinmei Chronicles together. Fumi and Tamao thank Ichie for accepting the offer.
Later on in the evening, after practice, Ichie is still fired up with this new development, but Fumi reminds Ichie that she still has to keep all this a secret from Ukaji-sensei. Ichie assures them that this secret is safe with her. Tamao remains impressed that Ichie did actually know about the Rinmei Chronicles, especially considering that Rinmeikan hasn't been performing this for a decade and a half at least. She asks where Ichie has heard of it from, and she replies that she was a pop idol in a 110-member group called Sweets Pleats. Fumi interjects saying that it really is a huge group, to which Ichie agrees, and she complains that it was not the stage she was looking for, where she could shine on her own. There is not much room for individuality in that group, and because of the sheer number of people she was basically reduced to being called "the girl with the idiot hair". In addition, all the songs were actually lip-synced when performing on stage. Though Fumi suggests that lip-syncing was quite common when it comes to songs with difficult choreography, Ichie clarifies by saying that all songs were lip-synced. AKB48 these guys definitely are not. Even though everyone has put all their effort in the dance choreography and there is definitely no shortage of performers who can sing while dancing. Unfortunately, while Ichie has voiced out her concerns, many of her colleagues didn't. Instead, they basically just stopped coming to practice sessions. The people in charge also stopped caring, and practice sessions were basically luck of the draw as to whether you get a good practice session or not. When she straight up asked to have everyone sing on stage for their last performance, her final request was rebuffed, and in the end that last performance, like every other, was lip synced. Probably should have just switched on the microphones anyway without even asking the management's permission just to stick it to them, Ichie thought.
Anyway, during an intermission an upperclassman showed her a really old stage performance. Though it is a tragedy where all the main characters eventually meet their end, they truly embodied the value of living in the moment. It was then that Ichie saw the radiance she has been missing. It did not matter that an actor's role had many or few lines, in that moment, under the spotlight, everyone put in their best effort, in their roles and their performance. Yet these performers were not that much different in age to them. Though she did, and still does, enjoy her time as an idol, she was absolutely bedazzled by that performance. She then asked that upperclassman what play this is, and that is how she knew about the Rinmei Chronicles. That upperclassman was a graduate of Rinmeikan Theatre Performance, and that's why she had such a classical video. That is why, when Ichie got to high school she chose Rinmeikan Theatre Performance, but then she found out that the Rinmei Chronicles were no longer in production, she was surprised. But through this she met everyone else in Theatre Performance, and that was fine with her.
Tamao listens intently, and muses that though Ichie was a pop idol, she was guided to theatre performance by an upperclassman who has been through the world of theatre performance. Fumi continues by saying it has got to be fate. Ichie then tells the rest that she doesn't want Theatre Performance to go away, and besides, she has always wanted to perform the Rinmei Chronicles anyway. Tamao laments that they have never known that side of Ichie, and never let Ichie know that deeply about them either. Ichie then replies chirpily that they will bring back Theatre Performance as they laugh together.
Ichie then asks what about Rui and Yuyuko, and Tamao replies that it's not like she can call them in just yet. They still have to be careful about their participation, and as Fumi continues, if they get punished for that, they would rather not drag Rui and Yuyuko down as well. Ichie got the idea, and for now they will begin as a Theatre Performance trio. And with that they will start script writing the next day.
Back at the practice room, the lights are still on, and Yuyuko is in.
Continue on to Part 4: The Awakened Playwright.
[1] Honorific omitted in the original text as well.
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