571 - I Was Genderswapped and Reincarnated as a Villainess, but I’m Making this My Personal Yuri Game

### The Fifth Hundred and Seventy-First Episode: "Starting from Here" July 5th, Friday... Today was the day of the Tanabata Festival for Fujihana Academy's elementary department. A certain group, which was usually quite laid-back, wore serious expressions today. "Li, Ikan, Akikiri... you understand, right?" "Yes!" they all replied in unison. At the words of their leader, Kuga Ryudou, all three who had leadership roles nodded. "Puu! Among us, Suiren is the oldest! Please don't leave Suiren behind!" Hanazono Suiren's late arrival and slow words nearly made everyone stumble. It was true that all members present were fifth graders, while Suiren was the only sixth grader, and thus arriving late was somewhat excusable. Still, Suiren showed no sign of hurrying. She might have thought she was walking diligently, but from the moment she appeared on the horizon until she reached everyone, it took an excruciatingly long time. Her sluggish pace frustrated everyone who watched from afar, sparking desires to hurry her along. "Well... anyway, now that everyone is here. Listen up! We can't repeat the mistakes of last year's Tanabata Festival. This year, we will succeed in our performance!" "Yes!" Last year, the lower grade group that remained of Ryudou and the others attempted to follow Sakuya's performance footsteps but ended up in tears. Naturally, they were registered to perform this year as well, with the time and place secured. This year was their chance to redeem themselves and succeed where last year they had failed. They had prepared diligently to avoid last year's mistakes, and thus, they were determined to succeed. At least, they desperately hoped so. Yet, apprehension was undeniable on their faces, haunted by the fear of repeating past failures. "It's alright. We've prepared so much this time! We will definitely succeed!" "Yeah..." "That's right..." "We worked so hard on our practice!" "Exactly! Be confident!" Gradually, strength filled their eyes with newfound assurance. Ever since their failure, they took Sakuya's advice to heart—they learned not to hesitate to rely on others. It wasn't about surprising others without preparation; it was about making sure things were completed even if they needed help. Last year, they failed to understand that. Only after Sakuya's scolding did they realize the cause of their failure and inexperience. This year, with their preparations and efforts, their eyes reflected their newfound confidence. "Let's take care of everything we need to do beforehand." "Yes!" This year, Ryudou, Akikiri, and the others decided to emulate the actions of their predecessors, Sakuya and the others. Before the general admission opened, they planned to finish tasks, like voting in the decoration contest. They would ensure they had time before going to the venue, verifying everything beforehand. Last year, they neglected such preparations, letting things flow without any plan. Some had rushed to complete their votes, while some barely managed to discuss arrangements. Even great professionals don't just walk into a venue and perform immediately without reviews or run-throughs. Preparation wasn't only about reviewing the venue and instruments but mentally and physically being ready to face the audience's reactions. "Last year, we weren't ready for anything. I thought imitating Sakuya didn't feel right. I was wrong." "Exactly. We forgot that precedents exist for a reason." Last year, they were overwhelmed with the idea of surprising Sakuya and the others by doing something entirely new, and they ended up contravening every precedent. Indeed, simply doing things according to precedent may seem mundane. However, precedents hold value—built from the trials and errors of those before us. Trying something unconventional and dismissing all precedents makes successful endeavors unlikely. True excellence extracts and adapts the necessary parts of precedent, integrating new elements to improve. "Let's keep moving efficiently!" "Yes!" The fifth graders started moving promptly, doing everything they could before the performance. Still, Hanazono Suiren, the lone sixth grader, dawdled at her own pace. --- Having completed their preliminary tasks like voting, the group was settled both mentally and physically and gathered early in the auditorium. Ryudou and Akikiri's performance was set as the opening act. This was in imitation of Sakuya and others, whose initial performances were first at the auditorium's Tanabata Festival. But that wasn’t the only reason. "Our legend starts here..." "Yes! Let's do our best, Ryudou!" "Akikiri... you really..." Ryudou was exasperated by Akikiri's lack of nerves. Even the prestigious Kuga Ryudou was on edge, yet Akikiri of the Kode family remained composed. Ryudou's pride wouldn't accept her own trembling. "Sakuya and her sister's concerts started with this Tanabata Festival's opening performance. So we have to start from here too! Let’s wash away last year's events... and mark this as our beginning!" "Indeed, Kuga!" Ikan, Mayumi, and Nazuna also nodded resolutely. Sakuya and their legendary start began as the first act, into a hall not packed full, from absolute obscurity. Their performance garnered such word-of-mouth acclaim that by the next year, it had become hugely popular, drawing a large audience, prompting a revamp of the auditorium's sound system exclusively for Sakuya and her group. Eventually, they weren't just opening acts; they became the main event, going on to hold solo concerts in grand venues. Ryudou and her friends, who had been lifted by Sakuya and their group, realized their misconceptions. They owed their perceived achievements entirely to Sakuya and the meticulous arrangements that had been set up for them to succeed. The popularity was part of that illusion. Last year, they had a large audience for their event, but those attendees were there, hoping to listen to Sakuya's group. Their disappointing performance caused that enigma to vanish, and this year's attendees were significantly fewer. "The audience last year came expecting Sakuya's performance, and we ruined that for them. Those here now only came despite knowing about last year's failure. That's why our audience is much smaller. This is our true capability," Ryudou admitted. "But this year, we're going to show our true potential and pack the place next year, am I right?" Li added with a confident grin. First, they had to satisfy this year's audience and showcase their talent, aiming to headline the Tanabata Festival next year, following Sakuya's footsteps. "You get it. Let's go!" Ryudou encouraged. "Yeah!" they all shouted. Introducing them, the host's voice prompted the members to leap onto the stage. The spotlights were blinding, making it hard to see the audience, but they could tell it was far less crowded than last year. Yet, in the front row sat Sakuya and the other elder peers, a sight that instilled a slight tremor in all of them. Sakuya, typically gentle, now gazed at the stage with a rare, intensely serious expression—perhaps even stern. 'We're being tested,' the thought resonated within them. As Sakuya's successors, as band members following their legacy, and as members of the Gokuhokai, they were being tested this year in all respects. They were no longer just children shielded by Sakuya. Her stern look was evidence that they were being evaluated, not coddled. A repeat of last year's mistakes could lead to being dismissed by Sakuya, a terrifying prospect that sent shivers through them all once more. "Listen, everyone... All we need to do is give our best performance. That's all. We don't have to worry about anything else," Ryudou reassured them. "Yeah!" "We can do this!" Her final words before the performance transformed their apprehension into determination—a resolve to give their very best. 'One, two, three...' The fateful performance began. With the start, there was no time to dwell on anything extra. They focused solely on delivering the fruits of their practice, starting soon after last year's failure and with the meticulous guidance of Momochi Sensei. For a year, they'd quietly learned and endured grueling training with Momochi Sensei. The gentle instructor from the debut performance rehearsals had taken on a formidable strictness during practice. But this discipline paid off, improving them significantly until they could confidently take the stage today. Without such rigorous training, they'd still be crippled by last year's failure. With a final "Jang!" the performance concluded. The auditorium was silent—no immediate reaction. While they'd been focused during the performance, the lack of applause afterward unnerved them. Yet... Clap... Clap, clap... Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap! Sakuya, at first seated, stood up, leading the applause. One by one, the other seniors stood to join her, until every audience member, including staff involved in preparation and operations, rose to their feet in thunderous applause. "That was Rindou's performance! Wow! What an amazing performance!" exclaimed the recovered host. Until Sakuya stood, everyone present had been so entranced by Rindou's performance that they were lost in the moment. But what truly filled the performers with joy was seeing Sakuya, who had watched with a severe face, now smiling warmly as she clapped. As Rindou followed the host's cue and withdrew from the stage, the calls for an encore erupted. However, an encore wasn't possible at the festival due to scheduled events and limited time. Listening to the host placate the enthusiastic crowd, they retreated backstage, where a girl awaited. "Ryudou onee-sama!" "Akebi Hirohashi." Standing before them was Hirohashi Akebi, gazing up at Ryudou with sparkling eyes. Seeing her expression, Ryudou smiled slightly. "Ryudou onee-sama! That was so wonderful! Do you think... do you think I could be like you someday?" Akebi's eyes, filled with admiration, reminded Ryudou of herself, though she stifled a chuckle and crouched to meet Akebi's gaze. "You can’t become me. So it doesn't matter if you could become like me or not. You are you, and you should become a wonderful woman true to yourself." "Oh! I will try my best!" With those words, Akebi dashed off with a beaming smile. Though she found her lively nature unsettling, Ryudou didn't feel like reprimanding her. Perhaps Sakuya had once watched them with similar feelings. Such thoughts aspired a certain, mysterious warmth within Ryudou as she and the others withdrew backstage to clean up. Support with Likes Support the author by giving points! Please log in to rate. *Please log in to write a comment. ▲Return to Page Top Send via X (formerly Twitter) or LINE Send via Twitter Send via LINE +Caution+ Unless noted otherwise, all works presented are fictional and have no relation to real people or organizations. Unless noted otherwise, the copyright for the works presented belongs to the author (with some exceptions). Unauthorized copying beyond citation by an individual other than the author is not permitted and constitutes a violation of copyright law. This work is open for linking. Feel free to link (introduce) it. This work is compatible with PCs. It automatically detects whether you're using a smartphone or a computer and displays the correct page. The estimated reading time for this work assumes a reading speed of 500 characters per minute. Author's My Page Report Typos ▲Return to Page Top Shousetsuka ni Narou (Let's Become a Novelist!) Read the Novel! Search Information Provision