Curtain Call
Curtain Call
" Bravo! "
My neck was a bit numb from lying in an awkward posture, too.
And by the looks of it, they seemed to have pulled off the highlight part wonderfully.
I stood up and showered them with praise, but.
The other audience members seemed to have chosen to remain lying down.
What does that make me look like?
To cover up the slight awkwardness, I exaggerated my voice.
" That was a very entertaining performance! "
Honestly, it was empty flattery, but whatever.
Good vibes are good vibes, aren't they?
I saw no reason to stick a dagger into the hearts of hard-working people by giving my brutally honest thoughts.
" Truly, I sincerely enjoyed it with all my heart. "
Besides, I had been rude earlier by calling it third-rate.
I thought it best to at least give them a grand round of applause.
I mean, attempting an immersive act targeting guests in the audience like this was quite bold and daring in its own way, wasn't it?
The world of art is esoteric, so you can't say there's zero chance this troupe might succeed in the future once they hone their skills a bit more.
Once they get famous later on, it could turn into a fun little memory.
When I grow old enough to have grandchildren.
To the kids who visit our Sinus Candy Store,
'When this hal-aebi was young, I watched a live performance back when that puppeteer in the poster was wandering the streets. It was so damn boring.'
It would give me material to spin a good yarn, wouldn't it?
"...! You bastard!"
However, the reaction was somewhat unusual.
How should I put it?
The teddy bear, who looked like he practically wanted to kill me earlier.
Was he still angry about being called third-rate?
Seeing me clap, he charged at me as if having a seizure.
" Are you still angry? "
I asked, feeling slightly puzzled.
I mean, sure, it was true that I was in the wrong.
Even if it was fluffy, I did let myself get beaten up quite a bit.
Also, it was about time to wrap up the stage, take a bow, and come down.
Even for the sake of his colleagues, shouldn't he confront me only after the performance is completely over?
" I shall offer my polite apologies like this. I'm sorry about earlier. "
"You little shit!"
Even so, the teddy bear wouldn't listen to me.
He was shouting to his flustered colleagues around him that he'd handle this, so they should do what they needed to do.
"But if you keep this up, it'll be hard for even me to hold back, you know...?"
My voice grew louder, feeling slightly exasperated.
Right then, Bell offered a guess.
:: Isn't he still immersed in his role? ::
:: There's this thing called Roleplay Disease. ::
:: It's an illness where someone gets excessively absorbed in their role when cooking or playing house. ::
What a bizarre illness.
From what I heard, it was a unique disease that only existed in this world.
:: In my opinion, it looks like that symptom. ::
:: Looking at how his eyes have completely flipped. Yup, no mistake about it. ::
...Is that so?
I looked as well, but since the opponent was a teddy bear, it was hard to tell whether his eyes had flipped or not.
However, sensing a strange discrepancy in what the teddy bear was saying, maybe that really was the case.
'Then what do I do?'
:: Let's calm him down first. ::
:: Subdue the agitated teddy bear. I'll take measures so no one can see. ::
Along with those words—.
Shwik.
Pulling a large curtain out from the pouch she carried around, Bell draped it around the surroundings.
The surroundings were completely obscured by the blackout curtain Bell unfurled.
It isolated the area within a radius of dozens of meters from the world.
" Uh... so since there are no witnesses, beat him down to my heart's content? "
:: Exactly that. ::
Uh.. isn't there a more peaceful resolution method?
You're supposed to be a guide sent by Angel-nim, after all.
I don't think the opinion that the fist is closer than the law is quite right.
:: What? You got a better idea? ::
" Persuading him through conversation like an intellectual, for instance? "
Right at that exact timing, the teddy bear threw a punch at me.
"Dieeeee!"
Ah. He really has flipped his lid.
Now even I can see it.
A glare as if looking at the mortal enemy who slaughtered his entire family.
The option to resolve this through conversation seems to have vanished.
:: Think of it this way instead. ::
:: As violence approved even by the representative of Angel-nim. ::
Well, I wanted to refute that, but...
"Aaaaaaargh!"
There really is no other way.
Watching the teddy bear thrusting his cotton-padded fist, I hardened my resolve.
" Calm down. "
Tak.
I pinched the fist with my index finger and thumb.
Pressing down firmly as I took a large stride, I found myself standing behind the teddy bear.
As I lifted it up slightly just like that—.
"Aaaaargh!"
It ended up twisting the teddy bear's arm, subduing him.
I used to do this against people running wild under bewitchment back when I was an agent, so against a teddy bear, it was effortless work.
:: ...'Received after becoming an agent', huh.... ::
This won't do.
Even for the dignity of my former coworkers, I must not lose this fight.
I firmly stepped on the back joint of the struggling teddy bear with my foot.
Naturally subdued, the teddy bear was pinned to the ground.
To prevent him from bursting by mistake, I pressed down with my thumb just as he was.
" Let's calm down a bit, will you? "
Since what's inside is just cotton anyway.
Being careful not to break whatever served as his skeleton, I lightly twisted his arm backward.
"U-Unbelievable. When it comes to physical strength—."
::Pu-etchi :: Bell sneezed.
"—to think someone could do this to me, who boasts of being the best in the Bureau...!"
...So he's confident in his strength, is he?
" Wow. I used to hear similar things back at my previous job, too. "
I don't know about my current job, though. Since the Store Manager-nim just sleeps all the time.
Expressing slight empathy,
" Phew. "
I decided to admit what needed to be admitted.
Even at my former job, I was more of the muscle-wielding type rather than the smart, brainy type.
That's why I know.
Those muscle-brained bastards whose heads are packed with muscle, taking pride in their own strength.
The most effective way to handle guys of the same breed as me is to crush the very source of their pride head-on.
In the first place, that's the only method I know.
"Heut!"
When I suddenly let go, the teddy bear stumbled.
However, he quickly regained his stance.
He loosened the necktie of his suit and looked back with murderous eyes, but—.
Kwang!
Aiming precisely for that timing,
I stomped my foot hard onto the ground where the teddy bear had been lying prone just moments ago.
I was once someone who could smash concrete walls with bare hands.
Right now, having had no reason to use strength for a while, I might not be able to exert the same brute force as before, but...
Instead, in this fairy-tale-like world, the ground is biscuit and the rivers and seas are soda.
As a former agent, failing to crush even a single biscuit would make me a laughingstock.
:: ...Again. ::
"Uh, uwoh...!"
The biscuit supporting the ground cracked with a jjeojeok sound.
The ground lurched and swayed back and forth as if an earthquake had hit.
There was no telling what happened outside the blackout curtain Bell had put up, but at least this inside area was completely devastated.
So the ground of this other world was this fragile.
Because it was such a peaceful world, I had never had any occasion to use violence since reincarnating, so I hadn't known.
To think it's like this even now when I've grown weaker.
I should be careful when wielding violence next time.
" Toys in particular break so easily, after all. "
Oops. My inner thoughts leaked out again without me realizing.
It's not like I'm high on drugs or anything, so I don't know why I'm being like this lately.
This is already the third time. Why am I doing this all of a sudden?
Lately, as if drunk on something, my inner thoughts keep tumbling out of my mouth without going through any filter....
:: The expression 'without going through a filter'. That's funny. ::
Bell giggled at a point I couldn't understand at all.
And—.
"Ah, aaah...."
Was it hard for his cotton-stuffed legs to endure the swaying ground?
Or did he sense the fate that would have befallen him had he stayed still?
If it was the latter, then things went according to my intentions.
The teddy bear, whose legs lost all strength, collapsed to his knees.
'Bell's guess was that he was rampaging because he got too immersed in his role.'
" Playing with dolls is over. Isn't that right? "
"...!"
It would be best to make him aware of the situation.
" I s n ' t t h a t r i g h t ? "
"Th—."
" If you don't speak properly, I won't know, you know? "
"Th, that.."
The teddy bear, who was continuing to speak in a trembling voice,
eventually bowed his head deeply and admitted it.
"That is so."
Oh. It works.
I can't openly admit this, but as expected, having overwhelming physical force solves many problems.
How should I put it?
With that admission just now, his will to fight seemed completely broken.
:: I don't think it's just his will to fight that got broken, though? ::
That could happen when you're overwhelmed in the strength you were confident in.
I equipped the business smile I wear when serving customers at the candy store.
" Since you understand, let's stop here. "
I stepped closer, offering a handshake of reconciliation.
"!!!"
He's flailing and retreating.
Did I scare him too much?
Well, if he pictured in his head a future where he got trampled as is, it's understandable.
Once again calmly, articulating syllable by syllable.
Equipping even the hospitality smile used in the store,
I clearly convey my intentions.
:: I w o n ' t h u r t y o u . ::
"......!"
In the end, the back of the teddy bear bumped into the blackout curtain Bell had erected,
and at that moment, as if someone had pressed a stun gun against the back of his neck, the teddy bear's entire body went limp and collapsed.
'Did he faint?'
Uh, um.
He was really terrified.
The sudden contact with the blackout curtain must be the cause.
It must be like getting startled when someone suddenly grabs your shoulder from behind while you're hyper-focused on something with tension running at full blast.
Then again, I didn't know the ground here would crack so easily, so I failed to properly control my strength.
It's not like I've ever had experience smashing a gigantic snack before.
" Bell, it's all over now, so take down the curtain. "
:: You're not going to kill him? ::
" Kill who? Don't say such creepy things even as a joke. "
And don't pretend to be disappointed, either.
Bell snapped her fingers.
As if that were the switch, the black curtain surrounding us slowly vanished.
'Did the other people performing, including Marie, all leave?'
That was fast. I feel like we weren't in here for very long.
Except for a small number of people cleaning up, everyone seems to have withdrawn without a trace.
They disappeared so cleanly, as if they had soared into the sky or vanished into the earth.
'I don't see the audience members who were collapsed either.'
Since the play ended and a brawl suddenly broke out,
they probably got up from their seats after the show ended and went on their way.
Right at that moment, my eyes met with a few troupe members who remained to clean up.
Opening his mouth jaw-droppingly wide and popping his eyes wide open just like an American cartoon,
looking at me, and at the human-sized teddy bear lying limp in my arms, he screamed.
"T-Team Leader-nim!"
Mmm.
As I pondered how I should break the ice,
Inside the blackout curtain. A colleague being carried out.
This could easily be perceived as an assault incident.
To smooth over such an atmosphere, I once again equipped my friendly business smile,
:: D o n ' t w o r r y . ::
:: B e c a u s e I d i d n ' t k i l l h i m . ::
and threw out a bluff-filled cushion word while clearly emphasizing that this was a joke.
"Heeeeek!"