You never realized it until you counted—the list was startling. As the cult leader recounted everything, Kotori Minami and the others suddenly realized that Katsura Kotaro had done so much for them. But... why had they always felt as if he had done nothing at all?
"If only Mr. Katsura could be a little more serious..." Before long, everyone in Muse reached a consensus. "Maybe it's because Mr. Katsura isn't a teacher at our school, so it just feels a little strange?"
"Mm..." As they reflected on this, Katsura Kotaro shook his head. "Honoka, those were all things I should have done. There's no need to point them out. Besides, your goal is to reach the pinnacle of school idols. If all I did was something anyone could do, how could I call myself your manager—or the president of your fan club?"
"Mr. Katsura..."
"So..." Before they could continue, Katsura Kotaro pressed a hand downward. "I've always been thinking about how I could help you achieve your goal and put Muse at the top of the school idol world. Unfortunately, my abilities aren't enough to accomplish that..."
"Wait..." Everyone in Muse grew anxious, and Honoka Kosaka spoke up in particular. Rather than being about Mr. Katsura's abilities, wasn't this about their abilities?
"Don't misunderstand..." Katsura Kotaro seemed to realize something as well. "Honoka, everyone, I'm not saying you aren't good enough. On the contrary, I believe more than anyone that you can succeed. However, success requires more than your own abilities. Sometimes, outside resources are especially important, and Sogo happens to be able to provide that..."
"Because he's a genius pianist?" Umi Sonoda murmured.
"Wrong..." Sogo Doma said. "I think what Katsura means isn't that. It's because I'm super rich, right? Take the simplest example—Bruce Wayne, you know him? He