The Day of the Auditions

(Bai Ziye)

An "accident" of this magnitude could certainly not hurt me.

Although I ended up covered in dust and dirt, I managed to clear the ceiling panel with my hand. But to my utter surprise, there were still several cockroaches crawling on top of the panel, their hairy legs and antennae crawling up my hand and up my arm...

Suddenly, a string in my head snapped.

"Eeeah!!!!"

I flung my arm, which was covered in goosebumps, and screamed as I fell into Halley's arms.

Elastic brain pad wave.

"Hey, so Miluno, you can scream like that too?"

I was also surprised; that girlish scream I just heard was actually my own.

But I still complained irritably, "Is this all you're capable of? Making the people you hurt unlucky?"

"The tip of my tail can secrete 'misfortune,' and anything I inject with misfortune will encounter bad luck in a short period of time. If too much is injected, it can even lead to death."

Can injecting too much misfortune lead to death in various ways?

This could be considered a weapon based on causality!

"Wait, how did you discover this... magic?"

"..."

She grabbed her tail and wagged it, saying, "I didn't know what it was, so I just tasted it."

"Then what?"

"The light bulb above our heads exploded."

It seems she didn't try much, which explains why she dragged me straight to the dance studio today.

"... Your abilities are merely a catalyst for misfortune. This house has been in disrepair for years. You'd better make some money quickly and move out of this shabby place."

If Halley hadn't turned into Monster, Sirius would have already called to discuss an acquisition.

Once the acquisition is complete, we'll have money, and with money, we can move to a more respectable office location...

It can only be said that some coincidences are just that unfortunate.

Just when God was about to open the door, she climbed through the window herself, and even climbed the wrong one.

"Ms. Halley, let's talk about tomorrow's audition."

"Hmm? I think we don't need to worry about the preliminary rounds anymore."

She really has nothing to worry about.

As expected of a top-tier traditional idol whom even Sirius once imitated, he can grab the ears of the entire audience as soon as he opens his mouth.

Ceruno has no chance against this guy. I don't know how well the Shark Princess Witch sings, but with Halley's strength, she should be able to make it to the finals, right?

"You may not need it, but the others are magical girls too, and I don't have much of an advantage compared to them."

"No, no, no, you have a huge advantage. Singing is only one part of being an idol. Do you remember what I said when I caught you on the street?"

She pointed to my chest.

"Miluno, your aloofness comes from within, it's very natural, very... captivating."

"Conquering power?"

"That's right! Conquer!"

She placed her hand on my shoulder and said earnestly, "That's the charm of the strong. The 'stage presence' that top idols hone through countless trials on stage is something you were born with! Idols should stand in an unapproachable position, looking down on all living beings! I dare say, when you stand on the stage, even if you don't say a word, the audience will be completely silent... You have that potential, Miluno!"

Oh my god, the wind blew so much it made my face turn red.

If it weren't for the fact that very few people recognize me outside of the D3 District, I almost would have believed it.

"Let's try it tomorrow."

Even if I get eliminated, I'll stay by her side and keep a close eye on her, and maybe learn some managerial skills along the way.

"So, it seems the Association made headlines in Skyreach City today?"

She suddenly asked about the reconnaissance operation that morning.

"Yeah, it's big news, didn't you know?"

"I don't have a TV here."

"Because of those two incidents yesterday, the Association launched a counterattack on the Other Side, launching a drone the size of a large bus."

I gestured with my hand, but found that the ceiling wasn't high enough.

"A huge thing, probably six or seven meters tall."

Halley pressed on, "Oh? So how did it go?"

"... I've dealt with more than a dozen Monster."

In order to appease the public, the Association naturally only reported good news and not bad news, and the news content did not mention at all the Golden Storm that Aldebaran had shot.

Halley, completely unaware that he was the Monster, patted his chest with a sigh of relief.

"Great! Humanity is finally no longer being invaded unilaterally."

"... Yes, that's right."

Damn it, how am I supposed to tell her?

The next day.

I didn't expect that after spending the night at the agency without Ceruno by my side, I still wouldn't sleep well. Has that idiot unknowingly become my teddy bear?

"Get in the car! We're going to the scene!"

Halley, having folded her wings and tail, patted the back seat of her car...

An old, beat-up bicycle, I don't know which junkyard it was salvaged from.

"Never mind, carrying passengers on a bicycle is illegal, and if the traffic police catch me, I'll be fined 20 yuan. Is it at the Greenfield Stadium? I'll just walk Past."

"Should we use speed magic?"

"Um."

"Faster than my bicycle?"

She crouched down on the bike, looking like she was about to pedal hard.

I quickly advised, "You can't possibly catch up with me. Ride carefully, or you'll fall apart."

"Haha, don't underestimate me."

She still kicked it out.

I sighed and easily overtook Halley at ten times the speed.

The newly built Greenfield Stadium is not far from this Old District. It is the largest sports center in Skyreach City and the recording location for the Supernova Idol Festival.

Currently, it's under a no-entry policy for unauthorized personnel. I haven't registered yet, so naturally I can't get in.

"Registration area... Oh, found it."

People are rarely surprised.

Since there's online registration, very few people will come to the event in person, unless they're wild magical girls like me who need to keep their identities secret.

"Miss Miluno, are you also participating in the talent show?"

The staff at the registration desk actually recognized me, which was quite touching.

"Hmm, I'll sign up and give it a try."

I seemed a bit cold, actually because I didn't know what to say.

I always felt a little ashamed to participate in the Idol Festival, let alone having to sing in front of so many people afterwards...

I'd rather be eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

"Miss Miluno, keep it up!"

Seemingly unsurprised by my nonchalance, the clerk quickly completed my registration process.

So I waited at the entrance for Halley, not knowing how much longer it would take.

"Oh my! Miluno!"

Turning around, I heard Thunderous Resonance, holding Megaphone and laughing foolishly.

I'm not surprised she'd participate, after all, her voice is her forte... but what kind of idol outfit is this?

Are you planning to dress like this for the audition?

"What's wrong?"

She wasn't wearing her light blue dress Battle Dress today. Instead, she wore a banjo (traditional Japanese monastery) draped over her upper body, the long hem of which fluttered behind her even without wind. Her open chest was covered only by a bandage, revealing her firm belly. A red headband was tied in front of her forehead. If she had a perm and her hair styled like Elvis Presley, she would truly look like she had stepped back into the Showa era.

It won't work.

This biker gang will definitely not pass the preliminary rounds.