Confidence Special Training

(Bai Ziye)

Sirius, that guy, although he didn't directly reveal my identity, still gave me a lot of trouble.

Having revealed her true gender, if this idiot were to press her for details, she could very well be exposed completely...

But that's not the most troublesome thing.

The last thread that could have turned her back into A-Yao was severed by a single sentence from Sirius.

"If Miluno were a man, I wouldn't need to change back, right?"

That's what she muttered to herself, and she seemed quite pleased.

Actually, she had already decided to become a girl. Was I the only one who couldn't let go of "A-Yao" in her heart?

I sighed with a wry smile.

"Sigh, let's go back first."

I tried to put her down, but she rolled around on me and finally clung to my back—a truly difficult move.

"Carry me on your back," she said.

"You don't want me to carry you all the way home, do you?"

"Is that not allowed?"

Despite her stubborn request, I still carried her to the station.

"Ceruno, if nothing unexpected happens, your opponent in the finals tomorrow will be that magical girl named Halley."

"They're already thinking about this before the third round is even over?"

"The third and fourth wheels are lotus-shaped, so of course we need to be prepared for that."

"Yezi, you seem quite interested in the battle situation here."

"During my internship, I was constantly looking for information about this online."

It's partly true and partly false, but I did learn a lot about Halley, not online, but through real-life interactions.

Ceruno tightened her grip on my neck and whispered in my ear, "So what do you think of Miss Halley? Does she have any weaknesses?"

Halley's words...

"Absolutely perfect, flawless. From a professional standpoint, she surpasses you in every aspect. The only flaw she might have is that her magic can't create any dramatic effect. All she can show is her wings and tail... but that just makes her look like a succubus."

A top-tier traditional idol with strong overall strength, like a boss that doesn't have any fancy mechanics and relies purely on level and stats to crush players.

Ceruno didn't have time to level up; she was challenged to fight such a powerful boss while wearing beginner's gear. If the game were designed this way, the player would definitely be doomed. But reality always presents other possibilities.

Ceruno said, "Then let's continue from the magical effects aspect. Since this is Miss Halley's 'heel,' I'll try to create some big news."

Is it the same strategy they used against me, to create another Fantasy Bubble Wonderland?

"But that's probably not enough. The audience has already seen your bubbles; they won't be surprised by the same performance twice... You have to show your true talent."

"But I've already given it my all!"

"No, you still have room for improvement."

I lifted her thigh slightly and said, "There's no way to improve vocal or dance skills, but there's something you can improve in one night."

What is it?

"Confidence. Think about Halley's stage presence. If you can overwhelm your opponent with your aura, even if your actual skills are slightly inferior, you can still gain the support of the live audience."

Actually, I've never understood what "aura" or "typhoon" means in the context of a strange phenomenon.

I'm just singing on stage, and the audience looks at me with such admiration... I really don't know how that happens.

But after hearing it many times, I can still describe it, and I know it's related to the idol's inner and outer qualities.

Fortunately Ceruno understood the concept. She sighed, "... You know perfectly well that what I lack most is confidence."

"No, no, Ceruno."

While waiting for a taxi by the roadside, I retorted, "I could see confidence in your performances these past two days. You're not as bad as you claim. You've found and liberated another side of yourself, your feminine self, which is also the person you aspire to be... Therefore, you possess a strong sense of confidence."

Putting aside her adorable voice, I haven't seen a trace of insecurity in Ceruno's performances these past two days; she's confidently and openly showcased herself.

This is good enough, but it can be better.

"Then how can I improve?" Ceruno asked, putting her arm around me.

"Practice, you need to adapt to 'that self'."

Ceruno paused after hearing what I said.

"... How do we do this?"

"From now on, let's get along with 'that self'."

When I said that, I was only thinking that it might be useful.

But they never considered what they would face.

"We're back."

Aunt Yuehan's short, gray-haired head peeked out from the corridor connecting the two houses.

"Oh my? Little Yezi is back?!"

Ceruno jumped out from behind me, removing her disguise of her hair color, and then rushed to her mother, hugging and kissing her affectionately, saying, "Mommy~ I'm back too! Didn't you miss me?"

"Yao, Yao'er?"

"No, no! You can't call me that name now. I'm Ceruno! The top disciple of the world's number one idol...!"

Aunt Yuehan's bewildered debuff piled up layer upon layer, until it reached its maximum, and she looked at me with an "OvO" expression, trying to find an answer to the strange phenomenon before her eyes.

I scratched my head.

"Let's call it special training, to boost her confidence."

As a result, she received a suspicious look from Aunt Yuehan.

"Are you sure this method will make her more confident?"

Ceruno twirled around, lifting her skirt, and said with her hands on her chest, "Of course! Mom~ I'm so cute that the whole world will fall for me! The crown of the Supernova Idol Festival belongs to me!"

"Um, Ceruno... actually, we have guests at home."

Not only me, Ceruno's movements also visibly stiffened for a moment, it seems she still retained a trace of shame.

Who's here?

Two guests were sitting on A-Yao's sofa.

A black-haired girl with a tuft of white hair on her forehead, and a blonde girl who always wears headphones.

Antarctic Star and Freya.

Golden, now back to Doggy, is lying horizontally on Antarctic Star's lap... She's not wearing a tuxedo; her casual clothes are a black miniskirt and striking yellow pantyhose.

This penguin girl's outfit always features only three colors.

Black, white, and yellow.

Just like penguins.

Miss Freya was dressed as always, her ever-present guitar leaning against the sofa, her phone in hand, ready to join the conversation at any moment.

Ceruno stepped forward and squeezed between the two.

"Hey? What brings you guys here so late at night?"

While being held by Ceruno, Antarctic Star explained expressionlessly, "Freya wrote a song for you, and she wanted to give it to you as soon as possible, so I brought her here."

"A new song?"

Ceruno looked in the Other Side.

[As agreed beforehand]

Freya tapped on her phone.

[I only composed the music; Antarctic Star wrote the lyrics for you.]