Chapter 4 - The Difference in Skills

"......That's enough."

"Thank you, Heart... But I can't do this anymore... There's nothing I can do about it."

(...What is...... this.....?)

(His gaze, his movements... everything feels so "empty.")

(It's like there's this deep, dark void opening up behind Asahi-san...)

(I can't look away......)

"Bless! Come on, Bless! This isn't like you at all!"

"...It's fine. I'm done."

"No matter what I do, people will keep hating each other and nations will continue fighting."

"I can keep pondering about how to bring peace, keep working toward it...... but in the end, nothing will be different regardless."

"—It's all pointless."

"Bless!!!!"

(To reach this level just from one read-through...)

..........

(In such a short time, he's grasped and expressed almost perfectly the image I had in mind. .....As terrifying as ever.)

.....Whoa. Sorry, I got pretty carried away there.

This role is so rewarding to play that I just got completely absorbed in it.

I'm honored to hear you say that, Asahi-san.

Oh, right! So about how to approach this role..

Y-Yes!

I believe the crucial element is how we portray 'despair,' since that's what this whole play is about.

How convincingly we can portray the prince's final descent into despair...... You could say everything hinges on that.

The deeper the prince's despair, the more radiant the princess appears as she pursues hope.

...I had a feeling that was it.

I've been thinking the same thing, but... I'm still struggling to express it properly.

I know what you mean. This is quite difficult.

The expression is one thing, but... honestly, we don't usually feel emotions intense enough to be called real "despair".

That's why—

How about trying to imagine the situation that would make you feel most hopeless?

A situation that would make me feel hopeless.......

Yeah. If you can tap into that feeling of "despair within yourself", it might be easier to imagine the prince's despair too.

.......Though it'll probably be a pretty painful exercise.

No, it's... thank you. I'll give it a try.

Yo, Asahi! Time to get back to rehearsal!

What—already!? I totally missed lunch!

Oh, I’m so sorry! I dragged you into this at the last minute…

Nah, I’ll just wolf something down, no problem! Besides, I had a great time.

If there’s ever anything else I can help with, just say the word. I’ll be there for you!

…Yes!

(…Only after all this training, only after feeling myself grow, do I understand it.)

(Between Asahi-san and me—)

(…There’s still a gap I can’t close.)

(Is it the result of relentless effort, natural talent...… or both?)

(Whichever it is—)

(…...there’s a huge gap between Asahi-san and me.)

(An overwhelming...… gap in ability.)

(…Can I ever reach him?)

(To where he stands—can I really…..?)

—No.

It's not "can I reach it?" because I will reach it.

(I already know my own weakness. I know things won’t always go the way I imagine.)

(But even knowing that, I chose to push on.)

(Which is why—I won’t falter.)

.....Hweh?

Tsukasa-kun…?