37: The Performance Begins

“The story has already begun.
Now entertain me with your performance, girl.”

Faced with the absurdities of this world again and again, Rena no longer flinched.
The girl who had been drowning in the pond—Rena—had been pulled into the mirror,
and the golden axe had turned into nothing more than an old, worn tool.

The imposing man, the trembling Mr. Fishing Rod, and even her own soaking wet body drying in an instant—
everything was shifting beyond reason.

She no longer questioned it.
She simply accepted what was in front of her.

And that determination to keep moving forward—no matter what—held her steady now.
As if responding to the silent beckoning of the plain axe before her, Rena stepped forward and forced out her words.

“I… was dragged into this incomprehensible world, left alone and afraid…”

“Hmm?
A prologue?
How delightful.
It’s been a while since we had a high-quality narrative like this.”

Dan spoke with an amused glint in his eye, his powers clearly pulling the strings.

Watching him, Mr. Fishing Rod nervously chimed in to play along.

“Lord Dan’s setting is absolute!
We’re just characters, after all—here to bring this world to life and entertain!”

Rena gripped the axe’s handle with both hands.
She slowly stood, then looked down—
And when she lifted her gaze to Mr. Fishing Rod, it felt like a scene from a movie—like a fateful confession.

“But you… You gave me hope.
You awakened the talent that had been sleeping inside me!
I… I’ll stay by your side forever!”

“Hmm, very good.
A classic development, but effective.”

Dan narrowed his eyes at Mr. Fishing Rod, silently anticipating his next line.
The pressure in his stare was palpable.

“Uh—w-well, I mean… I didn’t really do anything.
Just wanted to be helpful, that’s all…”

Mr. Fishing Rod fumbled with his tie, clearly rattled.
He kept sneaking glances at Dan, as if gauging his reaction, then lowered his voice.

“Look… I appreciate the sentiment, but…you’re still a student.
I think… maybe it’s just your emotions talking.
You’re putting me on a pedestal because of the moment.”

“So… are you rejecting me?”

The axe in Rena’s hands slowly rose—level with her chest.

“W-wait, no! That’s not what I meant!
I just think… we should get to know each other more first—!”

Before he could finish, Rena’s axe swung violently through the air.

“I need you…
And you’re saying…
you don’t need me?”

“Fwahaha! Excellent!
Now this is entertainment!”

Dan’s booming laughter echoed around them.

Mr. Fishing Rod could only stare, breathless, into Rena’s vacant eyes—
eyes clouded with emotion, somewhere between heartbreak and fury.

In his eyes, there was no mistaking it—
a flicker of despair, and a quiet kind of sorrow for the girl now dancing on someone else’s stage.