"This…"
Lin's confusion-laced anger was overwhelmed by surprise. But before he could respond, a handkerchief was pressed over his nose and mouth.
"Wuwuwu…" After inhaling two deep breaths of the liquid in the handkerchief, a wave of overwhelming dizziness struck Lin. He released his grip and fell unconscious to the floor in less than a second.
"Lin…" The stunned Sakura reached out but didn't catch him.
Mobius coldly watched the dreaming Lin, casually tossing the handkerchief onto the table.
"Oh dear, so things ended up like this after all."
Elysia covered her forehead, helplessly jumping down from the ceiling. Aponia also entered the room.
"What now? Should we just tell Lin it was all a dream when he wakes up?" Elysia joked half-heartedly.
"Don't be silly. That excuse works once, but using it a second time? Do you want to treat him like an idiot?"
"So, everyone was still here…" Sakura touched her head, feigning ignorance, her pair of ears drooping down.
Elysia smiled meaningfully at Sakura, "Sakura… sometimes you are…"
"Cough, cough…"
"It seems the only option is to fight." Surprisingly, it was the usually gentle Aponia who spoke first. She pulled up the hood of her jacket, covering her head.
"Eh? Wait, is this the world setting we're in…"
"Usually, at this point, it's time for a fight." Mobius's voice changed from mature to childish. She closed and opened her eyes, and her golden snake pupils manifested.
Sakura drew her sword, her face cold, "I agree."
"No, the script has people who haven't appeared yet…"
"Cut!"
…
Thank you for watching. The cast list is as follows:
Lin's Actor: Played by LinElysia's Actor: Played by ElysiaKevin's Actor: Played by KevinAponia's Actor: Played by AponiaEden's Actor: Played by EdenKalpas's Actor: Played by KalpasSu's Actor: Played by SuSakura's Actor: Played by SakuraKosma's Actor: Played by KosmaMobius's Actor: Played by MobiusGriseo's Actor: Played by GriseoHua's Actor: Played by HuaPardofelis's Actor: Played by PardofelisMei's Actor: Played by Raiden MeiOther Roles: Played by KleinDid Not Appear: Vil-V's Actor: Played by Vil-VScriptwriter: ElysiaDirector: Elysia
…
…
"It ended so anticlimactically?"
"Shouldn't you call it circular narration?"
The light of the antique-looking projector flickered a few times and stopped working. The overhead lights came on.
Raiden Mei, sitting in the first row, looked as if she had just eaten a dinner that was expensive but extremely unappetizing. She looked like she wanted to comment but didn't know where to start.
"Leaving aside the uneven screen time for the characters, with most of them only flashing by, and some not even appearing, why did the entire short film's plot revolve around Lin's decadent private life? No, there was no development at all; it just repeatedly illustrated that point." Mei's right eye twitched as she complained, "And the final scene was clearly cut because they couldn't act it out anymore, right?"
"It really couldn't be acted out anymore. According to the original script, the next part was supposed to have Vil-V appear, disrupt the battle, and reveal an earth-shattering secret—that Kalpas's orientation was actually crooked, and he was secretly planning…"
"Stop, I can't listen anymore."
"In short, it was supposed to be a happy, loving, grand finale." Elysia, sitting beside her, smiled, "It's just that some people couldn't stand telling a 'lie,' so they wanted to end it."
"I'm more surprised that Kalpas actually agreed to that role…"
Mei's eyes glanced at Kalpas, who was sitting in the corner, and received a glare in return.
"I think the fact that you agreed to participate is even more surprising," Mobius, who had reverted to her child-like appearance, sat in the seat behind Mei, enthusiastically stroking her smooth forearm.
Mei, having been long influenced by constant arguments, was not to be outdone in a war of words, "The same goes for you, doesn't it?"
"Such a short film…" Kosma, also sitting in the second row, hesitated, wanting to say something, but seeing Griseo beside him still looking innocently simple, he shook his head and said nothing.
This kind of short film is not good for Griseo… He had wanted to say this, but seeing that Griseo seemed capable of discerning things, he decided not to be redundant.
"Ah? I had a role in the original script? Oh, wait, it was for [The Conductor], wasn't it." The oblivious [The Expert] Vil-V leaned back on her chair after a brief moment of silence, "But Elysia did ask me to make something interesting, but [The Conductor] didn't use it."
Kevin and Su did not join their discussion, merely sitting in the back row, chatting with each other. The same went for Hua and Pardo. Pardo was excitedly holding the vintage game cartridges, while Hua was quietly looking at the short film's cast list.
"Ellie, is this alright…" Eden, sitting on Elysia's other side, asked Elysia after taking a sip of the mellow wine she had been nursing silently.
"Hmm? My dear Eden, what are you talking about?"
"Why did it have to be Lin? According to your original script, shouldn't the plot be different?"
"Perhaps because…" Elysia lowered her head, a hint of an unidentifiable emotion in her voice, "Every story needs a protagonist, but Lin has never been the protagonist in a happy story, has he?"
Eden didn't speak, her lips lightly touching the rim of her cup.
"Say, are three people missing?"
Mei looked around and noticed that three people seemed to be absent.
…
"Lin, don't you care?"
"Care about what?"
"Elysia's script…"
"It's fine. It's just one of her many jokes."
Lin picked up the Moth of the Fire badge from the floor. It was an extremely rare misprinted badge, with the burning moth imprinted on both sides. Coincidentally, the emblem on the back was the golden one that was only supposed to be awarded after twenty-five years in the Moth of the Fire.
Elysia had mentioned it to him and made a bet that she would get one. However, what she hadn't expected was that the badge Lin received after his Ultra-Transformation Surgery happened to be this unique misprint, winning him the bet in advance.
Twists of fate, just like his life, and just like all their lives.
Sakura stood behind him, looking at his back hesitantly. Perhaps she was overthinking it; this man was still exceptionally calm and lacked excessive emotion.
And in the darkness, Aponia also watched him rub the badge, silent.
"She used to look for novels I read—some boring readings just to pass the time. But she must have remembered them and turned them into this clichéd script, even with the old-fashioned happy ending…"
Lin's finger gently unclipped the fastener on his neck. With a soft click, he removed his helmet. He turned to look at the people who had come up behind him at some point.
"But I don't hate it."
He curved his lips, smiling at the world.
Christmas Special: Behind the Scenes (End)
"Lin, today you…"
Klein stood on her tiptoes, but the folding fan in her hand still couldn't reach the table.
Lin looked at Vil-V, who was holding a camera. At her gesture, he hooked the wire harness machine onto Klein.
"…"
"…"
"After I finish this scene, I'm going to work." Klein said after a moment of silence, "I don't even want to see the filmed results."
…
"Senior Elysia…" Lin read from the script.
"Pfft…" The pink-haired girl covered her mouth and chuckled softly.
Under Lin's calm gaze, Elysia adjusted her demeanor and said seriously, "Cough, cough… Continue."
"Senior Elysia…"
"Pfft… Hahahahaha, I can't handle it anymore…" Elysia laughed, clutching her stomach and rolling on the ground, "Lin, you are so cute saying your lines so seriously with only a mask on."
"…"
"Can I kiss you?"
"No."
…
"Can you still do this?" Mobius looked down at her now somewhat unfamiliar body. This perspective, where she didn't have to look up at Lin much, was a long-lost one.
"…"
"Heh heh, you look quite excited."
"…" Lin glanced at the wicked smile on her face and said flatly, "No."
Speaking of excitement, this peripheral person, who rarely participates, is more enthusiastic than he is. Of course, she would never admit it herself.
"Is the next scene real or fake?" Mobius lowered her head, looking at the personal script in her hand, and asked abruptly.
"…What is real or fake?"
Lin frowned. It was just acting, wasn't it? Why ask if it was real or fake?
"Hmph, do you think this trick will scare me… even if it's real…"
Lin snatched the script, quickly scanned Mobius's part in the following scenes, and after a moment of contemplation, he handed his own script to Mobius.
"…"
After seeing the completely different plot arrangement for her role in the following scenes, Mobius's smile froze on her mature face.
Mobius took a deep breath, put down the script, and glared fiercely at the calm-faced Lin, her face a mask of aggression, "You didn't actually take that seriously, did you?"
"No."
…
"Bang!"
Kalpas kicked the door into splinters and rushed in, roaring:
"All of you get out!"
Elysia held her forehead, standing up from under the bed, "Kalpas, be gentle, don't be so rough."
"Heh, his brain probably can't fit much, can it?" Mobius sneered contemptuously, having stopped acting.
"Hmph! What's with all the fuss! Didn't you want me to kick you all out? What, do you want to fight next? Let's start with you."
Mei twitched her lips and said to Kevin beside her, "I think Kalpas's ability to act the fool is surprisingly high."
"He just lacks patience." Kevin said calmly, "Also, go get another cake."
"Why?"
"The shell and the string on this one got frozen off."
…
"Aponia, what are you doing."
"Lin… this is a rehearsal…"
"…No, there is absolutely no such scene in the script."
Lin was held in Aponia's arms with a blank expression. Due to the position, he couldn't breathe properly, and when he tried to break free, he was held even tighter.
Her feet in black stockings gently stepped on his toes.
"I am about to… tell a lie… I truly apologize… Lin…" Aponia clasped her hands together, her eyes slightly lowered, confessing, "Please forgive me…"
"Let go of me, Aponia."
"Why did our destinies have to meet here…"
"Aponia."
"If this is the crossing of threads of fate…"
"…"
…
"Felis, are you really okay?"
Hua looked worriedly at the excited Pardo. She weighed Pardo's small body, considering how to kick her in a way that looked painful but actually used minimal force.
"No problem, Hua, just give it a try." Pardo chuckled, "Don't forget to give me those games later, heh heh heh…"
"Why did they arrange this scene for us? It wasn't necessary, was it?"
"I remember Sister Elysia saying that if the same situation happens repeatedly, it reduces the audience's patience and novelty, so she had us act as some kind of seasoning… Anyway, I don't understand it either. Why don't we just try it out in front of the camera?"
"You are truly carefree."
Hua saw Sakura pacing back and forth not far away, her expression somewhat indecipherable. She called out confusedly, "Sakura?"
"What is it?" Sakura stopped pacing, her expression vanishing.
"Nothing. I just thought you looked a little nervous."
"W-was I?"
"You don't need to be nervous. We are just filming this for ourselves to watch."
"Phew… You're right. It's just dialogue."
"What dialogue?"
"Nothing. It's almost your turn. Get ready quickly."
…
"Wait a minute, it hasn't been filmed yet."
After shouting "Cut," Lin, lying on the ground, opened his eyes and saw that everyone had scattered like birds, leaving only Elysia standing there. He raised an eyebrow and stood up.
"Ahem!" Elysia deliberately coughed and smiled sweetly, "It's a perfect wrap! Now we just wait for Vil-V to edit the finished film."
"But there's a lot more plot, isn't there?" Lin thought about the huge pile of script and plot notes that hadn't been acted out, yet Elysia had let them go and chose not to continue.
"Lin, sometimes stopping at the right moment is the best thing."
"…But in this situation, we usually call it a bad ending."
"Fine, to be honest, even I was starting to have trouble acting it out." Elysia gave a secret, sly smile, "A few other people probably felt the same way."
Lin nodded in agreement, "Some of the lines were quite awkward, indeed."
"So, please forgive us for lying."
"It's nothing…"
"Alright, alright, don't say any more." Elysia smiled and put a finger to Lin's lips, blocking his words.
"Lin, sometimes, there are words that can only be spoken through a 'lie.' Some of them are hidden within the 'lie,' and some claim to be the 'lie.'"
"But the contradictory thing is that the person who speaks these words hopes to be noticed, yet also hopes not to be noticed, because once the underlying meaning is exposed, the liar has nowhere to hide, with no retreat."
"Don't you find such people very adorable?"
Lin thought for a few seconds and asked in confusion, "I don't understand."
Can a lie exist that both hopes to be noticed and hopes not to be noticed?
And what kind of thoughts does a person who tells such a lie harbor?
"Then try to think about who told you the truth, who was vague, and who revealed their true intentions through the dialogue in this performance."
"But I think everyone shouldn't have the heart to deceive you."
Elysia smiled brightly, just as she did in the beginning.