DAYS UNTIL THE ASUNARO FESTIVAL 13
Yes! A haunted café!
GRADE 1 CLASS 3 HAUNTED CAFÉ
FRESHMAN WITCH AND HER FAMILIARS
We'll have ghostly waiters floating in the air,
waitresses who can pass through walls,
plates that come flying to the table, and other strange occurrences!
That's what a haunted café should be!
That's a pretty fun idea.
I told Kara that Keigo was watching a noisy horror movie in the living room,
and that's when...
Bam! I got the idea!
With this, everyone can have fun with Nico's magic!
Any more specifics?
Yeah, good question.
No plan again, huh?
Sheesh.
Oh, I thought of something cool.
First off, Fly-wing!
And then!
Through-n-through!
This spell will allow you to go through walls.
Now you can float like a ghost while traversing through walls.
Wow.
You can only pass through walls while you're holding your breath.
If you're breathing, you'll hit the wall.
Ouch! This is kinda hard.
You're doing great.
You look way too good as a ghost, Komeran.
You gotta hold your breath, huh?
Oh! If you hold your breath for that long...
the floor will get acknowledged as a wall, and you'll end up sinking.
Say that first!
Is it going to be okay to let them use Nico's finicky magic?
Yeah. By putting Nico behind the scenes, we can create a whimsical atmosphere,
and the servers can use magic for a little bit.
Because of that, the students who weren't in the mood to help are now motivated.
You're right. The mood's gotten a lot lighter.
Kujo.
You're just adding bells and whistles to the folks who have no talent.
You guys with special talents are just looking down on us.
Hopefully you won't get hated on by getting all the attention.
Yeah.
And if someone tries to hurt Nico,
then I'll use all my strength to knock them down.
This is amazing!
You're Sugiura and Hajime, from the festival production committee.
Wakatsuki, would you allow us to use those spells for our Closing Ceremony?
I think it'll make for a fine show and bring an amazing end to the Asunaro Festival!
Right, Hajime?
Yes.
We were following our plan at first,
but Hajime's ideas were so boring, serious, and miserable, yeah!
You made it sound like a rap song.
So, can we please rely on you for this?
I'd be happy to help.
Then, it's decided! Let's have a meeting about this.
Nico sure is popular.
Before school started, she was worried about fitting in.
But now her magic has been accepted, and she can enjoy a high school life.
As her bodyguard, it makes me happy.
This is no fun.
Looks like your class decided what they'll be doing for the Asunaro Festival, huh?
Yeah, what will your class be doing?
My class is...
I was asked if I wanted to do stand-up comedy on the festival's performance stage.
Morihito, wanna do it together?
Sounds fun!
Oh, yeah, you love watching those comedy shows.
Come on, Morihito, please?
Don't underestimate comedians!
You can't do such things so easily!
Rookies copying a comedy duo and failing is the cringiest thing ever!
Don't you dare think that you can do it for fun!
Did he infuriate the comedy-lover?
You'll say, "Hey there, everyone," and steal a popular talent's format.
Then you'll glance at each other embarrassingly, smile at each other, and ignore the script!
If you think you can speak like a professional onstage, then you're dead wrong!
Yeah, and look at you with your blabbermouth!
Nico will be busy with the Closing Ceremony...
Sorry.
I guess that's fine. I'll just give up.
But, Kanshi.
There's one person who's internally screaming, "Yeah, I guess I can do it for you."
Keigo, you're no fun, though.
But I want to become more fun!
Okay, just please stop crying.
Hey there, we're Wolf and Tengu.
I was thinking about getting a part-time job, like at a restaurant or something.
Hey, that sounds good.
Then, let's practice a little bit. I'll be the customer.
Whirrr.
Welcome. Table for one loner?
That's rude! Just ask if it's for one!
Right this way, please.
Do you know what you're getting? I'll take those menus now.
So much pressure, geez.
Ugh, geez! Do you have any lunch specials?
We do, but they get trash-talked on our social media.
What kind of haters dine here?
We have three different lunch items. The A Set, B Grade Set, and Seal Set.
I guess A Set is my only choice!
I'm terribly sorry, but we only make one serving of the A Set per day.
And we just sold out of it.
That's really not that much!
I just finished eating it earlier.
Are you serious?
Okay, thank you very much!
That was pretty funny.
We did it!
As expected, Kanshi's Kansai-accented jabs are hilarious.
The balance between the opposite characters are good.
Heck yeah!
I think it's a good idea for Keigo's annoying poser character to come out.
It'll be funnier if the performer's personality shines through.
You called me annoying, but I'm still grateful.
Keep the pace intact,
but increase the silly factor and base your tempo on that.
There are a few spots in the script that should change.
I want the hook to be stronger, too.
I have a few ideas in mind, so let's think about this together.
Thank you!
We're gonna practice a lot, you got that?
Yes, sir!
And there he goes, falling into the producer role again.
And so, Wolf and Tengu began performing their bit at the park.
Hey there! We're Wolf and Tengu!
I hope you're ready for a sappy time!
It's happy time!
I was thinking about getting a part-time job...
Hey, that sounds good.
SECOND DAY
What the hell, dude?
THIRD DAY
What the hell, dude?
FOURTH DAY
Whaaaat the hell, duuuude?
You were being way too silly with your jabs today.
Please stick to the script.
And, Keigo, you're getting too used to the lines.
Well, they still laughed, so it should be fine.
If they could laugh that much at a pair of rookies, then I think that's pretty good.
It would be easy if the tengu could act like a tengu.
If you underestimate comedy, then you'll become a laughingstock.
Remember that.
Were you the comedy duo that was performing just now?
You guys were really funny!
You'll be performing that act at the Asunaro High School Festival, right?
- Yeah! - That's right.
Your material is really good!
Where do you get ideas for it?
Was the handsome guy you were talking to also a member?
What?
Well, uh...
No, it's just us two, right?
When we think of ideas,
we don't start with anything in mind. Instead, we both just stand up there,
one of us says something, and we take it from there.
That's right.
Then we keep going like we're jamming or something.
That's right.
That's always been our style,
and we can't think of any other method to create stand-up material.
That's right.
That's amazing!
The festival starts tomorrow, right?
We'll definitely be there to watch!
Good luck! We'll see you later!
You know, I'm kinda crazy when it comes to my comedic preferences.
Instead of the popular comedians, I usually go for the underground ones.
Yeah, I totally get that.
I also prefer the alternative comedians.
They stick with me because they're weird.
Even if their point was sharp, the area of effect isn't that large.
Whereas a comedian who makes a lot of people laugh can't really get too deep.
I want people to remember me.
Wow, that sounds pretty cool.
I'm starting to think that I lost if I make too many people laugh.
That's right.
Even if just one person is rolling around on the floor laughing, I consider it a win.
So what's important is not what's on the script.
That's right.
Scripts are man-made, after all,
and I don't think we can get real laughs from something like that.
I agree. Our greatest weapon is our usual conversations, anyway.
Once we're up there with that classic C-38B microphone,
we're already a comedy duo!
That's right.
I think we should just throw away that script.
CAN WE AD-LIB THIS PART? NO
WELCOME! ASUNARO FESTIVAL
GRADE 1 CLASS 3 HAUNTED CAFÉ
Our haunted café is a success!
It's all thanks to you, Nico!
I wonder if Moi's side is doing well.
What? You got let go?
What happened? Did you guys get in a fight?
I don't know! They suddenly said, "We're good." So I don't care anymore.
They most likely got praised by some girls, got their egos inflated,
and don't want to accept that they're funny because of me.
I don't know what's going on, but that sounds about right.
Unbelievable.
A Kansai person who's confident and already knows they're funny
and an annoying hipster poser guy.
If they both get cocky, it's actually a recipe for disaster!
If someone's not supervising them with an objective view, then it's just gonna get bad.
Nico!
Nemu! You made it!
ASUNARO FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE STAGE
All right, folks, we're about to begin our Asunaro Festival's Performance Stage!
The top batter today is a comedy duo!
I-It's starting.
First up, we have "Black Darkness in the Abyss of the Universe." Come on up!
What happened to their duo name?
What? So what does it mean?
It means something edgy, cringy, and stupid.
What? It's supposed to be comedy.
How should I know? They're way off the mark now.
Whoa, their intro music sounds cool!
Hey, everyone.
We are Black Darkness in the Abyss of the Universe.
Okay, so...
What should we talk about first?
Huh? What? Empty-handed? Are they going off script?
There sure are a lot of people in here.
And what should we do about that, huh?
Is this a pattern where the rookies wrongly assume they can do what a professional does?
Come on, Keigo, I can't hear you at all. Work with me, will ya?
Hey, Moi? This is kinda getting a little...
Such black eyes!
He looks like a kabuki mask!
When Moi isn't having fun, his eyes become a limitless black hole!
Now I'm trapped in my own hell, too.
We actually live together, and gosh, Kanshi's snoring is really loud.
Hey! Come on now, don't say things like that.
Yeah, he's just the worst.
So, uh, I was at a mixer party with a chicken lady.
Is he at his wits' end?
And the seating, you see, there wasn't anywhere to sit in the food court.
He suddenly switched to an episodic talk, and everyone's confused.
So when I sat down, I ended up sharing a table with, uhh...
He's sticking with this, and he's totally bombing.
And the old lady, she, uh... she...
And Keigo is totally ignoring everything.
Is there even a point to this comedy duo?
Keigo, could you talk about something, too?
Huh? Oh, um...
Oh, you just flubbed it just now, didn't you?
Dude, we don't need that right now.
What the hell?
Oh, Kanshi, didn't you say that you could do an impression of Mr. Minechi?
Okay, go ahead.
C-Come on, don't force it on me.
Ouch. You're the one who said to bring it up.
You should decide what to talk about!
We decided that we were gonna ad-lib this!
What's going on?
This isn't funny at all.
Man, this is seriously getting cringy and rough.
Uhh, let's see, now we'll do a one-liner.
And the space cat says...
Gonna do an impression of the space cat now.
On this day, Morihito saw a black darkness in the abyss of the universe.
Okay, here we go!
Through-n-through!
This is great, Nico.
Ouch.
Can the bunny rabbits raise their heads from a higher point?
And then the monkey should get in between them.
Okay, and from there, everyone go around!
Looks like we'll get everything together by tomorrow.
Yeah, everything's looking great.
And you're wide open!
Fancy meeting you here.
You were definitely waiting to ambush me!
This was delivered to the Student Council.
What the hell is this?
ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE ASUNARO FESTIVAL MAGIC WILL BE USED TO COMMIT A CRIME.
Is it a warlock?
No. I don't think that's the case if they're sending this kind of letter.
Their goal is to get the festival canceled and make Nico take responsibility.
And if it doesn't get canceled,
they'll commit a crime to raise awareness of the dangers of magic.
I took a look around campus after school,
but I didn't find any suspicious people or dangerous objects.
However, this clearly says, "second day."
Something will definitely be set in motion tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I plan to tell Nico not to use her magic for the festival.
Hold on a second. I'm against that!
Nico has become the center of her class,
and she's even helping out the festival's executive committee.
I'm prioritizing her safety.
Since we don't know what kind of crime could be committed,
- we don't have any other— - Don't decide that for us!
I joined this group because I wanted to repay the debt for healing my mom.
So to me, Nico's wishes are the most important thing.
That's important to me, too.
Okay, hold on guys.
We understand that you want to look out for her safety the most.
But in this case, I think we need to step off the stage.
And that's because she's a witch-in-training.
We're her familiars.
We shouldn't get in the way of her growth.
Then, what should we...
We ask that you put your faith in us more.
There's four of us. It's a little troublesome, but I'll help, too.
Miharu.
Yeah! If the four of us work together, then security should be perfect.
Let's not tell Nico about this and protect her from the shadows.
With the four of us, as her familiars.
- All right! - Indeed!
ASUNARO FESTIVAL DAY TWO!!
Nico Wakatsuki.
What do you mean, magic? You dang cheater.
Are special abilities everything?
Just you watch.
When magic is used to commit a crime, then you'll never be able to use it again!
Moi!
Any issues?
Nope, I just finished casting spells on the café staff members.
But the spells only last for one hour, so I have to recast it every so often.
You seem pretty busy.
I really am!
Everyone's relying on my magic, and I don't know what to do.
Having fun?
Yep.
I see.
Wakatsuki! Can you recast the spell again?
Yeah! Moi, let's walk around together later, okay?
I suspect...
the criminal will make their move when Nico's magic is on display the most,
which would be during the ceremony.
They want to take Nico down when the most people are watching.
Miharu will patrol the east building.
Keigo will turn into Wolf and guard the west building.
Kanshi, use your crows and have them watch everything.
Through-n-through!
Okay! Everyone, back to your positions!
By the way, where's Hajime?
He said he'll come over when he's done running an errand.
The empty classroom in the west building...
A suspicious person?
KANSHI
The crows found something abnormal. West building, second floor!
Wolf! Get him!
I've already found him. But...
he's going through the walls!
The spell Through-n-through?
You stole Nico's spell, didn't you?
And then you were gonna wreak havoc with that, weren't you?
Get back here!
Found you!
Oh. Hi, Wolf.
Nemu. You came?
Did you see a guy wearing a bear mask?
Yes, he went that way.
Okay.
Oh, um!
Um, so, yesterday's comedy show...
I didn't hate it.
I'll let him know.
I said get back here!
The concert band storage?
You won't get away!
He phased through the floor.
A three-dimensional game of tag, huh?
It's the east building, Miharu!
I can hear, Mr. Wolf.
Balloon art?
If I swing my sword around,
the work that went into making this display would be for nothing!
No way I can do that!
Just from those cracks?
Now, if you run around like that, you'll definitely be considered a pervert.
Wait!
He's at the east building's rooftop!
All right!
What're you resting up for?
Oh, no...
What the hell are these guys?
Oh, I'm so glad.
Kanshi!
Direct your crows to the north!
Divert him towards the building where there aren't that many students!
Got it!
This is as far as you go, magic thief.
This is the fourth floor.
My friends are waiting on the floors below us, and the other side of that wall is the outside.
Looks like my teamwork was better.
Take that mask off, Kujo!
Did you call me?
Kujo? This isn't you?
What're you talking about?
Stop! This is the fourth floor!
He jumped into the pool?
Okay, my identity hasn't been discovered yet, so if I can just get away...
What? My legs are...
Shoot, it's because I've been holding my breath!
I'm gonna sink! Gotta breathe!
I can't! No, no, no! This is bad! Oh, no!
Gonna... die...
Morihito!
Damn it, who the hell are you?
You're from the executive committee... Hajime?
Asunaro Festival!
Let's start the Closing Ceremony!
ASUNARO
ASUNARO FESTIVAL
So he had a grudge because his performance plan was taken away by Nico's magic.
And it seemed like he was in love with Sugiura as well.
Talk about unjustified resentment.
Ten more laps!
Magic is a really special ability to have.
But those who possess it also carry a great burden and responsibility.
I want...
to protect Nico, who has accepted her fate.
I think Nico got to experience something good, and I also learned a lot.
I want to thank all of you.
She's a freshman witch who's still growing.
So, we're not just simply around her.
We've become her protectors. We don't just guard her, but we also...
watch over her.
Nico.
Hey, Moi!
You worked hard today. Good job.
Thanks!
Everyone's having so much fun.
It makes me happy, too!
Yeah.
Let's go.
Okay!