He tried to save the fallen girls, but they came after him instead.

Page 314

256. Rie Hoshimiya's First Meeting with Everyone

The podium and banners on the gymnasium stage have been removed, thick curtains have been drawn, and the indoor lights have been turned on, making it look like the setup for an underground idol concert. Each class takes turns performing on stage.

Now performing on stage is a rock band from the lower grades. The boys have Beatles-style long hair, wear bell-bottoms, and play electric guitars. Behind them are keyboardists and drummers in black jackets, singing songs that even Shirakawa can't understand.

It was less of a song and more of a strange roar. Some audience members got the rock rhythm and swayed along. The rest of the audience, including middle-aged parents and girls, stared blankly at the stage with indescribable expressions.

Shirakawa weaved through the noisy crowd and circled around to the back of the stadium.

Pushing open the door, one is greeted by everyone dressed in costumes, along with the Hoshimiya family's makeup team and prop master.

It's clear that Hoshiguchi Shiori put a lot of thought and effort into this performance.

"Little Bai, I've been waiting for you for so long!"

The thief Jackie approached, revealing her slender waist and wearing cloth shorts. Cross-shaped scars were painted on her lips and cheeks, and several gleaming silver daggers were tucked into her waistband.

"Hurry up and change your clothes, Shirakawa-nii!" Evil Dragon Sakura wore dragon horns on her head, had a pair of small bat-like wings behind her, and carried a stack of hero's linen clothes, cloak, and long-handled holy sword in her furry little dragon claws.

Princess Maki sat on a folding stool as the Hoshimiya family's makeup artist tidied her appearance, making her look even more like a princess.

Knight Nikaido stretched his body to ensure that the joints of the armor were not rusted or stuck.

Hoshimiya Shio and Hoshimiya Rin, dressed as a queen and a servant respectively, stood with their arms crossed, waiting on the side, their demeanor clearly out of place with hers.

His expression was clearly displeased, probably complaining that Shirakawa had arrived too late and delayed the progress.

Shirakawa didn't dare to be negligent. He quickly put on his clothes and put on his holy sword. The makeup artists rushed over to do Shirakawa's makeup, preparing for the final rehearsal.

Just then, a beautiful woman with long silver hair walked out of the gymnasium, saw Shirakawa and his group, and approached with a smile.

It was Rie Hoshimiya, dressed in white trousers and a shirt, flat shoes, a far cry from her usual femme fatale image, looking quite "common".

Two bodyguards followed behind them, both carefully dressed to avoid attracting attention and causing a commotion, their attire and demeanor indistinguishable from those of normal parents.

After following Rie for a short while, they pretended to make a phone call and went their separate ways, staying in a distant corner to secretly protect Rie's safety.

"Are you all... friends of Hoshimiya Ushio?" Hoshimiya Rie greeted everyone.

Xing Gongxi clicked her tongue in displeasure.

What is this woman doing here at this time?

"Are you... Hoshimiya Ushio's mother?" Sakura asked.

“Yes.” Rie Hoshimiya nodded.

Apart from Nikaido, who had seen her once before on the first floor of the gym, the other girls were seeing Rie for the first time.

However, given her similar silver hair and the resemblance in her demeanor to Hoshiguma Shiori, the girls could roughly guess the nature of her relationship with Hoshiguma Shiori.

"Wow, Xiaoxi's mom is so beautiful and has such a great presence!" Jieqi exclaimed, showering her with compliments.

"You must be Jieqi. I've often heard Xinggong Xi talk about you."

I actually secretly asked the driver who took them to the film studio, and I roughly found out who was who and what their relationship was.

Jackie rubbed her head sheepishly, "I didn't expect Xiaoxi to like me so much..."

"This must be Nikaido...this must be Midori Sakura..." Hoshimiya Rie greeted each girl and complimented them.

Rie's reason for coming here was simple: to meet with Hoshimiya Shio's friends and to cheer on her daughter's first performance on stage, even though this daughter was still the head of the family and treated her like a subordinate.

"And this one, is it Shirakawa?"

When Hoshimiya Rie looked at herself, her tone was noticeably less enthusiastic than before.

“Yes, Aunt Hoshimiya.” Shirakawa also pretended to be meeting her for the first time.

"Everyone has worked hard in rehearsals. Would you like some drinks? I'll have someone go and buy them."

"No need, no need, thank you Aunt Xinggong," Jackie said.

They had already troubled Xing Gongxi too much, and they already felt very guilty.

“Rie,” Hoshimiya Shio said coldly, waving her hand, “This is none of your business. Don’t disturb our rehearsal.”

Rie's arrival and her growing closeness with her friends made her very unhappy.

“Xiaoxi, why are you talking to your mother like that?” Jackie asked in surprise. “Isn’t it against the rule in Japan not to call elders by their first names?”

The other girls also showed the same puzzled expression.

They were unaware of the complicated and strange relationships within the Hoshimiya family.

"Uh, I'm used to calling you that at home, so it just slipped out."

“That won’t do either,” Sakura chimed in. “How can you not use honorifics when talking to Mom? And your tone is so harsh…”

Sakura thought of her gentle mother.

Nikaido and Maki didn't say much, but they could clearly sense that Hoshimiya Shio's image in their hearts was beginning to decline.

Hoshino still cared about her friends' opinions, so she had no choice but to repeat what she had just said.

"We're about to go on stage to perform, so please don't disturb our rehearsal," Hoshino said respectfully.

She deliberately omitted any terms of address for Rie, the incompetent woman who hadn't been there for her when she was little. She simply couldn't bring herself to call her "mother."

"Alright, alright, then I won't bother you any longer." Rie Hoshimiya suppressed her joy and hurriedly returned to the gymnasium to wait for their stage play.

This seems to be the first time my daughter has spoken to me in this manner.

Perhaps one day, my daughter and I will be able to return to a normal mother-daughter relationship.

"Alright, she's gone. Let's get started on rehearsals without further ado."

Xing Gongxi was a little anxious; this was her first performance, and she couldn't afford any mistakes.

Maki also took out the script: "Everyone, the ending of the story is written. Please take a look."

The girls huddled together, watching.

The ending isn't complicated; it's basically that a few people beat up the protagonist, the hero Shirakawa, and then they band together to take revenge on the Empress.

"Wait a minute," Shirakawa suddenly remembered, "What about the narration? Akita-sensei isn't here!"

Akita-sensei was with Fukada-senpai in the infirmary, while Ako had gone off to play somewhere.

In other words, they were not suitable candidates to serve as narrators.

The girls also began to panic. The performance was about to begin, and suddenly the most important narrator was missing.

Moreover, there are almost no people who can be competent in this situation without any preparation.

One must not be stage-frightened, but also quickly become familiar with the narration in the script, and be able to smoothly transition between scenes.

Where can you find someone like that?

Hoshimiya Shio sighed, called over a few servants, and whispered, "You, bring Rie back."

257. Imminent Danger

The hero Shirakawa placed the holy sword against Princess Maki's neck.

"I will become a king, a king who reigns supreme over the world."

"Princess, be careful!" The evil dragon Sakura rushed forward, slashing her claws and knocking Shirakawa back.

He shielded the princess behind him, followed by another dragon roar that sent Shirakawa flying back several meters.

Shirakawa plunged the holy sword into the cave floor to steady himself.

Maki clutched the two keepsakes tightly to her chest.

The thief Jackie and the knight Nikaido were also stunned, unsure of who to help.

"You two, help me obtain the scepter and the crown, and I will reward you with high ranks and countless riches and honors!" the hero Shirakawa said to the two, while re-assuming a fighting stance.

Although Knight Nikaido has always harbored a secret love for Shirakawa, as a knight, protecting the kingdom's safety is his primary duty...

Jackie also frowned, hesitating.

"Useless thing." Shirakawa cursed under his breath, gripped the holy sword tightly, and cast a strengthening spell, a white light flashing around him.

The surrounding aura became even more intense, and even the swords seemed sharper.

He charged forward with his sword raised, engaging in a fierce battle with the evil dragon Sakura.

Amidst the flashing blades, Shirakawa's slashes grew faster and faster, and Sakura quickly found herself at a disadvantage.

Before long, Sakura had several more wounds on her body.

"Miss Evil Dragon!" Maki cried out.

Sakura also took a few steps back, putting some distance between herself and Shirakawa.

He was panting heavily, clutching his lower abdomen, and looked like he was at his last gasp.

"Princess, hurry! You must protect the keepsake!"

After Sakura finished speaking, she puffed out her cheeks and gathered her strength, intending to use her scorching breath again.