In the blink of an eye, it was already 11 p.m., and there was just one hour left until the arrival of the New Year.
Although Eriri had placed a barrier over the villa, she had never altered the natural cycle of day and night. So at this time, the interior of the villa district was naturally immersed in nighttime.
Of course, that didn't mean the villa area was completely shrouded in darkness.
Throughout the entire courtyard, a large number of specially designed light sources had been set up. Whenever night fell, these lights would automatically activate.
Under the illumination of these brilliant lights, the courtyard at night gave off a uniquely enchanting beauty.
Whether it was after the end of the mahjong tournament or the cooking contest, Eriri never restricted the movements of the newly arrived participants, nor did she force anyone to remain in the audience to watch the stage performances.
So during the breaks, many curious attendees paired up and strolled around the courtyard of the villa.
However, once 11 p.m. arrived, nearly everyone subconsciously returned to their seats in the audience area.
Because 11 p.m. was the scheduled start time for the song and dance performance.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, a tall and charming girl dressed in simple clothing slowly appeared on the brightly lit stage.
There was no performance equipment around her—she stood alone on the massive stage.
Aside from the lights that illuminated the stage like daylight, there were no special visual effects.
A hint of nervousness showed on the girl's delicate face, though it only lasted for a moment before being replaced by excitement.
Clearly, the girl had realized where she was—the otherworldly stage mentioned in the invitation.
With that thought, the girl named Nike Lemercier quickly got into the mood. She boldly extended her arms and began her performance.
"In the sorrow born today… sky-dancing steps…"
A clear and ethereal voice emerged from Nike's lips. With the stage's sound amplification, it echoed across the entire villa district.
The beautiful song gradually quieted the once noisy audience. Everyone, including Eriri, wore serene expressions as they listened attentively.
Thus, the rain-prayer song "Beautiful Rain" became the opening act for tonight's performance.
...
"It's a tender rain..."
As the song reached its climax, a sudden powerful gale appeared around Nike, swirling like a tornado and enveloping her.
Yet the intense wind had no effect on her. Under her control, it surged into the sky, transforming into a mass of pale gray mist that spread over dozens of kilometers above.
The strong wind dissipating outward turned into a gentle breeze, softly brushing the cheeks of each member of the audience.
Then, rain began to fall across all of Tokyo.
Minutes passed as the song continued.
As the final notes faded, the dark clouds covering the sky gradually dispersed, and the rain came to an end.
"Eriri, where did you find this singer? I can't feel any energy fluctuations from her at all, and yet she can summon clouds and rain with her voice. She's really something."
Below the stage, Arifureta looked at Eriri with surprise as she emerged from the lingering gentleness of the song.
Eriri didn't hesitate at all and immediately explained Nike's origins.
"She's the heroine from an anime called The World is Still Beautiful. Ever heard of it?"
"Hmm… that sounds a bit familiar…"
Arifureta fell into thought, trying to recall details about the anime from her past life memories.
Soon, just a few seconds later, Arifureta's eyes lit up, and a look of realization spread across her face.
"Ah, I remember now! I actually planned to watch that anime, but before I got around to it, I heard the manga had a lot of disgusting plot twists later on, so I gave up. I didn't expect her to be the heroine from that series."
"Yeah, I've heard about those awful developments too. But that was just the result of the author changing the plot and characters based on their own preferences after receiving some info. As far as I know, in the actual course of Nike's world, none of those disgusting events ever happened."
"Huh? So that world's story hasn't reached that part yet?"
"Not at all. Nike is only sixteen right now. The main plot hasn't even started—it's still a year away."
"I see. Well, I must say, that song was genuinely good," Arifureta commented with a trace of admiration.
She didn't press the matter further. After all, in her heart, Eriri was an omnipotent existence. Knowing the future of other universes felt completely normal for someone like her.
Eriri didn't elaborate much either. Truthfully, she had a favorable impression of Nike. She was kind, but not to the nauseating degree seen in the latter part of the manga.
Otherwise, no matter how beautiful Nike's singing was, Eriri would never have added her to the invitation list.
"Alright, enough about her. Let's continue listening. The next performer is about to come on stage."
Smiling, Eriri gently held Arifureta's hand and turned her gaze back to the stage.
After finishing her song, Nike didn't linger on stage—she was teleported away almost instantly, without even getting a chance to say a few words.
As soon as she disappeared, the stage underwent a dramatic transformation.
The previously plain white floor suddenly lit up with multicolored ambient lighting, and dazzling special effects began flashing across the stage.
Now, it finally looked like a proper concert venue.
At the same time, the second performer slowly appeared on stage, and the atmosphere in the venue gradually heated up.
The performance order of each contestant had been arranged by Eriri in advance. It wasn't based on who signed the invitation letter first.
In fact, Eriri had sent the invitations shortly after the cooking contest ended, but she had manipulated the time flow in those worlds.
Within the one-week validity period of the invitation, regardless of when someone signed it, they would be transported at the exact time scheduled for their performance.
Of course, many invitees declined the invitation. Not everyone was willing to risk traveling to an unknown world.
But all of that was within Eriri's control—there would be no mistakes.
The second performer was a girl with short pink hair, and her entrance was different from Nike's.
While Nike had appeared directly on the stage, the pink-haired girl materialized mid-air. Behind her, a pair of enormous glowing white angel wings emerged, making her look like a true celestial being.
However, being suddenly teleported into the air startled her. She let out an involuntary scream, her arms and legs flailing chaotically—completely ruining her angelic image.
Still, the girl did indeed house a goddess named Apollo within her. And this goddess's form bore a strong resemblance to that of an angel, complete with a halo and wings.
Unfortunately, the goddess was currently in a dormant state.
The girl's name was Kanon Nakagawa, a national idol from The World God Only Knows.
As Kanon appeared, the corresponding musical accompaniment began to play—the exact song she had planned to perform.
All of it had been arranged in advance by Eriri.
After a brief moment of panic, Kanon realized she wasn't falling from the sky but was instead descending slowly and gently. She began to calm down.
And when she heard the familiar intro of her chosen song, she instantly regained her composure and took on the poise of a professional singer.
At the same time, a voice echoed in Kanon Nakagawa's mind, helping her understand the current situation and what she needed to do.
So, as her body slowly descended from the air, she began singing along with the accompanying music.
There was no denying that professional singers differed greatly from amateurs in terms of stage presence.
While Kanon Nakagawa's performance didn't involve dramatic weather changes like Nike's, her cheerful dance moves combined with the upbeat rhythm once again pushed the atmosphere to a new height.
In the time that followed, solo and group performers took the stage one after another.
After Kanon's performance, the next to appear was the nine-member unit "μ's" led by Honoka Kosaka. Following them were Yui, Sylvia, and Ruka Suirenji, among others.
Yui's case was particularly unique. Due to paralysis, she normally wouldn't be able to stand on stage, let alone perform. However, with Eriri's help, she was granted full mobility.
For those few minutes, Yui was completely ecstatic, bouncing and dancing with joy.
Regardless of whether it was a solo or group performance, each performer would be instantly transported back after completing their song.
They were, without a doubt, a lineup of performance tools.
As for the so-called "immersive concert" and "extraordinary otherworldly journey" mentioned in the invitation letter? None of that actually existed.
Most of those transported back were probably left bewildered by Eriri's abrupt handling.
That said, the rewards promised were quite real.
Eriri's rewards weren't physical items but rather personalized enhancements to each performer's abilities.
For example, Nike gained the power to control wind, rain, and lightning through her will alone, no longer needing to sing as a medium. She could even use these powers in battle.
This alone was enough to make her nearly invincible in her own world.
If she wanted, she could easily lead the Rain Kingdom to unify the world and become a new monarch.
However, given her kind-hearted personality, she was unlikely to ever do such a thing.
In Kanon Nakagawa's case, the goddess Apollo, who had been slumbering within her, awakened and regained her full divine power.
Kanon herself inherited all of Apollo's powers, transforming from an ordinary human into a divine being akin to a heavenly goddess.
As for Yui, even after returning to her hospital bed post-performance, the effects of Eriri's power didn't disappear.
She had truly been reborn—no longer paralyzed, now a healthy girl who could run freely and no longer needed to feel guilty toward the mother who cared for her day and night.
Likewise, the five girls of After Ho-kago Tea Time, the nine of μ's, and the four of Kessoku Band each gained immense improvements in their musical, instrumental, and dance abilities.
If they wished, they could surpass professional standards and debut as a powerful idol band.
Of course, a certain socially anxious girl hadn't changed much personality-wise. In fact, the quick return may have been a relief for her.
Being able to complete an entire performance had already pushed her to the limit.
So, even without enjoying a proper "otherworldly trip," the rewards alone were enough to leave everyone pleasantly surprised.
Compared to the mahjong and cooking competitions, the singing performances passed by even more quickly.
Before anyone realized it, the time had reached 11:59 PM.
At this point, the performances were temporarily paused.
To welcome the New Year, Eriri had prepared more than just the three major events.
The large screen behind the stage now displayed the countdown timer. When the second hand reached "50," Eriri and the others from the Saekano world raised their hands and shouted along with the numbers.
"10, 9, 8... 3, 2, 1!"
"Happy New Year!!!"
Cheers of joy echoed through the concert venue, with even spectators from other worlds joining the celebration.
Following the shout, a firework suddenly shot up from the villa grounds, exploding at around 50 meters in the sky.
Brilliant bursts of light filled the sky, lasting a full ten seconds before slowly fading.
But that first firework was only the beginning. Before it even disappeared, a cascade of fireworks launched one after another, lighting up the night sky with dazzling colors.
Thus, an extraordinary New Year's winter fireworks display unfolded above Tokyo.
Though fireworks in Tokyo are subject to many regulations, those rules only applied to ordinary people.
And clearly, someone like Eriri Spencer Sawamura—whose family held status above the national level—wasn't included in those restrictions.
Nor were Eriri and her friends the only ones who enjoyed the spectacle.
Residents living near the villa district were also drawn out by the fireworks. Alone or with family, they stood at windows and balconies, taking in the surprise display with awe.
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