Chapter 57 - Volume 4

Extra arc 『The Stage Ghost’s Cappricio』 Chapter 9

Now that school began, I couldn’t keep wearing a gloomy face in front of Wolf or Shade. And with Art – whether or not he meant to – making my everyday life busy, the time to think grew less and less.

During that time, she would regularly send me letters and I would also send back replies.

But I hadn’t gone to watch her performances. Even when she invited me, I’d end up turning her down with ambiguous words.

–I was scared, after all.

Even when I opened her letters, my hands would shake on their own.

The letters were delivered to the Lilia residence via Frandert-sama. I couldn’t help but think that 『Actress Miria Galant’s obituary』 might someday be inside the letters instead.

That it wouldn’t be a reply from her.

I picked up the pen, thinking positively to write about something that I wanted to relay to her, about what happened after the disturbance that Gift caused relating to the game.

Something like, after thinking, how I wanted to change myself even a little, to change for the sake of the future.

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

Thank you for the letters as always.

I picked up the pen today because I have something I’d like to tell you.

If I started with my current circumstances like always, I’d need several stationery just for that. A lot of things have happened to me. Even though I shouldn’t have had that much time since I’m a sixth year… honestly, there was a lot.

Speaking of which, I wanted to catch up and talk with you face-to-face one day. I was able to make a female friend at school. I want to introduce her to you. Maybe when I go watch your performance or something if possible.

Even though you’ve invited me several times thus far, I couldn’t go watch. It’s not that I didn’t want to see you, but my legs would freeze up, thinking what if you fell down the stage. Please do find it in your heart to forgive me.

But now, I want to meet with you from the bottom of my heart, I want to talk with my friend, who I couldn’t meet for the past two years. The various things that happened to me recently seems to have, even just a little, made me grow.

There’s a lot of things I want to quickly talk about, but I want to start off with two things.

The first, is about what I failed to mention the last time we talked.

Or, rather than failed to mention, I was in complete disarray, such that I didn’t know what to say. But now that I think about it, maybe this was what I should’ve told you.

This is what I feel. At the very least, I believe the love you concluded as fake, is genuine. Even if it’s meaningless now, I regret not telling you.

I mean, I am an outsider to your love, but the thing I can confidently tell you is my own feelings.

I believe that the love you have, which is fixed on just one person, is a true love that wouldn’t lose out to anyone. I’ve seen you when you talk with Mr. Playwright. Your voice becomes so cheerful that it’s impossible to conceal it.

It’s not just then, when I was with you, I’d always felt your sincerity. You’re a little timid and delicate, but I felt your passion for the stage.

Please, I want you to believe that too.

Can’t you think of it like this? The stage ghost almost certainly had a caprice.

Don’t you think that as the ghost kept haunting the stage, it recalled its love for the stage? That it was so impressed with the same love you had of the stage, that it thought to aid you in love.

Forgive me for saying something irresponsible. You did say there was 『something』 on the stage, but I honestly doubt that it’s something evil that pulls people to their death out of jealousy. I’ve seen that stage countless of times. But I’ve never once felt afraid.

And the second thing, it’s about your given name.

You may be already aware, but I was troubled over whether to call you 『Mari』 or 『Miria』. In the letters, I always went with 『you』, didn’t I?

I thought if I followed your request and called you 『Miria』, then wouldn’t I be denying the little girl named Mari?

But I realized something. I realized that no matter which name I use, the one that will come to mind will only be one person, you. You are an actress anyway, so having two names wouldn’t be odd. In other words, whichever name I use, they’re both yours.

If I call you Miria, it would be about the girl who desperately endured those days of loneliness when she was little. I’ll include the 『Mari』 who’s inside you when I call out like that. So please, don’t get hurt.

If you want to call yourself 『Mari』 in the future, please let me know. At that time, I’ll get to call you Mari and include the girl who pours her brimming enthusiasm onto the stage.

I’m really looking to the day I go to see your performance, to the day I can meet with you.

From Miria’s friend, Lycoris～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

The reply for that letter came when I returned to school following its temporary closure.

The starting line, was the same as always.

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～

To my one and only friend.

Thank you for the letter. Really, thank you very much.

When I read the letter, my tears kept falling on their own.

And I could immediately tell. I could tell you’ve changed. I’m really curious as to what happened to you. I’m sure I’ll believe it when you tell me someday.

But perhaps you’ve changed bit by bit these past two years. I also believe that. I really can’t believe it’s already been two years since then.

I’m sure it’s because I haven’t changed at all.

When I read your letter, I looked at myself. In these two years, what in the world have I been doing?

I want to change too. That’s what I firmly believe.

Forgive me for the shoddy letter. When I read your letter, I thought about many things. I want to meet your sincerity.

And when I think of how to properly convey these thoughts to you, it would be having you see it on stage. It’s sudden, so if you can’t go, you can just refuse. But if you can, I’d like you to watch. It’s the current public performances. I’ve included tickets for the last show in the envelope. It’s for two. If you’d like, please come together with your fiance.

If you could come, I’d be incredibly happy. So please come.

I like having you call me Miria. So, I think Miria is also certainly my name.

Miria Galant～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～