Haneda, the music director, you really are…

Umemiya Hiro, having reorganized her thoughts, adjusted her emotions and spoke slowly, controlling the rhythm.

“These scumbags… no matter which world they are in, they always look like this, bullying the weak and fearing the strong.”

After finishing the first half of the line, Umemiya Hiro paused.

“Sahara, this guy too, really… Why doesn’t she dare to stand up and resist? It was one thing not to resist in that world… but not resisting even in this world…”

A monologue filled with resentment at her failure to fight, sympathy, and loneliness was slowly narrated.

Sound Director Haneda inside the recording booth nodded; this way of handling it was quite good. Hirano Toshio beside him also showed a satisfied expression on his face.

‘Truly amazing. Are these voice actors able to give corresponding feedback immediately as long as a request is made?’

Thinking this, Hirano Toshio expressed to Sound Director Haneda’s inquiry that he had approved this performance.

Umemiya Hiro, who successfully passed the audition, bowed and thanked the two behind the soundproof glass with a smile, then turned and walked toward the recording booth door.

At the door, Umemiya Hiro saw her junior who had been waiting there for a long time.

“Phew, almost thought I was going to fail.”

Watching the senior patting her barren chest, Kazakami Ritsu silently shifted her gaze away.

‘No wonder she can produce that kind of voice; it turns out she has a natural physical advantage.’

“Good work. If you really want to worry, please worry a little for me, Senior, because my role is relatively difficult.”

Greeting Umemiya Hiro with a smile, Kazakami Ritsu looked up at the microphone under the spotlight.

Sahara Chisaki was a very complex character. Kazakami Ritsu needed to highlight her transformation from gentle and kind to cold and ruthless, but she couldn’t improvise too much.

While organizing her thoughts, Kazakami Ritsu had already arrived under the spotlight.

The audition had no demo footage, so she needed to figure out the scene at that time herself. Fortunately, she had read the original work.

“Hello everyone, I am Kazakami Ritsu from GS Agency. The role I am auditioning for this time is Sahara Chisaki. I am ready.”

After bowing to the soundproof glass, Kazakami Ritsu picked up the script with a solemn face.

The benefits brought by an important role in a seasonal anime far exceeded that of an ordinary lead role.

Sound Director Haneda looked at Hirano Toshio, asking him with his eyes which segment to start from.

Hirano Toshio searched somewhat hesitantly in the script in his hand, and finally decided to pull out two scenes before and after the transformation for comparison.

“Then, could Miss Kazakami please start from Line D, finish reading, and then try Line A?”

Glancing at the importance marker in front of the line, Hirano Toshio spoke slowly to issue instructions.

Kazakami Ritsu nodded and picked up the script in her hand.

Looking at the lines on the script, Kazakami Ritsu’s mind had already begun to construct the corresponding scene.

The church in the small town indicated it could accommodate some students. The squad wanting to go on an adventure didn’t want Sahara, who wasn’t good at refusing others, to stay in town.

Then, at this moment, what kind of state would the words she spoke be in her heart?

“I-It doesn’t matter. I’ll just follow everyone and do some things within my power to help everyone during the journey…”

“Whether it’s cooking, housekeeping, or whatever, as long as I can help everyone, it’s fine.”

A gentle, clear voice rang in the headphones. Sound Director Haneda continued listening expressionlessly, but Hirano Toshio beside him felt somewhat disappointed.

He had thought that with Miss Kazakami’s vocal timbre, she wouldn’t give him this ordinary feeling.

Even though she was very afraid of the unknown adventure in her heart, the girl still chose to follow her classmates’ footsteps.

Having performed this segment very plainly, Kazakami Ritsu paused for a moment, closing her eyes to adjust her emotions.

Hirano Toshio’s heart rose to his throat. The content of Line A was the plot in the second half of the first season where Sahara, who had always been considerate of everyone, was ruthlessly abandoned by others.

To be honest, he was very uncertain whether Kazakami Ritsu could display the effect he wanted.

However, in the next second, the voice ringing in his ears stunned Hirano Toshio.

“Wait… wait for me, I haven’t…”

“Everyone… why is no one willing to wait for me? I clearly… towards everyone…”

The originally gentle voice was now filled with despair that weighed heavily on one’s heart.

A low sobbing sound gave Hirano Toshio goosebumps all over his body.

‘Too, too amazing! Is this Miss Kazakami’s strength!’

Before he could think much, the next segment of lines rang in his ears.

“Everyone, don’t go… don’t leave me here alone… don’t leave me…”

“I beg you… don’t abandon me…”

The voice filled with sobbing made Hirano Toshio, who created this plot, redden his eyes.

‘Yes, this is the feeling that makes one immerse in it, feeling abandoned by the whole world and facing the malice of the whole world directly.’

Sound Director Haneda nodded slightly, waiting for a while after the final tail sound of the line fell.

“You… have improved a lot. The emotions are very abundant, and you listened well to my advice for the first part.”

Looking at the girl across the soundproof glass who had collaborated with him since her debut work, Sound Director Haneda felt gratified.

‘Good child. Not showing off her vocal advantages to overshadow the host in the first half, and then using them where they should be used.’

‘To be able to reach this standard just in the audition… when officially recording, matched with music and visuals, wouldn’t that be…’

Thinking of the audience’s reaction upon seeing this scene, Sound Director Haneda revealed a sunny smile on his face.

“Kazakami, try Line B again. Put your heart into it!”

Receiving the instruction, Kazakami Ritsu raised an eyebrow, lowered her head, and looked at the content of Line B with narrowed eyes.

This scene was where the reborn Sahara Chisaki used various monsters to wipe out nearly half of the protagonist team, and finally appeared in front of the heavily injured group as the closing scene of the first season.

Kazakami Ritsu looked at Hirano Toshio behind the soundproof glass whose eyes were red, and had already guessed Sound Director Haneda’s intention.

‘Truly ruthless, Sound Director Haneda. Will you really not be beaten to death by the original author like this?’

After retorting in her heart, Kazakami Ritsu coughed twice to adjust her vocal timbre.

“Long time no see, Anren-kun, and everyone…”

When saying the word “everyone,” her words were filled with a smile that made one’s hair stand on end.

Although the sentence was spoken with a smile, it made one feel cold all over.

After imagining the shocked expressions of the protagonist team upon seeing her in her mind, Kazakami Ritsu spoke again.

“Everyone whom I wanted to see most, do you like the gift I prepared for you? I also like the gift everyone gave me very much…”

Speaking to this point, Kazakami Ritsu, completely immersed, revealed a smile toward the direction where Sound Director Haneda and Hirano Toshio were.

“Thank you all for sinking the cowardly me into the abyss, giving me the opportunity to crawl out of hell and take revenge on everyone.”

“Now then, everyone, do you still remember that word I used to say to everyone before going to sleep every day?”

The calm and cold voice proceeded to the second half, where the madness within could no longer be hidden.

But the next line was heavy enough to make one feel choked.

“Good night.”