The Second Cooperation

“So, why are you here, Senior?”

As soon as she walked into the waiting room, Kazakami Ritsu questioned the girl who had arrived before her.

The girl, who had arrived earlier than her again, was sitting on the sofa, looking intently at the script in her hand just like the last time they met.

Umemiya Hiro looked up, and upon seeing it was Kazakami Ritsu, a bright smile appeared on her face.

“That is, of course, because there is a character audition. Which character are you auditioning for alone?”

“Sahara… What about you, Senior?”

“Anchi Oboro. Looks like we are rivals this time.”

Hearing this familiar name, Kazakami Ritsu couldn’t help but think of the plot involving the two in the first season’s script.

As a blackened villain, Sahara Chisaki played a very mediocre role in the early stages of the plot.

In the latter half of the plot, Sahara Chisaki, ruthlessly abandoned by the protagonist team, finally discarded her cowardly self and decided to launch a series of revenge against the protagonist team.

However, the highlight performance was basically a matter for later; in the first season’s plot, she basically played the role of a pushover.

And Anchi Oboro, from Sahara Chisaki’s perspective, was the type of character who stood by and watched coldly while she was bullied.

Withdrawing her thoughts, Kazakami Ritsu silently got up, walked to the vending machine, and inserted coins.

“The contrast is a bit big. What kind of strategy do you plan to use this time, Senior?”

“Well… haven’t thought about it yet.”

Umemiya Hiro propped her chin up with some distress; it seemed she was also troubled by this character.

However, aside from the complex aspects of human nature, this character itself didn’t have much difficulty.

Kazakami Ritsu took out two bottles of Ramune from the dispenser slot and handed one to Umemiya Hiro.

“With your strength, Senior, I don’t think there should be any problem.”

After unscrewing the cap, Kazakami Ritsu picked up the script and started cramming at the last minute. She had similar worries about her own character.

If she simply played a submissive role in the early plot, it would appear somewhat abrupt when she blackened later.

So she needed to add some small details modified by herself, but she didn’t know if they would be accepted by the Sound Director.

Just as Kazakami Ritsu was somewhat worried about this, a familiar figure walked into the waiting room with a group of staff members.

“Here we are. This is our second collaboration, so I won’t say any unnecessary words.”

As soon as Haneda Tasuku entered the door, he greeted the two people in the waiting room very familiarly.

Seeing that the one responsible for this work was actually Sound Director Haneda, Kazakami Ritsu felt secure.

As long as it wasn’t a Sound Director she had never worked with, making some optimized adjustments shouldn’t be a problem.

As Haneda Tasuku led the staff into the recording booth, a man who looked thin and wore black-framed glasses also entered the waiting room.

“Ah, hello to the two voice actor teachers… I am Hirano Toshio, the original author of Legend of the Raging Wind.”

The man gave a brief self-introduction, pushing the glasses on the bridge of his nose nervously from time to time while speaking.

Since it was an audition for important roles, the producer generally would also invite the original author who was willing to be present to listen and give opinions.

“Hello Teacher Hirano, I am Umemiya Hiro from Aoni Production.”

“You are Teacher Hirano. I am Kazakami Ritsu from GS.”

The two responded very appropriately. Hirano Toshio’s eyes lit up upon hearing their names.

“You two are the host and guest of the first radio drama for Tales of the Ten Thousand Blades, right? I listened to it immediately at the time; it really felt quite interesting…”

Hirano Toshio, who was originally somewhat socially anxious, appeared much more at ease after learning their identities.

Haneda Tasuku poked his head out from the recording booth and called out to Hirano Toshio outside the door.

“Equipment debugging is done. Teacher Hirano, please come to the recording booth. I still need to discuss with you which scenes specifically to test.”

Hirano Toshio responded, smiled at the two, and walked straight toward the recording booth.

Not long after, Umemiya Hiro, having received instructions, winked at Kazakami Ritsu, then got up and entered the recording booth door.

Kazakami Ritsu put down the script in her hand, intending to watch the senior’s performance through the internal TV in the waiting room.

After making preparations, Umemiya Hiro reported her agency and name as usual.

Sound Director Haneda and Hirano Toshio discussed for a moment, and finally selected a few scenes for her to read in sequence.

Anchi Oboro’s character design was a typical tsundere character. After transmigrating to the other world with her classmates, because she was a member of the archery club, she logically took on the role of the archer in the team.

“Are you kidding? How could I miss a target that doesn’t move? Don’t look down on me, you guy!”

“Wh-what on earth are you guys talking about! I don’t care about th-those things at all, okay!”

After reading two tsundere lines, the image of a flat-chested archer slowly surfaced in Kazakami Ritsu’s mind.

‘Tsk tsk, this figure, truly regrettable…’

Just as she shook her head and sighed, the original author Hirano Toshio suddenly selected a new segment for audition.

It was Anchi Oboro’s inner monologue when witnessing a small group in the class bullying Sahara Chisaki.

“These scumbags… no matter which world they are in, they always look like this, bullying the weak and fearing the strong… Sahara, this guy too, really… Why doesn’t she stand up and resist?”

“It was one thing not to resist in that world, but not resisting even in this current world…”

The monologue ended here. The overall performance could be called standard.

After all, this audition was just to check if the vocal timbre was compatible. If the performance was poor this time, another audition could be conducted before the official recording.

Sound Director Haneda, having listened to all the audition content, rubbed his chin, narrowing his eyes, wondering what he was thinking.

Hirano Toshio frowned slightly at this moment, seeming dissatisfied with some part of Umemiya Hiro’s performance.

After a moment, Sound Director Haneda slowly spoke to comment on Umemiya Hiro’s performance just now.

“Feels… like it’s lacking something. The part embodying the tsundere was not bad, neither good nor bad, but the other part was a bit…”

Saying this, Sound Director Haneda turned his head to look at the original author beside him.

Hirano Toshio, looking solemn, nodded, seeming to agree with Sound Director Haneda’s comment.

“Regarding the content of the latter part, I portrayed it with a complex feeling at the time. I think it would be better to bring that feeling of ‘seeing dirty stray cats and dogs on the street’.”

Hearing their comments and suggestions, Umemiya Hiro revealed a thoughtful expression.

‘That is to say… bring some emotions of sympathy and pity?’

Thinking of this, Umemiya Hiro took a deep breath.

“I understand. Please let me try again.”

Seeing that Umemiya Hiro seemed to understand their meaning, Sound Director Haneda nodded and agreed to her request to try again.