Part 1, Episode 1: Road to Star

---

A few days before the first meeting between New Generations and Gourmet Palace...

Mio
Man, it was my first time seeing an idol concert! But it was great!

Uzuki
Yeah! The Carmina people, and all the other idols, were all so glamorous! Don't you think, Rin?

Rin
Hm... Well... It wasn't as bad as I'd expected.

Mio
Ooh? So even Shiburin, the one who was the most hesitant to go at first, has been swayed?

Uzuki
That's how you know the concert was good! Idols sure are amazing...!

Rin
Come on, you two. You're getting carried away. We need to go look for work starting from tomorrow morning.

Mio
Aww, Shiburin, you're not being honest with yourself. I've been so excited today that I'm hardly gonna be able to sleep...

Uzuki
...

Mio
... Huh? What's up, Shimamu -- you stopped walking all of a sudden.

Uzuki
Um... Rin, Mio. I've been thinking about it...

Rin
What is it?

Uzuki
Um, well...! Why don't we give it a try? Like, being idols!

Rin
Hey... What's gotten into you all of a sudden, Uzuki? Not like we'd be able to pull it off...

Mio
Hmm... Hmmmm...

Mio
... Yeah. Yeah, that'd be great! Let's be idols! Nice idea, Shimamu!

Rin
Huh, you too, Mio!? No, there's no way...!

Uzuki
Why not, Rin?

Rin
Um... Just think about it more calmly. We'd never even been to an idol concert before this, right?

Mio
It'll be fine! We'll pull it off, somehow!

Rin
There you go again, being all vague...

Uzuki
Um... Rin. Are you... satisfied with our current guild activities?

Rin
... Uh... W-Well...

Uzuki
I think that the work we do as adventurers is definitely important. But, well... I...

Rin
Uzuki...

Mio
... Hey, Shiburin. What was the purpose of our guild, New Generations?

Rin
... Well. Our guild's purpose... We've never really had one.

Mio
Right, I thought so. In the beginning, we just wound up together for one reason or another.

Mio
We were looking for a purpose for our guild... That's why we became adventurers and took on all kinds of jobs, going to all kinds of places.

Uzuki
I... I feel like there should be something for us besides just being adventurers. That's why, Rin, if it's okay with you, then just for a little while...

Uzuki
Why don't we try being idols?

Rin
... Sigh. I understand your feelings, both of you. So...

Rin
Let's have a duel to decide.

Scene: The Gourmet Palace guild house.

Kokkoro
So then... Lady Rin threw paper.

Mio
And I threw scissors! Winner!

Pecorine
And then, the three of you tried to be idols! That sounds kind of fun -- how terrific!

Uzuki
Yeah! Terrific!

Kokkoro
Um, but... I apologize if this comes off as impertinent. But, Lady Rin, did you really find that to be an acceptable way of deciding?

Rin
Huh? Well... I was the one who lost. And anyway...

Rin
It's the truth that we were living as adventurers just to try to find some purpose for our guild.

Rin
The two of them really wanted to do it, so I thought I may as well go along with them. It's just...

Kyaru
Just what?

Rin
None of knew what we should do to become idols, so we tried posting that request at the Guild Management Bureau board.

Rin
But of the people who showed interest, none of them actually knew the first thing about idols... As I'd thought, it was a half-baked proposition.

Uzuki
A-Ahahaha...

Mio
Ooh, that's our Shiburin. Hitting right where it hurts...

???
Pinya. Nyaa pinya.

Uzuki
Um... By the way, I was wondering about this earlier... Who's this guy?

Mio
A pet?

Kyaru
No, no. It's just following us around on its own.

Rin
If it's not a pet, then... it has to be a monster, right?

Kokkoro
Not long ago, this monster's appearance in town caused quite the commotion. Fortunately, the members of Nightmare who came to respond were friends of my Master, and as such, we were able to smooth over the situation...

Kyaru
No matter how many times we told it to go back to the forest, it wouldn't listen. Instead, it followed us all the way into our guild house... What a weirdo.

Uzuki
Hmm... But it's pretty docile, and cute, too, isn't it? And it's got a unique voice.

Rin
S-Sure...

Pecorine
Of course, we can't let it live here forever... We'll have to bring it back after a while. Ah, can it eat onigiri?

???
Pinya, pinya!

Kokkoro
In any case... What are you members of New Generations going to do?

Uzuki
Hmm... On our own, none of us know what we should do to become idols.

Rin
If there were some guild of idols that could accomodate us, that would be ideal. But it seems there's no chance of finding one via the notice boards. Right, Mio?

Mio
Ahaha... But, then, where would we be able to meet some idols? The people from Carmina are on an airship tour of a different continent, aren't they?

Three
Umm...

???
Pinya.

Yuuki
1. "...?"

Pecorine
What is it? It looks like the green guy is giving you another piece of paper.

Kyaru
This one isn't a request posting, it looks like. What does it say?

Kokkoro
Please allow me, Master. ... This says... "Announcement of the 1st New Idol Audition Exhibition" ...?

Three
New Idol Audition!?

Mio
S-Sorry, one sec! Let me take a look at that!

Uzuki
"Seeking idols to bring about a new era! Auditions will be held as a competition in Muusa, the capital of fine arts and music!"

Rin
Um... The champions will be given the opportunity to work with a famous music producer on a new song. And a dedicated concert will be arranged for them... That's what it says.

Pecorine
Whoa! I didn't know they had events like that!

Kyaru
But Muusa is pretty far away, isn't it? From Landsol, it would probably take at least a week to get there. And that isn't accounting for running into monsters along the way...

Kokkoro
The day of the exhibition is very soon... Will you be able to make it?

Rin
I'm not sure. We haven't prepared at all... Isn't it too late for us now?

Mio
But, Shiburin! Isn't a chance like this super rare!?

Uzuki
That's right! You're right that we're really unprepared, though...

Kokkoro
You need some way to prepare to become an idol, huh. Hmm...

???
Pinya! Piinyanya! Nya!

Kyaru
W-What? What's this guy saying? Yuuki, translate.

Yuuki
1. "It's saying, you need lessons to become an idol."

Uzuki
Lessons... Like, in singing and dancing?

Mio
You're right about that. But I don't know who we'd be able to get those lessons from...

???
Pinya! Piinyanya! Nya!

Yuuki
1. "It says, I'll teach you."

Uzuki & Mio
Huhhh!?

Rin
No, hold on... Really, what is it? This green thing. Why did it have a flyer for the audition...

???
Pinya pinyanya.

Kyaru
What did it say this time?

Yuuki
1. "Its name is Pinya Colata."

Rin
Huh? That's... its name?

Pecorine
Ehh, is that your name? Heya! Nice to meet you, Pinya Colata -- I'm Pecorine!

Uzuki
Does that mean... Yuuki, you can understand what this guy is saying?

Kyaru
It seems like it. I don't know why, but they can communicate somehow. Maybe it's because they have the same dimwitted stares.

Mio
Then, then. If this Pinya Colata really does have the knowledge of how to become an idol...

Kokkoro
Then, if Master acts as a go-between, it may be possible for it to teach you indirectly... That seems to be how it would work.

Mio
Incredible!

Kokkoro
I should add... In general, the farther you go from town, the higher the danger of monsters will be.

Uzuki
We'll be going pretty far away this time...

Rin
In terms of time, we'll be taking these lessons while we're on the move... So we'll have to hire some people to act as guards.

Mio
Right, right! Then... Once again, all of you from Gourmet Palace! We'd like to ask you!

Uzuki
Please, lend us your strength! So that we can become idols!

Pecorine
That's okay with me! It's been a while since the last time we went out on a slightly far-flung culinary tour! I think it'll be fun!

Kyaru
Yeah, I'll help you guys out. It doesn't look like this job will be too troublesome.

Kokkoro
I will support you in earnest. I look forward to traveling with you.

Yuuki
1. "Looking forward to working with you."

Three
I'm looking forward to it, too! / I'm looking forward to it! / Me, too.

Pinya Colata
Pinyaa!

Kyaru
... Seriously, just what is up with this guy...