Vol. 6 Ch. 10: The Puppet Prince

The fireworks used at the school festival are divided into two broad types: those launched into the sky at regular intervals and those used as stage effects. The former are brought in the day before the festival, but the latter are delivered ahead of time since they are also used during rehearsals and the like.

In addition to student council officers Felix and Elliot, the stage design supervisor, Mabel Haynes, is present for the delivery. The fireworks used for stage effects are handled by a specialized company, but the stage design supervisor needs to know how to handle them safely as well.

Mabel Haynes is an intelligent third-year student in the upper division. She is normally a young lady who wears glasses and quietly reads books, but she is famous for her eyes lighting up when stage design is involved.

As she watched the delivery, Mabel sidled up to Felix and spoke to him in a cloyingly sweet voice that made no attempt to hide her ingratiation. "Y-your Highness..."

"Have you given some thought to what we discussed the other day?"

"Ah, you mean your request that I appear in the play? If so, I believe I turned you down on the spot."

"I said, 'Please think it over.' The fact that you didn't deny it means—namely!—that you did think it over for me!"

Mabel continued to argue on purely technical grounds while gazing intently up at Felix with glittering eyes.

Mabel's pressure was so intense that Elliot, who was looking over the list beside them, silently took a step away from Felix.

"I know that Your Highness is very busy as a student council officer. But it only has to be for a tiny bit, just a tiny bit. Could I ask Your Highness to play the first king in the very last scene? Just the last scene, please?"...