Hmph, coming early to practice by myself even though we've only just wrapped up the Halloween show—

I truly am the paragon of stardom, if I do say so myself!

Besides...

The cool and refreshing morning air is pleasant to breathe. It'll certainly help me to focus on my practice...

Huh? Did that bush just move?

Hahaha! I see right through you!

Emu or someone else is hiding in there, in order to scare me, am I right?

I'll have you know that you can't use the same trick on me twice! Accept your defeat and show yourself!

Uaaah!

Gyaaah!

Wh-What's Rui's zombie robot doing here?!

Oooh... Oooh...

Oooh... Oooh...

Wait, there's another one there...and over there too?! Just hang on for a minute here! Why are there so many zombie robots gathered here?!

Unless they've all gone out of control again?!

But that's just not possible!

Hehe, you're just full of energy from morning, aren't you.

Rui?! What are you doing here?

I added a greeting function to the zombie robots, so I'm doing a test drive.

G-Greeting function? You mean, like shaking hands with the visitors and taking photos together?

Yes. In recent years, at the end of Halloween season, this theme park holds a Zombie Greeting event where zombies are made to head out to greet park visitors.

Of course, other than zombies, actors in monster costumes and stage mascots will be taking part as well.

Mr. Mascot suggested that we take part in this event as well, so that more people can know about Wonder Stage.

We're supposed to be going out to greet the visitors today, along with the other zombie cast members.

That's why you were asked to come too, as a welcoming crew.

I see. But getting zombies to greet visitors isn't exactly—

Augh?

(Hm... They do look somewhat lovable after you get used to seeing them, I guess?)

It's just such a shame that the zombies can only play a part during Halloween season, though...

Maybe, but there's always next year, right?

We can always let them do their thing again next year and—

Unfortunately, we may have to dispose of them after their time is up this year.

What?! I didn't know about that! Why?

My plan was to keep them in the Wonder Stage storeroom and use them again for next year's show...

But the storeroom is just too dusty for that.

Besides, the place isn't ideal for keeping robot machinery since the temperature and humidity there fluctuates by a lot over the course of an entire year.

And it's not like I can store so many robots in my house, so...

You have a good reason, though...

Augh?

(They may be robots, but they're still fellow performers who helped to make the show a success. Scrapping them like that would leave a bad taste in my mouth...)

...

I haven't given up yet, either.

I'll be spending a bit more time to look for ways to store them properly.

Oh... Okay.

Hmph, today was a day of productive practicing, as it always is when I'm around. Which means the next show is bound to be a smashing success as well!

Hm? Noises from the bush again...

It has to be one of the zombie robots doing its greeting routine, right?

Uh... Ah...

I knew it. You're not catching me off guard this time!

Ugh... Agh...

Hahaha, you guys really love to flock together, don't you? However, that's not going to be enough to surprise me—

Wait...you, you're not a robot?

Flesh... Let me eat...your flesh!

Gyaaah! I-It's a real zombie!

Heh...hahaha! Hey, you're a cast member here too, right? No need to act so surprised. I'm a colleague!

C-Colleague?

Huh? Don't you know about the Zombie Greeting event?

Ah, right! Rui did mention something like that!

With such a realistic performance and convincing makeup, can you blame me for thinking you were an actual zombie?

Oh, this isn't makeup, actually. It's a mask!

Makeup takes too much time to put on.

What?! A mask with such uncanny details?!

Yeah, this mask is really well-made.

That's why it's been very popular among the visitors here in recent years!

In recent years? Does that mean this same mask has been in use for a few years already?

Of course. It would be a waste of resources to dispose of something so well-made only after using it once, right?

(That means there's a storeroom somewhere that's capable of keeping intricately designed props in good condition!)

(This is it! We've found what we need!)

Before we start our practice session today,

I have an important announcement to make.

Augh?

We were facing the possibility of having to dispose of these zombie robots because we didn't have the right facilities to store them until next year.

Eh?! N-No way...

We have to throw our zombie robots away?!

Let me finish! I just said, we were facing this problem. In other words...

You've found an appropriate place to store them?

Yes. There's a storeroom where elaborate masks and costumes used in the yearly Halloween greeting events are stored.

The temperature and humidity in that room is kept at a certain level that should be appropriate for storing machinery too. That's what the mascot said, at least!

Really, now... Thanks for this, Tsukasa.

Hmph, you should expect nothing less from the showman of Wonderlands×Showtime himself!

And he lets it get to his head right away.

But that means we don't have to toss the zombie robots away anymore, right?!

Yes. They can join us again next year.

Oooh... Oooh...

Hmm? Is it just me, or do they look kinda happy?

Maybe they're trying to thank Tsukasa?

Ha ha ha! Even robots understand the awesomeness that is me!