Well, this is quite the dilemma...

(He only has a few days left.

His chances of reaching Seiryuin's level seem slim...)

(Still...)

Hehe...

After seeing that look on his face, there was no way we weren't going to support him...

Unfortunately, there really isn't much we can do to help...

I can give him all the advice I want as a director, but there's no point if it doesn't help him figure out how to play Rio.

What are our options aside from that...?

Hm? Someone's calling me?

Ah, Tsukasa, good evening.

<Sorry, I know it's late.>

That's perfectly fine. I was just trying to come up with some ideas.

<Ideas? For practice?>

Correct. I assume you called for the same reason?

<I did! I tried thinking of what I can do with the days I have left, but I'm honestly at a loss.>

Hehe. Then, would you like to hear what I have? Well, to be fair, it's extremely simple.

<What?! I should limit the number of scenes I practice?>

Yes. As was explained to us, Tsukasa, each candidate will only have around three minutes to perform a scene of their choice during the audition.

So, I believe you should place a priority on the scenes that resonate with you the most.

Though I do agree with the notion that you need to practice every scene to get a full grasp of your character.

<But time is not on my side. On top of that, my portrayal needs to be of a certain level...>

I have a feeling that the others will do the same thing.

<So, the question becomes which scenes to choose...>

Yes. Ideally, one that involves you, Seiryuin and a moment where you can really shine.

Obviously, you won't land the role by putting on a half-hearted performance.

<...>

On the other hand, you could put aside any comparisons between you and Seiryuin when you're both on stage. Instead, you could focus only on perfecting your portrayal of Rio.

If you choose that route, you could select a scene where Rio is alone or with his mother.

<...>

...

I...

No...

All of us. Regardless of what you choose, Tsukasa, you have our full support.

But figuring out your character takes top priority.

<Yes, I agree...>

Then, which scene you do will be up to you.

You could conceivably practice a few different scenes, wait to see which ones the others perform during the audition and make your final decision then.

<I see... But...>

<I absolutely want to practice the scene where Rio chases after the phoenix...>

(Yes, I had a feeling you'd pick that scene as one of your choices...)

If you're going to practice that scene, you'll need a practice partner. Emu could work since she's so agile...

<About that. Would it be possible to use one of those bird robots you made?>

<I mean, I'm the only one of us participating in this audition. I'd appreciate her help, but you all also need time to practice.>

<So, if possible, I'd like to practice on my own.>

Using a bird robot as the phoenix, eh...? Okay, I'll make sure to bring it for tomorrow's practice.

<T-Tomorrow?! You can have it ready that quickly?!>

The truth is, I have this other robot that I was working on for a different matter.

It's based on the bird robots I made before, so it'll be fairly easy to modify.

So, I'll take this opportunity to fiddle with the code a bit and make it behave more like a phoenix.

I know...! The motor I got my hands on just recently should give it a significant boost in mobility!

Yes, I'm getting more and more ideas now!

<O-Okay...? Thank you, but don't go too overboard...>

I appreciate it, Tsukasa.

Now, I'd like to get to work right away, so we'll talk again tomorrow.

<Yes, see you tomorrow!>

Okay, I need to see if I have all the parts I'm going to need for this...

If not, I'll just have to take parts from some of the other robots. Which means...

Oh, that's right...!

Hello? Nene? Sorry for bothering you so late. Would you mind meeting with me early tomorrow morning?

Okay, thank you.

Now I have someone to be the voice of the bird-turned-phoenix robot.

All that's left is for me to finish it by tomorrow morning.

So, let's get started!