Chapter 123: Bringing Roccia Home! (Not Really)
"Please have a seat, Mr. Aeron."
"Thank you, Roccia. You're much more sensible than my son."
"I actually recorded that heartfelt 'Dad' you called out earlier. Should I play it for all of Ragunna to enjoy?"
"That... that was just a joke earlier..."
After having Ciaccona handle matters related to the musical program, Aeron once again visited the Fool's Troupe.
Ever since Aeron had them perform that play during Carnevale, these people who were once slandered and exiled by the Order finally had the chance to return to Ragunna.
During this time, Aeron had indeed received many gifts of gratitude from their members, but he politely declined them all.
Although Aeron had helped them, it wasn't out of his own volition—he had simply gone along with the flow.
Moreover, the arrangements for the Fool's Troupe members' futures were far from easy to handle. During this period, Brant and Roccia, as the captain and first mate, had been overwhelmed dealing with these matters.
Fenrico's tyranny had shrouded Ragunna for many years. Much had happened during this time, and changes had occurred in various aspects.
Those with worse luck might no longer have anyone they knew in Ragunna, while those with better luck might find unfamiliar people in their once-familiar homes... Well, that wasn't much better either.
But such is the nature of human affairs—how to handle them is the concern of the parties involved and has nothing to do with Aeron.
Besides, the Fool's Troupe hadn't simply disbanded to let everyone pursue their own dreams.
Just as Aeron had promised, after everything ended, he not only brought Brant some of Montelli's fine wine but also brought him something many people dream of—a brand-new career establishment.
What does that mean? It means the Fool's Troupe would now be publicly funded. They would use their theatrical performances as a means of cultural promotion for Rinascita.
After all, their contributions during the series of previous events were significant—first helping to uncover the truth about the Order, then assisting in the evacuation of Ragunna's citizens. They deserved this level of treatment, which would also facilitate their return to everyday life.
And this was precisely why Aeron had come here this time.
"What, have you finally decided to escape from those terrifying women and seek refuge with your brothers?"
"Don't worry, that's not my intention. Seeking refuge is something we can discuss when we both live to retirement."
"Do you think you'll even make it to retirement..."
"Sleeping and waking early every day, in excellent health—as long as I don't get seriously ill, I think it'll be a breeze."
"Clearly, we're not talking about the same thing."
Brant was somewhat curious about how the Second Young Lady and the others managed to tolerate this guy.
If not for their relatively good temperaments and the many matters needing attention during this period, this guy would probably have been locked up long ago.
"Well, those are all trivial matters of little consequence. I really have serious business this time, you know?"
"When have you ever come without it?"
Seeing the expression on Aeron's face that practically screamed "I Have a Plan," Brant couldn't help but facepalm.
Since he first met Aeron, he had never seen him seek someone out for anything other than serious business. Even when he came to drink with Brant, it was always to hand over the latest list of exiled members of the Order.
"Wasn't it you who begged me to bring you booze every time? And I even brought you scripts each time—if not for merit, at least for effort, right? Shouldn't you be bowing to me for that?"
"Do you even have the nerve to bring up the scripts? The last one, 'Masked Hero,' was ages ago."
"Well, what about when I suggested 'Ultraman'? Don't blame me for that."
"But we don't have the budget for costumes. At least with 'Masked Hero,' we could reuse the old ones..."
"True, after all, you guys were living a life drifting at sea before..."
It had to be said, Aeron genuinely admired Brant from the bottom of his heart for single-handedly keeping the entire troupe alive at sea by performing across the islands, all while the group kept growing.
"If it were me... I'd probably start a battle royale the moment I was exiled."
"Don't say something so terrifying with such a straight face, you jerk."
Though Brant considered himself pretty eccentric, compared to Aeron, he felt like a normal rookie. Did this guy's mental state not need a checkup with a psychologist?
Just as the two men were gradually steering the conversation off track, Roccia, who had been nearby, finished brewing tea and had Pero bring it over.
"Pero!" (Translation: Here's a drink for the two idiots!)
"Roccia, what is Pero saying?"
"Pero says he's also happy to see Mr. Aeron."
"Huh... That doesn't seem quite right."
"Pero!" (Translation: Roccia is right, got a problem?)
I don't understand, not at all. But since Roccia said so, I'll trust her.
Shortly after, Roccia also came to the table where the two were sitting, obediently taking a seat and listening to the conversation between the two idiots.
"By the way, didn't you say you had serious business? Let's hear it. What do you need me to do?"
"Well..."
As he spoke, Aeron's gaze drifted toward Roccia.
The girl sat obediently in her spot, her little feet dangling just above the floor, gently swaying, with a reassuring smile on her face.
Ah, Roccia really is so adorable. Compared to others, Aeron liked her way too much.
Wait, that's not the point.
After clearing his throat twice, Aeron turned back, placing both hands on the table and fixing Brant with a serious look.
"Bro, I want to take Roccia to live with me."
"Pero, electrocute me."
"Pero!" (Translation: Let thunder shatter the darkness!!!!!!)
"Wait, wait, wait! At least hear my explanation first!!!"
First of all, Aeron had to clarify: he was not a lolicon. The reason he wanted to do this was actually quite simple.
He had no doubt about Ciaccona's professional skills or fundamentals. In fact, her raw talent was not an issue at all.
So, Aeron needed to approach it from another angle.
While idols inherently require long-term cultivation, if the initial momentum can't be built, there won't be any "long-term" to speak of.
Aeron didn't want Ciaccona to fade away when her own abilities were solid, which is why he came to invite Roccia, hoping she could create a stage for Ciaccona's debut performance unlike anything Ragunna had ever seen.
And this would undoubtedly demand a great deal of time and effort, which is why Aeron wanted to bring Roccia to stay with him, so any issues or needs could be addressed immediately.
Besides, the mansion Cantarella provided has plenty of empty rooms, and the treatment certainly won't be bad. Right...
"Hiss... Pero, what do you think?"
"Pero!" (Translation: Increase power output.)
Aeron's words, though far-fetched, actually made some sense and sounded like something he'd do.
"My decision is one thing, but it depends more on whether our first mate is willing to accept it..."
As he spoke, Brant lowered the brim of his hat, shifting his gaze to Roccia.
Though her expression seemed unchanged, her little feet under the table were swinging more and more lightly.
Seems she's really happy about it...
In that case, Brant couldn't bring himself to say anything more. Aeron wasn't the type to do such things, and besides, Pero was there too.
But there was one thing he was curious about.
"What kind of pressure could drive a slacker like you to work so hard?"
"Do you want the external reason or the internal one?"
"Let's start with the external?"
"As Ciaccona's producer, I genuinely support her. Plus, this is about Ragunna's future development. Restoring the glory of the Echoes nation is our duty."
"And the internal reason?"
"I signed a contract—if I don't deliver results, I won't be able to hold my head up in front of the Second Young Lady..."
No wonder. It's not a sudden burst of conscience, just pure fear of losing.
And when you think about this guy having a girlfriend who's the best employee at Averardo Bank, being the Fisalia Family's son-in-law, and a senior to the current head...
Ah, whatever. As Aeron's non-biological but true father, Brant decided to help!
"Brother, I get it. A real man born between heaven and earth can't stay down for long! Go give it your all!
"Why does that sound weird coming from you?"
"Don't overthink it. Besides, Roccia would definitely be happy to help—"
"Mm, Roccia has already packed her things. Let's go, Mr. Aeron."
"You prepared way too fast, didn't you?"
Though it wasn't the first time, Brant still felt deeply betrayed.
Meanwhile, on Aeron's side, Roccia had already brought her entire treasure chest and Pero over, gently tugging at his sleeve.
"By the way, will it be a problem for you if I borrow Roccia?"
"I have my own considerations. Ragunna's internal affairs aren't settled yet, so it's not our turn anyway. If something really comes up, just add my name to the executor list for your idol project."
"You can count on me. Here, take this."
With that, Aeron took a script from his pocket and placed it before Brant.
"...?"
"I certainly won't ask for your help without compensation. This is the script for the new work 'The Masked Hero'—it feels quite promising so far."
"Haha, that's my boy for you."
"Go to hell."
Finally, after the two fools exchanged the most affectionate greetings friends could offer each other, Roccia tugged on Aeron's sleeve.
"Mr. Aeron, let's go."
"I'll be counting on you from now on, Roccia."
"Yes, being with Mr. Aeron makes me happy."
Watching the two leave the theater troupe, Brant leaned back in his chair and couldn't help but sigh.
Well, better take a good look at this script about "transforming into an agent in dreams to battle nightmares." Who knows, it might actually take off.