After-Story Chapter 8: The Remus Royal Couple’s Stay in the (Former) Capital City (Part 3)- The Two are 'Honey-Bunny' ☆ Pure MAX!!
“Toadashi-kan! How dare you do such a cruel thing as turning all the crepes at the crepe shop—which the children look forward to—into squid jerky! Well, I love squid jerky too, but my patience has reached its limit!” said Pure Honey, the feline beastman in the yellow costume, pointing sharply at the Fiend Toadashi-kan.
Then Pure Bunny, the human woman in the white costume, adopted a fighting stance. “Sweets enrich the human heart. We will not forgive those who trample on that, even if Heaven does! We will fight as long as children have dreams. Until our very blood runs dry!”
“How insolent! Attack, Demon Beast Geso-geson!” ordered the Fiend Toadashi-kan in an unnecessarily dandy-filled baritone voice.
From behind him emerged a colossal bipedal squid (in a costume), which lumbered toward the Honey-Bunny duo.
“Geso-geson!”
Emitting that unmistakable cry, Geso-geson swung two of its tentacles like whips, attacking the duo (the remaining six tentacles, besides the two used as whips and the two used as legs, merely swayed with its body movements). Honey and Bunny dodged the attack, then simultaneously slammed their palms into Geso-geson’s body.
“Haaaaaaaaah!!”
“Geso!?”
Geso-geson, having taken the full force of the blow to its body, staggered backward several steps from the impact, then collapsed backward, falling flat on its back and sweeping up Toadashi-kan who was behind it.
“What?! Get off, get off me, Geso-geson!”
“Ge… geso-geso.”
Geso-geson tried to get up, but the tentacles that were merely ‘growing’ seemed to be tangled around Toadashi-kan, preventing it from rising. The panic looked incredibly real—it was unclear whether it was an accident or part of the performance—but either way, it was Honey-Bunny’s chance.
“Um… C-Chance, Honey!”
“I know, Bunny! Let’s go on three! Ready, set!”
“Pure Heart Stick!!”
The two then produced short, adorable wands adorned with ribbons and heart symbols from somewhere and pointed them at the fallen Toadashi-kan and Geso-geson.
“Honey-Bunny, Pure Heart Finale!!”
As the two shouted in unison, a storm of heart symbols, like a shower of flower petals, surged from the tips of their wands, engulfing the two villains.
“Kuh! Retreat!” Only Toadashi-kan swiftly moved away to avoid the attack.
Only Geso-geson was swallowed by the storm of hearts, screaming, “Geso-sooon!” as it vanished. When the storm of hearts subsided, what remained on the ground was a plate of grilled squid jerky. It seems the Fiend had only mutated this squid jerky. (Note: The squid jerky was later enjoyed by the production crew after filming.)
As Honey and Bunny high-fived on the returned-to-peace street corner, a voice from the side shouted, “Cut!”
The filming seemed to have ended, and production staff approached the Honey-Bunny duo to congratulate them on their performance. In the circle was Toadashi-kan, who had just fled, now smiling serenely.
“…” “…”
Lombard and Yomi watched the scene, dumbfounded. Their minds had abandoned trying to process the sudden, bizarrely lovely skit that had unfolded before them, and they realized they had been watching the entire time. Snapping back to reality, Lombard looked at Ivan beside him.
“Lord Ivan, what exactly was that just now?”
“As you saw, it was the filming of a broadcast program. It’s a heroine show for young girls called The Two are Honey-Bunny ☆ Pure MAX!! which just started airing recently.”
“A show for young girls? So, it’s deliberately targeted at a female audience?”
“Yes. While Charge! Silvan, which I star in, has been well-received by the public, the content—full of cool action sequences—is largely seen as aimed at boys. There were many requests for a cute, transforming heroine show for girls. So, His Majesty planned this program.”
In this world, where magic exists, body size does not necessarily equate to combat power, and there is a significant number of women in the military. You can see this with Liscia and Aisha. Because women have historically participated in military service and contributed to the nation, disparities and differences in awareness between the sexes are less pronounced than in Souma’s original world (which is one of the underlying reasons why many households in the upper echelons of the Kingdom of Friedonia are matriarchies).
Therefore, if a transforming hero show for boys is popular, it is inevitable that requests for a transforming heroine show for girls will arise. When this demand was coupled with Queen Roroa’s interest in selling related merchandise and toys, there was nothing to stop the production. And so, the world’s first transforming heroine show, The Two are Honey-Bunny ☆ Pure MAX!!, was created.
Lombard nodded thoughtfully after hearing the explanation. “I see. My wife Yomi is one example, but there are many women with the power to fight. It makes sense that boys are not the only ones who dream of being a hero.”
“Yep. If a fight breaks out, I will protect Lord Lom.”
Yomi, who is also an excellent sorceress, brandished a realistic, unadorned magic wand. Although Lombard possesses above-average martial prowess, it would be difficult for him to win if Yomi continuously attacked him unilaterally with magic from a distance. Knowing this, Lombard smiled wryly and nodded.
Margarita, watching the pair, let out a laugh. “That fighting spirit is commendable, Lady Yomi. You would be perfectly capable of leading men in the Amidonian army, which was filled with rough, manly warriors.”
“I find ‘rough and manly’ a bit… I prefer someone refreshing like Lord Lom.”
“Fufufu, you are truly loved.”
“Yes. She is a wife I don’t deserve.”
Lombard sincerely nodded at Margarita’s comment. It is strange how the current flowed: these four people, engaging in such a pleasant conversation, were enemies fighting a world-changing war just a few years ago.
Ivan then spoke up. “Well? Since the filming seems to be over, would you like to speak with the performers for a bit?”
“Oh! That would be wonderful. Please, I would like that very much.”
“Understood. Then… Siena, Nanna, could you come here for a moment?”
When Ivan called out, the Honey-Bunny duo turned around.
“Oh, Big Brother.”
“Oh, Ivan! What’s up?”
The two rushed over. Ivan introduced them to Lombard and the others.
“Allow me to introduce you. My younger sister, Siena, and Nanna, who is also a singer.”
“I am Siena Juniro.”
“I’m Nanna Kamizuki… no, Nanna Juniro, that is. Nice to meet you!”
In contrast to Siena, who gave a graceful bow, Nanna greeted them in a familiar, friendly manner, like meeting an old friend. Since Nanna was a refugee who washed up in a fishing town, her rough way of speaking still hasn’t faded. Siena was the one who played Pure Bunny, and Nanna was the one who played Pure Honey.
Yomi looked at Nanna and blinked. “I understand your sister Siena, but is this person also part of the Juniro family?”
“Ah… Yes. She is my wife.”
“Ivan is my husband!” Nanna replied with a smile as Ivan said this, looking slightly embarrassed.
The two met when Nanna sang the theme song for Charge! Silvan, which Ivan stars in. Nanna’s singing voice was so powerful that it was even sung during the monster extermination in the Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago to raise morale (and increase magic power), making it a perfect fit for a hero show theme song.
When the girl-focused heroine show Honey-Bunny was being produced, the two chosen as co-stars were Siena—who, like Ivan, could use illusion magic that required no special effects and had experience appearing in children’s shows—and the energetic Nanna, who sang the hero show’s theme song. Since Ivan was involved in the production of Honey-Bunny, his time with Nanna naturally increased.
During this time, as the clamor around Ivan to settle down as the heir to the Juniro family grew louder and left him stressed, Nanna stepped forward. She had apparently heard from the now-close Siena that Ivan was troubled. And…
“I love Ivan, Siena, and Lord Maltuf very much. If you feed me chicken until I’m full every day, I don’t mind becoming Ivan’s bride!”
…or so she said. Apparently, she liked fish, but was tired of eating only fish, and had grown to prefer chicken. Ivan had initially seen Nanna more as a younger sister figure, but this statement made him resolve his feelings. He later presented Nanna with a large chicken farm registered in her name. It was an engagement chicken farm, instead of an engagement ring.
After marrying Ivan, Nanna transitioned from a songstress to a vocalist and also took on acting as a transforming heroine.
Just then, the Fiend Toadashi-kan walked over from behind them, wiping sweat from his brow. “Phew… Phew… Oh, Lord Ivan. Didn’t you say you were guiding guests today?”
Ivan nodded at the question posed in that captivating baritone voice. “Ah, Morse. These are our guests.”
“Oh, I see. How do you do? My name is Morse Butch.”
“E-Ah… Ah, hello. I am Lombard Remus.”
Lombard was momentarily stunned when Morse Butch, the Walrus-Beastman—not the Fiend Toadashi-kan—extended his hand, but he quickly composed himself and shook his hand.
“Um… Lord Morse, you were playing the villain role just now, correct?”
“Yes. My main job is as a singer, but I was told my voice has charm and dignity, so I was cast as the enemy executive for the new transforming heroine show. My appearance is also well-received, as it comes across as comical rather than frightening. They decided a slightly goofy enemy would be better when fighting little girls.”
“I-Is that so…” Morse, the Walrus, stroked his whiskers and chuckled merrily. Indeed… when he smiles like this, he does look somewhat endearing.
(Is this country some kind of jack-in-the-box?)
Lombard and Yomi were astonished by the depth and sheer inexplicability of the Kingdom.
