Chapter 28: Help me, Momoko-chan!
Kazuma had sulked because, even though he felt he’d done a pretty good job, his take had been rejected. However, the director suggested they try filming it again.
“That last one was a no-go, but we saw that you can move really well, Kazuma-kun, so let’s try it again. Alright, everyone gather ’round~”
And so, Kazuma and the stuntmen gathered around the director to discuss the action scene.
Kazuma could move better than a professional, so there was no issue with his performance as it was, but this time, they wanted him to hold back.
Conversely, since the stuntmen were up against Kazuma, they were told they didn’t need to hold back, just like before.
“Alright then, keep what we discussed in mind, and let’s try it one more time!”
The battle scene began anew, and Kazuma, restricting his movements as instructed, engaged in intense action with the stuntmen.
The director stared intently at Kazuma and the others’ action, his hand on his chin, standing quietly.
Finally, as the battle scene reached its climax, Kazuma took a simultaneous attack from the stuntmen and, as directed, fell down dramatically.
“Mhm, mhm! That was perfect! Thanks, Kazuma-kun!”
“Not at all, I gained valuable experience too. I should be the one thanking you.”
“Sorry about that. You were only supposed to be observing, but we made you do something unreasonable. Of course, you’ll be paid for this, so don’t worry.”
“Eh, are you sure? I didn’t do much.”
“This is proper work too. How about a daily wage of fifteen thousand yen? I’d like to offer more, but we have budgets and all.”
“That’s perfectly fine. I’m a student, so receiving that much is greatly appreciated.”
“Alright then, I’ll give it to you when you leave, so feel free to observe as much as you like today.”
“Thanks a bunch!”
For a student, a daily wage of fifteen thousand yen would be quite good, but Kazuma was, in the first place, a billionaire with a monthly income of one billion yen.
He probably, no, definitely had more money than anyone else present.
However, having grown up in an orphanage, coupled with Honoka’s upbringing, Kazuma was fundamentally frugal and took good care of his belongings.
He could also sew, so he would use old clothes to tailor new ones, thus not spending much wastefully.
If anything, he would spend money on things like buying toys for the children at the orphanage, but he himself didn’t use much money.
“Isn’t fifteen thousand yen just pocket change for you?”
“It’s true I get a billion yen from the country every month now, but I’ve barely touched it, and it doesn’t really feel like my own money, you know? In that sense, this money feels like a legitimate reward I earned by working myself, so it feels different.”
“I see. So that’s how it is. Money earned through your own sweat and toil certainly feels a bit different, doesn’t it?”
“Oh~, so you get it.”
“Just so you know, I’m a working adult. I’m well aware of how hard it is to earn money.”
“You’ve been through a lot, Momoko-chan~”
“And whose fault do you think that is…?”
Momoko’s hardships were mainly Kazuma’s fault.
Just a year ago, her work had only involved reading criminals’ minds or discerning opponents’ intentions during negotiations, but now she was engaged in a wide range of tasks, from paperwork to manual labor.
She wouldn’t be amiss if someone praised her for it.
After that, the filming progressed smoothly, and they took a break when the sun was directly overhead.
The staff distributed the bento boxes they had prepared, and just as Kazuma and the others received theirs and were about to eat with Seiichi and his group, the director and the actors approached.
“Hey, mind if we eat with you?”
“Sure. Is that okay with you, Kazuma-kun and everyone?”
“I’m fine with it~”
“I don’t mind either.”
“I don’t really mind either~”
“Thanks. Well then, let’s eat.”
Each of them took a seat and began to eat their bento.
Kazuma savored the taste as he ate his bento.
“Hey, hey, do you have a moment?”
“Mmph… what is it?”
As Kazuma was munching on some karaage, one of the actresses spoke to him from the side.
“Um, do you, like, know who I am?”
“Nope, not at all.”
“Ahaha~, i-is that so~”
The actress seemed to be well-known and a little confident, but she was visibly dejected when Kazuma said he didn’t know her.
“Maybe you don’t watch much TV or anything?”
“No, I watch a fair bit. Anime and stuff, though.”
“What about variety shows or morning news programs?”
“I don’t really watch either of those much. It’s faster to get information from SNS these days.”
“Ah~, right~…”
“Are you, by any chance, famous?”
“Well, I do appear on TV sometimes…”
“Seriously? I’m kinda sorry about that.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Satsuki-kun isn’t at fault…”
Seeing the actress so openly dejected, Kazuma, perhaps feeling genuinely sorry, asked for her name.
“Er, ah~, if you don’t mind, could you tell me your name?”
“My name is Iijima Ayaka… does that ring a bell?”
“…………A former gravure idol or something?”
“Not at all~! I won the Miss Japan Collection… doesn’t ring any bells at all?”
“Sorry. Nope.”
“Waaah! Even if I look like this, I’m in the top 10 favorite actresses chosen by high school boys~!”
Ayaka’s looks were certainly excellent, but compared to the women around Kazuma, she was a slight step down.
Alicia, Charlotte, Momoko, and Sakura Hakanai were the four around Kazuma.
Even if Ayaka were added to that group, she wouldn’t look inferior, but he’d feel something was lacking.
Besides, Kazuma had met many beautiful women in the other world, so even hearing that Ayaka had won a Miss Japan beauty contest wouldn’t particularly interest him.
“By the way, what number are you?”
“Eh?”
“No, I mean, what number in the top 10?”
“…Tenth.”
“That’s kinda underwhelming, huh.”
“Waaaaaah! I hate this guy!”
“Eh~, what’s with her…”
Dodging the sobbing Ayaka, another actress spoke to Kazuma.
“Sorry about that~. This girl’s a fan of yours, Kazuma-kun~”
“Seriously?!”
“She saw the footage from the Academy Battle Tournament, you see. And you’re on good terms with the King, right? Things like that made her admire you~”
“Huh~. That’s an honor!”
“Oh, by the way, my name is Sakuma Mio. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too. By the way, are you perhaps famous too, Sakuma-san?”
“Well, I guess so. I’m a model. I’ve appeared in things like the Girls Collection and been on magazine covers, but you don’t know me?”
“Sorry…”
“Well, some boys might not know, so I’m fine with it~. But Ayaka really is famous, you know?”
“Well~… Haha!”
Kazuma, only able to laugh evasively, looked towards Momoko as if seeking help, but there she was, eating her bento alone and forlornly.
The director was chatting with Seiichi and the others, while Sakura Hakanai, as expected due to her looks, was drawing attention and receiving active approaches from the male actors.
Amidst all that, only Momoko was silently eating her bento as if left behind by the world. Finding this too sad, Kazuma spoke to Momoko.
“Momoko-cha~n.”
“…”
“(Small-chested.)”
Momoko could use her Mind Reading Gift freely, so she usually kept her Gift off to avoid hearing people’s inner voices, but only Kazuma’s voice reached her pinpoint accurately.
“(It’s okay. If I react to this kind of thing, I lose. Let’s ignore him.)”
“(Small-chested! Peach-like hips! Plump thighs! Momoko-chan, who recently drank too much and can’t fit into her favorite skirt anymore!)”
“(How does he know about that~!)”
Momoko glared at Kazuma with eyes filled with killing intent.
Kazuma, happy that Momoko had finally turned to him, twisted his lips into a pleased smile.
“(Let me make it clear, there’s nothing I can do about this, okay!)”
“(Please, do something! These people seem like a pain in the neck!)”
“(You reap what you sow. Deal with it yourself.)”
“(It’s not my fault this time, is it? They were the ones who got their hopes up for no reason!)”
“(I don’t know anything about that.)”
“(You’re so heartless, Momoko-chan! I’m your superior! Help me!)”
“(I absolutely refuse!)”
Turning away with a “hmph,” Momoko completely averted her gaze from Kazuma.
Realizing he couldn’t get Momoko’s help, Kazuma lamented that he would have to deal with the actresses on his own.
In an attempt to somehow get them back into a good mood, Kazuma repeatedly asked the actresses questions, deepening his understanding of them.