“These days, there’s hardly any difference between a professional and an amateur. You understand that, right, Amane-san?”
“Well, somewhat...”
Daikoku-san was now sitting in the seat where Ariga-san had been just a moment ago.
It seemed she was about to explain her production plan for me.
At first, Ariga-san had tried to brush off Daikoku-san’s sudden appearance, but she fell silent when Daikoku-san asked, “Then, are you capable of doing it?”
“If you’re going to do it, then do it thoroughly,” Ariga-san said as a parting shot before leaving. That felt a bit ominous...
“It’s not just 'these days'; this shift started a long time ago. No matter how much a record label pushes someone, people won’t budge. In fact, there’s even a tendency for artists who are pushed too hard to be disliked. Right?”
“...That might be true.”
“That’s why what we produce are actually indie artists.”
“But if a record company produces them, doesn’t that make them professional?”
“That’s why I’m saying that boundary barely exists. Well, to put it more accurately so you can accept it, we lend out studios and handle music distribution, and in exchange, we make an agreement that if you do debut, you’ll debut through us.”
I see. I understood it a bit better than before.
“And you’re saying you’ll do that for me?”
“Exactly. You’re cute, Amane-san, and regardless of what Sayo says, owners of such cute faces and good voices aren’t easy to find. If we can catch the 'flow,' maybe you’ll go far quite easily?”
Daikoku-san puffed out her chest with a smirk. Quite easily, huh.
“Um...”
As I showed some hesitation, Daikoku-san’s lips curled upward.
“You want numbers, don’t you?”
“There’s a certain method to increasing numbers. To a certain extent, at least. Beyond that, it’s talent.”
“Talent... is it?”
My face clouded over at those words. Seeing this, Daikoku-san leaned forward.
“Amane-san, what do you think 'genius' or 'talent' actually is?” she asked.
“Um...”
After some hesitation, I replied, “Does it mean having a large coefficient attached to the parameter of effort?”
“Hah?”
Daikoku-san, who I thought looked cool until a moment ago, grimaced grandly.
“What kind of bizarre thing are you saying? Are you the type of girl who messes with people's pace, Amane-san? What on earth does that mean?”
“Ah, um... for example, I think there are people who grow by one with one unit of effort, and people who grow by ten with one unit of effort. I thought maybe talented people are those who can grow as much as possible with a single unit of effort...”
“Ah, I see.”
Daikoku-san shifted her gaze out the window and remained silent for a few seconds.
“Um...? What is the answer?”
“Huh? The answer? Why would I know something like that?”
“Eh?”
Wasn’t this supposed to be the flow where she makes me answer once and then says, “No. Listen, talent is actually...”?
“I just wanted to hear your thoughts, Amane-san. I have my own thoughts, but there is no 'answer.'”
“I see...”
This person, who called me the type to mess with people’s pace, was the one messing with mine significantly.
“But you’re trying to produce me, right? That means—”
I was about to ask if it was because she had found some kind of talent in me, but I stopped because it felt embarrassing.
However, it seemed Daikoku-san saw right through me.
“Whether you have talent or not is something I don’t know yet. That’s something that will be proven from here on out.”
“Then, why?”
“Because people whose axis is fixed on one thing reach their destination faster.”
“Excuse me?”
“You said you wanted numbers, didn’t you, Amane-san?”
“...Yes.”
She was confirming it over and over. Apparently, it was a crucial point.
“People have many criteria for value. The term 'work-life balance' is an easy example.”
“I’ve heard of it. It’s about the balance between work and personal life, right?”
My parents had also started saying it suddenly over the last few years.
“From my perspective, that phrase is crap. Such a balance isn’t even worth considering.”
“Ehh...”
Isn’t that quite old-fashioned...?
“Listen. Time is finite. Just like you said, if talent amplifies the results of effort, it means nothing if the effort is zero, right?”
“That’s true, but...”
“Someone who says they want to succeed in both work and family life will never beat someone who goes all-in on work, nor will they beat someone who goes all-in on family. It’s as simple as that.”
“But,”
I wasn’t a member of the HR department of some top-tier company, but I felt like siding with 'work-life balance' for a moment.
“You don’t know what truly makes someone happy,” I argued.
“Just as you say, we don’t know what happiness is. That’s the problem. It’s not clear what kind of balance counts as success.”
“Then...”
“But you are different, Amane-san.”
“I am...?”
Wait, am I on Daikoku-san’s side...?
“You want numbers. You want numbers so badly that you’d even leave your band for them. There is no balance there. You didn't think about aiming for the top while playing nice within the band 'amane,' did you?”
“...!”
I gasped at those words.
“Then, this will be quick. The speed will be fast. For once, think only about the numbers and try chasing them. If you don't, there's a dream that won't come true, right?”
“...Yes, that’s right.”
“I’ll say it again. Think only about increasing the numbers. Strip away all that sense of balance, like 'good methods' or 'unfair methods.'”
“But that’s...”
“Relax, I’m not telling you to play the guitar in a bikini or anything.”
Anticipating my suspicion, Daikoku-san waved her hand.
“The view counts gained that way aren’t counted as 'numbers' in this context. Even I understand that much. What you want, Amane-san, is proof that you can deliver music to more people than anyone else, right?”
Within her rough way of speaking, I felt a deep understanding and magnanimity.
“Why not leave it to me?”
And so, I took that hand much more easily than I expected.
“...I look forward to working with you.”
I’m sure it was a contract with a devil.
Still, I didn't care.
If it was to make this dream come true, I would even sell my soul to a devil.