Do I really have a thing for female voice actors?

[Born, reborn, becoming the real me]

The intense, frenetic, and dark melody felt as warm as spring to me, pulling me back to that birthday night.

Yes.

Riko Sasaki is reborn today.

……

……

Stepping into the recording building felt like entering a chilling battlefield, with the corpses of countless rejected female voice actors piled up beneath your feet.

They all stretched out their skeletal hands, trying to stop me from walking.

They want to see me fall, to see me in a sorry state, to see me turn into bones just like them.

I refuse to admit defeat.

No matter how many times I lose, even if I've never won, I'm still this kind of girl at heart.

I don't have a striking appearance, nor a tall figure.

Once I fall, I'll become a little mechanical toy lost in a golden wheat field, and no one will ever be able to find me again.

After receiving my number, I sat quietly in a corner of the rest area, watching the competitors come and go.

Incredibly, once you step into this area, all your previous anxiety and worries vanish completely.

What echoed in my mind, besides the melody of that song, were also the words that person had once said to me, though I don't know when.

"In the song, flaws are mixed in..." I couldn't help but murmur to myself.

I suddenly realized.

To stand out in this brutal selection process, I need to defeat not just the women in front of me.

It was Sasaki Riko from the past.

"Next, Ms. Sasaki."

"Yes."

When the staff called my name, I walked into the recording studio, took out my guitar, slung it over my shoulder, and bowed to the supervisor and others on the other side of the glass.

"I am Sasaki Riko from Hive ETM. Nice to meet you today."

Those sitting in the sound room were all familiar faces.

I thought that I, as a challenger, would have no partners here.

However, he gave me the holy sword that only a hero deserves to wield.

He sat quietly in the corner of the sound room, and unless you squinted, you couldn't see his expression.

But I knew in my heart that he was watching me.

He's waiting for me to sing a song he wrote himself.

Then, all I can do is try my best to respond to him with a song.

"The song I'm going to sing is an original song that hasn't been released yet, and for now... it doesn't have a name."

"Please listen carefully."

The familiar accompaniment played from the speaker; it was a melody I had listened to countless times over the past two weeks.

Until recently, I was still listening to its melody on repeat.

It's like a battle song that belongs only to me.

In the hero's turn, wielding the holy sword, accompanied by a battle song that erupts in climax.

Even though I'm a loser who's never won, I can't help but start fantasizing...

Riko Sasaki could be the hero who defeats the Demon King.

A brave person has no reason to lose.

"Invading this territory and arbitrarily controlling the stage."

"A completely new record of my birth day."

"The pain of karmic fire I felt tonight"

……

……

The sound was so good that it even surprised me.

I had no time to pay attention to those important figures, I couldn't discern the expressions on their faces, and I even forgot all about it.

It’s weird.

They were still auditioning and giving it their all to win roles.

Outside, there were countless challengers like me, fighting tooth and nail for the role.

But I can't remember at all what kind of girl Misumi Hatsuka was.

As a voice actor, my actions would likely be met with harsh criticism.

But at that moment, I simply couldn't lie to myself.

I came here to audition for a role, but all I could think about was naming this song.

in case,

If you can pass the selection.

Successfully fulfill the promise made to him.

Let's name this song after it.

—Black Birthday

221. I knelt down and begged her to sell me the song.

Inside the sound system room.

Tazaki Toru sat quietly in the corner.

The girl's almost frenzied singing flowed from the surrounding speakers, captivating everyone present equally.

Even though the piece was composed by Toru Tazaki, as the creator, he never expected that Riko Sasaki would interpret it to such an extent.

The song choice was perfect, and the vocals were perfect.

It's hard for outsiders to imagine the immense power hidden within her petite frame.

Like a hungry beast that has broken free from its cage, it wantonly ravages them.

[Invading this territory and arbitrarily controlling the stage.]

This word was practically tailor-made for her.

As the music faded completely, the girl standing on the other side of the transparent barrier finished singing and breathed softly.

This calm demeanor is completely different from when she sings aloud.

The powerful singing voice she had just delivered came from her slightly heaving chest.

The sound room remained silent for more than ten seconds. Not only Toru Tazaki, but everyone seemed to be trapped in her singing, unable to escape.

After a while, the supervisor finally came to his senses, pressed the button, and said into the microphone, "That's all, thank you for your hard work, Ms. Sasaki."

"Yes, thank you very much."

The girl took off her guitar, put it back in its case, and as she left the recording studio, she subconsciously glanced towards Toru Tazaki in the sound room.

Director Kakimoto kept tapping the list of female voice actors in his hand with the tip of his pen: "Everyone, what do you think?"

"What else can we say? It's ridiculous. She's already sung like that. She should just get the role."

It sounded like a joke, but no one in the room could laugh out loud.

Everyone present was a professional in the field; how could they not tell the difference?

Riko Sasaki has fully proven with her talent that she deserves this role.

"Ms. Sasaki, your performance today was truly amazing. When she first came to audition, I already thought she was incredible, but I didn't expect her to break through even further."

"The progress is truly rapid, perfectly matching my imagination of Mitsuha Hatsuka's singing voice."

"Hmm... to be honest, I care more about the song than Ms. Sasaki's singing." Kakimoto raised his hand and rubbed his chin, pinching the soft flesh of his chin.

"Ah, so you think so too, Supervisor?"

Suddenly, the people around her changed their topic from Sasaki Riko to the song.

Tazaki Toru remained calm.

This was not unexpected for him.

While Riko Sasaki's singing voice is undoubtedly excellent, the reason she was able to amaze everyone in the sound room was largely due to her song selection.

This song is so fitting to the style of "Ave Mujica" that they unconsciously regarded Sasaki Riko as Mitsuka Hatsuka in their minds.

It's like trying to find a suitable third-party brand to replace parts for an electronic device that's long gone, but you end up buying an original part by accident.

It fits perfectly into everyone's imagination.

Screenwriter Ayana could only manage one sentence:

"I knelt down and begged her to sell me the song."

"........."

"........."

“…Ayana-sensei, it’s not that bad.”

Kakimoto quickly stopped him.

Mr. Fujita, who had been silent until now, suddenly looked at Toru Tazaki with a rather complicated expression.