Editing Amaryllis in the Ice Country:Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 4===

The performances continue on.

Pairs of male and female perform songs, dramas, skits, magic shows, manzais, impressions—there are classic shows we are familiar with, and new shows; the atmosphere at the arena remains as lively as ever. I remain in the audience, cheering from time to time, and squashing Eisbahn’s lecherous hands from time to time.

It has been two hours since the performance started.

“Continuing on, entry number twenty-five, little Daisy and Gappy’s ‘Horsey Play’.”

—Oh, it’s here.

I lean my body towards the stage. The backdrop changes into a grassy field similar to a kindergarten, and Daisy shows up, riding on Gappy. “Ahahha!” “It’s Gappy!” “It’s Scrappy Gappy!” and the children burst out laughing.

“I-I-I-I’m not Scrappy, at all.”

“Enough already, shut up.”

Daisy slaps Gappy on the head, and it causes the audience to laugh again.

“Now then, let’s go!”

“G-got it!”

Daisy rides on Gappy, who looks like he’s going to collapse at any given moment, and kicks his chest. Gappy slowly moves forward in a clumsy manner, the caterpillar legs letting out a creaking sound.

“Alright, now we’re going with the one great jump in history!”

The host Cattleya announces, and a ‘wall’ carved out of ice is moved onto the stage.

“Hey, wait.”

“What?”

I whisper to Eisbahn beside me,

“Jump…as in they’re going to jump up that wall?”

“Most likely.”

On first glance, the wall is at least three times the height of Daisy. It’s really unbelievable to think that she would be able to jump across while riding Gappy.

—Definitely impossible.

The audience too break out in murmurs. “Jump over that thing?” “You’re kidding, right?” “No can do.” There was such a discussion.

But Daisy herself gives a confident look, and has Gappy retreat. It probably looks like a running start before they jump.

“It’s too dangerous after all.”

I stand up. If they end up crashing into the wall, there’ll be trouble.

“Well, just wait.”

The flirting guy beside me grab my arm, “Hey, let go already.” I glare at him.

“They got an idea.”

“Eh?”

“Look at that.”

Eisbahn points at the stage.

“Isn’t there a sheet before the wall? There’s probably a jumping platform underneath.”

“How do you know?”

“There’s a similar trick.”

Well, it’s true that there’s something thin laid out somewhere on the grassy patch.

“So they’ll be able to jump over the wall?”

“Should be.”

I then sit down again. If Eisbahn’s right, I would have ruined this program if I went out.

The crowd is bustling. I narrow my eyes, and see that the running start has begun. Gappy’s caterpillar legs spin intensely as the sound of friction echoes, and sparks look ready to fly as they charge towards the wall. What will happen, how will this end up—with bated breath, everyone watches this reckless challenge, and at the moment they’re about to crash into the wall—Gappy’s body sinks, and the rebound causes them to jump up.

—Ah!

It’s supposed to be a jump several meters high. Unfortunately, both of them lose their balance and end up ‘flying forward’, falling head first into the bottom of the stage like a rubber ball, thunk, thud, loud noises follow.

“Daisy! Gappy!” I instinctively get to my feet and quickly rush to the stage. “You alright…!?”

I pick up Gappy, who remains motionless, “Ga-Ga-Gappy…” he groans weakly, the hemispherical head sinking in hard.

At that moment.

“You idiot…!”

A roar.

“Just a little more…Gappy you idiot! Garbage! Trashy!!”

I find Daisy beside me looking utterly furious, her face flushed. It seems she’s lightly hurt herself.

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“I-I-I-I-I!”

Gappy tries to refute as he remains in my arms.

“I-I’m not, trashy.”

“Shut up trashy! We trained together so many times! It’s all your fault that we failed!”

“I-I-I-I-I-I di-did my best…it’s your fault, Daisy!”

“What did you say…!?”

Daisy widens her eyes, her body shaking in anger.

And then, she yells,

“I hate you, Gappy…!!”

After that, the girl runs off without looking back.