This was not to say that Zatoukei felt inferior. Kazama Ruri was an actor who had graced top-tier stages like the Kabukiza, and he had even performed in international theaters capable of holding tens of thousands of people, venues that easily rivaled the Kabukiza. Compared to such elite stages, Takamagahara—no matter how lavishly decorated—still looked somewhat shabby.
"No, Senior Whale, I wasn't able to step onto big stages right from the start either. I performed in small theaters too, and when I first started out, my audiences only numbered a few dozen people." Kazama Ruri shook his head, looking earnestly at Zatoukei. "Whether you're a Kabuki actor or a host, the most important thing is never how gorgeous the stage is, how grand the scale, or even the actor himself... The most important thing is the audience of that performance."
"The audience..." Zatoukei was stunned.
Chapter 759