Chapter 118: Day before the announcement of the results

「Uwah…so tired…」(Wataru)

「This is quite unusual…to see Wacchi burnt out.」(Shuuhei)

During school break, I was lying down on the desk without moving.

I would have to get up by the time classes started, so I was resting now while I could.

Therefore, I couldn’t really afford to deal with Shuuhei, who had approached me during break time.

That’s why, stop poking me on my sides. I don’t even have the will to retaliate.

「Hey, Wataru. Thanks for the dictionar-…what’s wrong? Why are you lying down on the desk? That’s unusual.」(Kenji)

This voice, is it Kenji? I don’t feel like lifting up my face, but it seems like he came over to return the dictionary I lent him.

In response to me just extending one hand, he placed the dictionary on top and I could feel its weight.

After placing it inside my desk, I returned my hand to its original position.

「…Sorry, Kenji. Even though it’s quite pathetic, I’m like this because I played a game for too long…」(Wataru)

「Hah? You did? A game at that? You are not like this idiot over here, are arrows going to rain down today?」(Kenji)

「Kenji, you bastard!」(Shuuhei)

From within the vicinity of my desk I could feel the vibrations made by people wrestling.

Stop…please, stop…I’m starting to feel sick…ugh…

「Oh? You did it in order to make it in time for the deadline of the event huh…」(Kenji)

「While trying to follow up after the rest of the guild members, Wacchi went over his limits. Seems like he stayed until really late working on his own part.」(Shuuhei)

「Even if it’s VR, you can get really tired if you do really detailed work for long periods of time…I’m glad that tomorrow we have no class. If it’s one day, I think I’ll be able to do something about this situation…」(Wataru)

Rather than my body being tired, it feels more like my nerves are.

I was able to somehow rise up, but I don’t think I could gather the strength to move around.

I thought it would be out of the question for me to become like this from playing a game, which is supposed to be for entertainment but…it seems like today is no good.

It seems like one way or another, I’ve become addicted to TB too.

「But at least you are different to Shuuhei, since you try to stay awake during class at least.」(Kenji)

「Kenji, why do you always have to use me as an example?」(Shuuhei)

「I mean, when we were in the same class last year, you slept during class and were cheerful during breaks. Even though it’s for the same reason, I was thinking about the differences with this current situation.」(Kenji)

「…Well, yeah I guess…」(Shuuhei)

Shuuhei awkwardly turned his head away.

I was able to somehow think of the design and succeeded in making it in time yesterday evening.

It goes the same way for the things the other members were making.

With this, the Queen will announce the results of the reviews tomorrow, and it’s planned that the items will go on auction the next day.

「By the way, won’t you play it, Kenji? Trail Blazer that is.」(Shuuhei)

「I only play FPS games. I know that TB is popular and I also have a VRX3500 though.」(Kenji)

「Thought so. Now that I think about it, Kenji was a military otaku, why are you in the same cooking club as Wacchi?」(Shuuhei)

「…Kenji, you really wanted to make something like survival food, right? If there was a mountaineering club, you might have joined that one?」(Wataru)

「You are not wrong there. However, learning about seasoning and cuisine is not really a waste so the cooking club is not bad either, you know?」(Kenji)

Though, because the majority of members are female, we tend to make sweet stuff far more often.

To suggest making survival food in that setting…they’d definitely refuse.

It’s just that since the guys from the sport clubs asked for it, we also tend to make proper food.

The Pirozhki​s we made that time are one example of it. Fried foods are quite popular among the guys.

While having that conversation, the chime rang.

「Whoops, this is bad. See you, Wataru. There are only three lessons left, hang in there.」(Kenji)

「I’m going back to my seat too, Wacchi.」(Shuuhei)

「Sure…」(Wataru)

I took out my textbooks with sluggish movements akin to those of Siesta-chan.

Lunch break.

Having somehow survived the lessons, I spread out the bento in the courtyard along with Shuuhei and Miyu, just like always.

Feeling the warmth of the sunlight, I felt even more sluggish.

「W-Wataru, are you OK? You are closing your eyes!」(Miyu)

「So sleepy.」(Wataru)

「Wacchi, how about some coffee today? Let’s try to get through this with caffeine, next class is math after all. Should I buy it for you?」(Shuuhei)

「Sorry, please. Black.」(Wataru)

「Sure thing.」(Shuuhei)

Shuuhei received some change from me and walked towards the vending machine.

Like the three members of Baby Bird, I was now thinking that it might have been good if we had worked together to make something.

The area of expertise of each member was all over the place, so I thought that it would be a good opportunity for each of us to make a product, but it seems like it might have been a bit too much….

Once I get back today and finish up my domestic chores, I’ll go straight to sleep.

「Wataru, I also took a look at TB’s BBS.」(Miyu)

「Ah? That’s unusual. Was there an interesting thread?」(Wataru)

「It seems like crafters with professional skills will be showing up in divisions of the contest. Ah, by professional skills I mean a professional in the real world, you know?」(Miyu)

「…Oh.」(Wataru)

According to Yumir, there will be people like: someone that started off as a doctor/pharmacist but then became a real life swordsmith, a farmer or florist that might become something like her rival, a fashion designer that might prove to become an obstacle to me, etc.

Obviously, many people will hide their real life occupations, since it’s a game, there would also be people that will have fun doing something that’s not like their real life job too though…

There are also plenty of people that go on social media and reveal information about themselves too.

It seems like she saw a thread of people opposing having said pros participate in the event.

「There’s one side that is being optimistic and saying that it’s not like the game is the same as real life. Since the system omits certain parts and it’s not like the materials are the same as those of real life, it shouldn’t matter that they are pros…or something like that.」(Miyu)

「Yup, I see. What about the other side?」(Wataru)

「Since this is a VR game, people with actual skills definitely have an advantage. There are those being pessimistic and saying that they will probably hog all the top spots in the ranking.」(Miyu)

「…I see. So the amateurs are trying to see how far they can bring those pros down? But you know, there were a fair amount of people with experience in Kendo and martial arts during the tournament, right? Though that’s only a similar situation.」(Wataru)

「The catalogue of the entries in the contest have started to be uploaded onto the website. It seems like the threads are talking about it while looking at that right now.」(Shuuhei)

Shuuhei was back with the drinks.

He handed me a can of coffee and after operating his smartphone, he showed me the screen.

Judging from how fast he did it, it seems like he had already bookmarked the website.

「They seem to made quite well, wonder if they’ll get into the auction as they are?」(Shuuhei)

「Think so? Apart from those that don’t want to present them in the auction.」(Wataru)

「What is this backscratcher thing used for?」(Miyu)

「To scratch your bac…doesn’t seem like it. It’s in the weapons category.」(Wataru)

It’s classified as a staff.

There were many pieces of gear with unique appearances, it was pretty fun looking at them.

I held Shuuhei’s smartphone while both of them looked at it from each side.

「But, is this backscratcher strong?」(Miyu)

「Well, there are RPGs where weapons like this are stronger. Right, Wacchi?」(Shuuhei)

「Like using a deck brush instead of a spear? Ah, something like using a frying pan as a weapon too.」(Wataru)

「That’s it!」(Shuuhei)

「There are both of those in the catalogue. As weapons.」(Wataru)

「「You serious!?」」(Shuuhei and Miyu)

They are usually weapons that you wouldn’t be able to obtain if you progressed normally, they tend to be really strong.

Regarding the stats of the ones in the catalogue, there are no mentions of it so I don’t know.

Though showing the numerical values of the gear in the auction should be a requirement when they exhibit them.

「It’s all a mess on the defensive gear side. There’s a lot of costumes…」(Wataru)

「Albert set…I want it!」(Shuuhei)

「You are the only one that would want that. I don’t want it.」(Miyu)

「If you look at it, isn’t this just a costume? The muscles are drawn on top of it you know?」(Wataru)

This is one of those joke goods.

What I sent it were clothes but they were of the defensive gear category.

After taking a look at them, I sorted the items by another category and we could tell from a single glance that these were seasonal items.

「Laughing mushroom…wait, this is not one of those that you won’t be able to stop laughing after eating them but-」(Wataru)

「The mushroom itself laughs. To attach a mouth to a mushroom, gross.」(Miyu)

「I don’t think that’s something Miyucchi and Wacchi can say considering some of the plants you’ve made…」(Shuuhei)

Well, I couldn’t understand the rules of combining plants even now…

I guess you could say that it’s not that weird for something like this to come out.

There are also stuffed toys to decorate your home, from gross ones to cute ones, there are a great variety of them.

Like that, we had lunch while retorting at the items that appeared in the catalogue.