Chapter 120: Announcement of the results part 2

『First off in 10th place…』(Queen)

A single murmur.

The Queen still sat down on her throne and closed her eyes, then she extended her hand towards the mountain of items.

Just when we thought that those movements of hers were weird, the hand the Queen had extended was enveloped in faint light.

Following that, the light shifted towards the mountain of items and a single item within it started to release light as if it was called upon.

『Miles.』(Queen)

『Yes.』(Miles)

Being called by the Queen, he went to retrieve the item that was releasing light within the pile of items.

It was an exciting production fit for a game.

The members present here let out an 「Ooh!」 in admiration.

Captain Miles got closer to the Queen, knelt on one knee and offered her the article by putting it up with both hands.

The Queen retrieved the item with a nod and then picked it up so that it could be seen on the screen.

『In 10th place is a portrait of myself! Uumu, it’s certainly beautiful…』(Queen)

「「「She flattered herself right from the get go!?」」」

The ones that shouted were me, Yumir and Tobi.

It looked like an oil painting.

With a delicate touch, the Queen was beautifully drawn. Even judging from this distance, you could tell that it was drawn with impressive technique.

However, this was really an article that would take into consideration what the Queen deemed the most important thing.

『The item name is “Queen’s Portrait”. The exhibitor name is Kurt, this will be the only painting. But I must say, this is quite the splendid masterpiece…』(Queen)

「Muh? Kurt…that name sounds familiar.」(Yumir)

「Ah, it must be that one, right? He wasn’t a painter, but if I remember correctly, he should a be a professional illustrator.」(Hind)

「So the first person to be mentioned is one of those pros that entered the contest huh? I can easily imagine the state of the BBS at this moment…」(Tobi)

I also took a look at the BBS yesterday and it’s one of the names that were brought up in it.

I looked him up and I remember that a lot of his illustrations were of 2D moe characters, but it seems like he can draw paintings like this one too…

And this choice and comments from the Queen, there should be a limit to how narcissistic a person can be.

Though it is true that the painting was beautiful.

『Miles, next one.』(Queen)

『Yes!』(Miles)

Then they announced the 9th and 8th place, but there were no signs of the Adenium or the pillow.

The three members of Baby Bird seemed to be satisfied with being within the top 100, but that was not the case for Yumir and I.

If it was possible, we’d like to be within the top 10.

However, cruelly, the spots just kept being taken.

『Well then, as for the 1st place in the item・others category…』(Queen)

「Ah, I guess it was no good…」(Hind)

「Wait, we don’t know yet, Hind! Wouldn’t it be possible for us to be in 1st place!?」(Yumir)

The camera closed up onto the mountain of items and it was so close that it was hard to tell what the item that took 1st place was.

It was so close that I could only tell that it was of a light brown color.

…oh? Wait, this light brown color…

「You two, isn’t this a potted plant? Am I wrong?」(Selene)

We were surprised at Selene-san’s statement.

It’s true that this light brown color was similar to that of a potted plant.

It’s just that, when the screen was blurred out, we had seen two things that looked similar…Captain Miles raised up the thing that looked like a potted plant furthest in the back.

「Please…please!」(Hind)

「Adenium….Adenium! Come!」(Yumir)

Please, let it be an Adenium!

While we were praying, the footage started from the Queen’s feet and it slowly went around until it showed what she had on her hand.

『The name of the item in 1st place…』(Queen)

The Queen took her sweet time in order to tease us.

Yumir, who was praying next to me, started getting annoyed and proceeded to begin stomping her feet.

I get what she’s feeling, but it’s bad manners so please stop.

『The name of the item is…Golden Adenium! The exhibitor is Fiore!』(Queen)

I don’t know how the person did it, but even though it was an organic flower, this Adenium released a glow akin to metallic gold.

Obviously, it wasn’t the item we sent in, we stood there dumbfounded for a little while and then…

「Daaaaaaah!? We lost to a similar article!!」(Hind)

「It’s true that it’s an Adenium, but!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!」(Yumir)

We wrapped our hands around our heads and started to unseemly scream.

『There were a lot of entries that had the name Adenium, which is related to my own name, but within those there was this golden one.

Apart from this, an Adenium with seven colors also picked up my interest.』(Queen)

「Thanks for the compliment, god damn it! If you liked it that much, make it so that it entered the top 10!」(Hind)

「Senpai, senpai, your speech is becoming weird, you know? Are you OK?」(Siesta)

「Nuaaaaaaaaaaah!! It’s so vexiiiiiiiiing!!」(Yumir)

「Yumir-san, you are being noisy. Be frustrated more quietly.」(Riizu)

「Ah, that was so close…it’s a shame.」(Tobi)

Since she went as far as to mention it, it should have entered the top 100.

It’s probably that pot…that one is probably the 『Seven Colored Adenium』we submitted.

That one is also a product of mixing different plants, though it was a coincidence that we made one.

Then, the announcement of the results went on a break and in our menu window, the top 100 winners were announced along with a single comment for their entries.

Surprisingly, this Queen takes her work quite seriously.

According to it, the pillow was in 89th place and our Adenium was in 13th place.

Each member looked at the results on their own and took a sip of the herbal tea.

「The Queen tastes allocate far more points than I thought.」(Hind)

The moment I said that after reviewing the results, Riizu and Selene-san nodded.

「You are right. In the top 10, there are a total of 5 items that are golden or have a crimson color, which the Queen likes.」(Riizu)

「Apart from items that have colors the Queen likes, I get the feeling that there’s a big amount of items that are comparatively luxurious. Like a vase with gems…」(Selene)

「That chandelier that illuminates with magic was amazing!」(Lycoris)

「Everything was so gorgeous right? I wonder if our pillow was just too plain…」(Cineraria)

It seems like Lycoris-chan and Cineraria-chan had similar thoughts.

After talking for a while, we more or less understood her tendencies.

Even though it was just as we had previously expected, we can’t help but feel frustrated.

「However, what’s with this review? “If you had selected only the colors I liked, I would have given it a higher rating”…or so she said!? Is she making fun of us!?」(Yumir)

「Quite the crude review. I guess it can’t be helped since it’s only a brief comment.」(Tobi)

「Well, since 101th place and lower won’t even be getting a comment, I guess this is better than nothing?」(Hind)

This event won’t just end after we receive our reviews.

After this, the auction will be held and this comment from the Queen might have an effect on the bids.

While we were having this conversation, Siesta-chan, who had her chin resting on one hand while she operated the menu window with the other, raised her face and looked at me.

「Senpai, in the auction, can the exhibitors add brief comments like this?」(Siesta)

「Hmm? Yeah, you should be able to add them the same way as the trading BBS.」(Hind)

「Why are you asking that, Si-chan?」(Lycoris)

「Hmmm…look, take a look at the comment the Queen made on our pillow.」(Siesta)

Siesta-chan turned her windows towards Lycoris-chan.

I was curious so I scrolled down my own window to the 89th place and this statement appeared.

In a brief comment 『I got some quality sleep with it』.

Don’t tell me Siesta-chan…

「”This comment is something the Queen said!”, I was thinking we could raise up the value of our item in the auction if we added comments like that.」(Siesta)

Hearing that way of thinking, or rather, that idea, we let out an 「Ah」and had mixed feelings.

Lycoris-chan was the only one that was genuinely confused and asked Siesta-chan 「Is that so? Why?」.

It’s true that it could raise its price…if you were a male fan of the Queen and bid for it.

It was quite the underhanded way to do so. As always, she has a way of thinking that doesn’t befit a middle schooler.

Though you could say that Lycoris-chan, who genuinely didn’t understand it at all, was at the other extreme too.

Riizu turned to Siesta-chan with her eyes half closed.

「You sure have quite the nice personality. I can’t help but admire you.」(Riizu)

「The little sister is the only person I don’t want to be told that by, though? Wouldn’t you have done the same thing if you were in my place?」(Siesta)

「…I wouldn’t have done it? So rude.」(Riizu)

「There was such a weird pause there. Well, not like I care.」(Siesta)

That’s what people call, birds of a feather flock together.

Next to Siesta-chan, who was being glared at by Riizu, was Lycoris-chan, who still hadn’t received an answer. This time, she tried asking Selene-san.

Please stop, Lycoris-chan! Selene-san looks very troubled!