VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～

The Queen finished giving her congratulations and the image in the projection was cut off.

The items exhibited were returned to the players and the auction would open 24 hours from now.

People were free to bid during the 24 hour period of the auction and you were free to set a price for the items.

「The results of the auction will be announced two days from now right?」(Hind)

「For those that want to bid for the most popular items, they’ll need to stay online the day after tomorrow around this time.」(Tobi)

「In those cases, you just have to bid an overwhelming amount of money! Just bid an amount that is two digits higher than the rest!」(Yumir)

「You sure are crude as always, that…that would only work if you actually had such an amount of money right?」(Riizu)

While we were having that kind of conversation, the members of Baby Bird looked awfully sleepy.

It’s quite late for a middle schooler after all…seems like they missed their chance to leave, so let’s have them log out first.

「Cineraria-chan, who is the one going to exhibit the pillow in the auction?」(Hind)

「…Ah, yes! We used my name in the contest, so I’ll just exhibit it under my name.」(Cineraria)

「In that case, Lycoris-chan, think about a comment for when you are going to put up the pillow in the auction. As for Siesta-chan…since it seems like she’s at her limit, let’s leave her alone.」(Hind)

「…Yeees, Understoood…」(Lycoris)

「…」(Siesta)

I guess they were really sleepy, Cineraria-chan’s reaction was quite sluggish.

Lycoris-chan’s reaction was also slow and Siesta-chan already had her face on top of the table and wasn’t moving.

I gave them instructions and quickly finished the procedures to put up the item in the auction and shook the unmoving Siesta-chan to wake her up.

Somehow, all three of them managed to stand up from their seats and prepared to leave.

「Well then, senpais. We’ll excuse ourselves first. Good night.」(Cineraria)

「「「Good night.」」」(Hind and co)

With Cineraria-chan acting as the representative and saying good night, she logged out along with the other two, who were wearing sleepy expressions.

Next up, it’s our turn.

Let’s start with Yumir.

「Yumir, what are you going to do with your Adenium?」(Hind)

「Muu, since it’s just a decorative item with no real use…let’s just use it to decorate the house without exhibiting it?」(Yumir)

「Got it, let’s do that. In that case, let’s set it in this lounge.」(Hind)

We decided to set the seven color Adenium in the lounge for people to appreciate.

It’s hard to guess if people would buy it, so I think that it’s the correct decision.

「We planned to sell the kunais from the start but…what sort of comment are going to write?」(Tobi)

「Wouldn’t it be fine to just specify the amount inside? If we exhibit the boxes it’ll just come out as “Set of Kunais x3” after all.」(Hind)

「Let’s leave it at that then. Let’s split the earnings in half.」(Tobi)

「OK, I’ll leave it to you.」(Hind)

Tobi put up the kunais in the auction under both of our names.

If you sign up an item under multiple names the profits will be shared, like the name implies, once the item is sold and the money is sent to the player, it’ll be distributed evenly.

In the contest it was set so that the Queen would announce the names, so we could only have one name in it, but since the auction works the same way as the trading BBS, you are able to set small details like this.

「So, Riizu. What about the Placebo Potion? Are you going to put it up?」(Hind)

When I asked her, she looked as if she was thinking about it a bit and then replied like this.

「…We’d better not do it. I can only see people abusing it to PK in the future.」(Riizu)

「…True. Though the Queen seemed to have taken a liking to it, what if she personally asks for them?」(Hind)

「That will depend on how much money she’s willing to offer. I’ll sell it to her for the highest price possible.」(Riizu)

「Riizu-chan, you are making quite the scary face you know…?」(Selene)

「Ah, Selene-san.」(Hind)

She came back to her senses, huh?

Selene-san, who was frozen in place on top of the chair, finally returned to normal.

Having been told that she was making a scary face, Riizu murmured 「Is that so?」 and started to pat her face.

If Yumir was the one that told her that, I believe she would have immediately snapped, but if it’s Selene-san telling her, she’s still remained my meek little sister.

「Sorry for causing you guys an inconvenience…」(Selene)

「It was nothing, congratulations, Selene-san」(Hind)

「Congratulations, Secchan!」(Yumir)

Everyone started to congratulate her again.

Selene-san started to smile bashfully and in her hands was the 『Supporter Staff』, now with the gem attached to it.

That staff is so nice…I’ve been drawn to it from the start.

Though, I was not sure if it was made by Selene-san until her name was announced.

「Eh, Hind-kun. Can I talk to you for a moment?」(Selene)

「What?」(Hind)

Nervously, Selene-san talked to me.

From the way she was looking at me, it seems like she only wanted to talk to me…

We left cleaning up to the other members and moved towards the blacksmith’s workshop.

「Please, accept thiush!」(Selene)

She fumbled it…she magnificently fumbled her words…on top of that, the person herself hasn’t noticed it…

I think the proper course of action here is to not point it out.

The moment we arrived at the blacksmith’s workshop, Selene-san held out the staff she was holding with both hands towards me.

The silver staff I received glowed with a lovely radiance, on one of its ends, a crimson gem splendidly stood out.

…This staff, for me?

「Thank you…to tell you the truth, I’m reaaaaaaaaaaaally happy!」(Hind)

「Eh?」(Selene)

I told her that from the moment I saw this staff in the contest, I’ve been charmed by it.

When she heard that, Selene-san opened her eyes wide in surprise, then started smiling.

「I see. That sort of makes me happy…I might be glad that I kept what I was going to exhibit a secret from everyone.」(Selene)

Like that, she joined her hands behind her back and seemed unable to calm down as she moved her body left and right.

What with this embarrassing atmosphere…

“I have to say something”, is what I was thinking but I was unable to form anything inside my head.

The feverish gaze coming from behind her glasses made me unable to think.

「…Hind, I. I’ve been having a lot of fun lately. Before, I just endured going to university alone, going to my part-time job, returning to my room and playing the games I liked and then sleeping…it was a cycle like that.

It’s not like I hated that kind of lifestyle…though honestly, it was a bit lonely. Even though I know it was my own fault that I was shutting myself inside my shell.」(Selene)

“Even if it was an online game, I would still play alone”, she gave a self-deprecating smile.

I stopped myself from saying anything and just focused on listening to what she had to say.

「Hind-kun, you took me out of that Altrowa Village blacksmith’s workshop, which had lost its popularity, then…you introduced me to Yumir-san, Riizu-chan, Tobi-kun…all these people I’ve had fun with. Lately, I’ve even gotten to know someone I could consider my little sister and it’s been getting even more lively, right?

「Did you know? Cineraria-chan, she sometimes comes to visit me and asks me to teach her.」(Selene)

I didn’t know about that.

I saw both of them talking, but I didn’t think that they had gotten along so well.

「Now, even at university, I’ve been able to make a few friends. Even with people I meet for the first time…I might not be able to talk to them first, but I’ve become able to at least reply to them…even if I fumble my words doing it.

「Everything, everything is thanks to Hind-kun, you know? …I’m really grateful.」(Selene)

「That’s not the case. It’s because Selene-san has worked hard to fix her fear of strangers. Even if I really did something, it would only amount to creating the first chance for you to do so.」(Hind)

Towards my words, Selene-san started to shake her head to deny them.

「I think I’ve said this before, for someone like me, just taking that first step is a big hurdle. Just by losing my confidence once, I can feel my heart and body becoming heavier and heavier. My legs freeze in place and feel like lead…in the worst case scenario, there are times when I even have a hard time getting out of my room and meeting my family.」(Selene)

“I’m sorry”, Selene-san hung her head and apologized for having this sort of conversation.

However, I felt happy.

It’s true that the contents of the conversation were gloomy, however, the expression on her face as she confided in me about these topics…I felt brightness from it as if a weight had been removed from her body.

Just the simple fact of playing together, an act that didn’t feel really important at a first glance.

Just because of that simple fact, it was possible to bring salvation to the heart of someone. It’s things like this that makes me think that the power of games is amazing.

「That’s why, I put all my feelings of gratitude towards Hind-kun in this staff. …I’m sorry, rather than feelings, they might be the weight of my feelings…」(Selene)

「No no, Selene-san. I don’t think you are supposed to say it like that with that timing?」(Hind)

Having such a serious conversation just to have her make a pun at the end, I didn’t think it would turn out like that.

We both made a wry smile at the fact.

Within the atmosphere that had become way more relaxed quite suddenly, I thought that the conversation had already ended when-

「I like Hind-kun.」(Selene)

Due to the words that casually spilled from her mouth, my body suddenly stiffened.

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