I'll be entering in the "Alchemy Item" and "Sculpture" categories. For the latter, I'm certain to win first place.
We could also enter paintings and music, but that might be overkill.
Liora is going to create a flower bed on "Cultural Festival Island" using her [Gardening] skill. That will also count as an exhibition, and it will surely brighten up the island.
Liora, busy with her gardening, turns around with a bashful smile.
"Once I'm done, I'll offer flowers to God…!"
"I'll be looking forward to it."
"Yes!"
Excited, Liora turns back to her garden. All of the materials are rare, hard-earned seeds. They'll be nice to look at and useful too.
Samurai seems to be making sothing as well. Even with her usual squinty expression, she seems quite pleased as she files down wood. Rouro, on the other hand, can only destroy things, so there's nothing for him to do.
We step outside from the Black Group's classroom, our warp destination.
I really enjoyed the culture festival.
The performances held in the gym were all very entertaining. The actors in the play were incredibly beautiful, and the script being a classic "youth school sports drama" was fantastic.
It was funny how they specifically gathered actors with a fantasy world vibe to perform that type of play.
However, the NPCs were tilting their heads, asking, "What's baseball?"
The Rakugo performance by a storyteller in this world was also quite good.
It was an elf Rakugo storyteller. Apparently, elves have a traditional culture similar to Rakugo, and the performance was one I'd never heard before.
The slight differences made it feel like this ga world truly had its own culture.
As for the music, it was heartwarming. The NPCs and the players who manifested seed to be having a great ti performing, and it really made feel like I was attending a school festival.
Though I can play a wide range of instrunts, it was nice to see so unfamiliar ones.
In this way, I enjoyed the culture festival together with Atri.
The whole ti, while constantly munching on sothing, Atri was happily carrying on their head. Since Atri had never participated in a festival before, this experience must have been particularly special for them.
I, too, haven't participated in many festivals.
The culture festival with Atri, who I get along with so well, turned out to be more fun than I had expected.
And so, the first day's performances ca to an end.
It's now ti for the announcent of the "Exhibit Rankings" for the first day. Both Shio and I had so items on display. In a way, this is the highlight of this crafting event.
The rankings will be determined by the crafted items that were exhibited, a sort of battle.
"And now, the announcents. Third place in the **Alchemy** category goes to... Nero! This 'Super Mutant Plant Potion' is quite impressive. However, it seems the quality of the materials used was better than the actual alchemical skill, which led to so points being deducted."
"Oh, third place, huh?"
It's a potion I made using materials from the World Tree.
The effect is that it turns ordinary plants into monsters. And as the 'super' in the na suggests, the monsters created are on the level of mini-bosses.
You could use this in an ergency to summon a third-party monster by transforming plants, or you could test it out when you need monster materials. It's a potion that witches who need all sorts of materials would rave about, and I was even assured it was a guaranteed first-place potion that witches and alchemists all over the world would desire.
Well, third place is good enough.
As I was feeling satisfied, Atri, who was carrying on their head, quietly drew out their **Shadow of Death**.
"That judge is wrong...! I'm going to kill them! The god is first! First, first, first, first... firssstttt!"
Shio restrained Atri, who was about to go on a rampage.
Atri stopped moving, intimidated by Shio. It seems only Shio and I can serve as Atri's brakes.
I moved in front of Atri and peered into their cute face.
"Atri, I was aiming for third place."
"! As expected of the god... everything is in your hands. The god only needs to be first for , right?!"
"By the way, I don't have hands."
"? Yes!"
It seems Atri didn't get the joke.
Shio glared at with half-closed eyes. She's not Atri, but it's still scary. After so ti passed, the **Woodworking** category for Shio began.
What Shio made was a small, wooden treasure chest.
It was neither great nor terrible. The top three were announced.
"Third place goes to Noranotama's **Heavenly Chair**. Its ability to cure illnesses just by sitting on it is an amazing effect. Second place is—"
Shio wasn't called for second place either.
However, she stood with her arms crossed, looking quite smug (probably, based on the vibe). Her fingers were twitching nervously.
Noticing this, Atri was on the verge of tears.
Then, the first place in the **Woodworking** category was announced.
"First place goes to Kukuri's **Athyst Shelf**! Its ability to automatically cut stored gemstones perfectly and even increase their rank is simply incredible. A well-deserved first place!"
As the audience cheered at the item's overwhelming power, Shio's tentacles multiplied, and with those fingers, she pointed repeatedly at the judge, seemingly saying sothing to Atri.
Atri shrugged in exasperation.
"Judges are always fair. Your item just wasn't good enough."
『――!!』
"Don't kill them."
『――!!』
"No torture either."
『――!!!!』
"I'm not incompetent; you're just weak."
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When Shio tried to start a fight, Atri canceled the summoning. Shio's personality changes when it cos to **Woodworking**.
But I feel sorry for her. As an artist, this isn't good.
You have to accept reality. Art is a battle against oneself. If you run away from that, you'll never achieve true artistry.
"Well then."
Now, it's ti for the main event of the day.
It's my mont to win the **Sculpture** category. I barely paid attention to the announcents of third and second place, thinking how my work will once again be released into the world.
Once again, history will be altered.
Museums will fight viciously, auctioning off famous paintings they once held to make room for my work, using every political maneuver they can muster.
It saddens to witness it.
This ti, my piece is… the universe.
I sculpted the universe. A three-dinsional universe, to be exact. Of course, I didn't use any pre-existing planets—that would be a lackluster expression of creativity.
I crafted a completely imaginary galaxy, full of vibrant, fantastical colors.
I fully utilized the unique properties of the materials to create this supre masterpiece.
In the past, when sculptors were forbidden to create nudes, they took to sculpting transparent veils instead. In the sa way, I...
"And first place goes to Rurutia ris' **Sensuous Statue**! Just by looking at it, even those with no capability are ready for action, and the effect lasts for an extended ti. It's a priceless item that royals have sought after instead of potions. A national treasure-worthy piece, without question."
"...Atri, let's kill that host."
"Yes!"
Atri sprang into action.
Thanks to the cooperation of Yuclys, other strong figures, and the capture specialist from earlier, the philistine who couldn't appreciate art sohow managed to survive.
, not first place?
What on earth is going on?
For now, it seems our task is to increase Ro's durability.
▽
The returned **Illusory Universe** will be displayed in the classroom of Class 3-Black.
It seems Class 3-Black is a relaxed group that showcases art. They gladly accepted my piece as well.
...It beca incredibly popular.
People flocked in like waves, and Atri was begged by many to sell the work.
In this world, there are even nobles and royalty.
It seems that art holds more importance in this world than in ours. Moreover, many people seem to understand it. Although they don't know what the "universe" is in this world.
A representative from so corner of the third field is groveling before .
"I have never witnessed such a mystery in my life. Please, make it a national treasure. I cannot live tomorrow with confidence if I don't obtain this."
As expected, high praise.
Why didn't I win first place?
Could it be that "I didn't have the **Sculpture** skill, so my piece didn't have any effects" that caused the problem?
There's no way, right?
I acknowledge functional beauty, but in the face of this quality, function should be irrelevant.
It must have been rigged.
Next ti I see that host, I will make sure they disappear. They're an enemy, an evil god. Shio wholeheartedly agrees with on this matter.Next ti I see that host, I will make sure they disappear. They're an enemy, an evil god. Shio wholeheartedly agrees with on this matter.Next ti I see that host, I will make sure they disappear. They're an enemy, an evil god.
Shio wholeheartedly agrees with on this matter.
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