「うあー......だるい......」
「わっちが燃え尽きてる......珍しい」
学校の休み時間、俺は机に突っ伏して動けなくなっていた。
授業が始まったら起きなければならないので、今の内に気力を充填しておかなければ。
故に、休み時間になるなり寄ってきた秀平の相手はあまり出来そうもない。
だから脇腹をつつくんじゃねえよ。報復する元気は無いぞ。
「おーっす、亘。辞書ありが――どしたん? 机に突っ伏して。珍しい」
その声は健治か? 顔を上げる気になれないが、どうやら貸していた辞書を返しに来たようだ。
手だけ出して応えると、辞書の重みがのしかかってくる。
適当に引き出しに突っ込んだ後、また手を元の位置に戻した。
「......悪い健治。情けないことに、ゲームのやり過ぎでこのザマだよ......」
「は? お前が? ゲームで? こっちの馬鹿じゃあるまいし、今日は矢でも降ってくんのか!?」
「健治てめえ!」
俺の机の周辺でバタバタと取っ組み合う振動が伝わってくる。
やめろ......やめてくれ......なんか酔いそうだから......うぷ......。
「ほう、イベントの締め切りに間に合わせるためにねぇ......」
「他のギルメンのフォローに奔走してたわっちは、無事許容量オーバー。自分の分がカツカツで、昨夜は遅くまで残ってたみたい」
「VRとはいえ、細かい作業を長時間やると結構来るもんだな......明日が休みで良かった。一日だけなら、どうにかこの状態でも乗り切れそうだ......」
体というよりも神経が疲れているような感じがするのだ。
どうにか起き上がったが、気怠くて動き回る気力が湧いてこない。
ゲームという娯楽でこんな状態になるのは論外だと思うんだけど......今日は駄目そうだ。
何だかんだで俺もしっかりハマってるなあ、TBに。
「しかし、授業中は起きていようとするだけ秀平とは全然違うな」
「何で一々俺を引き合いに出すわけ? 健治は」
「だって去年同じクラスだった時お前さ、授業中に寝て休み時間は元気だったじゃん。同じ理由でも、対処の差がひでえと思って」
「......うん、まあ」
秀平が気まずそうに視線を逸らす。
昨夜の内に出品物はどうにか形になり、どうにか期限内に間に合わせることに成功した。
他のメンバーの物も同様である。
「ところで健治はやらないの? トレイルブレイザー」
「俺はFPSしかやんねえって。TBが人気あるのは知ってるし、VRX3500も持ってるけどな」
「ですよねー。そういや健治ってばミリオタなのに、何でわっちと同じ料理部なの?」
「......健治、本当はサバイバル料理みたいなの作りたいんだもんな。山岳部とかがあったら、そっちに入ってたんじゃないのか?」
「違いない。あーでも、味付けや調理法なんかは応用が利かないこともないし料理部も悪くないぞ?」
多数を占める女子部員が原因で、甘い物の方が割合的に多いけどな。
そんな中でサバイバル料理なんて提案したら......非難轟々だろう。
ただ男子運動部からの要望もあるので、しっかりした物もそれなりに作ってはいる。
この前のピロシキなんかがその一例だ。揚げ物系は男子に評判がいい。
そんな話をしているとチャイムが鳴った。
「っと、やばいやばい。じゃあな、亘。残りの授業は三つだ、頑張れ」
「俺も席に戻るよ、わっち」
俺はシエスタちゃんのようなのっそりとした動きで教科書を取り出した。
そして昼休み。
どうにか授業を乗り切った俺は、いつも通りに未祐・秀平の三人と一緒に中庭で弁当を広げた。
温かな正午過ぎの日差しに、怠さが更に増していく。
「わ、亘、大丈夫か? 目が閉じかけているぞ!?」
「眠い」
「わっち、今日はコーヒーにしたら? カフェインでどうにか乗り切ろうぜ、次数学だし。買ってこようか?」
「すまん、頼む。ブラックな」
秀平が俺から小銭を受け取り、自販機に向かって歩いていく。
ヒナ鳥の三人のように、誰かと共作で出せば良かったと絶賛後悔中である。
みんな得意分野がバラバラで、折角だから一人一品と思って突っ走ったがちと無理があったな......。
今日は帰って家事を済ませたら、とっとと寝ることにしよう。
「亘、そういえば私もTBの掲示板を覗いてみたのだが」
「んあ? 珍しいな。何か面白い書き込みはあったか?」
「コンテストの分野によっては、その手のプロらしき職人が出品しているそうだぞ。あ、この場合の職人というのは現実の方での話だからな?」
未祐の話によると医者・薬剤師から始まりリアル刀鍛冶、未祐のライバルとなそうな花屋や農家、俺の場合に障害となる衣料品関係者や果てはファッションデザイナー等々。
もちろん自分の職業を隠している人も多いだろうし、ゲームなら現実と全く関係ない分野を楽しんでいる人も居るだろうけれど......。
SNSなどと連動させ、堂々と身元を明かしている人間も少なからず居る。
そういったプロが多数参戦していることから、掲示板では対極的な反応が見られたのだそうな。
「片方はゲームなんだから現実通りにはいくまい、という楽天的な反応だな。システム上で省略されている部分もあるし、素材も現実通りじゃないんだからプロとか関係ないだろ――といった具合に」
「うん、そうだな。もう片方は?」
「VRなんだから技術がある方が有利に決まっている。上位もそいつらが独占するだろう、と悲観とひがみが混ざったマイナス意見だな」
「......なるほどね。そういうプロっぽい連中を、アマチュアがどこまで崩せるかに注目が集まってるのか。でもさ、結局闘技大会も剣道経験者とか格闘技経験者は程々だったよな? 似たような話をしてたけど」
「出品物カタログなんかも、公式で徐々にアップされ始めてるよー。それを見ながらあーだこーだ言うのが今の掲示板の流れみたいだね」
飲み物を持って秀平が戻ってきた。
缶コーヒーを俺に手渡すと、スマホを操作して画面を表示して見せてくる。
表示の早さからして、ページをブックマーク済みらしい。
「かなりしっかりした作りだけど、これをそのままスライドさせんのかね? オークションカタログに」
「じゃない? 出品を希望しない奴を除いてさ」
「この孫の手というのは何に使うのだ?」
「背中を掻く――んじゃなさそうだな。カテゴリは武器だし」
分類は杖のようだ。
こういったユニークな見た目の装備も数多く、見ているだけで楽しい気分になってくる。
俺が秀平のスマホを持ち、二人が両側から覗き込む体勢。
「しかし、この孫の手は強いのか?」
「まあ、こういう武器の方がRPGでは強かったりするし。ねえ? わっち」
「槍の代わりにデッキブラシとか? あー、あとフライパンが武器だったり」
「あるようだな、カタログにどちらも。武器扱いで」
「「マジで!?」」
普通に進めると手に入らない隠し武器の場合は、そういうのが本当に強かったりする。
カタログに載っているこれらの装備の能力がどうなのかは、記載が無いので分からないが。
装備の数値はオークションに出品する際に記載されると下部に但し書きがある。
「防具も中々のカオスっぷりだな。キグルミが多い......」
「アルベルトなりきりセット......欲しい!」
「それはお前だけだろう。私はいらん」
「よく見るとこれもキグルミじゃないか? 筋肉が絵で描き込んであるぞ」
ジョークグッズの類だな、こりゃ。
俺が出したのも、服ではあるが防具のカテゴリだ。
一通り見た後で分類をアイテムに切り替えると、これまたキワモノ揃いだというのが一目で分かる。
「笑いキノコ......って、食べたら笑いが止まらなくなるんじゃなくて――」
「キノコ自身が笑っているようだな。キノコに口が付いていてキモいぞ」
「未祐っちとわっちが合成した植物のいくつかも、人のことは言えない出来だったけどね......」
まあ、植物合成に関しては結局法則がさっぱり分からなかったからな......。
こうやって何が出てきても不思議じゃないというか。
ホームに飾る用のぬいぐるみなどもあり、キモいのから可愛いもの、キモカワイイものまで実に多種多様である。
そのまま俺達はカタログにツッコミを入れつつ、三人でゆっくりと昼食を取った。
[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.
[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)
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)
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)
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)
[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.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都