画面の中に戻ってきた女王様は、楽し気な笑顔で玉座に座っていた。
対照的に左右に立つ男性二人は、逃げる女王を捕まえるのに苦労したのか疲れ果てた表情をしている。
女王に逃げられないようにするためか、今度は女官も後ろに複数人配置済みのようだ。
玉座の間の人口密度が先程までと比べ一気に増している。
『諸君、待たせたな。発表を続けるぞ』
上機嫌の女王が指を鳴らすと、今度は液体の入った瓶が机の上に多数並べられて登場した。
これは分かりやすい、薬品部門だな。
渡り鳥からはリィズがとある毒薬を出品している。
「しかし、どれが誰の物なのかサッパリ分からんでござる......特徴的なのは数点のみのような?」
「ほとんどが緑と青と紫の液体が入ってるだけだからな。他のと違って、100位までを一斉に出されても困るっての」
『うーむ、この部門の一斉紹介は果たして意味があるのか? 妾にも分からぬ』
じゃあ省略しろよ、というプレイヤー達の冷ややかな視線を感知したわけではないだろうが。
ごほんと一つ咳払いをすると、女王は間を置かずに10位の発表に移った。
「ブフッ!?」
「うわっ、ハインド殿汚いっ!」
唐突に聞こえてきた名に、俺は口に含んでいたハーブティーを思い切り吹き出した。
隣のリィズの顔にお茶が大量に降りかかる。
「ああっ、すまん! 確かインベントリに清潔な布が......」
「......ふふっ、ふふふふふふ......」
濡れたままで急に笑い出したリィズを見て、一斉に俺以外の全員が椅子から立って後ずさった。
何でうっとりした顔で笑ってるんだろう、こいつは......。
ともかく、俺の所為なのは間違いないのでかかったお茶を丁寧に拭っていく。
「気にしないでください、ハインドさん。私はうれし――大丈夫です」
「そ、そうか? でも、悪かった。一度川に行って、顔を洗ってきたらどう――」
「嫌です」
食い気味で拒否されてしまった。
拭いただけだと気持ち悪いと思うのだが......。
いくらアバターとはいえ、水で洗った方がスッキリすると思う。
立ち上がっていたメンバーの中で、最初にユーミルが席に戻って来る。
「さすがの私も引くぞ、今の表情は......どういう頭の構造をしているのだ貴様?」
「ユーミルさんには理解してもらわなくて結構です」
「ま、まあまあ二人とも。ハインド君、びっくりしたのは分かるけど気を付けてね」
「あ、はい。失礼しました......気を付けます。みんなもごめん」
微妙な空気の中、他のメンバーも席に座り直したところでメールが着信した。
どうもユーミルの方にも入ったらしく、俺と視線を交わし合った後にメニュー画面を操作し始めた。
俺も同じ様にメールを開くと、その発信者はフィリアちゃんのようだった。
送信者:フィリア
件名:アイテムコンテストの件について
本文:お父さんが出品してみろと言うので、ハインド、ユーミルと一緒に作った湿布を出してみた
10位に入選できたのは二人のおかげ ありがとう
今度お礼に、湿布をいっぱい作って二人に送る
そんなメールが来たことをみんなにも知らせると、リコリスちゃんが感心したような声を上げる。
「へー。フィリアちゃんって、私達がログイン出来なかった期間に滞在していたんですよね?」
「そ。今はアルベルトと一緒に、相変わらず傭兵としてあちこち動き回ってるみたいだ」
「湿布の性能は珍しいから、入賞するのも頷けるな。私もちょろっとだけ手伝ったから、アデニウムで受けた溜飲が下がる思いだ!」
「実質共作だしな。そう思ってフィリアちゃんも俺達にメールくれたんだろうし」
湿布に関しては製法を広めるにせよ秘匿するにせよ全てフィリアちゃんに任せているので、俺達から言うことは何もない。全て彼女の自由だ。
おめでとうとメールを返し、メニュー画面を閉じる。
「確かHPが徐々に回復でござったな? それを聞いたときは拙者、おったまげたでござるよ」
「おったまげたって表現も、今時余り聞きませんけどねー」
「シエスタ殿から拙者に対してツッコミが!?」
「お前、なんでちょっと嬉しそうなんだよ......」
「いや、無視されてるわけじゃないんだなあって安心したでござる」
「卑屈ですねえ......そんなことしませんって。トビ先輩の場合、私の胸元をしつこく見るのだけ止めてくれれば他に問題はありませんし」
「うぐっ! ......す、すみません......で、ござる......」
そんな会話をよそに、画面の中では女王手ずからアルボル老人の腰に複製品の湿布を貼ってやっている。
ビターン! という音を伴う実にぞんざいな貼り方だが。
老人はそれに「おふっ」という声を発しつつ顔を
どうやら湿布が効力を発揮し出したようだ。
『やや臭いが立つのが気にはなるが......これは良いものぞ。のう、爺や』
『はっ、このアルボルめも保証しますぞ。長年の疲れがゆっくりと和らいでいく心地です......ううむ......ふぅぅ......』
そういった経緯で、フィリアちゃん出品の湿布が10位に入選した。
続けて暫くは瓶に入ったオーソドックスな薬品が9位~6位までを占めていく。
調薬は鍛冶と並んで難易度の高い生産行動なため、純粋に効力を強化しただけの回復薬・毒薬が並んでいたのが特徴的である。
それは6位が単に質が良いだけの中級ポーションだったことからも窺えることだと思う。
10位の湿布をわざわざ使ってみせたのも頷けるほどに地味だ。
そしていよいよ5位の発表となったのだが、ここまでサクサクと紹介していた女王は急に手を止めた。
何事かと注目していると、女王はとある緑色の薬瓶を持ったままミレスに目配せをする。
ミレスがそれに一礼して出て行ったのだが、太った中年男性を連れて直ぐに戻ってきた。
一体何が始まるんだ......?
『久しいな、バロウ』
『へ、陛下、お久しゅうございます! 何かの催し物の最中のようですが、何故、かような時に私めをお呼び出しに?』
『なあに、そなたにも来訪者を相手にしたイベントの結果発表を手伝ってもらおうと思うての。......これなるは来訪者が作りし回復薬だ。効くぞ? まずは飲め』
『し、しかし陛下』
『飲め』
有無を言わせずといった様子に、中年男性は落ち着かない様子で周囲を見回した。
格好からして貴族、中でも大臣クラスの位が高い人物に見えるのだが......。
「なあ、リィズ。俺、とっても嫌な予感がするんだけど」
「私は女王にアレを誤飲して欲しかったんですけどね。そう使ってしまうのですか......ちっ」
「え? 女王様が持ってるポーション、二人の作品なの?」
「見ていれば分かりますよ、セレーネさん......」
一緒に作った俺達にしか分からない、微妙な色合いの違い。
意を決し、目をつぶってソレを一気に呷ったバロウと呼ばれた男性は――瓶を取り落とし、その場で膝を折って倒れた。
瓶が床に当たって割れ、俺とリィズ以外のメンバーの表情が凍り付く。
やっぱりこうなったか......。
『来訪者諸君、こやつは我が国の......誠に恥ずかしい限りだが、反乱分子というやつでのう。死んではいない故、諸君らが心配する必要はない。さて......』
ミレスとアルボルによってバロウが起こされる。
体は完全に痺れ、バロウは一切の身動きが取れない......首から上を除いては。
そういう特殊な痺れ薬なのだ。
『気分はどうだ? バロウよ』
『ひいいい! 陛下、陛下! お許しォォォ!』
『ふむ、素晴らしい効き目だ。こうして話すことは可能な上、回復薬に偽装されているのも実に良い。これは使えるな。後は舌を嚙まれぬよう、歯を全て――』
と、女王が話している最中に映像がぶつっと途切れた。
そしてシステムメッセージである字幕が、暗転した画面にゆっくりと流れる。
『只今NPCパトラから不適切な表現が発せられる可能性があったため、一時映像を中断しております。ご迷惑をおかけしますが、しばらくお待ちください』
それに俺は頭を抱え、リィズは目論見が外れたことで溜息をつき、他のメンバーはあんぐりと口を開けて固まった。
唯一流れを上手く把握できたらしいシエスタちゃんは、腹を抱えて一人笑っていた。
The Queen, who appeared again on screen, was sitting down on the throne with a smile, as if she was having fun.
On the other hand, the two men standing close to her looked very tired, as if they had gone through a lot of hardships even though they had caught the Queen.
Maybe it was so that the Queen wouldn't escape again, this time, there were a number of court ladies standing behind them.
The number of people around the throne had increased in one go.
{Visitors, sorry for the wait. We'll continue with the announcements.} (Queen)
The Queen snapped her fingers in a good mood, and this time, numerous bottles with liquids inside appeared on top of a table.
This is easy to understand, it's time for the medicine category.
From Migratory Bird, Riizu submitted a certain poison.
[However, I can't tell which one is whose at all...is the number of them the only special thing about this category?] (Tobi)
[Most of them will be either green, blue or purple liquids after all. Unlike the other categories, it would be troublesome if they suddenly took out all the items in the top 100.] (Hind)
{Umu, is there even any meaning in introducing the items in this category all at the same time? I don't know either.} (Queen)
"Then just abbreviate it", though there's no way she would be able to feel the cold gazes of players that thought that.
After clearing her throat, the Queen proceeded to announce the item in 10th place.
[Puh!?] (Hind)
[Uwah, Hind-dono, that's dirty!] (Tobi)
Suddenly hearing that name, I spat out the herbal tea I had inside my mouth.
A large amount of the tea had fallen on Riizu's face, who was sitting next to me.
[Aaah, sorry! If I remember correctly, I should have a sanitary cloth inside my inventory...] (Hind)
[...Fufu, fufufufufu...] (Riizu)
Seeing Riizu suddenly start laughing while being all wet, apart from me, everyone else stood up from their seats and started backing off.
Why is this girl laughing while looking absentminded...
Anyway, there's no doubt that this is my fault so I'll wipe off the tea from her.
[Don't mind it, Hind-san. I'm hap-...I'm fine.] (Riizu)
[I-Is that so? But, I'm sorry. How about going to the river and washing off your fa-] (Hind)
[I don't want to.] (Riizu)
She refused before I even finished talking.
I believe it would feel gross if she just wiped it off though...
Even if they are avatars, I believe she would feel better if she washed it off with water.
From the members that had stood up, Yumir was the first one to return to her seat.
[Even I would be put off by that, that expression right now...what wrong with your brain?] (Yumir)
[I'm fine if Yumir-san doesn't understand it.] (Riizu)
[C-Calm down, you two. Hind-kun, I understand that you were surprised, but be careful OK?] (Selene)
[Ah, yeah. I'm very sorry...I'll be careful. Sorry, everyone.] (Hind)
Within that delicate atmosphere, just as the other members returned to their seats, an email arrived.
It seems like Yumir received it too, we exchanged looks and she started to operate her menu window.
I also opened mine, it seems like the sender was Philia-chan.
Sender: Philia
Subject: Regarding the item contest.
Body: Dad told me to try submitting it so I submitted the wet compress I made with Hind and Yumir.
It was thanks to both of you that I was able to enter the top 10, thank you.
As thanks, I'll make lots of wet compresses and send them to you.
Once we let everyone else know that we had received such an email, Lycoris-chan voiced her admiration.
[Really? If I remember correctly, Philia-chan stayed over here while we couldn't log in, right?] (Lycoris)
[That's right. She's with Albert now, it seems like they are going here and there like always, while doing mercenary work.] (Hind)
[Since the effects of the wet compress are unusual, I can accept that it is placed high. I did help a little bit with it too, I feel a bit better now even if my Adenium didn't make it!] (Yumir)
[It was a joint work between us after all. It's probably because Philia-chan thought the same that she sent this email.] (Hind)
We left everything regarding whether Philia-chan wanted to reveal the formula to make the wet compresses or not all up to her, so we didn't have anything to say in the matter. She's free to do whatever she wants.
I replied back with a congratulatory message and closed my window.
[If I'm not wrong, they gradually recover HP right? When I heard about them, I was quite surprised.] (Tobi)
[Though you did look just as surprised when you heard about it this time.] 
[Siesta-dono retorted to something I said!?] (Tobi)
[You, why do you look slightly happy...] (Hind)
[No, I was just relieved because it's not like she just ignores me.] (Tobi)
[Such groundless accusations...I wouldn't do something like that. In Tobi-senpai's case, if you just stopped looking so persistently at my chest, I wouldn't have any other problems with you.] (Siesta)
[Uguh! ...I-I apologize...d-degozaru...] (Tobi)
While they were having such a conversation, inside the screen, THe Queen personally stuck a replica of the wet compress on the lower back of the old man, Arbol.
Bitan! Such a sound accompanied the action, it was quite the rough way to do it.
Due to that, the old man grimaced and let out a [Ofuh] , shortly after, his expression relaxed.
Seems like the wet compress started to work.
{The fact that it smells a bit bothers me...but this is good. Right, Jiiya?} (Queen)
{Yes, this Arbol guarantees it. It lightens the pain that comes with age...uumu...fuu...} (Arbol)
With this sequence of events, Philia-chan's item, the wet compress, placed in 10th place.
Following that, 9th to 6th place was full of orthodox medicines.
As a result of compounding being crafting with a high degree of difficulty alongside blacksmithing, the only thing that made the products lined up there different, was purely their effectiveness.
That makes me think that the one in 6th place was just a medium grade potion that simply had a high effect.
Even the fact that they went as far as to use the wet compress was quite plain.
Then it was finally time for 5th place but...the hand of the Queen, who had been smoothly introducing each item suddenly stopped.
Noticing something, the Queen held a certain green medicine in her hand and signaled Miles with her eyes.
Miles gave a bow and then left, then he immediately returned with a middle aged fat man alongside him.
What are they going to do...?
{It's been a while, Barow.} (Queen)
{I-It's been a while your Majesty! It seems like you are in the middle of some exhibition, why did you call for me during such a time?} (Barow)
{Nothing much, I thought I would have you help me with announcing the results of the visitors' event.
{B-But your Majesty.} (Barow)
{Drink it.} (Queen)
Being left with no other choice, the middle aged man calmed himself down and looked around.
From his looks, he seemed like a noble, he seemed to hold a big position at that...
[Hey, Riizu. I have a really bad feeling about this.] (Hind)
[I was hoping that the Queen would accidentally drink that one. So she's going to use it like this...tsk.] (Riizu)
[Eh? The potion the Queen is holding, that's something you both made?] (Selene)
[You'll understand when you see it, Selene-san...] (Hind)
It's something only us, who had made it, would understand. It was different from what its color suggested.
Hardening his resolve, the man called Barow closed his eyes and drank it all in one go...then he dropped the bottle and fell to his knees in that spot.
The bottle was destroyed as it fell to the ground and apart from Riizu and I, the other members froze in place.
So it really turned out like this...
{Visitors, it's rather embarrassing but...this man is someone from our country, and he was a member of the rebellion. He's not dead, so there's no need for you to worry. Well then...} (Queen)
Miles raised up Barow with some  help from Arbol.
His whole body was numb, Barow was completely unable to move...save from the neck upwards.
It was that type of special anaesthetic.
{How are you feeling? Barow.} (Queen)
{Hiii! Majesty, your Majesty! Have mercyyyyyyy!} (Barow)
{Fumu, it has quite the impressive effectiveness. On top of being able to talk like this, it's nice how it's camouflaged as medicine. I can make use of this, so he can't bite his own tongue, we should take out all his tee-} (Queen)
Just as the Queen was saying those words, the image suddenly cut off.
Then, a system message appeared alongside the black screen.
{Due to the possibility of the NPC Patra doing inappropriate actions, we'll interrupt the footage for a little bit. We apologize for the inconvenience but please, wait for a moment.} 
I wrapped my head with my hands, Riizu sighed because her plan had failed and the other members stood there with their mouths wide open.
Being the only one that completely understood the situation, Siesta-chan wrapped her arms around her abdomen and started laughing.
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