VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～

Don’t think there’s much to say this time, enjoy the chapter.

Just as there was an act during the event opening, it was obvious that there would be one for the ending.

In order to do that, the servers went on maintenance from 9am-3pm on Thursday, and the developers announced that there would be an act to end the event on the official page.

Seems like it’s slated to be at the same time as last time, at 10:30pm.

Having obtained this information, Shuuhei told us there was a surge of 「Threads to cheer for Maou-chan」 in the BBS.

Since we had been too enthusiastic during the event, we decided to just watch the event and log out today.

However, that’s excluding Tobi, who was going to play for long.

We gathered in Heathrow town’s pub, we waited for the closing event while trying out the newly implemented hunger system.

The first meal we ordered in TB was…a sandwich made of rye bread, ham and cheese accompanied with some milk.

「Hmm…I think it’s pretty normal?」 (Yumir)

「Really? I believe the mustard gives it that kick it needs and it doesn’t taste half bad though?」 (Tobi)

「This person just doesn’t realize that her tongue has grown refined. It annoys me, but she’s been eating Hind-san’s cooking every day after all」 (Riizu)

「She says that it tastes normal but she’s eating it really fast. Look, they are falling all over the place」 (Hind)

「Hmm!」 (Yumir)

I picked up all the breadcrumbs and placed them on the empty plate on the table.

The owner who had made these sandwiches…was that refined and slender middle aged man.

Even though until yesterday he was only talking with people from the other side of the counter, today he was suddenly busy cooking.

It seems that you can buy alcohol as long as you are not a minor and there’s even a system that simulates being drunk.

By the way, regarding the food in TB…it seems that you won’t ever feel like you are full.

So, I’m glad that something like…you ate too much inside the game so you won’t feel hungry in real life won’t happen.

「I wonder if there will be any difference in taste depending on the shop? Considering the performance of the AI in TB, I wouldn’t be surprised if each shop had its own taste」 (Hind)

「If that’s the case, it would be fun to search for a shop that you like, right? Hind-san, will you cook inside TB too?」 (Riizu)

「Yeah I will. It seems that making your own food is cheaper than buying it after all」 (Hind)

「You are going to be frugal even inside the game…?」 (Tobi)

「He’s through and through like that, you know? He’s been like that since we started playing the game」 (Yumir)

Oh right, currently, Yumir’s name is not being displayed above her head.

Because she got such a score in the damage rankings, in order to not get involved with players that thought she cheated…though, she did get involved with them as soon as she logged in.

To summarize it in a gentle way…it went like this.

「For a knight to get 1st place, she obviously cheated! That kind of damage is suspicious!」

「Or, maybe she knows someone in the developer staff?」

The reality was that the words they used were far more abusive, so after calling a GM I asked him to take care of it.

Seems like the GMs go around TB disguised as normal players, so if you are lucky, they’ll answer your call right away.

Once we notified them, an old man with a mustache immediately came over and left after warning the players.

When it comes to abusive language, your account will be temporarily suspended after your 2nd warning.

That being said, per that GM’s suggestion, it was made so that only Yumir’s name would appear in the rankings.

Name display settings can only be changed by those players that haven’t done PK activities and their names are blue, PKs and people that have done criminal acts against NPCs are unable to hide their names.

There are quite a few players that hide their player names, so it shouldn’t be that odd for Yumir to do so.

For the record, we all changed our email settings to 「Friends only」.

This way, if they only know the player name, we don’t have to worry about receiving threatening emails.

Yumir said she was quite displeased about having to hide herself like this even though she had done nothing wrong, but seems like the developers will release a replay of the person that took 1st place so she’ll have to endure until then.

A short while ago, the developers emailed us asking if we wanted to release the replay to the public or not, since we were angry that the players doubted us, we all agreed to it.

If they kept doubting us, we wouldn’t be able to have fun in TB from now on after all.

It’s been decided that the replay video will be uploaded shortly after the event’s final act.

「Oh, the captions have appeared! Let us go and meet Maou-chan!」 (Tobi)

「Tobi, you like that sort of thing?」 (Hind)

「Are you a lolicon?」 (Yumir)

「Are you a pervert?」 (Riizu)

「These tears that are coming from your cruel words! Wait, wrong! It’s not because she’s a loli, it’s just…you get this feeling you have to protect her, that kind of cuteness pulls at my heartstrings-」 (Tobi)

「Alright, let’s go outside」 (Hind)

「Wait! Don’t leave me behind!」 (Tobi)

After paying the bill, we left the pub while the owner bowed his head.

Since this time there had been a prior announcement, there were way more people gathered outside than last time.

Cracks started to appear in the air.

The unstable picture slowly formed a silhouette, eventually, the projection took form.

However, it wasn’t the cute appearance of Maou-chan that everyone was expecting…but the Maou’s army number 2, Samael, who was grinning.

「Hahahaha! It’s been 1 week, you ignorant people! —Wait wait! Don’t throw stones at me, don’t cast magic, don’t shoot arrows! Please, listen to what I have to say first! After that, Maou-sama will grace you with her words!」 (Samael)

I can only smile wrily at this point.

By the way, Tobi was throwing stones along with the other people.

Once they heard that Maou-chan would appear, the surroundings turned quiet.

…If you paid attention, you could hear someone doing vocal exercises behind Samael.

A I U E O, or something like that…am I imagining things?

「Ahem! We have witnessed your fights from the Maou’s castle. As a result of that, we’ll reward those that showed promise with items that’ll come in handy in fights!」 (Samael)

Samael is probably referring to the rewards for the event rankings.

Since Yumir still hasn’t received her 「Hero’s soul」, it seems like she’ll receive it after this final act from the looks of it.

「By making use of them, cover yourselves further in blood, fight, fight! Become strong and stand before us! Maou-sama will proceed to name those she has deemed worthy. Be grateful! Come, Maou-sama. It’s your turn!」 (Samael)

「Sa Shi Su Se–eh, already!? Wait wait!」 (Maou)

After some clattering and rustling sounds, the figure of a nervous Maou-chan appeared in the sky.

The cheers of the players…especially male ones, erupted.

Maou-chan…so she still minded how the last time she bit her tongue…

「「「Maou-chan！！！」」」

「Uooooo！　Maou-chan!!!　D-Degozaru!!」 (Tobi)

「「……」」

Me and Riizu started to back away after seeing Tobi like that.

This guy…so he had that side to him…I didn’t know.

Yumir was really looking forward to receiving her reward from Maou-chan, so she was ignoring him and staring at Maou-chan.

「F-First off, the one who struck the most vital points of the turtles, Thief…Edward! I-I’ll grant you a star necklace! Be grateful! Next one-」 (Maou)

While stumbling and biting her tongue, Maou-chan awkwardly kept naming the names of the players that placed 1st in the rankings.

Seeing her admirable efforts, the players cheered even louder.

Shouting until their throats were hoarse and because there was this feeling of oppression in the air…Riizu started to make a disgusted face.

The player that placed 1st in the critical rankings seemed to be close to us, he seems to be happier from having his name called by Maou-chan than from getting the reward.

A light appeared above his head and the item made its appearance, once he extended his hand towards it, the necklace fell down.

I see, it’s like that…wait, since an aura doesn’t really have a physical form, how are we going to receive it?

It seems that some players aren’t logged in either, will it directly appear in your inventory?

After that, the ranking results were announced one after another, and it was finally the time for the attack ranking.

「As for the last one! The one I’ve watched over the most, the one whose blow on the elder turtle resounded throughout the heavens. Shouldn’t I deem that person a hero worthy of opposing me!? However, you won’t receive anything from me! A worthy power already dwells within your body! I await the day you stand before the Maou’s castle, Hero Yumir! Hahahaha! -cough, cough!」 (Maou)

「W-Water! Someone bring some water! Are you OK, Maou-sama!?…T-That will be all! We’ll have to say goodbye for the time being, you ignorant people!」 (Samael)

Before they could throw stones at him, the projection of Samael looking after Maou-chan who choked disappeared.

Eh…what about the aura?

It seems like Yumir also didn’t understand what Maou-chan was trying to say, we both tilted our heads at the same time.