Fifty minutes had already passed since the clay sculpture competition with Megiddo-san had started.
It seemed that our workbenches were designed in a way that the people outside can't see what we're making, so neither Megiddo-san and I can see what the other is making.
In the arena, perhaps to pass the time, several performances were shown and the crowd was very excited.
The clay sculpture I'm working on now... The theme is about "living creatures", so I chose a "dog" as my subject.
To be honest, I think that if an amateur tries to make something too elaborate, they would obviously fail. So, I chose a subject that was as simple as possible, and spent my time improving the sculpture's quality.
I think it's a good decision I made back then.
With only 10 minutes left, I looked at my sculpture, which was nearing completion, and one thought came to my mind.
...What the f*ck is this? This... "creepy creature"...
"Skin as lumpy as crags", "legs that looked like a squashed fruit", "face that is so close to the ground for some reason", "a tail... that doesn't look like a tail at all, looking more like a weird stick stuck on clay"... What the heck am I even making? No matter how I look at it objectively, it looks like a creature that doesn't live on Earth.
Unnn. Well, I knew it... I'm really no good at making three-dimensional objects. I don't know what the heck I was thinking when I created this thing... this sorrowful monster.
I guess it really was a bad idea to "lump more clay over my work" so that I could adjust the shape huh. It was about 20 centimeters at the beginning, but now, it had swollen to about "5 times" its size... Adding up too much unnecessary stuff also ends up in failure. Well, I feel like a typical amateur but... If I knew what I was doing while I was making it, I wouldn't have had any trouble.
The end result of my actions... is "some kind of weird rock-like creature". Let's declare it now. Unless the eyes of all the judges are rotten, there's no way I can win with this.
{ Now then, we have 5 minutes left. This is everyone's beloved Phantasmal King-chan, finally back at last. To be honest, there's a scary person still watching me behind my back, so I'm going to give a serious Live commentary here. Well then, Analyst Fate-san, would you tell us your predictions on who will win? }
{ Hmmm. The War King is also quite famous for his art. It is rumored that his sculptures are especially great, so I think the War King has advantage here based on his experience... B- By the way, can't you do something about... that scary person behind us? }
{ That's impossible. She's completely watching over me with eyes that tell me "the next time I mess around again, she'll crush me to pieces", so we don't have any choice but to do this seriously. }
Alice, who had returned back from Kuro's severe scolding before I knew it, told us how much time we had left. Apparently, Kuro is keeping an eye on them in the back, which is very reassuring.
However, unnn... 5 more minutes huh... I don't think there's anything I can do about this anymore. No matter what I do, I can only see a future where this thing would look worse than it already is. Isn't there any way I can win this match?
As I waited, thinking about this, I heard the sound of a bell announcing that the time of making the sculpture has ended.
{ Times~~ up~~! Thank you for your hard work. Well then, let's start showing off to everyone what you made! }
...I already lost this match, so can we just go to the next one without having to show this monstrosity to the public?
{ Well then, first up would be from War King, Megiddo-san! }
[Ohh!]
Hearing the announcement of the Live commentator Alice, Megiddo-san removed the boards that were hiding his work. Thereupon, what appeared from there was...
{ Whoa!? Isn't that quite a beauty! Glossy jet-black scales, sharp fangs... }
{ ...It's a Night Metal Dragon. Mhmm, that's amazing. It looks just like the real thing. }
Megiddo-san created a dragon about 30 centimeters long... As if every single scale had been carefully polished, its entire body seemed to glow a dull shine, and the sculpture's intensity was so great that even I, who had never seen the original creature, felt overwhelmed.
Well, this is no good. His sculpture is just too great... Even with all the muscles loaded in your hands, you did such delicate work!? Seriously, Megiddo-san's amazing. I knew it, there's no way I can win in this situation.
[What do you think, Kaito!? I'm pretty confident with what I made today!]
[I- It's amazing...]
No, no, you can't even consider this a match, you know!? It's like putting you're putting a kindergartener's school project next to a master's work of art, you know!? I knew I really shouldn't exhibit my work...
{ Now then, the next one would be the challenger Kaito-san! Please show everyone what you did! }
{ ...… }
I kinda don't really want to though. Showing this monstrosity before the eyes of everyone in this place... However, now that it's been declared, I can't not publish it.
As my hands trembled, I fearfully removed the blinds covering my work... and revealed to everyone this tragic, or perhaps, this laughable creature.
{ Oh? Hmmm? This is... }
The voice of the live commentator sounded bewildered... Unnn, just go kill me already.
Feeling an inexplicable sense of shame, I fearfully looked at my opponent, Megiddo-san... and saw him staring at me with his eyes opened wide.
Is he astonished at how badly I did it? Just as I was thinking that, Megiddo-san fell on his knees for some reason and put his hands on the ground.
[...It's... my "loss".]
...Huh? Why?
[M- Megiddo-sama!? T- The judges still haven't...]
For some reason, Megiddo-san declared his defeat and several Demons who seemed to be judges rushed over to him. Unnn, what they're asking is right. I mean, I don't know what's going on either.
[You idiots! Look at it, Kaito's work!]
[...Eh? T- That is... could it be!?]
[...Rough outer shell that looks like a rock, its distinctive "long neck"...]
[I- I can't be mistaken! This is definitely...!]
[ [ [ Gun Rock Dragon!!! ] ] ]
...No, you're wrong... that's a dog.
[W- What a quality! Even this neck, stretching out as if roaring to the heavens, looks powerful!]
...No, that's the tail.
[Its distinctive "round tail" is also beautifully reproduced!]
No, that's the head, you know...
[H- However, don't you think there are lots of "pointless parts" for it to actually be a Gun Rock Dragon?]
[Are you stupid!? Look closely, that isn't its body! That's the "background!]
[I- I see! That unnatural space was actually depicting the "ravine" huh!!!]
...Those are the dog's feet!!! Megiddo-san too, what kind of nonsense are you talking about!? I mean, what does this work seriously look like in your eyes!?
[M- Moreover, look at that! A- Aren't those "wings"!?]
[T- That's impossible! Gun Rock Dragons aren't supposed to have wings, you know?]
[...if it's "Real" Gun Rock Dragons, that is.]
[ [ [ !? ] ] ]
No, no, this is strange. Why the heck do you look so smug saying that, Megiddo-san? Also, why the heck do the judges have faces that seem to say "I never thought of that"!? If the real dragon doesn't have wings... Wouldn't that mean a deduction in points instead?
[...This is an art competition. In other words, that is….. his work is...]
[Yeah, I understand. I can now clearly see it... as to why Megiddo-sama declared his defeat...]
[A majestic ravine, and a Gun Rock Dragon with powerful wings, staring up at the heavens... What he made is...]
[ [ [ A Gun Rock Dragon About to Fly to the Skies!!! ] ] ]
...All of you, did your eyes get rotten? All of you aren't even close to knowing what I made! Not entirely close!
H- Hey, as expected, the stream of this situation is turning into a strange direction... Is there some follow-up I can do...
[B- But Megiddo-san's work looks like the real thing!]
[Fuuu, Kaito. You don't have to console me. Yes, it's true that I created a Night Metal Dragon that looks exactly like the real thing. But it's just "imitating the real thing"... There's no way I can beat you, who came up with an outrageous idea of "exceeding the real thing".]
[...…..]
Why the heck do you have a face that seems to say you gracefully accepted defeat!? No, no, what the heck is with this situation!?
[N- No, this is actually...]
[That's Kaito for you. The thoughts you put into that work... They certainly touched my heart! Giving wings to the flightless Gun Rock Dragon and letting her fly into the sky... You put "dreams and possibilities" into that work... It's my complete defeat.]
No, I'm not showing any thoughts in that sculpture, you know!? Heck, I don't even know what I was thinking when I made that! Eh? The heck is happening? They're applauding... Is the result already decided? Am I going to win in a way I'm unsatisfied about?
{ Hmmm. Art is a difficult aspect, isn't it? I actually thought that you were "trying to make a dog, but failed"... }
Fate-san! You're right! You're totally right!!!
{ There are several types of expression in art. Some, like Megiddo-san, faithfully reproduces the real thing, while others, like Kaito-san, "who challenges themselves to break through their previous shell" to give it a broader interpretation and message. }
{ Hehh~~ Sounds really deep. }
{ Yes, such works tend to be complex, but Kaito-san seems to have expressed and grandeur by increasing the size. As expected of Kaito-san. }
{ Fumufumu. }
Oi, don't put in unnecessary follow-ups. I'm getting more and more embarrassed here, but I can't even say they're mistaken because of the atmosphere...
If I tell the truth here, Megiddo-san will be very embarrassed. If he looks that satisfied after declaring his defeat, and then turns out that he was mistaken, his dignity will be severely damaged... I- I can't say it...
{ And thus, the challenger Kaito-san has splendidly won the first match! Everyone, please give him a big round of applause! }
...Please get me out of this place...
Dear Mom, Dad———– I heard from somewhere that Art is in the eye of the beholder, and the others can have interpretations that are unimaginable to the average person. But well, as for this matter————- This isn't just on the level of going against the creator's intentions, you know!?