Then the host read out a question. Whoever pressed their button the fastest was allowed to answer. The border around that person’s title would sparkle, and a high-pitched ding-ding sound effect would play. It was a little different from the quiz shows on TV, but it was easy to follow and entertaining enough.
The questions were general, drawing from categories like literature, science, history, and the arts, with the show slated to run for about an hour.
After about half of that time had passed, Himegami began to sound slightly panicked.
“And here we are, folks, at the halfway mark—and Ochiba Kareki has answered one-third of the questions. She’s pulled away from second place with a five-point gap. At this rate, she’ll win before we even get to the last question!”
“Is this an instruction for me to stop answering, Kuon?”
“No, that’s not what I said at all.”
“Then there should be no problem simply continuing the quiz.”
“She’s the only second-string talent with her own 3D model, and yet the greed, the avarice—can nothing be done about it? Right! Here’s my decision, based on my own judgment and biases. All questions from here on out are worth double the points!”
Himegami wasn’t holding back toward my neighbor. He was probably still upset about not being able to attend Winterfest in person and was using this chance to exercise his authority as her senpai. It wasn’t very effective, though; she was pushing right back, and she was winning the fight.
“Second-string talents are uncertain investments. If I win, OtherPro won’t have to create a 3D model for any of them. I believe I’m being much more considerate toward management than the others. Don’t you agree?”
“W-wow, she’s even gloomier than I’d heard. We can’t let her win! We can’t let her take home the prize! I’m asking all the other second-string talents to step it up and take the lead back from Ochiba Kareki!”
A cheer went up in the hall. I used my phone to check the streaming site and saw quite a few comments about my neighbor’s behavior. It seemed even the cold treatment she received from Himegami was going over well. To be blunt, everyone simply saw it as part and parcel of Ochiba Kareki’s character.
In the end, my neighbor won the quiz contest. It was all thanks to spending so much of her life hanging around in libraries.
I heard a few audience members make negative comments. Most of them were female, probably fans of Himegami. The men, however, were praising her. The stark split in opinion along gender lines seemed unusual for VTubers.
But my neighbor, still up onstage, parried it all in her flat, disinterested way—proof of her mental toughness. I doubted any of her viewers would believe she was actually a thirteen-year-old girl. On the streaming page, I could see several comments effectively telling the “old lady” to retire.
Once the event was over, Ms. Futarishizuka, Type Twelve, and I decided to head back to Area C, the same backstage area we’d visited the day before for the rehearsal.
I brought Ms. Futarishizuka and Type Twelve with me as a test, and we found Miss Inukai manning the entrance. Normally, they wouldn’t have been allowed in, but since Miss Inukai already knew our situation, she gave the two of them guest lanyards, and we were all able to go in together.
My neighbor and Abaddon were already in the staff area.
“You did good,” I said to her. “I think the audience really enjoyed your event.”
“Huh? Oh, um, you saw all that?”
“Of course. We had front row seats.”
“You certainly stand head and shoulders above the other second-strings, dear,” added Ms. Futarishizuka.
We settled down at one of the many long tables. The room looked the same as it had the day before, with people slumped over tables sleeping, and others eating or conducting meetings. A good number of people were dressed in costumes, too, so the silver-haired Type Twelve and kimono-wearing Ms. Futarishizuka didn’t stand out all that much. Thanks to that, we were able to chat without attracting any attention from those around us.
“I only stand out so much because of the wonderful model the younger sister made for me.”
“Elder Sister, your evaluation warms my heart greatly. I hope you continue to make full use of it.”
“We’ll have to thank you for real at some point!”
“Yes. Although I’m not sure what we can do for you.”
“In that case, I would like your assistance persuading Mother in the near future.”
“Persuading her? I suppose I can help you with that…”
Type Twelve was still eager to try cosplaying, it seemed.
In the meantime, two familiar faces approached us.
“Oh, Miss Kareki. Friends of yours? They don’t look like they’re from OtherPro.”
“Geeeez! They’re so cute! Can you introduce me? Pleeease?”
Miss Kihouin and Miss Rolling had come backstage a little after we had, and they came over the moment they spotted their kouhai. They were acting very friendly.
“Calling them my friends would be misleading,” said my neighbor. “They’re more like acquaintances.”
“I see they’re wearing guest lanyards,” said Miss Kihouin, turning a suspicious gaze on Ms. Futarishizuka.
“Yes, we have something of a connection to OtherPro’s management, dearie,” she replied casually. “They were very accommodating.”
Type Twelve watched their exchange without saying anything. She didn’t seem too interested in the people behind the VTubers.
“Anyway, did you need something from me?” my neighbor asked Miss Kihouin, as if to draw her attention away from us.
“Might you have seen Mr. Kuga anywhere, darling? If you have, I’d like to know where.”
“The director? No, I haven’t seen him since I got here.”
“Well, nobody has seen him in a while, and quite a few people need to find him.”
“Yeeeah! We even got a message telling us to look for himmm,” Miss Rolling chimed in.
A conversation began between my neighbor and her senpai, while the rest of us maintained our silence. I turned my ear to the other conversations in the room and found I could hear Mr. Kuga’s name here and there. These two ladies must not be the only ones after him.
“Didn’t the higher-ups have a room in the conference tower?” asked my neighbor.
“Yes, but it’s locked from the inside,” Miss Kihouin responded. “And we’ve been knocking for ages without hearing a peep.”
“I see.”
“As I’m sure you’re well aware, the plan was for Mr. Kuga to go on the main stage first thing in the afternoon and give a short speech.”
“Yeeeah, so everyone’s getting really worried,” said Miss Rolling. “We were wondering if you knew anything, Karekiii.”
“Could he have passed out inside?”
“Yes, the director is terribly worried about that, too.”
As Miss Kihouin spoke, I heard her phone buzzing inside her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced at the screen, then excused herself from the group. The call lasted only about two or three minutes. Soon, she lowered the phone from her ear and filled us all in.
“I’ve just spoken with the director. He says he wants us to go and take a peek into the conference tower, since everyone else is busy at the moment. He’ll contact facility management and have them bring us a duplicate key.”
This seemed like the perfect job for our group, since we were sitting around with nothing to do.
After hearing Miss Kihouin’s explanation, I took the opportunity to speak up. “If it’s all right with you, we’d like to help as well. If something has happened, it’ll be better to have people with free time to help you out. You’re two of the day’s big stars, and we don’t want you to get caught up in something time-consuming.”
“That is perfectly fine with me,” said Miss Kihouin. “Miss Kareki, may we borrow your manager, darling?”
“If he’s going, then please let me come along as well.”
“Yaaay! Let’s all go hunting for Mr. Kugaaa!” exclaimed Miss Rolling.
With everyone in agreement, we headed for the conference tower to find Mr. Kuga.