Chapter 245 - The Nail That Sticks Out Gets Bound
"Mmm... grading time!"
"Looks good, doesn't it?"
"Not bad."
After some back and forth, once a semblance of calm had been restored, my hair—which until now had been carelessly held in place with spray—was thoroughly restyled. To top it all off, my glasses were swapped out, and then they each gave their 'approval.'
My hair... well, that's fine, I guess.
"But these glasses are a definite no-go—"
These weren't just the oval-shaped ones I'd previously deemed 'look absolutely terrible on me'—they were round frames, something I personally considered bizarre.
Round frames, as in, John Lennon glasses. Only a seriously handsome guy, a fashionista, or an intellectual girl like Mizuki, the provider, could pull these off—
"They work."
"They totally work."
"Not bad."
"You really think so...?"
Unlike my fake ones, these had a prescription, and I muttered my doubt as I took off the borrowed pair that was causing a strange pressure on my eyes. I wiped them down with a cloth and handed them back to Mizuki, who put them back on without a moment's hesitation.
...The fact that she has no reservations about something I've touched... I'll take that as a positive sign. If it were anyone else but me, you'd be giving them the wrong idea with that.
"We should push the quirkiness to the limit without it looking unnatural. You have a plain... or rather, a smart-looking face, so nothing will clash."
"I'm being... complimented. I'll just assume that's what's happening."
"She's giving you a straight compliment. Donozomin, isn't your self-esteem a little too low?"
"Well, I've got my own issues—Donozomin???"
"Anyway, your face should be fine for a while. If you just need to keep it under wraps until you can process everything, there's no need to go all out to make sure you're never identified, right?"
That's true.
There's a limit to what a disguise can do. I'm not desperate enough to dye my hair or shave my head in the real world.
By the way, I'd like to dissect that 'Donozomin' Shoko just casually dropped—
"So, the next thing to discuss is what to do from here on out."
"Right... —Nozomi-kun, what are your plans for university?"
...But as the conversation shifted to the next massive topic, I lost my chance to question the mysterious nickname.
In this day and age, where the virtual world is widely prevalent—no, has been fully accepted—the existence of top players in [Arcadia] has, much like 'streamers' a generation ago, come to occupy the top spots in 'dream job' rankings.
Being recognized as a 'profession' means that the position generates profit and income.
The models are diverse and I don't know the specifics, but simply put, the basic form is getting 'sponsors' in various ways. Apparently, some leverage their brand to start their own businesses, but such powerhouses are a small minority.
For example, Irori—Nate Mitake's—major modeling career is sponsor-related work, and a more unconventional example would be Ui-san's 'book,' which is similar.
For a title holder at the very top of the rankings, it's normal to have some source of income based on their popularity in the virtual world.
And when that popularity isn't just domestic, but literally global... the profits they earn swell to an unimaginable scale.
Living by playing—it's no wonder that the celestial players who have become the embodiment of that dream in the modern era are objects of aspiration.
Whether that dream or aspiration is realistic, however, is another story.
Now then—how will the suddenly-risen [Acrobat] be treated in all this?
Roughly two months since his virtual world debut. In that short time, he produced one unbelievable result after another, and to top it off, he even managed to beat the strongest player in Arcadia, the [Sword Queen].
Would the world—and the countless corporations scrambling to get close to popular players—leave such a person alone?
"You know, it wouldn't be surprising if you became a billionaire someday."
"............"
"Less 'not surprising' and more 'a foregone conclusion.'"
"It wouldn't be strange if major corporations everywhere are already moving to sign him."
While I fell silent, Mizuki and Shoko reinforced Toshiki's words.
"Of course, you can refuse. But the best thing would be to not be found at all... At the very least, you shouldn't be walking around in public for a while."
What Mizuki said next was less a suggestion and more a 'conclusion.'
In any case, the situation exceeds the capacity of someone like me, who is just a normal person with no knowledge or mental preparation. If I were to be caught by someone while wandering around alone... well, even a layman like me can imagine that nothing good would come of it.
And ultimately, it comes down to the question of whether I can continue my university life like this—or rather, whether I even need to.
In all likelihood, the [Acrobat] of Istia will carry an immense 'value' from now on. That's a given, whether I want it to or not.
And naturally, the profits generated from that value will come rolling into my hands... Is there any point in continuing as a student while earning an income comparable to a top athlete's?
It's not that academics are being taken lightly.
It's that the virtual world is just too heavy.
"...Are there any famous rankers who are also current students?"
"If you mean maintaining a normal life as a normal student, there's only one. But 'he' is an exception, and it's because he's still in compulsory education, so appearances must be kept."
Mizuki, who possessed the broadest and deepest knowledge among the four of them, was truly reliable. She answered my question without hesitation, then continued, her eyes downcast in thought.
"The [Sword Queen] Iris, [Sword Protector] Irori, the [Right Wing] and [Left Wing]—there are quite a few rankers who rose to prominence while they were students, but I don't think any of them graduated normally. As far as I know, at least, there's no one whose activity history suggests they attended school normally."
It seems no one just dropped out completely, but all of them chose not to 'continue attending normally.' Or perhaps, they couldn't—that's probably more accurate.
"The 'expectations' placed on them—and the 'responsibility' that comes from trying to meet them—are too great. I can't imagine it's possible to manage that alongside academics."
"Heh, that's straight out of a superhero comic, isn't it? With great power comes great responsibility."
Toshiki's interjection was surely meant to show his consideration for me. His good nature was impossible to hide behind his joking tone.
"You can refuse... but it's not that simple, right?"
Even with my lack of knowledge, I was desperately trying to wrap my head around it. As Mizuki said, whether or not to accept those who approach me is, of course, my decision.
However, as the saying goes, it's wise to bow to a superior force—
"I don't have any specialized knowledge either. So I can't say anything irresponsible, but... I can't recommend it. For your own safety, you should join a 'large organization' as soon as possible."
—is what I think. The words Mizuki concluded with seemed to me to be nothing but the absolute truth.
"Aaaargh.................."
Here, in what was probably 'the safest place in the real world,' surrounded by my friends—
"This is suuuuuuch.................. a pain in the ass...!!"
I, who had journeyed through the virtual world with nothing but the desire to enjoy a game, was now trapped by the constraints of the real world.
Letting out an utterly defeated cry, I leaned back against the sofa... and stared blankly at the ceiling.
I was down with a fever, tee-hee. It's the end of the year, so everyone, please take care of your health...
※Let me confess in advance. I have settings prepared for all the difficult stuff about real-world corporations, profits, value, and the schemes that come with them... but I have no plans to delve too deeply into them in the story. I will strive for depictions that have a certain level of persuasiveness, but please understand that what this author wants all of you, the readers, to read is not a boring 'difficult story,' but a 'hot and sweet story' that will give you heartburn...