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Chapter 6
I felt the blood drain cold from my body, and I closed my eyes for a moment.
After taking a breath to steady myself, I looked straight at the camera and shouted.
“I’m not your type.”
My voice spread out into the universe. There was no turning back now.
“Your type… of star!”
I tilted my head at the angle that made me look the most handsome. With a refreshing wink, I pulled out the finger heart I had hidden inside my jacket and kissed it with a little mwah! sound, and held it out toward the camera.
I had shot it straight into the universe.
A form of K-style aegyo that aliens had surely never seen before!
My aegyo-equipped face filled the holographic screen like a frozen image, and the countdown came to an end.
BANG!
A powerful sound effect rang out, and huge text appeared across my face.
FIRST IMPRESSION VOTING ENDED!
Sniff, sniff.
As I got closer to the cafeteria, delicious smells filled the air.
I had been starving since morning, so the moment the first broadcast ended, an incredible hunger washed over me.
Fortunately, as soon as the broadcast ended, we were instructed to go eat.
I wanted to hurry there, but perhaps because I had been so tense throughout the filming and was completely drained, my steps were slow.
*’I did well, right…?’
Even with hunger gnawing harshly at my stomach, I couldn’t stop worrying about the results of the first impression vote.
Since I had been the last one to perform, I had been rushed away immediately after finishing my stage, so I hadn’t been able to properly check the reaction to my first impression.
Since the votes were being counted in real time, the rankings had probably already been determined, but I had no idea when the production team would announce them.
The die had already been cast.
All I could do was desperately hope that I had left a strong impression.
As soon as I entered the cafeteria, the delicious smells made all my worries disappear.
*’So this is the famous Stadium cafeteria…!’
It was famous for offering all kinds of delicacies from across the universe.
There was even a joke that during Season 1, contestants competed with their lives on the line just to survive longer and get one more meal here.
Perhaps because of that, the buffet tables displaying the food looked enormous.
On Earth, our food mostly revolved around categories like Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisine, so I was excited to see what kinds of dishes there would be here.
*’Meat. Meat first!’
Of course, after a day this exhausting, it had to be meat!
I grabbed a plate and charged toward the buffet table, picking up a delicious-looking steak.
“AAAH!”
The meat that had looked like a rare-cooked steak suddenly wriggled.
Then a single eyeball blinked open and met my gaze.
“It’s, it’s alive…!”
Was this some kind of food that was eaten raw, like live octopus?
The unexpected cultural shock made my stomach churn.
I carefully put down the thing that was staring blankly at me and moved elsewhere.
There were so many different kinds of food, so I thought at least the other dishes would be okay.
But they were all just as horrifying.
An unidentified creature that looked like a slime wriggled around, trying to escape from its salad bowl.
Inside another plate covered with a transparent lid, a colorful assortment of bugs that looked like ladybugs had been placed on top of oil pasta.
*’Ugh. I think I’m going to throw up…’
I had expected luxurious, delicious-looking food like you would find at a hotel buffet…
How narrow-minded and Earthling-like of me.
Standing in the middle of a cafeteria filled with all kinds of bizarre ingredients from across the universe, I realized something.
With so many different alien species gathered here, of course their tastes in food would be just as diverse.
“I’m glad they at least have this…”
I spent quite some time walking around the buffet table looking for things I could actually eat, but the food on my tray was pitiful.
A few kinds of ordinary-looking bread and a glass of milk were all I had.
*’But this really is milk, right?’
It looked clearer than Earth’s milk, which made me suspicious, but compared to the brightly colored drinks, I found it much less unpleasant.
*’Oh, whatever. Surely it won’t kill me!’
I was so hungry by now that I could probably chew on cowhide, so I hurried toward the dining tables.
My stomach let out a loud rumble.
Then I noticed the mechanic cameras floating near the ceiling.
I had assumed filming would stop during mealtime, but the cameras were still busily moving between the tables, capturing the contestants.
Well, of course.
When would cameras ever turn off during a survival show?
Being good on stage alone wasn’t enough to debut.
Who you interacted with and what kind of image you showed during the early part of the broadcast would shape your character and story.
If contestants had similar skills, viewers would vote for the one they felt a little more attached to, the one whose next appearance they were curious about.
Besides, I didn’t have flames, wings, or sparkling scales.
If I couldn’t instantly steal people’s attention with a trait, I had to make myself memorable in some other way.
Then I have to compete in my own way.
First, on stage, I would show the basic skills I had honed on Earth.
And if I got the chance, I planned to actively participate in composing, arranging, and planning to show off my abilities.
*’I’m the contestant with no trait. That means I’ll have an advantage when it comes to creating a story.’
I wanted to become the contestant who overcame her weakness and achieved good results.
The kind of contestant people would want to cheer for!
To do that, getting along well with the other contestants was also important.
If we relied on one another and made up for each other’s shortcomings, chemistry and stories would naturally develop.
*’I can’t possibly do everything alone until I make it into the final seven.’
That meant this meal, the first opportunity to mingle with the other contestants, was a perfect chance!
If possible, I wanted to become friends with someone I clicked with, someone I felt I could continue working with in the future.
*’Then choosing where to sit is extremely important…!’
I scanned the seats with sharp eyes.
But because I had spent too much time thinking, the tables were already packed with contestants.
No, there were enough seats overall, but it would be more accurate to say there weren’t many places where I could actually sit.
Some contestants were so huge that they occupied an entire table by themselves.
Others had already established themselves at the center of a group, laughing and chatting noisily.
If I squeezed into a place like that, I might get some screen time, but there was a high chance I’d be buried among the more prominent contestants.
I wanted someone I could talk to comfortably, someone who would get along well with me.
If team missions came up later, I would definitely need at least one contestant I could work well with.
After looking around for a while, I spotted a seat that seemed promising.
It was beside the contestant who had spread his jewel-like tail like a peacock.
He was Yuse from the bird beastmen planet, wasn’t he?
I opened my hand screen and pulled up his contestant profile.
Yuse
Contestant No.: B-25
Planet: Harpyia
Trait: Crystal Tail
Age: 21
Height/Weight: 178 cm / 62 kg
Preferred Position: Vocalist
Special Skills: Absolute pitch, cleaning
I remembered the way he had spread his dazzling crystal tail during the first impression stage.
His performance had been good, and judging by the fact that his preferred position was vocalist, his singing ability was probably decent too.
Seeing him quietly eating at his seat, he didn’t seem aggressive either.
I felt like we’d get along.
Most importantly, it seemed like he, too, hadn’t found a group to hang out with yet.
Good. You’re my first meal buddy!
“Hey, if the seat next to you is free…”
“Fuck, I almost died the moment I got here!”
My steps toward the seat beside Yuse stopped.
The owner of that irritated voice was Claude from the planet of flames, the first contestant in the first impression mission.
He had almost tripped over Yuse’s tail, which was sticking out beyond the chair, and his face twisted in annoyance.
Claude brushed back his disheveled hair, then casually poked Yuse’s tail with his foot.
“Hey. If you fall and hurt your face, are you going to take responsibility?”
“Ah, I’m sorry… Are you okay…?”
Flustered, Yuse hurriedly stood up and pulled his tail back.
His face, which had been glowing with a mysterious blue hue, had turned bright red.
“Are you already trying to keep the ace in check?”
“No, that’s not what I meant… I’m sorry!”
“Ah~ Is saying sorry all you can do? You sure live an easy life.”
Claude sneered at Yuse, apparently amused by how flustered he was.
Then he leaned his face closer to Yuse.
“Then I can do something I’m sorry for too, right?”
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, a ball of flame rose from Claude’s hand.
It was only about the size of an apple, but the crimson flame radiated intensely concentrated heat.
It instantly warmed the air around them and sent everyone into a state of fear.
Friction between students was common even in schools on Earth, but here, something that would normally end with a fistfight on Earth could turn into something horrifying enough to determine whether someone lived or died.
With the ability Claude had shown during the first impression mission…
Turning Yuse’s tail into a lump of charcoal would be child’s play.
And wiping out the entire cafeteria wouldn’t be difficult either.
Before I knew it, the mechanic cameras had begun swarming over like bees that had caught the scent of something interesting.
As flames rose from Claude’s hand, red lights began appearing one by one inside the camera lenses.
The production staff must have been watching too, but no one tried to stop him.
For an idol on Earth, even raising their voice in front of a camera could damage their image.
But things were different here.
Even in Season 1, contestants with powerful traits and bold personalities had been turned into attractive characters by the show and gained popularity.
You only had to look at how excited the viewers had been over Claude’s arrogant attitude during the first impression vote.
Maybe, to the production team, this wasn’t an accident that needed to be stopped.
Maybe it was exactly the kind of footage they couldn’t afford to miss.
*’But even so, someone could get seriously hurt…’
I nervously watched the situation, afraid it might turn into an actual accident.
As someone with no trait, I thought it would be best to hurry away.
But Yuse looked as vulnerable as I did, and I couldn’t bring myself to leave him behind.
“Hehehe.”
Claude laughed as if he were enjoying himself and brought the ball of flame closer to Yuse’s face.
It looked like the fire could catch at any moment and something terrible could happen.
*’This is really going to turn into a disaster…’
All the contestants watching the situation had frightened expressions.
They had all demonstrated tremendous power during the mission, but none of them seemed willing to challenge Claude.
Dangerous… Someone has to stop him!
“Ah!”
What am I doing…?
By the time I realized what I was doing, it was already too late.
My hand had moved on its own and poured the milk I had received from the cafeteria straight onto Claude’s hand.
While pretending it was an accident, putting on an awkward act.
Claude’s sleeve was soaked in white milk, and the flame in his hand went out with a hiss of smoke.
Milk had even splashed onto Claude’s hair and face.
Clear, milky-white droplets gathered at the tip of his chin and dripped down one after another.
A cold silence descended over the cafeteria.
Very slowly, Claude turned his head and glared at me with a chilly gaze.
‘I’m dead now…’
I regretted it immediately, but there was no way to put spilled milk back into the glass.
“I’m sorry! My feet got tangled and I…”
“What are you…?”
His voice dripped with murderous intent.
He tilted his head at an angle and walked toward me.
“Ugh!”
Then, without warning, he grabbed me by the collar and lifted me up.
The hand that had just been producing flames radiated a wave of heat.
Claude was a whole head taller than me, and he easily lifted me with one hand.
My height, which could hold its own against most boys on Earth, was useless against an alien.
My feet flailed helplessly in the air.
“I, I…”
“Ah~ The ‘star in your heart’ from earlier?”
“Y-You remember! My name is Tamina.”
The cold, stiff expression on Claude’s face loosened.
His eyes lit up like a mischievous child who had just found an entertaining new toy.
“Yeah. You’re that no-trait girl from some unheard-of planet called Earth, right?”
“I am from Earth, but ‘unheard-of’ is a little harsh… haha. But… um… could you put me down while we talk?”
“You did pretty well in the first impression.”
He smiled sweetly.
“For someone with no trait, that was probably the best you could do, right? ‘The star in your heart~’”
Claude was smiling playfully, but the way he imitated me was clearly mocking.
Perhaps the tension from a moment ago had eased because of his little joke.
Some of the contestants watching began to chuckle.
“Hehehe. Hey, go easy on him. You’re going to make the kid cry.”
“Wow, as expected of a Hexian. He’s fiery.”
On the other hand, some contestants whispered anxiously, seemingly unsure what kind of whim Claude might have next.
“Oh my… What do we do?”
“Shouldn’t someone stop him?”
As if deliberately playing up the attention focused on him, Claude lifted me even higher.
“Ugh…”
“This thing you spilled on my hand. You got it because you were going to drink it, right?”
What’s he planning?
His grip on my collar was so tight that it was difficult to speak.
When I barely managed to nod, Claude smoothly raised the corners of his mouth into a smile.
“Then lick it up.”
“…Huh?”
“It’d be a waste to let it spill. So lick my hand clean.”
