Hearing that Machina-san had proposed the idea filled me with a profound sense of unease, but the knowledge that Alice was standing between her and the actual execution brought me a sudden wave of relief.
Alice could be counted on to shoot down the truly disastrous ideas. Besides, Machina-san was even more indulgent toward Alice than she was toward her own child; if Alice spoke up, she usually listened. I felt confident that the necessary course corrections were being handled.
"With that being said, the third event of the evening is... a Hidden Talent Show!"
"...A what?"
"Normally, it's the kind of thing you'd see at a banquet, but it was the most sensible option among the ideas Machina brought forward. Honestly, her first suggestion was to screen a ridiculous movie with a total screening time of eighty-seven years. I mean, what part of having eighty-seven years pass in the middle of a birthday party is supposed to be fun...?"
Machina-san really was on another level. That movie was probably—no, definitely—about me. The House of Curses apparently takes several centuries to walk through normally, too. I wanted to point out that both of those were significantly longer than the life I'd lived so far, but... well, that was Machina-san for you.
"To explain it simply, this is an event where people perform special skills or talents they haven't really shown in public before. To keep things entertaining, we've turned it into a scored competition."
"I see. So there's a panel of judges who award points?"
"Exactly. We're opening the floor to anyone who thinks they have what it takes, but since it would be a disaster if no one signed up, I've reached out to a few people in advance. Anyway, let's introduce our judges first."
When I heard "Hidden Talent Show," I pictured things like singing or magic tricks, but I wondered how it would actually go. Since people were competing for points, there would likely be prizes for the top performers. It sounded like it might actually be fun.
"Our judges are the representatives of their respective realms. First, representing the God Realm, we have the God of Space-Time, Chronoa-san."
"Wait, it's not Shallow Vernal-sama?"
"She's absolutely unsuited for the task, so I went with Chronoa-san, who seemed like she'd be the most reasonable judge."
That made sense. From Shiro-san's perspective, a hidden talent probably wouldn't seem impressive at all, and she likely wouldn't give out high scores. Chronoa-san, on the other hand, was serious enough to judge fairly and objectively.
"Next, representing the Demon Realm is Kuro-san. Naturally, she's the safest choice possible."
"Well, Kuro-rin is definitely the reliable pick for the Demon Realm~"
"And for the Human Realm, we have Lilia-san."
"!?!?"
The Demon Realm judge was Kuro, and the Human Realm representative was... well, I'd had a feeling, but it was indeed Lilia-san. As usual, she reacted with sheer shock, as if she were hearing this for the first time. Alice then delivered what could only be called a ruthless follow-up.
"You're making a face like you weren't told, but as I mentioned a little while ago, Lilia-san is my go-to for these 'Representative of the Human Realm' moments. Please just accept your fate."
"W-Well, at least Riri-tan is just judging this time. That's a little better, right?"
As Fate-san said, Lilia-san didn't have to actually perform anything; her role was limited to the judging panel. With Chronoa-san and Kuro beside her, I thought it would be much easier for her to handle.
"And finally, representing the Otherworld... is Canalis-san."
"I object! Why isn't it me?! I came up with this whole thing!!"
"Because you'd show blatant favoritism, obviously! There's no way I'm letting someone be a judge when they'd probably give a perfect score just for seeing a person from Earth!"
"Guh... N-No, I mean... not giving My Child a perfect score... is unthinkable for a mother. My Child is worth 100 points just by existing..."
I agreed with this choice as well. Canalis-san wasn't from Earth, but she fit the criteria of being from another world, and she seemed like she would take the judging seriously.
While Machina-san still looked a bit disgruntled, Electrone-san suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Outputting Sedation... 'There, there. Let's leave this to Canalis and just watch from the sidelines, Machina-chan.' ...Continuing, Outputting Hope... 'That aside, I'm actually interested in the movie you made, Machina-chan. If it's alright with you, would you show it to me?' ...I surmise it is a masterpiece."
"...Electrone! I knew you'd understand! Yes, it's my pride and joy, filled to the brim with My Beloved Child's charm! I'm sure you'll love it!!"
It seemed she had successfully pacified Machina-san. The two of them immediately left to watch the eighty-seven-year movie.
"I really wish Electrone-san could just stay in Trinia permanently... Well, setting that aside and getting back to the judging, our four judges will score each talent on a scale of one to five. The most important thing to remember is that the Scoring Criteria should emphasize Unexpectedness."
"Unexpectedness? What do you mean?"
"For example, let's say I perform some incredible feat. Even if it's amazing, if the judges think, 'Well, it's Alice, so it's not that surprising,' then the score should stay low. Conversely, if it's a talent you never knew that person had, or a skill that’s completely different from their usual image, that’s when you award the high points."
"Heh, that's an interesting twist. So even if Shaltan or the Underworld King—people who seem like they can do anything—perform, they won't necessarily get high scores. But if a regular human shows off a surprising talent, they could actually win."
"Exactly. I'd also like the judges to reward a good 'gap' in personality. For instance, if Megiddo-san, who’s famous for loving spicy food, showed off a talent for making sweet treats, that gap from his usual image would deserve a high score."
Since it was a "hidden" talent, the focus was on skills that weren't usually on display—things one would never imagine that person could do. In that case, the high-level individuals like the Six Kings' Executives, who didn't seem to have many limits, might actually be at a disadvantage, while others had a real chance to shine. It seemed like a great system.
"Additionally, we'll have Kaito-san join us as a Special Judge. Kaito-san, you'll be in a bonus point position. You don't have to score every performance; just give out one to five points whenever something catches your eye."
"So if Kai-chan finds a talent interesting, they get extra points and a better shot at the top."
"Yes. By the way, we've prepared prize money for the top five finishers. Simple, cold cash, no items."
As she spoke, a desk appeared beside me with placards numbered one through five. I was supposed to use these whenever I wanted to add my input.
I could accept birthday presents while watching hidden talents that piqued my interest. It felt like a very relaxed way to enjoy the show.
"Now then, we're ready and waiting for entries! Let's get our first performer out here. Our Top Batter is... Pope Olivia!"
...Wait, I felt like giving her five points already. Talk about a "gap"—it was completely beyond my expectations for Olivia-san to be the very first person to step up for a talent show.
Serious-senpai: "Olivia, of all people... Wait, what exactly is she going to do...?"