Since the second-place item turned out to be that specific embarrassment, I felt like sinking into a pit of despair for a moment. However, I managed to pull myself together and moved on to see what held the top spot.
I wondered what could possibly be at the very peak of the phantom item ranking.
1st Place: Eternal Flower
Ah, I see. That made sense. It was an item I could certainly agree with; after all, it was the flower I had won at the White God Festival and later gifted to Rose Princess Rosmiel-san.
Now that I thought about it, Sky-san had mentioned back then that only a very few had been bestowed, so the rarity was likely through the roof.
"The White God Festival, the first grand event of its kind hosted primarily by the God race in the God Realm, remains fresh in the memories of many readers. As a massive festival held in a place normally inaccessible to the public, the number of visitors was said to have exceeded one billion. Amidst this historic occasion, the item that truly deserves to be called the most valuable prize is the Eternal Flower. Only three blossoms in total were bestowed by the Creator God, Shallow Vernal-sama, as prizes for the God-related quiz held in the restricted Middle Level. It is a special flower that never withers."
This meant there were only three such flowers in existence outside of the Sanctuary. Between that extreme scarcity and Shallow Vernal-sama's personal involvement, the hype was understandable. It truly deserved the number one spot.
"The Eternal Flower grows only in the Sanctuary where Creator God Shallow Vernal-sama resides. As the Sanctuary is a sacred place forbidden to all but the Supreme Gods, the number of people who have even laid eyes on this flower is infinitesimally small, making it a true 'phantom' item. It is impossible to attach a monetary price to such a treasure. Furthermore, due to its rarity, the winners of the Eternal Flower were placed under special concealment magic by the God race. Consequently, the identities of all three recipients remain a total mystery."
Information concealment magic? I hadn't realized they had gone that far. Then again, a flower from the Sanctuary was of absurd value. Since the quiz had offered everyone an equal shot at winning, an ordinary person could have easily become a target for theft or worse. Taking such precautions was likely a necessity.
"As a result of this magazine’s exhaustive investigation, we have determined—despite the obscure circumstances—that one flower resides within Rose Princess Rosmiel-sama’s Garden of Myriad Flowers. A second is kept in the most important vault of the Central Cathedral in Friendly City Hikari. The location of the third blossom remains entirely unknown. Regarding the flower in the Central Cathedral, the fact that it is not on display suggests that a private believer placed it there for safekeeping out of fear of theft, rather than it being the property of the Cathedral's priests or officials."
I hadn't known about the flower in the Central Cathedral. However, if a priest or official had won it, they likely would have put it on display. That suggested someone else was involved... Could it have been Olivia-san? She had participated in the White God Festival, and she had been in the Middle Level. It was entirely possible that she had seen the quiz tournament while returning from her prayers and decided to join in.
If it were Olivia-san, she would have been highly knowledgeable about God-related matters. For someone as devout as her, a flower from the Sanctuary where Shiro-san lived was surely a prize she would have coveted. If she had been the one to win it, it felt right that she wouldn't have flaunted it, but rather used it for her personal prayers.
"The flower in Rosmiel-sama’s possession is also difficult for the public to see, as the Garden of Myriad Flowers is often called a phantom garden that is nearly impossible for ordinary people to visit. As for the final blossom, since its whereabouts are unknown as of the writing of this article, it is unlikely to be opened to the public in the future. It is a flower truly worthy of being called a phantom item. However, while they are different from the Eternal Flower, three varieties of Sanctuary flowers were specially exhibited at the White God Festival, suggesting they may appear again at future events. Whether one can attend the restricted Middle Level ceremonies relies largely on luck, but interested parties should apply for the participation lottery during the next White God Festival."
Looking back at the whole ranking, it was clear that Shallow Vernal-sama’s popularity was staggering on a global scale. Anything associated with her carried immense value. Shallow Grande and Wine K were perfect examples. I suspected that if the list had been even broader, Glorious Tea might have made an appearance as well.
In any case, despite the unexpected psychological blow from my own black history along the way, it had been an interesting ranking to read.
Serious-senpai: "Actually, this magazine’s investigative power is terrifying... To think they tracked down the one in the Garden of Myriad Flowers."
???: "Well, any of the World King's subordinates who are close to Rosmiel-san can enter the Garden of Myriad Flowers, and Rosmiel-san herself wasn't trying to hide it. She’s one of the top powerhouses in the world and a master of barrier magic, so she has almost no reason to worry about thieves."
Serious-senpai: "I see. By the way, who got the last one? You’d know, wouldn't you?"
???: "...I’m thinking about exhibiting it somewhere under a pseudonym eventually and charging admission."
Serious-senpai: "It was you?!"