Chapter 227 – Costume Party

The day after the cooking competition.

Although events have been coming one after another, today was a costume party.

Those who didn’t participate yesterday were planning to join this time, so it was sure to be lively.

The venue was a newly built event hall, and I was already in costume, standing by.

My costume this time was a high-quality zombie cosplay.

Having worked like a zombie during my corporate days, I had a bit of confidence in zombie cosplay.

I had put effort not only into the makeup but also into the outfit itself, and I was proud of the result.

Since dark places might scare people, I waited for the other participants in a well-lit area… and the first person to arrive was Sheila, dressed as a witch.

Her cosplay made the most of her looks. Like the maid outfit she occasionally wears, it was a full-fledged witch costume with little exposure.

However, it suited the image of “pure elegance” so perfectly that it somehow accentuated her sexiness.

“Good morning. Sheila, you’re a witch, huh?”

“Yes. It’s a bit embarrassing… but do you think it suits me?”

“It suits you very well! The contrast with your usual image, the ‘villainous’ vibe, is really refreshing.”

“I’m glad. I was a bit anxious because I did a ‘villainous’ makeup look, but I’m relieved it fits the theme of the party. Since it’s basically an event where everyone participates, I couldn’t consult with anyone, which was a little frustrating.”

The choice of costume had been a secret until the day of the event, so everyone had to prepare on their own.

Sheila seemed genuinely relieved that her costume fit the theme.

“It’s okay even if it slightly deviates from the theme. That’s part of costume play, and that’s part of the fun.”

“Really? I see… even if others come in unusual outfits, that sounds fun in its own way.”

One of the appeals of cosplay is that you can enjoy it freely.

Even though it was set up as a kind of competition, the “winner” was almost meaningless.

While chatting with Sheila, more participants gradually entered the hall.

At first glance, it was hard to tell who was who; everyone had come in high-quality costumes.

Even just having them participate was exciting, but seeing serious cosplay really raised the energy.

Among them, one costume stood out: a mini golem.

Not only was the appearance top-notch, but the material and details were so precise that encountering it outdoors could easily make someone mistake it for a real golem.

Judging by the height, it was probably either Rozzo or Sid.

Just as I was about to speak to the mini golem, someone appeared from behind it, wearing a similarly high-quality machine-type monster costume.

It had the design of a Dragon Quest Killer Machine, metallic and extremely cool in form.

I couldn’t tell how they were operating it, but the six slender arms moved freely, and the central eye glowed red.

This one, too, was likely Rozzo or Sid in terms of size. I had been looking forward to seeing what they would cosplay as, but it far exceeded my expectations.

“Rozzo, Sid! Amazing costumes. You look just like the monsters themselves!”

“Wha!? How did you know I was the Machina Soldier? I thought I’d be completely unrecognized until I spoke!”

“Same here. I wanted to surprise Sato, but I never expected to be found out so easily.”

“Well, the quality this high could only be achieved by Rozzo or Sid. Until you spoke, I couldn’t tell who was who.”

Now it was clear: Sid was the golem, Rozzo the Machina Soldier.

Sheila’s visual-based costume was, of course, great, but the two guys’ monster costumes were personally the most impressive.

It might not win female popularity, so a victory wasn’t guaranteed, but from my three votes, two had already gone to Rozzo and Sid.

“So that’s what happened! I thought I messed up!”

“A case of being found out because the quality was too high. Well, no regrets. …Ah, Sato’s costume is also impressive.”

“Indeed! Well done!”

“Thank you for the praise, even if forced.”

It’s a bit embarrassing in front of the two, but no matter how much time I spent, I couldn’t match that level of costume.

I felt I’d done my best with a costume that suited me, so even if it was flattery, it was nice to be praised.

After chatting lightly with Rozzo and Sid, I walked around the hall to decide who to give my remaining vote to.