Aeon Nether & Idol Effigy

Chapter 60- Three Hundred Down

Three months.

A total of three more months had passed.

Something that would have previously come across as being nothing noteworthy, but had suddenly passed along with three hundred contestants in tow. All this had happened in the breadth of what was supposed to be the time us students had some respite.

Yet, it brought about an epiphany that I didn't realise when I watched the show previously. That this show doesn't actually focus on the educational side it has to offer the contestants. It wasn't just me. The challenge and oversight seemed to have struck many contestants regardless of age or time or background.

At the end of the three months we weren't ranked again, but found many gaps in the ranking where a contestant was. Said contestants were still on the show in the background or as a side character in the school that all five hundred and some, had been transferred to before the end of last year. I, having watched the students, was tempted to understand everything in a fantasy or supernatural type setting after witnessing the ex contestants go back to studying harder then they'd play a script to gain attention. If it weren't for Drag's case being such an exemplary example, I do think more people would have seen this year before entering dungeon service as one of the key times to draw the public's attention to themselves. Another reason to question this shows existence.

Overall, it was in these three months, or rather five months, that I've learnt the most in the world in a more heavy sense of the word learning.

Skills are gained from specific practiced and improved curriculums. The best curriculums are brought on by this show, but this show doesn't seem to focus on learning. At the very least, Idol Effigy doesn't work on learning the skills taught in the courses. It's more of a secondary thing that acts as a cover story or some kind of honey trap. I'm still unsure about what the trap is, but the honey provided by the courses helping the contestants gain skills is there.

I've also learned that whatever that trap may be it has something in line with the Contestants that pass, stage by stage. Sure, the contestants on this show are great in innumerable ways, but the realisation I gained from being part of the unknown process of throwing out and keeping in some contestants was huge.

I mean, it's different and difficult to imagine how the show keeps contestants in the actual competition with you as a viewer being in on the process. However, once you become a contestant and you're unaware that the variety shows, alongside the activities you did through your schooling, were all part of sorting out who isn't able to be the winner on the show... You too will come to realise that it's quite odd.

I initially had preconceived notions on the smartest or the best being the winner. That most contests aren't so- so whole. Even if this was an idol competition or a place to crown the best idol, it should just crown the best idol in one or two categories where the idol is the highest and loved by the majority of the viewers, as can be understood with Trina's case in the novel.

But now I'm within the competition and they said that all the variety shows were part of the audition process for the second year, being based on our acting and entertainment flexibility/ value. I mean, I understand that acting is part of being an idol- an idol being someone who trains in various fields- so it makes sense for the competition to have it. Nonetheless, it hits differently when you find out that you made it to the last two hundred or so contestants in the second year. The feeling that they just needed a valid reason to kick out some people who have great potential in the various entertainment fields and being an idol, but aren't the winner or final contestants that the show wants.

As I think back to the novel that I read in my previous world, I vaguely remember it now, but Felix wasn't a contestant on the show due to his illnesses and most of the final contestants whose abilities were known by Trina weren't bad. The fake sister wasn't there. Emma with her ability also ranked high too, with the audience hating her to the extremes, they did watch and reason out Trina murdering Emma live on the show.