Aisha was well aware of her beauty, even from an objective standpoint.
However, people tend to find a pretty girl more likable when she is unaware of her own beauty.
Therefore, since her childhood, Aisha consistently pretended not to know about her own attractiveness.
She showed people the illusion they wanted to see.
This method was also utilized when a few high-ranking nobles ruled over the vast majority of common people.
People only see what they want to see and interpret it according to their standards.
Whether it be a great archmage or a legendary hero, if they are a person with emotions, they are all the same.
From ancient times to the present, this might precisely be why witch hunts have never stopped.
Theo, not knowing whether he understood Aisha's true feelings or not, hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Unlucky, Aisha."
"Hehe, so you admit that I'm pretty?"
Aisha smiled like Siena, with the intention of teasing Theo.
If he was the Theo she knew, he would certainly dodge the question and avoid answering.
Theo spoke.
"Yeah, you're pretty."
"...Eh, what?"
Aisha stammered at the unexpected answer.
"···You must have really liked the styling."
Aisha quickly thought and gave a suitable response.
Externally, she acted calm, but she was quite flustered.
'···What the hell, suddenly. Was Theo always someone who would say something like this?'
Gulp-
Aisha swallowed her saliva.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed.
"Anyway, the beauty pageant is starting soon! I’ll go ahead to secure seats in the audience."
Swiftly-
Aisha left the classroom before Theo could respond.
"···Hmm. Why is she acting like that all of a sudden."
Gazing at Aisha's rapidly disappearing figure, Theo mumbled.
"But Siena, why are you wearing such a mischievous smile?"
Theo spoke to Siena, who was in the seat behind him.
"Hehe, Theo is so cute after all. A hero indeed needs a charm that bewitches women~!"
Siena tried to hug Theo.
Theo shifted slightly to avoid her.
“······Oh.”
However, Siena’s embrace could not be evaded.
This was because Siena used a spirit to hold Theo's ankles.
“···Let me go, Siena.”
“Hehe, I can't help it. You were just too cute a moment ago. Oh my~ Just look at these innocent eyes that seem to know nothing. I want to bite them.”
“Uh, ahem-!”
Theo was able to free himself from Siena's hug only after quite a while.
The beauty contest of the Academy Festival began on the stage set up near the Knight Department.
A total of 204 participants.
Only 10 of them can advance to the finals.
With so many participants compared to the spots available for the final, the preliminary round proceeds at a swift pace.
Participants come to the center of the stage and are scored by four judges.
All of the judges are professors at Elinia Academy.
"Ha ha ha, that was a participant with a cute charm. Now, please welcome participant number 54!"
A male host with a cheerful voice shouted robustly.
Participant number 54 stepped onto the stage.
Number 54 was Jacob, a male student from the Knight Department.
He participated to create memories with his friends.
He had a big grin with vibrant lipstick on a playfully ugly face.
Roaring laughter erupted from the audience.
“Jacob, that's disgusting! Get down! I think I'm going to throw up!”
“We got all the pictures, Jacob! Look forward to it when you get a girlfriend!”
“Why are the lips like that! Did you eat a rat, Jacob!”
"Wow, he's kind of cute in a way. But I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere?"
"Isn't he from the Knight Department baseball team?"
"Oh, yeah. I think I saw him at the baseball stadium."
The host suppressed the enthusiasm of the audience and continued the program.
"Ha ha ha, it seems participant number 54's name is Jacob. Such a unique way to do makeup~ I think it will be in fashion in about 100 years!"
Laughter erupted from the audience again at the comment.
“Hmm. Even though the beauty contest is a place to laugh and enjoy, I wish they wouldn’t do such things. It's not the first time. It’s not elegant at all.”
A judge, wearing a perfectly tailored suit and a stylishly grown mustache, spoke softly so that only other judges could hear.
“That's true, Professor Henderson. About 150 participants remain, so I think about 10 more like him will appear.”
"Tsk, tsk... Is that considered cool these days?"
Henderson and the judges were not pleased with this.
Although their tastes varied, they were all people who pursued beauty as a passion in life.
'I’d rather go to the professor's office and write a paper. That’d be more elegant.'
Henderson silently clicked his tongue.
He became irritated seeing the young students making light of the competition.
He had accepted the offer to be a judge with joy.
But that joy was nowhere to be found.
Whether the other judges felt the same, they all struggled to hide their inward disapproval, maintaining neutral expressions.
The competition continued, and the preliminary round approached its climax.
- And that was participant number 203, Sally from the Knight Department! Woo-hoo~ The enthusiasm from the audience is still blazing. If I may make a guess, student Sally might make it to the finals!
Sally exited with the host’s remarks.
─ Now let's bring out the last participant in the preliminaries! Participant number 204, please come out~!
The host felt a sense of liberation as the end approached.
Introducing 204 people without a break was quite exhausting.
‘Let's greet them casually and get them off stage quickly. Finally, a break!’
Thud, thud.
Participant number 204 was Theo.
Theo walked towards the center of the stage with his proud steps.
─······.
“······.”
Both the host and the audience fell silent.
It was the first time both sides had become quiet.
Regardless, Theo stood in the center of the stage, not paying attention to his surroundings.
─Ahem, ahem! Participant number 204 is a male student! Judging by the badge on his shoulders, it seems like he is a student from the Hero Department.
The host, hastily regaining his composure, made a comment.
Even so, he couldn’t take his eyes off Theo's face.
Unlike before, when he tried to quickly dismiss male participants.
“““Wow······ Woah······.”””
Admiration burst from the audience.
It was universal, regardless of gender or age.
─Although greetings are omitted in this preliminary round, since he is the last participant, let’s ask a simple question! Participant, please tell us your name and department~!
“First year in the Hero Department, Theo Lyn Waldeurk.”
Theo introduced himself with dry, informal speech.
Due to being nervous, he maximized [Twisted Noble's Dignity] using [Amplification Orb].
Other participants had hurriedly answered with formal speech, but Theo was different.
─Ah, yes, yes! Participant number 204 is indeed a student from the Hero Department! He is from the Waldeurk family, just like Miss Aisha.
The host knew something was wrong, but he couldn’t rebuke Theo.
An indescribable dignity was emanating from the silver-haired boy.
The judges were no different.
Eyes wide, they were busy looking at Theo.
Minimal makeup to emphasize his features even more.
Ordinary people might not have noticed, but the judges, being experts, recognized it.
Of course, even without makeup, his appearance wouldn’t change much.
‘So there was such beauty amongst humans.’
Henderson’s long mustache trembled.
He was moved.
Such shockingly good looks he hadn’t seen since over ten years ago, when he met a male elf in the Great Forest who was known as [Swordmaster of the Great Forest].
It was a violent beauty.
The silver-haired boy at the center of the stage was loudly proclaiming with his body, as if he was the standard of beauty.
‘He was the only one who introduced himself with informal speech.’
It’s impossible that he doesn’t know the judges are professors from the academy.
However, that aloof arrogance actually further highlighted his beauty.
A dignified aura, impossible to hide, emanated from his steps as he walked the stage.
"Heh, hehe..."
Unknowingly, Henderson's mouth fell open.
At that moment, the silver-haired boy looked at him.
Red eyes were visible.
His eyes, shimmering like rubies, seemed to burn like wild flames.
There was a suffocating allure in his red gaze.
It had been quite a long time since the beauty pageant had become an event for female students.
However, the silver-haired boy seemed to scold with his eyes, as if questioning who set such an obsolete rule.
"Ah, elegance..."
Henderson stood from his seat, clapping with weary hands.
The other judges also stood, following Henderson’s lead in applause.
Thus, with Theo as the finale, the beauty pageant preliminaries came to an end.
About 15 minutes later.
─Thank you for waiting! Now, we will announce the finalists of the Elinia Academy Festival Beauty Pageant!
The host began to call out the names of the finalists.
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