Chapter 348 - Episode 12: The Super Handsome and Beautiful Contest, but This is Just What I Heard
At the end of the year, a heavy snow fell once, covering the Flatlands in snow. That said, because the Light Infantry Corps were going around melting the snow with fire magic while riding in bowls, the highways were cleared, and the station's carriages were running as usual. Since a large amount of preserved food prepared for the war was distributed to each settlement, there were no particular problems. The Class of 175 Shop also decided to focus on door-to-door sales because the customers decreased due to the silica mine being on holiday, and went around selling honey wine and charcoal entrusted by the Church.
Regarding the sea snake subjugation, the report for December was passed on from Lewis-san. At the beginning of December, there were many sightings of the sea snake off the southern coast of Primordia. However, after the middle of the month, there were none at all. Most likely, it's hibernating somewhere, but it's almost certain that it's there. As proof, it was decided that several bowl users of the Paratroop Jaegers, namely the Nakanohara Light Infantry Corps, would go on a training expedition in January and February. They will form a two-nation joint temporary aerial reconnaissance training unit, and Lewis-san will participate as the unit commander.
"How do you defeat a sea snake?"
Beatrix asked the bandits who gathered for the Boar Club. Since Miana had returned to the Royal Capital with Beowulf for the year-end and New Year holidays, we also called the bandits who usually run the cafeteria and bar next door to guard Miana.
"Well, we don't go to the sea, so we have no idea."
Lewis-san replied while scratching his head. Next to him, his adjutant is drinking honey wine. The other bandits are all nodding.
"Wouldn't the navy at Uminohara, or perhaps the sailors of merchant ships, know?"
"That's the thing. Apparently, they are only in the west."
Eleanor-sama is checking with the navy. For one thing, Eleanor-sama herself only knows the name. As a result of asking Aira, Saxburg, and by extension the Priestess and the ghosts, the border lord, and the Queen through Mary, no one knew. Since it's called a sea snake, it must be a snake. It might not be in cold regions.
Above all, it was painful that none of the spirits knew. Dune and Mel gave us a clue, telling us that there are sea spirits... or rather, coastal spirits. If we find them, we might learn something. However, they apparently don't usually show themselves. Since neither of them has seen them, they don't know what they look like. However, if they actually see them, they would somehow know.
"When we defeated the land snake before, we should have weakened it using ice magic and Holy."
It was the event that led to the meeting with Flora. Also, we once froze the head of a snake in the basement of Nakanohara.
"How about freezing it with Ice Cube or Glaciate and making it like an iceberg? Ice floats, so it wouldn't be able to dive into the sea."
"The thing is, if it dives into the sea before activation, the power of the magic will drop all at once."
Other opinions came up, such as slicing it with Wind Cutter, shooting it with silver harpoons or spears coated with sleeping medicine or poison, entangling it with a net so it can't move, or paralyzing it with lightning magic, but none of them were quite right.
If it's in the sea, even if Eleanor-sama releases it, a basic Wind Cutter wouldn't be able to slice it. As for sleeping medicine, it would be fine if it fell asleep immediately, but that's not the case. Lightning is apparently used by the opponent too, so it would be neutralized and no effect could be expected. A net is interesting, but what would happen if it went wild?
"To prevent it from escaping to the bottom of the sea, we just have to launch a surprise attack and defeat it all at once, but..."
Everyone is crossing their arms and groaning, "Hmm."
As expected, is it impossible since we don't know the opponent's weakness...
"Maybe Wilson-san just has to fire Cocytus in rapid succession and freeze the sea itself along with it."
"If Eleanor-sama gives her approval."
When Beatrix muttered, Lewis-san replied.
Search with Sense Living, and once it floats up, freeze the sea itself with a barrage of Cocytus. Even if the opponent releases magical power and smashes the ice, if even the sea is frozen, it wouldn't be able to dive and escape. The problem is that Wilson-san is a secret weapon. Currently, James-sama knows of his existence, but he shouldn't know the full extent of his ability. Since he learned using Forbidden Magic, he can use magic on par with Eleanor-sama. If it's made public, the strongest mage of the current era might become Wilson-san.
"Besides, how do you make it surface? It's fine until we find it, but it won't necessarily surface while we're watching, will it?"
"That's true."
We're really stuck.
It was when everyone was crossing their arms and groaning while listening to Beatrix and Lewis-san.
A bandit who came for the shift change heard the circumstances and called out.
"I was in the Uminohara Land Force before, and I've heard about sea spirits from my grandfather who was a fisherman, though not about sea snakes."
Since he's a former Uminohara Land Force member, he can use Wind Barrier, so he must have been selected as a Paratroop Jaeger.
"Sea spirits, could it be you mean mermaids?"
"I think so. The upper body is human and from the navel down is a fish."
It's exactly a mermaid! As a lover of fairy tales, I definitely want to see one, even before the sea snake.
"Do you know where they are?"
"There's a legend passed down only among sailors. Apparently, if a ship approaches a certain reef, a beautiful singing voice can be heard."
"A singing voice?"
"While listening, the ship is drawn to the reef as if pulled, and eventually gets shipwrecked. On top of that, it's said that everyone is eaten by the mermaids. That's why they're told to run away immediately if they hear the song."
"Is that really a spirit?"
No matter how I think about it, it's a monster. Besides, if everyone is eaten, who on earth brings back the sighting information?
"Well, it's said they'll overlook a ship if a handsome man is on board. Even better if it's a super handsome man."
Hmm. I know two super handsome men. James-sama and Eowyn-sama.
"Can that super handsome man be a ruggedly handsome one?"
Beatrix. You just thought of Lord Roberts, didn't you?
The super handsome man aside, the story of the mermaids was helpful. If we can meet them and hear their story, we might learn something. Immediately, when I reported to Eleanor-sama through Adolf-san, a letter was sent back the next day with the schedule for the sea snake subjugation from January onwards. According to it, they are busy with Royal Palace events until the middle of the month. They will push back the preparation schedule to February at the earliest and March at the earliest, and prepare in the meantime. They will hold several events until then. The contents of the events were written on the second page.
"What is this? The Super Handsome and Beautiful Contest. Entry is free for anyone who has no marriage history. Whether recommended by others or self-recommended. The judges for the finals are the King and Queen and the Archbishop, plus ordinary people chosen by lottery, and the winner gets prize money. What, the prize money is ten gold coins!"
The organizer is the Sertorian Royal Palace, and the cooperation is the brothel. No prize money is given for winning the local preliminaries, but the runner-up prize is a one-week sightseeing trip to the Royal Capital or its surroundings. Of course, travel expenses are fully paid, but only one attendant is allowed. In other words, from the third person onwards, it's at one's own expense. The local preliminaries are at the beginning of February, and the national tournament in the Royal Capital, which gathers the winners of the preliminaries, is in late February, it was written.
"Um, it's to decide the best handsome man and beautiful woman in Sertoria and boost national morale, it says."
"Boost national morale?"
I don't understand what would happen to boost national morale. Certainly, handsome men and beautiful women are picturesque, but even ugly people engaged in plain work should be contributing to various things.
"That part, you know, there's the reward money system. You also got a medal for the green marble, didn't you?"
Leave me alone. Sorry for being a plain ugly person. Even so, I've been ranked in the Nakanohara Madonna for six consecutive years. I'm still eighth, though.
"Somehow, you know. There are ceremonies, right? The winners will do things like reception there. If there's something to be handed over or awarded, they'll also assist the person handing it over."
That's amazing, if the poster girl or poster boy of a shop gets the prestige of being a beauty who participates in Royal Palace ceremonies, it'll be prosperous. They might even be able to attract wealthy people. Since there are no nobles in Sertoria, if the Royal Palace backs them up, it might at least be a chance for a poor person's child to rise.
In winter, they kill livestock that don't seem like they'll survive the winter and everyone eats and makes a fuss. People living in the town aren't very involved, but because meat becomes abundant and cheap, the cafeterias and bars are prosperous. They must be planning to take advantage of that fuss to find the super handsome man needed for the mermaid search. Mixing in beautiful women is probably a smokescreen. Seeing that they don't choose their means, it must be Eleanor-sama's idea. As proof, the second event is the search for sea spirits, and the third is the sea snake subjugation.
At the end of the year, Will and Mary returned from the Royal Capital.
According to the story, the Super Handsome and Beautiful Contest is the talk of the town, especially among young people in the Royal Capital.
"All the girls in our shop are participating. Because it'll be an advertisement for the shop. I made it a mandatory participation in exchange for giving a special allowance."
It's extremely high-handed, but after all, they are the girls Mary chose. And since it's a girls' shop, it's also popular with women. They'll be able to aim for a high rank even in the Royal Capital preliminaries. However, there seem to be powerful rivals. The Royal Palace faction, led by Magdalena-sama's maids. In the Royal Palace faction, there's Will, after all.
"I was told by Eleanor-sama to participate. Since I participated in the planning of the event, I must take responsibility, she said."
Will apparently thought of it together with Eleanor-sama. According to Mary, she seems to be the top candidate for the Royal Capital district. As long as she stays quiet, there's a high possibility she'll make it to the top.
"Jeanne, aren't you going to enter? You're the only Nakanohara Madonna among our group."
The mage who decided not to participate asked. I think she would be a candidate for the Nakanohara district if she participated, but she doesn't seem interested.
"There's no way I'm entering. I'll be scolded by the Church."
"But, it's okay to be recommended by others, right?"
"The entry is delivered to the town hall by oneself. The final decision to participate or not is the person's own will."
Most likely, the priest faction will not participate. In other words, there's a high possibility Hanna-san will win. Lately, since Jennifer-sensei dislikes it, I've been made to chant the Chant of Exorcism at the water-splashing festival. I'll have her win the Nakanohara district and have her take over soon.
When Paul-san, Beatrix, Bonnie, and I returned from the winter bear and wolf hunt, the Super Handsome and Beautiful Contest was already over, and a maid had won.
Incidentally, for the men, it seems the Royal Army cavalry, starting with the Central Army, monopolized the top ranks.
In the Nakanohara district preliminaries, in addition to the priest faction who occupy the top ranks of the Nakanohara Madonna, Hanna-san did not participate. Considering that the winner was a young girl who was ninth in last year's Madonna selection, there's a possibility it wouldn't have been much different if young men and women participated in the Madonna selection voting. The general judges were half men and half women, and fifty people each were chosen by lottery from those who wished to participate.
What's noteworthy is that a girl from the Flatlands came in third, and she was crying with joy when the results were announced. Centered on the brothel sisters who selected the entry costume and handled the makeup, a grand round of applause apparently broke out.
Because Lewis-san collected donations within the Light Infantry Corps, she became able to go to the finals in the Royal Capital for a one-week sightseeing trip with her whole family, guided by a corps member.
Incidentally, for the men, the Royal Army cavalry won, and from second place onwards were stage actors. The cavalry apparently came out wearing their uniforms, and in that case, there's no way an average man could compete. Of course, the bandits all did not participate.
In March, since Beowulf, Miana, and Mary returned, I tried asking about the situation in the Royal Capital.
"I won third place in the preliminaries. Since I won a one-week trip, after this expedition is over, I'm going to a hot spring for three days and two nights with the girls from the shop."
As expected of Mary.
Moreover, she negotiated to shorten the number of days of the runner-up prize, which should have been a one-week trip around the Royal Capital, in exchange for increasing the number of people. Miana is also going with her.
In the Royal Capital preliminaries, the general participation judges were over a hundred men and women combined, and the Royal Palace square, which was the venue, was apparently a huge crowd.
The result was a close battle, with the maids taking first and second place, and Mary taking third.
Mary challenged it after removing the Alraune stone. If she had it on, she might have won.
In the finals, a large number of people gathered and it became a festive fuss. After all, handsome men and beautiful women chosen from all over the country gather. However, as expected of the Royal Capital, the winners for both men and women were the winners of the Royal Capital preliminaries, and the audience's interest was focused on second and third place. Unfortunately, the winner of Nakanohara missed out on a prize, and second place was Western Plains, and third place was Eastern Plains representative.
Incidentally, the men were all Royal Army cavalry, and they all apparently wore their uniforms.
According to what I heard, when Mary won third place, the sister who handled the costume and makeup was happy as if it were her own. The brothel sisters all did not participate. It must be because they are priests. The priests also did not participate. If they had participated, they would surely have won. In exchange, they must have put their efforts into Mary.
"The person from the shop we went to before?"
When I went to the Royal Capital, I went to a shop where Mary's mother's acquaintance is the proprietress and made a fuss. Eleanor-sama, Magdalena-sama, and Gladys-sama also participated, and on top of that, those three treated us.
"Yes, Royal Capital number one. The shop where my mother was."
At the beginning of the year, Eleanor-sama apparently led Magdalena-sama, Gladys-sama, and other ladies of the visiting guests and made a grand fuss. Will, Beowulf, and Mary also participated.
"Did Miana go too?"
When I asked, she seemed to have had fun and told me various stories.
She was struggling with the men every day. She also delivered bentos to the brothel with Beowulf. Even though she's wearing a uniform, it's work. It can't be settled by not being able to talk. Fortunately, everyone is a familiar face of a neighbor, so to speak. Now, she's even able to exchange casual greetings with the men she meets on the street during deliveries.
"Even so, the one who was a disappointment was Will. Did she say something strange again?"
Beatrix asked Mary.
"That girl, of all things, she came wearing the Royal Army uniform. She was very popular with some young women, but she got the point wrong."
There were even girls who fainted from emotion. However, the other participants, with the selection of the brothel sisters, all wore feminine clothes as much as possible. In exchange, the men were apparently disappointed, and she even missed out on a prize.
"Well, it's like Will, in a way. If that girl was decked out in high-society fashion, I'd be surprised."
Come to think of it, I've never seen it. It might be as Beatrix says.
After the early-rising Beowulf and Miana returned to their rooms, Beatrix and I consulted Mary about Beowulf's marriage story.
When Beatrix asked, Mary knew.
"I was asked by someone working at the Royal Palace of Primordia. The same thing you two were asked by Lewis-san."
"What did you answer?"
"That there shouldn't be one."
"Well, that's true."
"But, I said it's better to ask Beatrix and Jeanne for the latest information."
"You were the cause!"
Beatrix and I are completely involved, aren't we.
"Because, it's better to share the story with everyone. I hate keeping quiet by myself."
She's laughing, "Ufufu."
Truly, a little devil.
"Is the Crown Prince serious?"
Beatrix asked again. What's worrying is that after Beowulf becomes interested, Primordia gives her the cold shoulder. If Beowulf refuses, there's no problem at all.
"Currently, isn't she just one of the candidates?"
"There are others!"
"Of course. For a royal's marriage partner, the royal families of the continent are also candidates. They choose the partner that benefits the country the most."
Well, I guess so. However, the problem is not there. This time I try asking.
"The build difference, you know? He's concerned about that, isn't he?"
"Well, yeah. Edward-sama seems to be concerned. I tried asking the sisters of the brothel in the Royal Capital of Primordia about that."
Edward-sama should like large women.
"Apparently, the women of the northern kingdoms of the continent are all large. But you know, the people of those countries are, so to speak, pirates. So, you know, diplomatically..."
"Pirates!"
"So, they are apparently not very recommended. In that regard, Beowulf carries the blood of the Sertogne Royal Family, which they are usually involved with, right? If it goes well, they can also strengthen diplomacy with Sertoria, so it's killing two birds with one stone."
Which means.
"Mary, are you in favor?"
"Right now, I'm against it. It's too early. At most an engagement. After that, it depends on Beowulf, I guess."
It's the same opinion as Beatrix, who heard it.
"If Beowulf marries the Crown Prince, after that we'll become seven, so we'll have to work hard to earn."
When Beatrix said that, she laughed, "That's right."
"I hope our goal doesn't become a shackle for Beowulf."
Saying so, she sighed while smiling.