Book 2: Chapter 41

“Being the best requires talent!” May declares.

“So, for round 1, each girl must display her talent for the judges! They will be rated by 1-10, but the audience too is a judge! You get ten points too for the loudest cheer! The most points wins the round!” Daisy shouts.

“So… g-give it up!” Sylvia yells, “For Ariel!”

Ariel comes out onto the stage. “I’m Ariel, and this is my talent!”

Everyone watches carefully as she pulls out a bag that appears to be full of something. She reaches in and then pulls out a small item. Everyone strains their eyes to see that it is a small white ball. Without another word, she puts the ball in her mouth. She reaches in and pulls out another ball, and then puts it in her mouth. The crowd is silent, most people confused by what they are watching, but one after another, she slides ball after ball in her mouth.

“Wow, her mouth can take a lot of balls!” Someone shouts.

This starts with people shouting and cheering her on. “One more ball, one more ball!”

Soon, her cheeks are puffed out like a chipmunk, which looks pretty cute. I lose track of how many balls she fit, but shockingly, she turns the bag upside down to show that it is now completely empty, and slides the last ball into place. There is a wave of shouting and clapping. She then opens the bag, and like a flood, a stream of ping-pong balls burst out of her mouth.

She wipes her face and smiles. “And now, I will take these ping-pong balls and shoot them into this cup. Except, I won’t use my mouth!”

“That’s enough! Clap for Ariel!” I immediately stand and start clapping.

“What, Where’s she going to shoot the ping-“ Florian starts to ask.

“Give it up for Ariel!” the four Baka maids rush out and grab Ariel before she can lift her dress and begin to drag her off stage.

“Eh? I’m not done yet?”

“Ariel did great everyone, clap!” I encourage them.

A handful clap with me, a few are still confused, and one or two were even demanding the ping-pong trick be finished while wearing perverted eyes.

Ariel: Me: 3/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 6/10 Audience: 5/10

“Seriously? You gave her a ten?”

“Ah…” Florian shrugged, “She tried her hardest?”

“Next up! Millie!”

Millie moves up into the center of the stage. She opens her mouth and a moment later flames burst from it. The crowd oohs and awes as she shoots the flame over the crowds. The clapping gets to her as she creates bigger and more dangerous flames. Then she accidentally ignites half the crowd on fire. I wave my hand under the table and put out the fire before most of the people even realized it. The clapping for her is pretty excited, but a few people are touching their singed eyebrows with wry looks.

Millie: Me: 6/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 7/10 Audience: 7/10

Aura comes out next, and her talent ends up being a harp. I didn’t even know she could play an instrument! However, it looks like she is quite adept, even with her baby bump keeping her from pressing herself close to the harp, her hands glided over it and create some rather beautiful music.

Aura: Me: 8/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 9/10 Audience: 5/10

The crowd here is a bit uncultured for harp music. I guess it’s a little too noble for them. Sebastian says it was rather fine music truly befitting the talents of a Queen. He seems to be impressed by the more noble talents. On that note, even a Demonlord seems too cultured as Grimhilde recites a sonnet and ends up getting boo’ed off stage. Well, I liked it.

Grimhilde: Me: 8/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 8/10 Audience: 2/10

Lamilia went next. She pulls out a bow and arrows and quite accurately lands the arrows on a target even while blindfolded. This audience seems to be more geared towards sex and violence, and for them the arrow shooting is a lot more exciting than the harps and sonnets. Meanwhile, me and Sebastian are less impressed. I don’t really see myself as having a nobles sensibilities, but shooting arrows just aren’t exciting to me anymore. I could do this trick blindfolded while balls deep in a girl and one hand tied behind my back.

“Good job, Lamilia!” May declares.

“Mm…” is her only response before she heads back off stage.

Lamilia: Me: 5/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 6/10 Audience: 9/10

“Florian… are you really going to give every girl a 10?” I ask wryly.

“They’re just all so wonderful. I couldn’t possibly choose!”

“Typical indecisive harem protagonist.” I mutter under my breath, so he can’t hear.

Elysa comes out next. She actually has acquired two batons and starts doing baton twirling. It is pretty cute, but Millie wants revenge from early and seems to cause the batons to burst fire from each side. Most everyone thought this was part of the act as Elysa became flustered and desperately flinging the flaming batons around. The result was still an enjoyable spectacle. I, of course, make sure to put the flames out before things get dangerous.

Elysa: Me: 8/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 7/10 Audience: 10/10

Chris came out and did some slight of hand. She is so earnest and smiles so brightly when she gets an applause that I fight the urge to storm the stage and take her right there. Chris’s time is coming tonight, I decide.

Chris: Me: 10/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 4/10 Audience: 8/10

Jasmine comes out and sets up a pole in the middle of the stage.

“Rejected!” I declare.

“B-b-but! I’m the entire reason we even started this!” Jasmine genuinely starts crying on the stage.

As a young girl, her crying immediately touches the hearts of all the crowds, who suddenly started clapping to cheer her up. I give a sigh, stand up, and get on stage, going to one knee next to her. I pat her on the head while wiping the tears away.

“It’s okay, you can always make it up in the next round. I promise I won’t leave you behind Jasmine.”

Jasmine’s tears stop and she looks at me with bright eyes.

“Ahhhhhhhh!” That was the crowd.

I went rigid as I stood up, handing Jasmine to Chris and walking back to the judge’s seat. Florian is looking at me with a smile.

‘What now?”

“So, Riun’s hero is a good guy after all.” He says with a chuckle.

Ahhh… this is going to be a long day.

Jasmine: Me: 5/10 Florian: 10/10 Sebastian: 2/10 Audience: 10/10