Chapter 428: Beauty Pageant and Unforeseen Circumstances

Chapter 428: Beauty Pageant and Unforeseen Circumstances

"Is it time already?" Rod felt it was about to start.

Mila nodded, "Yes, but it seems Worm hasn't had his fill yet."

"If he eats to his heart's content, he won't be satisfied even after a year. Let's take him out again after the competition..." Rod suggested, "Or let Worm join you on stage. Maybe he can help attract some female votes."

"Sure, let Worm be my dance partner."

Last year, Miki even brought her magic bird, Beep, on stage. This year, having Worm accompany Mila was no problem.

According to Happy, Lucy was planning to collaborate with Barga and perform a cheerleading dance—a piece of information worth a bite of braised fish.

Yes, just one bite.

In Happy's mind, Lucy's information wasn't valuable; he only wanted a bite of the braised fish that Worm was eating.

Rod asked Mila about her plans, "Have you decided what you'll perform later?"

"Of course. You just need to prepare your eyes and ears." Mila indicated that she didn't want to tell him yet.

"Then I'll wait and see."

A little surprise now and then was also nice.

Reluctantly, Worm followed the two back to the guild, feeling there were still many things he hadn't tried.

However, Mila promised that if they won the prize money, she would use some of it to buy him delicious food.

Worm immediately became more spirited.

As the competition time approached, the contestants had returned to the guild, and those who wanted to watch the competition had gathered.

The guild was bustling with people. Marcus, the host, stood on stage, warming up the crowd with jokes and cold humor.

Using cold humor to warm up the audience seemed awkward, but Marcus did it exceptionally well. This was his favorite kind of occasion, and he only wished the guild had more events.

"There are quite a few people here," Rod thought, but he really wanted to say, "There are so many old perverts."

Mila waved at him, "I'm going backstage now."

"Okay." Rod stuck the number plate on Mila's chest.

"It should be on the waist."

"Oh."

Rod removed the number plate and reattached it to her waist, only to be given a cold stare by her.

What a mischievous guy.

"Let's go, Worm."

Mila called Worm and made their way backstage from the edge of the guild.

Rod took out a self-written work permit and, in the name of maintaining order, pushed through the crowd to reach the front.

Surprisingly, he didn't see the Guild Master in the front row.

He looked around and discovered that the Guild Master had quietly set up a VIP seat on the side of the stage while he was away, sitting with Wilhelm and Natsu.

The other VIP seat was occupied by Macao and Wakaba, who were eagerly clenching their fists, even wishing Marcus would finish his speech and get off the stage quickly.

As the start time approached, Marcus spoke passionately, "We've kept you waiting. The 'Fairies' of Fairy Tail will now compete in a beauty pageant! The Miss Fairy Tail Contest begins!"

"Contestant number one, the exotically beautiful, Cana Alberona!"

Cana, rarely dressed in a simple t-shirt and pants, walked onto the stage with poise, and countless cards flew out of her hand.

The cards danced around her like butterflies, emitting a dazzling light that completely concealed her figure.

When the light faded, Cana reappeared, now wearing a sexy swimsuit.

She struck a few poses, boldly showcasing her attractive figure.

—The last time she missed out due to drunkenness, but this time, she was determined to win the prize money.

"Wow!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd, and they thought that if this beauty became a swimsuit model for Gazelle, she might also become famous in one go.

However, most of the cheers came from outsiders.

Among the Fairy Tail members, aside from a few old gentlemen, the response was rather lukewarm.

It was understandable for others to change into swimsuits, but there was no surprise when it came to Cana.

After all, she had merely swapped her usual pants for swim trunks, with barely any difference.

"Next is contestant number two, the newly joined yet exceptionally powerful Rain Woman—Jubia Loxar!"

Jubia walked out with a smile, greeting everyone, and her gaze quickly fixed on Gray.

"Gray-sama, please look at me!"

She spread her arms, and her body below the neck completely transformed into a stream of water, creating waves on the small stage.

Jubia controlled the water flow to move within the stage area, even managing to flow around Marcus, showcasing her exquisite water magic.

When her body regained its physical form, she, too, had changed into a swimsuit. Compared to Cana, Jubia's swimsuit seemed even more fitting with the waves rippling beneath her feet.

"Ooooh!"

The cheers this time were noticeably more enthusiastic than for Cana, as the contrast was striking.

Jubia usually dressed conservatively, and unless Gray was present, her expression often appeared gloomy.

Recalling her past as one of the Four Element Spirits of the Phantom Lord, many people felt a sense of fear.

But today, everyone quickly recognized Juvia's adorable side, even though she only intended to show off for Gray.

Lucy peeked from the side of the curtain, scowling in disdain at their display of sexiness.

Makarov, sitting in the VIP section, discreetly wiped away a nosebleed, captivated by the swimsuit showcase.

"Next, contestant number 3, known as the Demon, but also our guild's proud mascot, Mirajane Strauss!"

Mirajane, with a smile, waved and walked onto the stage, followed closely by a round, fluffy furball.

The combination of a beauty and a cute pet immediately drew cheers and screams from the audience.

"So beautiful!"

"Even more stunning than in magazines!"

"What a pity she's engaged."

"Ahhh, I'm so jealous of that guy named Rod!"

Rod listened with delight, not even minding when someone called him a jerk.

He secretly rejoiced at his good fortune.

Rod eagerly watched Mirajane on stage, curious about her performance.

"I'm quite skilled in singing and transformation magic, so I'll showcase both for you today."

Mirajane smiled and said, "Since I usually sing gentle melodies, I want to try a different style this time. Transform!"

"Ooooh!"

"Wow!!!"

"So, so beautiful!"

The audience erupted in exclamations, even Rod in the front row was captivated.

Mirajane transformed into a bunny girl outfit.

A bold red top, sexy fishnet stockings, and a white collar adorned her neck, with one rabbit ear standing tall and the other bent. Her fluffy short tail was visible from the side.

Mirajane turned and took an electric guitar from Worm's back, while Plue, the magic bird raised by Miki, flew onto the stage and transformed into a microphone.

Mirajane strummed the guitar with a heavy sweep, followed by a complex and fast-paced riff. The sound that emerged from the guitar was piercing, like metal friction, and it reverberated through the audience's eardrums.

Rod felt a sense of familiarity with the music and the guitar.

It seemed like an improved electric guitar used by the one called Hawk from the Three Ravens.

And the prelude she played, while much more pleasant, was clearly in a similar style.

Rod finally understood that when she said she would play around, she meant to perform heavy metal as a bunny girl on stage.

This was... too amazing.

Amidst the fast-paced music, Mirajane intentionally lowered her voice, making it deep and rough:

"Beware of sweet words, WOW~

I'm not used to this

Be on guard, WOW~

But there seems to be no ill intent

..."

The adorable bunny girl outfit contrasted with the electric guitar, producing harsh music and a somewhat wild singing voice.

The audience was captivated by the contrast, and those who knew Mirajane's past found it fitting, while those unfamiliar with her were drawn in by the unique appeal.

As the music's rhythm intensified, the audience unconsciously moved to the beat, cheering and applauding during the song's breaks.

Worm seemed a bit dazed by the performance, and remembering Mirajane's instructions to dance alongside her, he started rolling around on stage.

Gajuru, who had been hiding in the crowd, chewing on a steel meal, and dozing off, suddenly became alert.

He never expected the Demon to understand his favorite music genre, and he vowed to challenge her to a musical duel (Hupbida!).

"Compared to a little devil or seduction,

I truly, truly want to be an angel,

Always curious about the taste of love~

We'll soon find out..."

As each contestant had limited time, Mirajane only sang the latter half of the song, but it still left a powerful impression.

"Sister! Man!" Elfman shouted with tears in his eyes, cheering for Mirajane in his own way, not even considering the possibility of being scolded.

But even the manly Elfman's voice was drowned out by the crowd, and Rod couldn't hear his own shout either.

The atmosphere was incredibly lively.

As the song ended, the guitar strings still vibrated, and the air seemed to retain the thrilling sound of the harsh music.

Despite a drop in popularity due to her engagement, Mirajane ignited the audience's emotions with her heavy metal performance.

Many felt it was too short, and some had already written her name or number on their ballots.

"She even has this trick..." Lucy felt the prize money slipping further away.

Erza was determined, "As expected of Mirajane, but I have my own plan!"

After the performance, Mirajane bowed lightly and, instead of retreating backstage like the other contestants, removed her number plate and jumped off the stage.

Worm also hopped forward with his short little legs.

Mira, with precise timing, landed right in Rod's embrace.

As for Worm... he fell from the white fluffy ball and landed with a 'pachi' sound, turning into a white fluffy pancake.

With his large build, no one dared to catch him, and those nearby, including Rod, took a step back.

Fortunately, the little one had good cushioning, and falling wouldn't hurt him. He lay down where he fell, snoring softly, waiting for the competition to end.

Mira hugged Rod's neck intimately and asked, "How was it?"

Rod hugged her a little tighter, "Are you asking about the performance or the costume?"

"Tell me about both."

Rod thought for a moment, "For the performance, I'd give it a perfect 100 out of 100. It was amazing. But for the costume, I can only give 90 points."

"Why?"

"Because it's weird. Although it looks like a bunny girl outfit, when I hold you, it still feels like that long dress. My senses are all confused."

"Hmph!" Mira didn't say much and stepped away from his embrace, returning to her original state.

This guy, what he meant was that he wanted her to wear that outfit for him, right? And probably not just to look, hmph, he's dreaming! Maybe she'll consider it later.

...

If looks could kill, Rod would have been torn apart by the audience.

"Next, contestant number 4, the Fairy Queen who combines beauty and strength, Erza Scarlet!"

Erza's popularity was almost on par with Mira's. When she appeared in her usual armor, the audience erupted in applause and cheers.

"That's the Fairy Queen! So cool!"

"She was a model for the Gazelle Weekly before, so beautiful!"

"Yes, why don't they invite her more often?!"

"I can't wait for her next appearance!"

Erza smiled, "My specialty is transformation magic. Let me show you some of my collection."

To create a dramatic effect, Erza slowed down the transformation process, and dazzling magic light enveloped her entire body.

Just like a magical girl transforming, even though they were shrouded in light, some people still stared intently.

Despite the dazzling light, the audience fixed their gaze on the blurry silhouette, and some imaginative onlookers felt their noses getting hot.

When the light faded, Erza had transformed into a Gothic Lolita-style outfit.

A large black butterfly adorned her red hair, and between the black miniskirt and black stockings, a white absolute domain was exposed, with white cuffs and socks as accents. Her white collar highlighted her impressive assets.

The valkyrie in armor had transformed into a cute and lovely young girl.

Everyone, both inside and outside the guild, was amazed by this transformation.

Those with weaker constitutions could only cover their noses and stare at her without blinking.

Rod was certainly not among them; he took a calm glance and quietly listened to Mira praising Erza's new look.

Mira and Erza's back-to-back performances had ignited the atmosphere, but unfortunately for Reby and Bisca, who followed them.

Although they were also beautiful in their unique ways, their impact couldn't match the previous two.

Those who still cheered for them were mostly members of their own guild, especially Jet, Troy, and Alzack, who were the most enthusiastic.

Everyone had their favorites.

"Contestant number 7 is our guild's super rookie, the messenger of starlight, Lucy!"

After Bisca's exit, Lucy stepped onto the stage with a nervous heart, "Hello everyone, I'm Lucy, and my performance is..."

"Hehe..."

A light laughter interrupted Lucy's self-introduction. With a hint of self-admiration, she said,

"The term 'fairy' refers to me, and 'beauty' also refers to me. Yes, I represent all of that, so of course, the winner is me, contestant number 8, Evergreen!"

Lucy turned around and saw a woman in a green dress holding a folding fan.

Although she didn't understand the situation, Lucy, thinking of the rent, spoke up, "What's going on? My performance hasn't even started yet!"

"It doesn't matter, because the boring contest is over."

In that instant of eye contact with Lucy, Evergreen lifted her glasses.

Her pupils emitted a golden light, and Lucy instantly turned into a stone statue.

Gajuru was actually a singer-songwriter. He had written songs for Fairy Tail and Reby, and in terms of lyrics and singing, his work could be described as—lacking in technique, but overflowing with emotion.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end