▣ KO-FI ▣ DISCORD ▣

Chapter 11: The Representative Selection Meeting

“Ladies and gentlemen, the time has finally come for the ‘First Miss Muse’, the representative selection meeting!”

The host announced this loudly as he took the stage.

On the stage, facing the audience, five judges were seated on the right side, and the nine selected female students for Miss Muse were seated in two rows on the left.

I was at the stage wing on the right side from the audience’s perspective, together with the other goddesses’ endorsers.

The venue for this event was the auditorium, which was quite crowded.

Like last time, the event was being live-streamed on the internet.

The term “selection meeting” rather than “battle” probably reflected the organizers’ intention of not ranking the participants.

“First, let me explain the process for selecting the representative. We will start with ‘endorsement speeches’ from the goddesses’ endorsers and ‘final self-promotion’ by the goddesses themselves. After that, we will narrow it down to three candidates, who will then select questions from envelopes submitted by everyone, and respond to them in their speeches.”

Everyone listened with serious expressions, me included.

Though the judging method had been announced beforehand, there could still be last-minute changes.

I focused intently, not wanting to miss a single word.

“First, we’ll score up to fifty points based on the proportion of online votes. Then, the five judges will each add up to ten points, totaling a hundred points to determine the representative.”

This was as previously explained, no changes.

“The chosen goddess will engage in activities like promoting the university’s charm, cooperating with partner companies for advertising and product monitoring, and participating in magazine interviews. If there are specific requests in areas like music or art, regardless of who is the representative, the relevant goddess will be approached.”

After explaining this, the host gestured towards the judges’ seats on the right side of the stage.

“Now, let me introduce the judges for the first Miss Muse selection. The grand prix winner of the 24th Miss Jyoto Daigaku…”

The host introduced each of the Miss Jyoto Daigaku winners from the 24th to the 20th.

I observed these women again.

There were flashy ones, cute ones, and some with a pure and serene aura.

And they held the key to this representative selection.

The host’s voice grew even louder.

“Let’s start with the endorsement speech for the ‘Goddess of Music’, Umino Mitsuki, by her endorser, Kamida Nobuhiko!”

The introduction video of the “Goddess of Music” was projected on the screen on the stage.

One of the women from the goddess seats stood up and walked to the center of the stage, bowing deeply.

“Mitsuki-chan!” “The sacred violin girl!”

Cheers from her supporters rose from the audience.

She held her violin and gracefully slid the bow across the strings.

“The Goddess of Music,” “The Goddess of Art,” “The Goddess of Literature,” “The Goddess of Drama,” “The Goddess of Dance,” “The Goddess of Song.”

Each goddess, when it was her turn, stood up from her seat and performed self-promotion in front of the audience, showcasing their skills.

The endorsers, one after another, took to the stage to give speeches in support of their goddess.

Along with this, supportive comments from the internet were displayed on the screen behind.

Then it was the turn for “The Enchanting Goddess,” Karen.

Her endorser was a guy who had been in our club until last year, probably one of her followers.

From the audience came chants, “K-A-R-E-N, Karen!”

Everyone had gathered their own group of supporters.

For her final self-promotion, Karen performed a cute thirty-second KitKot-style dance on stage, twisting her body to the cheers of her fans.

Finally, she made a heart shape at her chest and pushed it out as her finishing move.

She could probably become an underground idol right away… she really went all out.

After Karen’s endorsement speech, the host announced,

“Now, please welcome the endorser for ‘The Goddess of Wisdom’, Sakurajima Touko, Isseki Yuu, to the stage!”

I stepped into the spotlight on the stage, feeling quite nervous.

After receiving the mic from the host, I first bowed to the judges, then to the audience.

Beside me, Touko, who had come to the center of the stage, stood and bowed gracefully.

“…Toooouko-saaan!” came loud calls from the audience.

I saw a group dressed in flashy happi coats shouting her name.

There were those waving chemical lights, and others with supportive fans!

There were nearly fifty people in total, with Ishida at the center.

“Leave the cheering to me!” he had said, but I didn’t expect this method.

Impressed by how he gathered so many people, even Karen’s entourage hadn’t gone this far.

Looking sideways, I saw Touko blushing and looking down, perhaps feeling overwhelmed.

Maybe this was overdoing it.

But this would make it hard for any detractors to speak up.

The atmosphere in the hall seemed to have lifted. Laughter and support for Touko could be heard from all around. Everyone seemed to think it appropriate for the festive atmosphere.

Good, the mood is excellent.

“I was introduced earlier as the endorser of Sakurajima Touko, Isseki Yuu.”

I heard a heckler shout, “The Christmas Casanova!” but I didn’t let it bother me.

“This time, she has been selected as ‘The Goddess of Wisdom.’ Indeed, it’s a fitting title for the Touko everyone imagines.”

There were echoing supportive shouts of agreement.

“Touko-san has top academic grades, a GPA of 3.7, a TOEIC score comparable to a native speaker at nine hundred points, and in high school, she was known as the ‘Goddess of the Library’ for her extensive knowledge.”

On the big screen behind me, numerous photos of “Cool Senior Touko” taken by Mina-san are displayed.

“And as you can see, she has a modest and pure beauty, truly befitting the ‘Goddess of Wisdom’.”

I extended my hand towards these photos.

“But that’s just one facet of her. The real her is quite different. In this Miss Muse, she has shown us her free-spirited charm.”

Photos from the “Date Series” I took and the “Cosplay Series” by Ishida fluttered onto the screen, spreading images of Touko-san’s cute smile all over it.

“Intelligence and a naturally cute demeanor that defies it. And a free charm that breaks the existing image, that’s the allure of Touko-san I want to introduce!”

“Wow!” “Yes!” “Touko-saaan!” Cheers erupted from the audience, along with various comments flowing on the screen.

Cute Touko-chan, the best!

Gap moe~!

I became a fan of Touko-chan this time!

In response, I shook my head left and right as if really disappointed.

“I wish I could show you more of Touko-san’s cute charm, but unfortunately, we are out of time. Please check the WEB for more.”

A few chuckles came from the audience. Did I flop?

“Here, fittingly for the ‘Goddess of Wisdom,’ I will ask Touko-san to answer my interview in English. Don’t worry, her remarks will be voice-input on the screen behind me and translated, while my questions will be in Japanese.”

Laughter arose from the audience, even though it wasn’t my intention.

I shifted my gaze from the audience to Senior Touko.

“Why did you decide to participate in this Miss Muse?”

“The biggest reason was the support from everyone in the circle. Next, I heard Miss Muse evaluates individuality rather than ranking.”

Touko-san answered smoothly in English. Her pronunciation was beautiful, and her words were correctly displayed on the screen.

“What is your most memorable experience in this Miss Muse?”

“The best memory is working towards one goal with everyone. I discovered parts of myself I never knew. Cosplay was fun.”

“Will you participate in beauty contests in the future?”

“Probably not. A quieter life suits me better.”

“Touko-san, I heard you are focusing on learning languages. What languages are you studying?”

“Currently, English, Chinese, and French. I plan to learn German and Spanish to a certain level before graduation. In the future, I want to learn more languages, like Arabic, Hindi, Thai, and Indonesian-Malay.”

Murmurs of disbelief rose from the audience. I agreed.

“You’re planning to learn so many languages. Is there a reason for that?”

“English and Chinese due to the current global situation. French and German because they are widely spoken in Europe. Spanish is the third most spoken language worldwide, and Hindi, Thai, and Indonesian-Malay are becoming increasingly important in business relations with Japan.”

At that moment, a man from the front of the audience stood up and shouted a question.

“What dream do you want to achieve using so many languages?”

He seemed like a student from Southeast Asia. We weren’t taking questions from the audience, but…

Ignoring my confusion, Touko-san answered in English.

“I want to be a person who can thrive globally. Also, as a personal dream, I someday want to sail around the world in a yacht.”

Another man stood up.

“＊＊＊＊ ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊?”

I was lost. What was he saying?

I looked at the screen behind me.

Chinese characters were displayed, along with a Japanese translation.

＞You are beautiful. Men from any country would fall for you. What nationality do you prefer in men?

Touko-san smiled and answered in Chinese.

“＊＊＊＊＊＊～”

Apparently, she replied in Chinese.

And then… she turned to look at me.

Eh, what? Am I supposed to say something here? I don’t understand at all?

Startled, I looked at the screen for the Japanese translation.

＞Thank you.

＞I think character matters more than nationality.

＞Someone who considers others’ feelings, who I want to be with when I’m tired, who will always be there for me.

＞That kind of person is my…

The screen switched before I could finish reading.

The audience began to ask questions all at once.

“Sorry, I can’t take questions from the audience. Please be quiet, everyone. The interview is still ongoing!”

My voice calmed the audience, though some looked dissatisfied.

I took the mic again and faced Touko-san.

“What interests you the most, Touko-san? And what career do you want to pursue in the future?”

Touko-san responded in English again.

“My main interest is in global warming and ocean pollution. I won’t delve into the details, but one reason is deeply related to my dream of ‘sailing around the world.’ Therefore, I want to work in an energy-related field. Jobs that utilize renewable energy and emit as little CO2 as possible. I want to contribute to a more sustainable society.”

Touko-san’s words were translated and displayed on the screen.

The audience, which had been noisy just moments ago, fell silent as if in awe.

Then, a round of applause erupted from the audience.

Please let me know if there’s anything else you need.

It seemed that Touko’s self-promotion was a success.

With the applause in the background, I made my final concluding remarks.

“Thank you all for your support. This concludes the self-promotion of Touko Sakurajima and my endorsement speech. Finally…”

I paused for a moment.

“Sustainability. It’s important, isn’t it? In any society and in anything we do, the ability to sustain is crucial. And for that, we must not be trapped by outdated ways of thinking or entanglements. We always need to think of better ways, things we believe are right. We must uphold fairness and justice.”

I said this while looking towards the judges’ seats.

They still hadn’t realized that these words were directed at them.

But soon, they would inevitably have to face these words seriously, right after this…

…Even though they might not realize that this is a warning from me…

Now, all that’s left is to see how this representative selection battle unfolds.

After my endorsement speech, I moved to the stage wing downstage.

During this time, I kept an eye on every expression and movement of the judges.

Almost simultaneously, they all checked their smartphones.

Then I saw a change in the expressions of three of them.

…Just as I thought…

I glanced at Ishida in the audience.

He caught my eye and grinned, giving me a thumbs-up.

It seems everything went as planned.

The judges, three of them in particular, became restless.

But they were on stage. They couldn’t consult with anyone.

…This is all going according to plan, but…

Already on stage, the endorser of “The Goddess of Expression,” Rindo, had started her endorsement speech.

Her endorser was shouting about “how she, the two-time consecutive winner of Miss Jyoto Daigaku, is an exceptional woman,” but the content wasn’t particularly inspiring.

However, Rindo’s self-promotion was impactful.

Two men joined her on stage, and as if tearing apart her flowing dress, they revealed a highly revealing outfit underneath.

It was a short tank top with lace frills, almost like a bikini bra.

The bottom was also a sheer skirt that resembled a bikini pareo.

It seemed as though a swimsuit competition was happening just for her.

Rindo struck a pose, flaunting her figure.

The male students in the audience erupted in cheers. Well, for the guys, this was definitely exciting. In terms of attracting attention, it was exactly what she aimed for.

Moreover, it seemed Rindo’s faction had gathered a considerable number of supporters in the audience, with coordinated cheers of “Great!”, “Awesome!”, “Rindo is number one!”

As for Rindo herself…

With absolute confidence in her staging and manipulation, she wore a faint, mischievous smile.

Her eyes briefly glanced at Touko.

As if she was certain of her victory.

…But her manipulations have already been thwarted…

I muttered this to myself.

After Rindo’s self-promotion and endorsement speech, the host took the microphone at the center.

“That concludes the self-promotion and endorsement speeches of all nine goddesses. We will now select the top three based on public voting. The final speeches of these three goddesses will be assessed by the judges to determine the representative.”

Even I felt my heart race as I listened to the host’s explanation.

Based on follower counts and other factors, I was confident Touko would be in the top three, but anything could happen.

At this point, the likelihood of manipulation by Rindo’s faction or Karen’s group was slim.

“The first one is… with 5,896 votes, Karen Mitsumoto!”

Cheers of “Wow!” and “Karen-chan!” erupted from the audience.

Karen briefly stood up, smiled at the audience, and bowed.

But the moment she sat down, she glanced towards where I was in the stage wing.

“The second is… almost the same score, Rindo! 5,901 votes.”

Rindo didn’t stand up but just nodded from her seat.

Her expression remained unchanged.

“And the last, third one… Touko Sakurajima! 6,209 votes!”

“Loud cheers of “Wow!”, “Yay!”, “That’s our Touko!” filled the hall.

Touko stood up from her seat and bowed politely in response.

Ishida and the others from our club jumped up, cheering in the audience.

I was also thrilled. All our efforts had paid off.

I glanced at Rindo Akane, expecting her to be showing signs of frustration.

Indeed, Rindo did seem somewhat vexed.

But still, her expression conveyed belief in her own victory. It appeared she had considerable confidence in the upcoming judges’ scoring.

Next, I observed Karen. She, too, seemed unfazed, as if there was no problem at all.

This puzzled me. Indeed, I had discussed a certain matter with Karen, but it wasn’t about her winning over Senior Touko.

What’s going on? Does Rindo have another trick up her sleeve?

Just as these thoughts crossed my mind, the host’s announcement interrupted them.

“With the public voting concluded, Touko Sakurajima has forty points, Rindo Akane has thirty-eight, and Karen Mitsumoto also has thirty-eight.”

So the maximum public voting points were fifty. The difference in public voting seemed to be only about two points at most. Such a gap could easily be overturned by the judges’ scores.

“Could the three of you please come to the front?”

The host urged them towards the center of the stage.

However, neither Rindo Akane nor Karen made a move to stand up immediately.

Senior Touko looked at them and, having no choice, was the first to rise and go forward.

Following her, Rindo and Karen lined up beside her.

A whiteboard had already been pulled onto the center of the stage, with three envelopes attached to it by magnets.

“Next, we ask our three goddesses to answer questions from the audience in the form of a speech. Please, each of you choose an envelope.”

The host indicated the whiteboard.

Senior Touko, being closest to the whiteboard, stepped forward and picked an envelope.

But Rindo Akane, following her, extended her hand to Senior Touko as if it was the most natural thing to do.

Senior Touko, seeing this, handed her chosen envelope to Rindo.

Rindo then passed it on to Karen.

Senior Touko picked the next envelope for herself.

Impatient, Rindo reached for the remaining envelope on the whiteboard.

“The order of presentation will be decided by this dice. If it lands on one or six, Touko Sakurajima will start, two or five for Rindo Akane, three or four for Karen Mitsumoto. Let’s go.”

The host rolled the dice.

The order was set: Karen, Senior Touko, and then Rindo Akane.

Karen stepped to the center of the stage, opened her envelope, and grabbed the microphone.

“Uh, the question for me is, ‘What type of man do you like?'”

Karen read out the question with a cute tilt of her head.

“Uh, it’s tough. Karen is good at finding the good in anyone she likes~. Maybe I could fall for anyone~”

Laughter erupted from the audience.

Karen finished her speech, and it was Senior Touko’s turn to take the stage.

That’s when it happened. Rindo Akane, standing behind, briefly looked at Senior Touko and smiled.

Something like an electric current ran through my mind.

Why would Rindo Akane let slip such a smile at Senior Touko at this juncture?

…Could there be a catch to this speech itself?…

For instance, a question that puts Senior Touko at a significant disadvantage?

But the content of the question was sealed in the envelope, and there was no way to check it in advance.

Moreover, the envelopes were attached to the whiteboard, and Senior Touko herself had chosen it.

If the host had distributed them, it could be rigged to give a particular question to Senior Touko, but that wasn’t the case this time.

…Then what could it be?

Senior Touko stood in the center of the stage.

Behind her, Rindo Akane wore a mischievous smile again, as if she found the upcoming events irresistibly amusing.

Senior Touko opened her envelope.

“My question is, ‘How did you spend last Christmas Eve?'”

I was taken aback.

Last Christmas Eve, the “X-Day.”

On that day, Senior Touko had revealed Kamakura Tetsuya’s infidelity at the circle’s Christmas party, announcing the end of their relationship.

And afterward, she had gone to a hotel with me.

…Do I have to say that in front of all these people?…

Between Touko and me, nothing happened when we went to the hotel.

However, I haven’t told others about this fact.

I am rumored to have been cuckolded by Kamakura, who stole my girlfriend Karen, and in revenge, “I stole Kamakura’s then-girlfriend, Touko.”

No matter how much I argue, “We just got back at two cheaters,” it doesn’t seem like it would work in this situation.

Being a representative face of the campus, it would undoubtedly be a negative mark.

…Should I just say here, “Nothing happened between Touko and me!” and tell the truth?

I almost stepped forward to say it.

But the one who barely stopped me was… none other than Touko herself.

Touko looked at me with calm, yet confident eyes.

Her eyes seemed to say, “Trust me.”

“Last Christmas Eve was a special day for me,” Touko started to speak clearly.

“A day when various thoughts accumulated and I was able to come up with an answer.”

The audience was buzzing, obviously knowing about the “X-Day.”

“I’m a cowardly person. So, I feared showing my true feelings and played the role others expected of me.”

Touko continued speaking, unfazed by the atmosphere in the hall.

“But on that day, there were friends who helped me. Among them, there was a ‘comrade-in-arms’ who became a support for my heart.”

Touko’s narrative voice rippled across the auditorium.

“That person shared the same pain as me. Together we supported each other and accomplished a common goal. I’m thankful to them, and they are thankful to me.”

With Touko’s words, the murmuring in the hall quietly subsided.

“No matter how many years you spend together, whether as lovers or even as a married couple, there are people who don’t understand each other. How many truly trustworthy people can one find in a lifetime filled with so many encounters?”

The audience was silent, listening intently to Touko’s words.

“Having such a truly reliable person was the best Christmas present for me. Regardless of what others may gossip, ‘I found someone I can trust wholeheartedly, I am not alone’ – that was my Christmas Eve.”

Saying this, Touko bowed her head quietly.

By that time, the hall was enveloped in silence.

Everyone was touched by Touko’s heartfelt words.

I had nothing to say.

To Touko, regardless of the rumors or taunts about X-Day, it was inconsequential.

“Just being able to trust each other is enough.” That was all that mattered.

In response… perhaps I should also make a decision.

Inwardly, I have been dissatisfied with our current relationship.

…But I fear that our current relationship with Touko might be destroyed…

A single clap echoed from the audience.

Gradually, the clapping increased, and finally, the entire hall erupted into applause.

It seemed unlikely that anyone would speak against us regarding the X-Day incident anymore.

As the applause died down, the host, as if remembering, prompted the final speech from Rindo.

The envelope for Rindo’s third turn contained the question, “Do you have any principles as Miss Muse?”

Rindo naturally responded, “Never forgetting to improve myself.”

And she added, “Any gemstone, unless polished, is no different from an ordinary glass bead.”

Applause followed, but somehow it felt hollow.

After the three speeches, the host took the microphone again.

“Now, let’s announce the final results by our judges. Judges, please raise your cards with the scores written on them.”

All the judges nodded seriously.

I watched them intently.

“First, let’s start with Karen Mitsumoto’s score. Please raise your cards from left to right!”

One by one, the former Miss Jyoto Daigaku winners raised their cards.

“8 points, 8 points, 8 points, 8 points, 8 points. A total of 40 points. Combined with public voting, 78 points!”

As the host read this out, “Karen Mitsumoto: 78” was displayed on the screen behind.

“Next, Touko Sakurajima. 8 points, 9 points, 8 points, 9 points, 8 points. A total of 42 points. Combined with public voting, 82 points!”

A chorus of “Oh!” arose from the audience.

Then a sharp light appeared in Rindo’s eyes.

“Lastly, Rindo’s score!”

One by one, the judges raised their cards from the left.

“8 points, 7 points, 8 points, 8 points, 8 points! A total of 39 points. Combined with the public votes, that makes 77 points!”

“What, why?!”

Rindo Akane screamed in disbelief.

However, her voice was drowned out by the applause and cheers from the audience.

The host, unaware of Rindo’s words, announced loudly, “Therefore, the winner of the first Miss Muse is none other than Touko Sakurajima, a third-year student in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Science! Let’s give her a big round of applause, everyone!”

A tremendous applause erupted from the audience.

“Now, Touko Sakurajima-san, please give us your winner’s speech.”

The host handed the microphone to Senior Touko.

Rindo Akane glared at her with a look that was almost predatory, her clenched fists trembling with anger.

Senior Touko hesitated for a moment as she took center stage, then lifted her face.

“Thank you, everyone, for supporting someone like me. Honestly, I was hesitant about participating in Miss Muse at first, but now I feel it has been a good experience. I genuinely enjoyed it.”

Senior Touko paused briefly, then continued with a determined look.

“However, I must admit that being in front of a large crowd doesn’t suit my personality. Therefore, while I am honored to be chosen as the representative, I would like to decline any role in publicity activities or as a mascot girl. I’ve realized there are many more suitable candidates than me.”

The host’s eyes widened in surprise, and the audience stirred again.

But Senior Touko continued, undeterred.

“Miss Muse originally aimed to ‘discover diverse personalities and charms.’ I believe everyone here has wonderful qualities. Some shine brighter in the public eye. I am not one of those people.”

Senior Touko bowed deeply.

“I apologize for being selfish, but for these reasons, I will decline any participation in publicity and promotional activities with companies.”

After saying this, Senior Touko returned the microphone to the host and went back to her seat.

The host and other organizers seemed flustered as they gathered on stage.

They spoke among themselves while casting anxious glances at Senior Touko.

Whispers spread through the audience, “What, Touko-san is declining publicity work?” “Then who will be the face of Miss Muse?” “Maybe the runner-up?” “Who’s number two this time?”

It was then that one of the goddesses energetically raised her hand. It was Karen.

“If the first-place Touko-san is declining the mascot girl role, can I volunteer?”

She boldly put herself forward.

Honestly, I was stunned. To step up in such a situation took incredible courage.

Is her heart made of titanium alloy?

No… perhaps this was Karen’s plan from the beginning?

The audience seemed to accept Karen’s offer.

“Yeah, that makes sense,” “Karen-chan was second, after all,” “If Touko-san declines, it’s only logical for Karen-chan to be the mascot girl,” “She’s the ‘Enchanting Goddess,’ it might be a perfect fit.”

Such murmurs could be heard from all around.

The organizers seemed relieved by Karen’s proposal, as if it was a godsend.

After a brief exchange between the host and the organizers, the announcement continued.

“Well, Touko Sakurajima-san, the elected representative of Miss Muse, has just declared her intention to decline any promotional activities. Therefore, we will ask Karen Mitsumoto, the runner-up, to take on the role of this year’s promotional ambassador. Karen Mitsumoto-san, please come forward.”

The audience applauded again, and Karen stood at the center of the stage with a radiant smile.

“While we request the cooperation of the other goddesses in their areas of expertise for promotional activities or corporate publicity…”

As the host continued with his somewhat apologetic speech, I watched Senior Touko from the wings with a sense of satisfaction and understanding.

“It’s invalid, all invalid! This selection is unacceptable!”

Immediately after the conclusion of the contest, a woman’s shrill voice echoed backstage.

It was Rindo Akane.

“Announce a redo of the selection immediately! ‘There was a mistake in this judging. We will redo the Miss Muse selection.'”

She was surrounded by the Miss Muse host, four organizing members, five judges who were former Miss Josuto University winners, and the nine goddesses who participated this time, along with their recommenders.

As one of them, I watched the situation unfold.

“This judging result is absolutely wrong! This can’t be happening! There must be some mistake, or someone’s sabotage…”

“Who’s sabotaging what?” one of the judges, the winner of the twenty-third Miss Josuto University, interjected.

Rindo glared sharply at her with piercing eyes.

Yet she continued without faltering.

“Or does Rindo have some reason to believe she would be sabotaged?”

“That’s none of your business!”

“It’s not unrelated. Considering you asked three of the judges to score high for you.”

Rindo’s expression changed, but she retorted with confidence.

“What are you talking about? Where’s the evidence for that?”

“I’m the one who collected that evidence,” I said, stepping forward.

“You knew that the Advertising Study Group, the Event Planning Study Group, and the Beauty Circle, three clubs, had significant influence in the past Miss Contests. And by collaborating with these clubs to provide judges, it became advantageous for winning Miss Jyoto Daigaku.”

Rindo turned towards me, her elegant face now contorted.

“Of course, having influence doesn’t mean complete control. The organizers were not involved. In fact, of the five judges here, the winners of the 21st and 23rd contests were not related to these three clubs.”

The two judges mentioned nodded.

“That’s why I sent an anonymous email to all judges earlier. It said, ‘There was interference from specific clubs in the selection of past Miss Jyoto Daigaku winners.'”

“So what? That’s just circumstantial evidence. It’s common for large, enthusiastic clubs to have strong influence. How does that prove any wrongdoing?”

“You gave specific instructions, right? You, Rindo, said it yourself.”

I took out an IC recorder.

“Last night, you summoned Karen, right? You said, ‘If things get tough, expose what happened at last year’s Christmas party.’ Then you mentioned, ‘The judges are former Miss Jyoto Daigaku winners, but three of them won with the help of recommendation clubs. I know this, so they can’t oppose me. I’ve instructed these three judges to ensure Touko Sakurajima loses and I win.’ I recorded that conversation.”

Hearing this, Rindo yelled, “Karen!”

Karen then made a cute face and pouted.

“Sorry, sister. But even if I did as you said, there’s no guarantee I would become next year’s Miss Jyoto Daigaku. That’s why Yuu-kun told me, ‘It’s better to have insurance.'”

“Insurance, you…”

Rindo’s voice boiled with rage.

“Blaming Karen is pointless. And I didn’t ask the judges to make Touko win. I only wrote ‘Please judge fairly.’ If it’s fair, there’s no need for complaints.”

“The girl’s right,” said the winner of the 24th Miss Jyoto Daigaku.

“The email to us was anonymous. It didn’t say ‘Make someone win.’ So we judged Touko Sakurajima, Rindo, and you without bias. Of course, this includes Karen Mitsumoto.”

The other judges began to speak.

“Do you think your speech was better than Touko Sakurajima’s? It’s obvious just by looking at the audience’s reaction.”

Startled by this, Rindo looked at Touko.

“Then I remember. You knew the questions in the envelope.”

Touko nodded quietly.

“Yes.”

“If so, you, Touko Sakurajima, are the one who cheated. The contents of the envelopes couldn’t have been known in advance!”

She tried desperately to pin the blame on Touko, but I was also puzzled by how Touko knew the contents.

However, Touko smiled calmly.

“You, Rindo, are the one who told me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your behavior was unnatural. Usually, Rindo is the first to come forward and always stands in prominent places. But only when picking the envelope did you let me go first. There must have been a reason for that.”

“And then?”

Rindo’s face turned pale.

“I was the first to pick an envelope, right? But when you came after me, you urged me to hand over the envelope I had picked. In that situation, I couldn’t refuse.”

I remembered that moment. Indeed, what Touko said was true. Rindo had reached out and taken the envelope Touko had picked.

“You then passed that envelope to Karen. I thought we were doing a relay, but when I picked another envelope, you left it as is and took one from the whiteboard. That’s when I realized it was a ‘Magician’s Choice.'”

“Magician’s Choice?”

I asked, and Touko looked at me to explain.

“A magician’s technique. It makes the audience think they’re choosing freely, but the magician manipulates them to pick a specific card.”

Touko drew a diagram on the whiteboard where the envelopes were placed, circling ‘A’.

“If there are three envelopes A, B, and C, and I want you to pick A, if I pick A first, the other two will pick the rest, and it’s over.”

She circled ‘B’.

“If I pick B, Rindo takes it and passes it to Karen. If I then pick A, Rindo takes C. If I pick C, as before, Rindo takes C, leaving A for me. It appears as if I chose freely, but in reality, Rindo is manipulating the choice.”

Rindo looked frustrated.

“Rindo knew in advance which was the ‘Christmas Eve envelope.’ The questions were open to submissions, so it’s easy to flood them with questions from allies.”

That explains the trick.

But I still had doubts.

“Why did you pick an envelope that was disadvantageous to you, knowing all this, Touko?”

“The answer is twofold. First, I couldn’t predict the question in the other envelopes.”

Senior Touko raised two fingers in a V-sign.

“The envelope Rindo-san was so keen on me picking. I deduced it must contain a question unfavorable to me. What would be the most difficult question for me in this situation? Considering that, it was clear the question would be related to X-Day, wasn’t it? I expected her to use that.”

“I see. And the second reason?”

“I wanted to resolve this issue once and for all. If I made it clear from my own mouth, I thought no one would bother me about this matter anymore. Though, I did spend quite some time thinking about how to properly convey the story of that night.”

That made sense to me.

A smile naturally formed on my lips.

I insisted on a fair judgment in this Miss Muse representative contest.

But Senior Touko, she went a step further, using Rindo Akane’s trap to resolve our troubles.

Truly, I was in awe of her.

A judge, the winner of the 23rd Miss Josuto University, spoke up.

“Now you see, Rindo Akane. We judged fairly. And you lost to Touko Sakurajima, not just as a Miss Muse representative, but in strategy too.”

Rindo Akane looked furiously at us, her face flushed red, resembling a demon rather than a human.

“Remember this. It’s not over yet.”

She spat these words ominously and turned her back, walking away.

Thus, the “Miss Muse Representative Decision” ended.

While the circle’s members were cleaning up the venue, Senior Touko approached me.

“Itsushiki-kun, well done.”

She said this with a bright expression.

“You too, Senior Touko. It’s truly all over now.”

“Really, I can finally sleep peacefully from today.”

Senior Touko took a deep breath, exhaling deeply.

“It must have been a lot of pressure. But the way you saw through the ‘question trap’ at the end was brilliant. Just as expected of Senior Touko.”

“No, I couldn’t have done it alone. It’s because you came up with a strategy for me to remain as a representative, and because the judges judged fairly, that my speech at the last moment could shine.”

Saying this, Senior Touko showed me a bright smile.

I didn’t think I had been that helpful, but seeing Senior Touko’s happy face was uplifting.

“You two are always so close,” a voice said.

Turning around, it was Karen.

“Karen-san, we owe you a thank you. And I’m sorry for leaving you with the troublesome role,” Senior Touko said, bowing her head.

“No, no, not at all! After all, my goal was to become Miss Muse’s mascot girl. This will help me connect with companies and media, and it’s useful for job hunting. I should be thanking you, Senior Touko.”

Karen replied with a cheerful expression.

I felt relieved. Karen’s words seemed sincere.

“But Karen, why did you help Senior Touko this time?”

That was what I was most curious about.

The methods of online promotion, contacts of past Miss Josuto University winners, and finally, the conclusive recording of Rindo Akane’s evidence.

Without Karen’s assistance, the outcome of this representative contest would have been uncertain.

Karen put her finger to her lips, looking puzzled.

“Well, Karen didn’t really help Senior Touko per se. I was Rindo-san’s junior and acted as she instructed~”

But then, Karen revealed a mischievous smile.

“But as I said before, Karen is her own best ally~. Next year’s promises are uncertain, so I wanted the ‘insurance’ Itsuki-kun mentioned. Plus, if I could become the most prominent mascot girl in Miss Muse this year, that’s even better. I knew Senior Touko would decline the role if she won.”

“Wait, what?”

Karen knew “Senior Touko would decline the mascot girl role”?

But Senior Touko, still smiling, didn’t seem surprised.

“That’s right. Karen-san understood me well. I’m happy to know that.”

“I’m not exactly looking to get cozy with Senior Touko, though~”

Someone called Karen. It seemed to be one of the organizers.

“Karen, we have a photo shoot next.”

“Okay, see you later then.”

Before I could say anything, Karen ran off.

Senior Touko chuckled amusingly. “Karen-san is quite something. To think she planned that far.”

“Yeah…”

I nodded slightly.

But I couldn’t laugh.

Karen… how far had she calculated, appearing so carefree?

…Perhaps the real winner of this whole affair was Karen…

That was what I thought.

Once again… women are scary.