Magnolia, Fiore Plaza Garden—
The day after the Harvest Festival competition concluded, the "Miss Fairy Tail Contest" was held as scheduled.
The venue was packed to capacity, with spectators waving their cheering sticks in anticipation of this dazzling and eye-catching spectacle.
The competition area had undergone another renovation, featuring a temporary 50-square-meter stage in the center, with an extended runway connecting to it.
Over a dozen spotlights surrounded the stage, complemented by natural sunlight for the open-air venue, ensuring perfect lighting for the models.
Amid the wild and enthusiastic cheers of the audience, Raizel, dressed in a sharp suit and wearing the black rose brooch gifted by Ultear, slowly walked out from the runway.
Raizel had styled his hair into a slicked-back parting.
Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Laxus commented on the Magic Lacrima screen showing Raizel.
"That guy's hair is ridiculously flashy today..."
Sitting at a VIP table, Makarov remarked, "With so many people watching, it's only natural."
Gray looked around at the excited crowd and said, "The cheers feel way more intense than during our matches."
Wakaba shrugged nonchalantly. "Isn't it always like this? Besides, this is the first time our 'Miss Fairy Tail Contest' is being held on such a grand stage."
Macao grinned widely. "I'm not interested in the audience. I'm only here for the competition and the results."
"Speaking of which, you really have no interest in this kind of thing, do you?" Gray glanced at Natsu, who was completely indifferent to the contest and instead focused on eating food from the stalls.
Elfman was also busy stuffing his face like Natsu, though he managed to spare a moment to cheer for Mirajane.
"A real man! My sister will definitely take first place!"
"What about Lisanna?" Happy raised a paw and asked innocently.
"Uh... tied for first..." Elfman awkwardly stammered, trying not to choose between his sisters.
Nearly all the male members of Fairy Tail who were still in Magnolia had gathered here.
Today, like the rest of the audience, they also had the right to vote.
Very few female members remained in the audience, as most were backstage in the waiting room.
...
"Thank you for your enthusiastic cheers, and welcome to Fiore Plaza Garden!"
Raizel stood at the center of the stage, bowed slightly, and raised his microphone to speak.
"Hello, everyone! Thank you for waiting. The beautiful fairies are about to compete in the 'Miss Fairy Tail Contest'!"
"As you can see, I, Raizel, will be hosting this event!"
After waiting for the audience's applause to subside, Raizel enthusiastically announced the rules.
"The theme of this competition is Swimwear! All contestants will compete around this theme!"
"Now, let's welcome our first contestant!"
"The exotic beauty with a bottomless stomach—Cana Alberona!"
Her slightly dark, long hair indeed carried an exotic charm in the Fiore Kingdom, and Cana possessed extraordinary talent when it came to drinking beverages and alcohol.
Following Raizel's introduction, Cana slowly emerged from the passageway, greeting the audience around her as she walked.
Raizel had already stepped back, leaving the center stage for Cana.
"Next is the time for magic self-promotion!"
As Raizel's words fell, a deck of Magic Cards appeared in Cana's hand.
The number of cards continuously increased, and they began to leave her hand, gradually surrounding her body in a swirling vortex.
"The cards are covering Cana's body! What swimsuit will she change into?"
Raizel built up the atmosphere while Cana used her magic.
By now, the cards had completely enveloped Cana's figure.
A flash of cyan light appeared, followed by a poof, and Cana's form—now clad in an orange striped swimsuit—was revealed to everyone.
"She changed into a swimsuit! And she even has a partner!!!"
"Beauty and the Beast!!!"
Cana now lay sideways on the ground, with a black panther crouching in front of her.
She half-embraced the panther while striking a sultry pose, her long legs fully on display.
Even without Raizel hyping up the crowd, the audience's excitement had already peaked, with fervent cheers echoing throughout.
...
"She even brought a partner, how cunning! And it's the contrast of beauty and the beast."
In the waiting room, there was also a crystal screen showing the competition venue.
Lucy was astonished to see Cana summon a black panther just for a pose.
"I see, so that's another trick."
Erza nodded curiously beside her, indicating she had learned something new about performance magic.
"Uh... if even Erza is taking it this seriously... my 50,0000 Jewels are slipping further away..."
Lucy felt increasingly that the prize money was drifting beyond her reach.
"Hmm, hmm, not bad." Makarov, Wakaba, and Macao nodded in unison, enthusiastically approving of the view.
...
After Cana's performance ended and she returned backstage, Raizel continued shouting.
"Alright, let's welcome our second contestant!"
"Contestant Number Two! Though a new member, her strength is definitely S-Class! Her looks and figure are equally remarkable! The Rain Woman—Juvia Lockser!"
Following Raizel's introduction, Juvia slowly stepped onto the stage.
'Please let Gray-sama... see my feelings...'
Juvia's thoughts were completely different from everyone else's...
Juvia slowly raised her hands, and her body gradually transformed into water from the bottom up.
The water flowed upward, forming a shimmering curtain of liquid.
As the water curtain slowly descended, Juvia changed into a blue swimsuit with white polka dots.
"A beautiful performance coordinated with the water curtain!"
"Incredible!!! Her body actually turned into water!" The audience below expressed their amazement at the Elemental Magic.
"Another spectacular performance! So confident and beautiful!"
'Gray-sama... did you see Juvia in her swimsuit?' Juvia paid no attention to what Raizel was saying, solely focused on whether Gray had seen her.
"Darn, this performance is amazing too!" Lucy felt outshone once again.
"Alright! Let's give a warm round of applause to welcome our third contestant! The Guild's proud Signboard Girl! Her beauty captivates the entire continent—Mirajane Strauss!"
Dressed in her usual crimson dress, Mirajane waved enthusiastically as she walked out.
The atmosphere in the venue reached an unprecedented climax.
"We've been waiting for you so long!!"
"The top contender for the championship!!"
"She's even more beautiful in person!"
Though Mirajane never actively sought coverage from Weekly Sorcerer, the allure of the unattainable—combined with her renowned beauty and the mystique maintained by her rare interviews—kept her popularity consistently high.
As Mirajane slowly took her position at the center of the stage, the audience's cheers soared to the heavens!