“The first order is dress introduction. The participants will enter one by one through that door.”

People’s gazes turned toward the door connected to the corridor.

Soon, young ladies more beautifully adorned than ever appeared.

They crossed the carpet as if showing off, then stood in front of the platform and explained how well their dresses matched the theme of ‘summer within me.’

“This is a dress that captures classical elegance suitable for summer, yes, please look upon it favorably.”

“I tried to incorporate the vibrant nature of summer into the dress. I especially used plenty of fresh flowers to create the feeling of strolling through a flower garden.”

Some appealed shyly, others actively promoted themselves.

Some tried their best to match the theme, while others either had excessive enthusiasm or lacked ideas and strayed from the theme.

Janice belonged to the type who was active but wore a dress that was distant from the theme.

“My greatest strength is being bright and cute, so I chose a dress with a similar atmosphere. Doesn’t it suit me really well?”

She grabbed her dress hem and spun around in a circle. But people’s response was just so-so.

The capital nobles didn’t know her well, and there was nothing special about the dress, so it couldn’t be helped.

Eventually Janice went in with a reddened face, and after several young ladies followed, a strong queen candidate finally appeared.

“Gasp, it’s Lady Celsior’s turn!”

“Will the lady become queen again this year?”

“Isn’t the probability high? Look, she’s on a different level from the young ladies who came before……”

People’s gazes turned to Johanna walking across the carpet as if entranced.

The brilliant red dress was covered almost excessively with gold embroidery and white lace, but she digested it quite well.

Under the chandelier light, accessories and jewels scattered radiance.

Johanna, who had arrived in front of the platform and stopped walking, smiled smoothly.

“When you become the social queen, you receive a golden rose. I tried to express summer roses in dress form to match that.”

The dress wrapping her slender body certainly made her look like a single rose, and had an intensity that made people instantly forget the previous participants.

Moreover, Johanna’s haughty attitude harmonized well with the dress atmosphere.

A rose of the social world that bloomed under the hot sun.

That’s what she was.

“Furthermore, the thorny splendor of roses is similar to my personality. The summer within me is like a rose.”

When Johanna added appropriate additional explanation, people murmured.

“Lady Celsior will be this year’s queen too.”

“Is there a need to see the next participant? The match is already decided.”

“Tsk tsk, only the young lady who comes after the lady is unfortunate. She’ll be properly compared.”

Hearing the murmuring sounds, she smiled broadly.

‘As expected, it’s my victory.’

She exchanged brief eye contact with the imperial consort, then stepped aside with an arrogant smile.

Creak, the door opened and the next participant slowly appeared.

Coincidentally, it was Shailyn.

Her shimmering silver hair sparkled like starlight under the chandelier.

The dress that seemed to express a mermaid wrapped in foam bubbles wound around her long, slender body, creating a mysterious and elegant atmosphere.

But what truly captured people’s gazes was something else.

Namely, the fact that the front of the dress was open up to around the knees.

“Oh my… goodness!”

“I’ve never seen such a dress in my life.”

“To reveal the line like that……”

Since Hersen Empire dresses were basically flowing styles throughout all four seasons, it was bound to be shocking in many ways.

Even while receiving shocked gazes all at once, Shailyn walked out with an unwavering, straight posture.

The back part of the dress that stretched long like a mermaid’s tail fluttered lightly.

Her small, delicate white face gazed straight ahead, and her red, plump lips drew a subtle smile.

With her dignified attitude, the people who were surprised to see her were rather flustered.

“Tsk, how unseemly.”

The imperial consort spread her fan wide and looked at Shailyn with displeasure.

In contrast, the empress gazed at Shailyn with a calm face. It was a neutral appearance with neither special favor nor hostility.

Shailyn, standing before them, gently opened her mouth.

“I think many of you were surprised to see my dress. First, I captured the romance and fantasy that can be felt in the summer sea in my dress.”

This also connected with Shailyn’s original dress concept.

It was clothing that directly transplanted a summer sea sparkling with sunlight.

She had flexibly changed her introduction to match the current situation where everything from the dress neckline had changed.

“But this year’s theme isn’t just summer, it’s the summer within me. Then I thought I should also portray my inner values. Namely, courage and confidence.”

Her pleasant, clear voice rang out distinctly through the hall.

Her intelligently shining blue eyes looked at the empress.

“So I hope you won’t see me showing my legs as mere exposure. It’s the courage to boldly challenge new attempts and changes, and the confidence to go my own way without being obsessed with external gazes.”

The young lady’s bold statement caused the watching people to stir.

“When she puts it that way, it does look different. The dress seems to match her intention well.”

“Courage and confidence. They’re values that are easy to forget while living, so they feel more radiant.”

“At least she seems to have analyzed and expressed the theme more deeply than the previous young ladies. Actually, the theme isn’t there for nothing, this is the right approach.”

What had seemed like mere deviance until her entrance now felt rather sincere.

Meanwhile, the Diart ducal family, who had arrived not too late, also showed positive reactions while watching Shailyn.

“Ahem, if she’s my granddaughter, she should have at least that much challenging spirit.”

“Oh, Shailyn looks cool?”

“As long as it suits sister well. What’s wrong with wearing what she wants.”

Noticing the strange atmosphere surrounding Shailyn, the imperial consort narrowed her brows.

She was backing Johanna Celsior as this year’s social queen.

She snapped her fan shut, narrowed her eyes, and pointed out.

“Isn’t that rather stubborn foolishness? You could say it’s self-centered and selfish.”

Before Shailyn could answer this, the empress’s mouth opened.

“But from another perspective, you could also say she’s a person with firm resolve.”

“……!”

Unlike the imperial consort, the empress’s words were defending Shailyn.

The empress smiled slightly.

She had no intention whatsoever of conducting today’s judging in a biased manner just because they had a previous connection.

But Shailyn’s words from just before had stirred her heart.

Courage and confidence.

Those were values the empress always held important.

“Do you have any other intentions besides courage and confidence?”

At the empress’s question, Shailyn answered without delay.

“Convenience. Isn’t it too stuffy and difficult to wear voluminous dresses on hot summer days? It’s also inconvenient to move around.”

The female nobles who sympathized with those words each nodded their heads.

Shailyn continued in a confident voice.

“In contrast, my dress, which is open in front and light, has relatively good mobility and allows free movement. It’s comfortable to wear in summer.”

“That’s truly an undeniable fact.”

The empress acknowledged with a voice tinged with laughter. While courage and confidence are subjective values, convenience is objective.

Several female nobles who agreed with this also began sending interested gazes toward Shailyn.

“I’ve heard well. You may withdraw now.”

“It was an honor, Your Majesty.”

Shailyn grabbed her dress and bowed politely.

It was a flawless, perfect posture.

With her, who was the last turn, the dress introduction came to an end.

Next came the time to dance publicly with their respective partners and be evaluated.

Shailyn took Chester’s hand and went to the center of the hall while whispering.

“We really need to dance desperately hard.”

This was because during the dress introduction just before, the imperial consort and empress’s reactions had been starkly divided, making it difficult to gauge what would happen.

If things went this way, the match would likely be decided in the dance evaluation.

“……I’ll do my best.”

Chester, who flinched at Shailyn’s blazing eyes, replied quietly.

While the court orchestra prepared to play, the two held hands and took their positions.

Ting.

The first note announcing the song’s introduction rang out cheerfully.

At the same time, Chester grasped her slender waist with his thick-jointed hands and moved smoothly.

It was quite a good start.

Combined with their splendid appearances, it was enough to emit a strong presence among the people.

But hardship came quickly.

‘D*mn, how annoying! Ugh!’

Janice, who had been glaring at the two with jealous eyes, pretended to pass by and swiftly tripped Chester.

“……!”