The following morning, the capital awoke beneath a perfectly blue sky, without a single cloud, providing the ideal backdrop for the opening of the official festivities of the Annual Tournament of Beauty and Elegance. After a rejuvenating night's rest at the welcoming, nostalgic inn, I decided to walk to the city's main Adventurers' Guild headquarters. My initial objective was purely administrative: to check on the status of some outstanding reward payments and ensure that our guild's mission records were in order before we became fully involved in the festival. Accompanied closely by Liriel, Vespera, Eara, Rai'kanna, Lyannis, Scarlet, and Liriel's discreet assistant, I crossed the streets filled with tourists and merchants who were already setting up their decorated stalls for the grand event.
As we crossed the guild's solid oak double doors, the main hall, which usually echoed with heated discussions about hunting contracts and disputes over dungeon spoils, displayed a completely different atmosphere, filled with festive commotion and excited whispers. Adventurers of various ranks, from C-rank newcomers to A-rank veterans, crowded around the central counter where the tournament bulletins had been posted. As soon as our group entered the premises, the general murmur diminished considerably, giving way to reverent gazes and people spontaneously making room for us, demonstrating the profound respect our reputation had earned throughout the human territory.
Before I could even approach the receptionist to deal with the bureaucratic matters, the local guild master, a robust veteran with prominent scars and graying hair, hurried out of his private office with a bulky scroll in his hands. He spotted us and broke into a broad smile, walking directly toward us with firm steps. "Master Takumi! What an excellent coincidence to find you here today," the master exclaimed in a voice that cut through the hall's commotion. "We were just discussing a crucial matter concerning the beginning of the Annual Tournament of Elegance, which officially starts this afternoon in the central square, and your presence here solves our biggest last-minute logistical dilemma."
I tilted my head slightly, intrigued by his direct approach and the tone of urgency mixed with relief displayed by the administrator. "A logistical dilemma at the guild?" I asked calmly, crossing my arms as I looked at the women around me, who were also watching the scene with evident curiosity. "I hope we're not talking about S-rank monsters invading the festival square, because I promised myself a week without combat while my mansion undergoes underground renovations." The master laughed heartily at my remark before clarifying the real reason for his unexpected approach in front of all the adventurers present in the hall.
"Don't worry, swords and claws are forbidden on today's tournament stage," the guild master explained, gesturing animatedly with the scroll. "Our problem is choosing the official panel of judges to evaluate the contestants and competing groups. Traditionally, we chose nobles from the court or influential merchants, but the population and the adventurers rejected that idea this year, demanding figures who truly represent the kingdom's strength and merit. And following a unanimous vote among the guild captains who gathered here a short while ago, your name was acclaimed without opposition to occupy the position of chief judge and president of the festival's jury."
The revelation prompted a murmur of enthusiastic approval among the adventurers present in the hall, who began applauding discreetly, while I blinked in surprise at the bureaucratic turn of events. Serving as a judge in a beauty contest on a continental scale was the last activity I had imagined undertaking when I decided to visit the guild that morning. I glanced sideways at Liriel, who responded with an amused and challenging smile, while Scarlet and Vespera exchanged knowing looks at the irony of the situation. Would I be the official judge of a tournament in which all my own companions had entered to compete for the title of the most beautiful woman in the kingdom? The situation bordered on the comical, but refusing the public request of the guild and the adventurers would create unnecessary political tension.
"Quite a responsibility, Master Takumi," Liriel commented quietly, stepping closer with a mischievous glint in her bright eyes. "Imagine the burden of having to decide who is the most beautiful among so many elite contestants, knowing that any mistake in your score could cost you your marital peace at the inn for the entire week." Her clever teasing drew muffled laughter from Eara and Lyannis, who found the situation extremely amusing. I quickly considered the pros and cons of this improvised summons. Accepting the position of chief judge would guarantee me a privileged vantage point, as well as further strengthen our guild's diplomatic influence among the foreign delegations arriving in the capital.
"Very well, if the adventurers' organization and the people entrust me with this solemn task, I will accept the presidency of the jury with the same seriousness I apply in the Tower's dungeons," I replied firmly, looking at the guild master, who let out a deep sigh of relief and clapped his hands in celebration. The news spread throughout the hall within seconds, transforming the atmosphere of restrained tension into pure festive euphoria. The practical preparations had to be brought forward immediately; I received the official judge's insignia, a silver brooch engraved with runes of impartiality, and was briefed on the evaluation criteria and the schedule for the parades that would begin shortly after noon in the central square.
While the guild master returned to his quarters to finalize the bureaucratic records, our group remained in the hall for a few more moments, digesting the day's comical and strategic turn of events. "Well, it seems our leader is now also the highest authority on elegance in the entire kingdom," Rai'kanna joked with a broad smile, crossing her arms and pretending to adopt a military salute in my direction. "We'll have to make twice the effort during the parades to ensure our favorite judge isn't accused of blatant favoritism in front of the foreign audience." The collective joking among the women eased any excessive formality, turning the official summons into yet another moment of shared amusement.
Leaving the Adventurers' Guild marked the definitive transition into the festival atmosphere that was already taking over the entire capital. The main streets had been completely transformed by floral arches, colorful ribbons, and temporary pavilions erected by the various allied nations that had sent representatives to the event. The presence of foreign adventurers, elves in light armor, robust warriors from the northern mountains, and mages wearing ornate robes gave the city an impressive cultural diversity. Walking there with the silver judge's insignia pinned to the lapel of my tunic attracted curious and reverent looks from passersby who already knew of my official appointment to the contest.
We briefly returned to the inn for lunch and to allow the women to begin their preparations and make final adjustments to their outfits for the grand opening ceremony, which would take place in the early afternoon. When the innkeeper learned that I had been chosen as president of the jury for the Annual Tournament, he nearly dropped the tray of dishes he was carrying to the table, so great were his pride and astonishment at the news. He insisted on serving us the finest banquet in the establishment, repeatedly saying that our legend elevated the name of his modest inn to an unprecedented historical level. The relaxed atmosphere of that family-like lunch further strengthened our spirits before the social marathon awaiting us.
As the scheduled time for the festival's official opening approached, we left the inn and headed toward the immense central square, which was now completely packed with thousands of spectators, filled grandstands, and stages decorated with exquisite craftsmanship and magical lighting. The grandeur of the event reflected the importance of keeping the population's morale high in times of geopolitical uncertainty and dark threats along the borders. I took my place in the section reserved for the official judges, at the center of the main stage, with a perfect panoramic view of the entire square, while Vespera, Eara, Rai'kanna, Lyannis, Scarlet, and Liriel headed backstage for the final preparations for their respective appearances in the contest.
Sitting in the jury president's chair, adjusting my posture and feeling the weight of the public responsibility I had just assumed by popular acclaim, I took a deep breath and observed the euphoric crowd waiting for the opening gong to sound. The transition between the brutality of combat in the Tower and judging an imperial beauty contest perfectly summarized the versatility our guild needed to maintain in order to survive and prosper in this constantly changing world. With the kingdom's banner fluttering in the wind and ceremonial trumpets announcing the beginning of the spectacle, the Annual Tournament of Elegance officially raised its curtains, promising days filled with intense emotions, elegant rivalries, and unforgettable memories for everyone present.