漫画大王

Chapter 300

Only the forty cross-dressing contestants remained. Most of them wore gloomy expressions, as if they were being punished for some crime.

Of course, there were a few who looked surprisingly good in their outfits, likely those with a genuine interest in cross-dressing. With over a hundred thousand students at the Temple, it wasn’t surprising that there would be some that leaned in that direction.

Among them was someone who looked particularly dangerous and extraordinary: participant number 40, the one with the hood. She was so anxious and nervous that she was even biting her nails.

Connor Lint believed he was in a terrible situation, but he wondered why this person seemed so much more anxious.

If they were that uncomfortable, why did they even come? Was their situation similar to his?

The organizer came out and began to prepare the contestants.

“Alright, the contest is about to start. Participant number 40, please remove your hood now,” said the organizer. The hooded participant seemed oblivious, unsure of what to do.

“...”

“Please remove your hood, participant.”

“...”

Finally, under persistent urging, they reluctantly removed their hood. The other participants were left speechless by their appearance.

“....”

‘No way. Is that really a guy?’

Everyone had the same expression of disbelief. Participant number 40, despite the situation, forced a subtle, awkward smile.

“... Did she accidentally enter thinking it was the Miss Temple contest?”

“Maybe...”

The participants who seemed to know each other whispered among themselves, and Connor Lint began to think that might actually be the case. It seemed more plausible.

‘Yeah, that must be it. There’s no way that face belongs to a guy.’

The other contestants started to believe that the beautiful girl had mistakenly submitted her application for the Miss Temple contest to the cross-dressing contest organizers.

They believed that she found herself stuck in a room full of cross-dressing men, including a nearly two-meter-tall human tank in a dress, and was understandably panicking.

Being in such a situation would make anyone panic.

She clearly wanted to leave, but was too shy and embarrassed to do anything. Even though the organizers hadn’t said anything, everyone started to feel sympathy for the blushing, seemingly-helpless girl (who wasn’t actually blushing or helpless).

Eventually, someone had to step up. Someone had to escort her out of this place where she clearly didn’t belong. The chivalry that started to bloom in everyone’s hearts eventually moved one of the participants to act.

“Ahem, excuse me.”

It was the human tank in a dress who had spoken.

Participant number 24, a massive and muscular human tank, who looked the most ill-fitting in a dress, began to approach the delicate-looking girl.

Connor Lint was internally horrified.

‘No! Anyone but you!’ he thought.

That enormous figure was too monstrous to be allowed to approach such a fragile-looking girl. The sight of a hulking, muscular beast in a dress, made even more terrifying because of the long blonde wig, approaching the girl was horrifying.

The girl looked up at the approaching giant in a daze.

She wore a forced, awkward smile, but her lips were trembling. She was clearly terrified. Connor Lint knew that if he were in her shoes, he would have fainted from fear.

But Richard Haulman, the human tank who believed he was acting chivalrously, was oblivious to his own appearance. He smiled gently, believing he was being gallant.

“It seems you might have entered the wrong contest,” he said. “This is the cross-dressing contest, not the Miss Temple contest.”

He thought he was being suave, but given the situation, his attire, and the fact that he was a participant in the cross-dressing contest, his demeanor was anything but suave.

Naturally, all eyes were on them. The silver-haired girl’s eyes darted around nervously. She seemed to want to say something but was too nervous to. Her lips were trembling violently.

“There’s no need to be afraid. This is just a simple event. If you explain it to the organizers, you can leave...”

Everyone else in the room had the same thought. ‘That guy definitely thinks he’s being cool. He probably plans to find out which class the girl is from and maybe even ask her out for a meal later.’

The girl finally seemed to realize that staying silent wouldn’t get rid of the giant in front of her. She nervously opened her mouth, her lips still trembling. A soft, ambiguous voice that could belong to either a man or a woman came out of the girl’s mouth.

“... I’m a... guy.”

“What?”

Richard Haulman looked confused, as if he had misheard. The girl, or rather, participant number 40 who had just revealed that he was not a girl, was biting his lip.

Of course, this person was just angry at the monstrous figure in front of him for not understanding his words.

‘Get lost, you bastard,’ was what this person felt, but to everyone else, it looked like he was frustrated at someone who was making her uncomfortable.

Anger and frustration... Both were similar, but subtly different.

Everyone had misunderstood the poor creature in front of them.

When a single word didn’t suffice to drive him away, participant number 40 finally spat out a short, definitive statement.

“I... I’m in the right place.”

At those words, Richard Haulman’s expression froze, and so did the expressions of the others in the room. Even though the person in front of them looked like a beautiful girl, they knew it was impossible for someone to make such a mistake. However, people sometimes found it hard to believe what they saw with their own eyes.

They had doubted their own eyes, but now, they had verbal confirmation.

This person was claiming to be biologically the same as them.

“Th-That... can’t be...”

Richard Haulman looked as if the love of his life had just left him. The human tank trudged back to his seat, looking for all the world as though his soul had been drained from his body, but the others couldn’t stop stealing glances at participant number 40, who was blushing furiously and hanging his head.

Participant number 40, his face red with shame and embarrassment, bit his lip and remained silent.

***

Swoosh...

‘Damn it.’

I was in the bathroom near the waiting room, washing my hands and letting the water run into the sink. I couldn’t wash my face, and I didn’t need to use the bathroom. I just couldn’t stay in that room any longer without feeling like I might strangle someone.

‘Damn it! I considered the possibility that Connor Lint might be in the audience, but why is he a participant? And in that state, no less?’

My heart had nearly dropped when I saw Riana doing his makeup, fearing she might recognize me.

When I’d first arrived, the organizers had grilled me, asking if I was really the person who had registered, suspecting I might be someone else. Explaining myself had been nerve-wracking.

The fortunate thing was that my makeup and disguise were so perfect that no one recognized me. They even thought I might be a completely different person. That was why Connor Lint hadn’t recognized me, and neither did that human tank from the tournament. He even seemed to be trying to be nice to me.

Still, how could they think I was dumb enough to submit a Miss Temple application to the cross-dressing contest organizers?

Swoosh...

I let out a long sigh. I felt like I was going insane. I needed to stay vigilant. If I let my guard down and my true nature showed, Connor Lint might recognize me. That scornful expression could only belong to Reinhart, after all.

‘Wait. Come to think of it, this could turn into a crazy situation.’

I needed to smile. I had to manage my expressions properly so that no one would recognize me until this was all over.

“Uh, uh, excuse me...!”

“...?”

“Oh? This is the men’s bathr—Oh.”

Even the organizing staff was mistaking me for a girl.

‘Damn it.’

Sometimes, things going too well could also be a problem. After all, too much of anything was bad. I’d clearly put in too much effort this time.

Also, I was participant number 40... Although the organizers assured us that the ordering of contestants was random, there were only 40 participants. They definitely made me number 40 on purpose. I was sure of it.

***

The cross-dressing contest, if not grand, was at least a unique event in its own right, and it had begun.

—Now, let’s start the 8th Temple Cross-Dressing Contest, hosted by the Temple Student Council!

Surprisingly, the contest had been held annually for eight years. While it didn’t draw the overwhelming cheers that filled the arena during the tournament, the general-class auditorium was still packed.

Some attendees were curious about this unusual event, some had come to witness the lifelong embarrassment of friends who were participating as a form of punishment, and others had a personal interest in such things. The audience was watching, some keenly interested and others ready to laugh.

Among the audience were a group from the Irarzon class, there to witness Richard Haulman’s embarrassing moment. Also present were Riana de Granz, Heinrich von Schwartz, Erhi de Raffaeli, and Kaier Vioden from the Royal Class, all there to see Connor Lint’s embarrassing moment.

Heinrich turned to Riana and asked, “Did it go well?”

“In a way, yes,” Riana replied with a smirk.

The one who had suggested the contest as a bet, thinking he wouldn’t be the one to suffer, had ended up being the one to participate. Everyone was eager to see what kind of ridiculous figure Connor Lint would cut.

“So, what number is he?” Erhi asked Riana.

Riana grinned as she looked at Erhi. “Number 1.”

“Oh, haha.”

They couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Connor Lint being the first contestant in this hellish contest. Just imagining his expression made them happy.

—Now! We have many outstanding contestants this time! Let’s introduce the first contestant of the grand cross-dressing contest right away!

The host was brimming with excitement for this bizarre event.

—He is a first-year Royal Class student! Let’s welcome Connor Lint with a thunderous round of applause!

While not exactly thunderous, the mention of the Royal Class brought about a significant round of applause.

“Woohooo! Yeahhhh!”

Riana de Granz seemed even more excited than she had been during the tournament, screaming and clapping enthusiastically.

It was almost unbecoming of a duke’s daughter, but everyone knew by now that Riana de Granz didn’t care about such things.

The trio, now joined by a fourth member in Riana, observed her high-energy excitement with a sense of awe. They were excited about someone else’s misfortune as well, but Riana’s enthusiasm was on another level.

‘What a devilish girl...’ they thought as the contest continued.

The first contestant, Connor Lint, stepped onto the stage, his face red as a beet. Riana’s makeup was flawless. The choice of outfit was perfect. The wig selection wasn’t bad either.

“Pfft!”

“Oh my!”

“What is that?!”

Despite it all, the problem lay with the “model”—Connor himself. All four of them now understood why this bizarrely-titled cross-dressing contest had been held annually for eight years. Whatever else it might be, it was undeniably funny.

—Mr. Lint, you’re a Royal Class student, right?

—Yes.

—You look really cute. You should show some confidence.

Connor Lint glared at the host as if to say, “Don’t mess with me.”

—Oh, there seems to be a misunderstanding. I meant the outfit is cute, not you, Mr. Lint.

—Ah.

Connor’s face twisted in displeasure, and the audience burst into laughter. This was the essence of the cross-dressing contest: participants who had entered for some dubious reason were put in the limelight while a host gently teased them.

—Did you do your makeup yourself?

—No. A friend did it.

—A friend? Surely someone here in the audience? They’re quite skilled. Who is it? Can you raise your hand?

At those words, Riana, who was watching from the audience, raised her hand high. She showed no signs of embarrassment despite all the attention.

The host looked back and forth between Connor and Riana, then gave Riana a look to suggest they were impressed.

—Oh, a lady. Is she your girlfriend?

“Ahhh! Absolutely not!”

Riana looked disgusted, causing the audience to laugh once more. The trio, now a quartet, looked at their temporary member as if she were a monster.

She was a master at publicly humiliating people.

—Wow! She’s denying it so strongly! Mr. Lint, are you hurt by that?

—N-No! Why would I be hurt?!

Connor Lint, only ended up highlighting his own hurt feelings by vehemently denying it. He was dying a little more inside with each passing moment.

—Why is a Royal Class student in a cross-dressing contest?

—Isn’t it the same as the others? I’m here because I lost a bet.

—So you’re saying you guys bet on the same stuff as us? That doesn’t seem right...

While the Royal Class’s devilish classmates were busy mocking him, the audience’s reaction was slightly different. After all, Connor Lint had the prestige of the Royal Class attached to him.

In a school with nearly a hundred thousand students, the Royal Class only had about two hundred students, so the Royal Class carried a certain prestige.

To most general class students, the Royal Class was an elite, omnipotent group, perceived as arrogant. But here was a Royal Class student, fumbling awkwardly in a ridiculous outfit. It made him seem more relatable.

—Isn’t he kind of cute?

—Yeah, he is.

The reactions from the female students were particularly notable. While Connor Lint wasn’t exactly a handsome guy, he could be considered cute. Adding Riana de Granz’s skill with makeup, and though he might not be called pretty, he could certainly be called cute.

Of course, the male students wouldn’t agree, but some female students found Connor Lint’s embarrassed and shy demeanor quite endearing.

—You’re so cute!

—Oppa, you’re adorable!

Middle school girls were waving their hands and squealing, and Connor Lint’s eyes were practically spinning as he tried to comprehend what was happening to him.

After various questions, the host moved on to an important point.

—By the way, it says here that Connor Lint is a superhuman.

—Ooooh...

People knew supernatural powers existed, but few had seen them firsthand. Even at the Temple, Royal Class students with supernatural powers were uncommon.

Despite the existence of supernatural powers, they were still a foreign concept to most people. Therefore, the mention of supernatural powers heightened the anticipation surrounding this Royal Class student in a funny outfit.

There was a reason the organizers had claimed the order was random, but placed Connor Lint as number 1 and Reinhart as number 40.

At the mention of supernatural powers, Connor Lint’s expression, as well as those of the other male students of the Royal Class, froze.

—It seems you haven’t decided what to do for your appeal time. How about showing us your supernatural power? Teleportation, that’s impressive!

—Wow! Teleportation?

—Ooooh!

Those who knew, knew. Connor Lint’s supernatural power was not something he could demonstrate in public. Although the penalty for its use had been somewhat mitigated, he could still only teleport in his underwear.

—N-No, no! Absolutely not!

Connor Lint’s desperate cry echoed across the auditorium. The hopeless trio looked on with their mouths agape, realizing that Connor’s embarrassment could multiply exponentially.

Even Riana was speechless. If she had lost a little more of her common sense, she might have joined in the chant that was starting up in the crowd, but she still had her wits about her.

Unfortunately, most in the audience didn’t know the details.

—Show us!

One person started it, and the chant began.

—Show us! Show us!

Everyone was united in their desire to see a demonstration of the supernatural power.

“What... what do we do?” Riana muttered blankly, looking at Heinrich.

“Y-Yeah... what should we do...?”

Even though Connor Lint had fallen into his own trap, this was a devastating moment for him.