“Well, now that we’ve had some food, let’s go look for Toshi-nii.”

“But with the large school grounds, it might be difficult to find him, Yuu-kun.”

Even though we’ve been here once before for a joint training exercise, the grounds of the cadet school are vast.

I should’ve used my authority as a Major General to have Toshi-nii submit his schedule for the day in advance.

Or, should I ask Marin-chan’s Espio for help and have him hack into Toshi-nii’s computer?

“Oh, it looks like they’re doing something. Umm… what’s a ‘cleaning exhibition’?”

“Ah, it’s that thing you see at the garrison. It’s amazing. If you haven’t seen it before, Mina, you should check it out.”

The military personnel thoroughly clean the barracks where they live and sleep at the cadet school and training units.

Their techniques and the results are comparable to those of professional cleaning companies.

I was also surprised when I saw it during my stay at the garrison barracks between battles.

“They’re also having useful ironing and shoe polishing classes.”

“Peaceful, isn’t it?”

Nowadays, I leave both tasks to my adjutant, Hayami-san.

Toshi-nii taught me how to iron and polish shoes when I stayed at the garrison before, but I’ve forgotten it all.

After all, my workplace was the jungle, and I wore my dirty combat uniform for days without caring about my appearance.

“But he’s not here either, Toshi-nii.”

As I looked around while craning my neck, I spotted a familiar face.

“Oh! Sergeant Yano! Hello!”

“Oh! If it isn’t Private First Class Kohou and Private Kamiyama from the Special Soul Equipment Academy.”

Sergeant Yano, who was talking seriously with several people in uniform, looked up and greeted us.

“Long time no see.”

“Since the joint training exercise, right? How have you been?”

“Yes. You seem even more tanned and muscular than back then, Sergeant Yano.”

“Everyone’s been training hard since that joint exercise.”

Sergeant Yano looked more tanned and significantly bigger than when we last met a few months ago.

His cadet school uniform seemed a bit tight around the chest.

That deadly joint exercise, where the treaty-violating automata intruded unexpectedly, must have had an impact…

Is this also one of the results of Toshi-nii’s planning of the joint exercise?

“Are you part of the school festival committee, Sergeant Yano?”

Mina asked, noticing the “School Festival Committee” armband on Sergeant Yano’s arm.

“Yeah, I am. But we’re in a bit of trouble right now. Sorry, but…”

As he said that, Sergeant Yano suddenly seemed to come up with an idea and stared intently at Mina’s face.

“Uh, what is it…?”

Mina raised a puzzled voice as Sergeant Yano kept staring at her.

Before we knew it, the other festival committee members, who had been discussing behind him, also focused on Mina.

The pressure of several sturdy cadet school students staring was quite intense.

“Private First Class Kohou. Can you help us out a bit?”

Sergeant Yano took off his cap and bowed deeply, making a swishing sound with his quick movement.

Without any command, the students behind him also bowed their heads.

“Um, well…”

Surrounded by the pleading men, Mina was completely bewildered.

“A beauty contest?! You want me to compete?!”

“Please! Private First Class Kohou!”

According to Sergeant Yano, an external participant had to cancel last minute.

“‘My new boyfriend said I shouldn’t do it, so sorry~’ she said.”

“Why tell us this on the morning of the event?!”

“Damn it! Are we no match for casual civilian guys?!”

“Protecting even those people is part of our duty in national defense…”

The other committee members behind Sergeant Yano voiced their resentment toward the girl who canceled.

Indeed, as festival committee members, they must be quite frustrated.

“Well, if it’s just participating…”

Feeling sympathy for the struggling committee members, Mina agreed to participate in the beauty contest.

“Really?! Thank you so much!”

“Oh, savior! Goddess!”

“Please come this way! We don’t have much time!”

Overwhelmed by the committee members’ gratitude, Mina was quickly led backstage.

“Good luck, Mina!”

Since it was the cadet school, I figured it wasn’t some shady event, so I calmly watched Mina being taken away.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Thank you very much. Everyone, please give a big round of applause!”

Applause erupted from the audience as the contestants bowed and left the stage.

It seemed they really were short on time, as the beauty contest started immediately on stage.

“The final contestant. Entry number 5! Kohou Mina!”

Mina timidly came out from the wings of the stage.

Seeing her outfit, I was stunned.

I thought she’d be participating in her Special Soul Equipment Academy uniform, but…

Mina was dressed in a kimono with short sleeves and hakama, with short boots on her feet, looking like a Taisho-era town girl.

The cream-colored kimono with orange and yellow flowers and the brown hakama gave her a calm look, making her silver hair stand out beautifully.

Her hair remained unchanged due to the lack of time, but it was adorned with orange hair accessories matching the kimono flowers.

“That kimono is provided by a sponsoring company for the beauty contest. It had to be used on stage no matter what.”

Sergeant Yano, standing beside me, explained the backstage situation.

“I see. Since it’s provided by the sponsor, it had to be worn by someone suitable and beautiful.”

That’s why Mina was chosen.

Indeed, the audience’s loudest cheer of the day erupted.

“That’s right. Even though she has foreign blood, she wears the kimono beautifully.”

The festival committee members were also impressed by Mina’s unexpected appearance.

“The other contestants have experience in other beauty contests, but Private First Class Kohou might actually win this. But as her boyfriend, wouldn’t you feel a bit bitter if she wins?”

“It’s not like that. Mina and I are just childhood friends.”

Dismissing Sergeant Yano’s tease, I returned my gaze to Mina on stage.

“Now, Mina-san. Please give us a self-introduction.”

Whoa…

This is harsh for Mina, who was just told she’d be in the contest about ten minutes ago.

It’s like being suddenly asked to perform a party trick at a year-end party by a drunk boss.

“Well, since I’m wearing this beautiful kimono, I’ll recite a poem.”

What?! A poem…?

Mina’s unexpected statement caught everyone’s attention, including mine.

“From afar~~~♪ To~~♪”

Mina began to recite a poem with her clear, beautiful voice, without using a microphone.

A Nordic silver-haired beauty reciting a Japanese poem in a kimono captivated the audience.

Even as a pure Japanese, I rarely saw a poem recital, but seeing it live on stage was impressive.

“Physalis~~~♪ That~~~♪”

Mina’s soul equipment ability, Kohou, involved using her voice as a sonic weapon.

Thus, her vocal cords were enhanced by her soul power, making her voice several times stronger than normal.

In other words, Mina had an overwhelmingly powerful singing voice for anything she sang.

Compared to the previous contestants’ impressive kendama tricks and flexibility displays, this was on another level.

“To fall~~~♪ Knowing~~~♪”

After finishing the verse, Mina bowed slowly to the front.

(Applause, applause, applause!)

A loud applause erupted from the audience.

Mina’s beauty, her unexpectedly fitting Taisho-era town girl outfit, and her impressive performance seemed to have won over the audience.

“That concludes the judging of all participants! Contestants, please come back on stage.”

The host called the contestants who had finished their performances back on stage.

However, the other beauty contest participants seemed downcast as they returned to the stage.

They appeared to have already accepted the outcome and were trying to come to terms with it.

“And now, the announcement. The winner of the Cadet School Beauty Contest is… Entry number 5! Kohou Mina! Congratulations!”

“What? Me?!” Mina, visibly surprised, was called to the center of the stage and was draped with a large sash reading ‘Miss Cadet School’.