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“Letindüte Branch 3,” an imperial-style café that opened in the capital last year.
It offered desserts with a melt-in-your-mouth sweetness and a selection of teas unlike anything people had ever tasted before.. Thanks to the cute uniforms and reasonable prices, it was packed to the brim every single day. Furthermore, word spread that the owner was the second-generation Shrine Maiden Princess, and it had become such a famous landmark in the Central Capital that there was hardly anyone there who didn’t know of it.

But this is a world where business ethics are thin on the ground.
Unsurprisingly, copycats and those looking to cash in on the trend sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain, but since none of them could hold a candle to Letindüte in terms of menu, service, or overall quality, they were quickly dismissed and weeded out.
However, there were a few shrewd operators among them who sought to survive by adopting concepts slightly different from Letindüte’s—for example, by emphasizing their identity as a tavern with a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, or by gathering beastman slaves to create a “Animal Ear” café. Through these various tactics, a reasonably diverse café culture eventually blossomed in the Central Capital.

Estelle and her five (paid) friends had gathered at one such shop, “Pasta Café Moo-men.”

The shop was known for its “Moo-men”—a dish the owner created by imitating a dish called “ramen” that very rarely appeared as the daily lunch special at “Letindüte Branch 3”—and for its troll waiter.
Incidentally, the “Moo-men” served here is a dish that bears only a passing resemblance to “ramen.” It consists of pasta-style noodles in a broth lacking depth—made without soy sauce or miso. Initially marketed as “ramen,” it was eventually renamed after a mysterious, beautiful black-haired girl went on a rampage, exclaiming:

“What the hell is this?! Get the owner here! I could make ramen far tastier than this within a single week!!”

—after being thoroughly outclassed by a mysterious black-haired beauty who threw a spectacular fit, the shop settled on its current name.

Today, “Moo-men” is differentiated from authentic ramen and even has a small but passionate fanbase—commonly known as “Moo-min.”

“Huff, huff… This dish is kind of… meh.”

While slurping it up with a spoon and fork, Estelle voiced her thoughts with an expression just as underwhelming as the taste itself.

“—Personally, I wanted to eat real ramen, so I really wanted to go to Letindüte.”

Sighing, the tall Lizya shrugged her broad shoulders as she said this, and the others nodded in agreement.
Perhaps because the initial excitement had died down, there weren’t many customers in the restaurant—which was decked out in garish, primary colors. The other tables were empty, and there was barely a single person sitting at the counter.

“Not a chance! We’re about to hold a meeting to figure out how to deal with that woman. There’s no way we can do that at her place!”

Facing an enraged Estelle, Kaya—keeping in mind Jill’s words and actions from earlier, as well as the impression she’d formed at the time—swallowed the noodles she’d just slurped and spoke without breaking her composed, rational expression.

“Yeah, well, the Shrine Maiden Princess hardly seems to have us on her radar, though—or rather, she didn’t seem particularly fixated on winning, so I feel like it would’ve been fine to just go to the restaurant and chat casually. She definitely won’t be eavesdropping.”

The group nodded vigorously in agreement once more.

“Doesn’t that mean she’s looking down on us?! If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be even more frustrated—like, ‘I won’t let her beat me,’ or ‘I’m going to show her what I’m made of’?! Don’t you have that kind of fighting spirit?!”

The group watched Estelle, who was pounding the table with both hands in a fit of rage, with expressions that were a mix of exasperation and admiration.
To be blunt, their participation as Princess candidates in this year’s Imperial Festival was all about the money—they’d get paid just for going along with a rich young lady’s whim.
All they had to do was go through the motions and liven up the festival a bit. Frankly, if by some mistake they—as lower-class nobles—were to be chosen as “princesses,” there’s no telling what kind of nitpicking they’d face from the upper-class nobles.
So, they’d figured they’d just go along with it, after all, half a loaf is better than none, and have as much fun as possible—but it seems the petite girl in front of them is serious about winning.

The five exchanged subtle glances as they slurped their noodles.

They’d gathered from bits and pieces from the previous conversation that Estelle harbored a strong rivalry toward Jill, the Shrine Maiden Princess.
Also, the Berenz Trading Company is one of the continent’s wealthiest families and the “King of Shipping,” dominating the maritime trade, so even lower-ranking nobles understand they carry some clout with the higher nobility.

However, the world of the nobility is one where lineage and bloodline are ultimately what matter. After all, the Berenz family was a provincial noble house—a newly risen count’s family, or fittingly a lowly upstart who had bought their title with money—and it was certainly true that they were looked down upon in aristocratic circles.

Estelle must surely be aware of this, yet she still intends to pursue the “Princess” of this Imperial Academy, where nobles and royalty from across the continent gather.
Moreover, her greatest rival is the second-generation Shrine Maiden Princess—the spitting image of Lady Clara, the most beautiful girl in history and the very epitome of a noble lady.

No matter how you look at it, it’s reckless. Or rather, society simply won’t allow it.
Even since the five formed a group, today was their first time greeting Jill up close, but just breathing the same air as her made them feel as though they’d become people two classes higher than before.

When she smiled at them with that beauty, all of them were completely spellbound.

(((((Ah, this is impossible. It’s not even a contest—I’ve lost…)))))

And just from exchanging a single word, all five of them lost their pride as women in an instant… or rather, it was utterly and completely crushed.
To even attempt to compete with her as a woman is, so to speak, the same as facing a tsunami or a landslide with nothing but your bare hands.
Even though they all realized this instantly, yet Estelle still shows no sign of giving up…?!!

Is she an idiot, a force to be reckoned with, or does she simply not think at all? In any case, with the commander so determined, how dare the five of them—who were gathered here as her subordinates—be the first to raise the white flag! It’s a disgrace to women!
—Well, they didn’t quite go that far in their thoughts. But the five impoverished nobles, living hand-to-mouth, resolved anew to give it their all to earn their pay.
Besides, if not for an opportunity like this, they’d likely never have the chance in their entire lives to compete against the “Shrine Maiden Princess” as “Princess Candidates.”
So, they decided to give it their all this time—or, to put it bluntly, they’d simply thrown caution to the wind.

Women who’ve thrown caution to the wind—and the poor—are a formidable force.

“But, come on, against that opponent, in events where appearance—costumes, dance, and musical performance—is so important, we don’t stand a chance.”
“Hmm. Even though we’re starving, we’ve still been practicing our noble arts. But honestly, against high-ranking nobles, let alone royalty or imperial family members, our skills are nothing more than a last-minute cram session.”

Aurelia and Elma exchanged glances.

Ousa, scooping up a spoonful of “Ston”—a concoction of soup mixed with wheat that had just been served—said,

“I think we just have to give up on that front. It’s pointless to fight on her home turf. We should turn the tables by excelling in our own areas of strength.”

She offered this advice brusquely.

“In that case—”

Estelle recited once more the events selected for this year’s “Princess” competition.

Costumes, dance, musical performance, horseback riding, archery, swimming, shot put, the 1,000 mertes endurance run, and beanbag toss. And finally, a one-on-one duel at the ballroom—err, the combat arena.

“Everyone will participate in the first three events—costumes, dance, and musical performance. And for the next event, horseback riding, it’s Aurelia.”
“That’s right. My family owns horses, so horseback riding is my absolute specialty.”

Aurelia flashed her white teeth proudly.

“Archery is—”
“That would be me, I suppose.”

Elma puffed out her chest confidently.