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Azur Lane: Episode of Belfast Volume 1 Chapter 4 Part 2

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 2

 

Belfast slowly raised her head, and Suffolk, who was standing right next to her, whispered to her.

 

[What exactly does Wales mean by that “selling point”? Are we going to be selling something during the event? Aren’t you curious about it yourself, Head Maid?]

 

[Hmm, I really wonder about that myself.]

 

Belfast then smiled loosely at Suffolk while she gave her such a vague answer.

 

To be perfectly honest, Belfast was unusually calm at the current moment, amidst all the excitement. But that was only because she did not really care about beauty pageants and stuff like that.

 

After all, even though it was a School Festival, the work of the shipgirls who were the members of the Maid Squad, was the same as usual, with nothing really changing. Even if there were no military activities that were normally supposed to be conducted, cleaning and laundry must have been done every single day, so in actuality this period was not so different from the maids’ usual daily routine.

 

Of course, even if Belfast had some free time to spare from her work and actually go witness the beauty pageant taking place, she would never even think to concern herself with notions such as who is going to win and from what faction they would be.

 

[Also, do bear in mind that none of the factions are monolithic in their voting. It’s not an iron rule that the members of one faction can only vote for their own faction. So depending on this ‘selling point’, it would be a good idea to grab the hearts of children who are tired of the recent idol route. I’m personally looking forward to it.]

 

As for Suffolk herself, her tongue was spitting out word after word in an unusually talkative fashion for her. Seeing her become like that all of a sudden, Belfast was frankly surprised.

 

Until now, even though she knew that the School Festival was supposed to be a big event, she hadn’t really gotten involved with it all that much.

 

Because of this, Belfast felt that beauty pageants were held somewhere far away, somewhere way outside of her reach.

 

–––––– Maybe the other children felt exactly like that, too?

 

When she glanced sideways at the other maids, she saw Kent from the same Maid Corps looking at the Prince of Wales with her eyes positively sparkling.

 

Sheffield was practically the only maid in here who looked as emotionless as ever, but aside from that it would seem that a vast majority of the maids were also interested in the beauty pageant at least to some extent. Hood then quietly took out another picture and took a step back.

 

As Wales stepped forward once again, she slowly looked around at the faces of everyone gathered.

 

[Now then, everyone, here’s a question: what is the greatest charm of our Royal Navy that we have to offer?]

 

Hearing that question, many people started to whisper among themselves.

 

Wales took a moment for everyone to stop whispering, and seeing that no one was brave enough to step up and provide the answer, she answered her own question herself.

 

[We of the Royal Navy are the absolute top of elegance that a lady can possess! We are more about “beauty” rather than “cuteness”! So with that being said, for this year’s competition, we want to elect someone who is the absolute epitome of the concepts of “beauty” and elegance”, combining them in a most natural and charming way!]

 

One thing was for sure here: Prince of Wales certainly was really passionate about this whole beauty pageant thing.

 

Involuntarily, the entire hall fell silent at that very moment.

 

[Cuteness is not the only way to win a beauty pageant. Elegance, dignity, maturity, beauty, all of the above elements are something that a proper “Lady” excels at at all times, way more than anyone else –––––– So having this in mind, this time around we have prepared something like this.]

 

The Prince of Wales then snapped her fingers.

 

While everyone was still buzzing about what was going on, someone started to move at the edge of Belfast’s field of vision.

 

When the Head Maid looked around, she saw Illustrious pulling something heavy and rattling as she was coming closer towards Prince of Wales and Hood were standing. Also, right behind Illustrious, Belfast could see Unicorn’s small frame going right behind her big sister. 

 

Stopping something that Illustrious was pulling right in front of Prince of Wales, both Illustrious and Unicorn grabbed the cover on that mysterious thing and after doing a good old “One, two, three……!” they removed it all at once.

 

At that very moment, a huge sigh of admiration leaked out from everyone’s mouths across the entire gathering hall.

 

The thing that was being unveiled right now was a gorgeous dress that looked like something a princess from a fairy tale would wear. Looking at the dress being displayed on a mannequin, Illustrious began to explain what that thing was to everyone present.

 

[This dress was designed by yours truly, and then hand-crafted by Unicorn and Victorious. The red, yellow, and green artificial flowers on the long skirt of this dress were Unicorn’s idea, and I also put a veil on the head to make the entire thing look even more elegant and beautiful…… Anyways, this product is the epitome of beauty, and something in which a whole lot of effort and hard work was put into.]

 

After saying that, Illustrious handed the microphone to Unicorn.

 

Apparently, her little sister was also going to say something here to everyone present.

 

Unicorn timidly grabbed the microphone from her sister and stepped forward, hugging Yuu-chan, a small unicorn plushie who she was always carrying around with her at all times, while her face was completely flushed red from embarrassment and shyness. She then bowed her head humbly.

 

[…… AH. Umm, this dress, it’s actually…… I wanted it to resemble the dresses that characters such as Cinderella or the Sleeping Beauty were wearing, since those are the characters that I deeply admire, which is why…… I wanted my dear sister to make something just like that, something that…… would reflect the dream of wanting to shine the brightest while being on the stage…… at least that was my main intention.]

 

After saying all that, Unicorn bowed down her head once again and took a step back, hastily hiding right behind her big sister Illustrious. At the same time Warspite, who must have been watching and listening closely to Unicorn’s explanation, suddenly raised up her hand as if she just thought of something.

 

After receiving the microphone from Unicorn, Wartspite asked the two of them a certain very important question.

 

[I know that technically that question might be unrelated to the matter at hand that we are discussing right now, but…… Where is Victorious, exactly? I’ve been meaning to ask this for a while now.]

 

With those words still hanging in the air, everyone in the hall began to look around for the shipgirl in question.

 

But when even Queen Elizabeth saw that Victorious was nowhere to be seen, she took the microphone from Warspite’s hand and cried out loud right into it.

 

[Now hold on just a darn minute! Don’t tell me that she’s late for the meeting! Even though everyone was notified about it ahead of time, specifically for the purpose of no one being late for it!]

 

Elizabeth puffed her cheeks, seemingly fuming with rage, and it was exactly at that moment that ––––––

 

[–––––– I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for being late!]

 

All of a sudden, the oldest of the Illustrious Class ships, Aircraft Carrier Victorious, slowly opened the entrance door to the great hall and walked inside. The way she walked with her tongue sticking out did not really look as if she was even realizing that she did something wrong just now.

 

[Hey, Victorious! You have some real nerve to show this late for a meeting that you were previously notified about! And just when we were showing off the best dresses that you have made––––––]

 

[Wait, wait, wait! Please wait just a moment, Your Majesty! I actually have a very good reason to justify my being late here –––––– Actually, I happen to bring the information I just heard.]

 

[…… Information that you happened to hear? What kind of information?]

 

While walking towards Elizabeth, Victorious, wearing a crown of olive branch on her head, turned towards everyone present.

 

[Everyone! It seems that the Eagle Union have chosen San Diego-chan to represent them during this year’s pageant!]

 

Elizabeth wasn’t the only one who spontaneously raised her voice upon hearing that sudden revelation.

 

Everyone in the hall was unable to hide their feelings of surprise just now, and the turmoil started to spread in an instant.

 

[Are you sure about that information?]

 

Victorious nodded her head in response to Elizabeth’s skepticism.

 

[Yes, it’s true. And it is already a rumor that circulates among the other factions as well……Now, for my actual reason for being late. I was actually doing some reconnaissance.]

 

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