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

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Translator: Kurehashi Aiko

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PART 4

 

Prince of Wales also took notice of that fact and she clapped her hands vigorously.

 

[Ahh, umm, everyone? If you could please wait just a moment and……]

 

When Belfast was finally able to realize what was going on just now, she tried to interrupt the excited top brass shipgrils.

 

[Umm, if I may so inquire, what are you all talking about? And what do you mean, make me, a mere maid, a representative?]

 

[Wasn’t there a particular rule that would forbid maids from entering the contest, as it would be unfair? So would she even be allowed to enter?]

 

Warspite cocked her head slightly as she suddenly thought of a matter such as this.

 

[I am also sorry for having to say this, but on the day of the school festival, I have to do my usual job as a Head Maid. And it is something with which I cannot be replaced, or simply entrust those duties to someone else. And besides, even if I were to appear on the stage during the event, a lowly maid such as myself would never be able to win, and……]

 

Belfast cast a quick glance at that fancy dress.

 

It was truly a wonderful and beautiful dress. However, no matter how hard she tried, Belfast was simply unable to imagine herself wearing such a beautiful thing on the stage for everyone else to see. First and foremost, there was no way in hell that she would look good at something like this, and she seriously thought as she returned her gaze to Elizabeth and the others.

 

[In the first place, I don’t have any of the necessary qualities that would constitute a good idol. On the other hand, you might call me ‘beautiful’ or ‘dignified’ or ‘elegant’, but there surely must be many other possible candidates who are way more suitable for the role of the representative than I am.]

 

[Bel, does that mean that you are accusing me of miscalculating when I have made that decision? Huh?]

 

Belfast hurriedly waved her hand in denial when Elizabeth gave her a really annoyed look.

 

[N-No, that’s not true at all, Your Majesty. And I am really happy that Your Majesty holds me in such a high esteem, but I’m afraid that I ––––––]

 

All of a sudden, Belfast was taken aback.

 

Before she even knew it, everyone in the hall was staring straight at her. And when the time of the Beauty Pageant finally rolls around, the viewers would come from all other factions as well, so their numbers would even exceed the one that was present right here and right now.

 

Belfast quickly felt embarrassed because she was only accustomed to working behind the scenes, and having so many people’s attention centered upon her was an unfamiliar experience, one that got her to feel really nervous.

 

Not to mention the fact that Elizabeth seemed to be unfazed even in the face of Belfast’s protests.

 

[Well, I have seen that courtesy of yours earlier and I thought that it was something that was really good, so I still think that you are going to be perfect for that task.]

 

Belfast herself was at a loss for words even after being told such a thing.

 

In the past, every time the Beauty Pageant’s topic was being discussed, Belfast would distance herself from it and would not even concern herself with it, since there was no way that it would ever become a matter that the Head Maid would actually openly address. But right about now, she was about to stand at the very center of the event that she would much rather prefer to avoid. It was only a matter of course that Belfast couldn’t help herself but to start panicking, wondering if she was really going to become the Royal Navy’s representative, even though her knowledge about the subject at hand was next to nothing.

 

[–––––– If Belfast is really so against the idea, how about we first see if there are any other candidates who would like to volunteer for the contest, or that would be worth selecting?]

 

As Hood opened his mouth to propose that idea, she also picked up the microphone again and called out to everyone who was currently in the great hall.

 

[Her Majesty has nominated the Head Maid Belfast to represent the Royal Navy in the upcoming Beauty Pageant. However, should any of you gathered here have any other person who they would like to see nominated, then you are free and encouraged to speak up your mind right here and now. That being said: is there anyone else who would like to stand on the stage before everyone from the port?]

 

At that moment Belfast could feel that her heart started to beat faster.

 

If there would be any other person who would be enthusiastic about representing the Royal Navy in this contest, she might be able to convince Her Majesty to change her mind.

 

For a moment out there, the Head Maid was honestly thinking that way.

 

She also expected many people to raise their hands in the air, but much to her horror, no one was raising their hands.

 

If memory serves Belfast correctly, during last year’s Beauty Pageant meeting, everyone was raising their hands one after another, so why was it that no one was so enthusiastic about this idea for this year?

 

Now starting to become seriously startled, Belfast looked back at the extravagant dress hanging on the mannequin.

 

–––––– That dress……Is it really all because of that dress?

 

Illustrious, Unicorn, and Victorious all worked together in order to make this costume, and it looks simply dazzling even when observed from a distance.

 

Belfast thought that everyone in this place were drawn in to stand on the stage while wearing the best dress that the three of Illustrious Class aircraft Carriers would be able to put together.

 

–––––– However…… It would seem that the entire great hall was in reality just like Belfast, which was super intimidating.

 

It was just like Unicorn said: it was something suitable for a princess from a children’s fairy tale. She was right on the target with that description.

 

And it would not even be a stretch to call it that way. Because it was truly something that felt out of this world, that’s how splendid that dress was.

 

In addition, this time around, there was a clear and concrete theme that the Royal Navy was aiming towards, which was “beauty” and “elegance”. So that was also a really important factor here.

 

If it was just about being an Idol like before, it would likely be that the people gathered here would be able to appoint a person or two who would be a much better candidate. And Belfast was sure that there were actually people in the Royal Navy who were casually practicing their idol skills just for this day.

 

But with things being the way they were right now, the hurdles were simply set too high for everyone else’s comfort. And there was also a matter that most probably many people in here felt that there was no way that they could possibly compete against Belfast in terms of both beauty and elegance.

 

[Uuuhhh……]

 

It was the very first time that Belfast had raised such a pathetic voice from her mouth.

 

That was also partially Queen Elizabeth’s fault, for handpicking Belfast just like that. The Royal Navy wanted to have the utmost confidence that it would be able to win the pageant and leave the competition in the dust, and not many people here would be able to brim that kind of confidence on their own.

 

However, even when you handpick someone and will be sure about their abilities, there could be no such thing in this world as an absolute certainty.

 

As for Warspite, Hood and Prince of Wales, the three of them were all looking at Belfast with very serious expressions painted all over their faces.

 

At the current moment, everyone present in the great hall was awaiting Belfast’s answer with their breaths held.

 

Someone might call it common courtesy, just like Elizabeth mentioned earlier, but even so, Belfast would still feel like she was not really the right person to do this. There must have been someone better.

 

With her eyes pointed at the floor right between her shoes, the Head Maid was frantically looking for a way in which she could weasel her way out of this situation……

 

[Bell, it’s alright. Everything will be okay.]

 

Queen Elizabeth grinned her teeth and smiled at Belfast in an earnest way.

 

[I honestly think that you are the best maid in the Royal Navy. No one can ever hope to best you in that regard.]

 

For Belfast, those words were pretty much synonymous with being checkmated.

 

With no possible way in which she could respond to Her Majesty’s direct compliment like that, Belfast was unceremoniously selected as this year’s Beauty Pageant’s contestant representing the entire Royal Navy.

 

But above all else, Elizabeth’s carefree smile was too foul for her.

 

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