"This is still a thing?"
Cedric mumbled to himself, his attention devoted to an event up ahead on the village square where a girl is answering a couple of questions in front of a crowd
The man shook his head sideways in disbelief
He knew it well, it was a stupid tradition that started ever since he was a boy in Enchancia. Pretty much, it was a contest of some sort where a couple of girls competed on whom is the "fairest" girl throughout Enchancia.
Not only was this whole concept ridiculous, but overall biased. Most definitely because even princesses were allowed to compete as well. Back in the day, Cedric watched as Roland's older sister, Mathilda, won every year.
Plenty years have passed since then and as expected, Mathilda wasn't eligible for the whole thing anymore. But in her place, replaced another blonde princess, who as expected, dominates the whole thing just as well
"Princess Amber, why should you win Miss Enchancia this year?" The Hostess asked, as the princess in question prepared a confident smirk
"Thank you for that wonderful question.. and to answer it, I just simply am the fairest and fabulous girl in Enchancia. That is all" Amber answered in her usual haughty manner as she opened her fan and fanned herself
"psh... what a troublesome brat" he whispered, hearing her conceited answer
"Confidence is key indeed." The hostess said "Thank you for those answers, Princess Amber"
"And now for the next contestant.."
Cedric has had enough and decided to dip. What he came for here is to buy brewing ingredients, not to waste time over ridiculous events like this
And as he was about to take a step to the other direction..
"Give a round of applause for Princess Sofia!"
His eyes widened upon the announcement of a certain name as he quickly turned around. And there she was, wearing her rather simple mint green dress rather than an elegant gown a contestant would wear
"Hi everyone~" The girl waved her hand and greeted the audience in her usual cheery manner
"T-That idiot.." Cedric uttered in disbelief "What is she doing?"
He expected Sofia to be smarter than this, she should know that the contest falls for Amber every year. But for some reason, there she was.
And the contest is for the most sophisticated and graceful girl in Enchancia, quite literally the opposite of Sofia. And she only just started her etiquette lessons a few weeks ago, clearly something that puts her in a disadvantage.
"She'd just make a fool out of herself out there" he uttered
"So, Princess Sofia.." the hostess began, reading the card she's holding "Why should you win this year's Enchancia's Fairest?"
"I think that beauty comes from within. The content of someone's soul is the embodiment of what really matters in a person"
Upon finishing, the crowd were all flabbergasted by her answer, even Cedric from afar. Such a refined and well-spoken answer from Sofia has readily impressed the people nearby
"Wow, that was.. something!" the hostess uttered, impressed by what she just heard "Thank you for that answer, Princess Sofia"
The girl then gave a curtsy to everyone before making her way back to the group of contestants. The crowd gave her a round of appluase
"Not bad of an answer I guess" Cedric murmured from his position "Still not enough for her to win though"
"Excuse me" A random lady appeared out of nowhere and handed him a piece of paper and a pencil "Here you go"
"What is this?" he asked
"Write the name of the contestant who you think should win!" she answered
"But I wasn't even watchi–"
His words halted upon taking another glance at Sofia sitting with the other contestants in front. Like as he thought, she stood out from them. When the others were rocking elegance and beauty... Sofia was rather plain and simple
Cedric knew this would not end well for her at all, especially knowing how the voting system works.
She would be the only girl in front to not have a vote at all.
But right in his hands is a vote that will count.
He stared at his paper and closed his eyes. What he is about to do is stupid and unnecessary. But his guilt could not let him leave that poor girl out there and feel unwanted
And so, he quickly wrote a name on the paper he's holding
"Here" Cedric pushed it to the lady
"You're supposed to go in front and drop it inside to the drum raffle" she told him
"What?" Cedric sighed in exasperation. He had never participated in anything like this before and so he didn't know how it worked
Regardless, he wanted it to be over with and be on his way
"Are these all the votes, everyone?" the hostess in front asked the crowd
"Hold on!" Cedric yelled out, as he quickly ran to the front "I haven't put in my vote yet"
Everyone's eyes were on him, he sure caused a huge commotion.
"Cedric?" Amber uttered in surprise "What is he doing here? This is not his thing at all"
"Well then feel free to insert your vote to the raffle, sir!" the hostess said
Cedric went up to the platform and unto the said raffle drum with a grimace look on his face. On the way there, he met Sofia's gaze and immediately looked away
"The things I do for this girl.." Cedric gasped in his thoughts
"ooh I'm sorry sir" the hostess ran in front of Cedric, making him stop all of a sudden "We have already exceeded the maximum of votes and the drum is already full. Sorry about that."
"Damn" Cedric cursed under his breath hearing that
It was his cue to leave. He turned around and walked the other way. Cedric caught Sofia's gaze on the way and she smiled at him.
Cedric responded by a nod. But before he could pass her by, a paper fell off from his pocket which Sofia immediately picked up
The man left the event as a whole and made a beeline towards the path back to the castle
"oof, it is what is is.." Cedric uttered to himself "Whatever happens is out of my control. At least I tried"
The entire walk, his thoughts were on something that he had completely forgotten his purpose on coming to the village square in the first place. The moment he finally remembered, he was already halfway to the castle.
Cedric just sighed in defeat realizing this
"I got too preoccupied of that event that I forgot about the materials!" he cursed in his thoughts, with Sofia's face flashing on his mind
He sighed once more, as he decided to rest on a nearby tree to bask in his frustration
,
.
"Nothing good happens when she's around.."
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It was nighttime at the castle and the Royal Family ate at the dinner table like they do every evening, but they couldn't help but notice of Sofia's rather celebratory mood and that smile on her face
"You seem really delighted, Sofia" King Roland commented
"Did something good happen, Dear?" Queen Miranda asked
"I bet you found a pot of gold outside, didn't you?" James suggested
"No, she didn't" It was Amber this time who spoke up, finisher her meal and wiping her mouth with the nearby table napkin "Sofia is this year's Miss Enchancia"
Hearing that lit up everyone's faces and they all cheered in joy and gave applause
"Well, congratulations to the fairest of Enchancia!" King Roland uttered in a proud manner
"That's my sister!" James hollered in joy
"Oh I'm so proud of you, Dear!" Queen Miranda wiped a tear of joy from her eye
"I'm glad it was you who defeated me, Sofia. But next year, I'm definitely gonna win" Amber leaned in to her sister "But still, congratulations on winning Miss Enchancia"
"Oh right.." Sofia was caught unaware when Amber brought it up "That did happen.." Sofia mumbled, remembering about the events that transpired afterwards
"You forgot?" Amber's eyes widened in surprise "Then what are you so happy about then?"
"I uhh,…" Sofia looked away and came up with an excuse "I er…"
"I am happy on winning… ehe-he-he.." Sofia beamed her a goofy grin
"As you should.." Amber closed her eyes and smirked
While her family celebrated, Sofia carefully pulled out something from her pocket and opened it with her fingers under the table. It was a piece of paper from before
Sofia looks at it, and her lips curves into a delighted smile. With the red hue on her cheeks reaching all the way to her ears
I vote for Princess Sofia.
-Cedric