21 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

Volume Three: Chapter 21 - Surprises Await (Revised) "Performing songs, playing instruments, or reciting poetry—these talents are far too mundane and lack any real interest. I don't want to follow the crowd or demean myself by showcasing such things," declared the young lady with light blue hair on stage, as she casually tucked a strand behind her ear, exuding an air of indifference. These words ignited immense curiosity among the audience. They were eager to see what unique performance this unusually styled, headstrong blue-haired young lady would offer. After all, her distinct style stood out in this beauty competition, capturing much attention. Clearing his throat to capture the audience and judges' full attention, Wenny then spoke in a crisp, high-pitched female voice. "So, I've decided to showcase a truly unique talent, one that no one else could possibly exhibit!" Wenny continued, raising the audience's expectations. Amidst the anticipation from everyone present, Wenny revealed the performance she planned to showcase. "Listen up, for talent shows, it's crucial to adhere to the performance's fundamental logic. What is that fundamental logic, you ask? Well, it's simple—talents, at their core, are meant to entertain the audience. The ultimate goal is to make everyone feel happy, not anything else, lest it defeats the purpose entirely," Wenny continued, crossing his arms and addressing the crowd. This wasn't fabricated. A lie mixed with truth is always more convincing, and he had to believe it himself before convincing others. As puzzled expressions and silent inquiries lingered in the air, Wenny opened his eyes, nodded confidently, and continued. "Indeed, my performance will remind you of the very essence and purpose of showcasing talents." "Surely, many of you have already guessed what talent I intend to demonstrate, right?" "I don't need any mundane instruments for my performance. Instead, I'll be telling jokes!" The light blue-haired girl declared with animated enthusiasm, reminiscent of a variety show building up to its grand reveal. Upon hearing Wenny's choice of performance, both the audience and judges sat in dead silence, a sentiment shared in the contestants' rest area behind him. Facing so many silent, inquisitive eyes, Wenny felt a tinge of embarrassment and frustration. He put his hands on his hips and questioned the audience. "What, what's the matter? Why aren't you saying anything? Are you dissatisfied with me or my performance?!" The blue-haired girl pointed at the silent audience, dissatisfied. In the contestants' rest area, Alaya felt torn between anger and amusement. Amusement at this country bumpkin's absurd performance and anger at having been completely outshone earlier, only to find this blue-haired girl ultimately unable to deliver a proper talent. She had initially thought this blue-haired girl to be formidable, fearing her scores would be overshadowed. Now it seemed like an off day for her opponent, making Alaya feel better—watching this countryside girl win would be unbearable. Suddenly, after a long silence, the audience erupted as someone shouted out. "Ah! How adorable, Wenny! Your reaction is just too cute! Yes, yes, I want to hear Wenny's joke! Even if it's an icebreaker joke, ten, a hundred, or a thousand—I'd be willing to freeze for you!" hollered the male student, previously singled out by Wenny. Amidst the hushed audience, his voice was the only one echoing. It startled Wenny, causing him to take a step back, breaking into a cold sweat. Brother, are you serious? Perhaps we should consult a psychologist? Wenny wiped his brow. 'Virtue +60.' 'Current Virtue: 11,384.' Who's doing this again? Whoever's sneaking in these virtue points, who are you? You've been startling me for too long! "Hey! I say, aren't you being a bit rude?" Wenny shouted, though his disguised voice turned his scolding into a charming inquiry. If a notorious young lord of the capital were to change genders, what would the result be? The answer: a villainess. "I said all that to make you laugh! Why are you all so silent? Why isn't there any applause?" The girl huffed, addressing the audience. 'Virtue +30.' 'Current Virtue: 11,414.' Even before she finished her sentence, her virtue increased again. The audience was unresponsive, but the virtue points were quite active. Hold on. Wenny had a sudden insight. Could it be that his performance, much like confronting demon pillars, was considered a 'charitable act' that increased virtue points? Perhaps? Wenny wasn't sure, but he preferred this explanation. Otherwise, the ramifications were daunting, and he dreaded even imagining them. "Excuse me, does the competition have rules against performing jokes as a talent?" Wenny glanced up, placing his hands on his hips. "Ahem, Wenny's talent is indeed a bit unconventional, but it's certainly permissible. Please proceed," one judge intervened, breaking the awkward silence. "Alright then, listen up! I'm warning you; my jokes are pretty hilarious, so be ready for a good laugh!" Wenny smirked confidently. "Do you know why penguins have black backs and white bellies?" Wenny asked with an air of mystery. Nobody responded; everyone remained silent, exchanging puzzled glances. "Haha, stumped, aren't you? The answer is that penguins have short arms, so they can only wash their front, not their back! Hahaha, was my joke funny?" Wenny chuckled at his joke for a while before realizing that not a single person in the crowd joined in his laughter, staring silently back. "Hahahaha! So amusing! Truly fitting of Wenny, such a unique humor! Ah, I'm in love!" Still, a few die-hard fans remained loyal. Wenny's expression froze momentarily. He puffed his cheeks, akin to a blue octopus getting angry, and shook his fist at the audience. "Hey, hey, what do you mean by this? No reaction at all—didn’t you find my icebreaker joke amusing?" Following this, for reasons unknown, applause finally emerged after a head start, gradually filling the venue. "What is even happening here?" Fred sitting in the audience, skeptically eyeing the blue-haired girl on stage. No, something definitely feels off. This sensation is overwhelmingly reminiscent of Wenny! No, it's probably just a similarity in speaking styles. In other areas... But wait, the hair color also matches, doesn't it? No, no, these have to be coincidences. Fred knew exactly what Wenny looked like—he simply couldn't transform into such a stunning blue-haired maiden. Fred comforted himself inwardly. "Alright, you? Fine, you guys dare to treat me like this. Wait, I'll bring out my best joke!" Wenny, frustrated but persistent, declared as he fell into a competitive spirit. "Alright then, this time, I will make you laugh until you're doubled over!" With this declaration, Wenny cleared his throat. "Listen carefully, everyone!" "This is a riddle, so listen up: What does a little nut become when it enters a bar?" Wenny challenged, crossing his arms. To this conundrum, nobody had an immediate answer. "Could it be... a drunk nut?" ventured the loyal fan who had interacted earlier, guessing aloud. "Wrong, wrong, what kind of lazy answer is that?" Wenny teased, closing his eyes and wagging his finger in mock disapproval. "So, Miss Wenny, what is the answer?!" The fan, eager for the punchline, asked with a face full of expectation and intrigue. "Haha~ The answer is, it becomes a fuzzy nut!" Wenny smirked, crossing his arms proudly. "Huh?" At this unexpected answer, everyone was taken aback, their curiosity piqued as they awaited the blue-haired girl's explanation from the stage. "Do you want to know why? Haha, you really couldn't guess, could you? Let me explain! The answer is because, you see, a nut has no limbs and must roll to move. Once in the bar, it couldn't reach the counter to order a drink, so it just stood there. After a while... it got damp and grew fuzz! Hahaha!" Wenny found her own icebreaker riddle hilarious, shaking with laughter on stage. What he didn't notice was the subtle change happening beneath: 'Virtue +90.' 'Current Virtue: 11,504.' Despite his amusement, the audience remained mostly silent, with very few grasping the humor Wenny found so delightful. Nevertheless, the atmosphere Wenny created was infectious; some from the audience laughed awkwardly, caught up by the distinctive uniqueness of the blue-haired girl, whose style was truly one of a kind. Finally, Wenny's performance wrapped up, and he exited the stage. Now it was time to tally up the final scores. There could only be one victor. Wenny had previously scored highly with his introduction and performance rounds. His final talent presentation might have lacked conventional skills, but it certainly was unique and distinctive. After all, he genuinely was unskilled in standard talents—improvising anything on the spot was challenging! Had he known a few tunes to whistle, he would have performed that instead, at least classifying it as music, right? Although the talent segment was a gamble for him, the entertainment value was undeniably high, capturing the essence of an optimal entertainment scenario. Pretending to stay cool on the surface, Wenny was inwardly tense while waiting in the rest area. He had pushed himself to the limit, and appearing on stage dressed as a girl in front of so many was embarrassing enough—losing would make it all for naught! Accepting defeat was expected. While some may prefer an entertaining act by a pretty girl, he guessed most would appreciate a talented, gentle performer more. Unexpectedly, though called to the stage for results, the anticipated victor was announced as Liz. Upon hearing the results, Wenny let out a soft sigh, covering his face with a hand. Lost, utterly lost! Aesphyra, just you wait! Yet, despite the loss, Wenny held no grudges. Liz indeed deserved her victory. At that moment, an unexpected twist occurred. "Excuse me, everyone, please wait a moment." An official abruptly stepped onto the stage, whispering something to the host. He acknowledged that such discussions only happened in emergencies. Afterwards, the host coughed slightly, indicating the award ceremony would resume. "My apologies, everyone. It seems the total scores had not been fully compiled when handed over earlier. Upon careful review, we discovered a competitor whose score surpassed the formerly leading Liz. Therefore, this competitor is now declared the winner of this year's Careliman Beauty Pageant." The announcement left everyone bewildered, unsure of who outperformed Liz. Curious about this mysterious change, Wenny scanned the room. "Once the scores were fully counted, it turns out that the unique competitor's score just surpassed Liz's, naming them the true pageant champion. Yes, I can now announce that the winner of the first Careliman Academy Beauty Pageant is..." "Contestant number eighteen, Miss Wenny!" the host declared, as innumerable spotlights converged on a stunned Wenny. --- He was left speechless, caught between disbelief and realization as the spotlight settled on him, the unexpected champion.