The room fell silent again after her words.
Then, the Country M contestants were the first to react.
The nineteen-year-old girl who had taken sixth place stood up and said loudly:
"Since this competition is unfair, and since Country Y is determined never to award the championship to a Country M contestant no matter their skill, as long as Country Y refuses to acknowledge it, then a Country M contestant will never be champion.
A competition like this is beneath me! If Country Y insists on ruling the perfume world with one voice, crushing any talent from other nations, then I, too, withdraw from this contest!"
Immediately, the others followed her lead.
In less than two minutes, all eight Country M contestants who had placed in the top ten announced their withdrawal, leaving behind a humiliating scene—
The top ten now had only ninth and tenth place remaining.
