Mirajane paid no attention to Marco's "threat."
Her daring stunt made it clear she had already given up on winning the championship.
Having secured consecutive victories in the X782 and X783 Beauty Pageants, Mirajane had lost interest in the competition.
If not for her obligation as the reigning champion to participate, she might not have even registered this year.
The champion's prize money was substantial, but Mirajane was far from needing it.
She was arguably the most famous member of Fairy Tail besides Marco, and her fame had brought her considerable income, allowing her to amass a considerable fortune.
This financial security explained why Mirajane could comfortably serve as the Guild's "poster girl" and why she rarely took on missions.
In essence, Mirajane's flamboyant performance was a deliberate act of withdrawal from the competition.
With no intention of participating in future pageants, she aimed to leave a "final masterpiece" on the Beauty Pageant stage.
"Absolutely incredible."
That was the only way to describe Mirajane's performance.
As for the votes she received, there were some, of course.
After all, some people have a taste for the bizarre.
But most didn't vote for her, especially after Marco set the tone with his earlier remarks.
Marco's intention was to emphasize the true nature of the competition: this was a Beauty Pageant, not a Comedy Contest.
To ensure future Beauty Pageants remained focused on showcasing beauty, Marco was determined to prevent "comedic contestants" like Mirajane from gaining traction.
Not that such performances should be banned outright, but he absolutely refused to let them garner high votes.
If Mirajane's votes remained low, future contestants would think twice before attempting similar stunts.
Pulling off a stunt would essentially mean forfeiting the competition. If they were prepared for that, then go ahead and do whatever they wanted.
"The excitement is palpable! The champion of the annual Fairy Tail Beauty Pageant is about to be crowned!"
After all the contestants had completed their runway walks, Max took the stage again, dramatically stirring up the atmosphere.
"Who will be the Fairy Tail Beauty Goddess of X784?!"
Max held up a stack of ballots, each listing the vote counts.
He announced them one by one, reading out the names.
As expected, Erza emerged victorious.
"Let's... congratulate Erza Scarlet!"
Max excitedly called Erza back to the stage, but the champion didn't seem particularly happy.
Her expression remained composed, as if she were suppressing something.
Marco knew Erza was suppressing her dissatisfaction—her frustration with Mirajane.
She had gone all out to defeat Mirajane, but Mirajane had unexpectedly forfeited, leaving Erza feeling like she had thrown a punch into cotton.
"Look what you've done," Marco muttered to Mirajane beside him, his tone critical. He now strongly suspected Mirajane had done this on purpose.
After witnessing Erza's performance, Mirajane suddenly changed her strategy and pulled off this "head-swapping" stunt.
Otherwise, she could have easily secured a third consecutive championship and then retired from the competition.
Having only won the title for two years, how could she possibly be bored already?
"How can you blame me for this?" Mirajane protested, her wide eyes radiating innocent charm.
But Marco, with his keen perception, detected a hint of mischievous glee hidden beneath her innocent facade—the satisfaction of having pulled off a harmless prank.
"You little rascal," Marco concluded, convinced he'd uncovered the truth. "You definitely did this on purpose."
Mirajane had orchestrated this scheme for two reasons: to retire from the competition gracefully and to thwart Erza's ambitions, giving her a playful jab in the process.
While her actions weren't malicious—she even conceded the championship to Erza—they undoubtedly left Erza feeling deeply uncomfortable.
The proof lay in Erza's awkward, hesitant demeanor during her acceptance speech, clearly flustered by Mirajane's antics.
As soon as Erza received her trophy and stepped off the stage, she stormed over to Mirajane, glaring fiercely.
"Congratulations, Erza~ You won the championship."
Faced with Erza's menacing aura, Mirajane smiled sweetly and congratulated her, showing no hint of her deliberate mischief.
When Mirajane turned cunning, she was truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Her current facade of a gentle, wifely demeanor served as her perfect disguise.
"Why did you do that?" Erza demanded, frowning in frustration.
"Do what?" Mirajane tilted her head, her large eyes filled with feigned confusion, as if she genuinely didn't understand what Erza was asking.
"Hmph..."
Erza took a deep breath.
She saw through Mirajane's act—this girl was deliberately playing dumb!
She refused to believe Mirajane didn't know what she was talking about, they knew each other too well.
"Erza, your outfit today was truly stunning, especially that contrast—it was absolutely breathtaking! No wonder you won the contest!" Mirajane continued, praising Erza with genuine sincerity.
Mirajane had decided to switch to a prank-filled performance at the last minute because she was almost certain she would lose to Erza.
Since she was going to lose anyway, she figured she might as well do something different.
Her mischievous, cunning, and rebellious side kicked in, leading her to devise such a unique performance.
"You..." Erza began, but she could see that Mirajane was being genuinely sincere.
This left her momentarily speechless.
Though she hadn't defeated Mirajane, she had earned her recognition and praise.
Could that be considered a victory?
"Exactly! Mirajane is right, Erza. I was completely stunned by your beauty," Marco interjected at the perfect moment.
Erza's expression immediately brightened with satisfaction, thinking this probably counted as a win.
"Hmm?" Mirajane turned to Marco, her expression a mix of amusement and disdain, letting out a soft hum.
"By the way, do either of you have performances tonight?" Marco quickly changed the subject to the evening's Harvest Festival Celebration, not giving them a chance to continue their earlier exchange.
The Fairy Tail Beauty Pageant was their guild's festival, but the Harvest Festival Parade was a city-wide celebration.
Every year on this night, Fairy Tail would participate in the Harvest Festival Parade.
It wasn't just Fairy Tail, the entire city of Magnolia, representing every trade and profession, would join the procession. Elaborate floats and diverse performances transformed Magnolia into a sea of revelry.
In the past, the Harvest Festival Parade attracted massive crowds of tourists, generating substantial tourism revenue for the city.
In recent years, the crowds had become overwhelming.
As the Harvest Festival Celebration approached, hotel prices in Magnolia skyrocketed to exorbitant levels.
Even during ordinary times, Magnolia's hotels were expensive and difficult to book. During the festival, even rooms in the suburbs filled up completely.
Some local residents even started offering "homestays," charging guests to stay in their homes—even just for the day, they could earn a considerable sum.
In short, the Harvest Festival Celebration was a major event for all of Magnolia, a significant traditional holiday.
These past few days had been particularly busy for everyone at Fairy Tail.
With the city's security work and miscellaneous requests surging, Fairy Tail's Mages reaped the benefits, all bustling about in preparation for the Harvest Festival Celebration.
With so many people gathered, it was inevitable that chaos would ensue, and various incidents would occur.
Naturally, there would be situations the Magnolia Guard couldn't handle, requiring the intervention of Fairy Tail's Mages.
In essence, they served as a semi-official extension of the Magnolia Guard, the only difference being that they were paid per job rather than receiving a fixed salary.
Even tonight, many Guild members would forgo the festivities to guard Magnolia's safety.
Of course, the commission fees for tonight's assignments would be significantly higher than usual, and the Guard's overtime pay would also be several times the standard rate.
Marco, as always, ensured his subordinates were well-compensated.
"We definitely have performances," Erza and Mirajane replied.
As two of Fairy Tail's S-Class Mages, their reputations were well-established, making their participation in the Harvest Festival Celebration essential.
"Good. Practice diligently and don't mess up," Marco nodded, issuing a stern reminder.
Any performance mishaps would become the talk of the entire Ishgar Continent, as visitors weren't limited to the Kingdom of Fiore.
"Marco, you'll have a performance too, right?"
Mirajane asked curiously, "Since you're so popular, you and Erza must have a performance planned. As the most popular member, shouldn't Marco have his own solo act?"
"Yes, which is why I need to practice more," Marco replied with a nod.
Though his status had risen as the Duke of Rose and Lord of Magnolia, as a Top Idol and member of Fairy Tail, he was obligated to participate in the Harvest Festival Parade.
Even Master Makarov had to participate every year, not just by attending but also by performing.
As his future successor, Marco was no exception.
However, Marco was confident in his performance skills.
With his exceptional piano skills and singing ability, he could always deliver a memorable song that would make his fans feel their trip was worthwhile.
Unlike Master Makarov, whose inspiration had long dried up after decades of Harvest Festival Parades.
Now, the old man just coasted through the event, relying on sheer stubbornness.
Fortunately, Master Makarov had a thick skin, as long as he wasn't embarrassed, everyone else would be.
He always managed to enjoy himself regardless.
...
With Max's loud announcement, the annual Beauty Pageant officially concluded.
The members of Fairy Tail dispersed, many hurrying to their urgent parade rehearsals.
Sharpening their skills at the last minute might prove useful, no one wanted to embarrass themselves during the Harvest Festival Parade.
As night fell over Magnolia, dazzling fireworks bloomed across the night sky, marking the official climax of the celebration.
This year's fireworks display was even more spectacular than usual.
Fairy Tail hoped to overshadow the recent major incident with the dazzling spectacle, making everyone believe it had all been part of the fireworks show.
Of course, these considerations were irrelevant to the tourists.
They simply marveled at the scale of the display, which illuminated the entire night sky over Magnolia.
"The Harvest Festival Celebration truly lives up to its reputation as Magnolia's signature event on the Ishgar Continent," the tourists exclaimed. "No wonder so many people come to visit. The Rose Duke and Fairy Tail have really spared no expense!"
The visitors unanimously agreed that the trip had been worthwhile.
The fireworks display alone made the journey worthwhile.
Soon after the fireworks display, the Harvest Festival Parade began.
Elaborate floats appeared, moving in a designated direction.
Except for those on assigned tasks, nearly all Guild members had changed into festival attire.
They paraded alongside meticulously crafted floats, putting on a magical performance for the crowd. Fairy Tail's float naturally drew the most attention.
Lucy, Levy, Bisca, and Hisui formed a "cheerleading squad."
Waving flags emblazoned with the Fairy Tail emblem, they performed an energetic cheerleading dance atop the lead float.
The youthful, vibrant girls naturally captivated the crowd.
Combined with special magical light effects, their opening float instantly ignited the parade's atmosphere, drawing thunderous cheers from the audience.
Elfman, Joey, and the other muscle-bound Mages rode on the second float, showcasing the raw beauty of male strength.
In his Beast King form, Elfman stood atop the float, letting out a soul-shaking roar that reverberated through the crowd.
Though vastly different from the first float, this performance still drew enthusiastic cheers.
After all, this type of display had its own dedicated audience.
Soon, Erza and Mirajane made their grand entrances.
Erza donned her "Festival Armor," a majestic suit adorned with red, yellow, and white hues, embellished with numerous white wings and feathers.
Surrounded by floating swords that moved in sync with her graceful dance, she delivered a spectacular sword dance performance for the cheering crowds lining the parade route.
Not to be outdone, Mirajane transformed her float into a concert stage.
Holding a microphone, she belted out classic tunes—all recent adaptations and releases by Marco, with her as the vocalist. This was precisely why she never lacked for funds.
Marco's performance also centered around singing, accompanying himself on the lyre.
His repertoire leaned toward traditional fare, featuring classic lyre pieces performed alongside Lyra, the celestial spirit of Lyra, and Master Vltava, the renowned lyre master.
Together, they presented timeless melodies befitting the Harvest Festival Celebration.
Unlike the younger performers showcasing their unique talents, Master Makarov remained true to his eccentric self.
Clad in a bizarre cat-themed puppet costume, he danced merrily atop his float, his strange steps eliciting laughter and cheers from the crowd.
Amidst the cheers and music, the entire city of Magnolia seemed to shimmer with radiance.
The people were completely immersed in this joyous sea of celebration.