The Finals: A Battle of Mutual Destruction

At last, the pool of potential winners had dwindled.

The only ones left were Al, Lucille, and me... plus Elu and Luna, though they were trailing so far behind they weren't even in the running.

As expected, Al and Lucille were in a league of their own. Despite the head start I'd tried to maintain, the gap between us was only widening.

There’s no way I can beat these two through conventional means.

In that case...

I reached into the spread and deliberately plucked out several Meat Skewers that were radiating a distinctly malevolent aura. I slid them quietly toward the two frontrunners.

"Thanks, Meat Brother," Al said, not looking up.

"Hmm, you’re quite attentive. Keep them coming," Lucille added.

Encouraged by their thanks, I continued to filter every unpleasant-looking Meat Skewer toward them.

Even though this was Fee’s Cooking—essentially poison that could take down someone like Ram in a single bite—the two of them continued to eat as if nothing were wrong.

Do they have Poison Resistance or something?!

No, wait. Maybe that ominous aura was just my imagination. Maybe these weren't actually the ones Fee had made.

Or maybe Fee has just gotten better at hiding her work after making so many batches.

If that were the case, then I would be perfectly fine eating the ones that looked dangerous.

Confident in this theory, I grabbed a platter of the most poisonous-looking skewers for myself and handed the "normal" ones to the other two. It was a gamble, but with the sheer volume they were consuming, they were bound to hit one of Fee’s landmines eventually.

I took a large bite of a skewer.

In the next instant, an explosion of bitterness and spice scorched my tongue. A stench so intense it triggered an immediate gag reflex surged through my sinuses.

"Damn it... I was tricked..."

My consciousness flickered out. The last thing I saw before blacking out was Al and Lucille, their faces turning a sickly shade of pale as they collapsed beside me.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Wh-what happened?!"

I jerked awake and hurriedly took in my surroundings. It seemed the Big Eating Tournament had reached its conclusion while I was out. I tried to sit up to get a better look, but my body felt like lead.

"You shouldn't push yourself to eat so much," a voice chided.

Fee was pressing down on my forehead, keeping me in place. I realized I was currently using her lap as a pillow.

I’m pretty sure the "pushing myself" part wasn't the problem here, Fee...

Still, considering I had been trying to weaponize her food against the others, I couldn't exactly complain. I stayed put on her lap, defeated.

"By the way, what was the result? Who won, Al or Lucille?"

Since I’d seen them falling at the very end, I assumed whichever one had managed to stand back up first must have been declared the victor.

"Actually, it was never settled between them. In the end, they both won."

"Both? So, Al and Lucille then?"

"No," Fee replied. "Everyone was saying the outcome was completely unexpected."

Unexpected?

Did they think Ram or First would take the title? They were the favorites, after all. There had been plenty of gambling going on, and most people probably put their money on the veterans. Compared to them, Al and Lucille were just kids.

As I was pondering this, Sasha’s voice rang out over the crowd.

"The winners of this Big Eating Tournament are Lady Elu and Lady Luna! Will both of you please come up to the stage!"

My jaw dropped.

"Wh-what? How? What happened?"

"Those two were the only ones who stayed conscious and kept eating until the very end," Fee explained.

What is this, a martial arts tournament?!

Then again, if everyone else had been knocked out by the food, it made sense. If they were the only ones left standing, they technically would have consumed the most by default.

"And now, let’s have our winners announce what they want their Big Bro—ahem—Lord Brother to do for them!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers at Sasha’s announcement. I vaguely recalled making a promise like that. However, knowing those two, I didn't think they’d ask for anything too terrible.

That faint hope was crushed in an instant.

"Um... instead of just an engagement... we'd like to set a date for the wedding soon," Elu said tentatively.

"...And decide on the venue," Luna added.

"That sounds wonderful!" Marina chimed in, her voice brimming with uncharacteristic cheer. "How about holding the ceremony at the Cathedral in our duchy?"

Okay, this is a dream, I told myself. I’m just having a nightmare brought on by food poisoning. Alright, time to wake up...

"You should probably start preparing yourself, Yuri-sama," Fee said.

"Not until I've achieved Independence..." I muttered.

"Don't you worry about that. I'll personally recommend the matter to my father," Noris said, appearing out of nowhere to fan the flames of my anxiety.

Wait. Was this... an opportunity?

The day I finally stop fearing my own Ruin might actually be within reach.

"It’s a celebration, after all," Noris continued. "Let me do at least that much for you. You’ll be inviting me to the wedding, won't you?"

"A-ahaha. Right. Of course..."

Realizing there was no escape, I began to calculate. If this paved the way for my Independence, I would have to fulfill their wishes.

No, if this is a dream, then this conversation is just part of the dream too...