Whenever Megiddo-san personally challenged someone to a fight, he always made sure to set conditions where the opponent actually had a chance of winning.
However, that was strictly limited to cases where he was the one initiating the challenge. When he was the one being challenged, or when he participated in a tournament like this, the rules changed.
In those situations, Megiddo-san’s policy was to fight with his full strength as a mark of respect for his opponent. Simply put, what that resulted in was... a total slaughter.
In fact, the match ended with a single punch. It made sense; standing before a Six King, no one could possibly afford the luxury of fighting while singing. His opponent was knocked unconscious by the very first blow, and everything after that was essentially Megiddo-san’s solo concert.
It wasn't even a contest—though that was entirely predictable. The man's dominance was absolute. And as expected, Megiddo-san really was a fantastic singer.
Well, setting aside the spectacle of Megiddo-san’s overwhelming victory, the other matches were actually quite worth watching. There was a unique tension in fighting while singing, and perhaps because the adrenaline was pumping, the performers' voices were filled with incredible passion.
Most of the songs were high-tempo, carrying an intensity that made it feel like I was watching a scene from an action movie. Despite my initial skepticism, it turned out to be quite a spectacle.
Still, since Megiddo-san’s victory was a foregone conclusion, it was a bit of a shame that the finals lacked any real suspense. There were clearly no participants capable of standing up to him, so it couldn't be helped.
"Our final entry for the last match of the first round is Number 12! Background unknown, species unknown—every detail of her profile besides her name is a mystery! The self-proclaimed 'Mysterious Transcendent Beautiful Girl Singer'... Cosmos!"
...Never mind, there was someone who could stand up to him. Or rather, what in the world was that idiot doing? She had changed her appearance, but Megiddo was bound to realize it was Alice the moment they traded blows.
I supposed Megiddo-san would be happy for the challenge, but it was hard to imagine Alice entering just to do him a favor. Which meant...
"Alice, do you have a second?"
"What is it-ssu?"
"You're betting on this, aren't you?"
"Well then, I’ll be going now..."
"Wait right there, you..."
I knew it. Anticipating that the odds would become incredibly skewed because of Megiddo-san’s participation, she had entered the tournament herself to mess with the payout.
If Alice—as Cosmos—were to defeat Megiddo-san and win the championship, it would be a massive upset. Given that she was a complete unknown, Number 12’s popularity was at the very bottom. The payout would be astronomical.
While I was exasperated by her antics, a part of me found it a little entertaining. When it came to a battle between Megiddo-san and Alice, the outcome was impossible to predict.
Especially when they only had two minutes and had to sing the whole time...
By the way, the venue was protected by a barrier that worked similarly to the glasses Shiro-san gave me. This allowed even those of us with normal perception to track the combat, even when it reached super-high speeds.
Alice, as Cosmos, secured a safe victory and steadily climbed the ranks until she finally reached her showdown with Megiddo-san.
"With the third-place match concluded, it is finally time for the finals! First, our top favorite, Number 9: War King Megiddo Argetes Borgness-sama! And Number 12: Though her history is a mystery, her skill and vocal talent are undeniable—the Mysterious Songstress, Cosmos!"
The two entrants glared at each other in the center of the arena. The difference in their physiques was staggering when they stood side-by-side, but Cosmos maintained a fearless smile regardless.
"I didn't think you'd show up. This looks like it'll be fun."
"Pure combat aside, if the theme is song and battle, I believe I have a sufficient chance of victory. Now, let us spend a pleasant moment together."
It was likely part of her persona, but she spoke with a bold, mysterious tone. Her voice sounded like that of a mature woman, carrying a sense of dignified beauty.
The two stared each other down, and the moment the music began, the battle commenced.
Megiddo-san rampaged, singing wildly with overwhelming volume from his massive frame. In contrast, Cosmos sang while dodging his attacks with movements like a graceful dance. It was a clash of pure power against absolute fluidity.
Furthermore, Megiddo-san’s powerful voice and Cosmos’s delicate, beautiful singing meshed perfectly, echoing through the arena as a stunning harmony.
The two-minute battle, which was truly more of a performance, ended in the blink of an eye. Both returned to their starting positions and quietly awaited the results.
As expected, the fight itself hadn't reached a decisive conclusion. Their singing styles were opposites, but both had been magnificent. However, in my own estimation, Megiddo-san seemed to have the slight advantage.
While Cosmos’s singing voice was certainly a match for his, Megiddo-san had the edge in terms of pure volume. His voice felt like it resonated deeper and further.
"Since there are no bonus points for combat results this time, our five judges will each score based on twenty points. The result is... 99 to 96! The winner is Number 9! War King Megiddo Argetes Borgness-sama!!"
According to the scores, Megiddo-san had received full marks from four judges and a nineteen from one. Cosmos had received one full score and nineteens from the other four. Megiddo-san had narrowly surpassed her to take the championship.
It really was a wonderful fight. Though, I wondered if Alice was disappointed by the loss?
"Alice, that’s too bad."
"Eh? What is-ssu?"
"The result... wait, what are you holding?"
"My betting ticket for a top-three trifecta: 9-12-7-ssu."
"Ah... I see..."
I had assumed she was aiming for the jackpot by winning herself, but she had shrewdly bet on the scenario where Megiddo-san won and she came in second. She really was as sharp as they came.
Machina: "My children, sorry to keep you waiting! Thank you for all the questions! As I said before, I won't answer everything, but I'll pick out a few to answer now. Here we go!"
Q: How wealthy is Alice?
Machina: "Alice has almost complete control over commercial rights in Trinia, manages the logistics between the Human Realm and the Demon Realm, and has countless sources of income through the merchant associations run by subordinates like Moloch. She's incredibly rich. She doesn't quite reach Kuromueina's level, but I'd say she's in the top three in the world. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to hire so many top-tier subordinates under such generous conditions. She has the capital to support an entire shadow army."
Q: The marriage status of Cattleya and Seigi.
Machina: "They haven't held the actual wedding ceremony yet. Preparations have been moving forward since My Beloved Child returned, but since it's a wedding for someone connected to the royal family, it takes a lot of time to organize. There might be an episode about the wedding a little further down the road."
Q: Why does Machina mostly leave her children alone?
Machina: "Generally, I don't interfere with the details. My children are cute, of course, but I also love watching them think for themselves, whether they flourish or perish. I usually leave the management to the automated system, Paradise, and just watch over them. There are many stars and children besides Earth, and they're all precious! I wouldn't have interfered with this otherworld at all if I hadn't met My Beloved Child. But My Beloved Child is a special case! I've decided to pour all of a mother's love into him, so I'm going to be very involved! The reason I'm talking to My Children in Trinia right now is because I've decided to station a permanent branch of Paradise here just for him."
Q: Hapty’s impression of the Hero party.
Machina: "She genuinely likes them; it’s not just an act. In fact, even when she's not being Hapty, Alice is surprisingly soft-hearted toward the members of the Hero party."
Q: Regarding the gender ratio of Trinia.
Machina: "This was mentioned briefly in the main story, but it's the result of adjustments Shallow Vernal made while gathering the factors needed to summon My Beloved Child. She tweaked everything from the development of civilization to the population balance, especially in the Human Realm, to make sure everything was perfect for him."
Q: Who is the strongest, excluding the Epilogue?
Machina: "It depends on the conditions. If the power to encompass all things is active, Nebula is the strongest. If not, I—Machina—am the strongest in terms of pure combat power. Regarding Alice's strength: in a normal fight, I would win 100%. However, Alice's strength is heavily dictated by her mental state. If I were to try to harm My Beloved Child and Alice was determined to protect him, I can't say for certain that I would win. Alice has that kind of potential."
Q: What is Little Epilogue?
Machina: "When My Beloved Child defeated Shallow Vernal, both Shallow Vernal and the concept of the Epilogue itself fell for him. The Epilogue secretly installed a piece of itself to protect him. You could call it a single-target version of the End of the Story. If My Beloved Child is truly in danger, it activates automatically and 'ends' the opponent. Seriously, the Epilogue has no sense of restraint..."
Q: Is there a discussion about the dating schedule for Kaito's lovers?
Machina: "In the case of My Beloved Child, for events like Christmas, 'the day itself will simply multiply by the number of lovers he has.' Shallow Vernal will make sure of it. So, there’s no need for them to argue over the schedule."
Q: Why doesn't Alice use Artemis, her mother's Heart Tool?
Machina: "A bow doesn't really suit Alice's fighting style, though she can use it if she wants. She's versatile, but she prefers close combat. Besides, unless it’s a tool with a very specific ability like Trick Jester, Alice is so strong that most weapons don't actually add much to her combat power."
Machina: "That's it for this time! I'll collect and answer more questions when I have the chance, so look forward to it!"