Lunamaria stood at the tournament venue for her first-ever main bracket match, facing her opponent while grappling with a slight prickle of nerves.
"And now, we move to the third match of the main tournament: Lunamaria versus Anne! Lunamaria is making her debut in this competition today. Despite having less than ten years of experience as a maid, she has already reached a Maid Power of 52,000, marking her as a promising rising star. Her opponent, Anne, is a high-level veteran who studied under the Super Maid of Technique, Alexandra. Anne placed 6th in the previous tournament, and her Maid Power stands at a formidable 81,000. In terms of raw numbers, Anne holds a commanding lead."
"Indeed. However, a contest between maids is not decided by Maid Power alone. I expect both competitors to give their absolute all and show us a truly magnificent display."
The live commentator provided a brief introduction for both women, and the analyst, Ein, brought the opening remarks to a close. Next came the selection of the competition format. In the main tournament of Maid Olympia, the specific nature of the challenge remained a mystery until the very last second.
A magic tool would randomly select the event from a wide array of prepared categories.
"The magic tool is now determining the match format. This round's event is... Confectionery-making!"
As the event was finalized and staff rushed to bring out cooking stations and a vast array of ingredients, Lunamaria’s mind raced. Though this was her first time competing, she had watched the Maid Olympia in the past and possessed a fair amount of knowledge regarding the various formats.
(If I remember correctly, confectionery challenges usually come with some kind of restriction.)
As if to confirm her suspicions, a tin of black tea was placed in front of both Lunamaria and Anne.
"And now, for the specific theme: you are to create a confection that pairs perfectly with the black tea provided. However, you are strictly forbidden from brewing the tea. You must develop your recipe based solely on the appearance and aroma of the dry leaves. Third match... begin!"
At the signal, Lunamaria flipped open the tin and began inspecting the color and scent of the leaves.
(A very distinct, sharp aroma... It’s definitely a flavored tea. Judging by the scent, it belongs to the sweet category... As for the specific variety...)
It was a difficult task—identifying the tea based on the leaves alone and then crafting a matching dessert. While Lunamaria was still narrowing down the possibilities, her opponent, Anne, had already begun selecting her ingredients.
"What? So fast!?"
"...You’re still quite green, I see. It would be a dull affair if I simply won without a challenge. This isn't a sweet-category flavored tea. This is one of the Sinfonia Kingdom's Season Specials. Identify the specific variety for yourself."
"——!?"
"Why the look of shock? It’s true that Maid Power isn't the sole factor in a victory, but a higher number indicates a higher level of fundamental skill as a maid. Understand that I am overwhelmingly superior to you, and challenge me with everything you have—as if your very life depended on it."
After offering those words of advice, Anne returned to her ingredient selection with practiced ease.
(A Season Special!? Right, those are the limited-edition blends created for specific anniversaries... I’ve definitely encountered this before. That’s it! This was the blend made to commemorate the completion of Sinfonia's trade city! But she realized that in an instant? She’s... she's incredibly strong...)
Given that it was a special blend from the Kingdom of Sinfonia, Lunamaria—who lived there—should have had the informational advantage. Yet Anne had identified the tea far faster, and had even perceived Lunamaria's initial misunderstanding.
Feeling a cold sweat break out, Lunamaria belatedly began choosing her ingredients.
(These leaves have a high natural sweetness. That means the confection should be light on sugar to balance it out. A baked good would be the traditional choice, but it’ll be hard to win with something so standard. What can I do...?)
Since Anne was so much further along the path of the maid, Lunamaria knew that simply making a standard confection would lead to an inevitable defeat. On the other hand, this wasn't the kind of task where she could rely on a mere gimmick to pull through.
Just as Lunamaria began to feel the weight of the massive wall standing before her, she happened to glance toward the spectator seats. Her eyes met Lilia's.
(Honestly, why am I being so timid? A difference of only 30,000 Maid Power... that isn't an insurmountable gap!)
A faint smile touched Lunamaria’s lips as she turned a sharp, determined gaze back toward Anne. Noticing the change, Anne stopped her work and directed an intrigued look at her opponent.
"...A fine look in your eyes. It’s entirely different from before."
"I cannot afford to lose. No matter how much higher your rank may be... I will not show a pathetic display to my lady... to my best friend, who came all this way to the stadium just to see me at my best and cheer for my victory!"
"This is—!"
Following her fierce declaration, Lunamaria’s body began to emit a pale, shimmering radiance. Anne’s eyes widened in surprise.
"Would you look at that! Lunamaria’s body is glowing! Don’t tell me—"
"Yes, it’s a Maid Burst. To think she has grown enough to trigger a Maid Burst despite her relatively short tenure as a maid..."
Sensing the shift in Lunamaria’s aura, Anne wore a fearless grin. It was as if she were acknowledging that the battle had finally become worth her time.
Amidst the roaring excitement of the venue, Lilia watched from the stands with a distant, hollow look in her eyes as she whispered to herself.
"...If my memory serves me correctly, the 'sequence of events' involved me being coerced into watching this match through an exchange that bordered on blackmail..."
Serious-senpai: "Damn it... I refuse to acknowledge this as a 'serious' scene. And now more maid jargon is popping up out of nowhere... What the hell is a Maid Burst!?"