章節 56: Chapter 56: The Unusual Showdown

"Look, I get it, but why are you following us?"

Seeing Jenny had entered the same clothing store as them, Rhodes couldn't help but want to pull out his explosive magic crystal again.

A stalker, right? Maybe a small explosion wouldn't be a problem?

It was a big problem, and Mira quickly held down Rhodes' bag to prevent him from actually acting on it.

"Jenny, are you here to buy clothes too?" Mira asked.

Jenny didn't hide it at all. "No, I came specifically to find you."

"Is there something else you need?" Mira asked.

"Of course, I want to settle this once and for all!" Jenny said. "Even if we can't compete at the anniversary celebration, I still want to beat you here and now!"

Rhodes glanced around. Quite a few people had already started looking their way; there was nothing "private" about this.

"If you're that determined, I can't avoid it anymore." Mira somehow seemed to have gained a fighting spirit. "What do you want to compete in?"

"Let's pick outfits in this store and match them, then have a fair judge decide the winner." Jenny pointed at Rhodes confidently. "To ensure the outcome is fair, let's have him be the judge!"

"Me?" Rhodes was momentarily stunned.

Though not sure why they suddenly had to compete, he quickly raised Mira's hand in victory.

"The winner is Mirajane! All done, the loser can leave."

Jenny was furious. "We haven't even started!"

Mira stifled her laughter.

Jenny took a deep breath to calm down. "Even if he's the judge, it doesn't mean the result is up to whatever he says... You understand what I mean, right, Mirajane?"

"Quite sly, but I accept it. I look forward to seeing your face when you lose," Mira responded, her gaze locking with Jenny's, almost as if sparks were flying.

Jenny flicked her hair. "Then, judge, please decide the theme."

"The theme..." Rhodes wasn't entirely sure what kind of mutual understanding these two had come to. He casually pointed to a sign nearby, "Casual section, let's go with that."

"Casual? A very ordinary choice, but the more ordinary, the harder it is." Jenny smiled confidently as she walked towards the casual section. "Just wait and see!"

"If we're going to compete, then I won't lose," Mira also headed over with enthusiasm to pick clothes.

It seemed the two had found some kind of amusement, but Rhodes wasn't feeling the same joy.

He had originally been enjoying a simple shopping trip with Mira, but now someone had come to mess it up.

The contest involved picking and changing clothes—it was anyone's guess how much time this would take.

Jenny was beautiful, yes, but... whether a lightbulb was pretty didn't really matter, did it?

Just as Rhodes resigned himself to a long wait, the two women surprised him.

"Transform!"

With two light declarations, both Mira and Jenny changed into their chosen outfits, even their hairstyles matched their looks perfectly.

"Wait, you guys use transformation magic for changing clothes? Then what's the point of Requip magic?"

"Requip magic involves actually putting on the corresponding outfit, while transformation magic only changes appearances," Mira explained.

"In the summer, transforming into winter clothes doesn't make you hot, and in the winter, transforming into a swimsuit won't make you cold."

Jenny added, "Don't be so surprised. Professional models use transformation magic to change outfits more efficiently."

They even used the transformation magic to subtly enhance their appearances.

"Alright, enough of this boring stuff, let's judge our outfits now." Jenny said, "Please give an honest assessment."

Rhodes looked at Mira.

Mira smiled, "Just speak your mind. We have a way to determine the winner."

Could it be they had some sort of truth-detection magic? Rhodes thought about Warren—maybe even mind-reading?

Assuming lying was pointless, Rhodes glanced at Jenny and gave an honest evaluation.

"Miss Jenny... you look very good."

Jenny flashed Mira a triumphant smile.

Then Rhodes carefully examined Mira. "The white tank top really shows off your figure, and paired with the light blue shirt, it looks simple and clean.

The light blue denim shorts show off your long legs, and don't clash with the color of the top. The black belt is neither too loose nor too tight, perfectly highlighting your beautiful waistline, and the black purse is a great match.

And with the baseball cap and long ponytail, it's bursting with youthful energy—full marks!"

Mira gently touched her cheek with her right hand. "Oh dear, you're so straightforward with your praise, it's a little embarrassing."

"You..." Jenny's teeth were grinding audibly. She got a simple "very good" while Mira got a description that could fill three pages.

Though the judging wasn't based on what Rhodes said, the difference in treatment was infuriating!

Mira showed a mischievous smile. "Jenny, how about that?"

Jenny, unconvinced, replied, "Again!"

Rhodes watched in confusion as the two returned to the casual section.

It was clear that Mira won this round, but what was the actual criteria for judging?

Was it the word count of the commentary? It couldn't be that simple.

A few minutes later, the two had chosen new outfits and returned to transform again.

Rhodes stuck to being honest, giving Jenny a "very pretty" evaluation.

Then he turned to Mira, praising her from head to toe.

When Mira chose a dress and spun around in front of him, Rhodes gave her full marks, plus an extra ten.

Their constant transformations attracted quite a crowd.

Although it somewhat disrupted the store's business at the moment, the store manager was practically grinning ear to ear.

Two stunning beauties giving free fashion shows right in his store? It was like a dream come true.

He was already considering how to provide great service to the influx of customers.

The crowd watching the commotion began giving their scores from their own perspectives.

Listening to their chatter, Jenny and Mira actually had an even number of supporters.

However, after Rhodes gave his earnest assessment, a significant number of people would be swayed, switching their support on the spot.

—That guy really spoke sincerely, and honestly, what he said made a lot of sense.

After the final round, Jenny undid her transformation magic, returning to her original look.

"Damn it, I picked the wrong judge!"

The result of this match had nothing to do with what Rhodes said or how much he said.

The only standard was how much "amazement" was in his eyes.

It was a difficult standard to quantify, but Jenny could discern it. As a girl who was frequently in the public eye, she had a keen sense of understanding different gazes.

Jenny originally assumed that since Rhodes and Mira were from the same guild, they must be quite familiar with each other.

With that in mind, no matter how much Mira changed her look, it would hardly amaze Rhodes.

After all, men were always drawn to novelty.

And she had looks and a figure that matched Mira's, plus the unfamiliarity to make herself stand out more to Rhodes.

It was a huge advantage, making this almost a guaranteed win!

But...

Jenny suddenly realized she had overlooked an important factor that could affect the outcome! She now regretted not simply choosing a random passerby as the judge for a fair competition.