“?? Wait, what did you just say this contest is?!” Vinny was dumbfounded, half-suspecting he’d misheard.

“Classmate, you don’t know what’s being held here today?” Seeing Vinny’s blank look, the registrar gave him a strange stare. “You didn’t even figure that out before coming to sign up??”

“No, I only learned about it yesterday. I rushed over right after class this morning because I was afraid I’d miss it. I literally had no time to look into what kind of event this is.” Vinny’s scalp prickled with exasperation.

“Then that’s on you, classmate. The organizers aren’t only asking for strength—they want extraordinary presence and charm.” The student spread his hands.

“Presence and charm? Then what’s wrong with me entering dressed like this?? If there’s one thing I’m never short on, it’s presence, charm, and looks!”

“Please. A bunch of rough guys pounding on each other—what’s the point? Aren’t you sick of watching that every day? Sorry, classmate, what the organizers require is feminine beauty. And besides, you don’t even look handsome.” The student flicked Vinny a careless glance and delivered his verdict. “Your face looks slapdash.”

“The hell?!” Vinny nearly blew a gasket.

Of all his virtues, the one the other party chose to deny was his greatest?! That was the one thing he could not tolerate!

Same old rule: you can insult his intellect and his character, but you absolutely cannot question his looks. Got it??

“Go take a good look at yourself in the river, why don’t you! Even the shrimp in there aren’t as shrimpy as you! Don’t run your mouth just because you’ve got zero taste. A refined yet masculine pretty boy like me—you’ve never seen one, that’s your narrow horizons. No eye for quality!” Vinny snapped.

“All right, all right, classmate. Whether I’ve got an eye for quality isn’t yours to judge. Either way, you’re not qualified to compete like this.” The student wore the expression of someone saying, “What can you do about it?”

“Hold on—are your prizes this time an Ice Elemental Elixir?” To make sure he hadn’t come to the wrong event, Vinny pressed.

“Yes. What about it?” The student folded his arms, terminally bored.

“Fuck!” Vinny instantly understood what was going on.

Damn it, he knew it—how could that white-furred nutball be so kindhearted?? So she tricked him into walking into a slaughterhouse after all, huh??

Ahhh, that hateful white-furred nutball! She had to have done it on purpose—she definitely knew the specific rules, and just to make fun of him—and to wring a concession out of him—she used a low tactic like this!

Heh. Heh-heh.

Vinny could already imagine how hard that white-furred nutball was laughing in secret. The moment he pictured himself baking under the blazing sun, enduring all kinds of weird stares, face like thunder as he slunk out of the venue in disgrace—he couldn’t help a cold snort.

No. How could he admit defeat that easily??

That white-furred nutball hadn’t lied: the event was indeed open to all genders, and the prize description was accurate. If he stormed off to confront her, Vinny could already hear her response.

She’d probably put on an innocent face and say she truly didn’t know the specific rules, but to her knowledge, no event on campus could limit entries by gender. “Vinny, you lost, so a loss is a loss.”

Yes, technically it didn’t limit gender—but the problem was, you weren’t allowed to compete while looking like a man. How was that any different from “girls only”?

The prize donor’s logic was pretty clever—this way they excluded male entrants while sidestepping the rules.

Just thinking about it had Vinny fuming; it poked his delinquent’s rebellious streak right in the ribs.

Fine. You won’t let this young master compete, huh? You think that’s going to stop me??

News flash: impossible.

Today, this young master is going to take the championship—watch me.

So Vinny turned on his heel, headed back to the dorm, and found Shicodale.

“Eh? Vinny? Weren’t you going to compete?” Shicodale blinked in surprise when Vinny came home.

“That’s exactly why I’m here. Dale, can you do makeup?”

“Eh? I can, kind of—but I’ve only learned girls’ makeup.” Shicodale was puzzled why Vinny’s first words were about makeup, and naturally assumed he meant men’s makeup.

“Perfect. That’s exactly what I need—girls’ makeup,” Vinny said.

“Ah? So—does one of Vinny’s friends need it?” Shicodale froze for half a second before continuing.

“No friend. Me. This young master needs it.” Vinny pointed at himself.

“Uh—ah?” Shicodale’s big eyes stared at him in seismic shock.

“All right, all right, it’s not a big deal. Keep it low-key, low-key!” Being stared at made Vinny a little embarrassed—he was a guy, after all; a man has his pride. “So can you or not?”

“Um... yes, it should be doable. Vinny, your foundation is excellent, but...” Shicodale fell silent for a while, seemingly arranging words in her head, and finally couldn’t help asking, “Vinny, why did you suddenly get this idea?”

She really couldn’t make sense of it.

“Doesn’t Vinny usually say a real man should have some ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) masculine vigor...?”

Her delicate questions landed like a flurry of razor-edged boomerangs to the back of Vinny’s skull.

She meant no harm; he felt every hit.

“...What choice do I have?? That contest—” Vinny laid out the whole story.

“Eh? So it’s a beauty pageant?” Shicodale looked astonished. “Then if you went, wouldn’t you—”

“Exactly! But I can’t let that white-furred nutball gloat. She probably thinks I can only come slinking back, covered in shame, so she can have her laugh. I will not let her laugh!” When it came to Aesphyra, Vinny’s fighting spirit always spiked—unyielding, dead set on butting heads.

Just wait—he’d make Aesphyra admit defeat fair and square.

“And how is this unmanly?!” Vinny explained, a little heated. “For the sake of victory, I’ll challenge my weaknesses and my limits—and a man’s sense of shame. You call that sissy? That’s courage. That’s real masculinity. Do you understand, Dale? If right now I choose women’s makeup and look girly—that’s exactly when I’m at my most man.”

“Ah, got it, got it.” Shicodale still didn’t entirely get it, but she said she did, nodding like a pecking chick.

“Mm. As long as you get it. You should learn from me—from the spirit, I mean. Got it?”

“I got it, Vinny. But... I don’t have any cosmetics here.” Shicodale was a little helpless—there’s only so much you can do without materials.

“No problem. That’s easy.” Vinny had only come back to give Shicodale a heads-up. He left the dorm and went straight to the Student Council.

Yup—time to look up his all-purpose childhood friend again.

When Mirexia heard Vinny wanted to borrow a makeup kit, she didn’t find it strange; she gave him a top-tier set of the same products she used. Given Mirexia’s looks, she only wore light makeup for banquets and almost never needed it for daily outings.

In her mind, nothing about this was odd—maybe Vanessa wanted to try a new style. Though, in her opinion, makeup would only detract from Vanessa’s uncontrived, natural grace.

Besides that, Vinny used internal Student Council channels to urgently purchase a Girls’ Academy Uniform from Carillian Academy.

And the person who found the channel? None other than an upperclasswoman.

“You tore your uniform? No, wait—A-cup? Who are you buying this for?”

“For... a friend. Is that not allowed?” Under the upperclasswoman’s baffled gaze, Vinny was sweating bullets.

“It’s fine—there’s no rule saying male students can’t buy the girls’ uniform.” Seeing his discomfort, she didn’t make it hard and handed him a set.

After receiving the cosmetics, Vinny thanked Mirexia and left the Council—busy as she was, even rest days were packed.

But Mirexia guessed wrong: it wasn’t for Vanessa. It was for Vinny.

If Vinny transformed into Vanessa now, the state would be unpredictable.

Choosing the Blessing Angel form would only produce a weakened Vanessa—terrible for performance.

And Vinny had a nagging intuition: if Vanessa showed up this frequently, it would definitely draw certain people’s attention.

So, if he wanted to take first place this time, he had only one option—win without relying on the Facilis bloodline. He’d go in person.

On the way back to the dorm, Vinny also bought a few hair extensions.

Why several? Because he bought extensions exactly matching his hair color—he only needed to clip them in, not a full wig cap.

Carrying the cosmetics, Vinny returned to the dorm and solemnly handed the kit and the extensions to Shicodale.

They went to the vanity in Shicodale’s room.

“Vinny, um—I’m going to start.” Shicodale picked up the products and, looking at the blue-haired youth in the mirror, spoke with solemnity.

As an elven princess, Shicodale rarely needed cosmetics, but she knew the basics.

And with Vinny’s features and skin, there was no need for heavy makeup—it would only ruin the effect. Light makeup would do.

Standing at the mirror, Shicodale touched Vinny’s cheek with her fingertips and felt confident she could render this face beautifully feminine.

Reason being: Vinny’s foundation was simply too good. If he were a girl, he’d be stunning.

So Shicodale thought.

Also, his cheeks were very soft.

Feeling the texture under her fingers, Shicodale couldn’t help thinking so.

[Virtue +30.]

[Current Virtue: 10824.]

Vinny didn’t pay the Virtue change much mind; all his attention was on the self in the mirror. First time doing this—he was a little nervous.

What would his future look like?

“Mm. Go ahead.” Ready at last, Vinny took a deep breath.

“Okay, Vinny.” Shicodale kneaded his cheeks, apparently to get his blood circulating first.

Then she started on the blue-haired youth’s face. Under her practiced hands, the face in the mirror shed the last traces by which one could tell it was male—ambiguous at first, then surging straight past the line into unmistakably feminine.

When the face was done, Shicodale combed his hair and clipped in the extensions.

[Virtue +20.]

[Current Virtue: 10844.]

“Vinny, all set. You can go change.” After the flurry of work, Vinny had nearly dozed off; Shicodale suddenly helped him up and sent him back to his room to change.

Huh—already? How long had it been? Half an hour? An hour??

Vinny was a little foggy. When he cleared up a bit, he realized he’d already walked into his room.

The contest was starting soon. He needed to change, or he’d be late.

He put on the Girls’ Academy Uniform he’d just purchased from the upperclasswoman.

Even for Carillian students, the uniform wasn’t cheap, though first-years got a hefty discount for buying a single set.

Once the blouse and skirt were on, and the white stockings pulled up, a surge of scorching shame climbed Vinny’s spine.

Nope—was this too much after all??

It was such a novel sensation. In Vanessa form he’d worn this before—he’d even worn a maid outfit and a skirted [Armor Fortress]. But she hadn’t felt any shame at the time; she’d moved with complete ease.

For Vinny it was different. His cheeks were burning; discomfort prickled over every inch of skin.

No—calm down. Calm down!

It’s just clothes. It’s not like he hasn’t worn this before—he’d even worn the largest size; he hadn’t been ashamed then. What’s this compared to that?

What’s this compared to the hardships he’s already eaten alive?!

Vinny took a deep breath and stepped out.

Shicodale was already waiting by the door. The moment she saw the brand-new blue-haired girl step out, her pupils snapped tight.

[Virtue +100.]

[Current Virtue: 10924.]

Wait, why so much Virtue? Was he that terrifying in women’s clothes??

Vinny didn’t get it.

“What? Does it look bad?” he asked, uneasy.

“N-No! Vinny, um, you—you...!” Shicodale cupped her flaming cheeks, disbelief all over her face. “Vinny, you... you’re just too perfect for this.”

“...Huh?”

Then, under Vinny’s strange expression, Shicodale led him to the full-length mirror in her room.

One look—and Vinny froze.

Where was he? Where had he gone??

Why was there only a blue-haired beauty in the mirror—a stranger who somehow looked familiar—and... a little flat?

Vinny’s eyes went wide; the girl in the mirror did the same.

In the glass, the blue-haired girl’s skin was alabaster and flawless, with a touch of blush on her cheeks. Shock flooded that exquisite face, parting her lips.

Balanced figure and legs, slender fingers, exquisitely carved features and face shape, superb skin—and those shoulder-length twin ponytails of blue. Everything fit perfectly.

There wasn’t a trace of masculinity left anywhere on him. Anyone seeing this would only think: a somewhat flat-chested young maiden—easily ranking among true beauties.

Perhaps because the extensions were shoulder-length twin ponytails—the exact same hairstyle Vanessa wore with [Armor Fortress]—he felt he could glimpse a faint echo, the outline of Vanessa, in his own face.

Of course, only someone very familiar with Vanessa would notice.

Even he was having trouble telling who the person in the mirror really was.

Was this... really still him??