Chapter 556: And the Champion Is?
Selina and Paula’s wager was no secret. Only if the champion turned out to be from Country M could Selina hold on to that twenty billion.
At this point, even the viewers in the livestream grew anxious.
[The championship... we already have seven contestants in the top ten, but the title itself still feels out of reach...]
[Back then, Paula only forced this bet on Miss Clark to bully her. Who doesn’t know Ronald’s own student is competing here?]
[Haven’t any of you thought about the possibility of Miss Clark taking the crown? After all the times the others have been slapped in the face, why couldn’t it happen again?]
[Don’t get your hopes up. Seven Country M contestants in the top ten is already beyond anyone’s expectations. But all eight of them making it in? And one of them taking first place? You really think Country Y will just roll over?]
[Miss Clark isn’t even a professional perfumer—she joined to show support and give encouragement. Her skills can’t be on par with trained professionals. As for the championship...]
The comments trailed into silence.
On-site, Ronald finally looked as if he could breathe freely. "Mr. Reid, the only contestant left unannounced from Country M is Miss Selina. I’ll admit, Country M stole the spotlight this year, but the title still belongs to us in Country Y. Mr. Reid, shouldn’t you start preparing that twenty billion?"
Logan calmly sipped his tea without even glancing at him. "Perhaps you should consider another outcome, Ronald."
Ronald snorted. "Mr. Reid, I know she’s your wife, and you’ll trust her unconditionally. But trust still has to make sense. My student has trained under me for ten years—do you really think he could lose to Miss Clark? Amateur and professional are worlds apart. She’s done well enough to get this far, but you should never have let her take that bet."
Ronald’s voice swelled with arrogance. "When it comes to perfumery, no one surpasses Country Y. Mr. Reid, just give up already."
For the first time, Logan turned his gaze on him, studying Ronald’s confidence, his audacity. After a moment, Logan let out a soft laugh. "Until the champion is announced, nothing is certain. To claim the crown before the results are even read—isn’t that just arrogance, Ronald?"
Ronald took it as nothing more than stubborn resistance, a last scrap of dignity for Selina’s sake. He burst out laughing. "Fine, then let’s hear it! Frank, come stand by me."
Ronald’s student rose from his seat, casting a challenging look across the hall toward Selina—a glare filled with the same brand of pride as his teacher, as though he saw everyone else beneath him.
He joined Ronald at the front. With the whole hall watching, Ronald said, "Frank, tell Mr. Reid and Miss Clark who will be crowned champion of this competition."
Frank spoke with absolute confidence. "Of course it’s me."
Then he turned toward Selina. "Miss Clark, you’re a worthy opponent. But as my teacher said, you’re not a professional. You’ve never received formal training. You don’t have my talent, my precision, or my technique. What could you possibly beat me with?
"Reaching this stage is already impressive enough. Once I take the title, I can ask Miss Paula to go easy on you—maybe cut the amount down a bit. Twenty billion really is far too much for you.
"I admire you for making it this far as an amateur, but unfortunately, this is where your journey ends. The championship is mine."
He finished with a smug glance at the host. "Go on. Announce it."
The Country Y assistants beside the host were practically trembling with excitement. Since both Ronald and Frank were so confident, it had to mean the champion was a Country Y contestant. Finally, they could hold their heads high again!
They stepped forward eagerly, opened the envelope with the champion’s number, and, brimming with joy, shouted:
"The champion of this competition is—Number 7!"
Selina lifted her eyes calmly.
Frank’s mind went blank for a moment, uncertainty flickering across his face.
Wait... wasn’t he not Number 7?
After all, once contestants submitted their works, they never learned their assigned numbers. But Frank was Ronald’s student, and plenty of people had tried to curry favor with him—someone had let slip that his number was in the later range, at least after 25.
Still, still... no, no, no. Frank forced himself to stay calm.
It had to be a mistake. He had to be Number 7. He was Ronald’s student, widely recognized as the strongest perfumer there. If he wasn’t the champion, then who could be?
Selina? Please. Everyone knew she was just an amateur. For such a grand competition, how could an amateur walk away with the crown? That would be laughable!
So yes—he was the champion. He was Number 7!
When Ronald first heard "Number 7," a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. He’d made a point of asking around, and he was certain Frank’s number wasn’t 7. But...
Seeing Frank’s unshakable confidence, Ronald relaxed. Clearly, the information he’d gotten was wrong. Frank, his student—the brightest star of Country Y—had undeniable ability. Yes, a few Country M contestants had been unexpectedly strong, but compared to Frank? They were nothing.
Frank would crush them all. He had to be the champion.
Right on cue, the host announced: "This contestant’s work was unanimously recognized by both the judges and the panel of one hundred reviewers as the best of the competition. Out of a perfect score of 10, this contestant achieved 9.9!"
Hearing that, Frank puffed out his chest even more, smugness radiating from him.
Ronald finally let out the breath he’d been holding.
The Country Y judges and spectators also sighed in relief.
Only a few judges furrowed their brows in doubt. Was it really Frank? The fragrance from Number 7 hadn’t seemed much like Frank’s style. Still, as Ronald’s protégé, it wasn’t impossible for him to have developed a different flair.
With that thought, the hall fell into a delicate balance, a hush of anticipation.
Country Y contestants and audience members alike believed the stage was about to be theirs again.
As long as they took the crown, the other rankings didn’t matter. With the champion in their hands, everything else could be dismissed.
"Now, I will announce the name of Contestant Number 7!"
The host and Country Y assistants lifted the list.
The names were ordered numerically, so Number 7 was right on the first page—impossible to miss.
And yet...
Their expressions shifted, faint shock flickering across their faces.
Th-this name...
"What’s wrong? Hurry up and announce it already!"
"Yeah, we’re waiting to congratulate Frank!"
"Don’t just stand there—say it! This time, our Country Y finally gets to shine again. Come on!"
...
...
Amid the rising clamor, the host slowly lifted his head, stunned.