44 The Competition 2

The 50 contestants came from all around Japan. They were mostly scientist and beauty expert, the same as the judges. The thing that needs to be assessed was the safety of products, design, components and the most importantly the true result. The point from customer review and the judges will determine the winner. Like the actual person, transform from ugly duckling to a beauty pigeon.

Tereza and the others were in the backstage with the other contestants. The first product came from Kyoto and they were all ready to do the presentation. There was no audience, it was just a simple big audio room while three judges sat on the middle of the room. It was a different vibe from the grand hall where they first step into the place.

Almost all of the contestant wore formal dress and suit. The first team went inside the simple room.

[Mistress are you nervous?] (Jasmine)

(Kind of, everyone looks down on me because I'm father's daughter. They think I'm only come here to watch and let others do the work. They think I will take advantage of other credit. What a fool. )

'Even though it was true though. But, this is the product from my own research though!'

[Good luck Mistress. This is the first step that people will know more about the flowers.] (Jasmine)

[Good luck! Good luck!] (Rose)

(Un! Oh yeah, Do all the flowers bloom yet? I wanted their seeds for planting later. You know I need to wait until the flower bloom to identify it. It was such hassle.)

[Hmmm... Their growth depends on the time and your mood, didn't you know?] (Cherry Blossom)

(Eh? What do you mean?)

[You forgot to tell her didn't you?] Cherry blossom looked at Jasmine irritatingly.

[Ha..ha..ha...sorry]

[Basicaly, the flowers bloom not only by watered it every day. But the flowers bloom, affected by your emotion. Like when you were sad, angry, happy and other. It gave them the power to bloom. You are an emotional person mistress. That's why the flowers have a quick growth]

(What do you mean emotional person?) Her head popped out a red vein. He meant she was short tempered? Drama queen? or what?!

[I didn't mean ill you know. I meant you are a person who easily showed emotion. Well it depends to you if you think it is bad or not.] (Cherry Blossom)

(Really?)

Every spirits guardian nodded. She didn't know how her feeling. Should she say good or bad? Akira calling her from the side over and over again. But she still sleeping, dazing. "Big Sis!"

"Uhh..ah?"

Akira looked at her nervous. There was cold sweat on his face."Our turn."

She still looked sleepy and replied, "Already?"

He nodded. Tereza quickly rose from her chair and walk over inside the room that leads them to the stage. Behind them, Hikaru and Hikari made a good luck gesture. ""Ganbatte!""

It's decided that Tereza will be accompanying him to do the presentation. She felt anxious to let this amateur boy by himself.

Akira will be the main spokesperson and she will be assisting him. This is a simple test she gave him. She knew Akira was a little socially awkward, but it didn't mean he couldn't stand giving a presentation on stage.

His practice paid off, he presented the products with confidence and no mistakes pronunciation or glib-tongue. Tereza from the start only smiling and presented the products with her hand holding it. She was like a sales girl. She sometimes helps to add a few information. The judges were all looking satisfied. In the end, they were only asking one question.

The platinum blonde hair woman asked, "Why your product named 'Appeal'?"

Akira looked at me and I smiled. "First of all, we want to make a product that enchanted other people and make satisfaction with the result. Not only that, this product is clearly different because it's 98% pure natural skin care from original flowers that we planted. So not only long-lasting effect, it obviously enhances the beauty and youthful skin. The last reason, it was reminded me of my husband."

The glasses guy commented. "Hahaha, interesting answer. I heard you were married, congratulations."

"Thank you." Tereza smiled shyly.

"You really love your husband. He must be really lucky to have a wife like you."

"Yes." Tereza smiled and the two of them bid farewell. The result will be out in the afternoon so they have time to have lunch.

When they were in the restaurant, she still heard the gossip from other people. She didn't know but her hearing right now much sharper than usual. Even whispers of somebody, far ten meters from her she still could hear it. Was this because of the flowers?

(Jasmine, how many flowers blooming right now?)

[Responding to the mistress, it is ten.]

(Was there a flower specialized with sharping your hearing?)

[There is. Not only that mistress. Maybe you realize your body starting to change like your eyes became much sharper or your mouth more plump than usual, like your hair become much smoother or your breast became much bigger]

(What? Really? Hey, be honest with me. Why did I feel like I became superhuman or something? What next? I will be a superhero that saved the day.)

[You really are a superhuman mistress, since the start, you contact with the dark black tree. But the difference is you are not a superhero. Why? Because you didn't have a costume!]

(That's not the point, isn't it?)

[Hehe, yes. Well, mistress, it's up to you if you want to be a superhero or not. Our abilities only awake half of it. So if you want to be a superhero right now. You still can't. But if you want to be a hero. You can. Everyone is a hero in their life.]

(Who said I wanted to be a hero? I'm only joking. The next sentence of yours really surprised me. I didn't know you are a wise flower)

[Oh please mistress, I was wise from the beginning. But yeah I was kind of absent mind sometimes. That's Cherry Blossom always help me. He was the wises of all the flowers.]

Tereza chuckled a little. Hikaru looked at her weirdly.

'Why she's laughing by herself?'

"Big Sis! Big Sis!"

"Ah?"

She completely forgot that they were sitting in the dining room to eat lunch. She was in dazed for a moment to talk with Jasmine. "Are you okay Big Sis?"

"Ah..haha, I'm alright. Let's continue eating."

They ate until they were full enough. After that, they went to the waiting room for the contestants relaxing or taking a nap. The waiting room divide into five division. Each was limited to ten groups. Tereza and co were signed in the third room. They entered and take a seat beside the food stall.

The other group quickly came in with their various face. There were nervous, indifferent, confident, smug, annoying, naive and angry?

Between 'they were commenting badly by the judges or another contestant' or 'they were just nervous from the pressure'. She thought probably the former. Suddenly the angry group people came to her group direction.

Huh?