“A mermaid portrait? I see you’ve suffered, Miss Rafina...” Mia tried to picture it in her mind. “You’ve really, really suffered...”
Mia shot Rafina a sympathetic gaze as she watched her disappear. Then, she directed her focus toward a separate matter. “Anyway, my opening speech! I need to make sure I fire everyone up!”
Mia’s main job at the fishing tournament was to kick things off with a speech, but to be honest, she didn’t think the job was all that important. Her true objective was befriending Orania, and even if she completely bombed her speech, the tournament would live on. She didn’t have to worry about anything at all! It’d be a piece of cake!
Mia had given speeches to end wars, to prove her worth as president of the student council, and to ensure children had a place to belong. A simple speech to kick off an event should be nothing!
But once Mia saw the tense atmosphere that surrounded the other members of the student council, she started to second-guess all that.
I sense...a wave. Mia was the seafaring aurelia, and her sensitive wave sensors were tingling. She folded her arms and gave a “Hmph!”
I want to spend some quality time with Orania, and if all goes well, make her one of our allies. But I might have to tell her some things she won’t like hearing.
The words Orania had shared with her the other day still weighed heavily on her mind: “Life really is all about eating tasty food and having fun...”
I could have said that if I were still my old self...
Mia knew perfectly well that eating tasty food and having fun was incredibly, incredibly important—but some things mattered even more. You had to work to protect your happiness and live a life deserving of what you had.
If you don’t, your fun, happy life will lead you to the guillotine! I need to warn her, to guide her down the right path!
When it came to executing princesses, Mia’s knowledge was second to none. Her story started at the guillotine, making her a perfectly qualified expert on the subject.
But it’s hard to foster friendship while chastising someone’s actions. I’ll just need to make sure my warnings don’t come off as too harsh—or make sure she’s ready to listen.
And that required rallying the morale of the staff and making sure this fishing tournament was a blast. “So you were scolded, but hey, it was still a fun day overall, right? We all had fun and learned a good lesson in the process” was the vibe Mia was going for.
But that means I can’t slack off with this speech.
“It’s almost time, milady.”
Mia nodded. Then, she decided to double-check her outfit. “How do I look?”
Anne combed through Mia’s hair with her fingers before taking a step back. Then, she brought her hand to her chin with an inquisitive “hmm” before announcing, “You look perfect, milady!”
Now that she had passed Anne’s thorough inspection, it was time for battle. Mia took a gulp of juice—notably, not water—to prepare herself. How tasty!
She decided to down another glass.
Now that her brain was properly fueled, she climbed up to the podium at the top of her game.
“Greetings, everyone.”
Her booming voice silenced the chatting students, who now sat upright in their seats.
“Please relax. This is supposed to be a day of fun!” she exclaimed as she looked around the audience. “I am incredibly pleased to be able to offer this incredible event to all of you, and it was only possible thanks to the efforts of many others. So before anything else, I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who worked so hard to make this fishing tournament a reality.”
Mia bowed her head. Then, she glanced at Santeri and his compatriots, who were looking awfully proud and pleased with themselves.
“However, I must admit...I’m not interested in fishing at all! Not in the slightest!” she said, her expression perfectly composed as she dramatically shook her head. She had laid down a fishing hook, and no fish maniac could resist biting at its bait! Having heard their beloved hobby so ridiculed, they all glared at Mia.
But once the full force of their fury was upon her, she relaxed her expression with a giggle. “Well, to be exact, I wasn’t interested. When I was young, I used to wonder what could possibly be so fun about fishing, but once I learned it was a means of procuring food, it began to pique my interest.”
It was true. Fishing was a means of procuring sustenance, and it could help her escape the clutches of the revolutionary army. Thus, she had looked into the matter.
“Not to mention the time I was stranded on a deserted island.”
The audience looked dumbfounded.
She flashed a mischievous grin. “Well, that all worked itself out in the end, but one day, my companions on the island caught some fish for us...and after that, my interest only grew. I began to realize there had to be much more to fishing, and I was shocked and awed to learn so much in preparing for this event.”
She had grabbed their attention, and now, it was time for a push! Everyone adored hearing praise for their beloved hobbies, and if the fish maniacs and academy staff who’d be running the event were pumped, so would the students. And it was sure not to offend Orania or Rafina either, both of whom had a particular affinity for fish. This push had been considered on multiple levels and exhibited the finesse of a master!
“Of course, I’m not so conceited as to believe I’ve learned everything there is to know about fishing. But nevertheless, I was ecstatic to have learned the little that I did.”
Now, Mia directed her gaze to the residents of Saint-Noel Island. Some had come from the shopping district to set up stalls, while others had been enlisted by the school to take students out into the water on their boats. Countless individuals had worked to make this event a reality, almost all of whom were citizens of Belluga. It was why they hung on every word that left Mia’s mouth, and her declaration of adoration for the sport had these people beaming.
Oho ho! I’m glad I learned that Belluga had some special ties with fishermen in advance, thought Mia, recalling her earlier conversation with Santeri. Now that he mentioned it, fish always did play a big role in the Holy Book. I can see why the people of Belluga have such a soft spot for fishing. If I can get them as excited as the fish maniacs, then this speech will have really meant something!
Urged by the strong wave beneath her, Mia made her final call to action. Yes, fishing may be fun! But more than that, it was sacred!
“Fishing is a sport both elegant and noble, a perfect representation of noble tastes!” Mia was no longer just pushing, but shoving with all her might.
She put on a grin. “Well, it would be boorish of me to speak for too long, and so, here is where I’ll conclude my speech. I hope today will be a day of fun for all of you, an opportunity to not just enjoy the sport, but learn of what makes it so great.” Finally, Mia directed her gaze at the students. “You’re free to fish at the designated spots around the island or take the boats out into the lake to try your hand at more advanced techniques! Picking and finding the right spot is one of fishing’s many joys, and I hope this will be a chance for you to experience that!”
Finally, Mia glanced at Orania. “Then let’s grab our poles, pick up a basket, and get fishing!”
After a final curtsy, Mia stepped down from the stage.