Chapter 367 There Are Other Hidden Truths
Some of the contestants were quietly discussing the changes in the competition rules.
"Why did it turn into an on-the-spot test?"
"Yeah, wasn't the theme already decided? How can they just change it?"
"If that's the case, the formula I prepared earlier is useless now."
Some were worried, and some were indifferent.
"You guys still don't understand the rules of international competitions. Although a theme was set before, the committee also mentioned that they might change it last minute." A woman chuckled, looking at the noisy crowd, and couldn't help but speak up.
"Does changing the theme mean you can't handle it?" the woman added. "If that's the case, I suggest you quit the perfume industry to avoid embarrassment."
Someone wanted to retort, but upon seeing the woman's face, they instantly fell silent.
They weren't scared, just caught off guard.
Moreover, Deer, a big shot, was present. Being in front of an idol made them nervous, worried that their minds would go blank on stage.
Clara didn't know what to say at this moment. The formula she had prepared would have been eye-catching in today's competition, but now it required on-the-spot performance.
The information she received wasn't like this. How did it turn out this way?
The woman who had just spoken stood behind her to the right, glanced at her indifferently, and seemingly unintentionally said, "Some people are just not talented but insist on pushing their way in. I think announcing the theme on the spot is great. At least it can test if some people's skills are genuine."
She deliberately slowed down and emphasized the last sentence.
The competition was being broadcast live by professional media, ensuring fairness and transparency throughout the process.
The first round of scent identification began. Before entering the stage, the twelve perfumers had their eyes covered with black cloth by the staff and were led to their pre-assigned positions.
Each person had a small table in front of them with a large wooden box containing 36 types of fragrances.
The types of fragrances in front of each person were different, with over four thousand types of daily chemical raw materials.
There were also natural and synthetic raw materials. As a perfumer, one must be able to identify a raw material by its scent.
Even if they couldn't name it, they should at least identify its fragrance type.
This was the basic skill of a perfumer.
Just as the host was about to announce the start of the competition, Tilly from the judges' panel suddenly interrupted, saying, "Wait a minute. Usually, we fix the contestants' positions, but we just discussed and decided to break the usual rules and swap positions on the spot."
The host, the audience, and the perfumers on stage were all stunned.
The host hadn't received any prior notice about this rule change.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly and immediately responded, "Tilly's suggestion is great. It reinforces that our competition is open, fair, and transparent. This year, there shouldn't be any concerns about insider dealings or scripted outcomes, right?" The host joked, instantly dispelling any doubts about the rule change.
The host also randomly selected an audience member to decide the positions of the twelve contestants.
This move further emphasized fairness, leaving no room for doubt.
Victoria sat in the judges' panel, watching the stage without any expression.
Under her veil, a sly smile appeared on her red lips, unseen by others.
It was she who had Tilly propose the rule change. This change wouldn't anger the public but would increase trust.
She knew Clara had bribed one of the staff members. The box of fragrances in front of Clara would be easily identifiable without even smelling them.
Clara thought she was being discreet, but unfortunately, Victoria still found out.
Initially, Victoria wasn't interested in Clara's affairs, but Clara's repeated provocations and boasts, along with her confidence in winning this year's championship, caught Victoria's attention. Sure enough, Clara was planning to play tricks in the competition.
She guessed Clara had already finalized her formula for the second round.
She was curious to see how Clara would handle the situation.
Clara, whose position was changed, felt terrible but couldn't show it and had to cooperate.
She didn't understand why this year's competition had a last-minute rule change. Could it be that something was discovered?
With this anxiety, she barely made it through the first round, finishing fifth in four minutes and fifty seconds, just in time.
Everyone was familiar with Clara, not just because of the recent high-society scandals where she was a central figure.
Aside from that, she had always been a runner-up or third place in the perfume contest and had been known as a 'high-society talented woman' for years, naturally gaining fame. However, recent negative news had kept her out of the spotlight until this competition.
Logically, her skills shouldn't be like this. She shouldn't have finished fifth in the first round.
In previous competitions, she would either finish first or second in the first round.
Did she not perform well?
Or was there another reason?
With these doubts, everyone continued to watch the competition.
In the first round, eight contestants correctly identified all 36 fragrances within five minutes.
There was no commentary for this round, and it moved directly to the second and final round to determine the champion and runner-up.
This round would take a long time.
A standard perfume formulation process typically involves four key steps: preparation, production, concentration calibration, and blending techniques.
Because the difficulty was increased with on-the-spot themes, the eight perfumers had to write their perfume formulas based on the requirements given.
The host came out to control the scene again. "Now, let's invite Master Deer to announce the theme and requirements for this round. Please listen carefully."
As soon as the host finished speaking, all eyes were on Victoria.
Victoria calmly picked up the microphone in front of her and looked at the stage.
Clara stood on stage, meeting her cold, indifferent eyes.
Victoria only glanced at her briefly before looking away.
Clara came to this competition with the goal of becoming Master Deer's apprentice, so she couldn't afford to lose.
However, when Deer glanced at her, she felt a sudden chill and a strange sense of familiarity.
"The theme is spring. As for the requirements," Victoria deliberately lowered her voice, paused, and then chuckled, "there are none. Just make sure your perfume impresses the judges and the audience."
Upon hearing the theme, Clara felt a surge of joy. It seemed as if even fate was on her side.
What she didn't know was that when Victoria announced the theme, she subtly glanced at Clara and didn't miss the look of joy on her face.
Although the theme appeared straightforward, it posed unique challenges.
To industry insiders, the theme was overly broad, lacking specific guidelines or constraints, akin to freeform creation.
This freedom, however, was fraught with hidden complexities. In international perfume competitions, perfumers are typically required to craft distinctive fragrances.
Innovation was essential to avoid commonality.
The notion of 'freeform creation' unsettled many, causing them to doubt their formulations and increasing their apprehensions.
The host began to speak again, "Thank you, Master Deer. Now, let's give our eight perfumers a minute to adjust themselves and start the second round."
"The second round will last four hours, with a fifteen-minute break in between. All contestants must stay on-site during the break, or they will be considered to have withdrawn."
The staff had already prepared the necessary materials. Each person had a specific sheet of paper and a pen, along with various utensils and raw materials needed for the blending process.
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