Cosette if I remember it right, still isn't aware she's a queen candidate. ALTHOUGH, she already has a major support group on her side thanks to her influence with multiple noble women (even making the country well known to the point they were called the country where the women don't need corsettes). The reason why her actions are the usual contest and she's been labelled as both commentator and sponsor is to help her avoid joining. If she doesn't get challenged/join, she doesn't lose. If she hasn't lost yet, she's already kept her honor, dignity, pride, and is still a candidate by sheer support from noblewomen