Mistaken for a Masked Munchkin

Heart-Pounding Practical Prep!

(For this chapter, please read in dark mode for the best presentation!)

===

"Miss Ranne, please."

"...Huh?"

A pitch delivered with everything he had. The golden-haired girl froze for a long moment, then let out a small, dumbstruck sound.

Silence.

"......"

Cheeks flushed warm as spring. Violet eyes wavering, soft and unguarded. Nothing like her usual bold self, Ranne's reaction was almost painfully girlish.

'Why is she reacting like this?'

All I'd asked was for her to partner up with me for the upcoming practical. Was it really that awful?

'Well, fair enough.'

Ranne was second seat in Class A. One of the top three students in the entire year. From where she stood, teaming up with a Class E student wasn't something she'd welcome with open arms.

'Ranne's the ambitious type. She'd want good marks, naturally.'

But.

That didn't mean I could let her slip away. My plan falls apart without her. The event doesn't trigger without her. By any means necessary, I had to win Ranne over.

"......"

Still frozen. I rose from my kneel and closed the distance in a single step.

"Miss Ranne."

Right in front of her. The gap between us gone in an instant. Close enough that one slight lean would send her straight into my arms.

I filled her entire field of vision. Nothing else to look at.

Those violet eyes went still. Like she'd forgotten to breathe.

"I'll take responsibility for everything."

"...Eek."

Whispered right at her ear. The mask came close enough to graze the curve of it. Her scent drifted over, not sharp or alluring, but cool, like winter air. Her shoulders pulled in, probably from the breath against her nape.

"I'll take full responsibility for you, Miss Ranne."

I'll handle your grades. Carry you start to finish. Walk you out with the highest marks you've ever seen, happy as could be. Just show up and leave the rest to me.

"You won't have to lift a finger. I'll handle everything."

"Ah, b-b-but, that..."

Only then did she part her lips, stumbling over the words. Heat had climbed all the way to her pale cheeks until they looked like a flower just come into bloom.

I whispered again.

"Miss Ranne."

"V-Viktor, sir... I think... for students like us, this is... a little too soon..."

"Surely not. Any number of students are doing it right now. It's the season for finding partners."

"I-is that so? Then this is... some trend in the capital that I wasn't aware of...?"

"You could say that."

"Now that you mention it... I've heard of some people being joined through... arrangements, quite early on..."

Squeeze.

He hadn't released the hand he'd taken earlier, so they'd ended up with fingers interlaced. Ranne mumbled on, her words all muddled.

At my urging, she'd been spending time with Alice. Had it rubbed off on her?

I bent my head lower to hear. Ranne's words grew even harder to make out.

"T-they say children today grow up so fast... and to think, such a s-serious matter already..."

"Age has nothing to do with it. If two people are on the same page, anything is possible."

"B-but... there's still so much I don't know about you, Viktor, sir..."

"We'll get to know each other as we go. Isn't that what becoming partners means?"

"B-but to push ahead like that, so suddenly..."

Ranne bowed her head. Used to seeing her bold and full of energy, watching her go this flustered was oddly refreshing. Something you couldn't see in the original game. Glad I possessed this body.

While I drifted through those idle thoughts, Ranne let out a long breath. She worked her lips for a moment, then spoke as though she'd finally sorted herself out.

"Viktor, sir..."

"I'm listening."

He was wearing a mask, after all. What was there to be so awkward about?

Still unable to meet his eyes, Ranne pressed on. Her clear voice rang out through the quiet.

"I hold deep respect for your ability, Viktor, sir. I think of you as the person who saved my life, as a rival, and as the first true friend I've made at the Academy, but..."

"Then why won't you accept my feelings?"

"I... even so... for us, m-marriage is a bit..."

"...What?"

Marriage.

That knocked him sideways. He tilted his head, expression plain: what are you talking about?

His confusion seemed to throw Ranne off in turn.

"Wh-what? Was that not what you meant? You clearly said you wanted to become partners..."

"Oh, that. Nothing strange about it-I was talking about the upcoming practical."

"The upcoming practical, meaning... group formation...?"

"Yes."

"......"

"Was there something else you thought it was?"

"......"

Sure enough. Her face flushed until it looked ready to burst. Those spinning violet eyes, the full weight of her mortification written across her face. A genuine treat.

As he savored the sight, a bat poked its head out of his front pocket.

[Viktor.]

Eyes just a touch frosty. Somehow the expression came through even in bat form.

[You look like you're enjoying yourself.]

'Your Highness, this was a simple miscommunication...'

[You knew halfway through. You were positively giddy, pushing it further.]

'......'

Well.

That was true.

Honestly, he had reason to feel wronged. How was anyone supposed to hold back when the reaction was that entertaining? Leaving him alone with Ranne was like handing a cat a whole gift set of tuna.

'Was it... w-wasn't it a little fun for you too?'

[My loyal servant is a pervert.]

'Hey...'

A quick verdict, and Carmilla disappeared back inside. All he'd done was play a small prank and he'd gotten scolded by the princess for it. Entirely Ranne's fault, really.

"Well, well. Could it be that Miss Ranne has secretly been harboring feelings for me?"

"N-no such thing! I just misunderstood what you were saying!"

"That's a shame. I'm a committed bachelor, you see."

"Viktor, sir!"

So, as a small act of revenge, he decided to tease her just a little more.

***

After having his fill of tormenting Ranne, once the air had finally settled, a proper answer came.

"A practical with Viktor, sir... well, I'm fine with it."

"It's also a chance to see your skill in action again."

"I'll approach it as an opportunity to learn."

Recruitment successful.

Still red in the face, but trying her hardest to act normal. Endearing. Plenty of material to work with for a while.

"Um... Viktor, sir."

"What is it? Miss Ranne Kihano, Grandia Academy's number one marriage prospect."

"That! You promised you'd forget about it!"

She scrambled. A few petulant taps landed on his shoulder.

He groaned.

"Ugh, ow..."

"And now you're being dramatic."

No. That actually hurt. He was a glass cannon with an E in every stat. Treating someone this fragile so mercilessly, his friends would never forgive her. His friends Garulik, Maner, the Absolute Balloon Sword, and the Slayers. None of them would stand for it.

Idle nonsense drifted through his head as he walked.

'The practical calls for two teammates.'

Three to a group. With him and Ranne, one seat still open. And the person for that last spot was already decided.

He smiled and asked.

"Isn't that right, Miss Alice?"

"......"

Hair as dark as a melted night sky. Between those strands, pale blue eyes glinting like twin falling stars. Strip away the particular gloom that hung around her and she'd stop anyone in their tracks.

'For now she keeps her bangs down over her face, barely visible, but...'

Well. That was beside the point. Recruiting her came first. When people had to work together, willingness mattered most.

"Miss Alice? No answer?"

He smiled. The mask's corners curled along with it.

Alice kept her eyes skittering sideways, unable to hold his gaze. Her evasion was nothing like Ranne's, not flustered or confused, just plainly afraid.

"Miss Alice."

"...Y-yes."

Third time calling her name, and finally an answer. Her lips trembled as though even breathing was difficult.

This girl really could not hide what she was feeling. Every emotion played out right across her face.

'Hmm...'

Honestly, he had no idea why Alice was acting this way. As far as he could remember, he hadn't done anything to frighten her.

Strange.

Whatever the reason, the task still needed doing. He set the thought aside and tilted his head.

The mask reflected in her pale blue eyes, corners pulled into something almost cheerful.

"You'll join, won't you? Our practical group."

"Um... I, well..."

She stalled. Answering seemed so difficult for her, so he decided to help.

"You'll join, won't you?"

"V-Viktor, sir... it's just..."

"You'll join, won't you?"

"Um..."

"You'll join, won't you?"

"Well..."

"You'll join, won't you?"

"I, um..."

"You'll join, won't you?"

"......"

Moved by his gentle persistence, perhaps. The girl who had stayed frozen this whole time finally gave a nod, eyes glistening.

He hadn't even begged. She agreed on her own. He was touched.

A light pat on the head.

"Eek, eek...!"

Alice looked like she might actually die of joy.

Enjoying her reaction, he finalized the practical group.

***

A few days later.

A certain building within Grandia Academy. Every light out, no windows to let any in. Pitch-dark. A man sat alone inside.

"Heh, heheh... it's all going according to plan."

The man wore a robe as red as blood. Middle-aged, perhaps, a wrinkled brow bent forward. Before him, a black substance sloshed and oozed.

"This is it. The god will finally look my way."

He prodded the sinister liquid.

[Second Year Homeroom Professor]

On the partially visible front of his jacket, a faculty nameplate.

"Ahh... my god."

His forearm, exposed. A grotesque tattoo, an eye, massive, staring wide open from amidst writhing tentacles. He stroked it and shuddered, trembling as though in ecstasy.

"My god, my god."

Let this Academy run red with blood and become your altar. The blood of countless insects, offered beneath your existence. Let slaughter stain the whole of this continent.

"Ahh..."

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

***

And as that black shadow fell over the Academy, a certain boy was also chuckling to himself.

A masked boy.

"He's probably laughing it up right now, thinking everything's going his way."

Someone's trap. But all of it was already in the palm of his hand.

"Let's see... just how capable are these so-called Evil God worshippers."

Viktor smiled faintly and ran a hand along his mask.

The grin split all the way to his ears.

The m a s k g r i n n e d g r o t e s q u e l y.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!