Mistaken for a Masked Monster - Chapter 204

WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 204: OZ (1)

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And so, the dreamlike week-long autumn festival came to an end.

It felt like I'd gotten a good rest without a single worry for the first time in ages.

'If only every day could be this peaceful...'

I mulled over such pointless thoughts.

My steps felt lighter than usual as I walked down the corridor.

The festival was over, and the Academy had settled into a lull.

As I made my way through it, memories of last night suddenly colored my mind like autumn leaves.

- Still... You've given the girls hope, so you must take responsibility.

- The rings. Put them on yourself. Every one of them.

The rings I had placed on each of their fingers.

Remembering that moment made my face grow hot for no reason.

"Phew..."

[Viktor? What's wrong?]

When I took a deep breath, the princess poked her head out.

A tiny silver bat wriggled in the front pocket of my uniform.

Her red eyes looked up at me quizzically.

I shook my head to tell her it was nothing.

"I'm just tired. We had a lot of fun over the past week, didn't we?"

[Ahem, it was enjoyable. I hope I can participate next year as well.]

"Why not? The autumn festival is held every year."

[So there are two more left.]

It was a casual exchange.

The princess fluttered her wings as if she were looking forward to it.

'When I see her like this, she's so gentle...'

There was no trace of the alluring atmosphere she had shown last night.

Only the usual innocent princess remained.

'Besides, I heard vampires are especially conservative about relationships...'

I had heard that over ninety percent of vampires loved only one person their entire lives, and that they practiced premarital chastity regardless of gender.

They apparently did not even bare their arms carelessly in public. They insisted on stifling clothes whether it was summer or winter.

The princess herself always kept herself tightly covered unless we were alone.

And back when things had been awkward between us, she would nearly cry if I casually held her hand.

Right. She had definitely been so delicate and pure...

'So when did she change like this?'

I had only ever imagined teasing her for the rest of my life. I had never expected to be the one getting teased.

I could still vividly feel the brush of her lips from yesterday's peck.

- Stay still. We can't kiss if you're wearing this, can we?

- Pfft, were you surprised? By this princess's beauty?

After shaking me up like that, she was leisurely talking about the festival.

Feeling oddly resentful, I repeatedly pressed my finger into the bat's head.

The princess ignored me and simply looked around.

[Viktor.]

"Yes, Your Highness."

[Don't you think people seem to be staring at us strangely today?]

"This much is normal, isn't it? I'm the top student in our year, and it's not like I've only caused one or two incidents at the Academy."

[But today feels different...]

The princess tilted her head.

Then a female student passing nearby approached me.

"Ah... Boss! There you are!"

"Miss Raymond?"

She was a student from Class E.

She ran over as if she had been looking for me.

"Is it true that you've started dating? Why didn't you tell us? We wanted to congratulate you too!"

"What? All of a sudden? No, more importantly, what do you mean, dating...?"

The girl's eyes sparkled.

I couldn't help feeling flustered.

"I heard you became engaged to five women this time! The women who always accompany you are all wearing rings of the same design! On their ring fingers, no less! You must have given them those rings! There isn't anyone in the Academy who doesn't know about it now!"

"Eh?"

What?

How did this happen?

* * *

That terrifying rumor swept through the entire Academy in just a few days.

I had suddenly become a hot topic once again.

"Dad! Is it true that you started dating five women at the same time?"

"Congratulations, Boss! I knew you had it in you!"

"A hero naturally attracts many flowers!"

"As expected of you, Boss!"

"Then we'll serve Dad's five ladies as our moms from now on!"

That was the characteristically overblown reaction from Class E.

Just listening to them, I couldn't tell if they were making fun of me or congratulating me.

'No, I wasn't even dating them in the first place...'

We had never even confessed to one another, let alone started dating.

I thought that was only proper.

The more easily love was spoken of, the lighter those words became.

The others still didn't know about my past, or most things connected to it.

'...If I ever confess, it should be after I've told them all of it.'

First, I needed to think about how to correct this distorted rumor.

Of course, there was no such method.

I could only be tossed around by the waves crashing over me.

Even when the Class E students stepped back, new people filled their place.

"Class E's top student!"

The next group to swarm in was Class A.

"Viktor, you bastard! Give Lady Glacia back!"

"You stole Lady Glacia from Class A...!"

"So it really is NTR!"

"What the hell does this guy even have? He's only handsome, tall, well-built, attentive to those around him, strong, good at studying, the top first-year student, has a twenty-three-centimeter thing down there, and is a promising talent even the Imperial Knights want! Other than that, he's got nothing!"

"How do you even know the size?"

"I checked with a clairvoyance spell last time!"

"That's a crime."

At this point, I couldn't tell whether they were a comedy club or Rin Glacia's fan club.

I was pretty sure they had been cool, arrogant elites at first. I had no idea how they ended up like this.

"Damn it, if you don't send us wedding invitations, we'll kill you!"

"If you make Lady Glacia cry, you're finished!"

"I don't care about anything else, just share five centimeters with me...!"

I silently prayed for elite Class A to rest in peace, then quietly slipped away from that boisterous place.

The students weren't the only ones with thoughts about the rumor.

"...Student Viktor."

"Headmaster."

Valteric Droit, Javert's adoptive father.

His eyes held a complicated look.

His daughter was reportedly engaged, and the person she was engaged to was apparently a trashy bastard dating five women at once.

I feared he might kill me, but the old man unexpectedly said only a few words before turning away.

"As long as Javert is happy, that's enough."

"Yes..."

"But... if that happiness doesn't last, I don't know what I might do."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

"You must cherish all five of them."

It was a chilling declaration.

I had no choice but to nod.

'Actually, there are six, not five...'

The number five did not include Carmilla.

I quietly kept my mouth shut.

At times, my crystal ball rang too.

[Sender: Kalax Kihano]

- I heard the news! You finally started dating our Ranne?

- When would be a good time for the wedding? I'd like to see my grandchildren as soon as possible!

It was a message from Ranne's father, Count Kihano.

[Sender: Kalax Kihano]

- Come down to the north sometime! We have much to discuss, don't we?

- You must be overwhelmed with five wives... but that's fine!

- I expected it to some extent! Even when I saw you last time, I thought you had a lot of women around you.

The count was openly pressuring me about marriage.

The influence of future fathers-in-law was powerful.

Then a parental barrage came from an unexpected direction.

"Hey."

"Miss Caitlin?"

"Shit... My father says he wants to meet you."

"What? Marquess Lettus?"

"Yeah, he wants me to bring you to our estate sometime."

"It seems the marquess heard the rumor too..."

The Marquessate of Lettus.

It seemed I would have to visit there as well.

"So, fuck... Why did you have to give me some ring? It's fucking useless, and it only causes weird misunderstandings..."

"Mm. For something so useless, you were awfully pleased once Viktor gave it to you, Class B's top student. Earlier, you didn't listen to the professor during class and just fiddled with the ring for a long time. You know the rumor is going around, but you keep wearing it anyway. You're out."

"W-w-who did that?! Shut up! And I told you not to talk to me! I hate you!"

"But I don't hate you, Class B's top student. You're weak."

"Raargh! You monster bitch...!"

The Academy had become complete chaos.

The others and I had no choice but to remain caught in that storm for a while.

'It's lively.'

As I went through those hectic days, the spare crystal ball rang.

[Sender: Lefil Seriburns]

- I found it. The information you asked me to dig up.

- Oz. Eclipse. Project, Emerald City.

- I think we need to hurry.

- It seems the Human Realm will be a sea of flames within a few months.