WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 35: Heart-Pounding Practical Training Prep!
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Please read this chapter in dark mode for dramatic effect!
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“Miss Ranne, please.”
“...Huh?”
A recruitment offer delivered with every ounce of my sincerity.
The blonde girl froze for a long moment, then let out a small, dumbfounded sound.
A brief silence fell.
“...”
Her cheeks had heated up as if brushed by the scent of spring.
Her purple eyes wavered with youthful uncertainty.
Unlike her usual bold self, Ranne’s reaction was incredibly girlish.
I tilted my head.
‘Why’s she reacting like that?’
I only asked her to join me for the upcoming practical training. Did she hate the idea that much?
‘Well.’
Ranne herself was second in Class A.
She was one of the top three students in the entire year.
From her perspective, she probably wouldn’t be thrilled about forming a group with an E-Class student.
‘Ranne’s ambitious. She’d want good grades, too.’
But!
That didn’t mean I could let Ranne slip away.
My plan would fall apart without you.
The event wouldn’t trigger without you.
No matter what, I had to lure Ranne onto my side.
“...”
The girl was still stiff as a board.
I rose from my kneeling position and took a long step forward.
“Miss Ranne.”
Right in front of her.
The distance between us vanished in an instant.
We were close enough that if either of us leaned in slightly, we’d fall into each other’s arms.
I blocked her view.
So she could see only me.
Her purple eyes were so still, it seemed she’d stopped breathing.
“I’ll take responsibility for everything.”
“...Eek.”
I whispered into her ear.
Maybe it was because my mask was close enough to brush against it.
Ranne’s scent washed over the bridge of my nose.
Rather than sharp and alluring, it was cool, like winter.
Perhaps because of my breath against her neck, the girl drew in her shoulders.
“I’ll take responsibility for you, Miss Ranne.”
I’ll take responsibility for your grades!
I’ll carry you from beginning to end!
I’ll make sure you get the highest possible score and leave satisfied!
So just show up!!
“You won’t have to lift a finger. I’ll handle everything.”
“Ah, b-but, that’s...”
Only then did the girl begin to stammer.
Her pale cheeks burned red, like petals just beginning to bloom.
I whispered again.
“Miss Ranne.”
“Sir, Sir Viktor... This sort of thing is, for students like us... I think it’s too, too early...”
“Not at all. Plenty of students are doing it already, aren’t they? This is the time when everyone is looking for a partner.”
“R-Really? Then is this some trend in the capital that I don’t know about...?”
“You could say that.”
“Come to think of it... I heard some people get betrothed for political reasons from an early age...”
Squeeze.
Since I hadn’t let go of the hand I’d grabbed earlier, we stood as though our fingers were intertwined.
Ranne mumbled with none of her usual clarity.
Had hanging around with Alice at my request rubbed off on her?
I lowered my head a little more to listen.
Ranne’s words became even more garbled.
“Th-They say children these days mature early, but to decide something this important already...”
“Does age matter when making a decision? If two people’s hearts are in agreement, anything is possible.”
“B-But... I still know so little about you, Sir Viktor...”
“We can learn little by little. Isn’t that what it means to become each other’s partner?”
“Y-You can’t just be so forceful...”
Ranne lowered her head deeply.
I was used to seeing her cheerful and full of spirit, so watching her become this embarrassed was refreshing.
You couldn’t see this in the original story. Getting transmigrated really was the right choice.
While I entertained that pointless thought, Ranne took a deep breath.
She worked her lips for a moment, then spoke as if she had finally sorted out her thoughts.
“Sir Viktor...”
“I’m listening.”
I was even wearing a mask. What was so difficult about this?
Ranne continued without being able to meet my gaze.
Her clear voice rang through the settled silence.
“I also respect your martial prowess, Sir Viktor. I consider you my savior, my rival, and the first friend I made at the academy, but...”
“Then why won’t you accept my feelings?!”
“E-Even so... marriage is still a little too soon for us...”
“...What?”
Marriage?
I interrupted at that sudden, absurd remark.
I tilted my head as if asking what she meant.
Maybe because of my reaction, Ranne became flustered as well.
“Y-Yes...? Wasn’t that what you meant? You clearly asked me to become your partner...”
“Oh, that. I wasn’t talking about anything strange. I meant the next practical training.”
“The next practical training, you mean forming a group...?”
“Yes.”
“...”
“Was there anything else?”
“...”
Just as expected, her face turned so red it looked ready to burst.
The sight of her purple eyes spinning in panic was truly delicious.
As I enjoyed the view for a while, a bat poked its head out of my front pocket.
[Viktor.]
Her gaze was a little colder.
She was clearly in bat form, yet I could practically see her expression.
[You seem to be having fun.]
‘Your Highness, this was a misunderstanding that occurred in the course of communication...’
[You knew from the middle onward, didn’t you? You were having far too much fun pressing her.]
‘...’
No.
Well, that was true.
Still, I felt wronged too.
Her reaction was that entertaining. How was I supposed to resist?
It was like entrusting a cat with a gift set of tuna.
‘W-Well... didn’t you find it amusing too?’
[My retainer is quite the lecher.]
‘Eek...’
After briefly condemning me, Carmilla slipped back into my pocket.
I’d teased someone a little, only to get scolded by the princess.
This was all Ranne’s fault.
“What is it? What is it? Did Miss Ranne secretly have feelings for me?”
“T-That’s not it! I only, only misunderstood what you were saying for a moment...!”
“That’s troublesome. I’m a confirmed bachelor, you see.”
“S-Sir Viktor!”
So, partly to vent my frustration, I decided to tease her a little more.
* * *
After thoroughly roasting Ranne, I was finally able to get a proper answer once the atmosphere had calmed down.
-Practical training with Sir Viktor... Hmm, I would like that.
-It would also be another chance to see your martial prowess.
-I’ll do my best, thinking of it as a chance to learn from you.
Recruitment successful.
It was cute how she’d gone bright red but still tried to act normal.
I could probably tease her with this for quite some time.
“Excuse me... Sir Viktor.”
“What is it, Miss Ranne Kihano, Grandia Academy’s top prospective bride?”
“T-That! You promised you would forget about it...!”
Flustered, she tapped my shoulder as though I were being unbearable.
That heavy impact made me groan.
“Urgh, aaagh...”
“Are you even pretending to be hurt now...?”
No.
It really hurt.
I had a fragile body with E-rank overall stats.
To treat a weak person this ruthlessly, my friends wouldn’t forgive you, you fiend.
My friends Garulik, Manre, the Absolute Balloon Sword, and the Slayers wouldn’t forgive you.
I walked along with those pointless thoughts in mind.
‘I need two partners for the practical training.’
We had to form groups of three.
Even after filling two spots with Ranne and me, one seat remained.
And I had already decided who would fill it.
I smiled and asked.
“Isn’t that right, Miss Alice?”
“...”
Black hair, as though the night sky had been melted down and woven together.
Amid it, a pair of blue eyes that sparkled like shooting stars.
If not for her distinctively gloomy atmosphere, she would have been a beauty who drew every eye.
‘Her bangs are so long right now that you can’t even see her face properly, though...’
Well, that problem could wait.
Recruiting her came first.
Since we needed to work well together, the person involved had to be willing to join.
“Miss Alice? Why aren’t you answering?”
I smiled.
The corners of my mask’s mouth twitched along with mine.
Alice couldn’t meet my eyes, instead looking around in every direction.
Her avoidance was quite different from Ranne’s, though.
Rather than embarrassed or confused, she seemed purely afraid.
“Miss Alice.”
“Y-Yes.”
Alice answered only after I called her a third time.
Her lips trembled as though even breathing was difficult.
She really couldn’t hide her expressions.
How did every feeling show on her face?
‘Hmm...’
Honestly, I had no idea why Alice was acting like this.
At least so far, I couldn’t remember doing anything that should have scared her.
‘That’s strange.’
I didn’t know what it was, but I still had to do what I came to do.
I pushed aside the stray thoughts and tilted my head.
My mask reflected in her blue eyes.
The corners of its mouth were curled in a rather cheerful smile.
“You’ll join us, right? For the practical training group.”
“Um... I...”
The girl hesitantly opened her mouth.
Since she was having trouble answering, I decided to help her a little.
“You’ll join us, right?”
“S-Sir Viktor... Well...”
“You’ll join us, right?”
“Um...”
“You’ll join us, right?”
“Uh...”
“You’ll join us, right?”
“U-Um...”
“You’ll join us, right?”
“...”
Perhaps she had been moved by my gentle question.
The girl who had remained frozen the whole time finally nodded, tears gathering in her eyes.
I hadn’t even begged her, yet she had willingly agreed to join us. How grateful.
I lightly patted her head.
“Eek, eeeek...!”
Alice looked delighted beyond measure.
Enjoying that reaction, I completed the practical training group.
* * *
A few days later.
Inside a building somewhere in Grandia Academy.
Every light had been extinguished, and there were not even windows to let in any light.
A man sat in pitch-black darkness.
“Heh, hehehe... Is it proceeding according to plan?”
The man wore a robe as red as blood.
He looked middle-aged. Wrinkles creased his furrowed brow.
Pitch-black substances squelched before him.
“This will be the end. The god will finally look upon me, too.”
The man played with the ominous liquid.
[Professor in Charge of the Second Year]
A faculty name tag was pinned to the visible part of his upper garment.
“Ah... O God.”
A grotesque tattoo was visible on his exposed forearm.
An eye.
A tattoo of a great eye opened amid writhing tentacles.
The man stroked it, trembling as though in ecstasy.
“O God, my god.”
Drench this academy in blood and make it your altar.
I offer the blood of countless insects before you.
Drench the entire continent in slaughter.
“Ah...”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
* * *
When a black shadow fell over the academy, another boy was chuckling to himself.
A boy wearing a mask.
“He’s probably laughing with joy right about now, isn’t he?”
Someone’s trap.
Yet all of it was already in the palm of his hand.
“Let’s see... what the so-called worshippers of the Evil God are capable of.”
Viktor ran a hand over his mask with a faint smile.
The corners of its mouth were split all the way to its ears.
The mask gro tes que ly gr inned.
Footnotes:
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