Episode 8
On the eve of our departure for the Ivadale Mountains, I locked myself in the bathroom of the room provided and embarked on my first-ever attempt at crossdressing, including my past life.
But no matter how many times I applied makeup to my face, the result was far from satisfactory. Coupled with the green clothing, I ended up looking more like a troll or goblin. It was clear that my lack of skill was the issue.
“Hey… Viper? Are you okay?”
“Could you… just leave me alone for a bit? I’m just dealing with a stomachache.”
I remained in the bathroom, and it seemed that Irio and Ryuuki, who were talking to me from outside, were worried.
“I-I’m fine! It’s just a little stomachache—”
As I began to offer a vague excuse, self-doubt crept in. No, I couldn’t do this. Even a small lie could be detrimental. I live an honest life.
“Uh… Could you go get Ariniki for me?”
Like they say, when in a jam, ask for help. In this case, I needed Ariniki’s assistance.
“Sure thing! I’ll go get her right away!”
The two of them rushed out of the room. It seemed they believed that my stomachache was becoming a serious issue. I needed to live more honestly; I couldn’t keep lying to my companions.
In a few minutes, there was a flurry of footsteps, and then a loud knock on the bathroom door.
“Vy! Are you okay?”
I couldn’t discern how Irio and Ryuuki had conveyed the situation, but Ariniki was clearly quite worried.
I opened the door just a crack and pulled Ariniki into the bathroom, then closed the door again.
“Kyaa… What… What on earth…”
Ariniki stood there, her mouth agape in astonishment.
“Please don’t look at me like that, as if you rushed over to save your fiancé’s life only to find a weird guy who messed up his makeup in the bathroom.”
“Thank you for accurately summarizing the current situation. But we shouldn’t have time to fool around, right? Why are you doing this?”
“This… this is necessary! Um… well…”
Explaining about the Grand Sage Roelotius would likely not make her understand. But I couldn’t lie. I had to remain true to myself.
“What’s going on?”
“I-I want to look cute…”
This statement wasn’t a lie. I needed to look cute to ensure that Roelotius would teach me magic.
Although I hadn’t directly answered Ariniki’s question, I hoped the shift in the conversation would divert her attention.
“To look cute… Why?”
“It’s… It’s just… um…”
“What is it? Spit it out.”
I couldn’t come up with an answer that made sense, but at least I wasn’t lying. I had to stay true to my principles.
Ariniki closed the distance between us in the cramped space. Up close, her beauty was even more striking, and it was impossible to ignore the perfection of her features. I noticed that she had some makeup around her eyelids and the corners of her eyes. While it might have blended in from a distance, it seemed like she had taken the time to apply makeup even on a travel day.
“That… Fuh, I’m usually cute…”
“Huh!? What… Nani (What)… I was wondering what you were going to say…”
Ariniki’s face brightened, and she backed away from me. But she quickly composed herself.
“Well… it’s only natural, right? I mean… I’m going to be seen by someone I like, after all. I can’t afford to slack off.”
Ariniki said this with a hint of shyness. At least the conversation had shifted away from my crossdressing ordeal. However, I couldn’t endure this strangely sweet atmosphere. Just on the other side of the door were Ryuuki and Irio.
“Yeah, you’re right. So, um… can you make me look cute?”
“How about coming to our room? We can teach you the ropes.”
“Uh… yeah, please.”
With our plan in place, I left the bathroom with Ariniki.
“What the heck!? A goblin!?”
“No, no, it’s an orc! Yeah, an orc! Give Viper back!”
Ryuuki and Irio hastily readied their weapons.
“Hey, calm down, you two. This is Viper.”
“Huh… Oh… you’re right.”
“Um, Sorry, Viper!”
Seeing them both awkwardly smile, I couldn’t help but laugh. We then headed to the girls’ room, where this time, it was my turn to be teased by the four girls.
◆
The next day, we set out early in the morning for the Ivadale Mountains for our training. By the time the sun had risen high, we had reached an open area and began hunting monsters.
While everyone was taking a break at a mountain hut, I carried my crossdressing equipment and relied on my in-game memories to locate the hermitage where the Grand Sage Roelotius lived.
Climbing up a slope where a slender, small stream flowed amid swaying emerald grass, I saw a small hut in the distance. That must be Roelotius’s hermitage.
To be cautious, I decided to initially approach him as a male.
I knocked on the creaky door of the hut, and from inside, I heard an elderly voice say, “Come in.”
The door opened with a groan, revealing an old man with long, white hair, a lengthy beard, eyebrows nearly hiding his eyes, and a tattered robe. He looked every bit like a sage living in seclusion.
“What brings you here?” he asked.
“I am Viper from the Royal Military Academy. I have come to seek an audience with Grand Sage Roelotius. I humbly request that you impart your secret techniques to me,” I replied.
“Oh…” Roelotius examined me carefully.
“Come back another time,” he said.
“Huh? Um… Alright…”
This was the same reaction I received when I came here with a male party. It seemed crossdressing was indeed a requirement.
I closed the door, changed in a concealed spot, applied makeup using a small mirror, and donned a golden wig.
Thanks to the rigorous training I received from Ariniki and the others last night, I hadn’t transformed into a beauty, but at least I wouldn’t be mistaken for an orc or goblin anymore.
After clearing my throat, I knocked on the hermitage’s door again.
Roelotius, looking a bit annoyed, came out.
“Who might you be?”
“I am… Violet Hayden! I’m a child of Baron Hayden!”
“What is your purpose?”
“I wish to receive magical training,” I replied in a slightly flirtatious tone.
“Hmm… Can you handle it?”
Roelotius raised his right hand, placing his palm near his belly, facing upward.
At that moment, eight orbs emerged from his hand in the following order: red, blue, light blue, yellow, green, brown, black, and white. They hovered in mid-air.
“What is this…”
“If you possess the talent for the eight basic magic attributes, it’s a piece of cake. This is your test. Show me if you’re worthy of my teachings. If you pass, I’ll give you some training.”
“I… I understand.”
I closed my eyes and imagined the orbs floating in the same way. Then, with a gentle sensation, orbs slightly larger than Roelotius’s emerged one after the other.
There were a total of 20 orbs. Wasn’t that a bit excessive?
“This is… not only the primary attributes but also poison, sleep, paralysis… even healing magic!?”
Roelotius fell on his behind, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Um… usually, I only use poison. Is this… a pass?”
“Uh… yes. Of course. But… am I really the right person for this? There might be someone… more suited to help you develop your talents.”
If the official cheat tells you this, there really isn’t anyone else to consider, right? But maybe this guy just finds it troublesome and wants to decline.
“No, no! I want to learn from you, Grand Sage Roelotius!”
“I see… understood. Training will begin tomorrow. Wait for me in the town below.”
“Yes!”
It seemed that today’s meeting was over. I bowed and was about to leave the hut when I suddenly had a thought. I’m a man pretending to be a woman. Wouldn’t that be considered deceiving Roelotius?
I paused in front of the door, turned back, and addressed Roelotius in my natural voice while removing the wig.
“Um… actually, I’m a man. I’m sorry for pretending to be someone else. But… my desire to learn from you, Roelotius-san, is genuine. I need to become stronger… or else I can’t survive in this world.”
Upon hearing my words, Roelotius burst into laughter.
“What are you saying now? I’ve known that all along! That’s why it’s fine! When it’s time for training, come dressed as Violet-chan!”
This old man… he was even more eccentric than I imagined!
