The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned
The next day.
Before the raid, I prepared a disguise to cover my face.
‘Even if I wear a mask, there's always a risk it could come off during battle.’
Since I had already encountered Khalid Han once in the conference room, it was better to take precautions with makeup as well.
‘If only I had a magic item like Yurina’s pendant, this would be much easier.’
A transformation artifact that could alter not only my appearance but even my skeletal frame would have saved me the trouble of applying makeup.
But there was no way I could just conveniently get my hands on a disguise artifact crafted by the Grand Sage.
And so, I headed to the one place that could help with my disguise.
—Knock, knock.
“Ah, come in, Dale!”
The door opened, revealing Juliet—my dear friend with a... rather unique hobby, exclusive to men.
“Long time no see. How’ve you been?”
“Uh, yeah! It’s been a while!”
Juliet greeted me with a bashful smile (please, don't).
He waved at me enthusiastically.
“Why are you back before the break is over?”
“There’s going to be a big festival in Valhalla City soon!”
Juliet’s eyes sparkled with excitement, his breath practically steaming with enthusiasm.
“A festival? I haven’t heard anything about it.”
“Oh, Dale, you wouldn’t know. It’s being hosted by the most famous cross-dressing café in Valhalla City—they’re holding an open-entry cross-dressing contest!”
“...What.”
A cross-dressing café?
A cross-dressing contest?
“Wait, what...?”
A shiver of dread crawled down my spine, as if I were gazing into the abyss itself.
“Oh, and the event is called the ‘Am-Ta’ contest.”
“...What does that mean?”
“It stands for ‘Amcheot Ta...’”
“No, stop. I don’t want to know.”
I wasn’t curious.
Don’t explain.
Please.
“I was too shy to participate last year, but... oh! This year, I’m determined to enter!”
“Ah, I see.”
Good luck with that, my friend.
“It’s all thanks to you, Dale.”
“...What?”
“You remember when you cross-dressed to catch that criminal in the slums? After that... I gained the courage to face my true self!”
“Oh... uh, right.”
“So, the fact that I’m finally brave enough to enter this contest is all thanks to meeting you!”
“......”
Stop it, you bastard.
Hearing my friend say that meeting me gave him the courage to enter the ‘female transformation contest’ made my head spin.
“Do you want to come watch, Dale?”
“Ah, no. I have... other plans.”
“Oh... that’s a shame.”
What exactly is a shame here?
“Well... I hope you get a good result.”
“Hehe. Yeah! I’ll do my best to win the ‘Am-Ta’ contest for you, Dale!”
Don’t say you’re doing it for me.
“......”
For a brief moment, I had a horrifying vision of Juliet in full cross-dress, clutching the winner’s trophy and beaming, shouting, “It’s all thanks to Dale!”
“...By the way, where were you during the break, Dale?”
“Ah, me?”
I hastily shook my head, trying to erase the disturbing mental image.
“Oh, I was just at school.”
“Huh? You didn’t go home? Why... ah.”
Juliet suddenly remembered that I was an orphan and softly gasped in realization.
“S-Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that up....”
“It’s fine, man. Don’t worry about it.”
In my past life, I carried a deep sense of inferiority and self-loathing about growing up without parents.
But now, it didn’t bother me at all.
‘Because I found my real family.’
There’s an old saying in the Republic: “Blood is thicker than water.”
But sometimes, in life, you realize that blood ties can be thinner than water.
“So... what is it you need help with?”
“I need you to disguise me.”
“Disguise? Oh!”
Juliet’s face lit up, and his eyes sparkled like stars.
“D-Dale, are you interested in cross-dressing too?!”
“No. Not cross-dressing—just disguise. I need you to put makeup on me so I’m unrecognizable.”
“Oh....”
Why did he sound so disappointed?
“Hmm. So you want me to do a special makeup job so no one will know it’s you, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Got it. Leave it to me.”
Nodding enthusiastically, Juliet dragged me into his room.
Inside, I was met with a staggering display—wigs, costumes, and an arsenal of makeup products piled high.
‘...Impressive.’
I knew Juliet was passionate about cross-dressing, but seeing all his tools of the trade in one place was slightly overwhelming.
“Alright, sit here, Dale.”
“Okay.”
I plopped down on the chair in front of a large mirror, feeling as though I were at a beauty salon.
“What kind of look do you want?”
“Just make me unrecognizable.”
“Hmm. Should I go for a handsome vibe?”
“...What did you just say?”
Was he implying that if I looked handsome, no one would recognize me?
“N-No! That’s not what I meant! I just... you know, like a dashing noble vibe!”
“...Forget it, Juliet.”
You don’t need to sugarcoat it.
I get it.
After all, Iris once told me I had the face of a weed.
“That’s not what I meant!”
Juliet pouted, stomping his foot in frustration.
Alright, enough teasing.
“Just do your best.”
“Haah... fine. Leave it to me.”
Juliet grabbed his makeup kit and got to work.
For the next hour, he meticulously applied and blended layer after layer.
“All done, Dale!”
I slowly opened my eyes, having kept them shut the entire time to avoid getting makeup in them.
Reflected in the large mirror was—
“...Whoa.”
A striking young man with jet-black hair sat before me.
Just by appearance alone, he looked exactly like the third-generation heir of a wealthy republic family.
"How is it?"
"...I’m not even sure if this is really me, but at this level?"
I stood up from the chair and walked closer to the mirror.
The makeup was so flawless that I couldn’t help but marvel at how much it could transform a person.
With a wig changing my hair to black, even I found it difficult to recognize my own face.
"Hehe. Thank goodness."
Juliet grinned widely, satisfied with the level of completion.
He leaned in close for a final inspection, quietly examining my face.
"Hmm."
"What?"
"Uh, uh? Oh, nothing."
"......."
What the hell.
Why are you acting flustered?
"I-It’s just... seeing you like this... I-I kinda thought... you look, um... handsome."
"Hearing that from someone who just said they couldn’t even recognize me makes it sound like pure mockery."
"T-That’s not what I meant!"
Juliet frantically shook his head.
Well, fine.
I’ll just take it as a compliment that my natural looks were decent enough for makeup to enhance.
"Oh, and do you have a mask or something?"
"I do... but if you’re going to wear a mask, doesn’t that make the makeup pointless?"
"The makeup is just a precaution."
Even if I was only targeting a lower-ranked Master, I had to consider the possibility of my mask coming off during battle.
"Here."
Juliet handed me a white half-mask, the kind you’d wear to a masquerade ball.
"Thanks."
I took the white half-mask and turned around.
"Alright, I’ve got something to do, so... uh, good luck with the contest."
"Yup! I’m going to win and claim the title of Alpha Female this year!"
"......."
Uh... okay.
Go for it.
Good luck!
Alright.
Now that the disguise was complete...
‘Time to go and ambush Khalid Han.’
I headed for Valhalla City to find Khalid Han.
I had already been tipped off by Camellia about his whereabouts.
I made my way to a tavern inside Valhalla City.
"Waahahaha! Let’s drink until we drop tonight!"
"Heh! This old man’s got some nerve!"
"Oh-ho? Who are you calling old, you insolent brat!"
When I entered the tavern, I spotted Khalid Han among the rowdy drinkers, guzzling down alcohol with the rest of the patrons.
‘Seeing him like this, he looks more like a drunkard than a Master.’
The others also seemed oblivious to the fact that the man drinking and laughing with them was one of the only five Masters on the continent.
I settled into a corner of the tavern, waiting for the drinking session to end.
After several hours...
‘Just how long is he going to keep drinking?’
I frowned, watching Khalid Han downing drinks well past midnight and into the early hours.
"S-Sir... we're closing now."
"Huh? I’ve barely been drinking, and you’re closing already?"
"Um... our establishment closes at 2 AM."
"Tch. Fine. Oh, I’m taking this drink with me—I haven’t finished it yet."
Clicking his tongue, Khalid Han staggered over to the counter to pay his bill.
‘He’s still sober enough to pay?'
I guess he really is a Master.
Even after drinking nonstop for over six hours, he somehow maintained his composure.
"I love you~ I love you~ Erasing all the words in the world~!"
Wait.
Is he actually sober...?
"Only these words remain~ Ohhh-oouwooo~!"
Belting out a song at the top of his lungs, Khalid Han happily strolled down the deserted, pre-dawn streets.
After aimlessly wandering through the narrow alleyways, he suddenly came to a halt.
"Uuurp..."
Khalid Han leaned against a wall, lowering his head.
Then, sticking his hand down his throat, he—
"Huuurrrk!"
—proceeded to vomit violently.
‘...Are you kidding me?’
Is this guy really a Master?
Hiding in the shadows, I stared incredulously at Khalid Han, who was coughing and retching against the wall.
‘It would be the perfect time to ambush him, but...’
Watching him gag and heave made me sigh deeply.
‘Well, a job’s a job.’
I gripped the dagger Camellia had given me and took a step forward.
"Hold it. Wait just a little longer."
Even as he vomited, Khalid Han extended his hand toward the spot where I was hiding.
"Huuuurk! Huuurk!"
He threw up again, loudly and messily.
"Grrrk, ptew!"
Rinsing his mouth with the leftover booze he had brought from the tavern, he flashed a grin.
"Whew. Finally, I feel a bit better!"
"......."
"Mm? How long do you plan on hiding there?"
Khalid Han chuckled, his shoulders shaking with mirth, as he gazed at the wall where I was concealed.
"I noticed you tailing me a while ago. Shouldn’t we at least look each other in the face?"
He tossed the bottle he had been holding to the ground.
Clang!
The glass shattered into countless fragments.
With a mere wave of his hand, the broken shards floated into the air, swirling like flower petals.
Rumble!
The fragments hurtled toward the wall I was hiding behind, shattering it to pieces.
As the rubble crumbled, my figure was revealed.
"Oh?"
Khalid Han’s face stiffened.
His expression paled as he stared at me and mumbled in a trembling voice.
"...F-Father?"
"What?"
I was so bewildered by the absurdity of his words that I unintentionally blurted out loud.
‘Why the hell would I be your father, you lunatic?’
As I stood there in confusion, Khalid Han shook his head, as if trying to clear his mind.
"Heh. Must’ve been the booze."
Clicking his tongue, Khalid Han extended his hand.
Clatter!
The rubble from the broken wall floated into the air and gathered into the shape of a sword in front of him.
"If you won’t show me your face... how about showing me something else?"
He smirked, flicking his sword toward me.

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