Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 127

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Pretending to Be Human: Episode 127
My next target was a deranged sorcerer who had taken up banditry. The villagers mistook him for a dark mage and requested assistance from the Temple.
He proved far easier to deal with than the demonic beast.
In truth, he was a novice who couldn’t even handle basic magic properly, let alone dark magic.
I lured him to the center of the village using the same method as with the demonic beast.
“I urge you to repent. I shall take all of your wicked magical power.”
“What? No, stop—!”
The sorcerer, belatedly grasping the situation, attempted to flee, but it was already too late.
My magical power burrowed into his body, thoroughly destroying his magical nerves.
He lost consciousness without even managing a scream, and I caught him in my arms, exhaling a short sigh.
‘Calling himself a dark mage at this level… the standards are truly abysmal.’
Because knowledge of dark magic and Demons remained scarce, people seemed easily deceived by such frauds.
Then again, many still believed Demons were as malevolent as villains from fairy tales.
“Ah, Holy Maiden! Thank you so much!”
“The Sun God has finally blessed us!”
Once again, the people showered me with grateful cheers.
I offered them a formal apology for arriving late, then proceeded to the next village.
Cursed jewels, beasts suspected of being demonic creatures, bandits… After resolving roughly ten incidents, we finally returned to Monos.
“Phew, it’s finally over.”
Thanks to reinforcing my body with magical power, my physical form held up well. However, the mental exhaustion was considerable.
Seeing Ivan and Ruslara’s pallid complexions, I instructed them to return to their lodgings and rest thoroughly.
Though I desperately wanted to head straight to bed myself, I had matters to attend to, so I made my way to the office.
“Oh, you’ve arrived!”
“I’m back, Liribel.”
It was Liribel who greeted me in the office. She was in the midst of cleaning, wiping down the desk, and spoke with a bright expression.
“You returned quickly! I heard rumors from distant villages and thought it would take at least two more days.”
“The rumors have already spread?”
Only a day had passed since resolving the first incident. Yet the news had reached Monos—something that defied all logic.
Liribel nodded and continued.
“The merchants Viscount Gorden summoned for food purchases heard about it. They say a Holy Maiden has appeared in the surrounding territories, performing miracles.”
“Hmm, so the merchants said that.”
‘Someone seems to be deliberately spreading these rumors.’
I had a premonition that the rumors were being artificially amplified. Even the swiftest merchants would struggle to spread news from neighboring territories in just a single day.
There had to be a source point for these rumors.
And I could easily guess who it was.
‘It must be Grid.’
Among those around me, Grid was the only one with connections to merchants. Though he hadn’t shown his face recently, claiming to be busy, it seemed he was helping me from behind the scenes.
I would need to summon him to Monos sometime soon to discuss the holy site tourism venture.
“Liribel, was there anything noteworthy while I was away?”
“Well, Viscount Gorden and Princess Chloe have been surveying the village to determine the layout. I heard there are plenty of vacant buildings, so construction costs should be minimal.”
The holy city of Monos seemed to be progressing smoothly without my direct involvement. Since I lacked knowledge in management and administration, Viscount Gorden and Chloe’s presence proved invaluable during times like these.
“And the residents’ reactions have been absolutely enthusiastic! The number of starving people has decreased, and the security situation has improved dramatically. Some people even pray in gratitude every morning in front of the manor!”
It was good news. Separate from how well the tourism industry was doing, the fact that the residents’ lives were improving was undoubtedly cause for joy.
However, those prayers of gratitude troubled me somewhat.
‘I shouldn’t go outside the manor in the morning.’
If I heard such prayers directed at me, I felt I wouldn’t be able to lift my head from the weight of it.
“Oh… that’s right, there was a letter!”
“A letter?”
Liribel asked me to wait a moment before rushing outside. Shortly after, she returned with a letter in hand.
“It just arrived. I thought you’d be coming tomorrow, so I placed it on the table next to the bedroom.”
“Let me see… the sender is… Count Charon.”
Upon confirming the sender’s name, a sigh escaped me—finally, it had come.
“Who is Count Charon?”
“The most prestigious noble family in this region.”
Count Charon was essentially the dominant figure in high society around Monos.
If Alberto’s Golden Plains in Bindani Territory was the wealthiest city, then Charon was famous for its long history and tourist attractions.
‘I hope this letter was sent with good intentions…’
I opened it with some anticipation. But the contents were exactly as I’d expected.
Watching me exhale another deep sigh, Liribel asked carefully.
“What does the letter say?”
“Plenty of flowery language, but ultimately it’s a provocation. He’s telling me to show my face since I’ve come to his territory.”
“What? To the Princess?”
Liribel’s jaw dropped in shock, apparently never having imagined a provincial nobleman would dare challenge Imperial Family.
“He sees me as a loser cast aside from the palace intrigues. And truthfully, Monos is the smallest of the Direct Dominions.”
He was viewing me as a princess abandoned by the Emperor, with nowhere to turn.
Of course, the letter wasn’t overtly hostile.
It contained phrases like “If you face difficulties, tell me. If you pay sufficient compensation, I might be able to help,” written in a tone of magnanimity.
The contempt woven between the lines irritated me.
“Moreover, Count Charon has connections with the Franz Faction. He’s judged that I’m powerless to punish such rudeness.”
It was an accurate assessment. My current forces lacked the strength to hold him accountable for such insolence. If I allied with Jeina, it would be possible, but that child would tell me to ‘handle this alone.’
“Showing your face… is he planning some kind of initiation ceremony?”
“He won’t be so blatant about it. The letter also mentioned he’s holding a banquet to welcome the princess who’s come to the Southern Region.”
“If you attend the banquet, he’ll subtly embarrass you by bringing up Monos’s situation.”
“Exactly. Want to try your hand at politics, Liribel?”
Liribel shook her head, saying she didn’t want to. Then she sighed as if utterly fed up.
“Even though we’ve moved far from the capital, these things keep happening.”
“It can’t be helped. That’s just how nobles are.”
I’d stopped by the office wondering if banquet invitations would start arriving soon, and my intuition had proven correct.
“So, Your Highness, what will you do? You’re attending the banquet, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I have no grounds to refuse, and if I’m going to develop the tourism industry, I’ll need to do road construction anyway.”
Since Monos was not self-sufficient, it necessarily required assistance from neighboring domains. Most urgently, the road expansion leading into Monos needed to be prioritized.
‘Partnering with the Trading City of Bindani Territory would be ideal, but Count Charon likely has influence over Bindani as well.’
In other words, a meeting with Count Charon was unavoidable.
“Still, don’t worry. This is the sort of problem I can resolve easily.”
I curved my lips upward and folded the letter again. The solution had occurred to me the moment I saw it.
“How do you intend to do that?”
“Simple. I’ll make Count Charon join in the praise of the Saint as well.”
“…?”
Liribel tilted her head in confusion.
The common people believed the rumors of the Saint. But the nobility would laugh them off whenever they heard such tales. Yet suddenly, I was claiming I would make a nobleman believe in the Saint.
It sounded like an absurd notion, but I was certain of my approach.
‘All I need to do is create a situation where belief in miracles becomes inevitable.’
I smiled, thinking of the treasure sleeping in the safe of my office.

* * *
Recently, Count Charon had been unable to sleep properly, his vitality completely drained.
The reason was simple.
Inexplicable misfortunes had been relentlessly befalling him and those around him.
At first, they were trivial matters.
One day, the moment he sat in a chair, its legs snapped and he tumbled backward. In that instant, as he stretched out his arms to catch himself, his fingers broke.
Just as he was about to cry out, a window suddenly burst open and wind came rushing in. The violent gust scattered every contract and ledger piled upon the table. By cruel misfortune, they flew directly toward the fireplace, which was blazing fiercely.
Important contracts and ledgers turned to ash in an instant.
The next day, his carriage wheel shattered. As he set out for a walk to lift his spirits, the impact of the broken wheel sent him rolling inside the carriage twice. This time, the fingers on his other hand broke.
And the day after that. A sudden downpour began, and the wine storage cellar underground began to leak. The finest wine casks were all soaked by rainwater, rendering them worthless.
Such misfortunes repeated endlessly within just two days.
As if someone had placed a curse upon him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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