Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 128

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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 128
“D-dear, shouldn’t we call a Priest to help with this?”
His wife, unable to bear it any longer, worried that he might have actually been cursed, but Count Charon spoke firmly.
“How foolish. What good would calling a Priest do? Do you want rumors spreading that our House of Charon is cursed?”
House of Charon boasted the longest history in the Southern Region.
Though they possessed less wealth than their neighbors in Bindani and couldn’t claim to have many private soldiers, the Southern nobles bowed their heads to Count Charon because of the honor he carried.
A history that rivaled even the Prime Minister’s Family, the reputation of a national war hero who participated in the Empire’s conquest campaigns, and connections that dominated High Society itself.
Though his rank had declined to Count over the decades without any significant achievements, his honor remained untarnished.
For Count Charon to summon a Priest to lift a curse would be no different than stripping away his own dignity.
Among rural nobles, many believed that “curses are what those who have incurred the wrath of the Divine receive.”
‘Besides, I’m not even certain this is a real curse. It could simply be a streak of bad luck.’
But only Count Charon thought that way.
Faced with his continuing misfortunes, the Countess was the first to surrender.
“I-I can’t take this anymore! Poisonous centipedes just appeared in our bedroom! We’re definitely cursed!”
“I told you it’s coincidence! If you’re so frightened, go stay with your family!”
The words had been thrown out in anger, but his wife actually packed her belongings and fled the Manor as if escaping. Count Charon had no chance to stop her and apologize for his slip of the tongue.
‘Damn it, why is this happening? What in the world is going on!’
A Banquet to welcome Princess Deina, who would soon visit the Southern Region, was already scheduled. He had to stop this misfortune before then, no matter what.
If he held the Banquet in this state, he would surely present a pathetic spectacle to the attending nobles.
Yet he couldn’t simply postpone the event either. He had already made bold proclamations to the surrounding nobles.
‘Is she not a member of the Imperial Family who lost in political strife? As a woman, she has no experience governing a Domain, so we seniors must teach her well.’
To postpone the Banquet without reason after boasting like that.
Surely mockery would follow, suggesting he had grown fearful.
As he pondered what to do, his Servant approached with an urgent voice.
“M-master! You have a visitor!”
“There was nothing scheduled for today, was there? Turn them away!”
“That’s just it… The visitor is Princess Deina!”
“What?”
The welcoming Banquet wasn’t supposed to be today. To the bewildered Count Charon, the Servant glanced around before whispering carefully near his ear.
“She seemed to know about your situation, sir. She mentioned that unseemly incidents have been occurring at your Manor recently…”
“Surely you didn’t confirm it?”
“Of course not! I said I would ask you first and managed to excuse myself.”
“Ugh…”
Had rumors spread so quickly?
He had been certain to keep everything under strict wraps!
The flustered Count Charon hastily adjusted his appearance and went out to greet Princess Deina.
In any case, the longer he delayed, the more suspicion would grow.
As Count Charon opened the Manor’s gates, he caught sight of Deina’s face and momentarily held his breath.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Count Charon.”
He had assumed Deina was a naive and innocent member of the Imperial Family, relegated to some fallen Direct Dominion like Monos.
However, the Deina I faced directly carried an entirely different atmosphere than I had anticipated.
She greeted me warmly, yet her eyes remained cold and unsmiling. Those ominous platinum eyes assessed Count Charon with a chill that made him feel weighed and measured.
Count Charon instinctively straightened his posture and offered a respectful bow.
“I am honored to meet the Child of the Sun.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome.”
Deina replied with a gentle tone that suggested approval.
At her response, cold sweat beaded on Count Charon’s back.
‘A failure cast out from the Imperial Palace—I was gravely mistaken.’
Count Charon, who had long positioned himself at the center of Southern Region nobility and prided himself on his discerning eye more than anyone, felt his instincts screaming warnings.
His intuition continued to sound alarm bells relentlessly.
Deina was not the sort of person he had assumed her to be.
“P-Princess, what brings you to this place….”
“I heard that you’ve been facing some difficulties recently, Count. I came because I have some advice I’d like to offer regarding that matter.”
Count Charon was about to deny that there was any problem at all.
However, Deina gave him no opportunity to speak and continued.
“Don’t worry. Neither my visit today nor the fact that you’re going through difficult times will become known to anyone.”
Hearing her speak with such certainty, Count Charon’s resolve wavered. If she could truly resolve this bizarre misfortune, he could endure a moment of embarrassment.
“…Very well, please come in.”
“Excuse me.”
Count Charon led Deina toward the Reception Room of his manor. She was accompanied by a single Guard Knight whose face was obscured by a helmet, making his identity impossible to discern.
As the Guard Knight walked through the Corridor, he surveyed the surroundings before whispering something softly to Deina.
“Hmm, understood.”
Deina nodded several times. Though I was curious about what they were discussing, we had just arrived at the Reception Room.
“Servant, bring refreshments.”
“Very good, sir.”
After dismissing the Servant, who was reading the room carefully, Count Charon and Deina sat facing each other.
This time too, it was Deina who spoke first.
“Recently, haven’t unexpected misfortunes been occurring one after another? Particularly around you, Count.”
“…That is correct.”
Count Charon raised both his broken fingers as he spoke.
“Suddenly, misfortune descended upon me, leaving me in this state. I cannot fathom the cause. Does the Princess have any suspicions?”
“I do. That’s why I came to see you.”
Deina leaned back comfortably against the Sofa.
“First, there’s something I’d like to confirm with you. When was the last time you attended a prayer gathering at the Temple?”
“When, you say….”
“I’m asking whether you’ve been attending the monthly prayer gatherings properly.”
Count Charon, unable to answer honestly, averted his gaze.
Though Count Charon was indeed a believer in the Sun God, he was not the type to faithfully frequent the Temple. It was common among provincial nobles whose Temple’s influence paled in comparison to that in the Capital.
“W-why do you ask such a thing?”
“Your misfortune has occurred because of insufficient faith.”
“What on earth…”
Among the provincial nobility, there were countless who received baptism yet failed to make proper donations to the Temple. I wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but she spoke with such earnest conviction.
“Prayer is the act of confessing one’s sins to the Sun God and unburdening oneself. House of Charon has accumulated far too many sins throughout its long history. That karmic weight is what has befallen the Count now.”
“You expect me to believe such baseless claims? What does a long history have to do with sin?”
I would sooner believe someone had cursed me out of jealousy.
Count Charon’s brow furrowed at her preposterous words.
“Whether the Count believes me or not matters little. The fact remains that misfortune has descended upon you.”
“Hah, really…… So you’re saying all this misfortune will vanish if I simply pray?”
“It would have, had you lived devoutly from the start. But it’s already too late. Sin grows like a snowball if left unaddressed—we’ve long passed the point where a single prayer could resolve this.”
The more I listened, the more exasperating her explanation became.
As Count Charon’s eyes grew darker with disbelief, Deina smiled as though she’d been waiting for precisely this moment.
“Do not worry. I merely mean prayer alone cannot solve this—not that there is no solution.”
“Then what is it?”
“Bring a sacred relic into your home. It will help you unburden yourself of sin and serve as proof of your devotion.”
It was common enough for people to purchase sacred relics from the Temple to overcome misfortune. Yet such purchases rarely produced results.
Only the truly devout believed that sacred relics could bring good fortune.
Count Charon’s expression grew suspicious, but Deina continued undeterred.
“If you truly doubt me, I shall leave the relic here for you to keep in your chamber and observe its effects. I will return at this same hour tomorrow to verify the results.”
“You’re saying misfortune will vanish in a single day?”
“I am of the Imperial Family, blessed by the Sun God himself. You doubt my word?”
‘How amusing. Yet in the Capital, she was known as the cursed Princess.’
But I could not voice such skepticism aloud. Her confidence was simply too overwhelming.
Her words alone were absurd beyond measure, yet strangely, I found myself willing to believe them.
Moreover, she was even offering to let me test it myself—it would be awkward to refuse now.
“…Very well. I shall trust you this once. So then, what is this sacred relic?”
“It is this.”
She snapped her fingers, and the Guard Knight standing behind her retrieved something from the bag slung across his back.
“…A jar?”
It was a small earthenware jar, just large enough to hold a few flowers.
As Count Charon stared at it with a vacant expression, Deina opened her mouth with solemn gravity.
“Keep this jar in your home.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
“Then good fortune will enter.”
In that moment, Count Charon genuinely could not tell whether he had just met a Princess or a wandering charlatan peddling wares.

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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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