Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 162

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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 162
“Anyway, that’s why I came here. During that time, I made a deal with a man named Loreil….”
“I know about that. Loreil explained it to me.”
“Then there’s nothing more to say.”
Asmo-rina shrugged her shoulders and leaned back against the chair.
“Now there’s nothing left to ask, right? Then Mother should answer my question.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Are you thinking of giving up being human?”
“Giving up….”
“I’m asking if you’d consider abandoning that inconvenient human body and becoming a different race. You haven’t forgotten how to possess bodies, have you?”
Asmo-rina seemed to hope that Princess Deina would abandon her life.
When I couldn’t respond, she frowned with displeasure.
“This whole cursed Emperor incident and everything else—the Imperial Family can’t be trusted. If you really want to live peacefully, you should stop being part of the Imperial Family.”
She was absolutely right.
The Emperor was trying to hunt Demons, and the other Imperial Family members except Jeina weren’t in their right minds either. The Empire might already be a sinking ship, so escaping quickly might be the best option.
But unable to nod at that proposal, I smiled bitterly and spoke to her.
“As I said before, the fact that I am Deina doesn’t change. I will continue to live as Deina.”
“…Sigh, well, if you were the type to fall for something like that, you wouldn’t be a captain.”
She scratched her head irritably.
“If you had no strength at all, I’d just drag you away by force, but with this half-hearted power….”
“Are you planning to kidnap your mother?”
“If necessary, yes. If I lock you on some remote island, you’d live peacefully without any risk of death.”
As if I were a tortoise.
A hollow laugh escaped me. But I wasn’t angry because I knew all of this came from her concern for me.
“I was originally planning to drag you away the moment we met… This is so frustrating. Why are there so many problems?”
“There’s also the option of Rina staying by my side.”
“That’s obvious. What’s important now is whether you’ll continue as part of the Imperial Family or not.”
I was relieved that revenge didn’t seem to be an option for her.
Just as I was about to feel reassured that the conversation was going better than I’d worried, it happened.
“Giving up the Imperial Family? That’s nonsense.”
Suddenly the door opened, and Jeina appeared.
Without hesitation, she entered the room and glared at Asmo-rina, who was sitting beside the bed.
“No matter how much of a Demon you are, don’t ignore the responsibilities of a noble Imperial Family member. I can personally deliver judgment.”
“So it was you eavesdropping at the door this whole time? You little brat who resembles the Emperor.”
“Little brat….”
At Asmo-rina’s scoff, cracks appeared in Jeina’s expression.
But Jeina, who never lost in verbal sparring, quickly composed herself and counterattacked.
“For an ungrateful daughter who can’t even understand her mother’s heart, you have some nerve calling anyone a brat. How much longer do you plan to throw tantrums?”
“What, what did you say?”
Asmo-rina had never heard such blatant criticism before. As she looked down at her flushed face, Jeina smiled mockingly and spoke.
“I’ve heard the whole story. The one being stubborn right now isn’t Deina—it’s you. To a Demon like you, it might seem trivial, but the lives of the Imperial Family, of humans, aren’t that simple.”
“Mother isn’t human.”
“Does her body really look like a Demon to you? Besides, she’s saying she’ll live as a human from now on?”
“Ugh….”
Jeina crossed her arms and sat on the edge of the bed. Then she gave me a quick once-over.
“I rushed over the moment I heard you’d regained consciousness, only to find you’re causing trouble because of this incompetent child. Get your head straight. I’m already busy enough without being shaken by pointless matters.”
“…The fact that you’re calling me a child tells me you’ve heard I’m a Demon.”
She exhaled deeply.
“I didn’t hear it—I deduced it. That Demon called Asmo-rina keeps coming and going from this bedroom at all hours, calling you mother. There’s no way I wouldn’t notice.”
“Hey! When did I ever…!”
Not only had Asmo-rina been subtly disrespected in the conversation, but now Jeina was insulting her again. Asmo-rina’s magical power surged as she grew angry.
I couldn’t stop her because my body was still immobilized by the aftereffects, but Jeina regarded her with an unflustered expression.
“Are you trying to kill me? You should think carefully. If I die here, it’s your mother who’ll be in trouble. You must know what kind of relationship I have with her.”
“Ugh…!”
In the past, Asmo-rina would have wielded her power without a second thought about such circumstances, but having experienced the Human World, she had changed. She couldn’t bring herself to attack.
She ground her teeth and withdrew her magical power once more.
Seeing Asmo-rina suffer one-sidedly, I gave Jeina a brief reprimand.
“Stop it, Jeina. Despite what you say, she’s a good child.”
“…I still can’t get used to you pretending to be a parent.”
She clicked her tongue as if exasperated, then turned her gaze back to me.
“Anyway, I don’t need you to explain why you suddenly recovered your health, what your relationship is with that Demon, or what kind of Demon you were in the Demon Realm. I’ve overheard things and can make educated guesses.”
“You’re quite composed for someone who’s figured that out. You were a devout believer yourself, weren’t you, Jeina?”
“I had to appear devout to the Sun God to gain the people’s support—it was just an act. I never believed in an omniscient deity in the first place.”
She uttered words that could easily be branded as heresy, then rested her chin on her hand.
“Besides, you’re now known as the Sun God’s Saint. To sustain such rumors, you’ll need to continue performing miracles of that magnitude. If you’re a Demon, that shouldn’t be difficult. In fact, it’s become more advantageous.”
I admired Jeina’s characteristically pragmatic thinking, but Asmo-rina looked at her as if she were witnessing something bizarre.
“…Don’t humans fear Demons? Does she have no emotions?”
“Demons are ultimately living creatures too. Stab them with a blade and they bleed; grow old and they die. In other words, the only difference between you and me is power. So why should I fear you?”
“But normally, wouldn’t you be afraid if there’s someone right in front of you who could kill you?”
“My physical strength is negligible—I could die from a potted plant hitting my head. That means the damage a potted plant or your magical power could inflict on me is identical. Do you tremble in fear every time you see a flowerpot on a windowsill?”
Since humans can die at any moment, worrying about each individual threat was a waste of time.
Asmo-rina seemed bewildered, as if she’d never encountered a human like this before.
“I… suppose that’s true.”
Jeina gave the now-convinced Asmo-rina a cold glance and continued.
“You’ve vowed to live as a human, as a member of the Imperial Family from now on. So what matters now isn’t your past. What’s important is hiding that you’re a Demon and using that power efficiently.”
“You’re not telling me not to use it.”
“There’s no need to stop you. Magical power has many uses. If I’d known sooner, I would’ve devised dozens of ways to utilize it before coming to Monos.”
I didn’t bother asking what methods she meant. They would surely be ways to cause bloodshed.
“Right now, we need to quickly resolve this chaotic situation and move forward. The Emperor is already suspicious of Monos, and both princes are starting to show interest in this matter. So….”
Jeina looked at Asmo-rina and spoke.
“I need you to decide right now. Are you going to help Deina, or are you going back to the Demon Realm?”
“…Of course I’ll stay by Mother’s side. But why are you asking me that?”
“Because I’m her companion. If you’re going to help Deina, that means you’ll soon be my colleague.”
“You and me? Working together? Ugh!”
Asmo-rina even gagged in disgust. At her reaction, Jeina’s expression hardened.
“Before you prove your usefulness, it seems you need to learn some manners first.”
“That’s rich coming from you. I follow Mother, not you. Drop the condescending tone.”
“How foolish. If you truly follow Mother, you should respect me all the more.”
“…What?”
As Asmo-rina twisted her face in confusion, Jeina spoke with shameless composure.
“I am your mother’s sister. In other words, I’m your aunt. It’s only natural that a niece respects her aunt, isn’t it?”
“….”
Asmo-rina’s mouth fell open in shock. I’d known her for centuries, but I’d never seen her this stunned before.
With trembling hands, she pointed at Jeina and asked me.
“Is… is that woman in her right mind?”
Surprisingly, she was. Jeina, as always, never joked around.

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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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