Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Struggling to Pretend to Be Human Today Episode 017

“That’s enough.”

The moment when two people’s fates intersected.

Deina wedged herself between the two men.

In one hand she held Deina’s sword, in the other hand the sword the intruder had thrown.

“This can’t… be happening…”

It was the intruder whose voice trailed off weakly.

Just before Deina intervened, he had witnessed with his own two eyes his proud throwing technique fail.

‘She was anticipating that I would throw my sword at the end?’

Ruslara, who had no room to block due to bringing down his sword, chose a strategy of bending his waist completely and charging at the intruder.

The intruder’s sword changed trajectory from aiming for the heart to targeting the shoulder, while Ruslara’s sword, raised from the ground, aimed precisely at the intruder’s heart.

If Deina had been even one second late, the intruder would have lost his life.

Watching the dazed intruder, Ruslara smiled slightly.

“You seemed eager to lose your sword. How about getting some training?”

“…”

The intruder had no way of knowing that advice was the same one Deina had received on the first day.

The assassin who had failed even his surprise attack had no excuses to make. The intruder hung his head low, acknowledging defeat.

“I lost. Do whatever you want. Kill me, torture me…”

“What are you talking about? Don’t you remember the deal?”

Wondering what this was about, he raised his head again.

Then Deina said ‘Ah, I didn’t explain’ and casually threw the sword she was holding to the ground.

“Actually, it was a deal I’d only honor if you lost.”

“What, what?”

“Earlier when I set the conditions, I never said anything about when you won.”

“That’s… but still…”

Then what was the meaning of this duel? To build up Ruslara’s pride through victory?

To the flustered man, Deina shrugged her shoulders.

“Anyway, you’re alive so that’s good. Now, shall we start with introductions?”

‘Somehow… this feels worse than losing.’

But having been defeated, he couldn’t complain about anything. The intruder opened his mouth with a sour expression.

“…My name is Ivan. I just became an adult…”

Without noticing that Ruslara standing behind him was emanating magical power, he began to gradually fall under suggestion as he introduced himself.

* * *

After the assassin Ivan left, I collapsed weakly onto the bed.

My body wasn’t tired, but my mind was chaotic from all the events that had occurred.

I buried my face in the pillow and let out a short sigh.

‘If I knew it would be like this, I should have asked the Empress to introduce me to subordinates.’

No, then I would have been exhausted again suspecting them of being spies.

Living as royalty really wasn’t easy.

It might have been easier if I had freely used the Demon Clan’s power.

I could have enhanced Ruslara with magic to easily make him win, and somehow found out the assassin’s backer to physically destroy them.

‘Then I would have been coughing up blood like crazy.’

Even now, whenever there were signs of coughing up blood, Liribel’s face would turn pale, and I didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry. A human who treated me as a complete princess was precious in itself.

Besides, I didn’t want to gain freedom through such methods.

‘If my identity as a demon is discovered, there would be no peace or anything, so this way is best.’

I brainwashed myself that this exhaustion was the result of effort.

Just as I was muttering that I wanted to stay holed up in the bedroom and rest for about three days.

“Um, Your Highness.”

Through the slightly open door, Liribel called for me.

“What is it?”

At my weak voice, she spoke in a timid voice as if she felt sorry.

“A guest has come to see you…”

“Who now?”

“Um, from the Prime Minister’s family…”

‘Loreil?’

I thought he would come someday, but it was too soon.

I waved my hand weakly, saying I would come out soon.

‘I heard he was busy, but he sure made time.’

Thanks to his urgent visit without notice, I became even more certain of his secret that I had been guessing.

I roughly put on a coat and headed to the reception room.

Loreil, looking as proper as usual, greeted me politely upon seeing me.

“I apologize for visiting without notice, Your Highness. I was worried about the matter with Her Majesty the Empress…”

“Don’t worry about it. I promised to tell you what conversation I had with Her Majesty the Empress, but it’s my fault for not making time.”

I smiled slightly to mean that since we both made mistakes, it was fine. Loreil also smiled back, grateful that I accepted his apology.

“You came to hear about the conversation, right?”

“For now, yes.”

For now.

In other words, he planned to confirm something else as well.

I pretended not to notice and continued explaining.

“Actually, Her Majesty the Empress seemed to like you, Lord Loreil. So…”

And I appropriately embellished the conversation from that time.

Originally, I had figured out the Empress’s true intentions, but in the embellished version, I said the Empress had revealed her true intentions first.

It was to create a flow where she came out honestly and I had no choice but to listen to the Empress’s proposal.

“So she’s thinking about an engagement between Princess Jeina and me.”

“That’s right. Haven’t you heard anything?”

“Not at all.”

For a moment, strong anger flashed in Loreil’s eyes. He probably thought he hid it well, but I could read emotions close to fighting spirit better than anyone.

“An engagement… so they were already in cahoots.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. More importantly, Your Highness also agreed to that proposal.”

“Yes, I’m sorry but I had no choice. I couldn’t go against Her Majesty the Empress’s words either…”

“I understand.”

Loreil didn’t seem to plan on pressing this point and backed off cleanly.

Instead, he pointed out a different matter.

“But Your Highness, was there anything strange in the garden?”

“What kind of…?”

“I heard briefly from a guard knight that there was a battle. Since Your Highness was also at the scene, I thought you might have seen something.”

‘As expected, that was his purpose.’

Asking so directly, he must have been in a hurry.

I rested my chin on my hand and pretended to be lost in thought.

“That’s right, there was some commotion. But I don’t know the details. The weather outside was too cold so I returned to the Separate Palace quickly.”

“I see. …Actually, I heard that the suspect who fought in the garden went toward the Separate Palace.”

“Oh my, really?”

Loreil nodded and spoke with an expression that showed a sense of duty.

“The suspect might be hiding somewhere around here. So would it be alright if I investigate this area?”

“…”

“I am entrusted by His Majesty the Emperor with Princess Deina’s safety. Also, just in case, I would like to place guards around this area.”

‘Well, look at this?’

He called it an investigation for safety, but it was close to a house search.

‘Bringing up the assassin story was an excuse to search the Separate Palace.’

He seemed determined to find evidence that I was from the Demon Clan somehow.

Since I had already mentioned knowing about the battle, I had no grounds to refuse.

He even said he had been ordered by the Emperor to ensure my safety. If he came in with the Main Palace’s guard knights, there was no way I could stop him.

But if I agreed, it would put the assassin Ivan, who was sleeping in the Separate Palace guest room, in danger.

‘He’ll be asleep until tomorrow due to the aftereffects of magic… It would be terrible if he’s discovered.’

Loreil might be able to detect magical power just from Ivan’s presence while he still had aftereffects.

I couldn’t stubbornly refuse or agree.

Then there was only one method left.

‘I was going to let this slide moderately… but if you’re going to act like this, I have no choice.’

I had to make him give up on his own.

“Ah! Come to think of it.”

I clapped my hands as if something had just occurred to me.

“When the commotion happened, Her Majesty the Empress seemed extremely angry. She was asking how such a thing could happen.”

“Well, since an intruder appeared…”

“So I casually mentioned it too. That there was such a quick person, just like…”

And I slightly raised the corners of my mouth.

“The Black Hand from Empire fairy tales.”

“…”

I had just recruited Ivan to our side. So timing-wise, Loreil wouldn’t know about Ivan’s defection. Or he might have noticed his disappearance at most.

But suddenly I was saying I knew information about the assassin, so there was only one answer he could think of.

-Princess Deina might know the assassin’s identity and who’s behind him.

So who was really behind the assassin?

‘It’s obvious. Loreil, or the Prime Minister’s family.’

Only the Empress, me, and Loreil knew about the meeting in the Garden. It was natural to narrow down the suspects to him.

The Empress had probably figured it out by now too, but she would have no choice but to keep quiet. Obviously, because there was no proper evidence.

On the other hand, I had indirectly expressed that I had evidence by mentioning Black Hand to Loreil.

‘I know everything – that you followed the Empress and sent an assassin to kill me.’

Or,

‘I captured that assassin.’

For him to understand it that way.

Naturally, the words that would follow were ‘So don’t try any tricks and get lost.’

Loreil wasn’t the type of man who wouldn’t understand this level of metaphor.

“Well now… that’s an interesting joke.”

Loreil smiled, raising the corners of his mouth. Of course, his eyes weren’t smiling.

“Ah, but Your Highness. Something has come up, so I’ll have to postpone the investigation.”

“I’m sure you will.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Of course.”

I smiled back at him too.

Only with my mouth.

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