Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 24

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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 024

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-Ah, no, Armored Fighter has defeated the Captain!

Both I, who had been watching the match nervously, and Liribel beside me couldn’t close our mouths.

‘Did she just… throw away her sword?’

Perhaps annoyed by the continuing tedious exchange, the Captain boldly made his move.

It was a method of blocking Ruslara’s vision with his shield then swinging his sword in a wide attack, and though the movement was large, it seemed like it would work against Ruslara who insisted on evasion.

If only Ruslara hadn’t thrown away all her weapons and crouched down on the ground like a spider.

‘Grappling techniques, where did she learn something like that?’

Moving swiftly, she instantly grabbed the Captain’s body and choked his neck like a snake.

The choking and grappling techniques, commonly called grappling, weren’t popular in the Empire, yet she used them skillfully.

‘She must have learned it from Ivan.’

It wasn’t just the audience and us who were flustered by the unexpected technique.

“Urgh, aaah!”

The Captain, fallen to the ground with both arms bound by Ruslara’s legs and his neck by her arms, struggled desperately. I clicked my tongue at the meaningless waste of strength.

‘How foolish. Choking techniques can’t be broken with force.’

Choking is about subduing a strength of 5 with a strength of 1. To break free, one needs to use technique, but the Captain didn’t seem to have such experience.

Conversely, Ruslara had more than enough experience.

‘Young and spirited as he is, he can’t control his emotions.’

Because the Captain would have lived a life where victory was natural.

It would be different from us who had always been losing.

As the Captain’s face gradually turned blue, Liribel asked me.

“Y-Your Highness. Is this allowed?”

“What’s wrong with it? It’s not a real duel between knights, it’s an arena.”

In fact, there were reactions from the audience seats that it had become even more exciting.

“That’s not what I mean, it looks like he might die at this rate…”

“Ah.”

I called over an arena staff member nearby.

When I hinted that the match was decided, the staff member answered with a flustered expression.

“Y-Yes! I’ll inform the referee.”

Then he muttered in a bewildered voice.

“This can’t be happening…”

Liribel and I made eye contact simultaneously.

‘That staff member seems to be in cahoots with the nobleman who deceived Ruslara.’

He seemed to feel that Ruslara winning was something that shouldn’t happen.

That wasn’t all.

‘Looking closely, among the surprised audience, I can see some with particularly twisted faces.’

With so many spectators I couldn’t check them all, but I could roughly pick out the people nearby.

Of course, they might be upset about losing money… but their killing intent was too thick for that.

“Liribel, over there…”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I’ve memorized them all.”

At times like this, she’s truly reliable. I nodded reluctantly at Liribel’s passionate eyes, as if she were drawing portraits in her mental notebook.

-M-Match over! The referee declares Armored Fighter’s victory!

“Waaaah!”

“I believed in you, Armored Fighter!”

Just then, the announcer declared Ruslara’s victory.

The audience cheered even more at the unexpected comeback victory. While some praised Ruslara’s technique, others shouted that the Captain would have won if they had fought properly with swords.

As the arena became noisy with confusion, the announcer hurriedly organized things.

-Now! There will be a medal ceremony to celebrate the victory right away!

‘Finally, I can breathe easy.’

I leaned back in my chair and let out a sigh of relief.

I felt relieved that the event seemed to end smoothly, but I was happier that Ruslara won safely. It was as if I was genuinely worried about a real subordinate, making me chuckle.

‘I didn’t think I’d feel this emotion again.’

While I was caught up in this unexpected feeling, Ruslara came up to the platform in front of me.

It seemed she was preparing for the medal ceremony.

‘Right, I’m the one who puts the medal on her.’

Thinking that I was finally doing something princess-like, I stood up from my seat. The announcer, who had approached near the platform, loudly announced the winner’s name.

-Armored Fighter, her name is Ruslara! Finally, her first victory medal will be awarded. Everyone, with cheers of celebration…

Unlike during the match, he conducted the ceremony with a serious tone and voice. I also straightened my posture and picked up the medal brought by a staff member at that moment.

-Then, contestant Ruslara, please show courtesy to Her Highness… Huh?

The announcer made a surprised sound and couldn’t continue speaking.

Because Ruslara had removed her helmet.

-…My goodness.

In the Demon Realm, the Baobhan sith were a persecuted race due to their abilities, but even the demons who oppressed them couldn’t deny one fact.

The fact that the Baobhan sith were the most beautiful race in the Demon Realm.

-Beautiful.

The announcer muttered as if he couldn’t believe it. His pupils were dilated like someone whose soul had left their body. Other spectators nearby were no different.

“My word, the Armored Fighter was such a beauty?”

“Wow, like a goddess…”

Green hair that shone even more brilliantly in the sunlight flowed down below her shoulders. It had definitely been an unkempt, spiky bob until yesterday, but it was as if she had cast some magic.

Her dark red eyes sparkled like rubies that were enchanting just to look at, and her straight nose and pale skin seemed like a goddess from a painting had descended, not human.

An enchantment that bewitched reason just by looking at it.

Even I, who was familiar with Baobhan sith, forgot to breathe at such terrible beauty.

When Ruslara, who already boasted beautiful looks, came out after seriously grooming herself, the Baobhan sith’s ability began to run wild.

‘Really, she was determined.’

I bit my tongue to come to my senses and hurriedly looked around. Not only Liribel but all the surrounding nobles and commoners alike were enchanted by Ruslara.

This enchantment wasn’t magic using mana. It was a natural racial ability, like mermaids breathing underwater or werewolves having a keen sense of smell.

Since it was an ability that didn’t distinguish between friend and foe, Baobhan sith usually tried to restrain their ability… but Ruslara was the opposite.

‘So this was why she went to meet a beautician.’

Only then did I realize her true intention when she said she would come after grooming her appearance.

She had decided not to hide herself, but to show herself to the enemies hiding among the spectators.

“Well then…”

Looking around at all the audience seats, Ruslara, who had enchanted everyone present, slowly approached me. Then she knelt on one knee and politely greeted me.

“My god, my sun, Princess Deina Ripeon.”

“…!”

The greeting that came from her mouth was very respectful and elegant. The problem was that such a greeting should be directed not at a princess like me, but at the Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince.

Just as I was flustered about where she had learned such a greeting, Ruslara raised her head and looked at me.

“I behold the blessing of the sun that drives away all darkness.”

‘Driving away darkness… So this is what she was aiming for.’

At her unexpected help, I let out a hollow laugh.

Though it was just one sentence, I could predict what lies she would continue with.

Regardless, she confidently continued her victory speech.

“I have been trapped in this arena for decades. Because I made a cowardly contract with certain people. They knew my identity and tried to use me.”

The audience probably thought Ruslara was a middle-aged fighter. Since she had been a fighter for decades, it was natural.

But then she showed a young face, so an explanation for this was needed.

“I am an elf.”

“Gasp, an elf!”

“Hadn’t they already left the Empire?”

So Ruslara decided to reveal only half the truth.

She would reveal that she was a different race, but deceive them about her racial identity.

Ruslara swept back the hair covering her ears.

This revealed the elongated ears created by her disguise ability. The audience, who had only heard rumors about elves, caused an uproar saying a real elf had appeared.

‘They said elves disappeared from the Empire over a hundred years ago. Now they’re a rare race that can only be seen in the Polar Regions.’

In other words, it was the perfect race to use for deception.

Of course, the traitor Baban Si would know Ruslara’s true identity, but it would be difficult for her to expose it.

‘Since she’s also a Baobhan sith, she wouldn’t want to reveal the Baobhan sith’s disguise abilities to the world.’

For something thought up in just one day, it was an incredibly meticulous scheme.

Ruslara spoke with a faint smile.

“Along with my contract, I was cursed with an evil curse that prevented me from winning. I suffered from it for decades. Because of it, I had to live as a loser for a long time.”

Perhaps moved by Ruslara’s words, several audience members sighed deeply and murmured sympathetically. They were all people who had fallen under Ruslara’s charm.

“My goodness… No wonder her defeats seemed so unnatural.”

“Do you believe what she’s saying?”

“But elves don’t lie!”

Thinking the time was ripe, Ruslara stood up from her seat again and turned toward the audience.

“But that curse couldn’t exert its power in this tournament. The reason is… precisely!”

The reason she fabricated lies and fully utilized her abilities to charm the crowd was this.

“Princess Deina, who possesses the blessing of the sun, saved me!”

It was a performance to prove that I wasn’t a cursed princess.

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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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