Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 40

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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 040

 

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After finishing my conversation with the Emperor, I rejoined Gregory. Something must have happened in the rest area, as he was with Ivan instead of Loreil.

 

“What? Loreil made threats?”

 

Gregory briefly explained how he came to part ways with Loreil. After hearing everything, I let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.

 

“I appreciate his concern, but it doesn’t seem like something he should be saying.”

 

“That’s what I’m saying. We thought it was strange too.”

 

Ivan casually threw his arm over Gregory’s shoulder and said.

 

“My junior even suggested that young master might have fallen for Your Highness!”

 

“That’s ridiculous.”

 

“Right? Even I think…”

 

“There’s no way anyone would like a woman with eyes like these. Not unless they’ve lost their mind.”

 

Then Ivan suddenly dropped his arm and stood straight, speaking with a serious expression.

 

“I don’t think that’s right.”

 

“Uh, huh?”

 

“Your Highness, you’re overthinking. You shouldn’t carelessly put yourself down like that.”

 

I hadn’t expected him to respond so seriously to what was meant as a joke. Moreover, for Ivan, it was actually sound reasoning.

 

I found myself apologizing, saying I’d be more careful with my words.

 

“Anyway, so Your Highness doesn’t know why Loreil acted that way either?”

 

“No, he hasn’t been particularly favorable until now.”

 

Could there have been some change of heart while I wasn’t looking? But there hadn’t been much contact between him and me. At most…

 

“Ivan. Do you happen to know if something happened between the Empress and Loreil? They seemed to be on bad terms.”

 

I recalled the Empress’s chilling gaze toward Loreil at the dinner party.

 

Ivan crossed his arms and said, “Oh, that.”

 

“I did disguise myself as a servant and summon the young master using the Empress as an excuse… I’m not sure if it’s related, but it seems there was a major incident involving the Prime Minister’s family.”

 

And he shared the story he had heard before coming to the Main Palace.

 

“It’s not entirely accurate since it was talk among nobles before they entered that dinner party. It seems there was an issue regarding the young master’s birth.”

 

“Birth? You mean he’s actually an illegitimate child?”

 

“It was more serious than that. Apparently, the young master might actually be the Marquis’s half-brother.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

When I frowned in confusion and asked again, Ivan said “So-” and explained step by step.

 

“The young master’s father isn’t actually the current Marquis, but the previous Marquis. And his mother isn’t the previous Marquis’s wife, but someone else.”

 

“…Really?”

 

It was news as shocking as my return to high society. When I widened my eyes in disbelief, Ivan shrugged.

 

“I thought it was just a rumor, but there seem to be some suspicious circumstances. Like the timing of the young master’s birth not matching when the Marquis’s wife was pregnant, or conversely, how the previous Marquis was particularly fond of the young master before he died…”

 

The rumors themselves were trivial, but having these commonalities made them seem credible. That’s how rumors usually spread anyway.

 

‘I see, so that’s why the Empress was so angry.’

 

Unlike me who understood the situation, Ivan added with confusion.

 

“Well, I was wondering what this rumor had to do with the Empress.”

 

“Ah, Ivan doesn’t know?”

 

“Know what?”

 

Come to think of it, it was a story from decades ago, so many people might have forgotten by now.

 

“The previous Marquis was an adopted son-in-law. So the previous Marquis’s wife was the true bloodline of the family. If Loreil is half-brothers with the Marquis…”

 

“That means the young master doesn’t carry the Marquis family blood!”

 

“Exactly.”

 

If true, it would be an enormously shocking incident. It was already astounding that the supposed heir was actually the family head’s brother, but an illegitimate half-brother with no legitimacy.

 

The bloodline of the Marquis family, which boasted a long history, might be cut off.

 

‘And the Empress, the Imperial Family are obsessed with that damn blood legitimacy.’

 

The Empress must have felt that Loreil had lied to her.

 

She would think he tried to deceive her and obtain the Princess despite not being the legitimate heir.

 

I could understand why she glared at him murderously at the dinner party.

 

“Is blood more important than ability for humans?”

 

Then Gregory, who had been listening quietly, asked a question for once.

 

“He is human but seemed quite capable.”

 

“While blood is important… the Emperor handles the nobility registry, and given the current Emperor’s personality, he won’t strip Loreil of his status. The Emperor seems quite fond of Loreil, and currently Loreil is the only heir to the Marquis family.”

 

However, the accompanying scandal couldn’t be prevented. In this conservative Empire’s political circles, the scandal of not being legitimate bloodline was sometimes worse than any immorality.

 

‘Wait, come to think of it, Loreil wasn’t originally the heir.’

 

I recalled what I heard when removing his curse.

 

The original heir I knew had died in some incident, and his younger brother Loreil became the new heir.

 

‘So the legitimate heir suddenly died, and the family head’s half-brother with no blood connection took that position…’

 

“Oh my.”

 

I unconsciously sighed like an old person.

 

‘No wonder the Emperor invited him. He probably wanted to use this stain on the Prime Minister’s family.’

 

The truth didn’t matter anymore. Just having such a scandal made him the greatest weakness of the Prime Minister’s family, who headed the Nobility Council.

 

I had never felt good about Loreil before, but for the first time I felt sympathy for him.

 

Though I wasn’t sure if receiving my sympathy was good for him.

 

Ivan seemed pleased that his information was useful, speaking in a bright voice.

 

“Maybe that’s why old rumors about the young master are circulating again.”

 

“Old rumors?”

 

“You know, the rumor that the young master actually inherited demon blood.”

 

Gregory and I looked at each other simultaneously. Seeing us blink as if hearing this for the first time, Ivan frowned and asked.

 

“What, you didn’t know? That young master’s appearance is exactly the symbol of the Demon Clan. The black hair and eyes.”

 

“Well, that’s true, but…”

 

Not all demons had black hair, and I couldn’t sense any demonic aura from Loreil at all.

 

‘I did wonder if he might be a demon hybrid when I first met him, but that can’t be right.’

 

Unless it was a fairy like Ruslara, demons who shared the Demon King’s blood could be detected the moment you got close.

 

“That’s probably just a false rumor.”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

When Gregory and I agreed, Ivan pouted as if dissatisfied.

 

Anyway, the complicated situation gave me a headache, but what I needed to do was decided. I looked at Gregory and Ivan and said.

 

“First, Loreil’s affairs aren’t our concern. I don’t know why he took my side, but let’s leave it alone for now… Gregory.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“If Loreil threatens you again, just play dumb. Since there’s definitely no evidence, he won’t be able to do anything if you insist.”

 

If there really was evidence, he would have immediately announced it to people to isolate Gregory, not threaten with violence. There would have been no need to arrange a private meeting.

 

“But if he keeps bothering you, tell me. I’ll deal with him directly. Gregory is weak since his abilities haven’t recovered.”

 

“…Understood.”

 

“Next, Ivan. I’ll need to leave the Main Palace for a while, so arrange guards from among your trustworthy colleagues.”

 

“Is it okay to entrust such work to an assassin?”

 

“Since you’re an assassin, you should be good at blocking low-level assassinations too, right?”

 

My next schedule was to meet the exiled princess. Both assassins from the Jins Kingdom and the Empire would probably swarm, so I needed Ivan’s help.

 

“I shall obey.”

 

Ivan bowed playfully with a grin. He looked even more ridiculous in servant’s clothing.

 

‘I hope things resolve themselves while I’m away from the Main Palace.’

 

If only nothing would happen until I completed my revenge and achieved a peaceful life.

 

I harbored this hopeless expectation just once.

 

* * *

 

Late at night, Loreil returned to the Marquis family manor.

 

Getting off the carriage, he recalled the servant he had encountered before parting with Britz Jabok.

 

‘That servant, lying about being ordered by the Empress.’

 

He was a man with somehow blurry features, and moreover, everything he said was a lie.

 

The Empress neither called for Loreil nor was waiting for him. She had already returned to her own palace early, claiming to be tired.

 

‘I couldn’t even sense the servant’s presence until the door opened.’

 

Not only himself, but the guard who had been hiding was the same.

 

Either both of them had made a mistake simultaneously, or it meant the servant was that skilled.

 

Loreil naturally leaned toward the latter possibility. And there was a high probability that the servant and Britz Jabok were connected.

 

‘If that’s the case, does it mean Britz Jabok could have killed me right there?’

 

In Loreil’s mind, Britz Jabok’s danger level rose to just below the Princess.

 

If Deina heard this, it would be a number that would make her exclaim, ‘I rank that high?’

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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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