Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 42

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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 042

 

“Come on, let’s go inside quickly. It’s cold.”

 

The Duchess grabbed Loreil and led him into the manor. Following her inside, he saw the gifts piled up in the lobby and quietly closed his eyes.

 

These were things he didn’t want to see.

 

“Mother brought these from the castle! These are things my son needs.”

 

A desk. The one Jorgue used to use.

 

A chair. The one Jorgue used to use.

 

A picture frame. One with Jorgue and the Duke and Duchess painted in it.

 

Even all those objects were stained with holy water or the Sun God’s emblems.

 

‘While thinking of me as her son, she can’t give up on divine power.’

 

It was ironic. While wanting him to live as Jorgue, she consistently suspected that Loreil was a demon’s child. She was seeing one person as two separate personalities.

 

What did she want?

 

Loreil disappearing upon touching holy water? Or a fake Jorgue who refused death and continued living?

 

‘The rumors say they suspect I might have inherited demon blood.’

 

It was ridiculous that the Duke and Duchess were the ones who believed those rumors most. When he himself was unaffected by holy water, let alone praying to god.

 

“Thank you, Mother. I’ll put them in my room.”

 

“Yes, do that!”

 

Leaving the still brightly smiling Duchess behind, he headed to the prayer room. Since the Duke was watching, it seemed he couldn’t skip the dawn and evening prayers from now on.

 

In front of the Sun God’s statue, kneeling on the cold marble floor, he clasped his hands and pretended to pray while thinking.

 

‘Neither holy water nor prayers work on me. But I can see magic power, contracts work, and…’

 

He didn’t feel real as a human.

 

His tightly clasped hands pressed the flesh white.

 

He couldn’t find appropriate words to explain this sensation that denied his own identity.

 

It seemed like once he could explain it, once he could confirm who he was, all these worries would be resolved.

 

He could eliminate the Duke and Duchess who seemed like strangers despite decades of familiarity, or the unfamiliar physical sensation he felt every morning when he opened his eyes.

 

That’s why he had to find out the Princess’s identity.

 

‘I want to know what relationship that familiar magic power has with me.’

 

Black magic power that he had never felt from any other mage.

 

That alone was the key that could liberate him.

 

Then, Loreil felt his shoulders had become heavy at some point.

 

“…?”

 

He didn’t know the reason. He could only guess it was similar to that suffocating feeling he had felt before meeting Deina.

 

* * *

 

Before the schedule to go out and meet the Princess of Jins Kingdom, a problem arose.

 

It was the fatal problem of having no money.

 

I stood with my arms crossed, somehow watching the standoff between Emma and Grid.

 

Emma was glaring at Grid with an even colder expression than usual, while Grid leisurely twisted his white hair with his hand, ignoring her gaze.

 

“So to summarize the situation… Emma can’t accept Grid’s deal?”

 

“That’s right. Currently, the Separate Palace cannot handle such outrageous profiteering.”

 

Grid shrugged his shoulders and said.

 

“As I keep saying, it can’t be helped. I have to make a living too.”

 

“With ten gold coins, you can buy a 12-passenger carriage at the capital’s market. But you’re asking for twenty gold coins for just a 6-passenger carriage!”

 

The reason for their confrontation was preparing for the journey.

 

To go meet the Princess of Jins Kingdom, we had to travel a long distance, so we needed all sorts of preparations like carriages, horses, spare clothing, food supplies, and so on.

 

But the Separate Palace didn’t have such supplies, and I had to receive support from the Main Palace.

 

Unlike other royals, it was natural since I had no nobles or factions to sponsor me.

 

The problem was…

 

‘I didn’t know the Main Palace’s support would be at this level.’

 

I examined the support items from the Main Palace piled up in the courtyard outside the window.

 

The carriage decorated with gold looked quite neat on the surface, but if you looked closely, it had many defects. The axle was twisted, the wheels were mismatched… The other support items were in similar condition.

 

‘There is a guest carriage at the Main Palace, but it would be too undignified for a Princess to use that. Borrowing from other royals is out of the question, and asking for repairs could take who knows how long…’

 

It didn’t seem like the Emperor would deliberately pull such petty tricks. Probably someone interfered along the way.

 

The most likely culprit was the First Prince, Franz.

 

‘Franz has a rather petty personality.’

 

Anyway, given this situation, we decided it would be better to prepare for the journey ourselves, and since Grid was the only merchant I knew, I sought him out and told him to discuss purchases with Emma.

 

That’s how the discussion that started turned into an argument.

 

The items Grid brought were all expensive. The carriage, cushions, even heating supplies were so expensive it made your eyes widen.

 

Unlike me who had no sense of money, Emma, being a commoner, demanded to cancel the deal, saying Grid was profiteering.

 

“Head Maid, it’s troublesome if you suddenly request cancellation. Wasn’t it you who requested purchases ignoring the estimate because it was urgent?”

 

“I would have purchased if it were within reasonable limits. Demanding two or three times the market price, isn’t that taking advantage knowing we’re in a hurry!”

 

“…Your words are excessive. I am merely…”

 

As their argument seemed to intensify, I stopped the conversation for now.

 

“I understand both your positions, so stop.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Since I needed to mediate the situation, I calmly spoke to Grid.

 

“Grid, do you think that amount is reasonable?”

 

“Of course.”

 

He confidently explained about his products.

 

“My carriage is perfect both aesthetically and functionally. It’s made from western timber carved by artisans.”

 

“Didn’t you say last time that you make money by pulling tricks with such products?”

 

“This time is different. I stake my honor as a merchant that there are no defects in the products I’m selling to Your Highness.”

 

“But you are taking excessive profit?”

 

“It’s reasonable profit, I tell you.”

 

Emma glared fiercely at Grid who laughed “haha.”

 

This time I turned my gaze to Emma.

 

“Emma, are our Separate Palace’s finances that bad?”

 

“To be honest… yes.”

 

She sighed briefly and said.

 

“The Separate Palace operates with minimal servants, so we don’t greatly exceed the Main Palace’s budget. But recent expenses…”

 

“Ah, it’s because of my dress costs.”

 

Emma bowed her head as if apologetic.

 

Since I had to return to society in spring, there were many things to buy from clothes to accessories to recent educational books. The dignity maintenance fee from the Main Palace was ridiculously insufficient, so we had to scrape together every penny we had.

 

‘Other royals would receive gifts from sponsors, or the Empress would take care of everything. Meanwhile, I have no connections, let alone…’

 

If I asked the Emperor, he would give me enough money to cover all that and more, but he would definitely use it as an excuse to give other orders, so I didn’t want to extend my hand.

 

In the end, it meant the Separate Palace having no money was because of me.

 

After thinking for a moment, I asked Grid again.

 

“You have no intention of giving a discount?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“You brought these items thinking they would suit me?”

 

“Exactly. Considering Your Highness’s dignity, these are appropriate products.”

 

Grid erased his playful smile and answered seriously. It seemed like he wanted me to understand his sincerity.

 

‘Well, if we buy these items, we can use them consistently.’

 

Even in war, if you skimp on supplies, you end up regretting it later.

 

If we were going to buy them anyway, it was better to decide now.

 

“If we purchase all the items we requested, how much would we need?”

 

“Let me see… roughly this much.”

 

Even for me as a Princess, it was an enormous amount. Emma, who checked it together beside me, turned pale.

 

“Y-Your Highness. In that case, I’d rather find other merchants myself…”

 

“No, that would take longer, and we don’t know if we can trust them.”

 

People like us who were ignorant about commerce would obviously be cheated. In that case, it was better to trust Grid.

 

“But I don’t have gold coins available right now. Or perhaps like last time, to Her Majesty the Empress….”

 

“No. The deal with the Empress ended last time.”

 

Moreover, since the exchange condition called Loreil became invalid, her reason to help me disappeared. She probably thinks helping me at the Arena was also a loss.

 

“So, I have to earn it myself.”

 

“Earn it….”

 

Perhaps thinking it was inappropriate language for a princess’s dignity, Emma frowned. I smiled to tell her not to worry.

 

Then I spoke toward Grid.

 

“Grid, you like any business that makes money, right?”

 

“Generally, yes.”

 

“Then listen.”

 

I lowered my voice to share secret matters and conveyed to him the plan for what I intended to do.

 

“How about receiving a divine revelation once?”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“The god I know is a very skilled exorcist, appraiser, and master of curse removal….”

 

It’s not a scam.

 

Don’t demons and ghosts often get called gods by humans?

 

I smiled brightly while looking at the flustered Grid.

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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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