Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 43

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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 043

 

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There were many ways to make money using power.

 

Going to dungeons frequented by adventurers to sweep up treasures, or raiding underworld criminal organizations to steal gold – there were plenty of quick money-making schemes.

 

But all of those required using large amounts of mana.

 

Naturally, the aftereffect of coughing up blood would be inevitable.

 

Moreover, there was the risk that my identity might be exposed.

 

So I devised a simpler and safer business.

 

Using a proxy, that is.

 

‘I tried to avoid using demon power, but… the situation is urgent. Besides, the Sun God also gives advice through priests. What’s stopping us from doing the same?’

 

If you traced their roots, the Demon King and the Sun God weren’t that different.

 

Share my advice and power through a proxy, solve cases and receive payment.

 

Though it was a short schedule lasting only three or four days to call it a business, Grid judged it had sufficient potential.

 

“If that god really is competent… it’s a good business.”

 

Though I had explained it, I didn’t expect him to accept it so easily. I asked in a suspicious voice.

 

“Don’t you feel uneasy about it? You don’t even know what kind of god it is.”

 

“Why would I? Is it because of religion? There are countless gods in other countries anyway. Besides, I’m a merchant. Whether the other party is a demon or a god, as long as there’s money in it, I don’t care.”

 

Above all, occupations like fortune-tellers and priestesses who give advice through gods were common outside the Empire.

 

If the Sun God really descended, it would be grounds for divine punishment, but for me, a demon, it was a perfectly satisfactory answer.

 

Thus, Grid and I visited the black market on the outskirts of the capital for our new business.

 

The black market was located in the basement of a large building, a place visited by all sorts of people – nobles, criminals, great merchants, and so on.

 

Grid roughly drew and hung up a bizarre sign reading ‘Yellow God’s Consultation Office’ on a small building he used as a warehouse.

 

When I asked if the wording wasn’t strange, he assured me that this level of attention-grabbing was necessary for good business.

 

“So, is there anything else we need?”

 

“A Ouija board, four candles, and… Oh! Bring in a dagger too.”

 

“Why a dagger?”

 

“Just think of it as for self-defense.”

 

Grid seemed to find it odd, but decided to follow my instructions for now.

 

The business method was simple.

 

Grid would receive customers in the room and convey the god’s words through the Ouija board or other objects.

 

Of course, the person delivering words to him would naturally be me. I planned to use mana to cause various phenomena from the small room next to the warehouse.

 

‘Moving a Ouija board is possible with just a speck of mana. There won’t be any aftereffects.’

 

But perhaps thinking this method was too simple, Grid asked in a dubious voice.

 

“Commoners might believe it since magic feels like a miracle to them… but most will think a mage is hiding somewhere.”

 

“That’s why the concept of divine possession is important. I’ll provide information that only a god could know.”

 

“Are you going to prophesy?”

 

“No, instead I’ll reveal the past.”

 

“…?”

 

To Grid, who still didn’t understand, I waved my hand dismissively, telling him not to worry.

 

“Just bring in customers. With your connections, they’ll naturally be wealthy customers, right?”

 

Since it was a business Grid vouched for, naturally those who knew his name would come, and there would be no shortage of customers.

 

After sending the suspicious Grid into the room, I headed to the small room.

 

Before long, I heard the sound of the door to Grid’s room opening.

 

‘Now then…’

 

I naturally erased my presence and closed my eyes. Then I moved my shadow to sense the presence of the visiting customer.

 

My shadow, extended like tentacles, passed through the door and informed me of every detail of the situation in the room.

 

Moving shadows with minimal mana in a delicate manner required great concentration. I filtered out useless information and searched for the reason he had come here.

 

‘The first customer is a middle-aged man. His clothes are expensive, but his footsteps aren’t those of a cultured person. His way of speaking too…’

 

“Ha! Setting up such childish business. Have you lost your mind?”

 

‘He’s not a noble.’

 

“Don’t say that and have a seat. You came here because you have worries, didn’t you?”

 

“You suddenly blocked my goods clearance and threatened that you’d release it if I came for consultation!”

 

‘I asked you to bring customers, but you used such methods?’

 

I hadn’t wanted it to go that far. I felt guilty toward the unnamed man.

 

‘Since he’s the first customer, I need to end this well…’

 

While their small talk continued, I quickly checked his condition.

 

‘Found it.’

 

Fortunately, I was able to quickly find the problem I needed.

 

“Let’s sit down first. How about trying it once, even as a joke?”

 

“A Ouija board, this isn’t some children’s game.”

 

After Grid seated the grumbling man and I felt them place their hands on the Ouija board, I immediately used my shadow to move the board’s pointer.

 

‘Gently, so it won’t be noticed…’

 

With a sliding sound, the pointer indicated the cause of the problem.

 

“Wait, I didn’t say anything, so why is it moving? Are you moving it?”

 

“Of course not. I’m just keeping my hands on it. All of this is divine guidance.”

 

“What nonsense…”

 

The pointer slowly completed one phrase.

 

[D A U G H T E R ‘ S P A I N T I N G]

 

“…!”

 

Crash, the sound of a chair falling over. The startled man seemed to have fallen backward.

 

“Please sit down. It’s not over yet.”

 

“Wh-what…”

 

“Hurry up.”

 

At Grid’s urging, the man sat back down. I then pointed to the answer he wanted on the board.

 

[F A M I L Y P O R T R A I T B E H I N D… H I D D E N]

 

After confirming the last letter, the man spoke in a trembling voice.

 

“Really… you really didn’t do this?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then how could you know this fact when no one else does…”

 

“I told you, didn’t I? It’s divine guidance.”

 

I could picture Grid’s grinning face. The man removed his hands from the Ouija board and slowly stood up.

 

“Wait, wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”

 

“You need to pay the consultation fee before leaving.”

 

“If this message turns out to be true, I’ll pay any amount! Just wait a little!”

 

Then he opened the door and rushed out frantically. When the man’s presence disappeared, I opened the hidden door and peeked out.

 

Seeing me, Grid asked with a suspicious expression.

 

“How did you know that man had a daughter?”

 

“There are ways. More importantly, that daughter died, right?”

 

“That’s correct.”

 

Grid briefly shared the publicly known information about the man.

 

The man was a merchant who succeeded in his old age, with a past of losing his daughter when he was young. Being so absorbed in work, he couldn’t even be with his sick daughter in her final moments.

 

“But the daughter’s painting and frame – this is the first I’m hearing of it.”

 

I just shrugged my shoulders, not answering Grid’s question. He wasn’t Liribel or Ruslara, and I didn’t want to explain my secrets to him.

 

‘With soul traces so blatant around here, how could I not know?’

 

Though I wasn’t at the level of a demon necromancer, I could see soul traces if I concentrated.

 

Finding the cause of problems from those traces was my method.

 

‘That man’s daughter’s soul was constantly crying out to check behind the frame. I don’t know what’s there either, though.’

 

Of course, customers unrelated to souls might appear, but I had ways to deal with that too.

 

‘If I cover their body with shadows, I can roughly tell their health condition. I can just make up reasons as needed.’

 

Like saying shoulder stiffness is caused by ghosts. Or telling them to face northeast when sleeping. Then I’d give them a proper muscle massage with mana and send them on their way.

 

That was also the reason why a dark room was needed.

 

‘And I don’t need to satisfy every customer. It’s enough to help one out of ten people who are entangled with souls or show signs of curses.’

 

Even if just one or two people see results, this cult-like divine possession will gain credibility.

 

It might seem like easy money, but this was actually a business based on experience. This was how demons who ventured into the Human Realm made money in the distant past.

 

‘I never thought I’d actually use the methods I heard from the elders.’

 

The stories I half-listened to back then are now being put to good use decades and centuries later—you never know what life will bring.

 

While I was lost in reminiscence, someone knocked on the door.

 

“It seems the next customer has arrived.”

 

“Well then, please take care of the next one too.”

 

“Yes. Please give my regards to the deity as well.”

 

‘How cheeky of him, knowing full well that I’m the one moving the Ouija board.’

 

Grid and I parted ways with mutual smiles.

 

“Hello? Grid called me here…”

 

The demon’s next victim entered the room.

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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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