Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 44

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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 044

 

I was able to handle the subsequent customers without any problems.

 

For those who came with no real issues, I made up appropriate words to solve their concerns, and for those plagued by vengeful spirits or curses, I exorcised them with my power.

 

Grid seemed more surprised by how I sweet-talked people with no problems than by my exorcisms and curse removals.

 

“You’re more skilled than I expected.”

 

“I can guess what kind of words people like to hear.”

 

The psychology of people who ask others to solve their problems is generally similar. And listening to such people’s worries has always been something demons do better than gods.

 

Though it rarely ends well.

 

‘It’s easy to say pleasant things rather than meaningful advice.’

 

While things were going smoothly, the first customer returned.

 

“I found it, I finally found it!”

 

What he brought was a crude drawing that looked like a child had drawn it.

 

He excitedly confessed facts no one had asked about to Grid.

 

“This is a family picture my daughter drew when she was little! But because it was so poorly drawn, she was teased by her friends and hid it somewhere. After that, the child got sick and her hands became impaired. So this was her last drawing, this…”

 

“Yes, yes, I understand. Anyway, you found your daughter’s keepsake well, right?”

 

Grid waved his hand dismissively, cutting off the touching story as if he had no interest in it. The man looked a bit displeased, but soon cleared his throat quietly and composed his voice.

 

“Ahem! Anyway, I can see you weren’t running a scam. I’ll pay the fee.”

 

“It’s not a fee, it’s a fortune-telling charge.”

 

“Whatever! Here it is!”

 

He placed a large money pouch on the board. It was enough to easily buy the carriage Grid had prepared.

 

“Well then, I’ll be going back. Hmm.”

 

The man paused to choose his words, then said subtly,

 

“I hope your business goes well.”

 

Despite his gruff manner of speaking, he was certainly a warm-hearted person.

 

Just then, I felt his daughter’s spirit, which had been lingering beside him, bow her head toward me beyond the door.

 

I waved my hand, wishing her a peaceful passing, and saw the father and daughter off.

 

* * *

 

After steadily receiving customers, our business had already entered its third day. It seemed we would soon reach our target amount.

 

Grid seemed fascinated by the money earned from this business, muttering as if for me to hear.

 

“With this level of profit, if we worked for just one month…”

 

“I have no intention of continuing, so give up. I’m only doing this out of necessity for travel preparations.”

 

I spoke firmly, not wanting to give him false hope.

 

I didn’t want to become more famous than necessary and have the Sun God priests catch my tail.

 

“Hmm, that’s unfortunate. If you ever stop being a princess, please contact me. I’ll arrange a position for you.”

 

“You know that’s a tremendous insult to the Imperial Family, right?”

 

“I beg your mercy.”

 

I couldn’t spit on that grinning face. I chuckled and told him to receive what would probably be our last customer.

 

“Tell the boss to come out!”

 

“…?”

 

But what burst through the door weren’t customers, but people in bizarre outfits. They carried robes with stars drawn on them, necklaces with large orbs, and strange-shaped staffs.

 

The moment I saw their attire, I could guess what kind of people they were.

 

“This is the fake fortune-telling shop that’s been doing business without our permission!”

 

“Who gave you permission to do business here!”

 

They were the diviners and exorcists doing business on this street.

 

Grid, who hadn’t expected such a visit, spoke to them in a bewildered voice.

 

“I haven’t heard of there being a guild for fortune-telling shops or exorcists.”

 

“There isn’t one! But there is a Black Market Merchant Guild!”

 

“I’m also a member there…”

 

“Even members shouldn’t do this! Someone who knows the ways of this business!”

 

The diviner at the front gave Grid a lengthy explanation of why they shouldn’t do business here.

 

‘To sum it up in one word, it’s territorial behavior.’

 

It wasn’t worth spending time listening to. They berated him for opening a shop and stealing customers without getting permission from them, the established residents of this street.

 

This was even the Black Market, where such petty rules couldn’t possibly apply.

 

Grid sighed as if he found it absurd.

 

“Good grief, I heard the Black Market’s standards aren’t what they used to be, but… are you saying this seriously? You dare to show territorial behavior toward me?”

 

“We don’t care what your name is! If you don’t want to get hurt, decide right now! Either close your business here! Or pay us tribute!”

 

Naturally, the tribute was an outrageous amount.

 

Grid, thinking he could no longer laugh it off, crossed his legs and answered with a sharp voice.

 

“Ridiculous, how will you force me to pay tribute? Did you think I’d be scared just because you came in numbers?”

 

As if responding to his emotions, the spirit following him began emitting a menacing aura. It was a chilling power that would frighten even ordinary people without magic, but they seemed to have something to rely on and raised their voices instead.

 

“Y-yes! You seem to be a fake but have enough power to mention gods!”

 

‘You look more like fakes to me… huh?’

 

While clicking my tongue at the diviners who had neither spiritual power nor magic, I sensed a faint aura from a woman at the back of the group.

 

It was quite a familiar aura.

 

“We have a boss who’s protected this street for 10 years! Boss! Right!”

 

Annoyed by their commotion, Grid muttered irritably.

 

“Since when has there been a boss in the Black Market?”

 

Regardless, the group kept calling out to the person at the back.

 

The one they pointed to was an elderly, robed man. Unlike the others who kept making noise, he was only sweating coldly and didn’t say a word.

 

No, rather he was muttering excuses.

 

“No, it’s not like that. They forced me to come…”

 

Watching this from beyond the door, I sighed.

 

‘Judging by his reaction, it’s really him.’

 

I was going to leave driving them out to Grid, but it seemed I’d have to step in directly.

 

First, I used shadows to close the door.

 

When the door slammed shut, commotion arose from the group.

 

“Wh-what?”

 

“Who closed the door?”

 

As the group panicked, even the candles in the corner of the room went out.

 

“Oh my!”

 

“D-don’t think we’ll be scared by this!”

 

“Boss! H-hurry and get that guy!”

 

Then the last object, a dagger on the table, trembled and rose into the air. The dagger contained some magic power, so it gave off a faint light.

 

The glowing dagger began swinging busily back and forth as if dancing. Whether that bizarre sight looked threatening, they screamed in terror with tears in their eyes.

 

“Eek! He’s going to kill us!”

 

“S-someone help! There’s a murderer here!”

 

“…”

 

Grid looked at them with complicated eyes.

 

Regardless, I used the tip of the dagger to write out a certain phrase.

 

Naturally, it wasn’t in a language humans could read.

 

This was terminology used by the Demonic Army.

 

Translated into Imperial language…

 

‘There’s an army here too, so what was it. I heard a soldier say it before.’

 

Yes, this would be the perfect analogy.

 

[State rank and name]

 

At that moment, the man called boss saluted toward Grid and shouted.

 

“S-Supply Soldier Corporal Reisi! Reisi!”

 

“B-boss?”

 

His colleagues panicked and tried to stop him, but not hearing my response, he continued shouting his rank and name.

 

This confirmed it.

 

She, the soldier Reisi, had detected that a superior she wouldn’t dare make eye contact with was hiding in this place.

 

“Corporal, Reisi!”

 

The faces of his comrades, who finally realized they couldn’t stop him, turned deathly pale.

 

“The boss has gone crazy!”

 

“He’s been possessed by a ghost!”

 

“Really, there really was a god!”

 

Whether this man named Reisi had been their mental pillar, the group instantly fell apart. They began frantically pounding on the exit, and thinking it was about time, I opened the exit for them.

 

“Aaaaah!”

 

“Someone save us!”

 

After all the fake diviners had left, only Grid and Reisi remained in the room. Reisi was still maintaining his salute position.

 

‘Oh no, if he’s a corporal, he’s just a kid.’

 

I hadn’t expected him to be such a low-ranking soldier, so I felt unnecessarily guilty.

 

I couldn’t just leave him standing there sweating profusely in the same position without even being able to close his eyes, so I opened the door and entered the room.

 

“…Hello?”

 

“Su, supply soldier Corporal Reisi!”

 

You can stop now.

 

I smiled awkwardly, leaving behind Grid’s gaze that had lost all traces of amusement.

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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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