Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 45

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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 045

 

‘If he’s a corporal… he probably has never met me before.’

 

To help ease his tension, I approached and patted his shoulder.

 

“You can stop now. I heard everything.”

 

“Th-thank you!”

 

Reisi lowered his arm and stiffened into attention. I sighed and gave another order.

 

“At ease.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Only then did Reisi’s body relax a bit. Of course, he was still tense.

 

‘Even though he looks like this, he’s much older than me in appearance, so I feel a bit sorry.’

 

Moreover, Grid’s eyes watching me from behind were quite unsettling. It was as if he was looking at some unidentifiable monster.

 

I brought over a guest chair and had him sit down.

 

“Now, Reisi. Take some deep breaths first. I didn’t keep you here to scold you.”

 

“Y-yes! Understood!”

 

As I patted him while he forced himself to breathe deeply, I asked in a small voice.

 

“First, do you know who I am?”

 

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t know your name. Just that you’re someone very high-ranking…”

 

It was praiseworthy that he didn’t use the term “demon” here. I nodded to show I understood.

 

Since the military values chain of command, superiors and subordinates are trained to distinguish each other’s magical power through training.

 

I sensed he was a subordinate, a soldier, the moment I saw him, and he would have felt the aura of a (very high-ranking) superior from the faint magical power in the room.

 

Since the nature of magical power is more important than its quantity, he probably realized I was at least a major general or higher.

 

His face turning pale the moment he entered the room was probably because of that.

 

He came to deal with a fake diviner, but found a general-level superior waiting for him.

 

‘I don’t like giving hints this way.’

 

Even before, I heard that whenever I said I wanted to go for a walk, the entire unit would mobilize for cleaning and organizing. After hearing that hundreds or thousands of soldiers reacted to my every schedule, I spent entire holidays not budging from my quarters.

 

So I wasn’t pleased with this situation of intimidating a single soldier.

 

“For now, call me Deina. Do you know who that is?”

 

He glanced at my platinum eyes and said.

 

“Y-Your Highness the Princess, right?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

I was trying to play along appropriately when he introduced himself first.

 

“P-please call me Gunter. That’s my current name.”

 

Having lived as a human for quite some time, he seemed to know how to play his role tactfully. It was much more comfortable than dealing with Ruslara or Gregory.

 

I nodded in understanding, then asked in the gentlest tone possible.

 

“First, let me ask why you came here. Was it really to assert territorial rights?”

 

“No! I only came because those kids asked me to come with them!”

 

He protested his innocence and explained the situation.

 

It was true that Gunter was a veteran diviner of the black market. However, he was merely a diviner barely scraping by in a small shop, not someone who earned the nickname “godfather” as they claimed.

 

“Those kids just built me up on their own. I never agreed to things like tribute rules.”

 

He continuously complained that bringing him along was just because they needed a shield.

 

‘He does look genuinely wronged…’

 

Still, it was hard to believe readily. When I turned my gaze to look at Grid, he pondered deeply before nodding.

 

“It’s probably not a lie. I’ve heard the name Gunter before too. A fortune teller who’s good at reading the atmosphere. If the rumors are true, he’s not someone who would get involved in such foolish matters.”

 

Then there was nothing more to pursue. The ones who committed the wrongdoing were those who fled, and I couldn’t hold Gunter responsible now.

 

‘I should ask later why a demon… and a possessed one at that, is living in the Empire.’

 

That wasn’t a conversation to have in front of Grid.

 

“Then Gunter, we’re planning to do business here just a little longer before closing up. You won’t interfere, right?”

 

“Of course! Not just those kids, but I’ll warn the other fortune tellers too! To absolutely not touch this place!”

 

At his sincere answer, I nodded gratefully.

 

But Grid seemed unconvinced. He stood up and approached Gunter.

 

“Before we just send him away, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Thinking he might question the origin of the name ‘Reisi’ or the military language, I stepped in front of Gunter.

 

For Grid, these would be unfamiliar terms worth suspecting.

 

But he shrugged and said.

 

“It’s not a question because of your conversation. How many secrets does Her Highness have? I know well enough that there are things I shouldn’t meddle in.”

 

He grumbled that he disliked “how” and “why” questions to begin with.

 

‘Come to think of it, when we first met, he didn’t ask how I recognized the spirit either.’

 

I thought it was because he was flustered then, but it seemed to be due to his personality.

 

Of course, with a spirit attached, he probably already heard that my previous life was as a demon.

 

“Then what are you curious about?”

 

“As I know it, Gunter is someone who migrated from the Jins royal palace 10 years ago.”

 

“Jins Kingdom…”

 

That was the name of the country of the princess we were going to meet.

 

Grid nodded and said.

 

“Due to his profession, he would hear more information than merchants. Since Her Highness says she’s acquainted with him, I thought to ask about Jins Kingdom while we’re at it.”

 

“For my sake?”

 

“Everything I’ve done so far has been for Her Highness’s sake, hasn’t it?”

 

He was sweetly flattering me, but there was definitely some hidden agenda.

 

However, it was also true that it would be helpful, so I decided to agree for now.

 

“Instead, Grid, you wait in that room over there. I’ll talk with Gunter alone.”

 

“To think you distrust me this much, I’m hurt.”

 

“Go on.”

 

Grid pouted regretfully and headed to the hidden room where I had been.

 

I turned my head back toward Gunter.

 

“So, could you tell me about Jins Kingdom?”

 

“That’s not difficult, but…”

 

He glanced at the room Grid entered and whispered to me.

 

“Your Highness, there are many perverts among dark spirit users.”

 

“I know. I’ll handle it myself.”

 

Then Gunter nodded reluctantly.

 

“I don’t know what to start with… Ah, you know that a rebellion broke out in Jins Kingdom, right?”

 

“Yes, actually we’re supposed to go pick up a princess who’s coming to seek asylum from there.”

 

“A princess… would that be Princess Chloe?”

 

“That’s right, do you know what kind of person she is?”

 

Gunter’s complexion darkened.

 

“I don’t know well. But if they’re sending someone into exile, it would probably be Princess Chloe. Among the royalty, she’s the only one those bastards treat somewhat like royalty. Really, no matter what, that’s just…”

 

“Wait.”

 

Just then, I caught a nuance I couldn’t let slide.

 

“Those bastards you mentioned, you mean the rebels?”

 

“Ah, that’s right. It was probably the ducal faction, wasn’t it?”

 

“You know them?”

 

Then Gunter asked back instead.

 

“Don’t you know? I naturally thought you’d be acquainted.”

 

“What are you talking about? How would I know them?”

 

“Because they’re soldiers too.”

 

“…What?”

 

“The mercenaries hired by the duke are all demons. Military veterans too. Since Your Highness is such a high-ranking officer, I naturally thought you’d be their superior…”

 

My mind went completely blank. When I couldn’t continue speaking, Gunter hastily added an explanation.

 

“Then you don’t know their unit name either? It caused quite a stir at one time, so honestly, I thought no demon in this world could be unaware of it.”

 

“What’s the unit name?”

 

“Pind Di… Haven’t you heard of it?”

 

I hadn’t heard of it. But I could understand what it meant.

 

‘Pind, in the demon language means ‘find, search’.’

 

And Di… it was the spelling used when shortening my past life name, Asmodina.

 

In other words, their unit name was.

 

[Find Asmodina.]

 

…That’s what it meant.

 

I let out a deep sigh and rubbed my face.

 

It seemed that my subordinates from the Demon Realm had come to the Human Realm to find me.

 

‘And they even overthrew a country.’

 

My head began to throb as I wondered where to even start solving this problem.

 

“Any, any other information? Who’s the leader of this Pind Di?”

 

“I don’t know about the executives either. Besides, I fled to the Empire trying to save my life somehow… Ah! But I do know what kind of power Pind Di uses! They fight quite spectacularly.”

 

He raised his index finger as if recalling that time and said.

 

“They controlled trees. There were earthquakes, and the ground turned upside down.”

 

‘I know who it is.’

 

I covered my face and lowered my head.

 

A commander who controls trees and earth. And an eccentric who even created a unit name to announce they were looking for me.

 

‘Listen well, Mother. If you die while I’m gone, I won’t let it slide. I’ll chase you to hell. If you’re going to die, die with me.’

 

The Second Legion Commander with a foul mouth.

 

And the daughter I adopted in my later years.

 

It was Asmo-rina.

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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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