Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 5

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Struggling to Pretend to Be Human Today Episode 005

* * *

Emma headed to the Main Palace as soon as I gave her the letter. Since she was acquainted with the Main Palace administrator, the letter would quickly reach the Emperor.

‘I was worried because her reaction was strange, but it seems she listened well.’

During my conversation with Emma, I recalled how emotions had unexpectedly welled up inside me.

For a moment I thought I might have frightened Emma, but she readily agreed to my request without asking any particular reason.

‘I should consider it fortunate…’

Anyway, perhaps thanks to Emma’s efforts, the Emperor’s response came back in just two days.

The problem was that the person who brought that response was an unexpected figure.

“It’s my first time meeting you, Your Highness the Princess. I am Loreil Delchis.”

I was shocked to see the man standing at the front gate of the Separate Palace, offering a polite greeting.

‘Delchis? That’s the Prime Minister!’

The Empire’s Prime Minister, the head of the Nobility Council known to have the strongest power after the Emperor.

I never imagined that the Delchis Family would send someone.

Moreover, seeing that he used the family name directly, Loreil was definitely a child of the Marquis.

I didn’t know if he was the heir or a second son or younger, but in any case, he wasn’t someone who should be mobilized for such work.

‘Why? The Emperor wouldn’t have asked the Delchis Family for a favor.’

“Your Highness the Princess?”

“…It’s my first time meeting you, Lord Loreil. I am Deina Rifeon.”

My confusion was brief, and I politely returned the greeting.

‘I’ll figure out the reason later. Right now it’s important not to arouse unnecessary suspicion.’

Loreil slightly raised his eyebrows as if surprised, but soon composed his expression and spoke.

“You seem quite healthy, contrary to the rumors.”

“Rumors tend to be exaggerated.”

“You speak truly.”

Loreil smiled briefly. It was a mask-like smile that felt insincere.

‘Speaking of which, he’s not typical of an Imperial citizen.’

Only then did his face come into view. His dark red eyes were impressive, but his black hair that seemed to absorb light reminded me of the demon clan.

His straight eyebrows that showed stubbornness, sharp eyes, and the solid physique felt beneath his clothes gave the impression of a warrior’s experience.

It felt nostalgic, like looking at a soldier from the demon realm.

‘I should stop staring.’

Assessing someone’s combat ability upon first meeting was very rude. I set aside Asmodina’s habits for now and guided Loreil.

“Let’s go to the garden. It happens to be tea time, so I’ve prepared refreshments.”

“Then I’ll take the liberty.”

We headed to the Separate Palace’s garden.

Though called a separate palace, it was the size of a small mansion, so we quickly arrived at the garden.

Seeing the garden, Loreil hesitantly said.

“The garden is very… cozy.”

He seemed to be forcing a compliment for courtesy’s sake, having nothing else to say.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

There was no need to go to such lengths, but I smiled back, touched by his thoughtfulness.

In truth, the Separate Palace’s garden wasn’t beautiful. The weeds were quite overgrown, the fountain was unmanaged with vines growing on it. Moreover, the garden’s identity was defined by the dense wildflowers growing in the center.

‘I think even this much is quite nice.’

Of course it couldn’t match the Main Palace’s flower garden, but this had its own charm.

We sat facing each other at a small table beside the fountain. Emma approached just then and poured tea for us.

“Then, I shall convey His Majesty the Emperor’s message.”

“Yes.”

“His Majesty wishes you to take charge of an event, both to announce Princess Deina’s recovery and for your health.”

“An event, you say…”

“It’s the congratulatory address for the year-end event.”

The Imperial Family’s duties were varied. Besides the Empire’s diplomacy and finances, they had to frequently appear at events to strengthen internal affairs. Harvest festivals and year-end celebrations were typical, and it seemed the Emperor intended to entrust me with one of the year-end events.

By successfully completing that event, I would prove that I was healthy enough to be active.

If I succeeded in that, it would also become easier to find a fiancé.

‘Since there are so many year-end events held in the capital, maybe he’ll assign me one that doesn’t matter if I fail.’

But the answer that came back was different from my expectation.

“The event is the Arena held in the capital. Are you familiar with it?”

“…I know of it.”

The Arena. Also called the fighting arena, a martial arts tournament for warriors.

Though I had never attended in person, it was considered the greatest event for the Empire’s young citizens.

‘That old geezer…’

I smiled faintly while drinking tea, but inside, anger toward the Emperor was boiling up.

‘Making a princess oversee a fighting arena?’

It was common for the Imperial Family to oversee traditional events, but I had never heard of a princess being assigned a bloody event.

I was foolish to think he would naturally assign me an event like an exhibition or concert.

‘That old geezer is definitely planning to make me a laughingstock.’

The cursed princess, as I was rumored to be, hosting a fighting arena. I could already see the audience’s cold stares before my eyes.

‘Is he telling me never to come out of the Separate Palace again?’

As anger rose at the Emperor’s incomprehensible intentions, Loreil spoke.

“The matches are scheduled to be held next month. Since it’s a three-day tournament, I recommend clearing your schedule in advance.”

I nodded while suppressing a sigh.

Since the Emperor had given a direct order anyway, there was no justification for refusal.

“For site inspection, we’ll need to tour the venue together tomorrow. Is that acceptable?”

“It’s fine, but… wait, will Lord Loreil be participating as well?”

“Yes. Since Your Highness wouldn’t know the geography outside the Imperial Palace, you need a guide, don’t you?”

I did need one, but I hadn’t thought of appointing the son of the Prime Minister as that guide.

I asked while hiding my confusion.

“Did His Majesty the Emperor tell Lord Loreil to assist me?”

“Yes.”

“To volunteer as a guide like a secretary?”

“…Yes.”

He answered, but I felt a moment’s hesitation. It meant this wasn’t what he wanted.

‘Is it the Prime Minister’s will? Or the Emperor’s check on the Prime Minister?’

There was nothing I could be certain of yet. Loreil also seemed unwilling to give any more clues, speaking in a firm voice.

“Of course, if Your Highness feels uncomfortable, I’ll arrange for a substitute.”

His tone suggested he hoped I would ask for a substitute, but I declined.

“No, it’s fine. Having someone as reliable as Lord Loreil by my side would be a great help to me.”

“…I see.”

Though it was a brief moment, I sensed disappointment in Loreil’s eyes. He might think he was hiding it well, but his reluctance to participate in this work was obvious.

Though I felt sorry for Loreil, as someone with not even a single lady-in-waiting, I needed someone to help with external schedules.

‘If he’s the Prime Minister’s child, his status alone makes him worth using.’

I hid my true thoughts and sent him a trusting look. Then he returned a mask-like smile.

“Then I’ll inform you of the detailed schedule again tomorrow.”

With our business finished, we stood up to part ways. After exchanging perfunctory farewells and seeing him off, a question suddenly occurred to me.

‘Come to think of it, I think the Prime Minister’s heir was older than me.’

In my childhood, I had heard news that the Prime Minister’s heir was actively working. After more than ten years, his age would be around thirty.

Then were the heir and Loreil brothers?

I casually asked him a question.

“Lord Loreil, you had a brother, didn’t you? How is he doing?”

“…Ah.”

At that moment, Loreil’s expression hardened.

“You didn’t… know?”

“Pardon? Know what?”

“My brother is dead.”

‘…Oh no.’

In that moment, I instinctively knew I had touched a landmine.

My panic was brief as I tried to somehow apologize to Loreil. However, I lost my words due to the changes spreading across his body.

‘What is that? Smoke?’

Strange smoke had suddenly begun rising from his shoulder. The smoke, which looked sticky like mud, climbed up Loreil’s shoulder and formed a bizarre shape.

[Kiiiii-]

The smoke soon transformed into the form of a spider with dozens of legs.

Unaware of my stunned feelings at facing this sudden monster, Loreil continued his explanation in a stiff voice.

“My brother lost his life in an unfortunate accident. I am now the heir.”

Loreil seemed unable to see that monster. The more he spoke, the larger the body of the monster perched on his shoulder grew.

“…so you didn’t know. I understand…”

The enlarged monster eventually covered even Loreil’s face, making his voice barely audible.

A crystallization of malice invisible to humans. I knew what that thing was.

‘A curse.’

Loreil was definitely cursed by someone.

‘What’s the trigger? Talk about his brother? The heir? Anyway, I can’t let him keep talking!’

This type of curse drains the life force of the cursed person as it grows larger. Just as I was examining it to somehow identify the curse’s nature.

“So… to me.”

[Grrrrr…]

As if sensing that it was being targeted, the monster bared its teeth at me. And it tried to thrust that horrible face forward,

‘Sp-spiders are awful!’

It was a fact that came to mind anew, but I absolutely hated spiders.

That remained true even now that Asmodina’s memories had returned.

Just seeing that creature with many legs made revulsion surge up involuntarily.

“Your Highness…?”

[Kyaaaaa!]

Sensing my strange reaction, Loreil called out to me with a worried voice. At the same time, the spider’s legs approached.

“D-don’t come closer!”

In the end, I squeezed my eyes shut and toward the spider…

“Ah.”

I threw my fist forward with great force.

My fist, filled with magic power, struck the spider’s face very hard.

[Kieeeeeek-!]

Bang-!

With a tremendous explosion, I burst the spider.

“…”

When I opened my eyes, I saw Loreil staring at me blankly. No, what he was looking at wasn’t exactly me.

It was my fist that had stopped precariously in front of his nose.

Trickle-

At the same time, blood flowed from his nose due to the shockwave created when my fist shot forward.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————