Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 51

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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 051

 

Perhaps because I easily dodged the arrow, I began to be included in the enemies’ attack range as well.

 

If they had only shot arrows, I could have continued avoiding them by pretending to pick up money that fell on the ground or pretending to tie my shoelaces, but when five swords thrust at me simultaneously, I had no choice but to move.

 

So I lightly stepped aside and changed my position.

 

“What are you doing!”

 

It was right in front of Loreil’s nose.

 

Loreil, who was already busy dealing with over ten enemies, seemed flustered when I stood right in front of him and bit his sword.

 

“I’m sorry, Loreil. I was so scared that… I can’t defeat the enemies, so I’d like to ask you to handle it.”

 

Since I don’t have a sword, you should take care of it yourself.

 

“Behind that large tree over there, no one will be able to see. In front of me, don’t interfere!”

 

If you go over there, you’ll be out of my sight, so go fight there and come back.

 

“I’m afraid of the dark.”

 

Meaning I don’t want to go.

 

“Ugh…!”

 

I didn’t need to interpret this one. His eyes turned bright red (though they were already red) as he glared at me, then swung his sword at the enemies again.

 

I moved my body exquisitely so that while staying out of Loreil’s attack range, I directed the enemies’ attacks toward Loreil.

 

I moved so close to Loreil that I was almost embracing him, and to others it would have looked like we were dancing together.

 

Loreil probably thought I was playing around, but I had my own reasons.

 

‘Though this is a level Ivan could handle, it would be troublesome if Loreil discovered his identity.’

 

Currently, Ivan was guarding the carriage with movements that didn’t seem like an assassin’s. If he had to engage in full combat with the enemies, Loreil might guess his identity from watching his movements.

 

The other guards still lacked skill, so I had no choice but to leave it to Loreil.

 

‘But Loreil’s skills are quite good too.’

 

I was secretly impressed by Loreil’s abilities, which were better than I had expected.

 

When I first met him, I thought his strength was quite impressive, but I still considered it within human range.

 

But the power he actually displayed was quite surprising.

 

‘At this level, he’s not just a demon soldier but knight-class.’

 

He simply couldn’t use magic, but his swordsmanship was flawless. What felt particularly impressive was that this wasn’t skill obtained through excellent swordsmanship training, but power thoroughly honed through real combat.

 

I wondered if he had been rolling around on some battlefield for 10 years.

 

“Haa, huu…”

 

Even for someone like Loreil, handling about 20 enemies alone wasn’t easy, and by the time the battle ended, he was breathing heavily.

 

‘His skills deserve praise, but this is careless.’

 

He stuck his sword in the ground and bent over to rest for a moment, but unfortunately, the battle wasn’t over.

 

“…Die!”

 

Because there was one last assassin remaining, waiting for Loreil’s strength to wane. He burst out from the darkness and swung his sword at Loreil.

 

“Damn…!”

 

Even for Loreil, it wasn’t easy to counterattack with his sword lowered. He hastily raised his arm to try to block the fatal blow.

 

‘That’s why you shouldn’t let your guard down until the very end.’

 

Seeing him be careless in this way, he still had a long way to go.

 

I casually walked in front of him.

 

“Princess…!”

 

Surprised, he tried to stop me, but I was already moving toward the enemy.

 

“Get out of the way, or else…!”

 

“Ah, I’m dizzy from seeing too much blood!”

 

I pretended to stagger and bent my body forward. Then I dove into the charging assassin’s embrace, grabbed the arm holding the sword, and.

 

“…!”

 

Spun him around and threw him down. As if he never imagined being thrown by a woman in a dress, the man was slammed into the ground.

 

“Kugh!”

 

I stepped on his wrist so he couldn’t get up again. Then I looked at Loreil.

 

“Loreil, this person suddenly fell down!”

 

“…Ha.”

 

He let out a hollow laugh, pulled out the sword that had been stuck in the ground, came over and dealt with the assassin in my place. I stepped back to avoid getting blood on me and clapped my hands to praise his skill.

 

“Amazing. You have luck on your side too.”

 

“How long do you think such ridiculous excuses will work?”

 

He frowned as he wiped the blood off his sword. I tilted my head as if I didn’t know what he was talking about.

 

“Loreil, I’m not good at lying.”

 

He twisted the corner of his mouth, then soon let out a sigh. Then he walked past me toward where his carriage was.

 

“I’ll go check on my subordinates.”

 

“Please do.”

 

“And…”

 

He stopped walking for a moment and spoke in a whisper.

 

“Thank you for helping.”

 

When I turned my head, he was already heading down the slope. I watched his retreating figure and muttered.

 

“He really doesn’t seem like a bad person.”

 

If only he would drop his suspicions about demons, we might be able to become friends. It was regrettable.

 

* * *

 

Fortunately, thanks to the supplies we had prepared in advance, we were able to repair Loreil’s carriage smoothly.

 

However, time was delayed due to the attack, and by the time the repairs were finished, it had become late evening. I was going to suggest that he stay at the campsite for the night, but Loreil refused.

 

“Didn’t I tell you I would leave first?”

 

“But there was an attack…”

 

“It’s fine. I can’t cause any more trouble.”

 

Perhaps he had a personality that insisted on keeping his word, as he said he would definitely leave, relying on torches for the journey.

 

Since it seemed impossible to change his stubborn mind, I suggested that at least the wounded could stay at the campsite.

 

Fortunately, the rescue team would arrive the next morning, so it wouldn’t be a big burden for us either.

 

Loreil seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually stepped back, asking us to take care of them.

 

Perhaps he felt indebted for my help, as his attitude was softer than when we had talked during the day.

 

‘In the end, he didn’t tell me where those soldiers who targeted him came from. Well, it’s not really my business to interfere.’

 

I was curious, but I had no intention of asking. I might get entangled in unnecessary political strife.

 

After seeing Loreil off like that, the next day I handed the wounded over to the rescue team at the campsite and headed to the next destination.

 

Since this was a single road, Loreil would have used the same route the day before.

 

‘Who was the nobleman in charge of the next domain again? Will they hold a brief banquet when I arrive? Or maybe a dinner party…’

 

I was checking my schedule like a proper princess when suddenly the carriage window opened and Ivan stuck his head out.

 

“Um, Princess.”

 

“What?”

 

“The young master. He’s quite strong, isn’t he?”

 

The young master here referred to Loreil. Perhaps because he was a former employer, Ivan often called him young master.

 

“Yes, his skills were good.”

 

“Better than me?”

 

“What?”

 

I frowned and turned my gaze to him. Then Ivan rolled his eyes around and said.

 

“Well, I was wondering which of us would be stronger in comparison.”

 

“You can gauge that much yourself.”

 

“I wanted to hear someone else’s evaluation too.”

 

I answered decisively as if there was no need to think about it further.

 

“Loreil is stronger. If you fought a hundred times, you’d lose all hundred, wouldn’t you?”

 

“…Hmm, I see.”

 

Ivan said he understood and closed the window. He didn’t seem upset about being told he was weaker. Rather, he looked as if he had resolved something, with an expression that even showed determination.

 

‘Why is he acting like that again?’

 

The minds of human men like Ivan and Loreil were difficult to predict.

 

Thinking he would speak up again if he had business, I tried to focus on my schedule again, but this time someone knocked on the window from the opposite door.

 

“Um, Your Highness the Princess. There’s a problem.”

 

He was one of the soldiers in charge of guidance.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“It’s a bit difficult to explain… I think you should come out and see for yourself.”

 

Following the soldier’s words, I opened the window and looked ahead. Across the road, I could see the city we needed to stop at.

 

A leisurely small city with hills and a small lake, buildings large and small lined up… The appearance seemed fine, but a sign by the roadside blocking our carriage caught my attention.

 

[Entry Prohibited.]

 

[Curse epidemic spreading.]

 

Red paint that looked as if it were written in blood. And the word “epidemic” rewritten after roughly erasing the word “curse.”

 

I pointed to the half-erased word “curse” and asked.

 

“That’s not referring to me, is it?”

 

A welcome sign for the cursed princess?

 

Then Ivan, who was on horseback, and Liribel, who was sitting next to the coachman, shouted in unison.

 

“No!”

 

“That can’t be!”

 

“Uh, uhm.”

 

Right, how would they know when I was coming to make such a sign.

 

I nodded bewilderedly at their outcries.

 

“Ivan, so we can check the city’s situation first…”

 

“I already sent someone. They’ll arrive soon.”

 

Ivan, who had already assessed the situation, seemed to have sent his subordinate to scout. After a few minutes, the subordinate who returned from the city stood before Ivan and me and began his report.

 

The content was shocking.

 

“Four days ago, a mysterious epidemic swept through the city. The symptoms, from what I heard…”

 

He glanced at me and carefully added.

 

“The legs become paralyzed, and the eyes… turn golden.”

 

Golden eyes.

 

When those two words were put together, the first name that naturally came to mind was, of course, me, Deina.

 

“…”

 

This time, all the companions fell silent.

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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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