Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 56

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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 056

 

The second day of treatment could proceed much faster than expected.

 

The reason was thanks to Viscount Gorden’s sacrificial help.

 

“I’ve brought all the remaining patients to the buildings near the castle. You don’t need to go far anymore.”

 

I had personally visited private homes to treat patients to avoid burdening those whose stamina had deteriorated. When asked why he did such a thing, Viscount Gorden said not to worry.

 

“We mobilized every carriage in the city to move the patients. The patients didn’t move a single step.”

 

When asked where such manpower and time came from.

 

“Among those who received salvation from Her Highness the Princess, the healthy ones helped all night. We’re all fine, so please don’t worry.”

 

When he said such words with bloodshot red eyes, there was nothing I could do but say he had worked hard.

 

Even so, he was moved and kept thanking me repeatedly.

 

‘Did he not receive much praise when he was young?’

 

It was such an excessive reaction that I had that thought.

 

Anyway, thanks to that, I finished the treatment much faster than I had expected. The aftereffects did flare up again in the middle, but after resting for two or three hours, I could move without problems.

 

By the time all residents’ treatment was finished, the sun had already begun to set slowly.

 

‘Now, the next thing to do is…’

 

I immediately went to find the lake in charge of the city’s center and water source. Now if I just remove the source of magic power here, this city should be safe too.

 

Ivan spoke to me as I was looking around the lake.

 

“So Princess, is there really a contamination source in there?”

 

“Yeah. I can see it with my eyes. It’s sunken at the bottom of the lake.”

 

I couldn’t specify its exact appearance, but I could definitely know its location.

 

“Like what I did to the patients, if I touch that thing, I should be able to recover the magic power.”

 

“It’s magic power strong enough to make an entire city sick. Won’t something terrible happen to you too, Princess?”

 

“Normally that would be the case, but I’m different. I have special means.”

 

Even at a glance, it was tremendous magic power, but it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t absorb it.

 

I could drink it directly myself, or I could refine it into a form like a magic stone and transport it.

 

‘The medium for making magic stones is gems. And thanks to being part of the Imperial Family, I have plenty of high-quality gems.’

 

If worst came to worst, I could just take it myself directly. I wasn’t the type to get magic sickness anyway.

 

“Hmm, I see. Then should I go in and bring out that contamination source? You can’t pull it out from here, right?”

 

At Ivan’s words, I frowned asking what he was talking about.

 

“Did you listen to my explanation? If you touch that, you’ll immediately get magic sickness. You’re no exception either.”

 

“Then how will you get it out?”

 

“I have to go in myself.”

 

“…What?”

 

I tied up my hair and rolled up my sleeves. Then I moved my body this way and that to loosen my muscles so I wouldn’t get cramps.

 

Then Ivan and Liribel suddenly approached and said.

 

“Wh-what are you saying, Princess! Do you know what season it is right now?”

 

“Winter, right?”

 

“That’s right! You might freeze to death if you go in!”

 

“Don’t worry, I can block the cold.”

 

Blocking the cold with magic power was an easy task.

 

“But, but…”

 

Ivan, who was listening, let out a hollow laugh.

 

“I always think this, but Princess, you always exceed expectations. For royalty to fall into a lake… don’t you have any shame?”

 

“These clothes may not look it, but they’re activewear so they won’t be see-through. Besides, is this the time to worry about such appearances?”

 

If rumors spread that the princess was swimming in a lake, it wouldn’t be good, but I was tired of worrying about such trivial rumors.

 

“There’s no other way besides this. I’m the only person who can go inside the lake.”

 

Liribel, finally convinced by my words, told me to wait a moment and ran to the castle. Not long after, she returned carrying several towels and coats.

 

“It would be terrible if you caught a cold!”

 

I smiled bitterly and thanked her, then turned toward the lake again.

 

After tying my hair and taking off my shoes, I said to the two people.

 

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry and wait.”

 

Then I threw my body into the lake.

 

Right after entering the lake with a splash, I drew up magic power and wrapped it around my body. The cold disappeared and my body became lighter.

 

‘It’s fortunate that the lake isn’t frozen. Let’s see, the contamination source is… over there.’

 

I moved my arms and legs quickly, heading toward the center of the lake. At the bottom of the lake dyed red by the sunset, the contamination source I was looking for was placed.

 

When I saw its identity, I frowned.

 

‘It’s just a stone?’

 

The identity of the object emitting tremendous magic power was an ordinary stone that didn’t look suspicious at all. I picked it up and examined it from various angles.

 

The stone showed no traces of magic, let alone any mystery.

 

For me who had been thinking of things like artifacts with sealed spirits, engines of ancient weapons, or traces of the demon king, this was a disappointing result.

 

‘No, should I say it’s fortunate that it’s not a great object? But why does such a stone contain magic power?’

 

Magic power doesn’t dwell without reason. There must definitely be a reason.

 

I turned the stone this way and that. Then the stone was touched by the sunset light, and only then did I realize the identity of this stone.

 

‘What, so that’s what it was?’

 

Laughter flowed out of me unconsciously at the futile identity that made all the hardships and worries I’d had so far feel hollow.

 

To think this whole mess happened because of such a coincidence. It was an absurd situation I had never experienced even in my previous life.

 

‘Let’s just absorb it and finish. There’s no need to waste time unnecessarily.’

 

I immediately concentrated my mind and extracted the magic power from the stone. Fortunately, containing it in my body was easy. At times like this, having the soul of a demon king’s bloodline that could hold infinite magic power was truly fortunate.

 

Having absorbed all the magic power from the stone without leaving any behind, I immediately swam to the surface where Liribel and Ivan would be waiting.

 

The moment I showed my face above the surface.

 

“Puha-! Liribel, Ivan. There’s an interesting fact… huh?”

 

I met dozens, hundreds of eyes looking at me.

 

“…?”

 

Confused and stiff, I looked around bewildered, when Liribel came rushing over making a fuss.

 

“Kyaa! No, you can’t! Cover yourself, Princess!”

 

She randomly wrapped the towels and coats she was holding around my body. I, who had been like a drowned rat, instantly became a walking ball of fur.

 

I asked Ivan, who was relatively calm.

 

“What happened?”

 

Then he shrugged his shoulders.

 

“It’s just as you see. The city residents were watching Princess’s activities.”

 

The hundreds of eyes surrounding the lake all belonged to the village residents.

 

The village residents who had appeared at some point were surrounding the lake in a circle, staring intently at me.

 

I thought they had come to watch out of curiosity about how I would eliminate the contamination, but somehow the people’s appearance was unusual.

 

From people kneeling and praying to people looking up at the sky and shedding tears, people covering their eyes as if they couldn’t bear to watch but not leaving… they were showing incomprehensible behavior.

 

The best among them was Viscount Gorden.

 

He was staring with wide eyes as if he couldn’t miss this scene at all. It was quite scary since he wasn’t even blinking.

 

Liribel approached me, who was flustered, and whispered carefully.

 

“Actually, not long after Princess entered the lake, an intense light burst out. People gathered after seeing that.”

 

‘Light… ah, because of the stone?’

 

It seemed light had flowed out while I was absorbing the magic power contained in the stone.

 

If I had known this would happen, I should have hidden somewhere to absorb it.

 

“Those people are calling it a miracle.”

 

“It’s just a magical effect.”

 

“Whether that explanation will work…”

 

Liribel gave a bitter smile.

 

“Let’s go back for now. I have things to explain about this stone too.”

 

Having shaken off the moisture to some extent, I took off several layers of coats and walked toward the street.

 

And the moment we reached the crowd.

 

“Ah, Saint.”

 

“Long live Princess Deina!”

 

The village residents all knelt down in unison and began praising me.

 

Yet as if they wouldn’t block my path, the crowd parted left and right as if an earthquake had struck.

 

‘Please stop…’

 

This excessive treatment brought me no joy at all. All I had done was absorb mana.

 

I asked them with a troubled expression to stand up, but they wouldn’t budge.

 

“Viscount Gorden!”

 

This time I sent a look toward Viscount Gorden, telling him to do something about these people. But he wasn’t in his right mind either.

 

“Ah, that radiant light, a miracle… Indeed, Your Highness the Princess has… the qualities of an Emperor…”

 

He kept muttering incomprehensible words.

 

Given the situation, I had no choice but to quickly escape from this place.

 

“Ivan, Liribel! Let’s go back!”

 

I began running toward the castle.

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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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