Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 6

—————

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

—————

Pretending to Be Human: Episode 006

I hastily withdrew my fist, but the damage was already done.

Fortunately, the curse had dissipated, but the real problem was Loreil, who had suffered a far greater shock.

“D-did something just explode?”

“Your Highness? Are you alright!”

The Maids, having heard the commotion, began searching for me urgently.

‘What do I do now?’

I had no idea what excuse to offer.

Should I claim there was a fly right in front of me and I swatted it? Say the explosion was a bolt from the blue?

As my mind churned with possibilities, Loreil spoke up.

“Was that… magical power just now?”

“I-I beg your pardon?”

“Did you use magic? Your Highness, surely you don’t…”

Ordinary humans cannot sense divine or magical power.

Just as humans cannot see air, magical and divine power were natural elements.

Of course, a Priest could sense my magical power, but that would be described as detecting the nature of a Demon.

Yet Loreil, who was no Priest, had sensed my magical power. That meant…

‘Could it be that Demon blood truly flows through him?’

But I sensed no Demonic aura from him whatsoever—nothing except his appearance. I pressed the bewildered Loreil.

“Why won’t you answer? I’m asking if that was truly magical power!”

“That….”

“And that unsettling magical power—you’re no ordinary human…!”

Just as Loreil seized my shoulder, ready to interrogate me further.

“Cough!”

I coughed violently. As expected, black blood surged up my throat again.

‘All that from using just a little magic…!’

I tried desperately to cover my mouth, but this hemorrhage was far worse than before. As my breath caught, I found myself collapsing to the ground without thinking.

“Cough, cough!”

“What— Your Highness! Your Highness the Princess! Listen to me! Is anyone here!”

As my breath grew shallow, my consciousness began to fade. I was falling to the ground when Loreil caught me.

He held me in his arms and asked urgently.

“Answer me before you lose consciousness!”

‘What kind of thing is that to say?’

I’d just saved him from a curse, and not even a word of thanks!

With the resolve never to save him again, I closed my eyes.

In the distance, I could hear the voices of Liribel and Emma….

* * *

Inside the quiet carriage, Loreil gazed out the window at the setting sun, then exhaled a short sigh with his arms crossed.

‘What on earth was that?’

The incident had unfolded so swiftly that my mind struggled to process what had transpired.

Deina, confined to the Separate Palace and ignorant of the world’s affairs, was about to hear an explanation of the Marquis’ family circumstances when—

I thought I was going to die.

Her fist came hurtling toward me.

I couldn’t fathom why she’d thrown that punch.

Was it an expression of her refusal to hear about the Marquis’ family affairs? Or had the destructive impulses of a demon’s reincarnation—as the rumors suggested—awakened within her?

What troubled me most was the formidable, oppressive magical power I felt emanating from those slender arms.

It was no illusion. Such force couldn’t possibly come from a human’s limbs.

I wiped my aching nose once more. She had lost consciousness immediately after, so she wouldn’t know how the surrounding Garden had been transformed.

The shockwave from her punch had snapped the tree behind me in half, and the flowers nearby had been obliterated into countless petals that scattered skyward.

It was sheer fortune that I’d escaped with merely a nosebleed.

Was she truly a demon?

The Demon Clan. Demons.

Humanity’s ancient adversaries, monsters that disrupted peace.

In recent times, many dismissed them as mere fairy tales, but as a high-ranking nobleman like myself, I knew the Demon Clan existed. I also knew they were beings of mythic power.

The possibility that she might be a demon made me wonder if her collapse with blood on her lips at the end had been an act rather than genuine.

Besides, wasn’t it said that demons exploit the weaknesses of humans?

Now that I thought about it—

I gazed down at my own arms, the ones that had held Deina.

Despite the tremendous magical power, her body was light and frail. Yet the moment I’d embraced her, I found myself reluctant to let go—

‘Enough.’

Loreil shook off his wandering thoughts. The fact that he was entertaining such peculiar ideas made it abundantly clear that she possessed some inexplicable power.

Regardless of how reluctantly I had taken on this role, now that I had become Deina’s secretary, I needed to investigate her thoroughly.

She might be a monster threatening the Marquis’ family—or even the Empire itself.

Inside the racing carriage, Loreil suddenly seemed to realize something and touched his shoulder.

‘How strange. My shoulder feels so light.’

He did not yet know that Deina’s magical power had banished the curse that had tormented him for years.

* * *

The moment I opened my eyes, I was greeted by Liribel’s tear-stained face.

“Your Highness! Are you all right?”

I pushed away her intrusive face and rose from the bed.

“What time is it?”

“You’ve been unconscious for a whole day! You can’t imagine how frightened I was—apparently a lightning strike suddenly hit the Garden….”

“A lightning strike?”

“Yes! That’s what the young lord said!”

I learned from Liribel how Loreil had explained the situation.

Apparently, I had fainted in shock when a sudden lightning strike occurred.

It seemed he had used the very flimsy excuse I had been thinking of.

“I didn’t cough up blood, did I?”

“No, you didn’t! In fact, the head maid thought it might be due to an old ailment and summoned a Physician last night. But the truth is….”

Liribel, who knew the truth behind the coughing blood, parted her lips in concern. I shook my head, telling her not to worry.

“It wasn’t an illness—it was magic. I’m completely recovered now.”

“I thought so! The Physician said he couldn’t identify the cause either. I was worried he might have noticed something…”

‘No, Liribel. That quack Physician wouldn’t tell me even if I truly were ill.’

I smiled bitterly, thinking to myself.

He had prescribed worthless medicine even when I suffered from poison and curses. He was undoubtedly a parachuted Physician planted by someone who wished for my death.

It was certain he hadn’t conducted a proper examination this time either.

“Then why did you use magic? Did the Princess actually cause the lightning strike?”

“It wasn’t like that. Something came up briefly.”

It was a dangerous curse that activated merely by speaking of it. Since I couldn’t tell Liribel, I awkwardly changed the subject.

“Liribel, what was Loreil’s demeanor like?”

“Hmm, it was exactly the same as when he arrived. Except his nose was a little red…”

Despite pressing me so intensely, he showed no particular reaction in front of Liribel. It was decidedly strange.

‘Does he have some ulterior motive? Or…’

As I continued pondering, Liribel asked carefully.

“Your Highness, what should we do about the afternoon schedule? Perhaps we should cancel it?”

“The schedule?”

“The Prince said he would visit again…”

‘Right, he asked to tour the Event Venue together.’

I recalled the promise we had made to inspect it together.

‘If I’m being honest, I’d rather refuse, but that would only invite more suspicion.’

Besides, if I wanted to understand his true intentions, it was best to meet him as soon as possible.

“No, I’ll go. How much time is left until the appointment?”

“About three hours, Your Highness.”

“That’s plenty. Prepare a light meal and suitable attire for me.”

Thanks to Liribel’s swift preparations, I was able to finish getting ready before my appointment with Loreil.

Liribel seemed worried about my condition, but the deep sleep had actually left me feeling more refreshed. My magical energy was also stabilized.

‘As long as I don’t use my magical power, I won’t be exposed again.’

Thinking about it calmly, even if Loreil harbored suspicions, he had no evidence against me. Of course, if he reported me to the Temple, that would become problematic, but surely he wouldn’t go that far against the Princess?

Just as I was settling my nerves with these thoughts, Loreil’s carriage arrived in front of the Separate Palace.

As Loreil opened the carriage door, his expression was far gentler than when we’d met yesterday.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness the Princess. I hope I’m not late?”

“No, you’re right on time.”

He smiled warmly and extended his hand to help me board.

“Then please, allow me to escort you to the Event Venue.”

“Yes, pardon me for a moment…”

Just as I was about to grasp his hand with a matching smile, I sensed something amiss.

‘These gloves… they’re saturated with holy power?’

He wore pristine white cotton gloves on his hands, and from them emanated the distinct aroma of divine energy.

They appeared to be gloves dyed with holy water.

The interior of the carriage visible beyond his shoulder was even worse.

‘Fragments of the Sun God, sacred markings, holy water-soaked cushions…’

Even a fool could see it.

This was a trap.

The carriage was flooded with such overwhelming holy power that any weak Demon would ignite the moment they stepped inside. The trap was so blatantly obvious that I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

I understood suspicion, but to attempt outright murder upon first meeting was another matter entirely.

Loreil appeared to be unexpectedly reckless.

Or perhaps foolish.

‘I misjudged him.’

From his demeanor, it was clear he suspected me of being a Demon. If that were the case, I couldn’t afford to back down now.

I fixed Loreil with a steady gaze and seized his hand firmly.

“…!”

Seeing his surprise, I curved my lips upward.

‘I’m not the sort to fall for such a crude trap.’

I stepped boldly into the carriage and approached him. The overwhelming holy power enveloped me, yet I didn’t so much as blink.

Drawing close enough to feel his breath, I addressed the ungrateful man.

“Thank you for the kind escort, Loreil. By the way, your nose seems a bit… crooked today. Was it cold outside?”

“….”

The corners of his mouth twitched faintly.

—————

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

—————