Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 61

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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 061

 

After giving orders to Grid, the next person Deina called was Ivan. Ivan, who had belatedly heard about the situation, came to the room with a light heart, but straightened his posture upon seeing Deina’s face.

 

‘This doesn’t seem like the time for jokes.’

 

This was the first time Deina had been this angry since the arena incident.

 

No, the atmosphere was actually more menacing than back then.

 

“Ivan.”

 

“Yes.”

 

So he decided to use formal speech for now.

 

“You said your goal was to revive the organization, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Explain why it needs to be revived. What cause does that organization have?”

 

Ivan intuited it. If he tried to brush this off with a joke, he would never be able to receive her help for the rest of his life.

 

“…Currently, Black Hand is in a state of decline. Originally, they weren’t assassins who were obsessed with money.”

 

Ivan slowly explained about the past glory.

 

In the past, Black Hand was an organization called righteous bandits.

 

They received two cows from farmers who were crushed by persecution and crying out, and took the life of a landowner, and executed a priest who had embezzled relief funds from an orphanage in exchange for three days’ worth of food for war orphans.

 

On another day, they raised their swords against a nobleman who had risen to the position of family head through corruption and conspiracy.

 

The price was all the wealth that the domain’s people had scraped together.

 

Buying and selling justice with blood, that was Black Hand’s way.

 

But as time passed, skilled assassins decreased, and those who remained began to pursue money and fame rather than justice.

 

They only had the name Black Hand attached, but gradually lost their original justice.

 

“Your Highness might feel that we’re being pretentious for mere assassins, but we were also an organization with our own history. Well, it’s a legend from before I joined though.”

 

“Why do you want to restore an organization you never even experienced?”

 

“Because it’s cool.”

 

Ivan straightened his shoulders confidently.

 

“I was originally a vagrant rolling around in back alleys. Then I was taken in by an old man who was at the bottom ranks. That gentleman bragged about past glories so much that my ears got callused.”

 

He chuckled and continued.

 

“At first, I just thought it was nonsense. Like an old man’s reminiscing. But as I kept listening, it gradually started to feel cool. As if I had really experienced those things myself.”

 

Though he maintained an attitude that it wasn’t a big deal on the surface, his words trailed off unusually for Ivan.

 

“So I wanted to see with my own eyes what the glory that old man talked about was like. If I restored the organization to the past and became an incredibly cool assassin… I thought the old man in his grave would smile too.”

 

It was a sincere feeling he had never revealed to anyone. Ivan seemed embarrassed even saying it himself, and avoided eye contact for no reason.

 

“But I have no talent, so I didn’t even know what to do. The higher-ups only cared about money. So the moment I saw Your Highness, I had an intuition. This person is special.”

 

“…You’re an assassin who came to target me.”

 

“That’s one thing and this is another. Anyway, I had a feeling the moment I became your subordinate. I felt confident that if I stood by Your Highness’s side, I could become anything.”

 

He didn’t have the confidence to explain logically like Grid. Since he couldn’t list reasons one by one, he expressed his honest feelings as they were.

 

But for Deina, it was enough.

 

“You’re more decent than I thought.”

 

She said with a faint smile.

 

“If your resolve was lacking, I was going to tell you to drop out of this matter. But if it’s this much…”

 

“Did I pass?”

 

“Yes, you’re qualified.”

 

Deina approached Ivan. Then she grasped the hands of him who was sweating coldly due to the room’s atmosphere, and said quietly.

 

“Close your eyes for a moment.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Ivan closed his eyes without complaint.

 

“Honestly, there’s no guarantee it will go well. There might be side effects. Even so…”

 

“It’s fine. Since Your Highness is doing it, I’ll trust you.”

 

“…Good. Then feel the power flowing from my hands.”

 

As soon as she finished speaking, powerful magic flowed in from Deina’s clasped hands.

 

He reflexively wanted to break away from the heterogeneous energy that was both hot and cold, but Deina’s hands held him even more firmly.

 

“Concentrate and follow the flow of power. I don’t know what will happen if you stop halfway.”

 

Ivan calmed his mind according to her words and concentrated on the magic. The magic that flowed in through his palm soon traveled through his shoulder and chest, seeping into his heart.

 

The tickling sensation was brief, and the magic that reached his heart instantly spread throughout his body.

 

“…!”

 

Ivan’s body trembled from the shock as if cold water had been poured over him. It felt as if magic instead of blood was flowing through his entire body.

 

“It’s done now.”

 

Finally, she let go of his hands. Ivan slowly opened his eyes and faced Deina.

 

“Wow.”

 

And he was mesmerized seeing Deina’s appearance. He could finally see how much magic was gathered around Deina.

 

Deina, who noticed Ivan’s change, asked.

 

“Can you see the magic around me?”

 

“Y-yeah. It’s incredible. It’s like facing a giant monster.”

 

“Even when making comparisons, you really… Right now it’s because I released magic to inject it into you. Since you can see it well, it seems to have succeeded.”

 

It seemed to have been quite a difficult task, as she let out a deep breath, “Whew.”

 

“What happened to my body?”

 

“I injected my magic into you. You’ll be able to use magic like a demon for a while.”

 

“Really? Then will I become strong like Your Highness?”

 

He was already thirsting to become stronger. Deina looked at Ivan with a sour expression as he showed no aversion to the word demon, and nodded.

 

“You’ll become somewhat similar. But since it’s not perfectly settled, your magic will be reduced by half in a month. It will continue to decrease after that too.”

 

“Can’t you put in more? How do you make it all settle?”

 

“This is already the limit. If I put in more, you’ll burst. And settling… it depends on talent and effort.”

 

Roughly 9 parts talent and 1 part effort, she added indifferently.

 

“It’s disappointing that it’s not permanent. Well, still, it would be optimal for training soldiers in a short period.”

 

“Training… will you give this power to other people too?”

 

“You brought four of your subordinates on this trip, right? Remember when I told you to bring trustworthy people?”

 

“Yeah, they’re guys who would risk death at my word.”

 

They were among the few organization members he could trust with his back. Deina nodded, saying that would do.

 

“I’ll share magic with them too. Princess Chloe’s guards can’t be trusted yet, so they’re excluded. Instead, your subordinates will be at the front lines, is that okay?”

 

“Of course!”

 

Being able to gain power, paying that much of a price was more than welcome.

 

“I’ll bring my subordinates right away! We’ll start immediately, right?”

 

“Yes… Wait, Ivan.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Deina stopped Ivan who had immediately turned around saying he would bring his subordinates.

 

“You know what kind of guys our enemies are, right?”

 

“Mercenary groups, was it?”

 

“Right. There will be hundreds of soldiers. Even so, will you follow me and fight?”

 

Putting down weapons and surrendering right here would be a much wiser choice for preserving one’s life.

 

But Ivan raised the corners of his mouth, asking what she was talking about.

 

“But we have Your Highness with us.”

 

“…”

 

“If Your Highness is with us, strangely I don’t get the feeling that we’ll lose.”

 

An answer without any calculation or fear. Deina smiled back at his attitude of absolute trust in his superior.

 

It was the most characteristically gentle smile of all the expressions Deina had shown tonight.

 

* * *

 

I let out a sigh while looking up at the sky that was beginning to break into dawn.

 

‘At least it was finished in one night.’

 

Finally, the work of granting magic to the guards was completed.

 

Since magical talent varied greatly, there were few who entered the ranks of the strong, but still, including Ivan, a total of 10 people had grown into warriors who could use magic.

 

‘With this much, I can form one platoon.’

 

I gathered the group in front of the inn’s stable. Princess Chloe, who seemed to have just woken up with a drowsy face, also stood at the back.

 

“Your Highness? What’s going on?”

 

At Princess Chloe’s question, I raised my voice so everyone could hear.

 

“Currently, three mercenary groups targeting Princess Chloe are advancing toward the port.”

 

Instantly, the air around us turned cold.

 

I briefly summarized the situation. I also added that it would be difficult to expect additional troops due to the earthquake, and that we could no longer stay since the port was a city of the anti-Emperor faction.

 

“Then, what should we do?”

 

“Fight? But the enemy has hundreds of people…”

 

The servants began to panic and murmur among themselves. I raised my hand to calm the commotion and presented the plan I had prepared.

 

“So, we will split our group and move separately.”

 

I pointed to Princess Chloe.

 

“Princess Chloe and the combat personnel who can ride horses will follow me and leave the port, while the non-combat personnel will remain at the port.”

 

The mercenary groups’ only target was Princess Chloe. In that case, there was no reason to bother the servants who remained at the port. Of course, Emma and Liribel were also on the side that would stay.

 

“And…”

 

I paused for a beat, then continued as if making a declaration.

 

“We will strike the mercenary groups as a small-scale squad.”

 

A moment of silence followed.

 

One of Princess Chloe’s guards opened his mouth with an incredulous expression.

 

“Strike… surely you don’t mean we’ll attack first?”

 

I nodded without hesitation.

 

“That’s right.”

 

Not escape, but a preemptive strike. And divide and conquer.

 

As I had told Grid, this was the only way to overcome the crisis.

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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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