Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 62

—————
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 062

 

I quickly explained the necessity of a preemptive strike.

 

First, Gilli Port was geographically located on a protruding cape-like area, making it impossible to escape through other routes. This meant there were only two choices: fight or hand over Princess Chloe.

 

The fortunate thing was that the mercenary groups hadn’t united yet. If we could defeat them individually before they joined forces, we could raise our chances of victory even in what seemed like a reckless battle.

 

Moreover, even if we were pushed back in combat, it wouldn’t be a complete defeat. As long as we could weaken the enemy’s forces and buy time to retreat to the Neutral Zone using that gap, the objective would be achieved.

 

According to plan, additional troops dispatched by the Emperor should have arrived in the Neutral Zone by now.

 

After hearing the full explanation, one knight asked me a question.

 

“Couldn’t we send a warning letter to the mercenary groups? With Your Highness’s name, wouldn’t they retreat?”

 

“Then they would just claim they never received such a request. This matter isn’t something they’re moving on with their mercenary group’s name attached.”

 

The mercenary groups weren’t fools, and they wouldn’t reveal themselves in such matters. They would thoroughly hide their identities and attack, whether by wearing masks or launching surprise attacks.

 

Their mindset would be that as long as no evidence remained, it would be fine.

 

‘On one hand, they’ve probably noticed that Princess Chloe isn’t truly an honored guest of the Empire. That’s why they judged they could take the risk.’

 

I felt sorry for Princess Chloe, but the moment someone like me came to greet her, it was practically advertising to the world that ‘I’m not an honored guest.’

 

At the conclusion that there was no peaceful way to resolve this, people began murmuring.

 

Especially from Princess Chloe’s side, doubt about how they could believe my words grew stronger.

 

‘Well, it would be hard to believe.’

 

Our party seemed to believe me because of the things I had done before, but to the Jins Kingdom side, it must have seemed like an absurd claim. A princess who declared she would resolve a threat that came without any warning.

 

I wouldn’t believe it either.

 

While I was contemplating whether to take only our personnel, Princess Chloe cautiously raised her hand.

 

“I, I think… we should follow Your Highness.”

 

“Wh, what, Your Highness?”

 

“The only one we can trust is Princess Deina. You all know this, don’t you?”

 

“That’s…”

 

Perhaps newly realizing the reality of their exile situation, their atmosphere became gloomy.

 

Princess Chloe looked around widely, then looked at me and said.

 

“I trust Your Highness. So I’ll entrust all command authority over my guards to Your Highness as well.”

 

“…Thank you for your consideration, Princess Chloe.”

 

While it was the best possible situation for me, I felt strangely uncomfortable.

 

Because I couldn’t see trust in Princess Chloe’s eyes. Rather, they contained resignation as if she expected death.

 

‘It’s not the resolve to survive, but the expression of a soldier going to their death.’

 

It was strange that while her attitude and words showed complete trust in me, her eyes didn’t.

 

But I couldn’t waste time on such trivial matters.

 

Unable to go against Princess Chloe’s opinion, her guards also reluctantly declared they would follow me.

 

I immediately gave orders to Ivan and Ruslara.

 

“Ivan takes the front, Ruslara takes the rear. I’ll be in the center. Lead the war horses Grid prepared, and everyone head outside the port!”

 

“Yes!”

 

Ivan took charge of the assassins, and Ruslara handled the other combat personnel. I mounted the war horse Grid had specially prepared.

 

‘It’s a shame there’s no armor.’

 

Due to the hasty preparation, the only protective gear I could wear was simple armor covering the chest.

 

A general wearing just one piece of chest armor over a dress – even I thought it was ridiculous.

 

‘Though it somehow reminds me of the old days.’

 

For memories of when I lived as a demon to surface at a time like this was a good omen.

 

It meant I wouldn’t be defeated in this battle either.

 

* * *

 

The Free Mercenary Troops, Black Helmets, quite famous in the Neutral Zone.

 

And the Captain of the Black Helmets was in an excited state for the first time in a while.

 

A request had come in for such a large sum that one success would let them live comfortably for decades.

 

[Target: exile from Jins Kingdom, Princess Chloe. Dead or alive, secure her person.]

 

A princess of a kingdom as the target – normally this would be a request he wouldn’t accept, but this time was different.

 

Jins Kingdom had changed kings due to rebellion, and Chloe had been stripped of her princess status. He had even obtained intelligence that the Empire that accepted her exile was treating her coldly.

 

In other words, she had become a commoner with no power, only a princess in name.

 

Then the mercenaries had nothing to fear. They just needed to eliminate her as quickly as possible, then escape the Empire.

 

‘I heard the Empire’s princess is in charge of escorting Princess Chloe… but since both their situations are similar anyway, it doesn’t matter.’

 

The cursed princess who went to greet the exiled princess, was it?

 

Birds of a feather flock together, the Captain of the Black Helmets sneered.

 

‘Still, killing a princess would be dangerous. We’ll target only Princess Chloe and exclude the princess.’

 

The Black Helmets, experienced in such matters, quickly formulated a plan. The place they were staying was Gilli Port, which had only one main road – there was nowhere to run.

 

‘The operation will be swift and decisive. I heard other mercenary groups also received this request. I can’t share the reward with those bastards.’

 

The Captain urged his subordinates to reach Gilli Port as quickly as possible. In his mind, his post-success life was already unfolding.

 

First, buy land and a house to settle down, pay off debts, then expand the mercenary group. And someday lay the foundation to become a mercenary who could influence the continent.

 

‘No, with this amount of money, I could even buy a noble title. If I go to a suitable country and change my status…’

 

For him, this request was the greatest opportunity to change the course of his life.

 

As he continued such excited fantasies, he belatedly noticed the voice of the vice-captain calling him from beside.

 

“Captain, Captain!”

 

“Huh? What?”

 

The vice-captain spoke to the Captain who raised his head, as if frustrated.

 

“How many times do I have to call you! What should we do now!”

 

“What are you talking about? And why did we stop?”

 

Only then did the Captain realize that the mercenary group’s march had stopped. Their location was in the dense forest near Gilli Port, and they were moving through this forest to avoid people’s eyes.

 

The vice-captain, beating his chest in frustration and shouting about how he didn’t even notice they had stopped, pointed forward.

 

“Because of that, that! Can’t you see?”

 

“What exactly are you telling me to look at… Huh?”

 

Following the vice-captain’s fingertip, an unbelievable sight entered the Captain’s eyes.

 

Beside the forest path, on top of a cliff, a woman stood alone.

 

As if she were a gatekeeper, the woman on the cliff looked down at them without moving.

 

‘Dark blue hair and yellow eyes… isn’t that the Empire’s princess? Why is the princess here?’

 

Confused by Deina’s unexpected appearance, the Captain blinked.

 

“Even you think it looks like the Empire’s princess, right? What should we do? Should we capture her first and interrogate her?”

 

“What about other guards? Aren’t there any nearby?”

 

“I don’t see any.”

 

The vice-captain’s words made sense. Whatever Princess Deina was thinking by revealing herself, if they captured her first, they would immediately know Princess Chloe’s location.

 

For the Black Helmet Mercenary Group, it was no different from a golden opportunity.

 

“Um, excuse me, but it looks like a trap to me…”

 

A mercenary behind the vice-captain cautiously expressed his opinion, but the two men had no intention of listening.

 

“That cowardly newcomer is still the same. Hey! You stay back.”

 

They acted as if it didn’t matter even if it was a trap.

 

They had confidence. Because they believed they had already finished assessing the level of the princess’s guards.

 

“It’s painful that she saw our faces. Can’t be helped, we’ll have to take her hostage. Hey! Go up the cliff so she can’t escape…”

 

The moment the Captain gave orders to his subordinates, Deina’s eyes flashed.

 

Caught by an inexplicable sense of unease, the Captain simultaneously realized she was saying something.

 

Though no sound could be heard, the shape of her slowly moving lips was clear.

 

[Found you, leader.]

 

But those words didn’t seem directed at him.

 

‘Leader? Was she looking for me?’

 

As he tried to interpret the meaning, one side of the Captain’s vision distorted. Below the cliff, something was writhing in the deeply cast shadows.

 

At that moment, his instincts from decades of working as a mercenary rang alarm bells.

 

There was something in the shadows!

 

“Wa, wait! Everyone draw your swords…!”

 

But something that sprang from the shadows covering him was faster than his command.

 

The beast that flew toward the Captain at wind-like speed whispered in his ear.

 

“Now, you’re first.”

 

Before the panicked mercenaries could even draw their weapons to stop the Assassin, he plunged a dagger into the Captain’s throat.

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