Pretending to Be Human Is Exhausting Again Today - Chapter 63

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

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Pretending to Be Human: Episode 063

“Hack, cough….”

The Captain collapsed, blood spraying from his throat. Even as death drew near, his eyes reflected an incomprehension of what had been done to him.

But the reaper who had delivered that death showed no interest in hearing the final words of the fallen. I immediately spun around and fled toward the cliff from which I had emerged.

The Vice-Captain, witnessing this, cried out in desperation.

“Stop him! What are you all doing!”

The Mercenary who regained his senses fastest shouted the command, but his subordinates’ bodies could not keep pace with his judgment.

Even as they scrambled into position to intercept the Assassin, my movements were far beyond what unprepared Mercenaries could apprehend.

“You’re too fast!”

“Idiots, what are you doing! Block the escape route!”

The Vice-Captain’s desperate shouts proved useless.

The Assassin rushed toward the cliff without hesitation, then plunged into the shadows below as though diving into water, with a splash.

My form was swallowed by darkness and vanished in an instant.

“What, what was that.”

“Magic? I’ve never seen magic like that before!”

Among the murmuring subordinates, the Vice-Captain trembled as dread welled up within him.

He had witnessed the Captain’s death from right beside him. Because of this, he remembered clearly the words the Assassin had left behind.

‘That Assassin just said “first.” That means there’s a second one too.’

A master who appeared without warning and decapitated the leader in a single stroke. Such a person had announced a second assassination and vanished.

The identity of the next target was unmistakable.

‘Next, it’ll be my turn to die!’

Preparing for the Assassin proved futile. Against that absurd existence lurking in shadows, a mere Mercenary could do nothing.

‘Then this Assassin is… the Empire’s Princess’s…’

The Vice-Captain, trembling with terror, lifted his head and gazed toward the cliff’s edge.

Deina, who had been watching the Mercenary Group’s chaos with patient interest, locked eyes with the Vice-Captain and slowly moved her lips.

[Next.]

[It’s you.]

The moment her words ended, shadow erupted from beneath her feet.

Though the sun hung brilliantly in the sky, that darkness writhed as if alive, consuming her form.

Moments later, Deina’s figure vanished just as the Assassin’s had.

It was an exit that seemed to prove this shadow was her own power.

“A monster… she’s a monster…”

One of the Mercenaries muttered upon witnessing it.

The Vice-Captain agreed entirely.

‘What kind of monster have we touched?’

A premonition seized him that the Black Helmets’ lineage, sustained for decades, might be severed.

* * *

“You did well, Ivan.”

On the opposite side of the cliff, I spoke to Ivan, who sat collapsed on the ground.

“Clean technique. Now you’re starting to look like a proper Assassin.”

At my praise, Ivan—his complexion pallid—forced the corners of his mouth upward.

“Is this what you consider an ordinary Assassin, Your Highness? Your standards are remarkably high.”

“Indeed. So take pride in it. There are precious few Assassins I acknowledge. But tell me—how is your body?”

I examined his physique slowly and methodically.

The sudden enhancement of his musculature had clearly imposed tremendous strain on both his magical reserves and skeletal structure.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to move for at least half a day. The muscle soreness is quite severe.”

“That’s acceptable. You performed admirably.”

Having moved twice as fast as usual, such aftereffects were inevitable.

‘Regardless, Ivan’s compatibility with magical energy is quite promising. With continued training, he’ll become a formidable warrior.’

Even if Ivan was an exceptional Assassin for a human, he lacked the prowess to charge into enemy ranks and assassinate a leader single-handedly.

In his previous state, he would have been intercepted by subordinates before ever reaching the Captain.

‘Of course, my drawing their attention as bait played its part… but without magical power, it would have been impossible.’

With his excellent affinity for magical energy, he doubled his physical capabilities in an instant. That allowed him to pierce through the enemy encirclement and escape.

“I honestly didn’t expect such a strategy to work. You truly are remarkable, Your Highness.”

Hearing Ivan’s praise, I found myself caught between conflicting emotions—uncertain whether to feel pleased or not.

The operation itself had been elegantly simple.

I would reveal myself to draw their attention, while Ivan—concealed within the shadows I conjured through magic—would emerge and strike down the Captain in one decisive blow.

They would likely assume Ivan had teleported through the shadows, but the reality was far different.

The shadows were merely illusion; in truth, Ivan and I had moved behind that shadowy veil.

‘A truly skilled warrior would have noticed the shadows’ unnatural appearance and prepared accordingly. But they were not of that caliber.’

This simple stratagem succeeded precisely because the Black Helmets were the weakest of the three Mercenary Groups.

It felt like an adult exerting full strength against a child, making it difficult to take pure joy in the victory.

“In any case, the next Mercenary Group won’t crumble so easily. We can’t ambush them from a favorable position, and they’ve surely heard of the Black Helmets’ situation by now, so they’ll be prepared.”

“But is it really okay to use magic so openly like that? You said you hated standing out.”

“If I’d been concerned about that, I wouldn’t have engaged them in the first place. At least for now, I won’t be worrying about it.”

I could tolerate rumors of dark magic spreading here and there. Right now, dispelling this absurd curse of misfortune was far more important.

Just then, Princess Chloe, trembling with anxiety in the corner, asked hesitantly.

“Um… isn’t the Black Helmets still intact? They don’t seem to have fallen apart.”

“No, they have collapsed.”

I spoke while picturing the Black Helmets below the cliff, likely clearing away the Captain’s corpse.

“Mercenary Groups of that type operate entirely around their leadership. You can tell just by observing that when they spotted the enemy, no one took independent action—they were all waiting for orders.”

A disorganized rabble that couldn’t execute decisions first and report later—such groups inevitably suffered far greater impact from the death of their leader.

“The Vice-Captain witnessed the Captain’s death and realized he’d become the next target.”

‘I even made sure to warn him in a way that conveyed exactly that.’

I recalled the Vice-Captain’s ashen face, drained of all color by fear.

“Even if he completes the contract, he’ll realize it means nothing if he’s dead, so he’ll definitely choose to retreat as things stand.”

Engaging in direct combat with a Mercenary Group led by such a commander would be wasteful. Besides, if casualties were inevitable anyway, minimizing them put my mind at ease.

Princess Chloe, listening to my explanation, gaped in disbelief.

“W-where did you learn something like that? Were you a Mercenary?”

“Wow, Your Highness!”

The Knight beside her hastily tried to stop her, and she, belatedly realizing her mistake, quickly covered her mouth in panic.

I tilted my head. “Well, I’m not entirely sure.”

“I’ve just heard bits and pieces here and there. Nothing particularly remarkable.”

“Ah, I see.”

“More importantly, Princess Chloe, the next battle with the Mercenary Groups will be far more dangerous. Would it be alright if you came along with us?”

As I departed from the Port, I had suggested to Princess Chloe that she hide in a secure location until the battle concluded.

But for some reason, she refused the proposal.

‘Everyone else is fighting. I can’t run away alone. I want to be with you all.’

That was her admirable reasoning.

Yet standing on the Battlefield itself, I sensed little resolve from her. Instead, she was paralyzed by fear, constantly clinging to people’s legs.

Wondering if her determination had faded, I suggested once more that hiding might be the better option—but…

“No, no. I’ll come with you.”

She chose to join us again.

“This whole situation happened because of me. I don’t want to run away alone. So please, take me with you.”

“Your Highness…!”

The Guard Knights beside her covered their mouths in admiration, but I found her utterly unreliable. Ivan, who was resting nearby, shared my sentiment.

“Honestly, the best way she could help is just to stay out of the way.”

‘I couldn’t agree more.’

But in this atmosphere, I couldn’t forcibly leave her behind. I exhaled briefly and gave her my instructions.

“Then keep close and follow carefully. If it becomes too difficult, ride on another Knight’s horse.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best!”

‘When the time comes for battle, I can simply hide her somewhere safe.’

Since I would need to conduct genuine guerrilla warfare going forward, I had no room to accommodate someone who moved slowly.

Thinking it would suffice to leave her in the capable hands of the Knights, I decided to shift my attention away from her.

My objective was simply to guide her safely to the Capital.

I had no intention of expending more concern on her than necessary.

Or so I thought at the time.

Before she was absurdly taken hostage.

“Open a retreat! If you don’t, I’ll kill the Princess!”

“Please leave me behind, Your Highness! I’m… I’m fine!”

Faced with such an utterly ridiculous situation, I squeezed my eyes shut and muttered under my breath.

“Does misfortune count as a personality trait?”

Ruslara, who happened to be standing beside me, added a remark.

“So misfortune spreads even to other kingdoms beyond the Continent.”

It was a lamentable situation indeed.

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

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