I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 1

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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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Chapter 1. My Fiancé Has Returned.

#1

The Williot Duchy, known as the Empire’s Sword.

I entered the Williot Duchy after becoming engaged to Fillen Williot, the duchy’s sole heir, during the summer when I was 14 years old.

Thankfully, the Duke and Duchess Williot treated me, a daughter of a provincial noble family with nothing to her name, like their own daughter.

Whenever there was something delicious or nice, they would bring it to me first, even before Fillen.

At tea parties and social gatherings, they would praise me more than Fillen.

Fillen always found this irritating and would grumble about it whenever he saw me.

“It’s truly strange.”

That day was no different.

After finishing his sword training and returning to the manor, Fillen spoke curtly as soon as he saw me, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

“Perhaps you and my parents were switched somehow?”

“That can’t be, Fillen.”

I closed the book I was reading and smiled gently.

“Anyone can see you resemble His Grace the Duke.”

“Are you the only one who thinks so?”

“No. Everyone thinks the same.”

It was true. Fillen looked so much like Duke Williot that you could predict how he would grow up.

Was it just his appearance? He resembled him in swordsmanship skills and even eating habits.

Unfortunately, he didn’t inherit his intelligence.

While Duke Williot possessed a sharp mind, if not quite genius level, Fillen was a fool who only knew swordsmanship.

According to the Duchess Williot, he had barely managed to learn the Imperial language.

“Leilah, you must become Fillen’s brain.”

She would often take my hand and speak earnestly, even before I was formally engaged to Fillen.

“As his wife and as the Duchess, you must fill in what my foolish son cannot do. Please take good care of Fillen and the Williot Duchy, Leilah.”

At the time, I had no reason to refuse. Rather, it was something to be grateful for, so I gladly agreed.

From then on, I followed the Duchess Williot around, learning about the duties I would need to perform in the future.

That alone kept me busy, but the Duke also subtly taught me about his responsibilities, making my days even busier than expected.

Fillen was busy with sword training.

Since we were both so busy, even though we were engaged, we rarely had face-to-face conversations.

That didn’t mean our relationship was bad or anything.

While we weren’t passionately close like lovers or intimately close like best friends, we maintained quite a good relationship.

When we occasionally had the chance to talk, we would joke around and play pranks appropriate for our age.

People pitied me for living like a daughter-in-law before marriage, but it was unnecessary meddling.

I was extremely satisfied with my life at the Williot Duchy.

It felt like I was finally wearing clothes that fit my body properly.

Each day was blissfully happy like a dream.

As if mocking such happiness, misfortune struck suddenly.

* * *

It was when I had been engaged to Fillen for two years.

I was managing the domain in place of the Duke and Duchess Williot, who had temporarily left the domain on imperial orders.

Originally, this should have been Fillen’s responsibility, but according to the strong opinion of the Duke and Duchess that they couldn’t entrust the domain to him since he knew less about the duchy’s affairs than I did, I ended up taking charge.

-Rumble, crash-!

While I was reviewing documents, a loud thunderclap made me look out the window.

Rain was pouring down tremendously, as if trying to turn the world into an ocean.

“I hope the domain’s people won’t suffer any damage.”

When I spoke worriedly, Misa, the head maid of the manor, smiled softly as she set down a teacup in front of me.

“Miss, you will become as wonderful a duchess as the current lady.”

“Do you think so, Misa?”

“Of course. Not just me, but everyone will think so.”

The Duchess was my idol. Hearing that I would become like her made me feel good, and I smiled faintly.

I should work even harder to meet those expectations.

I was about to focus on the documents again, thinking of surprising the Duke and Duchess when they returned.

Click, -bang!

The door opened with a loud noise without even a knock.

The person who entered was a manor servant breathing heavily.

“What kind of rudeness is this…”

“M-Miss! Something terrible has happened!”

Before Misa could point out the servant’s rude behavior, the servant shouted loudly.

Speaking first without me asking what was wrong, and shouting like that—both were against proper etiquette.

As Misa frowned and tried to approach the servant, I grabbed Misa’s arm and asked the servant.

“What’s the matter?”

If he had run here so urgently to shout like this, it must be something serious, so I judged that hearing the story should come first.

“The carriage carrying the master and mistress slipped on the wet road and fell off a cliff!”

“What…?”

My judgment was correct, and the news the servant brought was shocking.

Misa also gasped in bewilderment.

“So, what happened? Are His Grace the Duke and the Duchess safe? Or…”

“Th-that is…”

The servant hesitated, apparently not knowing that much.

I need to find out myself. Without hesitation, I stood up and went outside.

The news was so shocking that I forgot the Duchess’s teaching that a perfect noble lady should never run carelessly, and I ran down the hallway.

“Leilah!”

When I almost reached the manor’s foyer, I saw Fillen running from the opposite direction.

“Fillen!”

I ran to Fillen, grabbed his collar, and shouted.

“The Duke and Duchess…!”

“They’ll be safe.”

Fillen pulled me into a tight embrace with trembling arms.

This was the first time I had seen him trembling like this.

“They’ll definitely be safe. Both of them aren’t the type to pass away so easily.”

“…Yes.”

I wanted to believe it. That both of them were truly safe.

I desperately hoped and hoped again that they would burst through that door with vigor, call my name saying “my beloved daughter, Leilah,” and shower me with affection.

But God was indifferent and did not grant my wish.

* * *

With the sudden death of the Duke and Duchess Williot, Fillen became the head of the Williot Duchy at the young age of just 16.

However, having suddenly lost his parents and fallen into despair, he did not take care of the duchy and domain.

He would just shut himself in the training grounds all day, swinging his sword.

It was I who took responsibility for the Williot Duchy and domain in his place.

As a mere fiancée, I had to perform not only the role of a duchess but also act as the duke’s proxy.

Since things had come to this, people around us urged us to hold the wedding ceremony quickly so I could officially become the Duchess Williot, but I didn’t listen.

When parents died, it was proper for their direct children to stay away from alcohol and pleasure for three years to honor their parents.

In accordance with this propriety, Fillen and I decided not to hold our wedding ceremony for three years.

She skipped both the coming-of-age ceremony at 18 and her social debut.

Though quite some time had passed, Fillen was still holed up in the training grounds.

I was busy with my own hectic days.

Then one day.

The conquest-hungry emperor declared continental conquest, and Fillen was sent off to the battlefield.

* * *

The war continued for a full 6 years.

The long war exhausted many people.

I was included among those exhausted people.

I had to run around in all directions to fulfill not only the role of duchess but also fill the duke’s absence.

Even when the domain was peaceful, there was an enormous amount of work to do, but the problem was that not long after Fillen left, a great famine struck.

Grain prices jumped several times over, and people who couldn’t afford it began dying of starvation one after another.

Especially too many young children died, and survival crimes occurred frequently.

To somehow save them, I released the enormous amount of food stored in the duke’s storehouse.

Because of that, I could only eat thin soup and bread for a while.

Misa felt sorry about that fact, but I didn’t.

Since there were many people who couldn’t even eat this much and starved to death, I was grateful just for the fact that I could eat.

After barely getting through the great famine, this time an epidemic struck.

To overcome the epidemic, I used the Williot Duchy’s private funds to gather doctors and priests.

The duchy’s finances nearly wavered for a moment due to the enormous amount going out at once.

But thanks to continuously saving the dignity maintenance fees assigned to me, we were able to get through safely.

While struggling for 6 years, fulfilling the role of duchess and the absent duke’s role.

The previous emperor passed away and a new emperor ascended the throne, bringing the long war to an end.

Upon receiving a letter that Fillen would return soon, I dressed up for the first time in 6 years.

I took off the plain dress I always wore and changed into an elegant and splendid dress.

I also applied makeup more heavily than usual and wore all kinds of accessories.

After finishing all the preparations, my reflection in the mirror looked so awkward that I stared at it for a long time.

I tried smiling brightly while lifting my red-painted lips, but it still felt awkward.

It felt like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.

The navy blue plain dress I always wore seemed to suit me much better.

“You look really beautiful, miss.”

“That’s right! You look like an angel descended from heaven!”

But the maids didn’t seem to think so, clapping their hands and making a fuss.

“Stop it, it’s embarrassing.”

When I shyly blushed and waved my hands dismissively, everyone burst into giggles.

Though I didn’t truly love Fillen, he was still going to be my husband soon.

Perhaps that’s why. My heart fluttered at the news of Fillen’s return.

My heart felt like it was floating on clouds and my feet kept fidgeting.

I felt like an immature adolescent girl.

My fluttering heart intensified even more when I saw the knight order led by Fillen in the distance.

The man at the very front riding a black horse was Fillen.

Though there was still quite a distance, I recognized him immediately.

As the distance gradually closed and everyone could recognize that it was Fillen, I waved my hand cheerfully.

“Fill…”

No, I tried to, but I couldn’t.

Because there was another woman embraced in Fillen’s arms.

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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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