I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 107

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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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#107

 

Knock knock-

 

“Baron. May I come in?”

 

A maid had come to visit. I put the box back in my luggage bag and answered.

 

“Come in.”

 

With my permission, the maid entered carrying a tray.

 

“His Majesty the Emperor has sent you medicinal tea, Baron.”

 

Medicinal tea. I checked the tray the maid had set down on the table.

 

The pretty teacup contained the same medicinal tea I had drunk this morning.

 

“Please drink it.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Drinking the warm tea made my chest feel strangely ticklish.

 

My uncomfortable feelings from earlier seemed to ease. The medicinal tea must be quite effective.

 

As soon as I finished the medicinal tea, I took out a strawberry candy and ate it.

 

“Then I’ll prepare your bed. Is there anything else you need?”

 

Anything I need.

 

I thought for a moment, then pointed to the box on the table.

 

“Could you light the scented candle in that box?”

 

I don’t know how much the scented candle will help with sleep, but it’s better than nothing.

 

“This one?”

 

The maid discovered the scented candle in the box and let out a small gasp.

 

“His Majesty the Emperor sent this!”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“This ribbon.”

 

The maid showed me the ribbon tied around the scented candle.

 

“It’s a ribbon made from fabric that only His Majesty the Emperor can use.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. That’s how I recognized it immediately.”

 

So that’s what it was. I never knew.

 

“His Majesty the Emperor must care for you very much, Baron.”

 

“It’s because I’m his aide.”

 

“Oh come on, who takes care of a mere aide like this? It must be something more special…”

 

The maid stopped mid-sentence and quickly bowed her head as if realizing her mistake.

 

“I’m sorry, Baron. I just misspoke. I’m truly sorry.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

I had been thinking the same thing anyway.

 

When I worked at the Williot Duchy, if aides said they were sick, they would send medicine or take care of them.

 

They would ask if we were okay when we returned.

 

But they never took such meticulous care. They certainly never sent gifts like scented candles.

 

‘It really is strange.’

 

What could his intentions be in doing this?

 

My doubts deepened. I stared at the scented candle Kalian had given me for a long time.

 

* * *

 

I stared blankly at the food spread before me.

 

Hot pot with abalone and various seafood, turkey roasted in the oven with various medicinal herbs, young veal steak, and salad loaded with seasonal fruits.

 

It was a luxurious feast you’d only see at parties. It was bewildering enough to eat such a feast for lunch on a weekday.

 

“Eat up.”

 

What was even more absurd was Kalian carefully deboning the turkey meat and placing it on my plate.

 

It really was strange. This was definitely not the behavior of a superior simply caring for an aide.

 

‘Could he possibly… be interested in me?’

 

Is that why he’s been so good to me all this time?

 

Appointing me as his aide, giving me a baron title – was it all because of that…?

 

“Leilah?”

 

“…!”

 

At the hand shaking my shoulder vigorously, I startled and turned to look beside me.

 

Kalian had approached my side and was looking at me with concern.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

In those blue eyes looking at me, I couldn’t see any romantic interest or emotions of that sort.

 

There was only pure concern.

 

Thanks to that, my wavering heart gradually calmed down.

 

Another doubt layered over the suspicion that had grown so large.

 

The doubt that he couldn’t possibly feel that way.

 

But still…

 

“Why… are you so good to me?”

 

It was an impulsive question that bypassed my thoughts.

 

But I had no intention of brushing it off. Since it had come to this, I wanted to know his true feelings, so I added more.

 

“You don’t usually go this far for your aides.”

 

“That doesn’t mean I have to follow suit.”

 

That’s true.

 

“But you don’t do this much for Baron Delrond.”

 

“Have you seen whether I do this for Ber or not?”

 

That wasn’t the case. I had just assumed.

 

Seeing him ask back like that, my assumption must be wrong.

 

“Then when Baron Delrond was sick, you were this good to him too?”

 

Did he send Baron Delrond meals for every meal and scented candles good for insomnia, just like he did for me?

 

“Yes.”

 

Ah, so he was originally a caring person.

 

While I felt relieved, my heart also ached slightly. I felt somewhat disappointed, though I couldn’t understand why I felt this way.

 

“Not now, but I used to be like that. Ber also had difficult times.”

 

From his answer, I could understand two things.

 

That Count Hiltain had reported to him about what happened between Fillen and me.

 

And that Baron Delrond, who seemed so cheerful, also had a very difficult past.

 

“What happened to Baron Delrond?”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Kalian pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

 

“I don’t think this is my story to tell. Ask Ber directly later.”

 

* * *

 

Kalian told me to ask Baron Delrond, but there was no way I could ask.

 

How could I ask about something that might touch a painful wound?

 

So even though I was curious, I planned to bury it.

 

Finding a way to resolve Fillen’s matter was more urgent anyway.

 

I thought about it all night until my head hurt, but I couldn’t see a way to solve this problem.

 

I lacked information. I needed to know what evidence Fillen had that I had hired Misa.

 

And I needed to find out if Misa really did that.

 

No matter how much Misa cared for me like a daughter, she wasn’t someone who could harm an innocent life.

 

‘Should I ask the estate guards for help first?’

 

I could formally request an investigation, saying I’ve been falsely accused and need help.

 

But there was a concerning point.

 

If they investigated, the fake evidence Fillen had might surface and end up hurting me instead.

 

Besides, I was a baron without backing, while he was a duke. It was obvious which way the investigation would lean.

 

So I was scared to step forward, but no matter how much I thought about it, there was no other way.

 

I hated the idea of returning to the Williot Duchy and bearing Fillen’s child even more!

 

I once dreamed of a future with him, but now just the thought of him touching me made my skin crawl.

 

I’d rather be falsely accused and punished.

 

“I have no choice.”

 

I let out a big sigh and rubbed my face with dry hands.

 

Before asking the estate guards for help, I should step down from my advisor position first.

 

My barony too… should I ask them to take it back?

 

Since it was a dream I’d achieved with difficulty, I wanted to hold onto it somehow, but I couldn’t harm others because of my greed.

 

So let it go. Just let it go for now.

 

I took out paper, a quill pen, and ink from the drawer.

 

After spreading the stiff paper on the desk, I dipped the pen nib in ink and wrote at the top.

 

[Letter of Resignation.]

 

“…”

 

Just looking at it made my heart feel heavy. I felt like tears would burst out.

 

I pressed my other hand firmly against my stinging eyes.

 

I never dreamed the day would come when I’d write a resignation letter with my own hands.

 

Until the day Kalian would kick me out, I had resolved to work hard as his advisor…

 

“Huu.”

 

I steadied my troubled heart and moved the quill pen again.

 

But my hand was shaking so much I couldn’t even write my name properly.

 

Drip-

 

To make matters worse, tears I couldn’t hold back dropped onto the paper. The tear stains showed clearly on the white paper.

 

“Oh no.”

 

I crumpled up the paper and threw it in the trash, then took out new paper.

 

But this time too, my hand shook so much I couldn’t write properly.

 

Eventually, tears blurred my vision so much that seeing anything became impossible.

 

‘I’ll have to do it later.’

 

There wasn’t much time left, but in my current state, I couldn’t do anything.

 

Staying cooped up in my room was also suffocating, so I came out to the garden.

 

The garden with late summer roses in full bloom was very beautiful, but I had no leisure to enjoy beauty right now.

 

I sat on a bench set up in one corner of the garden and looked up at the clear blue sky.

 

Looking at the wide open sky seemed to ease my frustrated feelings a little.

 

“Baron?”

 

I heard a familiar voice from behind.

 

When I turned around, I saw Baron Delrond. It was a slightly comical situation where only his head was visible because of the bushes.

 

“What are you doing here? No, wait a moment. I’ll come over there.”

 

Before I could answer, Baron Delrond pushed through the bushes and approached me.

 

Because of this, both Baron Delrond’s clothes and the bushes became a mess.

 

“Won’t the gardener scold you for ruining the bushes?”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Baron Delrond grinned while picking leaves off his body.

 

“I’m stronger than him.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“More importantly, what were you doing alone? No, more than that, is your health okay?”

 

Ah, Baron Delrond also knows that my health isn’t good.

 

Maybe he knows about what happened with Fillen too.

 

Thinking he might know made it awkward to look at his face.

 

When I avoided his gaze, Baron Delrond smiled bitterly and stepped back.

 

“It seems the Baron doesn’t really want to talk with me, so I’ll be going now.”

 

Huh? Why is the conversation going that way?

 

“Wait a moment!”

 

I hurriedly called out to Baron Delrond who was about to turn and leave.

 

The Baron looked back at me with still a bitter expression.

 

“Not wanting to talk with you? That’s a misunderstanding. That can’t be true.”

 

“Then why did you avoid my gaze?”

 

“That’s…”

 

It was embarrassing to tell the truth – that I was ashamed because you might know what happened between Fillen and me.

 

But if I just brushed it off vaguely, he might get hurt again.

 

“His Majesty… told me about Baron Delrond.”

 

I’m sorry, Your Majesty.

 

I couldn’t think of any other way.

 

“About me? What story?”

 

“Well, that the Baron went through something bad in the past, His Majesty said…”

 

“Ah.”

 

Baron Delrond frowned slightly and let out a deep sigh.

 

“You heard that?”

 

“Don’t worry. I didn’t hear what kind of circumstances you had.”

 

“If he was going to tell the story, why didn’t he tell it all?”

 

Baron Delrond spoke sarcastically while tapping the ground with his toe.

 

“His Majesty said that part was something he couldn’t tell me, and told me to ask you directly.”

 

“Me? What, did he pass it off because he found it bothersome to explain?”

 

I didn’t think that was it.

 

Baron Delrond scratched his head and then shrugged lightly.

 

“Since he told you to ask me, I’ll tell you.”

 

“If it’s difficult to talk about, you don’t have to.”

 

“No. It’s something everyone knows anyway.”

 

Something everyone knows?

 

I recalled the rumors about Baron Delrond that were known around town.

 

A loyal retainer who served by Kalian’s side since he was a prince.

 

A versatile talent who could handle a hundred tasks alone.

 

He had actually accomplished numerous things, but couldn’t rise above baron due to the limitations of being born a commoner.

 

So even after becoming a baron, he gets looked down upon a lot by other nobles.

 

Yet he’s still so bright and spirited.

 

I found Baron Delrond newly impressive.

 

“You know I wasn’t originally a noble, right?”

 

“Yes. I know.”

 

“Right, you know.”

 

Baron Delrond looked at me with strange eyes, then suddenly began unbuttoning his shirt.

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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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