I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 130

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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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#130

 

Having stirred up public opinion this much, the temple wouldn’t be able to easily back out either.

 

As expected, Priest Milron was looking extremely troubled.

 

“Of all times, when the Archbishop is away, something like this happens…”

 

I could hear the priests behind him expressing their distress.

 

Hearing that sound, Baron Delrond whistled softly and spoke to me in a low voice.

 

“How fortunate that the Archbishop happens to be away.”

 

“It’s not fortune.”

 

“What? What do you… Don’t tell me you knew? Is that why you decided to come to the temple today?”

 

I responded with a smile instead of an answer.

 

Baron Delrond clicked his tongue and shook his head.

 

“The Baron is more meticulous than I thought.”

 

“Thank you for the compliment.”

 

While we were chatting, Priest Milron, having apparently finished organizing his thoughts, spoke.

 

“Bringing the children to the Open Hall requires the Archbishop’s permission.”

 

Is that pathetic excuse really all he could come up with after racking his brains for so long?

 

It was so absurd I couldn’t even laugh.

 

“Are those children’s names on the priest registry?”

 

“No, they are not.”

 

“Then why would the Archbishop’s permission be needed for the children to come to the Open Hall? Since those children aren’t priests, they wouldn’t necessarily have to follow the Archbishop’s orders.”

 

“That’s right. The children are citizens of the Empire, so what they must follow are His Majesty the Emperor’s commands.”

 

When Baron Delrond chimed in, Priest Milron’s face twisted with displeasure.

 

“…Then bring His Majesty the Emperor here.”

 

Priest Milron’s eyes gleamed fiercely as he spoke.

 

“If there’s a command from His Majesty the Emperor, I’ll bring the children out.”

 

Now he’s trying to use Kalian as an obstacle.

 

“Stop stalling and show us!”

 

“Show us right now!”

 

With public opinion this bad around him, his desperate persistence was almost admirable.

 

That meant he had a lot to hide.

 

Still, what he said wasn’t wrong. Unless I was the Emperor or the Archbishop, there was no reason for him to follow my orders.

 

However, the reason I could push this far was thanks to the clear evidence that was Child and the public opinion that had moved in my favor.

 

Without these two things, Priest Milron wouldn’t have batted an eye no matter how much I shouted.

 

Just like at the temple in the Williot Estate.

 

“It seems like he’s trying to buy time.”

 

Baron Delrond said quietly through gritted teeth.

 

I agreed with his words through silence.

 

The temple was definitely planning to pull something while we reported this matter to His Majesty and received the Emperor’s orders.

 

I absolutely won’t let that happen.

 

Just as I was about to play the last card I had prepared.

 

Clatter clatter clatter-

 

The sound of urgent footsteps could be heard. Not just one, but several.

 

Could it be that the Archbishop had come? Slightly flustered, I turned around to see Priest Adrina breathing heavily.

 

“I’ve brought the children!”

 

Behind Priest Adrina were children who looked relatively better off than the child I had with me.

 

“There were too many so I couldn’t bring them all, but I brought all the children I could manage. These children have also all been abused…”

 

“Priest Adrina!”

 

Priest Milron cut off Priest Adrina’s words, his neck veins bulging.

 

Red blood vessels stood out prominently in his eyes.

 

“What are you doing right now? As a priest, do you dare think of betraying the temple!”

 

Priest Adrina’s eyes wavered greatly at Priest Milron’s shouting.

 

She placed her hand on her chest, thought for a moment, then opened her mouth.

 

“I am a faithful servant who serves God.”

 

Her eyes, now firmly resolved, looked straight at Priest Milron.

 

“A servant who serves God, not a servant who serves the temple.”

 

“…!”

 

“Therefore, I can no longer do things that betray God. I’m sorry, Priest Milron.”

 

“Priest Adrina!”

 

“Right now in the Secret Hall, there are about 10 children suffering from malnutrition because they can’t eat properly, and about 7 children who can’t move their bodies due to severe abuse!”

 

Priest Adrina shouted so loudly that the Open Hall seemed to shake, and looked at me.

 

I could see desperation in her reddish-brown eyes.

 

“Other children are also suffering. There are children who had to sell their bodies to nobles against their will for the temple’s benefit.”

 

“Damn…”

 

At Priest Adrina’s continuing confession, Baron Delrond muttered a curse.

 

I entrusted Child to Baron Delrond and slowly approached Priest Adrina.

 

Priest Adrina clasped her trembling hands together tightly and bowed her head respectfully.

 

“Please save the pitiful children. I beg of you.”

 

“Of course.”

 

I gently clasped Priest Adrina’s hands and smiled.

 

“That’s why I came here, so don’t worry.”

 

Tears flowed down Priest Adrina’s cheeks.

 

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

 

She brought her forehead to our clasped hands and expressed her sincere gratitude.

 

***

 

With Priest Adrina’s confession, public opinion condemning the temple grew uncontrollably.

 

With the Imperial Palace Knights that Baron Delrond had prepared in advance joining in, the Secret Hall was forcibly opened despite Priest Milron’s firm opposition.

 

According to the reports this temple submitted annually to receive donations, there were exactly 57 children being protected by the temple.

 

However, the actual number of children being protected by the temple was only 49.

 

When pressed for the reason, they said some had run away and some had died from complications.

 

“Were those children cremated and given prayers?”

 

At Leilah’s question, a junior priest answered with an awkward smile.

 

“Of course.”

 

“That’s a lie.”

 

“No, really…”

 

“Then show me the prayer log.”

 

At the follow-up question, the junior priest closed his mouth.

 

Leilah’s face hardened frighteningly as she glared at the junior priest.

 

“You call yourself a priest who serves God, yet your actions are worse than beasts.”

 

At the clear insult, the priest’s face turned bright red.

 

The junior priest wanted to retort but couldn’t because his crimes had been exposed in detail, so he kept his mouth tightly shut.

 

The investigation continued.

 

The Imperial Palace Knights urgently brought doctors from the capital to examine the children.

 

Out of the 49 children, 16 were malnourished and 5 were so severely injured they couldn’t walk properly.

 

Not only were they filthy from not washing for a long time, but the clothes they wore were completely worn out as if passed down for several years.

 

Scars were frequently visible on their emaciated arms and legs.

 

The children in relatively good condition were mostly those who had been deliberately well-fed to sell their bodies to nobles.

 

Since they couldn’t sell damaged goods to nobles, they had at least kept up their outward appearance.

 

Baron Delrond was more outraged than anyone else at that fact.

 

While the doctors examined and treated the children, Leilah checked the donation ledger.

 

In front of Leilah stood the senior priest in charge of the ledger, extremely nervous.

 

Leilah, who had skimmed through the ledger superficially, chuckled and looked at the senior priest.

 

“It seems you find me laughable, Priest.”

 

“What? What do you mean…?”

 

“Otherwise, there’s no way you would try to deceive my eyes with such a double ledger.”

 

She figured out it was a double ledger just by skimming through it once?

 

The senior priest’s eyes widened. Leilah handed the ledger back to the priest and said.

 

“If you don’t want to be charged with the crime of creating a double ledger, bring the original ledger immediately.”

 

“Y-yes, I understand.”

 

The senior priest retreated as if fleeing, and Ber took his place.

 

Ber, who had heard Leilah’s entire conversation from a few steps away, asked her with great curiosity.

 

“How did you know that ledger was a double ledger just by skimming through it once?”

 

“I’ve seen a double ledger made with similar methods before.”

 

“Where? At the Williot Duchy?”

 

The Williot Duchy.

 

At the mention that touched a sore spot, Leilah’s face darkened slightly.

 

Ber realized his mistake and immediately apologized.

 

“I’m sorry, Baron. I misspoke.”

 

“No. I overreacted.”

 

Leilah took a deep breath and patted her chest.

 

She had no lingering attachment to Fillen and the Williot Duchy, but still felt unpleasant whenever she heard those names.

 

“Is everything settled with the children?”

 

“Yes. The children who needed hospitalization were sent to the clinic, and the doctors are diligently treating the remaining children.”

 

“I see.”

 

Watching Leilah’s relief, Ber added.

 

“And His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.”

 

“…What?”

 

For a moment, Leilah’s eyes widened. She stood up abruptly.

 

“Where is…”

 

She was about to ask where he was, but there was no need.

 

Behind Ber, she could see Kalian.

 

He was approaching Leilah and Ber with numerous imperial palace soldiers.

 

“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”

 

Leilah gave a brief formal greeting.

 

Kalian stared at Leilah intently and asked.

 

“You secretly infiltrated the Secret Hall?”

 

Had he already heard about that?

 

Leilah responded with an awkward smile instead of words.

 

“It was reckless.”

 

Leilah instinctively started to say ‘I apologize’ but stopped herself.

 

It was certainly reckless, but she didn’t think it was wrong.

 

Kalian had said this before.

 

Don’t apologize for things you don’t think you did wrong.

 

“…That was the only way to expose the temple’s shame and save the children.”

 

Words that would normally end with ‘I apologize’ became longer.

 

Leilah looked directly at Kalian and stated her opinion.

 

“If I hadn’t done that, the children would have continued to suffer.”

 

“It sounds like you could have done even worse things.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Leilah gently clasped her hands over her chest.

 

“I am an administrator of the Empire who works for the imperial citizens. For the sake of the imperial citizens, I can naturally take on this level of risk.”

 

It was a good mindset that an imperial administrator should have.

 

If it were someone else, he would have praised them as excellent, but somehow it didn’t sit well with him when it came to Leilah.

 

“…You did well.”

 

But since she did well, he should praise her.

 

“Still, it was reckless.”

 

And point out what she did wrong.

 

“Next time something like this happens, consult with me before acting. I don’t want to become a bad boss who puts my subordinate’s life in danger.”

 

He added a light joke to prevent the atmosphere from becoming heavy, but innocent Leilah panicked and shook her head.

 

“Th-that’s not true.”

 

“I know.”

 

Kalian smiled and patted Leilah’s shoulder.

 

“Anyway, you really did well this time.”

 

At the repeated praise, Leilah bowed her head in gratitude.

 

“You must be tired, so go back and rest. Ber and I will handle the remaining work.”

 

“…I’m tired too.”

 

Ber quietly complained, but Kalian cleanly ignored him and turned away.

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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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