I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 144
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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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#144
A moment of silence flowed.
As if time had stopped, Leilah and Kalian froze in that position. There wasn’t even the slightest movement.
In the quiet silence, someone’s heartbeat echoed unusually loud.
In the pitch-black eyes visible right in front of her, only her own reflection could be seen.
Kalian was very pleased with that fact.
“Your Majesty!”
“Are you alright, Your Majesty!”
The clock that had briefly stopped began moving again at the calls of the grooms and servants.
“Ah!”
Coming to her senses, Leilah jumped up in surprise. Her face had turned redder than a persimmon.
Kalian slowly got up. An attendant who approached helped remove the grass from his body.
The groom calmed the excited Ilena.
“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
Leilah stammered while covering her flushed cheeks with her hands.
“This accident happened because of my mistake… I’m truly sorry.”
It was true that this happened because of Leilah’s mistake.
So it was right for her to apologize like that, but why did he feel so bad about it?
“I-I’ll be careful so this never happens again.”
Kalian crossed his arms and spoke curtly.
“Is being careful going to solve this?”
“Pardon?”
“No, nothing.”
Kalian waved away the attendant who was still removing grass from his clothes.
Then he took Ilena’s reins from the groom.
“What exactly did you learn from that instructor? Your riding skills are terrible.”
Her already red face became even redder. Leilah hung her head low as if ashamed.
“I’m sorry.”
“This does seem like something you should be sorry for.”
Kalian gestured for Leilah to come closer.
When Leilah approached hesitantly, he handed her the reins.
“I’ll correct your posture first, so get back on.”
Leilah mounted the horse awkwardly.
“Your posture is even worse than before.”
At Kalian’s criticism, Leilah straightened her back.
It was still unstable, but better than before.
“Lift your head. Straighten your back more.”
Despite that effort, Leilah’s body shrank again when Kalian’s hand touched her waist.
It wasn’t that Kalian’s touch was uncomfortable or anything.
She felt embarrassed because she remembered kissing him just moments ago.
‘Get it together, Leilah.’
That was an accident. There’s no need to be embarrassed.
If she acted like this, people would think it strange, so Leilah steadied her trembling heart.
“It’s not improving at all.”
Kalian clicked his tongue and swiftly mounted behind Leilah.
At the sudden heavy weight, Ilena fidgeted slightly but that was all.
Kalian’s chest pressed against her back. At the unfamiliar yet familiar sensation, Leilah was startled and hunched forward.
“Lean your back against my chest.”
Back against his chest…
Strange thoughts suddenly occurred to her, but Leilah shook her head to dispel the fantasies.
“Go ahead and do it.”
“Yes.”
Leilah took a deep breath, straightened her back, and leaned against Kalian’s chest.
“Don’t forget this posture.”
“Yes.”
“Hold the reins too.”
Leilah held the reins as Kalian instructed.
Then Kalian reached his hands around both sides of Leilah to correct her grip.
“This is how you hold the reins.”
It was simply an action to teach her, but it felt strange being held in his embrace. Her heart pounded.
It beat so fast that the loud sound of her heartbeat almost drowned out his voice.
The familiar scent that had grown closer also made her feel dizzy.
“Leilah, are you listening to me?”
“…”
“Leilah.”
“Y-yes!”
When Leilah startled and answered, Kalian spoke teasingly.
“You have the presence of mind to think about other things? How impressive.”
“N-no, it’s not like that…”
Leilah mumbled and then closed her mouth.
“I told you not to hold the reins like that.”
Kalian sternly corrected Leilah’s posture.
When Leilah’s posture still wouldn’t improve, Kalian sighed softly and took the reins himself.
“I’ll show you how I ride.”
“Then I’ll get down…”
“You don’t need to get down.”
As she tried to dismount, Kalian tightened his arms that were holding her.
“Just watch from here. It’ll be better for learning that way.”
* * *
“Head Servant.”
Rahel, who had been directing various tasks to the servants, turned around at the voice calling her.
There she saw Esramel, though she didn’t know when she had arrived.
“Is His Majesty the Emperor in the palace?”
“He’s currently at the equestrian training ground.”
“At the equestrian training ground?”
Esramel tilted her head slightly.
“How unusual. Going to the training ground instead of the forest. He always complained that place was too cramped to ride and gallop properly.”
“His Majesty didn’t go to the equestrian training ground to ride.”
“Then?”
“He went to personally teach Baron Aster how to ride.”
“Baron Aster is His Majesty’s aide, isn’t she?”
When Rahel nodded, Esramel blinked her eyes wide.
“His Majesty is personally teaching his aide how to ride? Not leaving it to an instructor?”
“That’s correct.”
Why? There are excellent riding instructors in the imperial palace, so why did he step forward himself?
Esramel thought for a moment, then asked Rahel.
“What’s the atmosphere like between that aide and His Majesty the Emperor? Is there some kind of subtle current flowing between them?”
“I didn’t sense such an atmosphere.”
“Really?”
I thought Kalian had feelings for Leilah and was personally teaching her horseback riding, but I guess that’s not the case.
‘No wait, maybe Rahel just didn’t notice?’
Kalian was more thorough than expected when it came to hiding his emotions.
So much so that his deceased brothers used to point fingers at Kalian, calling him a heartless puppet without blood or tears.
“You said His Majesty is at the equestrian training ground?”
I should see for myself.
“The equestrian training ground to the east, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Shall I guide you there?”
“No. I know the way.”
Just a few years ago, I also lived in the Imperial Palace.
Esramel headed straight to the equestrian training ground.
As she got closer to the training ground, she could hear the sound of horse hooves. In the distance, she could see a white horse running with its snow-white mane flowing.
On the white horse were two people, a man and a woman.
The woman was Leilah, and the man was Kalian.
Rahel had clearly said that Kalian was teaching Leilah how to ride a horse.
But anyone could see that this looked like lovers taking an affectionate stroll.
Even after rubbing her eyes and checking several times, it was the same.
The grooms and attendants seemed to think so too, watching Leilah and Kalian with uncomfortable expressions.
The parties involved themselves didn’t seem to notice this fact though.
“Duchess.”
An attendant noticed her arrival and approached.
“Have you come to see His Majesty?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll inform His Majesty.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Even while talking with the attendant, Esramel kept looking at Leilah and Kalian.
“They look like they’re having a good time, and I don’t want to disturb them.”
Wouldn’t that just incur His Majesty the Emperor’s wrath?
The attendant smiled awkwardly at Esramel’s words.
“It looks like they’ll be finished soon. Would you like to wait in the drawing room?”
“It’s fine. I’ll head back for today.”
There was something more she wanted to find out.
If she could discover that, and use it well, she felt she could achieve what she wanted.
Before leaving, Esramel asked the attendant one thing.
“Did His Majesty suggest riding the horse together first, or did that advisor suggest it first?”
“It was His Majesty.”
“Really?”
It seems my prediction was right, Your Majesty the Emperor.
Esramel smiled faintly as she left the equestrian training ground.
* * *
Only after circling the equestrian training ground about four times did we dismount from the horse.
Relief at finally escaping from Kalian’s embrace, along with a strange sense of regret, enveloped my body.
Perhaps because she was a famous horse, Ilena was perfectly fine even after carrying two people.
“You really are a magnificent horse.”
To think I kicked such a horse.
When I stroked the part I had kicked out of guilt, Ilena looked at me with bright, innocent eyes.
Whinny-
Then she rubbed her head against me as if acting cute.
“That tickles.”
Kalian said with a laugh.
“Ilena seems to have taken a liking to you.”
Ah, is that so?
“I like you too, Ilena.”
It would be nice if I could buy such a magnificent horse.
But it would be difficult. A good horse like Ilena was not only expensive but also hard to obtain.
I was giving up on the idea when Kalian said something unexpected.
“I’ll give Ilena to you.”
“What?”
He’s giving me such a fine horse?
“Th-that’s ridiculous…”
“It’s not ridiculous.”
Kalian cut off my words and spoke firmly.
“Ilena is a horse prepared for the princesses, but as you know, there are currently no princesses in the Imperial Palace suitable to ride Ilena.”
Kalian looked at me sideways as he spoke.
“And waiting for a new princess to be born would take too long. So you should ride her. It’s wasteful to keep a good horse idle, isn’t it?”
“But such an expensive horse…”
“I gave you a manor more expensive than that horse, so this much is nothing.”
Kalian smiled brightly as he took Neo’s reins.
“More importantly, I’m getting hungry. Is it almost dinner time?”
Dinner? Ah.
“Then shall we go to my manor, Your Majesty?”
We had agreed to have dinner at the manor.
By now, Sara and Nes would have finished all the preparations.
“Let’s do that.”
His raised lips looked like they might reach his ears. His sparkling eyes were filled with anticipation.
They say disappointment is as great as expectation, so what if he’s disappointed?
While I was worrying, someone approached. It was a man wearing Crowd Knights uniform.
“Your Majesty.”
The man whispered quietly in Kalian’s ear.
Kalian’s expression crumpled completely after hearing the man’s words.
Why is he acting like that?
“Your Majesty?”
“…I’m sorry, but we’ll have to have dinner another time.”
“Did something happen?”
“It’s nothing serious.”
For something that’s not serious, his expression looks quite bad.
“We’ll have dinner another time, so go back for today. I’ll have Ilena prepared for you to take next time. That’s fine, right?”
Is it my imagination that he seems to be rambling?
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Good. Then I’ll see you at work.”
With those final words, Kalian hurriedly left the equestrian training ground.
* * *
The place Kalian headed to after leaving the equestrian training ground was the Outer Palace.
Being the weekend, the Outer Palace was quiet. Only a few administrators on duty and those who came to work to finish unfinished tasks could be seen.
The administrators bowed in greeting, but Kalian barely acknowledged them as he entered the inner part of the Outer Palace.
Soon encountering someone he didn’t want to see, Kalian twisted his lips.
“What brings you here during your leave, Duke Williot?”
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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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