I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 146

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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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#146

 

“I’m happy you welcomed me despite my sudden visit without notice.”

 

Was she not going to drop the formal speech? I found it slightly puzzling.

 

That was understandable since she was a princess before being a duchess.

 

High-ranking nobles might be one thing, but it was rare for royalty to speak formally to lower nobles like me.

 

It would have been the same even if she were simply a duchess.

 

But why wasn’t she dropping the formal speech?

 

I buried my puzzlement in my chest and sat across from the duchess.

 

Sara, who had followed me in, gracefully poured tea into my cup.

 

She also refilled the duchess’s half-empty teacup.

 

Just moments ago she had been trembling, not knowing what to do, but now she wasn’t trembling at all and was performing her role splendidly.

 

How admirable. I should praise her later.

 

I smiled contentedly and drank my tea.

 

“The tea tastes familiar.”

 

The duchess asked while holding her teacup.

 

“If my memory serves me right, this tea seems to be the one His Majesty the Emperor often drinks. Am I correct?”

 

“You are correct.”

 

Since I had planned to treat Kalian to dinner as thanks for teaching me horseback riding today, I had purchased his favorite tea in advance.

 

Not just tea. I had prepared snacks and food that Kalian liked as well.

 

…Though it all became pointless.

 

It wasn’t that I felt disappointed or anything, but I was worried.

 

If his expression had been good, I would have brushed it off as nothing serious, but since it wasn’t, I was even more worried.

 

“Oh my. Your expression looks dark. Is something wrong?”

 

Seeing the duchess ask that, I must have unconsciously shown my worry on my face.

 

Unable to manage even my expression, how foolish.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

I immediately composed my expression and straightened my back.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“I just stopped by while passing through.”

 

“I see.”

 

“You don’t believe me.”

 

Of course I didn’t believe her. There was no way I could believe that she, with whom I had no friendship, would suddenly visit without notice.

 

Rather than saying my thoughts directly, I answered somewhat indirectly.

 

“Since you visited so suddenly without notice, Duchess, I can only assume that something important might have happened.”

 

The duchess tilted her lips at an angle.

 

“As expected, it seems Baron finds my sudden visit disagreeable?”

 

“That’s not what I meant, but if it sounded that way, I apologize.”

 

When I bowed my head in apology, the duchess smiled softly.

 

“Baron is more upright than I thought. Perhaps that’s why His Majesty the Emperor gave his heart to Baron.”

 

His Majesty the Emperor gave his heart to me?

 

What does that mean?

 

I looked at the duchess at her incomprehensible words, but she didn’t seem inclined to explain what she had said.

 

Then, the duchess placed her teacup on her lap and glanced briefly at Sara.

 

She wanted Sara to leave.

 

“Sara, please step out.”

 

After Sara left, the duchess finally spoke.

 

“As expected. I came because I have something to say to Baron.”

 

Was she finally getting to the main point?

 

“Please speak freely.”

 

“What do you think of His Majesty the Emperor, Baron?”

 

“I think he’s a good person.”

 

“Not such a formulaic answer.”

 

The duchess continued while placing her teacup on the table.

 

“I want to know what Baron thinks of His Majesty as a man.”

 

As a… man?

 

At the sudden question, I momentarily recalled accidentally kissing Kalian today.

 

I felt my face flush hot.

 

Along with that, my heart began beating violently.

 

“Why is your face so red, Baron Aster?”

 

The duchess’s eyes curved prettily like crescents.

 

“Did something happen with His Majesty that would make you blush?”

 

“Nothing like that.”

 

My heart was still pounding, and that scene lingered in my mind, that sensation still lingered on my lips, but I tried to act nonchalant as I answered.

 

“I was just a bit flustered since it was such an unexpected question.”

 

I deliberately spoke slowly to buy time to calm my violently beating heart.

 

I shook my head slightly to erase that memory.

 

I bit my lips firmly to cover that sensation.

 

“If it’s not rude, may I ask why you’re asking this?”

 

“Why do you think I asked, Baron?”

 

There was a reason I could guess, but not knowing if I should say it outright, I hesitated for a moment before carefully speaking.

 

“Is it because you think of me as His Majesty the Emperor’s mistress, Duchess?”

 

Though the rumors had quieted down since the soldier left, that was literally just the rumors quieting down.

 

There were still many people who thought of me as the Emperor’s mistress.

 

Was Duchess Cloud one of those people?

 

I thought she might have come to warn me, but apparently not, as the duchess smiled and shook her head.

 

“No.”

 

“Then…?”

 

The duchess took a sip of her already cold tea before answering.

 

“I asked for the sake of His Majesty the Emperor’s marriage.”

 

Marriage? But why ask me about that…

 

“His Majesty the Emperor is 27 years old this year, an age when he should already have three or four children.”

 

Nobles usually had their coming-of-age ceremony at 18, then married and had children before turning 20.

 

Royalty often married at even younger ages under the pretext of increasing the imperial bloodline.

 

Moreover, the Emperor could take four imperial consorts in addition to the Empress as his primary wife, so at 27, it would be normal to have three or four children as the duchess said.

 

“But he hasn’t even married, let alone had children, so our worry is beyond measure.”

 

The duchess placed one hand on her cheek and let out a deep sigh.

 

Worry was evident in her furrowed brow.

 

“Even if he were an ordinary noble, it would be greatly concerning, but for His Majesty the Emperor to be like this makes it even more worrying. Don’t you think so too, Baron?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Since I too had found it puzzling that His Majesty the Emperor hadn’t taken even one imperial consort yet, I nodded.

 

“So I was curious how His Majesty might appear to princesses around Baron’s age, which is why I asked.”

 

The duchess smiled brightly and placed her teacup back on the table.

 

“To stand beside His Majesty the Emperor, one must have the proper status and qualifications, but feelings are important too. It would be troublesome if they were too afraid of His Majesty, wouldn’t it?”

 

Ah, so that’s what it was.

 

Not knowing that, I had such a misunderstanding, which was quite rude of me.

 

“I apologize, Duchess. I had an unnecessary misunderstanding.”

 

“Not at all. It’s fortunate that the misunderstanding is cleared up now. So, would you share your thoughts with me, Baron?”

 

The duchess covered her mouth with her sleeve and smiled faintly.

 

“Compared to other princesses your age, Baron has been closest to His Majesty the Emperor, so you would know well, wouldn’t you?”

 

I answered with slight difficulty.

 

“That’s true, but I’ve never looked at His Majesty the Emperor romantically.”

 

I had simply thought of him as a superior I needed to serve.

 

And that was correct too.

 

“But I’m not sure if this will be helpful to you, Duchess.”

 

“Really, not even once?”

 

For some reason, Duchess Cloud looked flustered.

 

“You’ve never once looked at His Majesty the Emperor romantically until now?”

 

“No.”

 

I nodded somewhat bewildered.

 

“Ha.”

 

Then the Duchess let out an empty sigh and held her head with her hand.

 

The space between her eyebrows narrowed.

 

“Even if similar people are drawn to each other, there’s no need to be alike in this aspect too.”

 

What does she mean?

 

“Duchess?”

 

When I called out in confusion, the Duchess let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

And as if she had never frowned, she smiled faintly and looked at me.

 

“Even if not romantically… tell me what you think, Baron.”

 

“As I mentioned earlier, I think he’s a good person.”

 

“What else?”

 

What else should I say?

 

“Well, His Majesty the Emperor is kind and attentive.”

 

I should explain why I think this way too.

 

“He carefully watches whether we attendants eat our meals on time and whether we’re overworking ourselves. He immediately notices when someone’s condition is poor and calls for the court physician.”

 

The Duchess looked at me with sparkling eyes. Her gaze seemed to want me to say more.

 

“When there are difficult matters, he readily offers to help and tells us to speak up anytime…”

 

Ah, this seems too subjective.

 

Although the Duchess asked for my thoughts, it would still be more helpful to speak as objectively as possible.

 

“Besides, he’s handsome.”

 

This was something anyone would have to acknowledge.

 

“And he’s capable too.”

 

Even aside from being Emperor, Kalian himself was sufficiently capable.

 

“The rumors about him are a bit unfavorable, but I think that’s an unavoidable aspect.”

 

Because if Kalian hadn’t done that back then, he would have died.

 

“So I hope the other princesses won’t have too much prejudice and will look favorably upon His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

So that a good person can become Empress and stand by His Majesty’s side…

 

Suddenly, a sharp sensation brushed past my chest.

 

Why am I feeling this way?

 

I gently placed my hand on my chest.

 

Did I strain my heart from practicing horseback riding too enthusiastically?

 

“I see. I understand your thoughts well, Baron.”

 

The Duchess, who had been quietly listening to my story, nodded.

 

“If His Majesty the Emperor is truly such a person, any princess would fall for His Majesty at once.”

 

I should naturally agree with that, but for some reason my mouth wouldn’t open.

 

The inexplicable pain that struck my chest was still there too.

 

“Then may I ask one more favor, Baron?”

 

“Yes, anything I can do.”

 

“Please deliver this to His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

The Duchess held out an envelope she had placed beside her.

 

What is it? It doesn’t seem like a letter.

 

“It’s a list of princesses who I think have the qualifications to become Empress.”

 

At these unexpected words, I paused while reaching for the envelope.

 

“Please deliver this to His Majesty the Emperor. Along with the message that I earnestly hope he will take an Empress.”

 

The pain lingering around my heart gradually worsened, aching dully as if gnawing at my heart.

 

My mouth also tasted bitter as if I had chewed herbs, but I forced a smile and nodded.

 

“Yes. I will do that.”

 

“Also, please be sure to tell His Majesty the Emperor your opinion about what I said at the end.”

 

The Duchess said with a slight smile.

 

“Please be sure to tell His Majesty whether you share the same opinion as me, or if you have a different opinion.”

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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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