I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 160

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#160

 

Why is he coming this way?

 

Don’t tell me he’s trying to talk to me?

 

If that’s the case, how should I respond?

 

I couldn’t just ignore him given Fillen’s status.

 

But I didn’t want to have a conversation with Fillen either, since he would surely say something strange.

 

I didn’t even want to exchange words with Fillen.

 

Should I just run away even if it hurts my pride?

 

No. If I did that, I’d have to leave Diane behind, and how could I do that?

 

It was an awkward situation where I couldn’t do this or that.

 

While I was pondering what to do, a servant approached me and said.

 

“Baron Aster. His Majesty the Emperor is calling for you.”

 

“His Majesty?”

 

“Yes. He said there’s urgent business and to come to the second floor Imperial lounge immediately.”

 

He’s calling for me separately instead of coming to the party hall.

 

Combined with Baron Delrond leaving urgently, I was worried something had happened.

 

“You should go quickly.”

 

Diane pushed my back.

 

“I’m sorry for leaving you alone.”

 

“It’s okay. But you have to keep playing with me when you come back.”

 

“Of course. I’ll resolve this quickly and return, so wait just a little, Diane.”

 

I didn’t want to leave Diane alone for long either.

 

Hoping it would be something I could resolve quickly, I hurried toward the second floor Imperial lounge where Kalian was waiting.

 

* * *

 

After Leilah left.

 

Diane stopped mid-way while coming this direction and looked at the man who was following Leilah’s disappearing figure.

 

‘That man is Duke Fillen Williot.’

 

The head of the Williot Duchy, famous as the Empire’s sword.

 

The Empire’s commander-in-chief and one of the war heroes who led the long six-year war to victory.

 

Fillen’s swordsmanship skills were accordingly exceptional.

 

Enemies called Fillen the Golden Reaper, they said.

 

‘So what? He’s blind when it comes to recognizing real gems.’

 

Diane, who roughly knew what had happened between Fillen and Leilah, snorted.

 

As much as she liked Leilah, she disliked Fillen.

 

She even thought it was truly fortunate that Leilah had broken off her engagement with Fillen.

 

Rather than marrying such a man, it would be better to live alone forever.

 

Yes, exactly.

 

If this were the Kingdom of Natsha.

 

And if Fillen were a noble of the Kingdom of Natsha, she would have openly lashed out at him whether he was a duke or not, but since that wasn’t the case, it was quite regrettable.

 

“Really regrettable, so regrettable.”

 

“Princess Andrina?”

 

While she was clicking her tongue in regret, Ber, who had returned at some point, called her.

 

“Why are you alone? Where is Baron Aster?”

 

“Leilah was called by His Majesty the Emperor, so she stepped away briefly.”

 

“His Majesty the Emperor called her?”

 

Ber frowned and muttered to himself, “What scheme is he plotting now?”

 

“What did you just say?”

 

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

 

No matter how strange Kalian was, he couldn’t badmouth the Emperor to a foreign noble, so he just let it pass.

 

“You must have been bored alone.”

 

“Not particularly. Oh, and there’s something I need to correct.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I’m not a princess but a viscount. I received a title.”

 

As soon as he heard this, Ber placed his hand on his chest and apologized politely.

 

“I apologize, Viscount Andrina.”

 

The Kingdom of Natsha often had women holding titles, but other countries didn’t.

 

Therefore, whenever Diane went to other countries as a diplomat, she heard many discriminatory remarks like how a woman could be a diplomat.

 

When she simply said she was a viscount rather than just a princess, everyone would be surprised and ask if it was really true.

 

But Ber was different. Both when she said she was a diplomat and when she introduced herself as a viscount, he accepted it calmly without showing any surprise.

 

Diane found Ber’s behavior very refreshing.

 

She felt even more favorable toward him.

 

Someone had once said.

 

Lying quietly under a persimmon tree waiting for persimmons to fall was foolish.

 

“Actually, I was bored waiting alone until Leilah comes back.”

 

So I’ll seize it directly.

 

Diane smiled brightly and said to Ber.

 

“So would you be my conversation partner until then, Baron Delrond?”

 

* * *

 

What’s going on?

 

Could there have been problems between foreign envoys and the Empire’s nobles?

 

Or perhaps there was a disruption in His Majesty’s schedule?

 

“Your Majesty, this is Leilah Aster.”

 

With all sorts of thoughts running through my head, I entered the Imperial lounge.

 

Though it was a temporary lounge, being for Imperial use, it was extremely luxurious. Among the furniture decorating the room, there wasn’t a single cheap item.

 

“You’re here?”

 

I heard there was urgent business, but Kalian was sitting too casually on the sofa drinking wine.

 

No matter how I looked at it, he didn’t seem like someone with urgent business.

 

“I heard there was urgent business.”

 

“Ah, that.”

 

Kalian smiled and put down his wine glass.

 

“It seemed like you were uncomfortable because of Duke Williot.”

 

Ah, he saw that.

 

“I apologize for causing you concern.”

 

“Why are you apologizing? Duke Williot should apologize for being persistent even after you wrote a notarized wish.”

 

That’s true, but…

 

“Sit.”

 

Kalian turned an empty wine glass that was upside down right-side up.

 

“If you go back right away, they’ll think it’s strange, so stay a little longer before going.”

 

“But the guests will be waiting.”

 

The Empire’s nobles aside, I felt bad about making foreign dignitaries wait.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

Kalian answered nonchalantly while filling the empty wine glass.

 

“They’d prefer playing among themselves rather than having me there anyway.”

 

The red wine swirled in the transparent glass.

 

“So let’s just have one glass of wine before you go.”

 

“If that is His Majesty’s will….”

 

I sat across from Kalian.

 

Kalian set down a half-filled glass in front of me.

 

“Do you like wine?”

 

“I neither like nor dislike it.”

 

“Then what about champagne or other alcohol?”

 

“I don’t particularly have a favorite drink.”

 

“Oh my. To think you don’t like alcohol. It seems you haven’t properly tasted the bitter side of life yet.”

 

Is that so? I thought I’d tasted enough bitterness already.

 

As memories of everything that had happened so far suddenly came to mind, I smiled bitterly and drank the wine.

 

The sweet yet bitter taste swirled in my mouth before disappearing.

 

This must be quite a strong wine.

 

One glass wouldn’t make me drunk, but I should still be careful.

 

“Are you still very concerned about Duke Williot?”

 

As soon as I set down my glass, thinking it would be better not to drink more, Kalian asked.

 

The answer to that question was obviously ‘yes.’

 

I was trying my best not to think about Fillen, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

 

Moreover, lately Fillen kept appearing before my eyes, making me even more concerned.

 

Just a moment ago, hadn’t he shown movements as if he wanted to approach me?

 

‘It would be so nice if he were out of sight.’

 

I desperately wished for it, but knowing it was a wish that wouldn’t come true, I didn’t voice it aloud.

 

Thinking of Fillen made my chest feel stuffy. Feeling thirsty, I picked up the wine glass again.

 

I had planned to drink just one glass to avoid getting drunk, but now I wanted to drink more.

 

I understood what it meant to crave alcohol.

 

“May I have more wine?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Kalian gladly refilled my glass.

 

Only after emptying another glass of wine did I finally answer Kalian’s question.

 

“I won’t lie and say no.”

 

“I see.”

 

Kalian gave a brief reply and then drank his wine.

 

I did the same, and after emptying another glass, I felt slightly tipsy.

 

‘I really should stop now.’

 

Though I still wanted to drink more, I set down my glass, feeling like I’d really get drunk if I continued.

 

As the alcohol took effect, various thoughts came to mind.

 

I was particularly curious about whether Kalian would accept the Holy Kingdom’s marriage proposal.

 

Diplomatically speaking, accepting the marriage proposal would be right, but still….

 

As the tipsy feeling grew stronger, my fantasies deepened.

 

Suddenly imagining a scene of a young girl in a beautiful wedding dress standing beside Kalian, I found myself muttering without realizing it.

 

“The Holy Kingdom’s marriage proposal… will you accept it?”

 

Kalian’s hand, which had been tilting his wine glass, paused.

 

Only when I met his surprised blue eyes did I realize my slip of tongue and hurriedly bowed my head.

 

“I, I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

 

“No. Since you heard the conversation together, you must be curious.”

 

Kalian tilted his wine glass again. The red wine disappeared quickly.

 

“I’m still thinking about it.”

 

Kalian paused slightly before continuing.

 

“But I’ll probably accept it.”

 

So he is going to accept it after all.

 

My heart stung and my mouth tasted bitter. It seemed like all the sweet taste of the wine had disappeared, leaving only a strong bitter aftertaste.

 

“Why do you look like that? Did you not want me to accept the marriage proposal?”

 

“It’s not that… It’s just that the Holy Kingdom’s princess seems too young for marriage….”

 

“Ah, I’m aware of that. So I’m planning to proceed with the engagement first, and hold the wedding ceremony gradually.”

 

“I… see.”

 

The fact that he had thought that far meant it was safe to say he had made up his mind to go through with the marriage.

 

“What about you?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Don’t you have any thoughts of getting married?”

 

That’s the second time I’ve heard that question today.

 

“I probably won’t.”

 

It would have been more accurate to say I probably couldn’t, but if I said that, he might pry like Diane did, so I answered somewhat indirectly.

 

“Why?”

 

Even when I speak indirectly, the prying is the same.

 

“Is it perhaps because of Duke Williot?”

 

Since it hit the mark, I kept my mouth shut.

 

Kalian let out a deep sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

 

“To think you won’t even marry because you still have lingering feelings for Duke Williot….”

 

“Pardon?”

 

What is he talking about?

 

“Th, that’s not what I meant, Your Majesty.”

 

Kalian seemed to be misunderstanding something strange, so I hurriedly added.

 

“When I said I probably couldn’t get married, it’s because there wouldn’t be anyone who would like me….”

 

“So you’re not refusing to marry, but you can’t?”

 

Oops, in my urgency I made another slip of tongue.

 

“And why wouldn’t there be anyone who likes you?”

 

I was trying to correct myself even now, but Kalian’s words were faster.

 

Kalian looked at me with more serious eyes than ever before and said.

 

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————