I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 172

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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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#172

A strange smell came from the suddenly shortened distance. It was a sweet fragrance that momentarily clouded one’s mind.

That was brief, as the area where his hand touched felt like a snake crawling over it, making me shudder with disgust and snapping me back to my senses.

[Good girl, Leilah.]

Memories of Andante groping my body in the past came flooding back, making me dizzy.

[Your skin is so soft.]

No, don’t touch me. Don’t touch my body…

“Don’t touch me!”

I shouted fiercely and shook off Andante’s hand.

In the process, I unintentionally scratched Andante’s cheek with my nails, but I didn’t feel sorry at all.

Andante traced the scratched wound with his finger, then glared at me coldly.

“How dare you wound my face?”

The moment I thought “Oh no,” my shoulder was grabbed.

Andante gripped my shoulder so hard it made me cry out, then raised his other hand high.

He’s going to hit me. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impending pain.

But even after time passed, I felt no pain at all.

When I cautiously opened my eyes, I saw a reliable back blocking my view.

When I raised my head a bit more, I saw dazzling silver hair.

“Count Hiltain…?”

He had blocked Andante’s hand for me.

Count Hiltain glanced at me sideways, then looked back at Andante.

From my position, I could only see his back, but.

“…!”

Looking at Andante’s terrified expression, I could imagine how frightening Count Hiltain’s face must look.

Andante, who had been hesitating and watching Hiltain’s mood, forced a smile and spoke to Count Hiltain.

“My hand hurts, would you let go now?”

“…You know when you’re in pain, yet you ignore others’ suffering.”

His deep voice quietly echoed through the corridor.

Count Hiltain must have gripped harder, as Andante’s face gradually contorted.

“Ugh…”

The small groan that escaped was pathetic. Count Hiltain must have thought so too, as he let go of Andante’s hand with a low chuckle, almost throwing it away.

Unable to withstand the rough force, Andante collapsed to the floor.

Count Hiltain didn’t spare Andante another glance and turned to look at me.

“Are you alright?”

“Thanks to you. Thank you for helping me, Count Hiltain.”

I bowed my head to express my gratitude.

Count Hiltain grabbed my shoulder, turned me around, and pushed my back.

“I’ll handle things here, so please go back.”

“There’s no need to handle anything separately.”

Count Hiltain wouldn’t lose to Andante in terms of strength, but I was concerned about their social status.

Count Hiltain was a commoner, and Andante was the heir to an earldom.

Of course, with Kalian backing Count Hiltain, he wouldn’t suffer greatly from this incident, but.

The aristocrats would gossip endlessly about how a commoner dared to attack a noble.

And Count Hiltain’s reputation would be endlessly damaged.

‘That can’t happen.’

I can’t let Count Hiltain be treated that way because of me.

“Count Hiltain, please come back with me.”

“But…”

“It’s fine. There’s no need to worry about someone like that, so let’s go back together. Please.”

When I repeatedly asked, Count Hiltain reluctantly nodded.

“Thank you. Shall we go then?”

“Go where?”

Just as I was about to leave with Count Hiltain, Andante, who had gotten up from his spot, interrupted.

“You just throw someone down and leave without any apology. Your manners are completely terrible.”

Andante spoke sarcastically.

When Count Hiltain clenched his fist at this, I stretched out my arm to signal him not to intervene.

“Those are words I don’t want to hear from someone who spoke informally without my permission and tried to hit me.”

And I returned the same to Andante.

I was about to speak informally too, but held back since he might later use that as an excuse to act shamelessly as if he did nothing wrong.

“That’s because you scratched my face first, didn’t you?”

“It was an accident. And if you hadn’t grabbed my arm on your own, that wouldn’t have happened.”

“That’s because I suggested we have a conversation, but you just left on your own.”

“I have nothing to discuss with someone who doesn’t observe basic courtesy.”

When I responded without backing down to the end, Andante frowned.

“You…!”

Andante opened his mouth as if to shout angrily, then glanced at Count Hiltain and closed his mouth.

He was the typical type who was strong against the weak and weak against the strong.

Very much like Andante, I suppose.

“…Do you think you’ll be safe after treating me like this?”

“What if I’m not safe?”

“I’ll expose everything you’ve done to the world.”

Everything I’ve done? What would that be?

I thought carefully about whether I had done anything that Andante could use against me, but nothing particular came to mind.

The only thing that would make me subject to criticism if revealed to the world was the false accusation I had suffered in the past.

The incident where Andante had tried to assault me first, then lied saying I had done it.

Surely he wouldn’t be planning to reveal that to the world.

Then I had no idea what he could possibly mean.

‘Is he just bluffing because he doesn’t want to lose to me?’

With Andante, that was entirely possible.

Then I could just ignore it.

“Do as you please.”

At my answer, Andante smirked.

“Are you confident you won’t regret it?”

“Yes.”

Not only had I never done anything that Andante could use against me.

Even if I had, I would rather accept the consequences gracefully than pathetically cling to him.

“You’ll regret it though?”

“I won’t regret it.”

“How confident you are. Well, fine. If that’s your choice, I should respect it.”

Him respecting me.

It was such an absurd statement that I couldn’t even snort in derision.

“Then I’ll see you later, Leilah.”

Andante waved his hand with a leisurely expression and turned around.

“I’m already excited thinking about that pretty face of yours soaked in tears.”

Infuriating to the very end.

That was a skill in its own way, if you could call it that.

“Hahaha.”

Andant left with a hearty laugh echoing behind him.

Count Hiltain asked me with a slightly worried tone.

“Is it alright to just let that man go?”

“It’s fine.”

Actually, it wasn’t really fine. Andant’s attitude was too confident to simply dismiss as mere bluffing.

His behavior could only be explained by him having something up his sleeve.

Though I had no idea what that might be.

And Andant’s flashy clothing and expensive accessories bothered me.

The sweet fragrance I had momentarily caught when we were close also concerned me.

It didn’t seem like perfume.

“Baron Aster?”

While I was deep in thought, someone called out to me. It was an administrator from the Marshal’s Office.

He glanced at Count Hiltain beside me, then approached and asked.

“Are you heading to the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect. Could you deliver this to His Majesty?”

“Of course.”

I readily accepted the documents the administrator handed me.

The amount was more than expected and somewhat burdensome, but Count Hiltain’s help made it manageable.

“Thank you.”

Count Hiltain nodded in acknowledgment.

As I adjusted the documents in my arms, the contents naturally caught my eye.

The papers contained information about Molence fruit.

It has strong reproductive capabilities and terrifying growth power, thriving in fertile soil regardless of season.

The flowers come in various colors like red, yellow, and purple, but all fruits are purple.

The raw fruit itself has strong hallucinogenic effects, but burning it after sun-drying and inhaling the smoke produces even stronger hallucinations.

When the fruit is burned, it emits a sweet fragrance.

This fragrance has stronger lasting power than most perfumes, leaving a lingering scent for a long time.

‘Sweet fragrance…’

The moment I saw those two words, an ominous premonition flashed through my mind.

Could it be… was Andant cultivating and selling Molence fruit?

If so, it would explain why he was wearing flashy clothes and expensive accessories that didn’t suit his station.

As well as the momentarily mind-dulling sweet smell that came from his body.

I stood there and quickly skimmed through the documents I was holding.

“Count Hiltain, could you give me those documents again for a moment?”

I also skimmed through the documents Count Hiltain was holding. But Andant’s name wasn’t anywhere to be found.

Well, if his name were here, the Imperial Palace Knights would have arrested him immediately.

I wanted to investigate Andant’s background, but since the matter of Molence fruit was a secret known only to a few, I couldn’t ask just anyone to investigate.

‘If I’m going to ask, I’d have to go to the Marshal’s Office…’

The problem was if my guess was wrong.

Then not only would I be utterly humiliated, but if Andant learned about this, he would definitely make a fuss and try to get something from me.

So I needed to ask someone trustworthy to do it secretly.

They also needed to have reliable skills.

Who could that be?

Kalian? No. I can’t ask him for such an uncertain favor when he’s busy with other matters.

Baron Delrond was trustworthy, but the problem was his capabilities.

I couldn’t rashly ask him since I didn’t know if he had skills in this area.

Who else could be a good candidate…

“Ah.”

There was someone. And they were in the closest place possible.

“Count Hiltain, are you very busy these days?”

First, I needed to find out about his schedule.

Count Hiltain took the documents back from my hands and answered curtly.

“Not particularly busy.”

“Then could I ask you for a favor?”

“What kind of favor?”

“It’s a somewhat difficult matter…”

I glanced toward where Andant had disappeared, then spoke quietly enough for Count Hiltain to hear.

“The person we just saw, Andant Tebesa, is officially my older brother.”

“Do you want me to teach him a lesson?”

Was it my imagination that he sounded strangely hopeful?

“No. Please investigate his background. I think that person might be connected to Molence fruit.”

Count Hiltain’s eyes hardened with determination.

“Just so you know, it’s not certain. It’s simply my speculation, but… can you do it?”

“Yes.”

He could have pondered it at least once, but thankfully Count Hiltain nodded immediately without hesitation.

“Thank you.”

I smiled and expressed my gratitude.

“…”

Count Hiltain walked forward silently with steady steps.

As the wind blew and his silver hair fluttered, revealing his earlobes slightly, they were red for some reason.

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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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