I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 173

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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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#173

 

After parting with Leilah, Andante headed straight to the Marshal’s Office in the Outer Palace.

 

It was to meet Fillen.

 

Not only when entering the palace, but also when leaving, he needed Fillen’s help to get out.

 

Fillen was having a conversation with Count Grace, the deputy minister.

 

Andante stepped aside to avoid interrupting and watched Fillen.

 

“Do this as is…”

 

Fillen gave various orders to Count Grace with a rarely seen serious expression.

 

Count Grace listened seriously to Fillen’s words.

 

The other administrators around them were the same.

 

‘He looks perfectly normal like this.’

 

Not just normal, but clearly a superior respected by his subordinates.

 

But then why did he commit such an absurd act?

 

Taking a mistress was one thing, but abandoning his wife for that mistress was foolish and stupid.

 

Moreover, Leilah had been Fillen’s fiancée for over ten years, and those around them practically recognized her as the Duchess.

 

Not only that, but she had earned the deep trust of the retainers and domain people by caring for the Williot Duchy and domain in Fillen’s place for a long time.

 

So no matter how lovely and pretty Sisly was, Fillen shouldn’t have mistreated or abandoned Leilah.

 

‘But he did abandon her.’

 

To be precise, Leilah had let go first, unable to endure Fillen’s harsh words and cold treatment.

 

Kalian’s timely appearance, tempting her with sweet bait like offering her an aide position, also played a part.

 

Still, if he had lived happily with Sisly, everyone would have overlooked it, thinking love conquers all, but that wasn’t the case.

 

Things more disastrous than a trashy novel unfolded, making Fillen the laughingstock of social circles.

 

‘If it were me, I would have been too embarrassed to show my face and would have immediately resigned and holed up in my domain.’

 

Fillen didn’t do that and instead moved even more actively than before.

 

Perhaps because he’s a duke, he doesn’t care about others’ gazes at all.

 

Finding this quite amusing, Andante chuckled.

 

Perhaps hearing his laughter, Fillen turned to look at Andante.

 

“Your Grace.”

 

As soon as their eyes met, Andante wiped away his smile as if he had never laughed and greeted him with utmost seriousness.

 

Fillen acknowledged the greeting with a simple nod.

 

“Wait in the drawing room for a moment.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“This way.”

 

Andante followed the servant into the drawing room connected to the Marshal’s Office.

 

Another servant brought tea and refreshments.

 

After the servants left and he was alone, Andante looked around the drawing room.

 

Perhaps because it was a drawing room within the Imperial Palace, it was larger and more luxurious than rooms in most nobleman’s estates.

 

‘Is this real gold?’

 

Andante touched the golden frame. The frame looked expensive, but the painting hanging in it also looked expensive.

 

How much would it cost? As he was estimating the price while staring at the painting, the door clicked open.

 

It was Fillen.

 

Perhaps finding his shirt buttoned up to the neck a bit stuffy, Fillen unbuttoned the top button and spoke to Andante.

 

“You came earlier than expected.”

 

“My work finished early.”

 

“So.”

 

When Fillen sat on the sofa, the servant who followed him poured tea.

 

Andante sat across from him.

 

“What did Leilah answer?”

 

This morning, as he was about to go to the Imperial Palace, Andante suddenly appeared before Fillen.

 

As suddenly as he appeared, Andante brought up an unexpected topic.

 

“I apologize for asking, but could you take me to the Imperial Palace as well?”

 

“The reason?”

 

“I need to meet Leilah.”

 

As far as Fillen knew, the relationship between Andante and Leilah wasn’t very good.

 

Though she didn’t tell him the details, Leilah used to say like a habit that she disliked the Tebesa County people, especially Andante.

 

But strangely, Andante seemed to like Leilah.

 

‘Did they simply fight?’

 

They say brothers and sisters often fight when their opinions don’t match, so perhaps Leilah and Andante were like that too.

 

It could be that Leilah was unilaterally sulking.

 

Still, they were blood-related family.

 

Family who stick together in moments of crisis even after fighting as if they’d kill each other.

 

“Alright.”

 

So Fillen decided to help Andante meet Leilah.

 

Of course, it wasn’t free.

 

“But there’s a condition. Help me so I can also meet and talk with Leilah.”

 

Fillen wanted to have a sincere conversation with Leilah to clear up the misunderstandings between them.

 

Then she would return to me again.

 

But because Leilah kept refusing, he couldn’t have that conversation.

 

Moreover, Leilah had written a notarized wish telling him not to approach her privately, so he couldn’t speak to her freely.

 

If the direct approach doesn’t work, he’d have to use indirect methods.

 

“You can help, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Thus the deal was made.

 

Fillen brought Andante to the palace instead of the aide he originally planned to bring.

 

While working, Fillen waited for Andante to return with good news.

 

“I’m sorry, but… Leilah says she doesn’t want to have a conversation with Your Grace.”

 

He really waited, but the answer that came back didn’t meet his expectations at all.

 

Fillen frowned and asked back as if he couldn’t believe it.

 

“Leilah said that?”

 

Andante smiled awkwardly and answered.

 

“Yes. She refused immediately as soon as I brought up Your Grace.”

 

It was a complete lie.

 

“Of course, I didn’t give up and kept trying to appeal… but she wouldn’t even listen with one ear.”

 

Though he hadn’t even mentioned the ‘Fil’ in Fillen to Leilah, Andante calmly told lies without batting an eye.

 

“Moreover, she said if I kept talking about such things, she didn’t want to continue the conversation and left in a huff.”

 

He even added appropriate acting to make Fillen believe his words.

 

“Because of that, I couldn’t say what I needed to say either, so I’m in quite a difficult situation.”

 

Here he should show slightly exaggerated behavior to make the other party feel more guilt.

 

Everything was a thoroughly planned action.

 

“I didn’t intend for that to happen, sorry.”

 

Fillen, who fell for it completely, apologized.

 

Andante laughed heartily inside while outwardly showing embarrassment and waving her hands dismissively.

 

“It’s fine. It was also a condition for bringing me to the Imperial Palace, and I did it hoping that you and Leilah would get back together.”

 

This was also a complete lie.

 

Right now, Leilah was getting along well with Kalian, who was none other than the Emperor, so there was no reason to push her back to Fillen’s side.

 

‘Unless there are some crumbs that fall my way…’

 

But it didn’t seem like there was anything to gain except money.

 

She could ask to be placed in the Marshal’s Office, but someone like her who couldn’t use a sword at all would have nothing to do even if she entered the Marshal’s Office.

 

She had no intention of working hard in the first place.

 

Having found an easy way to make money, what need was there to work hard?

 

‘Wait, should I ask for that?’

 

That seemed like something Fillen could grant.

 

Andante, who had suddenly thought of something good, chuckled to herself inwardly.

 

“I’m grateful you think that way.”

 

Fillen let out a deep sigh and held his head. He looked exactly like a man who had been rejected in love.

 

‘Does he like Leilah that much?’

 

What was so good about such a rigid woman who was born from a lowly maid’s womb and had no flexibility whatsoever?

 

It would be different if Leilah was the only woman he could marry, but that wasn’t the case either.

 

Although his reputation had been tarnished by the scandal with Sisly, he was still from a ducal family.

 

There were countless young ladies who wanted to become the Duchess, enough to trip over.

 

But Andante couldn’t understand at all why he was so obsessed with Leilah.

 

“If I get a chance to meet Leilah next time, I’ll subtly bring up the topic again.”

 

It was groundwork for getting what she wanted.

 

“Thank you. If you need anything, tell me anytime. I’ll help you with anything I can do.”

 

She thought he would definitely react to this, and it was as expected.

 

“It’s fine. I’m just helping with what you want as well.”

 

With things like this, it was better not to accept immediately and step back first.

 

When Andante showed embarrassment and declined, Fillen spoke seriously.

 

“Don’t be modest and tell me anything. I’m sincere.”

 

“If Your Grace says so, I have no choice.”

 

If she refused more, she could really back out, so Andante accepted as if she had no choice.

 

“Actually, I was having a difficult situation…”

 

As soon as she subtly brought it up, Fillen immediately reacted.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Well, an old friend wants to come to the capital to see me and also to sightsee, but they don’t have a travel permit.”

 

“If they’re a noble, they wouldn’t need a travel permit, would they?”

 

Nobles could pass through checkpoints just with a badge bearing their family crest.

 

Andante smiled awkwardly and carefully spoke up.

 

“Well… they’re not a noble of the Empire, but a noble from a defeated nation.”

 

When Fillen showed a slightly displeased expression at those words, Andante hurriedly waved her hands.

 

“Even though they’re a noble from a defeated nation, they were a noble in name only. They were practically no different from a commoner.”

 

“…”

 

“If it’s not possible, that’s fine. I have no intention of putting Your Grace in a difficult position…”

 

“Fine.”

 

Before Andante could even finish speaking, Fillen answered.

 

“I’ll speak to the checkpoint separately. Then they should be able to pass through immediately without any inspection.”

 

Andante’s face brightened.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. However, from the time they enter the capital until they leave, they absolutely must not cause any problems.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Andante placed her hand on her chest and bowed her head politely.

 

“I absolutely will not cause any problems.”

 

That friend and I, that is.

 

Andante’s eyes glinted ominously as she swallowed the rest of her words.

 

* * *

 

“Did something happen?”

 

At the sudden question during the report, I stopped turning the documents and looked at Kalian.

 

“Your expression looks worse than yesterday.”

 

Does it? I thought I had managed my expression quite well.

 

“Nothing happened.”

 

“That’s a lie.”

 

Kalian pointed to the corner of his left eye.

 

“I told you before. When you lie, this side twitches.”

 

Right, he did. I smiled awkwardly and touched the corner of my left eye.

 

“So what happened?”

 

“I apologize.”

 

It was an indirect way of expressing that I couldn’t tell him.

 

Then Kalian sighed as if he was disappointed.

 

“It seems you don’t trust me.”

 

“That’s not what I meant…”

 

When I panicked and tried to make excuses, Kalian smiled and rested his chin on his hand.

 

“You don’t need to panic like that. I was joking.”

 

“…You’re being mischievous.”

 

“Am I?”

 

Kalian thought for a moment, then answered “I see” and stood up from his seat.

 

“Then before this mischievous person plays more pranks, could you spare me some time?”

 

“Is there something you need to do?”

 

“Rather than having something to do.”

 

Kalian smiled as brightly as the sunlight streaming through the window and said.

 

“The weather is so nice that I was thinking of going on a picnic. Can you spare the time?”

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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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