I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 176

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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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#176

 

Kalian immediately executed all the plans he had made that day.

 

He made all matters related to the Mollenche fruit public and conducted a massive search to find those who dared to distribute the drugs banned by the state.

 

He also created a dedicated drug enforcement department.

 

Count Grace, the deputy minister of the Marshal’s Office, was appointed as the chief administrator of the drug enforcement department.

 

With Count Grace gone, there was no one left to command the Marshal’s Office.

 

Kalian tried to appoint someone else as acting commander, but Fillen seized that opportunity.

 

“I will return my remaining leave and come back to duty immediately.”

 

Kalian tried to refuse, but he couldn’t reject it because the other administrators at the Marshal’s Office welcomed Fillen’s return.

 

There was no longer any reason to ignore their request and oppose Fillen’s return.

 

Thus, Fillen returned his long leave and officially resumed his position as Minister of the Marshal’s Office and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Knight Order.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

When Kalian apologized, Leilah blinked as if she didn’t understand why.

 

“Why are you apologizing?”

 

“Are you really okay with it?”

 

Leilah, who belatedly realized what Kalian was trying to say, smiled and answered.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

Kalian unconsciously examined the corner of Leilah’s left eye.

 

The corner of her left eye didn’t rise at all. It meant she was telling the truth.

 

“Have you completely sorted out your feelings now?”

 

That was good news in its own way.

 

At the returning question, Leilah smiled faintly.

 

“I sorted out my feelings about Duke Williot long ago.”

 

“Right.”

 

I asked something unnecessary.

 

Kalian blamed his own loose tongue and stood up from his seat.

 

“It’s almost lunchtime, shall we have lunch together?”

 

Leilah added as if it were natural.

 

“I’ll call Baron Delrond.”

 

“No, Ber isn’t necessary.”

 

Kalian unhesitatingly took Leilah’s hand and said.

 

“Today, it’ll just be you and me, the two of us.”

 

Leilah hesitated, then quietly withdrew her hand from Kalian’s grasp.

 

Did I come on too strong?

 

Still, rejecting me so openly is a bit hurtful.

 

Kalian smiled bitterly inwardly while outwardly responding nonchalantly.

 

“If it makes you uncomfortable, you can refuse.”

 

Leilah hesitated for a moment before answering.

 

“It’s not that it makes me uncomfortable, but I still have a lot of work left to do. Could we have a meal together next time?”

 

The corner of her left eye rose slightly. It meant she was lying.

 

“Alright.”

 

Even knowing she was lying, Kalian pretended not to notice and let it pass.

 

“Let’s have a meal together next time.”

 

* * *

 

Kalian publicly executed those involved with the Mollenche fruit to instill awareness in the people.

 

There were no exceptions for nobles.

 

Kalian stripped the titles of nobles who had dealings with the Mollenche fruit and confiscated all their assets.

 

Some people murmured that it was harsh punishment, but the momentum of those supporting Kalian was stronger.

 

“To think they’d touch something like the Mollenche fruit, that devil’s fruit! They must be out of their minds!”

 

“Exactly. Such fruit should completely disappear from this world!”

 

This was because the Mollenche fruit had such a notorious reputation.

 

The recent incident where children were collectively poisoned by Mollenche fruit and caused riots also played a part.

 

When Kalian launched a massive search, people using other drugs also laid low.

 

The black markets that used to open periodically also stopped operating.

 

However, when the criminals who sold the Mollenche fruit were still not caught, Kalian put up substantial bounties.

 

10 gold for anyone who discovered Mollenche plants or fruit.

 

100 gold per person for reporting someone who grew those plants – these were by no means small amounts, and people competed to report to the guards.

 

Of course, most were false reports from people blinded by the reward money.

 

The guards who had initially investigated enthusiastically became indifferent as false reports repeated. They were somewhat discouraged too.

 

That day was no different.

 

The guards who had been checking false reports since dawn returned and sat down carelessly on the floor, letting out deep sighs.

 

“Really. Why do they keep making false reports?”

 

“Because Mollenche flowers look exactly like ordinary flowers to the casual observer.”

 

“Even the fruit is hard to identify as Mollenche fruit unless you look closely.”

 

“No wonder everyone makes false reports.”

 

While they were chatting about various things, they heard the creaking sound of a door opening.

 

Someone had come to make another report.

 

The guards openly sighed and gave meaningful looks to the youngest among them.

 

The youngest had no choice but to attend to the visitor.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

The visitor, a man, fidgeted with his hands anxiously and spoke mechanically.

 

“I’ve come to report about Mollenche flowers.”

 

At any other time, they would have noticed the man’s strange behavior, but the tired youngest didn’t catch it.

 

“Are you sure it’s really Mollenche fruit?”

 

“Yes, yes, it’s correct.”

 

Right, it must be. Everyone had answered like that.

 

The youngest mechanically dipped his quill pen in ink.

 

“Where did you see it?”

 

“Well… it’s at Baron Aster’s mansion.”

 

“Baron Aster… what?”

 

The youngest, who had been writing absentmindedly, stopped and looked at the man when such an outrageous name came up.

 

The other guards also looked at the man in shock.

 

The man became even more anxious and watched their reactions.

 

“Why are you all…”

 

“Did you really see Mollenche fruit at Baron Aster’s mansion?”

 

“Yes, yes. I definitely saw it clearly with my own two eyes.”

 

While the youngest was questioning the man, one of the guards hurriedly went inside.

 

The youngest wrote down everything the man had said on paper.

 

“Write your name here.”

 

Just as the man who received the quill pen was writing his name at the bottom, Britina Baroness, the commander of the Capital City Guard, appeared.

 

For a guard commander, her prominently protruding belly was impressive.

 

The sword that anyone belonging to the guard should wear at their waist was nowhere to be seen.

 

“You saw Mollenche fruit at Baron Aster’s mansion?”

 

Britina Baroness immediately questioned the man.

 

The man nodded restlessly.

 

“You’re certain?”

 

“How could I dare lie in front of someone like you? He was definitely growing them in his garden.”

 

They weren’t just keeping it, but actually cultivating it.

 

Everyone held their breath at this shocking revelation. Only Baroness Britina remained composed.

 

“It must be false information.”

 

One guard said to Baroness Britina.

 

“Baron Aster is His Majesty the Emperor’s aide, there’s no way he would cultivate Molenche fruit.”

 

“You never know. Baron Aster might have taken advantage of that very fact.”

 

“Surely such a thing wouldn’t…”

 

“We’ll search for now.”

 

Baroness Britina smiled sinisterly as she received her outer garment from a servant.

 

“Thoroughly, that is.”

 

* * *

 

Yesterday at lunch, I kept feeling bothered about rejecting Kalian’s suggestion to eat lunch together.

 

It bothered me even more because Kalian seemed hurt.

 

‘It was just one meal, maybe I should have eaten with him.’

 

No. I shouldn’t give him any false hope.

 

That way Kalian would give up too.

 

He said he wouldn’t give up, but… well, would he really?

 

Nothing in this world was eternal. People’s hearts changed even more easily like reeds.

 

So if I kept rejecting him, Kalian would change his mind too.

 

…Then I could sort out my feelings too.

 

Hoping that day would come quickly, I finished preparing for work and came down to the first floor.

 

“Baron.”

 

Sara said to me with a bright smile.

 

“The fruit I mentioned before is finally fully ripe!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes! Look at this!”

 

Sara took out the fruit she had kept in her pocket and showed it to me.

 

A purple oval-shaped fruit.

 

This is… Molenche fruit, isn’t it?

 

“Sara, put that down right now!”

 

When I shouted, Sara was startled and dropped the Molenche fruit.

 

I hastily grabbed her hand as she was about to bring it to her mouth and yelled.

 

“Nes, bring water immediately! And bring soap too!”

 

“Huh? Oh, yes!”

 

Nes, who was nearby, hurriedly brought a water basin and soap.

 

I personally washed Sara’s hands and cleaned my own hands thoroughly.

 

It would be terrible if the powder from raw Molenche fruit got into the mouth or nose.

 

Though less effective than the dried and burned version, this also caused highly addictive hallucinations.

 

So if you touched Molenche fruit, you had to wash your hands clean.

 

I wrapped the Molenche fruit that had fallen on the floor in the towel used to wipe hands and threw it in the trash.

 

“Sara, where did you say that fruit was?”

 

“Huh? In the garden…”

 

“Guide me there immediately.”

 

I hurriedly headed to the garden with Sara’s guidance.

 

The Molenche was right there at the garden entrance.

 

And with ominous fruits hanging in clusters. There appeared to be over twenty trees at a rough estimate.

 

“Good heavens…”

 

To think Molenche was really in my manor’s garden.

 

My vision spun and I felt dizzy.

 

My legs went weak and I wanted to collapse right there, but I held back.

 

Right now there was something I had to do before collapsing.

 

I ordered Paul who was standing behind me.

 

“Bring garden shears and a shovel immediately! Don’t forget gloves either.”

 

“Yes, Baron.”

 

Paul was bewildered but did as instructed.

 

“Sara, go get a torch and head to the backyard. Nes, Hanson. You two stack firewood in the empty lot in the backyard.”

 

“Yes, yes!”

 

While everyone was moving busily, Paul brought the requested items.

 

I put on gloves and picked up the shovel to uproot the Molenche when.

 

Ring ring ring-

 

The doorbell announcing a visitor’s arrival rang.

 

Who could it be at such an early hour?

 

“Oh, Miss!”

 

Sara, holding a torch in one hand, ran over urgently and reported.

 

“The, the guards have come!”

 

“…The guards?”

 

Of all times for the guards to appear.

 

The timing was so perfect it was absurd and I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

 

Ring ring ring-

 

Bang, bang bang-

 

“Baron Aster! We’ve come following a tip!”

 

While I was pondering what to do, they pounded on the door hard and shouted.

 

“Baron…”

 

Sara stamped her feet anxiously and looked at me with worried eyes.

 

Paul looked anxious too.

 

I was just as anxious.

 

If they discovered I was cultivating Molenche fruit in the garden, I’d be thrown in prison immediately.

 

Not only that, I’d have to give up my official position, be stripped of my noble title, and receive severe punishment.

 

So I can’t be caught. I absolutely cannot be caught by them.

 

Bang, bang bang-

 

“Baron Aster!”

 

But how? How could I…

 

As I thought quickly, what caught my eye was the torch Sara was holding.

 

Looking at the torch, one method flashed through my mind.

 

It was a dangerous method, but… I had no choice.

 

This was the only way to survive.

 

“Sara, give me that!”

 

I threw the torch I received from Sara into the garden.

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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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