I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 18

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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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#18

“Really?”

At those words, color returned to Ber’s face, which had been as pale as if he hadn’t been able to get a bowl of soup.

“Are you truly thinking of hiring an aide, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. At least one.”

“…Since you’re hiring anyway, why not be generous and hire about 3 more?”

When Ber subtly suggested this, Kalian smiled faintly.

“Should I not hire any?”

“No! Of course not! Oh my, hiring just one! Ahahaha! I’m very pleased!”

Though it was disappointing that only one would be hired, even that one was precious in this situation, so Ber readily accepted.

“Then I’ll immediately get recommendation letters from the aristocrats…”

“Not recommendation letters. Let’s hold an examination.”

“You mean to hold a civil service examination?”

When Kalian nodded, Ber inwardly groaned.

Though civil service examinations existed in the Empire, they were rarely implemented.

Most officials were composed of those recommended by aristocrats or graduates who excelled at the Academy.

He didn’t know what wind had suddenly blown to make him want to hold a civil service examination, but it would be troublesome since many things needed to be prepared for such an exam.

“When shall we hold it?”

He almost asked if they really had to do it, but if Kalian changed his mind, it would be terrible, so Ber willingly accepted the trouble.

Kalian answered immediately, as if he had already planned it in his head.

“Let’s do it in a month.”

“It’ll be a bit tight, but… I understand. Should we only test administration?”

“No. Test everything – administration, tax law, politics, welfare, and so on.”

Ber’s hand, which had been taking notes of Kalian’s words, paused.

Ber looked at Kalian with incredulous eyes.

“Your Majesty, do you really intend to hire an aide?”

“I do.”

“But you want to test all of that?”

“To become my aide, one should be able to do at least that much.”

…I should just keep my mouth shut.

Ber resignedly finished taking down his words.

The dream of a new aide coming in was gradually fading away.

“Understood. Then I’ll prepare accordingly and announce it immediately after the banquet ends.”

“One more thing.”

What else are you trying to add here!

Ber looked at Kalian in horror, but Kalian added with an indifferent expression.

“Make sure to include that women can also apply.”

* * *

After that incident, not a single word was exchanged between Fillen and me.

Previously, we would at least have brief conversations when we encountered each other, but now even that was gone.

Time passed this way, and the day of the Emperor’s coronation commemoration party arrived.

The commemoration party was held for a total of two days, and I would only participate on the first day.

This was because the party on the second day could only be attended by men.

I woke up earlier than usual to prepare for the party.

I bathed in water infused with bath salts and received a massage.

Fragrant oils were applied all over, making my entire body smell of sweet roses.

After putting on undergarments and a corset, I wore a silver silk dress that sparkled as if moonlight had been melted into it.

“How can it suit you so perfectly?”

Sara, who was helping with my preparations, sparkled her eyes and made a fuss. The other maids nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps because your hair is as black as the night sky, the silver silk dress suits you very well.”

“Really?”

“Of course! No one else could wear a silver dress as well as you, Miss!”

“That’s right! You’re truly beautiful, Miss!”

They were probably saying this because I was their master.

But since it was pleasant flattery, I smiled faintly instead of scolding them.

And indeed, even I thought the silver silk dress was beautiful. The pearl powder sprinkled over the dress hem sparkled like stars whenever it caught the light.

The densely set teardrop diamonds at the neckline stood out prominently.

The duchy’s exclusive designer had said this was his masterpiece, talking until his mouth was dry, and it was certainly worthy of that.

As Sara said, it matched well with my black hair too.

It was a dress I was pleased with for once. When I returned to the domain, I thought I should reward the designer.

My hair was neatly pinned up and secured with pins densely adorned with pearls. Pearl powder was sprinkled on my hair.

When all preparations were complete, it was time to depart.

If I left now, I could arrive at the banquet hall without being late.

“Where is His Grace the Duke?”

“He has already finished preparing and is waiting in the foyer.”

“I see.”

Since I needed to hurry and didn’t want to keep him waiting long, I quickly left my room.

Was it my fault for doing so?

“Oh my!”

Or was it that woman’s fault?

Because Sisly suddenly appeared from around the corner of the hallway and spilled juice, my clean and brilliantly sparkling silver silk dress gradually turned red.

“Oh, Miss!”

“Oh, what should we do!”

The maids’ screams echoed pitifully through the hallway.

Sara, who quickly came to her senses, did her best to prevent the stain from spreading by wiping vigorously with her sleeve, but it was futile.

This was something that couldn’t be stopped by human power.

I stood there dumbfounded, blankly staring at the dress losing its original color and turning red.

“I’m sorry.”

Then I heard a troubled, clear voice and turned my head.

Sisly was looking at me with considerable remorse.

When our eyes met, she smiled awkwardly. Tears filled her blue eyes.

“I was hurrying back to my room so as not to be in the way, but I ended up…”

“…”

“I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

Though anger surged to the top of my head, I couldn’t get angry at someone who was holding her swollen belly and repeatedly apologizing while bowing her head.

If there were clear signs of intent, it might be different, but her current behavior looked like an accident to anyone watching.

It could be intentional disguised as an accident, but that was a truth only Sisly knew.

It wasn’t something I could question based on mere speculation.

“Sigh.”

Getting angry in this situation would only make me look strange, so I endured with patience.

That said, I had no intention of accepting Sisly’s apology.

Whether it was an accident or intentional, she had done wrong, so she should bear this much consequence.

I ignored Sisly, who was bowing in greeting, and turned to Sara.

“Sara.”

Sara, who had been stamping her feet while wiping the red-stained dress, looked at me with tears welling up.

While I felt nothing seeing Sisly’s tears, seeing Sara’s tears made me feel sorry for her.

I even felt unnecessarily apologetic.

If she had walked carefully while watching ahead instead of running hastily, this wouldn’t have happened.

“How many spare dresses are there at the manor right now? Do we have another silver dress?”

Rather than arguing about whose fault it was, what mattered now was changing into a dress as quickly as possible and attending the banquet.

This wasn’t just any banquet—it was the Emperor’s coronation banquet.

Being late was absolutely unacceptable.

“There are some at the domain, but this is the only silver dress we brought here.”

“Really?”

Then what should I do.

I bit my lips nervously and quickly racked my brain.

Simply changing the dress wouldn’t be difficult, but the problem was the makeup and accessories that matched this dress.

There wasn’t nearly enough time to change everything.

Moreover, this dress was coordinated as a matching pair with Fillen’s outfit.

If only I wore a different color, it wouldn’t match with his.

But since there was no silver dress, there was nothing I could do.

“It doesn’t have to be a silver dress, so bring the most similar dress you can find. Just in case, bring the jewelry box too. And the shoes.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Sara and the maids nodded and quickly disappeared.

I grabbed a passing servant and gave another order.

“Go to the foyer and tell His Grace the Duke that there’s been a problem and I’ll be a little late, so he should go to the banquet hall first.”

The story about Sisly was already spreading through social circles and causing quite a stir, and if Fillen and I attended the banquet separately, it would cause even more commotion, but there was no choice.

We couldn’t both be late to the Emperor’s coronation banquet.

At least one of us had to go first.

After the servant left, I turned around to change my dress.

“Um, Miss Tebesa.”

Sisly called out to me, but I didn’t turn around.

I was in a hurry to change my dress, but I also didn’t want to see her face.

If I looked at her any longer, I felt like I might really lose my temper.

If Sisly collapsed from shock like before, it would make things even more complicated, so I suppressed my anger and headed to my room.

* * *

“Duke Williot has arrived.”

At Ber’s words, Kalian’s face, which had been languidly sitting on the sofa with a bored expression, brightened with interest.

He slowly rose from his seat.

“He came alone.”

But only briefly—at Ber’s following words, Kalian looked at Ber, doubting his own ears.

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

“His fiancée didn’t come with him?”

“No.”

Ber answered with an annoyed expression, as if wondering why he was asking the same thing twice.

Normally, Kalian would have made a comment about that expression, but not now.

“Hmm.”

All his attention was focused on the fact that Fillen had come alone, leaving no room to read Ber’s expression.

“Why did that man come alone?”

“I wonder. Should I find out?”

“No. Finding out now would be too late.”

Kalian muttered as if talking to himself and sat back down.

Kalian thought of a woman with hair and eyes as black as the night sky.

Leilah Tebesa.

He had never seen her, but he knew her name.

How could he not? She was famous in social circles in many ways.

Of course, it wasn’t fame in a good sense.

A daughter of a powerless provincial noble, and an adopted daughter at that, had luckily formed a connection with a ducal family.

Whatever she had done, the Duke and Duchess cherished her like their own daughter.

Because of this, there were even rumors that she might be Duke Williot’s daughter brought from outside.

This rumor died down due to the fact that Leilah had black hair instead of the brilliant blonde that was the Williot Duchy’s symbol, but it sparked another rumor.

Namely, the rumor that Leilah was Duke Williot’s mistress.

However, the Williot Duke and Duchess were a rare lovebird couple in social circles.

Thanks to this, the false rumor quickly died down, but it sparked other gossip, and people constantly envied and resented Leilah.

Then, when the previous Williot Duke and Duchess suddenly died and young Fillen Williot became duke.

Various parties began moving to devour the Williot Duchy.

No one openly attacked the duchy, but quite a few worked secretly behind the scenes.

But strangely, the Williot Duchy never wavered even once. It stood firm like an iron fortress.

Kalian, who was a prince at the time, found this very strange.

The Fillen Williot he knew wasn’t that clever of a man.

Rather, he belonged to the stupid side.

No, should he say ignorant? Or maybe innocent?

It was hard to define which, but what was certain was that Fillen Williot wasn’t outstanding enough to block such conspiracies and schemes.

But how had he blocked them? Did the duchy have an excellent advisor?

Kalian, who had been secretly investigating out of curiosity, discovered a surprising fact.

What was supporting the Williot Duchy, which was as precarious as a candle in the wind, wasn’t Fillen Williot or an excellent advisor, but a young girl who had just come of age.

That girl was none other than Leilah Tebesa.

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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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