I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 194

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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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#194

“Did you hear? Baron Aster is becoming a count.”

“They said she’s inheriting Count Tebesa’s title, right?”

As expected, the news about Leilah caused a stir among the aristocrats.

Since this was the first case of a woman inheriting a family line, many expressed dissatisfaction, but there weren’t only those who opposed it.

“Baron Aster has the ability for it. There’s no legal problem, and she’s accomplished a lot, so it’s fine for her to become a count.”

“It bothers me that she’s a woman, but she already became a baron, so what’s stopping her from becoming a count?”

“Right, exactly.”

Surprisingly, there were quite a few aristocrats who agreed with Leilah inheriting the count title.

“A woman becoming a count? That’s impossible!”

Of course, there were far more aristocrats who opposed it.

They all clamored that Leilah shouldn’t become a count and that it must be stopped, but none of them readily stepped forward to stop it.

This was because there was absolutely no legal problem with Leilah inheriting the count title.

Moreover, Kalian the Emperor and Duke and Duchess Cloud absolutely supported Leilah inheriting the count title.

“Your Grace must step forward.”

“Please stop Baron Aster from inheriting the count title, Duke.”

The opposition aristocrats clung to Duke Giltian.

Though he didn’t express it outwardly, Duke Giltian, who was displeased with Leilah becoming a count, pretended to be persuaded and went to find Kalian.

“How far do you intend to elevate Baron Aster?”

And he asked Kalian directly.

Kalian, who had been sitting at the high table drinking tea, put down his teacup and looked at Duke Giltian.

“Baron Leilah Aster is very intelligent. She’s the type who, when taught one thing, realizes two and studies three.”

Then he gave an answer completely unrelated to the question asked.

“So I intend to elevate her high enough that she can be free without being constrained by status.”

“If that’s your thinking, it would have been better to make her an Imperial Consort.”

“Then her status would rise, but she wouldn’t be able to properly display that outstanding ability.”

To prevent political disputes, Imperial Consorts couldn’t involve themselves in politics.

“Unless I made her Empress.”

Duke Giltian’s complexion instantly hardened.

Kalian smiled and continued.

“Don’t worry, Duke Giltian. I’ll definitely keep my promise.”

Only then did Duke Giltian’s expression relax, but his slightly downturned mouth remained stiff.

Eyes that bore the traces of long years stared directly at Kalian’s face.

It was a gaze as if trying to see through what Kalian was thinking.

“What were we talking about?”

Knowing this but pretending not to, Kalian changed the subject.

“Right, we were talking about Baron Leilah Aster.”

“…Yes.”

Duke Giltian also stopped his probing and joined the conversation.

“Since Your Majesty evaluates Baron Aster so highly, I’m also curious to see how much she’ll accomplish.”

“Look forward to it. She’ll accomplish much more in the future.”

Kalian wore an extremely proud expression as if he had received the praise.

“Her abilities will surely be helpful to that child as well.”

* * *

Usually, completing the title inheritance process took about a week.

In my case, I thought it would take longer since there was opposition from other aristocrats and this was the first time in the Empire’s history, but it wasn’t.

Exactly one week after the inheritance application was submitted to the court, approval came down.

I headed to the Ministry of Justice in the Outer Palace with the documents I had prepared in advance.

While going to the Outer Palace, people’s gazes clung to me persistently.

There were many gazes full of dissatisfaction, but there were also quite a few curious ones.

“Welcome, Baron Aster.”

The Minister of Justice greeted me more warmly than usual.

“Ah, I should call you Count Aster now. The inheritance approval has officially come down.”

The Minister of Justice said this while handing me a brown document envelope.

“Congratulations, Count Aster.”

“Thank you.”

I immediately took out the documents to check them.

The inheritance documents were perfect, and the family name change documents were…

“There’s an incorrect part.”

There was a very significant flaw.

At my words, the Minister of Justice openly showed his discomfort.

“Are you saying we made a mistake?”

“Rather than that, it seems you’ve misunderstood something.”

“Misunderstood?”

“Here.”

I pointed to and read the sentence written in the family name change documents.

“It says that Tebesa County’s name will be changed to Aster County and the surnames of the family head and direct family members will also change to Aster, but I never approved this.”

The Minister of Justice spoke mockingly.

“When a family’s surname changes, it’s natural for the family members’ surnames to change too. Don’t tell me you don’t even know that?”

“Of course I know that. But that’s only when I’m a man.”

From his expression, it seemed he didn’t understand what I meant.

Then I had no choice but to show him directly.

I briefly put the documents down on the table and looked at the law books that filled one wall completely.

It was definitely specified in the 3rd Legal Code.

I found that section in the 3rd Legal Code and showed it to the Minister of Justice.

“Here’s what I mentioned written down.”

The Minister of Justice, who had been looking at the legal code with narrowed eyes as if he couldn’t believe my words, suddenly widened his eyes.

He seemed quite surprised. It was natural since I had pointed out a part he hadn’t thought of at all.

“Can you believe my words now, Minister?”

When I asked with a slight smile, the Minister of Justice coughed awkwardly.

“Ahem, as you know, Count, this is the first time a woman has become a count, so I momentarily forgot.”

“I see.”

I held out the documents I had put down on the table to the Minister of Justice.

“Then could you correct this part? Oh, and this.”

I handed the documents I brought to the administrator next to him.

“I’d be grateful if you could process this quickly as well.”

The administrator who checked the documents I handed over looked back and forth between me and the documents in surprise.

The Minister of Justice also checked the documents and swallowed hard.

“Do you really want us to do as written here?”

“Yes.”

Since this was something I had long wished for, I smiled more brightly than ever.

“As written there, please cleanly remove them all from my family registry.”

* * *

I could have gone back and waited, but wanting to confirm with my own eyes that it was processed, I sat there and waited.

Whether my silent pressure worked, all the incorrect parts were corrected in less than an hour.

Not only that, but the family register part was also cleanly processed.

Had the Ministry of Justice always handled work this quickly?

It didn’t seem like they usually did.

It was puzzling, but that part didn’t really matter anyway.

I had finally completely escaped from the shackles of the Tebesa County.

Looking at the neatly organized family register kept making me smile.

I was walking toward the Imperial Palace, laughing so much that anyone who saw me would think I was a strange person.

“You’ve finally become a count.”

I heard a familiar voice from beside me. It was Kalian.

“Congratulations, Count Aster.”

When the Minister of Justice called me Count Aster, I didn’t feel much emotion.

But when Kalian called me that, it hit me with reality and my heart started pounding.

I really had become a count.

“Thank you.”

I hugged the documents tightly to my chest and looked up at Kalian who had approached me with large steps.

“It’s all thanks to His Majesty. I’m truly grateful that you gave me such an opportunity.”

Ah, I shouldn’t just say thank you with words, I should repay you.

“Is there anything you need?”

“Something I need?”

“Yes. I want to do anything for you in return for giving me such a good opportunity. If there’s something you want, please tell me.”

Kalian thought for a moment, then smiled mischievously.

“Actually, there is one thing I desperately want.”

“What is it? Please tell me.”

“If I tell you, will you grant it?”

“If it’s something I can do.”

A wind blew, the cold having lessened somewhat.

My carelessly tied hair swayed in the wind, and a few strands fell across my face.

“What I want is.”

Kalian brushed those strands of hair behind my ear as he spoke.

“Your heart.”

What… what did I just hear?

He wants my heart?

My thoughts stopped. My mind went completely blank and I couldn’t think of anything.

“You’ve turned to stone.”

Finding me amusing, Kalian chuckled softly and poked my cheek.

“…!”

Only then did I snap out of my frozen state, startled and stepping backward.

My face heated up as if it had been burned by fire.

“D-don’t joke around, Your Majesty.”

“A joke?”

Kalian frowned slightly.

“I’m being serious.”

“…”

“You haven’t forgotten that I told you I like you, have you?”

How could I forget?

Even now, I remember the day he confessed as vividly as if it happened yesterday.

But it was a feeling I couldn’t accept.

Thinking about his and my future, I absolutely couldn’t accept it.

“Please… don’t keep doing that.”

I hugged the documents tightly and murmured.

“Someone who will soon have a royal marriage… shouldn’t say such things.”

“Royal marriage?”

Kalian frowned.

“What royal marriage… Are you talking about this because of the conversation I had with Princess Stella in the corridor before?”

“No.”

“Then?”

Before I could answer, Kalian, who had found the answer himself, asked again.

“Are you perhaps talking about the royal marriage with the Holy Kingdom?”

When I nodded silently without speaking, Kalian let out a hollow laugh.

“You seem to be quite mistaken. The one having a royal marriage with the Holy Kingdom’s princess isn’t me, but Hes.”

What did he just say…

“The person marrying the Holy Kingdom’s princess isn’t Your Majesty?”

I naturally thought it would be Kalian.

When I asked in surprise, Kalian furrowed his brow.

“What exactly do you think of me? No matter how much it’s for the Empire’s benefit, there’s no way I’d marry a princess who’s more than 10 years younger than me.”

In other words, I had been mistaken all by myself.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty!”

“Normally I’d say you don’t need to apologize, but for this, I’ll have to accept an apology.”

Kalian looked down at me with an extremely serious expression.

“If you did something wrong, you should receive appropriate punishment, right?”

“Please tell me anything, Your Majesty.”

“Then, Leilah Aster.”

Kalian approached me with steps as large as the distance I had created, bent down, and whispered in my ear.

“Tell me how I can win your heart.”

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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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