I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 20

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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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#20

“…Do you think this dress is the one I originally prepared?”

“Then it’s not?”

Haha. I see.

He had completely forgotten that I had prepared a silver dress that matched the silver formal wear he was wearing.

I knew Fillen was originally insensitive to these things, but I was still disappointed.

When I remained silent without saying anything, Fillen tilted his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

“You look upset, so it’s clearly not nothing.”

Fillen frowned slightly.

“What’s bothering you? Did I say something wrong?”

“It’s really nothing.”

Fillen seemed about to press further, moving his lips, but fortunately the waltz came to an end.

I separated from him and escaped the foyer as if fleeing.

Fillen tried to follow me, but was caught by Duke Cloud and couldn’t.

Thanks to that, I had time to calm my emotions alone and headed to the terrace.

I planned to stay quietly on the terrace, away from the noisy people.

“You’re Princess Tebesa, right?”

But I couldn’t because a noblewoman approached me familiarly.

It wouldn’t be polite to ignore someone who was speaking to me with a kind smile.

It was proper etiquette to respond appropriately, so I put on a smiling mask over my expressionless face and looked at her.

Since this was my first time in the social circle, most people were strangers, but I knew this woman.

“Countess Marisa.”

“Oh my, I don’t think we’ve been introduced, but you know who I am.”

“Is there anyone among the nobility of the Empire who doesn’t know Countess Marisa?”

This wasn’t empty flattery but sincere. She was that famous.

Whether for good or bad reasons.

If someone like me, who had never appeared in the social circle, knew her, that said it all.

Pleased that I knew her, Countess Marisa shrugged her shoulders lightly.

“This banquet is Princess Tebesa’s social debut, isn’t it?”

“Yes. My debut ended up being delayed.”

“The war was long, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“What are you discussing so enjoyably?”

“You’re Princess Tebesa, right? Nice to meet you for the first time. I’m…”

While exchanging meaningless conversation with Countess Marisa, I found myself surrounded by numerous noblewomen and young ladies.

Being surrounded by so many people was a first for me, so I was a bit surprised, but I pretended otherwise and greeted them with a smiling mask.

“You’re quite skilled for someone making their first appearance in the social circle.”

One noblewoman admired and praised me for my behavior. Another noblewoman nodded in agreement.

“As expected of the future Duchess.”

“When will the wedding be? Now that His Grace the Duke has returned, it will be soon, right?”

Of course the marriage topic came up.

I knew this would happen and tried to escape earlier.

The champagne that had tasted sweet suddenly felt bitter.

I forced a smile and nodded.

“Yes. We should.”

“Once you marry, you’ll have children first, right?”

After marriage comes talk of children. It was a natural sequence, so I wasn’t surprised.

I didn’t say anything, but the noblewomen continued talking on their own.

“Of course. The marriage is already late, so would it make sense to delay having children even more?”

“If it were someone else, they would have already had two children by this age.”

“Well, does it matter if she doesn’t have any? His Grace the Duke already has an heir.”

The atmosphere that had been bustling froze sharply at the sudden remark.

I looked at the person who had frozen the atmosphere.

Her blazing red hair was striking.

Like Countess Marisa, she was one of the few young ladies I knew in advance.

No, since she’s married, I should call her a lady now.

I set down my champagne glass on the side table and called out her name.

“Countess Byzantium.”

Sophia Byzantium. Her maiden name was Sophia Hudlren.

A young lady of the Hudlren Duchy.

She was once mentioned as a candidate for Fillen’s fiancée, just like me.

At the time, people thought the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot would naturally choose Sophia, a Duke’s daughter.

Sophia also believed this without doubt.

But defying everyone’s expectations, the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot chose me.

Passing over a prestigious Duke’s daughter to choose a Count’s daughter, and a powerless provincial noble’s daughter at that.

“How dare someone like you!”

Sophia was outraged by this fact and shouted.

“You must have used some trick! Otherwise, there’s no way His Grace Duke Williot would choose you over me!”

“Did you perhaps wag your tail at His Grace Duke Williot? Did you lift your skirt and offer yourself?”

She came all the way to Tebesa Estate, spoke vulgarly and caused a scene, even going so far as to slap my cheek.

Of course, the fact that she slapped my cheek wasn’t made public. The Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot didn’t know either.

Everyone kept quiet because Duke Hudlren handed over a gold mine as massive compensation to cover his daughter’s wrongdoing.

A gold mine for one slap.

It was understandable that Count and Countess Tebesa immediately kept quiet.

Though I wondered if they would have done the same if I were truly a cherished daughter rather than a flawed daughter they had no choice but to take in.

Duke Hudlren found her a marriage partner and sent her off immediately, worried that Sophia might cause more trouble.

That marriage partner was Count Byzantium.

Though not as good as the Williot Duchy, Count Byzantium was also a decent match.

Thus Sophia became Countess Byzantium, and I hadn’t met her once since then.

But to meet her in a place like this.

Since it wasn’t a particularly welcome encounter, I looked at Sophia silently.

Sophia glared at me as if she wanted to devour me and snorted.

“I guess people should know their place and live accordingly. Not knowing one’s place and coveting high positions leads to such a state.”

“Madam, what do you mean…”

“Why?”

When one noblewoman carefully reproached Sophia, Sophia snorted and turned her head.

“Did I say something untrue? It’s a fact that His Grace Duke Williot has a child, isn’t it?”

“Countess Byzantium.”

“And I hear he cherishes the woman who bore that child greatly? I heard she’s a princess of Physis Kingdom.”

A sneer spread across Sophia’s lips.

“That woman has better bloodline than Princess Tebesa.”

Right now Sophia was pointing out and mocking the fact that I wasn’t Countess Tebesa’s biological daughter.

Count Tebesa tried to hide that I was a child he brought from outside, but there are no perfect secrets in the world.

It became known in whispers that I was a flawed young lady.

Most of the people here didn’t seem surprised and were watching my reaction, as if they already knew.

My hands were trembling and my head was pounding.

I was grateful that I had set down my champagne glass earlier.

Otherwise, I would have embarrassingly dropped it.

“Oh my, did I hit too close to home?”

When I remained silent and still, Sophia laughed triumphantly while fluttering her fan.

She had the face of someone who had won.

‘Well, I wonder about that.’

We’ll have to see who laughs last in the end.

I exhaled deeply to calm my churning emotions.

Where my breath dispersed, I drew a shallow smile.

“You’re right.”

When I readily admitted it, Sophia frowned and watched me closely.

“Certainly that woman’s bloodline is more noble than mine, but she’s a princess of an already fallen kingdom. So discussing her bloodline seems unnecessary.”

I continued speaking without avoiding Sophia’s gaze.

“What matters is the present and the future. I will soon become a duchess, while you will never escape the position of countess for your entire life.”

It meant that although my bloodline might not be as good as yours, I would rise to a higher position than you in the future.

A woman’s position follows that of her husband after marriage.

Once I became a duchess, she might be able to grumble behind my back, but she wouldn’t be able to say anything openly to my face.

Quick-witted Sophia immediately understood my words and twisted her face unpleasantly.

“Just because you have a mouth doesn’t mean you should speak so carelessly…!”

“The one speaking carelessly isn’t me, but you, madam.”

I erased the smile from my lips and glared at Sophia with cold eyes.

“Can’t you feel how many stares are directed at you right now?”

Perhaps finally sensing the piercing gazes around us at my words, Sophia blushed and whirled around.

“I will never forget what happened today, Princess Tebesa! Just you wait!”

She poured out malice toward me even in the moment she was leaving.

What exactly had I done so wrong to deserve this?

It was absurd and ridiculous.

The conversation I had with Sophia was only a few words, but it was as exhausting as if we’d had a long debate.

I wanted to return to the manor and rest now.

“Princess…”

“I’m sorry, but madam.”

However, since I couldn’t leave yet, I smiled faintly and apologized to the noblewoman calling me.

“I’d like to rest alone for a moment, if that’s possible?”

“Yes, yes. Of course.”

I had worried they might continue to cling annoyingly, but fortunately they withdrew obediently.

I left them with an apology and went out to the terrace.

Unlike the stuffy interior filled with people’s heat, the terrace was cool with a refreshing breeze.

It was nice without the loud music and the sound of people chattering.

Sophia was probably badmouthing me terribly while talking with other people.

Bringing up my birth along with the story of Fillen’s mistress.

Thinking about that made me not want to return to the banquet hall, but I had to go back since Fillen would be looking for me soon.

“I really hate this…”

I’d rather wrestle with documents for several days instead.

The corset tightly laced for a slim waist was uncomfortable, and my feet hurt from the unnecessarily high heels.

“I want to go back to the manor.”

As I complained quietly while leaning against the railing.

“We’ve just started, and you already want to go back?”

A blue-haired man entered the terrace.

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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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