I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 207

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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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#207

The bitter cold snap of spring retreated, and warm spring arrived.

The Empire, which had been in chaos due to the long war, sudden change of throne, drug incidents, and various other matters, gradually stabilized.

It was thanks to Kalian pushing the administrators hard.

“The Empire needs to stabilize quickly so you can fill your own pockets nicely, don’t you think? So work diligently.”

This was what Kalian often said to the administrators. The administrators were all left speechless by such blunt words.

If Kalian had been fooling around while whipping the administrators to work quickly, the administrators would have rebelled.

Or they would have subtly slacked off.

But Kalian worked harder than any administrator.

He didn’t mind working overtime or all-nighters, and there were countless cases where the lights in his study didn’t go out for over a week.

As a result, the administrators couldn’t slack off and worked diligently.

As much as the administrators invested their time, the Empire’s situation progressed rapidly.

Bright smiles bloomed on people’s faces, as radiant as the flowers that bloomed abundantly on the streets.

When Kalian killed his half-brothers and imperial consorts to become Emperor, people all expressed concerns about whether he could do well.

“His Majesty the Emperor really seems like such a good person.”

“Who says otherwise? He seems like the best among all the emperors in history.”

“Such a person should continue to be the Empire’s emperor in the future.”

Such talk no longer came up. Everyone liked Kalian.

The Empire’s newspapers praised Kalian daily, and Kalian’s popularity among the imperial citizens grew day by day.

“What if the Emperor doesn’t abdicate at this rate?”

A viscount, one of Duke Giltian’s confidants, expressed concern.

Duke Giltian smiled and picked up his teacup.

“That won’t happen. The current Emperor is a man who originally had no desire for the throne.”

“They say position makes the person – maybe he’s grown fond of the power he’s seized and developed desires he didn’t have before.”

“That’s right.”

Another nobleman agreed with the viscount’s words.

“Looking at how he’s filled the imperial administration with local nobles rather than central nobles, and thoroughly filled his aides with his own people, he clearly has other schemes.”

“At this rate, if he says he’ll continue being Emperor, it’ll be trouble. Shouldn’t we ask him to abdicate now?”

Duke Giltian shook his head.

“It’s not time yet. And if he abdicates to Prince Hes in this situation, it would cause even more backlash.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. And don’t worry too much. I’ve prepared contingency plans for such times.”

“What kind of contingency plans…?”

Duke Giltian took a sip of tea before opening his mouth.

* * *

“What did you agree to receive from Duke Giltian as a condition for becoming Emperor in Hes’s place?”

When I nodded, Kalian put down his quill pen.

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“I’m just curious.”

I was very curious about that. Given Kalian’s personality, he wouldn’t do something that would put him at a disadvantage.

Of course, since it was about protecting Prince Hes, there was a possibility he had readily agreed without expecting compensation, but somehow I had a feeling that wasn’t the case.

“If it’s difficult to tell me, you don’t have to say.”

“No. I don’t want to keep secrets from you.”

As if organizing his thoughts, Kalian remained silent for a moment, fidgeting with his quill pen.

“What I agreed to receive from Duke Giltian is evidence.”

Evidence? Don’t tell me…

“Evidence about the culprit who poisoned the former Empress, Empress Solia?”

“When I tell you one thing, you figure out two.”

That meant it was the correct answer. It also meant that Duke Giltian had evidence about the culprit who murdered Empress Solia.

“Why didn’t Duke Giltian submit that evidence to the court? That way they could catch the culprit.”

“I was curious about that too, so I asked, but he said it wasn’t clear evidence enough to catch the culprit immediately.”

Kalian leaned back crookedly against his chair.

“And when the Duke noticed that fact, the Empire was in the middle of a long war, and various other conditions didn’t align, so he couldn’t bring out the evidence.”

Is it my imagination that all of this sounds like excuses to protect the culprit?

Yes, it must be my imagination. Empress Solia was Duke Giltian’s own daughter.

There was no way Duke Giltian would protect the culprit who poisoned his own daughter.

“Most importantly, though it’s just suspicion, he said the culprit the evidence points to is someone even Duke Giltian can’t dare touch.”

“Does that mean… the culprit is a member of the imperial family?”

“Probably. I suspect one of the imperial consorts I killed is the culprit.”

That would make sense. It wasn’t surprising. Such things were commonplace within the Imperial Palace.

I just felt sorry that a good person like Empress Solia had been sacrificed, and worried about the wounds Kalian must have received from this.

“If there’s a culprit among the imperial consorts, wouldn’t searching for the culprit be meaningless now?”

“That’s not true, Leilah.”

Kalian’s lips curved crookedly.

“If there’s a culprit among the imperial consorts, I need to dig up that consort’s grave and make her pay for her crimes.”

Digging up graves. For a moment, my spine went cold.

“I’m also thinking of punishing her family. The crime of assassinating a member of the imperial family, especially the Empress, is so great that even destroying the entire family wouldn’t be enough.”

“That’s… true.”

It was certainly the right thing to say, but I still felt uneasy.

Destroying an entire family meant that even innocent people could become victims. There was no way I could feel comfortable about that.

“Why do you have that expression?”

Kalian, reading my expression, asked.

“Do you want to stop me?”

“No. I have no intention of doing that.”

Kalian’s eyebrow raised slightly.

“That’s unexpected in its own way. I thought you would try to stop me, saying it seemed too cruel.”

“It’s certainly cruel, but it’s not wrong. If doing so can ease Your Majesty’s pent-up feelings, I’ll support you.”

“Well now.”

Having discussed such heavy matters, Kalian’s lips, which had been stiffly set, relaxed.

Kalian spread both arms toward me.

“Come here, Leilah.”

When I settled into his embrace, he buried his face in my shoulder like a child.

“I always think this, but I’m glad the woman I love is you.”

I said nothing and stroked Kalian’s hair. His silk-soft hair slipped between my fingers.

“I’m glad you love me.”

“You’re thinking the same thing as me.”

“They say lovers grow to resemble each other. Hmm, come to think of it, that wouldn’t do.”

Kalian lifted his head to look at me. My reflection filled his dark blue eyes completely.

“Because you shouldn’t become as rotten in personality as I am.”

“Then Your Majesty should come to resemble me instead.”

Kalian laughed quietly.

“You’re not denying that I have a rotten personality.”

“Should I deny it for you?”

“No. It’s a fact I’m well aware of myself. There’s no need to deny it.”

The hand that had been around my back moved down to my waist. Kalian’s eyes narrowed.

“You seem to have lost more weight.”

“Do I?”

I don’t really know.

“Why did you lose weight again? Is the new aide causing trouble?”

About 3 weeks ago, the second son of Count Montesol’s family came in as the new aide.

“Is the new aide not doing his job well?”

“That’s not it.”

I couldn’t say he was doing very well, but he wasn’t at a level where he was doing poorly either.

I’d say he was ordinary.

“Really? You’re not covering for him just because he’s your successor, are you?”

“No. He’s doing well enough.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Kalian’s expression wasn’t very good. He seemed displeased about something.

“What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”

“Nothing, just.”

Kalian tightened his grip on the hand wrapped around my waist.

“I’m jealous that you’re praising another man.”

“What?”

Over something like that?

No, more than that, when did I praise another man?

“Are you saying this because I said Count Montesol is doing well enough?”

“Yeah.”

Kalian gently leaned his face against my shoulder.

“Even if he’s really doing well, don’t praise that guy in front of me.”

“But I can’t say he’s doing poorly when he’s doing well.”

“…That’s true.”

Kalian thought for a moment, then came to a conclusion.

“Then I won’t ask you about that guy anymore.”

What’s that. I laughed at his childish jealousy.

When I burst into quiet laughter, Kalian laughed too.

Knock knock-

The sound of knocking was heard. It meant it was time to return from being affectionate lovers to boss and aide again.

I came out of Kalian’s embrace and straightened my disheveled clothes.

“I greet His Imperial Majesty.”

The one who opened the door and entered was Count Montesol.

Since we had just been talking about him, I burst into laughter as soon as I saw his face.

Kalian glared at me. His eyes were saying, don’t laugh.

He was even jealous of me laughing because of another man.

Such a Kalian was absurd yet cute. He was also lovable.

‘So this is love.’

The unfamiliar sensation I was experiencing for the first time in my life felt very good.

It was also happiness.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

As I picked up the documents, I secretly brushed Kalian’s hand with my thumb.

Kalian’s hand tensed up. If Count Montesol hadn’t been there, his eyes blazed as if he would have kissed me right away.

That was brief, as Kalian immediately changed his gaze when Count Montesol approached.

Though there was lingering heat, Count Montesol wasn’t perceptive enough to notice it.

“What is it?”

“Th-the Minister of Justice asked me to deliver this to Your Majesty…”

Count Montesol nervously held out the documents.

I shouldn’t interfere. I bowed again and quietly went outside.

“You brought this calling it a report?”

Before I could even close the door, I heard Kalian’s irritated voice. Count Montesol stammered in response.

“I-I just… the Minister of Justice told me to deliver it right away…”

“Filtering that is the aide’s role. Didn’t you learn such basic things? And why are you stuttering so much?”

That’s right. He didn’t stutter and get this nervous in front of me and Baron Delrond.

It meant that Count Montesol found Kalian that intimidating.

‘First, I should help Count Montesol get closer to His Majesty.’

How should I go about it?

I closed the study door while pondering.

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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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