I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 209

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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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#209

Kalian told me not to worry about it, but I still couldn’t help being concerned.

Maybe I should look into it a little.

As long as Kalian doesn’t catch me, it should be fine.

On my way home from work, I stopped by bookstores to look for books dealing with poisonous plants or poison-making methods.

But since these books dealt with dangerous content, they were hard to find.

I searched through every bookstore in the capital, from the largest to the smallest, and barely managed to find one book.

I’ll have to make do with reading this at least.

After preparing for bed, I sat on my bed and opened the book.

[Warning. Medicinal herbs do not always have beneficial effects. Depending on one’s constitution and circumstances, the effects of herbs can become poisonous, so always use them with caution.]

The passage on the first page was impressive.

As the passage suggested, rather than clearly separating medicinal and poisonous plants, the author had organized which plants could become medicine or poison depending on circumstances and people’s constitutions.

For example, it was written that Paiccho, famous as a digestive aid, could actually cause severe stomach pain if taken when one has a fever, so caution was needed.

To think there were so many cases where commonly used medicinal herbs could become poison.

It was surprising and fascinating. It was also interesting.

‘Could Empress Solia’s case be something like this too?’

A case where she thought she was taking medicinal herbs, but they acted as poison due to her constitution or special circumstances.

“There’s no way that could be it.”

Kalian had said that Empress Solia possessed extensive knowledge of herbology.

There was no way someone like her would make such a mistake.

Most importantly, even when herbs acted as poison depending on circumstances and constitution, they rarely threatened one’s life.

So Empress Solia really did die from consuming deadly poison after all.

Such dangerous poisons wouldn’t be written in this book, would they?

Just in case, I read the book thoroughly from beginning to end.

The book did mention several plants with deadly poison, but they were all poisons that even someone ignorant like me knew well.

These were all poisons that could be detected with silver, so there was no way Empress Solia would have consumed them.

“As expected, I can’t find it in books sold commercially.”

I had anticipated this, but confirming it didn’t make me feel very good.

I let out a heavy sigh and closed the book.

* * *

The Founding Festival was one of the Empire’s three major festivals, and the Imperial Court held a splendid party to commemorate it.

This party was open to any noble of the Empire, and Fillen was a noble of the Empire.

Moreover, he was a Duke, at the pinnacle of nobility.

Therefore, we had to send Fillen an invitation to the Founding Festival as well.

According to custom, we had to send an invitation stamped with the Imperial seal.

Currently, Kalian was the only person in the Imperial Court who possessed a valid seal.

Princess Esramel, the only Imperial Princess, had lost the validity of her princess seal when she became Countess Cloud.

Prince Hes, the only Imperial Prince, was not yet an adult and had no seal.

It was customary to receive a seal from the Emperor on the day of one’s coming-of-age ceremony.

“Your Majesty, these are the invitations to be sent to the Dukes.”

Therefore, I asked Kalian to stamp the invitations with his seal.

Kalian’s eyes hardened as he carefully examined the invitations. It was when he saw the invitation for Fillen.

“Are we sending an invitation to Duke Williot as well?”

“Yes.”

“Duke Williot is currently in Casiwood, so it would be difficult for him to come, wouldn’t it?”

“That is for Duke Williot to decide.”

This wasn’t something I could decide based on assumptions.

If I did that and Fillen made an issue of it, it would become troublesome, so it was easier in many ways to just send the invitation.

Kalian, who couldn’t be unaware of this fact, twisted his lips.

“I didn’t think I’d see that handsome face again so soon. I thought I wouldn’t see him at least until I abdicated.”

“It can’t be helped. Duke Williot didn’t go into exile for committing a crime.”

Whatever the internal circumstances, officially Fillen had voluntarily gone on assignment to Casiwood.

There was absolutely no reason not to send him an invitation.

Hearing my words, Kalian muttered to himself.

“…Maybe I should have sent him there.”

“Pardon?”

“No, nothing.”

Kalian let out a brief sigh and stamped each invitation with his seal.

I placed the invitations in ornate envelopes decorated with gold.

“Are you sending the invitations right away?”

“Yes. I plan to send them via messenger birds.”

“Duke Williot will receive his invitation in a week then.”

That would be right. Even using the fastest messenger birds, it would take a week.

“I wonder if Duke Williot will come for the New Year Festival?”

“He’ll probably come.”

Given Fillen’s personality, there was no way he wouldn’t come.

Thinking about meeting Fillen again made a sigh well up from deep inside me.

I thought I wouldn’t see him for at least a year, but to think we’d meet again so soon.

It was such an annoyingly persistent connection.

“Let me know immediately when Duke Williot’s reply arrives.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As soon as I left the study, I sent invitations to all four Dukes.

Duke Hudlren expressed his intention to attend as soon as he received the invitation.

Duke Cloud’s reply came a day late, and it was a decline.

It stated that he couldn’t attend due to a Magic Association meeting, but Countess Cloud would attend.

Duke Giltian’s reply came on the morning of the fourth day after sending the invitation.

I expected him to send a reply through a servant or aide like the other Dukes had, but that wasn’t the case.

“I will attend the Founding Festival.”

Duke Giltian came in person. And he happened to visit when I was alone guarding the study.

Duke Giltian was an awkward person to deal with in a different sense from Fillen.

It wasn’t that Duke Giltian had done anything to me like Fillen had.

I just didn’t want to deal with him.

“I will convey that to His Majesty.”

“Count Aster.”

I wanted to finish the conversation quickly, but unfortunately Duke Giltian didn’t seem to have that intention.

“Previously, you said you would devote your loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then if His Majesty the Emperor were to step down, would you also resign from your position as aide and step down?”

Come to think of it, what would happen to me if His Majesty abdicated to Prince Hes and stepped down?

Typically, even when emperors changed, administrators didn’t change unless there were special reasons.

The same was true for the Emperor’s aide.

So even if Prince Hes became Emperor, I wouldn’t need to resign from my position as aide and step down, but what made me hesitate was that Kalian and I weren’t simply in a boss and aide relationship.

…Let me answer Duke Giltian’s question first and then think about it.

“If it’s not rude to ask, may I inquire what intention you have in asking such a question?”

Duke Giltian smiled as if he knew I was playing dumb.

“No. I asked an unnecessary question. Forget it.”

He was backing down. Not wanting to create problems unnecessarily, I answered that I would do so.

Of course, I had no real intention of actually forgetting. I pondered over what Duke Giltian’s intention was in asking such a question.

‘He probably wants me to voluntarily step down from my aide position.’

Duke Giltian had been very opposed to me becoming an aide.

I was extremely satisfied with the work I was doing now. I had never once thought about wanting to quit this job.

That would be the same even if the Emperor changed.

Though I had no desire to quit, I thought that depending on the circumstances, I might have to.

If Kalian abdicated to Prince Hes and became Grand Duke, I would marry him and become Grand Duchess.

I had once told Fillen that I would continue my administrative work even if I became a duchess, but in reality, that was impossible.

So inevitably… I would have to quit.

Even though I thought it would be right to do so considering Kalian, considering our future, I couldn’t easily make the decision.

* * *

“You’ve been looking gloomy lately. Is something wrong?”

“…Your Majesty notices my emotions like a ghost.”

No one else had noticed.

“If I can’t notice even one emotional change in the person I love, that would be a failure as a lover. So what’s wrong?”

“Actually…”

I confided my worries to Kalian, leaving out the part about meeting Duke Giltian.

Kalian, who had been listening quietly, chuckled softly.

“You’re worrying about something obvious.”

“I should quit my aide position after all, shouldn’t I?”

“Do you want to quit?”

“No. It’s not that…”

“Then continue. Hes would want you to continue too.”

If that were possible, it would be nothing but good from my perspective…

“Other people won’t look favorably upon it. Your Majesty’s position might become difficult.”

“It’s fine. I don’t usually care about what others think anyway.”

Kalian smiled while resting his chin on his hand.

“The only one I care about is you, Leilah. If you want to do something, you can do whatever it is.”

As I always thought, Kalian was too generous with me.

While I liked that fact, it also burdened me on one hand, so I smiled awkwardly.

“But to think you’re already considering becoming my wife.”

Kalian took my hand and smiled mischievously.

“Hes still has 3 years left before he becomes an adult, isn’t that too early?”

Ah, so that’s how it comes across.

Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, I blushed and pulled my hand away from his grasp.

Kalian grabbed my hand again and called out playfully.

“Wife.”

“Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not teasing.”

His thumb gently stroked the back of my hand.

“I wish Hes would grow up quickly. Then I could marry you.”

“…I never said I would marry Your Majesty.”

When I answered curtly out of spite, Kalian smiled with his eyes and kissed the back of my hand.

“Are you really not going to marry me?”

“…I’ll see how Your Majesty behaves.”

“Oh my. I’ll have to do well from now on to avoid being rejected.”

He was already doing well enough, so what more could he possibly do better?

His brazen words made me laugh.

Kalian stroked my cheek and said.

“Leilah, kiss me.”

Ever since I had mustered the courage to kiss him once before, Kalian constantly asked me to kiss him first at any time.

At first, I was completely embarrassed about doing something first, but now I had gotten quite used to it.

Just as I was about to lean down slightly to gladly fulfill his request.

Knock knock-

A knocking sound was heard. I was startled and pushed Kalian away.

Kalian frowned and looked at the person who opened the door and entered.

Baron Delrond, who had suddenly received a sharp glare, smiled awkwardly and explained why he had come.

“We just received contact from Casiwood through the magic communication device.”

“It seems we got a response to the invitation. Obviously they’ll say they’re attending.”

“No. Duke Williot said he will not attend this year’s founding festival party.”

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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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