I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 210
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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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#210
Of course I thought he would attend, but he’s not coming?
Kalian also seemed surprised as he raised his eyebrows.
“What’s the reason?”
“He said he hasn’t fully recovered from travel fatigue and doesn’t want to make another long journey, plus Casiwood’s situation isn’t very good so he can’t leave his post.”
That makes sense. I don’t know about Casiwood’s situation, but I could fully understand the former reason.
From the capital to Casiwood, it would take at least a month by carriage.
Round trip would be over two months, so even Fillen doesn’t seem to want to make such a long journey.
‘Thank goodness.’
That Fillen won’t be attending the founding festival party.
“I was hoping he wouldn’t come, so this is fortunate.”
Unlike me who was thinking this to myself, Kalian said it outright.
Baron Delrond must have thought the same way inwardly, as he didn’t deny Kalian’s words.
“Tell Duke Williot that it’s regrettable he won’t be coming to the founding festival party.”
“Yes.”
After roughly finishing our conversation, I left the study with Baron Delrond.
We immediately entered the aide’s office, where Baron Delrond casually asked me.
“Did Count Aster perhaps sell the Tebesa manor?”
Huh? What’s this about all of a sudden?
“No. Why are you asking that?”
“Well, recently the Tebesa manor went up for auction. That manor should currently be owned by Count Aster, so I was just wondering.”
“It wasn’t me. And the Tebesa manor isn’t my property either.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I thought it was owned by Count Aster…”
“It’s fine.”
Since I had inherited the count title, it wasn’t unreasonable for Baron Delrond and others to have such a misunderstanding.
“So, the Tebesa manor went up for auction?”
“Yes. My acquaintance saw it with his own eyes and told me, so it’s accurate.”
That meant Count Tebesa had sold the manor. Or Countess Tebesa could have sold it.
‘Are they planning to move somewhere else?’
No. The Tebesa family’s financial situation wasn’t very good for that.
Well, they could be selling that manor to move to a smaller place.
But Count Tebesa and Countess Tebesa, who were completely obsessed with vanity, wouldn’t readily accept that.
If they needed money urgently, they would have sold the gold mine first, not the manor.
…Come to think of it, what happened to the gold mine?
Did Duke Hudlren get it back?
Or did they already sell it?
“Did the gold mine owned by the Tebesa family happen to come up in the auction?”
“Well, I didn’t hear about that. Should I look into it?”
“Please do.”
The next day, Baron Delrond came with more information than I had requested.
“That gold mine didn’t come up for auction, but the owner has already changed. To Duke Williot.”
What did he just say…
“Duke Williot bought the Tebesa family’s gold mine?”
“Probably. Anyway, the current owner of that gold mine is Duke Williot.”
What’s this about. What purpose did Fillen have for suddenly buying a gold mine.
No, maybe he didn’t buy it but Count Tebesa or Countess Tebesa offered it to him.
If that’s the case, what did they demand from Fillen in exchange for offering the gold mine?
“And the Tebesa couple sold their manor and moved their residence to the Williot estate.”
…They demanded a place to live.
It was absurd but it was a wise choice.
If they had put the gold mine up for auction, they would have received a pittance.
Plus they would have pocketed plenty of money from selling the manor.
Under Fillen’s protection, settling in the Williot estate would earn them proper treatment from others, so they used their heads well in many ways.
Only the timing bothered me.
Previously, Duke Hudlren said that Count Tebesa had lied that I was the one who owned the gold mine.
That meant Count Tebesa had been holding onto the gold mine until then.
But by then Fillen had already gone to Casiwood and wasn’t in the capital.
So when did the Tebesa couple and Fillen meet to discuss the gold mine?
Was it decided beforehand before he left?
I don’t know.
I couldn’t guess at all what they were thinking.
I didn’t understand myself for worrying about this either.
Fillen is now someone unrelated to me, so what does it matter whether he buys a gold mine or not.
“Should I look into it more if something’s bothering you?”
“No. That’s enough. Thank you, Baron Delrond.”
So let’s not worry about it.
There was no reason to worry about it at all.
* * *
When Fillen, who was both commander-in-chief and minister of the Marshal’s Office, went to Casiwood, Count Grace, the deputy minister, ended up taking on all his work.
One might expect complaints about this, but Count Grace harbored no complaints at all.
It would be more accurate to say he had complaints before, but now he was used to it and didn’t mind.
That was because while Fillen was participating in the war and stirring up the battlefield, it was Count Grace who had done Fillen’s work in his place.
Not only that. Even when Fillen was resting on his commendation leave, he had done all of Fillen’s work.
So now Fillen’s work felt like his own work.
The Marshal’s Office administrators had also become accustomed to working under Count Grace’s command.
Still, Fillen was the minister of the Marshal’s Office and Count Grace’s superior.
If Fillen demanded something, Count Grace had to listen to him even if he found it strange.
“I just sent the documents through messenger bird.”
-Thank you.
“Not at all. But may I ask you one thing, Your Excellency?”
-What is it?
“Why are you suddenly looking for those documents?”
Fillen was silent for a moment before answering.
-Casiwood’s situation is worse than expected. It’s difficult to block monsters, bandits, and illegal residents all with the forces here.
“Ah, so that’s why you asked for those documents. You’re planning to request reinforcements from the Imperial Court.”
-Right. I need to review how many Royal Knight Order members there are now and how many of them can be sent.
“If that’s what it’s about, you could have just told me. I would have reviewed it and sent…”
-Count Grace.
Fillen’s voice suddenly dropped.
-Don’t forget that I’m your superior.
In other words, don’t interfere with what he’s doing.
Count Grace swallowed his words and nodded vigorously.
“Of course. I always keep that in mind.”
-Good then.
Fortunately, he doesn’t seem very angry.
Count Grace secretly let out a sigh of relief.
-I’ll contact you again after reviewing the documents.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
-Keep this matter secret from those around you until I contact you again.
“I understand.”
There was nowhere to tell anyway.
If he had to find someone, there was Kalian, but since no formal support request had come in and this was simply a review, Count Grace nodded, thinking there was no need to report every detail to Kalian.
* * *
As one of the Empire’s three major festivals, the Founding Festival opened with great splendor.
Unlike the New Year Festival, the Founding Festival was held not only in the capital but throughout the entire Empire.
Of course, the party for nobles was only held at the Imperial Palace. Nobles from all regions gathered in the capital one after another to attend the party.
Fillen was not among them. That fact alone made my heart feel as light as a feather.
Unlike the New Year Festival, I could enjoy the festival to my heart’s content.
“Leilah, come here.”
The festival was even more enjoyable because Kalian was with me.
“But, Lord Kal. Is it okay to sneak out of the Imperial Palace like this?”
“It’s fine. I told the Head Servant before coming out.”
It wasn’t telling, but rather a unilateral notification.
I could almost hear the Head Servant’s screams of despair from here.
However, I didn’t suggest that we should return to the Imperial Palace now.
Because I also enjoyed holding hands with Kalian and watching the festival.
After looking around for a while, as it gradually grew darker, Kalian led me toward the hill.
The place where I met Kalian for the second time, the location where he took the shabby handkerchief I had made.
It was also the place where I first ate strawberry candy.
Suddenly remembering the memories with him made my heart feel warm.
“Leilah, look at that.”
Lost in the afterimages of the past, I looked where Kalian was pointing.
“Wow.”
Then I saw fireworks bursting brilliantly. The firework shapes were varied – flowers, stars, moons, and more.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Right? This is the best place to see the fireworks.”
Kalian smiled proudly and sat down. Then he patted his knees. It meant for me to sit on his lap.
There were other people on the hill besides us.
But he wanted me to sit on his lap. It was a bit embarrassing, but since no one would recognize us anyway, I quietly sat down.
We held each other and watched the fireworks.
The brilliant fireworks, like paint scattered across the dark sky, ended with an embroidered Blue Dragon.
When I let out a small sigh of regret, Kalian wrapped his arm around my waist and said,
“Let’s come together next year too.”
I asked playfully,
“Only next year?”
“As if.”
Kalian smiled and gently pressed his forehead against mine.
“The year after next, and the year after that too – let’s keep coming together to see the Founding Festival, no, not just the Founding Festival but all the festivals in the Empire.”
As the fireworks ended and the surroundings grew dark, making it hard to see around us, strangely, I could see Kalian’s handsome face clearly.
Kalian’s lips stood out particularly prominently. As if enchanted, I stared at his lips and lightly touched them with my fingertip. Kalian smiled and kissed my fingertip.
Because the surroundings were hard to see. But strangely, I could see Kalian’s handsome face clearly.
Kalian’s lips stood out particularly prominently. As if enchanted, I stared at his lips and lightly touched them.
Kalian smiled and kissed my fingertip.
“You can kiss me if you want to.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. I’m all yours, so there’s no reason you can’t.”
That he was mine. Just hearing those words made my heart flutter.
I didn’t refuse and gladly explored what was mine.
* * *
After the Founding Festival ended, spring was almost over. The flowers had fallen and green leaves grew lush.
Late spring, or early summer, when the sunlight touching the skin became much more stinging.
“…You want me to send Leilah to Casiwood?”
Absurd news settled beside us, more stinging than the blazing sunlight.
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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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