I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 221

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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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#221

Fillen, who was a duke and supreme commander of the Empire, had betrayed the Empire and sided with the Kingdom of Stella.

It was shocking. I quickly covered my mouth with both hands to suppress the scream that was about to burst out.

While I was in shock, Fillen and the man continued their conversation.

“When are you going to make the proposal to the Emperor?”

“I plan to submit it as soon as the Emperor shows a reaction. Thanks to your help, we’ve secured Rahalbah Estate, but advancing further would be pushing it.”

No wonder I thought it was strangely calm despite the Stella Kingdom army’s invasion – there was a reason for everything.

The fact that the Stella Kingdom army reached Rahalbah without being spotted by the border guards was also because Fillen helped them.

“By the way, it’s been quite a while since we handed over the necklace, but there’s been no reaction from the Emperor’s side. Could it be that holding Leilah Aster hostage isn’t effective?”

“There’s a high possibility that word hasn’t reached the capital yet. It’s only been two days, so there’s no need to be too impatient.”

Two days – did that mean it had been two days since the enemies invaded Rahalbah?

Or did it mean it was the second day since Rahalbah was occupied?

No, more than that, from listening to their conversation, it seemed they were planning to use me as a hostage to demand something from Kalian.

That’s why they took the necklace.

To show Kalian that they were holding me hostage.

‘Do you think I’ll just let you do whatever you want?’

I had no intention of sitting still and becoming their puppet hostage, thus becoming a burden to Kalian.

I had to escape somehow.

Now, while they didn’t know I was awake, was the perfect opportunity to escape.

‘Where should I go?’

I couldn’t pass through the visible exit because Fillen was there.

I couldn’t see any other exits.

While looking around to find an exit, I noticed a small gap between a large dresser and the wall.

When I brought my hand to the gap with a hopeful heart, I could feel a faint breeze blowing through.

That meant there was a passage beyond this dresser.

Whether that passage connected to an exit or led deeper into the cave, I wouldn’t know until I went to see for myself.

‘Let’s go.’

Nothing would change by staying here.

I steeled my resolve and pushed the dresser to the side. Fortunately, there was a soft rug under the dresser, so it didn’t make much noise when I moved it.

Still, anxious about when they might return, I kept glancing toward where Fillen was.

Whatever they were discussing so seriously, they showed no signs of getting up from their seats.

That was good for me.

I gritted my teeth and carefully pushed the heavy dresser to the side.

The dresser was too heavy and didn’t move easily, but I managed to create a gap large enough for a person to pass through.

I entered through that gap. The wind blew stronger than outside the dresser.

‘It doesn’t seem to be a passage leading underground.’

Just in case, let’s not be too relieved.

I clasped my hands tightly together and carefully stepped forward.

Without shoes, jagged pieces pressed against my feet.

I felt a slight stinging pain as if I’d been cut, along with the sensation of blood flowing, but I bit my lips tightly and continued walking.

I didn’t know when Fillen might chase after me, so I couldn’t waste time on something like this.

The passage was generally dark, but occasionally light seeped through gaps, illuminating the surroundings.

And something yellow embedded in the walls reflected light, sparkling brightly.

“Is this gold?”

Not just here, but gold was embedded in other places too.

Only then did I realize that the place I was in was a gold mine.

“Could this be the gold mine that Duke Hudlren gave to the Tebesa family?”

I was sure that gold mine was taken by Fillen.

Considering that the gold mine was near Casiwood, or rather near Rahalbah, there was a high possibility this was that gold mine.

‘Did he take the gold mine to create a hideout?’

If that were the case, a cabin deep in the mountains would have been better than a gold mine, wouldn’t it?

I was puzzled, but my question was resolved before long.

On the slightly muddy cave floor, there were numerous human footprints.

Around them were piles of trash presumably left behind by those who passed through.

Unidentifiable bones, fruit peels, worn-out canteens, military boots, dirty cloth scraps, and more.

Judging from the discarded trash and footprints, the people who passed through this passage were likely soldiers.

‘Those soldiers were probably…’

I picked up a dirty cloth scrap that had fallen nearby.

It was heavily soiled and torn, making its original form unrecognizable, but I could tell a lot from the emblem faintly visible through the stains.

The emblem of the Kingdom of Stella.

The people who passed through here were definitely soldiers from the Stella Kingdom army.

‘Come to think of it, the mountain with the gold mine shared a border with the Kingdom of Stella.’

So that’s why he brought the gold mine to Count Tebesa.

To create a passage for the Stella Kingdom army to move through while avoiding the eyes of the border guards.

“You’re insane, Fillen Williot…”

Simply selling information to an enemy nation was already a treasonous crime worthy of exterminating three generations, and now he was doing something like this too.

If this fact became known, not only Fillen but the entire Williot Duchy would disappear.

Fillen couldn’t possibly be unaware of this fact, so what benefit was he trying to gain by committing such an enormous crime?

I was curious, but thinking about it now wouldn’t provide answers, and escaping was the priority.

The fact that the Stella Kingdom army came through here meant this passage was definitely connected to the outside.

‘And it’s probably connected to the Kingdom of Stella.’

The Kingdom of Stella used to be a friendly nation, but from the moment they invaded Rahalbah, they became an enemy.

Going to the Kingdom of Stella in this situation was frightening.

It was even more terrifying because Stella Kingdom soldiers might be guarding the exit, but I had no other choice but to move forward.

I couldn’t go back to where Fillen was.

So I resolved to move forward despite my fear and was about to resume my temporarily halted steps when—

Swoosh—

“…!”

Suddenly, a hand shot out from behind and grabbed my arm.

Startled, I turned around to see Fillen, though I had no idea when he’d arrived.

Seeing him, my shocked heart began beating frantically. I stared at Fillen blankly, even forgetting to breathe.

“Why do you look like that?”

Fillen looked around and then chuckled as if he understood why I was acting this way.

“Did you figure out too much all at once?”

“…Why did you do it?”

I was too shocked, and if Fillen had really betrayed the Empire, there was no need to treat him as a duke anymore, so I dropped the honorifics.

“Why did you betray the Empire! As the Empire’s supreme commander, as a duke, why!”

With the hand that wasn’t caught by him, I pounded his chest while shouting loud enough to echo through the passage.

“Can you still call yourself a duke after doing this? Aren’t you ashamed?”

“…The one who should be ashamed isn’t me, but you and that bastard.”

Fillen grabbed my other hand as well and brought his face close to mine.

The abnormally close distance where I could feel his breath gave me chills.

“Let go, let go…!”

“Why? You were perfectly fine clinging to that Emperor bastard.”

The eyes visible right in front of me blazed with anger.

“Everything is your fault. If you hadn’t abandoned me and sided with that Emperor bastard, I wouldn’t have done something like this either.”

“What nonsense are you spouting! You were the one who abandoned me first!”

At my words, he tilted his head sideways and said,

“When did I ever abandon you? I never once told you to break off our engagement.”

That’s right. Instead, I had driven countless nails into my own heart because I couldn’t endure it.

“You’re the one who abandoned me and went to that Emperor. Why don’t you just admit what needs to be admitted?”

“That’s what I want to say! Why don’t you admit that things between you and me are over?”

“How can I admit something that isn’t over?”

Ha, talking to a wall would probably be less frustrating than this.

If I could, I wanted to grab him by the collar and scream at him.

“And about Sisly’s matter, I apologized countless times saying I was sorry. So why won’t you accept it?”

“You think killing someone and then apologizing makes it all okay? Huh? Does that bring the dead person back to life?”

“Was it hard enough to die because of me?”

Of course it was hard, but it wasn’t quite to the point of death.

“No.”

Seeing Fillen smile brightly, I didn’t want to admit even that it was a little difficult, so I denied it.

Then the smile blooming on Fillen’s face crumbled with a crack.

He gripped my wrist so tightly that it made me cry out in pain.

“Ah, it hurts!”

I struggled with all my might to shake off his hand, but Fillen didn’t budge even slightly.

The stark difference in strength I could clearly feel.

I felt dizzy from the helplessness of being unable to do anything.

“Your face is completely pale. Are you that scared of me?”

“If you were being overpowered by force like this, wouldn’t you be scared too?”

When I snapped back through gritted teeth, Fillen’s expression darkened.

“Sorry.”

The grip on my arm loosened slightly. He pulled his face back a little and said.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, let go of my arm.”

“Then you’ll run away.”

Though I probably wouldn’t be able to run very far anyway.

Fillen laughed self-deprecatingly as he gazed down at me. His golden eyes soaked in sadness looked out of place.

“Then let’s go back.”

“No! I won’t go back!”

“You always make things troublesome for me.”

Fillen clicked his tongue as if annoyed, then hoisted me over his shoulder like a piece of luggage.

“Put me down!”

I struggled to break free, hitting Fillen’s shoulder with all my strength, but Fillen didn’t budge at all.

All my strength drained away at Fillen’s behavior. I even let out a sigh.

Since I couldn’t escape no matter what I did, I shouldn’t waste my energy and should save it for later instead.

I stayed still with that thought, but somehow Fillen interpreted it differently and said with a laugh.

“Keep staying still like this. Then Leilah, I absolutely won’t harm you.”

“…What exactly are you trying to do? What’s your purpose in joining hands with the Kingdom of Stella?”

“I told you. Everything is something you brought upon yourself.”

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the place where I had regained consciousness.

Fillen set me down on the bed and smiled sweetly as he fastened shackles around my ankles.

“I’m simply trying to reclaim what’s mine.”

Those words, saying that was all there was to it, echoed ominously.

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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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