I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 229

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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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#229

While Duke Cloud and the high-ranking mages worked tirelessly to find a way to wake Kalian from his coma, Leilah went around being investigated.

It was to prove that it was Fillen’s fault, not Leilah’s.

Leilah faithfully answered everything they asked, but there was just one thing she couldn’t answer.

It was the reason why Fillen had chosen her as a hostage among so many people.

To explain that, she would have to reveal her relationship with Kalian, so she firmly insisted she didn’t know about that part.

The investigators were very suspicious of Leilah, but since there was no evidence, it was glossed over.

Not only the retainers of the Williot Duchy but all those who had conspired with Fillen were captured.

Among them was Count Grace, the Deputy Minister of the Marshal’s Office.

Most of them, including Count Grace, testified that they didn’t know Fillen had devised such a tremendous plan and had simply provided various assistance because Fillen was a duke and commander-in-chief.

One of them underwent a divine trial as a representative, confirming that their testimonies were true.

Thanks to this, they were able to avoid execution, but they were all imprisoned. The noble council argued that their positions should be stripped and their status demoted, but none of it was implemented.

It was because Kalian, who had the final authority, was in a coma.

If there had been an empress, she would have taken the decision-making power as a proxy, but since that wasn’t the case either, all affairs were paralyzed.

Since they couldn’t handle matters regarding the Kingdom of Stella either, the noble council hoped that young Prince Hes would act as the Emperor’s proxy.

“I can’t do it!”

Upon hearing this news, Hes exclaimed in shock and ran to Duke Giltian.

“How can I act as my brother’s proxy! I absolutely cannot do it!”

“But there is no one else who can do it except Your Highness.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness.”

Duke Giltian gently soothed Hes with a kind face.

“I will help you from the side. Please don’t worry about anything and trust me and follow along.”

Since his maternal grandfather Duke Giltian spoke like this, Hes had no choice but to nod.

“Then shall we call Baron Delrond and Count Aster? Since they have been helping my brother continuously, they will surely be helpful.”

“That’s fine, I know more capable people, so let’s get help from them.”

No matter how capable they were, they probably wouldn’t be as good as the practitioners Leilah and Ber.

Those words lingered in his mouth, but Duke Giltian was being so forceful.

And if Duke Giltian got angry and said he wouldn’t help, it would be a big problem, so Hes ultimately kept his mouth shut.

Thus, Duke Giltian brought several nobles and began staying at the Imperial Palace to help Hes handle affairs.

It was said to be helping Hes, but mostly they made the decisions and Hes only stamped his seal.

“Count Grace has committed an irreversible crime, so his position should be stripped and his title demoted to baron.”

“But Count Grace didn’t do it intentionally, it was a mistake, so demoting his title seems too harsh.”

“No. This is right. We must not show too much leniency to criminals, Your Highness.”

Whenever Hes occasionally voiced an opinion, they all said he was wrong and told him to do as they instructed.

I must not know enough. Hes vaguely thought this and did as Duke Giltian and the nobles wanted.

Thus, countless people not only had their positions stripped but also had their titles demoted.

Duke Giltian recommended his followers for those positions, and so the administrators began to be filled one by one with Duke Giltian’s people.

* * *

I wanted to stay by Kalian’s side until he woke up, but I couldn’t because I was constantly being investigated.

They called for me so much that seeing Kalian when I arrived at the Imperial Palace was the last time.

Even when I tried to visit him after the investigation ended, they blocked me saying it was too late, so I had no choice but to turn back.

That long, long investigation finally ended. At the fact that I could finally go see Kalian, I visited the Imperial Palace from early morning.

“Count Aster?”

On my way to see Kalian immediately, I met Duke Cloud and the Duchess.

In just a few days, both of their complexions had darkened considerably. Especially the Duchess’s face looked very haggard.

“Count Aster, you don’t look very well either.”

Do I look like that too? I smiled silently at the Duchess’s words.

“Are you here to see His Majesty?”

“Yes.”

“We’re also on our way to see him, so let’s go together.”

“Understood.”

I headed to the bedroom where Kalian was sleeping with them. Soldiers were strictly guarding the entrance.

Duke Cloud entered first, followed by the Duchess.

Finally, when I tried to enter, a soldier blocked me.

“Count Aster cannot enter.”

“Why not?”

“There was an order not to let unrelated people in for His Majesty the Emperor’s safety.”

Duchess Cloud came back out and asked the soldier.

“Count Aster is His Majesty the Emperor’s aide. Even so, he’s not qualified?”

“Yes. He doesn’t meet the criteria.”

“Who set the criteria?”

“Prince Hes, Your Highness.”

Upon hearing the soldier’s answer, Duchess Cloud frowned deeply.

I looked toward the inside of the bedroom where Kalian was.

Kalian was in there. If I just walked a few more steps, I could see him, but just because I was a mere aide, I couldn’t go see him.

That fact pierced my heart achingly. It seemed like I could hear something snap.

“…Would it not work even if I were His Majesty the Emperor’s lover rather than a mere aide?”

I had tried not to announce it if possible.

Even if I were to do so, I had planned to discuss it with Kalian when he woke up before saying anything, but given the situation, I could no longer remain silent.

At my words, the soldiers were very flustered, and Duchess Cloud looked relieved.

“Is, is it really true that Count Aster and His Majesty are lovers…”

“It’s true.”

Duchess Cloud interjected.

“Count Aster and His Majesty the Emperor are indeed lovers. I guarantee it.”

At Duchess Cloud’s words, the soldiers gasped.

The servants who happened to overhear the conversation while passing by also looked this way in confusion.

“Even so, will you still say that Count Aster has no right to enter?”

The soldiers looked at each other and cautiously spoke again with eye signals.

“But, but he still doesn’t meet the criteria. Prince Hes ordered that no one be allowed entry except His Majesty the Emperor’s family members and those who can help with His Majesty’s treatment.”

Even if they were lovers, they weren’t family. It wasn’t wrong.

“I’m going to meet that brat Hes right now…!”

As Duchess Cloud raged and acted as if she would rush to Prince Hes immediately, I grabbed her arm.

“It’s alright, Duchess.”

“But…!”

“It’s really okay. Although I’m not His Majesty’s family…”

I hadn’t planned to reveal this either, but I have no choice.

I embraced my belly with my other hand and spoke as if muttering, but loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

“The child inside here is His Majesty’s family.”

Duchess Cloud’s dazed face turning to shock was instantaneous.

* * *

The Giltian Duchy was a prestigious family that had produced prime ministers for generations.

To not lose the position of prime minister, they subjected their children to harsh training from childhood, and the current Duke Giltian was no exception.

The current Duke Giltian was evaluated as the most outstanding among all the bloodline of the Giltian Duchy throughout history.

He graduated from the Imperial Academy with the highest grades in history and became prime minister at the youngest age.

As soon as he became prime minister, he made various efforts such as increasing the national treasury with excellent policies, but what came back was the Former Emperor’s interference.

“Duke Giltian, don’t be too forward. The Emperor of the Empire is me, not you.”

That’s right. Why is it you who is Emperor instead of me, who has superior abilities?

Why won’t you acknowledge your own incompetence?

Duke Giltian simply could not understand.

The questions deepened as time passed, and Duke Giltian, who had been pondering what to do, came to one conclusion.

If the Emperor was too incompetent to listen to his words, then he just needed to replace him with an Emperor who would listen.

He had considered becoming Emperor himself, but that would be treason and the risk of failure was too great, so he didn’t do that.

After years of such efforts, the summit was not far away now.

“What did you just say?”

Duke Giltian, who had been contentedly handling the work that the Emperor should originally be doing, frowned upon hearing absurd news from his attendant.

“Count Aster is carrying the Emperor’s child?”

“Yes. I heard Count Aster say so clearly with my own ears.”

“Huh.”

The nobleman sitting across from Duke Giltian let out an exclamation. The other nobleman also looked at the attendant as if bewildered.

“Is the child that Count Aster is carrying definitely the Emperor’s baby?”

“Count Aster said so. And Baron Delrond, Countess Cloud, and the Head Servant testified that the two had been in a secret relationship.”

The attendant swallowed once and quickly continued speaking.

“Count Aster said that if there are any doubts, a paternity test can be done as soon as the child is born. However, she also said that those who dare to doubt should be prepared to be charged with the crime of insulting the Imperial Family once the truth is revealed.”

Seeing how confidently Leilah was acting, it seemed certain that the child was Kalian’s.

“There’s a limit to throwing ashes on finished soup, but the Emperor’s child.”

“If Count Aster gives birth to a prince, everything will turn to bubbles.”

While the nobles chattered and voiced their concerns, Duke Giltian, who had been lost in deep thought, raised his hand.

Then the nobles immediately shut their mouths.

Duke Giltian’s snake-like slit eyes flashed sharply as he spoke.

“Let’s do it this way.”

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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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