I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 230

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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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#230

I decided to stay at the Imperial Palace until I gave birth to the child. What happened after that would depend on Kalian’s condition, so we decided to leave it at that for now.

The maids and servants working at the Imperial Palace did their jobs well, but it wasn’t comfortable.

It was more comfortable and safer in many ways to receive help from Sara and Nes, so I brought them with me when I entered the palace.

Since I had decided to stay at the Imperial Palace anyway, I wanted to stay by Kalian’s side all day, but following the advice of those around me who said it wasn’t good for prenatal care, I only stayed by his side for exactly 2 hours a day.

Usually no one came when I was keeping watch by Kalian’s side, but occasionally Countess Cloud would visit.

“Your complexion has gotten darker.”

Today was one of those occasional times. Countess Cloud spoke pitifully as soon as she saw me.

“Are you sleeping well? I heard that your morning sickness has gotten worse lately and you can’t eat much.”

“Who said that?”

“The maid with freckles on her face.”

She was talking about Sara.

“She said the Count can’t eat properly these days and she’s very worried?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll tell her to watch her tongue.”

“Oh my, then I’d seem like a bad person.”

Countess Cloud crossed her arms and rolled her eyes coyly.

“I abused my power to find out what foods the Count likes and interrogated that maid thoroughly, so don’t scold her or anything.”

“Why do you need to know what foods I like…”

“Well, it’s for my lovely nephew who will be born soon. Since my useless brother isn’t fulfilling his role, shouldn’t I step in instead?”

Saying that’s why she brought it, Countess Cloud took out various things from a picnic basket.

There were appetizing sandwiches and cool juice, foods that looked delicious just by looking at them, but they didn’t inspire much enthusiasm in me right now.

It was all because of morning sickness. As Sara had told the Countess, my morning sickness had gotten much worse lately and I could barely eat anything except thin soup.

“Seeing no reaction, I guess it’s not appealing?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What does the Count have to be sorry for? It’s because our little nephew is taking after his father and being peculiar.”

Countess Cloud glanced at Kalian, who was still lying motionless on the bed, then asked me.

“Even if your morning sickness is severe, there must be something you want to eat. Can’t you think of anything?”

Something I want to eat. When she asked like that, there was one thing that came to mind.

“Looking at your expression, there is something?”

Countess Cloud rolled up both her sleeves.

“Just tell me. I’ll get you anything.”

“Well, I’m not sure if you could call it food…”

“What is it? Just tell me first.”

It was somewhat embarrassing to say, but since Countess Cloud kept urging me, I finally spoke.

“I want to eat strawberry candy.”

And not just any ordinary strawberry candy sold commonly in the market, but that strawberry candy that Kalian had given me.

Someone might laugh and say all strawberry candies are the same, what’s the difference, but to my taste, it was different.

“Strawberry candy.”

Countess Cloud thought for a moment, then frowned and asked me back.

“Are you perhaps talking about the strawberry candy His Majesty has?”

“You know it right away?”

“Of course I know it. I’ve eaten a lot of that strawberry candy too.”

“You have too, Countess?”

“Ah, the Count doesn’t know. That strawberry candy His Majesty has is made with a special manufacturing method developed by my mother.”

The Countess’s mother meant Empress Solia.

Who would have thought there was such a story hidden behind that strawberry candy.

“I know the manufacturing method too, so I’ll make some and send it to you.”

“You don’t need to go to such trouble.”

“What trouble? I can do this much for my cute nephew who will be born soon. But first, this.”

Countess Cloud offered me fruit that had been prepared for easy eating.

“Even if it’s hard to eat because of severe morning sickness, you have to eat to live. Looking at you, sandwiches or meat seem difficult, so at least eat some fruit.”

The Countess also threatened that she would make me eat it all before leaving.

Since she was worrying like this, it seemed polite to eat, so I picked up a fork.

Fortunately, the fruit went down smoothly. While eating fruit and having various conversations with the Countess, Duke Cloud came to visit.

It was to inject mana into Kalian.

He could have had another high-ranking mage do it, but thankfully Duke Cloud stepped forward to do it himself.

However, Duke Cloud’s expression was darker than usual.

Countess Cloud also saw the Duke’s expression and asked worriedly.

“Is something wrong?”

“…Today at the nobility council, an agenda item came up about whether Prince Hes should become Emperor.”

“What does that mean?”

Countess Cloud turned serious and snapped.

“His Majesty the Emperor is perfectly alive, yet Hes becomes Emperor? Who decided that on their own authority?”

“Please calm down, my lady.”

Duke Cloud stopped the Countess with his characteristically gentle tone.

“Nothing has been decided yet. It was just an opinion about what if we did that. It was a topic that would be discussed eventually anyway.”

The principle was that when the Emperor couldn’t handle state affairs due to illness or some reason, he would abdicate to the heir and step down.

If the Emperor was unconscious and couldn’t abdicate himself, the nobility council would make that judgment.

So Duke Cloud said it was a topic that would eventually be discussed at the nobility council.

But it wasn’t done recklessly just because the Emperor was unconscious – they usually waited about a year, and only made the judgment when there was no hope of awakening.

But to try to make a judgment already after waiting only about 2 months.

It seemed everyone thought Kalian would never wake up, making my mouth bitter and my heart ache.

“As I said, we only talked briefly, nothing has been decided. So please don’t worry too much, my lady, and Count Aster.”

“Please oppose it unconditionally and say now is not the time. To already talk about abdication after waiting only 2 months.”

Countess Cloud frowned and clenched both fists.

“Obviously the person who brought up the topic was Duke Giltian, right?”

“No. It was Duke Hudlren.”

“Duke Hudlren?”

Countess Cloud thought for a moment, then clicked her tongue.

“That cunning Duke Giltian must have proposed some kind of deal to Duke Hudlren.”

“Hasty speculation is not good, my lady.”

“Then I’ll change it to certainty.”

“My lady.”

Duke Cloud scolded her, but the Countess didn’t listen at all.

Duke Cloud shook his head and approached the bed where Kalian was lying. He was going to infuse mana.

Since the upper garments had to be removed when infusing mana, I came outside with the Countess.

“How on earth can they discuss abdication when a perfectly healthy person is alive…!”

“Please calm down, my lady.”

While I was soothing the indignant Countess Cloud, the Duke finished his work and came out.

I came outside both to see them off and to take a walk.

Following the court physician’s advice that it was good to get fresh air frequently, I was trying to take walks whenever I had time.

After seeing off Duke and Duchess Cloud first, I was walking in the garden when a boy approached hesitantly.

“Your Highness.”

It was Prince Hes. His face, which I was seeing for the first time since returning to the Imperial Palace, was full of worry.

Prince Hes glanced at the servants who were quietly following behind me and asked.

“I’d like to talk with the Count alone, could you dismiss the servants?”

“Please step back for a moment.”

The servants withdrew to a position where they couldn’t hear unless we spoke loudly, but could rush over if anything happened to me.

I thought he would start talking right away once the servants withdrew, but Prince Hes hesitated for a long time before opening his mouth.

“Did you hear that story?”

What story is he talking about?

Ah, could it be?

“Are you referring to the agenda that came up in the Nobility Council about His Highness the Prince becoming Emperor?”

“Yes, that one.”

Prince Hes clasped his hands behind his back and kicked at the ground with his toes.

“I heard that Duke Hudlren brought it up first, but… I think my maternal grandfather, Duke Giltian, proposed some kind of deal to Duke Hudlren.”

He’s saying the same thing as Countess Cloud.

“Duke Giltian has wanted to make me Emperor for a long time.”

“I see.”

When I answered calmly, Prince Hes widened his eyes and stared at me.

“You’re not surprised, so you already knew everything.”

“I heard it from His Majesty the Emperor before. I heard everything, including the contract he made with Duke Giltian.”

“Ah, right. Of course you would have heard since you and my brother are lovers.”

Then this will be easy to talk about, Prince Hes muttered quietly and let out a deep sigh.

“Duke Giltian and my brother both want me to become Emperor, but I don’t have confidence I can do as well as my brother. If I become Emperor, I’ll probably go down in history as the worst Emperor.”

“You won’t know unless you try.”

“No, I know. I’m far inferior to my brother. I can’t use a sword and I’m bad at studying. How could I become an Emperor like my brother?”

“You don’t need to become an Emperor like His Majesty. Just as past Emperors each implemented different policies, if Your Highness becomes Emperor, you can pursue your own path.”

I crouched down to look into Prince Hes’s eyes as he hung his head.

“So don’t be so depressed and have confidence in yourself.”

Prince Hes’s clear blue eyes trembled.

“Your Highness can definitely become a good Emperor.”

“…You’re the first person to say that to me.”

Prince Hes muttered as if talking to himself.

“Everyone else just said they would help me and to trust only them… But you believe in my abilities.”

“Of course.”

If we compared pure abilities alone, it was true that Prince Hes was lacking compared to Kalian, but having good abilities didn’t necessarily make one a good Emperor.

Moreover, it wasn’t that Prince Hes was lacking—Kalian was just exceptional.

The fact that he was having these thoughts now showed that Prince Hes had sufficient qualities to become a good Emperor.

“Then can I come to you for advice on various things from now on?”

“You want advice from me?”

“Yes. Ah, I’m not coming because I think my brother won’t wake up.”

Prince Hes waved his hands frantically as he made excuses.

“I just don’t want to be called an incompetent Emperor if I ever sit on the throne, so I want to study in advance.”

“That’s a good mindset, but I’m not sure if I’ll be of help.”

“Just tell me what kind of work my brother usually does, various things. I’ll study hard too.”

If it was something like that, I could tell him as much as he wanted.

“Understood.”

When I nodded, Prince Hes finally smiled brightly.

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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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