I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 231

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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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#231

After that day, Hes visited Leilah every day to ask her about various matters.

Starting from major and minor issues occurring within the Empire to troublesome diplomatic problems.

Since there was much he didn’t know, there was also much to ask about.

Though such frequent visits from Hes could have been bothersome, Leilah never once showed any sign of annoyance.

Every time Hes came, she welcomed him warmly and answered his questions with sincere dedication.

Moreover, rather than simply providing direct answers, she helped Hes find the answers himself.

When occasional disagreements arose, unlike Duke Giltian or other nobles who would unconditionally demand he follow them because they were right, she respected Hes’s opinions and sought compromises.

Thanks to this, Hes was able to recover much of his lowered self-esteem.

Having learned how to read documents that had seemed difficult and complex, he could now voice his opinions to some extent when conversing with nobles.

“…Therefore, regarding that agenda, I would like to proceed this way.”

At Hes’s words, the expressions of the two nobles sitting across from him hardened.

This was understandable, as Hes was now suggesting that nobles who had been involved in Fillen’s treason case be reinstated to their official positions.

“That cannot be done, Your Highness.”

Count Aluma, who sat on the left among the two nobles, spoke with a stern face.

“They are those who were involved in a treason case, no less. Yet you want to reinstate them to official positions? Absolutely not.”

“Their involvement in the treason case was not of their own will. They were deceived by Fillen Williot’s schemes.”

“Still, the fact that they were involved remains unchanged.”

“Then let me ask you, Count Aluma. If I asked you to tell me where Duke Giltian has gone, would you keep it secret?”

Though it was a somewhat unexpected question, Count Aluma’s face turned ashen as he understood exactly what Hes was trying to say.

When he hesitated without being able to say anything, Hes frowned and pressed him.

“You’re already ignoring my words. Do you think Duke Giltian’s status is higher than mine?”

“H-how could that be, Your Highness? Of course Your Highness ranks higher.”

“Then you would tell me Duke Giltian’s location as well?”

“Y-yes, well…”

When Count Aluma gave an evasive answer, Hes snorted as if to say ‘see?’

“The nobles and soldiers involved in this case were all of lower rank and status than Fillen Williot. If Fillen Williot used his position to demand information, they had no choice but to comply.”

Moreover, most of the information Fillen Williot sold to the Kingdom of Stella had been information held by the Marshal’s Office.

“Therefore, I believe we should show magnanimity and give opportunities to those like Count Grace who were unavoidably involved.”

“I believe stripping them of their official positions and titles was already showing sufficient magnanimity.”

Count Bachelo, who sat next to Count Aluma, spoke.

“Your Highness may not be aware, but usually when involved in treason, not only is the person executed…”

“The entire family line is exterminated, including direct family members as well as collateral branches.”

Hes cut off Count Bachelo’s words and answered indifferently.

“And the retainers are branded as slaves and sent to labor camps, while the family’s assets are confiscated by the Imperial Court. Did you think I wouldn’t know even that much, Count Bachelo?”

“…My apologies, Your Highness.”

At Hes’s rebuke, Count Bachelo immediately admitted his mistake.

Count Aluma came to Count Bachelo’s defense.

“But why do you wish to reinstate them to official positions? You’ve already shown sufficient magnanimity as it is.”

“Sufficient magnanimity.”

Hes chuckled softly.

“I recall it was Count Aluma who said criminals shouldn’t be shown mercy and imposed such punishments not long ago, yet you call this sufficient magnanimity?”

“That was…”

Fortunately, he wasn’t foolish enough to forget his own words, so Count Aluma closed his mouth.

He then exchanged glances with Count Bachelo, seeming to contemplate how to overcome this predicament.

“Don’t worry. I’m not saying I’ll reinstate them unconditionally.”

Hes spoke quickly to prevent them from having time for other thoughts.

“Though it wasn’t intentional, the fact remains that they participated in treason. Therefore, I intend to give them a chance to atone for their crimes.”

Kalian had told him.

When expressing your opinions to others, don’t be intimidated but speak confidently.

Hes straightened his back and looked at the two nobles, recalling those words.

“I will have Count Grace and all others involved in this treason participate in the war against the Kingdom of Stella.”

* * *

“That’s an excellent idea.”

Baron Delrond smiled with satisfaction as he spoke.

“I was already worried since most of the Marshal’s Office administrators were dismissed before the war, but this should ease that concern.”

“Indeed.”

I agreed with Baron Delrond’s words and picked up my teacup.

It was herbal tea said to be good for babies.

Being herbal tea, it had an unpleasant smell and didn’t taste good, but I endured drinking it since it was supposedly good for the baby.

After finishing the tea, I ate a strawberry candy to remove the bitter taste lingering in my mouth.

It was strawberry candy made by Countess Cloud.

Though she had tried to make it as similar as possible to what Kalian made, it was still different.

Still, it was better than store-bought strawberry candy, so I mainly ate these.

“How did you come up with such an idea, Count Aster?”

At the following question, I crushed and swallowed the strawberry candy while looking at Baron Delrond.

“I think there’s some misunderstanding – it wasn’t me who came up with that idea, but His Highness. I merely assisted him a little from the side.”

“Playing the role of guide isn’t something just anyone can do. It was possible because it was you, Count.”

Is that how it works? When I smiled silently, Baron Delrond smiled too.

“After the imperial seal was transferred to His Highness, Duke Giltian and the nobles following him have been acting brazenly, which has been troublesome. I hope this opportunity will dampen their momentum.”

“You said most of the administrators were replaced with Duke Giltian’s people?”

“Yes. Well, the Chancellor’s Office was already like that, so there won’t be much change, but the problem is the Marshal’s Office. The Marshal’s Office nearly fell into Duke Giltian’s grasp.”

That can’t happen. If Duke Giltian, who serves as Chancellor overseeing the Empire’s administration, also controls the Marshal’s Office, he would wield greater power than the Emperor.

“We need to quickly select a Marshal for the Marshal’s Office.”

“I’d like that too, but the person currently handling that role is Duke Giltian.”

Technically it was Prince Hes, but since Prince Hes could barely voice his opinions, it was fair to say it was Duke Giltian.

“If someone is selected, I’m worried they’ll choose one of Duke Giltian’s people.”

“That must be prevented.”

“There’s no way to prevent it. Unless His Majesty awakens…”

“…”

“Ah, my apologies.”

Baron Delrond, who had brought up the topic thoughtlessly, hurriedly apologized upon seeing my expression.

I must have unconsciously hardened my expression.

I forced a smile and shook my head.

“No. You only said what was natural to say – what is there to apologize for?”

“Still…”

Baron Delrond looked at me uncertainly, not knowing what to do.

It seemed like he might dig a hole in the ground if left like this, so I changed the subject.

“How did that matter I asked you about before turn out?”

I had asked Baron Delrond to find the hunter who had saved Kalian and me.

Since much time had passed, I thought he would have found him by now, but apparently not, as he shook his head with a heavy expression.

“I couldn’t find the hunter you mentioned, Count. I couldn’t find the hunter’s house either.”

The hunter was one thing, but he couldn’t find the hunter’s house either?

“Did you search through all the mountains I mentioned?”

“Yes. I searched through all the nearby mountains as well, but there was no such house. There weren’t even traces of where a house had been.”

No traces at all. It was truly baffling, to put it crudely.

I couldn’t understand what had happened.

“Just to be sure, I’ll search once more.”

“I would appreciate that.”

After Baron Delrond left and I was thinking about the mysterious hunter, Prince Hes came to visit.

“Count. I did it today.”

Prince Hes proudly told me about what had happened at the Nobility Council.

“You truly did well.”

I sincerely praised Prince Hes. Then Prince Hes scratched his head shyly.

How cute. Though he was higher in status than me, his youth made Prince Hes seem utterly adorable.

“So, Count. Would you like to go on a picnic in three days?”

“A picnic?”

“Yes. Just the three of us – you, me, and my sister. It’s better to get some fresh air than staying in your room all the time, and it’s good for the baby too.”

Countess Cloud must have encouraged this.

“I’ll do that.”

It made sense, and since they were worried and suggesting it out of concern, it seemed impolite to refuse, so I accepted.

* * *

Having received plenty of praise from Leilah, Hes returned to the Separate Palace in good spirits.

“Your Highness.”

However, there was a guest waiting in the Separate Palace where the master had been absent. It was Duke Giltian.

As soon as he saw him, his good mood sank.

It wasn’t so much that he disliked Duke Giltian, but because he could predict why he had come.

“Why did you make such a decision, Your Highness?”

As expected, it was about that. Hes let out a deep sigh and turned his head away.

“That’s already a finished matter. If you have nothing more to say, please leave.”

“Is it Count Aster?”

Why is Leilah’s name suddenly coming up?

Hes looked at Duke Giltian again.

“Did Count Aster tell you to do that?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because there’s no way Your Highness would have thought of such a thing otherwise.”

At these words that clearly disrespected him, Hes’s face contorted miserably.

“I came up with that solution myself.”

“Did Count Aster tell you to say that?”

“Grandfather!”

Duke Giltian was precious family who had cared for him since childhood, so Hes tried to respect and listen to his opinions as much as possible.

But everything had its limits.

“Please stop.”

Angered by the repeated disrespect, Hes spoke coldly, but Duke Giltian didn’t stop.

“Your Highness, do not associate closely with Count Aster.”

“I told you to stop.”

“Do you really think Count Aster is helping you out of genuine concern for Your Highness?”

Duke Giltian strode up to Hes, grabbed his shoulders, and spoke sternly.

“No. Count Aster is purely trying to win Your Highness’s favor to make the child she bore into the Emperor.”

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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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