I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 236

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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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#236

Kalian wanted to spend leisurely time with Leilah, but there was too much work to be done for that.

Though Leilah had offered to help, he didn’t want to burden her after all the emotional distress she’d endured, especially now that she was pregnant, so he headed to his study alone.

Two months of absence was evident in the mountain of documents piled on his desk.

This was only manageable because Hes and other administrators had worked diligently to process them.

Ber had jokingly said that without Hes, the documents would have filled the entire study.

“Summon Count Art.”

Before looking at the documents, Kalian called for Art first. It was to find the culprit who had attacked Leilah and Esramel.

Hilltain would have been perfect for this kind of work, but he was currently in the procession returning to the capital after recapturing Rahalbah.

So as a substitute, he gave orders to Art, then checked the work Hes had handled.

Hes had mainly taken charge of matters related to processing traitors.

Other affairs could be postponed temporarily or handled at the discretion of each ministry’s ministers, but processing traitors absolutely required the imperial seal.

Come to think of it, I need to get the imperial seal back from Hes.

“Tell Hes to bring the imperial seal.”

Meanwhile, Kalian continued reviewing the documents Hes had processed.

Naturally, Fillen and the Williot family he headed were marked as a traitor’s family and removed from the noble registry.

Fillen had died in Rahalbah, and there were no other direct family members, so no traitor execution ceremony was held.

The Williot estate and all of the Williot family’s assets were confiscated, and all the Williot family’s retainers became slaves and were sold off in all directions.

The Tebesa family, where Leilah had been, was also completely destroyed.

This was because the gold mine Fillen had used as a tunnel belonged to the Tebesa family.

Of course, Count and Countess Tebesa vehemently denied it, but no one believed them.

In the end, the two disappeared as dew on the execution ground, their eldest son was missing, and Andant Tebesa was spared for now because he was in exile.

“Remarkably, the fallout didn’t reach Leilah.”

Though she had changed her surname and left the family register, Leilah was also of Tebesa bloodline.

So he had expected the fallout to reach her too, but it hadn’t.

Finding this curious, he muttered, and Ber answered.

“Count Aster is carrying His Majesty’s child. Moreover, she’s also the greatest victim of this incident.”

“True.”

Fillen Williot had done terrible things to Leilah.

Kalian, suddenly reminded of that incident, ground his teeth.

No matter how much he thought about it, no matter how many times he reconsidered it, rage welled up.

It was almost regrettable that Fillen had simply died.

If he had been alive, he would have shown him hell to the point where he’d regret being alive.

Sighing as he looked through the documents, Kalian raised his eyebrows upon reading unexpected content.

“I’m the one who killed Fillen Williot?”

That couldn’t be. It wasn’t in Kalian’s memory.

Though he had been conscious while in a coma, that was only from when he was riding the carriage back to the imperial palace.

Before that, he had been unconscious, and the last thing he remembered was entering the house of the Blue Dragon who had transformed into a hunter.

At the time, Leilah hadn’t recognized that the hunter was the Blue Dragon, but Kalian had recognized him at a glance.

That’s why he had fainted with peace of mind, but such events had occurred afterward.

It was absurd, surprising, and ridiculous.

Especially the fact that he himself was the one who had killed Fillen was the most absurd.

I’ll have to ask Leilah about this part later.

Thinking so, he was looking at other documents when Hes came carrying the imperial seal.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you. If you’re not busy, let’s talk for a moment.”

“Yes.”

When Hes sat on the sofa, a maid brought tea.

Kalian dismissed Ber and the others, then sat on the opposite sofa.

Normally, Hes would have been smiling brightly and bringing up various topics, but for some reason, he was hanging his head low and fidgeting with his hands.

“Hes.”

Even when Kalian called him, Hes didn’t raise his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“….”

“Are you perhaps reluctant about me taking back the imperial seal?”

“Th-that can’t be!”

Only then did Hes look up in surprise, but he still couldn’t look directly into Kalian’s eyes.

“I-I was just thinking about who might be the culprit who attacked my sister and Count Aster.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

“Hiccup.”

It seems he does.

Well, I also have a culprit who immediately comes to mind, so there’s no reason Hes would be different.

Kalian continued speaking nonchalantly, pretending not to know though he knew everything.

“I’ll definitely catch the culprit, so don’t worry too much.”

“Y-yes.”

“And starting tomorrow, come to work here.”

“Understood… What?”

Hes, who had been answering absent-mindedly, belatedly understood Kalian’s words and questioned back.

Kalian picked up his teacup and said nonchalantly again.

“I said to come to work in the study starting tomorrow.”

“Why suddenly…”

“It seems I’ve kept you confined to the separate palace too much. If I had known you could work this well, I would have kept you by my side and used your skills long ago.”

It was praise, but Hes’s face turned deathly pale as if he had heard the worst insult in the world.

“Th-that’s all because I did as Duke Giltian and others taught me.”

He said this while clenching his fists placed neatly on his knees.

“By myself… I can’t do anything.”

His voice trembled as he added, “Nothing at all.”

Kalian put down his teacup after taking a sip and asked.

“Did you also handle the disposition of Count Grace and the nobles who participated in the rebellion entirely as Duke Giltian and others taught you?”

“No. That was something I…”

“Then that’s enough. Having that level of judgment is sufficient.”

“…Count Aster did help me.”

Blue veins stood out on his tightly clenched knuckles.

“So I’m not ready to help with brother’s work yet. So, so…”

“What are you so afraid of?”

Moist bright blue eyes and dark blue eyes that were almost navy clashed in the air.

“What has made you so frightened, Hes.”

Hes silently lowered his head. His tightly pressed lips were a silent sign that he would never speak his thoughts.

Even without asking, he seemed to know what Hes was worried about.

He must be worried about being manipulated by Duke Giltian.

‘He’s grown a lot.’

The old him wouldn’t have even had such thoughts.

There was no way the perceptive Duke Giltian hadn’t noticed Hes’s change of heart.

“I won’t reverse my decision.”

Then we need to make the first move before Duke Giltian can act.

“Come to work starting tomorrow. I’ll have a position prepared.”

As long as Hes’s heart didn’t harden again toward trusting Duke Giltian, it would be a success from Kalian’s standpoint.

* * *

Kalian said I didn’t need to work, but I still wanted to.

Actually, I’d had this feeling ever since returning to the Imperial Palace.

The reason I hadn’t done anything until now was partly because I was worried about Kalian and couldn’t focus on other tasks.

But most of all, it was because I was carrying Kalian’s child.

A child who might possibly have the first right of succession to the throne.

I knew well that there were more people who wouldn’t welcome this child than those who would.

Especially Duke Giltian and his faction would see the child as a thorn in their side, so I kept a low profile to avoid drawing attention.

I did nothing and focused on prenatal care and looking after Kalian for that reason.

And yet I was attacked.

I didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if Blue Dragon hadn’t helped.

‘Who could the culprit be?’

Duke Giltian?

Or his followers?

I didn’t know who, but it was certain they found this child disagreeable.

Kalian said he would find the culprit, so I’d leave that to him and do what I could.

Since Kalian would lecture me if he knew, I secretly visited the Official’s Office.

I was planning to greet Baron Delrond and Count Montesol after so long, but the two weren’t there and an unexpected person was present instead.

“Your Highness?”

It was Prince Hes. Prince Hes, who had been looking at documents at my desk, also stood up in surprise.

“Count Aster? What brings you here?”

“I came to greet Baron Delrond and Count Montesol, and also to help with work. Why are you here, Your Highness…?”

“I’ve been helping my brother with his work since two days ago.”

“Oh my, that’s wonderful news.”

Since it meant he’d gained Kalian’s recognition, I was genuinely happy, but he smiled bitterly as if he wasn’t pleased at all.

His slightly pale and haggard face was covered with worries.

It was similar to when he’d come to consult me about Duke Giltian’s problems before.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

When I asked out of concern, Prince Hes’s eyes wavered greatly.

He avoided my gaze and thought for a moment, then carefully brought up the topic.

“Then… would you listen to my story for a bit?”

“Of course.”

I readily nodded and came inside, closing the door.

I didn’t forget to lock the door in case someone else came in during our conversation.

“Please tell me now.”

Prince Hes hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Recently, someone attacked you and your sister, didn’t they?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“The person who ordered the guard to attack Count Aster then… I think it was my grandfather.”

His grandfather meant Duke Giltian.

“You don’t seem surprised, so I guess you already expected it.”

“Yes.”

“Then can you guess what I’m going to say next?”

There was one thing that came to mind…

“Are you going to ask me to bury this matter?”

“…That’s right.”

So that’s what it was.

This time I’d guessed it, but I was still somewhat surprised.

I never thought he’d make such a request.

“I’ll talk to my grandfather properly and tell him never to do this again.”

Prince Hes looked up at me with moist eyes and asked.

“So… can you bury this matter?”

Could I bury it?

Well, of course…

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’s possible.”

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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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