I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 246

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#246

[To you whom I miss.

How did you spend today? Don’t tell me that less than a week after I left, you’re already breaking your promise and doing tons of work?]

“Here are the documents you requested.”

“Thank you.”

Hes checked the documents Leilah had processed and smiled brightly.

“As expected of Count Aster. I’m glad I entrusted this to the Count.”

“You’re too kind.”

“If it’s alright, could I ask you for a bit more?”

[Don’t accept it when Hes bothers you with various requests. Once you accept, there’s no end to it.]

Kalian’s warning came to mind, but Hes looked too exhausted to refuse, so Leilah nodded.

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

Hes quickly handed over the documents. It was enough paperwork to match the thickness of an encyclopedia, but Leilah accepted it without showing any sign of annoyance.

“Oh, and there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“Please go ahead.”

“I’m thinking of conducting a large-scale management exam. What do you think?”

After the Fillen Williot and Nobert Giltian incident, many administrators were expelled, creating numerous vacancies.

The country was already in chaos due to war and other issues, and with the shortage of personnel, the remaining administrators were having a terrible time.

People were starting to collapse from overwork one after another.

So they needed to fill the vacancies quickly, but if they filled positions through recommendations as usual, they could recruit people faster, but incompetent people might just occupy positions.

Since there could be cases of buying and selling government positions with bribes, Hes wanted to implement a relatively transparent management exam.

“Do you think it would be good?”

“Well.”

Leilah thought for a moment before answering.

“Your Majesty’s intention itself is good, but it seems like an inappropriate method for this time.”

“Why?”

“Since we’re in wartime, it’s difficult to do something on a large scale, and above all, we can’t ignore the time and labor required to prepare for the management exam.”

The management exam wasn’t something you could just conduct whenever you wanted.

Scholars and administrators from each government position had to spend a long time creating questions, and they had to review multiple times whether there were problems with those questions and whether they were fair.

Not only that, they had to create places to take the exam, assign supervisors, calculate the budget required, and there was an enormous amount of work to do.

“Moreover, most of the positions that are currently vacant are high-ranking government positions, not entry-level ones. Such positions should be assigned to people with sufficient experience, so there are many problems with simply selecting people through management exams.”

“That’s true.”

When Hes made a dejected expression, Leilah added.

“Both the recommendation system and the management exam system have their advantages, so how about appropriately combining only those advantages?”

She could have done it for him, but that would have been too presumptuous.

Above all, if she took on any more work, she would break her promise with Kalian, so Leilah backed out.

Hes also nodded, seeming to have no intention of entrusting more to Leilah.

“Right. I’ll think about it.”

* * *

[It’s already been 3 weeks since I left the Imperial Palace.]

This was the third letter from Kalian.

We occasionally talked through magic messenger birds, but perhaps thinking that wasn’t enough, Kalian always sent a letter once a week.

Was receiving letters from someone such an exciting thing?

There wasn’t any special content, but it was still nice. I looked forward to the next letter too.

It would be the same for Kalian, so I wanted to send a reply, but unfortunately I couldn’t.

There was a risk that enemies might discover the Imperial Army’s location.

For that reason, Kalian didn’t include any content that could specify his location.

Still, just in case, I burned the letters after reading them completely.

[How is your physical condition? Has your belly grown much? When I asked around, they said it’s about time you’d start feeling fetal movement. Have you felt it too?]

Fetal movement. I stroked my belly.

It had been 5 months since I became pregnant, but outwardly it wasn’t that noticeable yet.

It felt like only my belly had gained weight and was bulging out.

I hadn’t felt fetal movement yet. I had never really thought about fetal movement before, but now that Kalian asked like this, I was curious.

What would fetal movement feel like? I wanted to feel it soon.

I continued stroking my belly with one hand while reading the rest of the letter.

[…The weather is good, so we’re advancing without obstruction.]

The weather is good?

I looked outside the window. It was only 3 PM, but it was as dark as a pitch-black night. It was because of the jet-black storm clouds that filled the sky densely.

As if there was a hole in the sky, rain had been pouring down like a downpour since this morning.

The letter’s content didn’t match the weather, but there was nothing strange about it.

Kalian must have written and sent this letter at least four days ago.

‘At least where Kalian is, the weather should be good.’

Rain like this was poison when marching.

I desperately hoped and hoped again that they wouldn’t be held back by rain and have their plans disrupted.

[The weather is getting colder, so take care of your health. When you’re pregnant, you can’t take medicine carelessly either.]

[Work in moderation. I heard you’re taking on and doing many different things, but don’t forget what you promised me.]

Oh my. Who told Kalian this news?

Baron Delrond? Or Prince Hes?

Other administrators perhaps?

There were too many people I could guess, so I couldn’t pinpoint who it was.

[I really miss you, Leilah.]

I could see his sincerity in the sentence written with such pressure that the ink had slightly smeared.

[I truly love you.]

Just from reading the words, my ears tickled as if he were whispering directly in my ear. My heart also beat pleasantly.

“Me too.”

I hugged the letter paper that carried Kalian’s scent tightly and murmured.

“I truly love you too, Your Majesty.”

As I was immersed in the long lingering feeling, I heard a knock.

“Count, Countess Cloud has come to visit.”

“Please escort her in.”

I put the letter in the drawer and welcomed Countess Cloud.

Since mages are a great military force in war, Duke Cloud and several mages from the Mage Tower were drafted for this war.

So the Duchess, left alone, stayed at the imperial palace to keep me company and manage the imperial court’s affairs.

“Oh my, why is it raining so heavily?”

Duchess Cloud grumbled as she sat down on the sofa.

Even though she mostly traveled by carriage and didn’t walk much, the hem of her dress was quite soaked.

I asked Sara to bring a towel and warm tea, then asked the Duchess.

“Is the rain pouring down that heavily?”

“Seriously so. There was thunder and lightning just a moment ago too.”

“Thunder and lightning?”

“Oh, didn’t you hear it? It struck quite loudly.”

Had it? I hadn’t heard it at all.

I might not have noticed other things, but it was strange that I hadn’t heard thunder and lightning.

So I was looking out the window when the dark sky suddenly flashed with light.

Rumble, crash-!

Soon after, thunder roared loudly.

But I was completely fine.

As soon as I heard the thunder, my whole body should have trembled like an aspen tree reflexively, and my mind should have gone blank.

I should have remembered that night when the previous Duke and Duchess Williot passed away, and heard Fillen’s curses toward me as hallucinations, but nothing happened.

‘Why?’

I was bewildered that the trauma that hadn’t disappeared despite my earnest efforts to overcome it for the past 10 years had suddenly vanished.

“Why do you have that expression?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought the thunder sounded pleasant.”

At my words, Duchess Cloud frowned as if she’d heard something strange.

“I’ve often seen people who dislike thunder, but you’re the first person I’ve met who finds it pleasant to hear.”

“I suppose so.”

I knew it was strange too, but it was true.

The thunder I was hearing with a clear mind for the first time in 10 years sounded very pleasant.

Pleasant enough that I wanted to hear it again.

As if sensing my feelings, thunder and lightning struck powerfully once more.

Duchess Cloud grimaced and picked up her teacup.

“Ugh, no matter how many times I hear it, I can never get used to thunder. It’s unpleasant to listen to.”

“I used to be like that too.”

It wasn’t simply dislike – it was severe enough to cause panic attacks.

“But you suddenly started liking thunder? Why? Did you have some change of heart?”

A change of heart.

At those words, Kalian naturally came to mind, and I felt like I understood how I could suddenly overcome my trauma.

“Could this be the power of love…”

“What? The power of love?”

“I love His Majesty very much.”

It was also content I couldn’t explain in detail.

I felt embarrassed and shy even saying it myself, so I mumbled vaguely and drank my tea.

* * *

Kalian’s letters stopped after the fifth letter.

He couldn’t write letters anymore as he entered full-scale war with the Kingdom of Stella.

Even if he did write, it would be absurd to send messenger birds for such trivial matters during wartime.

It was disappointing that we could no longer talk through magical messenger birds, but it was unavoidable, so I endured it.

Though Kalian and I didn’t exchange correspondence separately, I could continue hearing news about him.

They said he had captured Mondel, the frontline of the Kingdom of Stella, in just four days and was advancing relentlessly toward the capital.

“At this rate, he might be able to conquer the Kingdom of Stella and return before spring ends, don’t you think?”

Duchess Cloud, who heard the news, spoke in a very surprised tone.

I was equally surprised.

Though Kalian had promised to return before the baby was born, I hadn’t believed it.

Because I thought it was impossible.

But at this rate, it really seemed like he could return before the baby was born.

Even if it wasn’t a promise to me, it was better for wars to end quickly, so I hoped it would end soon.

Perhaps heaven heard my wish, because one day, four months after Kalian left the capital.

Finally, the good news came that they had captured the capital of the Kingdom of Stella.

The entire empire rejoiced at this fact, and everyone raised victory toasts.

Duchess Cloud busily prepared, saying she would hold a victory celebration banquet as soon as Kalian returned.

I wanted to help too, but I couldn’t because my belly had grown too large.

I also stopped helping Prince Hes after my belly became as big as a mountain.

Instead, I spent my time quietly, using my meager skills to embroider swaddling clothes and such, waiting for Kalian’s safe return and the baby’s birth.

“Ah…!”

“Countess!”

Suddenly, labor pains came upon me.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————