I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 257

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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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#8

When the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot selected Fillen’s fiancée, their first priority wasn’t family background, wealth, or appearance, but intelligence.

While it was true that the duchess of a ducal house needed to be somewhat intelligent, what the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot demanded was a bit excessive.

It was as if they were selecting an aide rather than a fiancée.

Ber, who had found this strange, learned the reason while investigating Leilah’s background on Kalian’s orders.

The Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot had planned from the beginning to choose a fiancée who would work in Fillen’s place.

Of course, there were often wives who worked in place of their husbands for various reasons, so the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot making such a choice wasn’t bad in itself.

What was bad was that they tried to hide the fact that Leilah worked in Fillen’s place from the outside world and make Leilah live like Fillen’s shadow.

For life.

“That couple’s affection for you like their own daughter and their kindness were all calculated actions.”

A child who had grown up mistreated at Tebesa County would not only have low self-esteem but also be starved for love, so she would move as they wanted with just a little kindness.

Indeed, Leilah grew up exactly as the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot wanted.

She took on all the domain’s affairs in place of Fillen while hiding this fact from the outside world.

“If they had truly thought of you as their own daughter even a little, they wouldn’t have burdened you with so much responsibility. Ugh, really. What terrible people.”

Just thinking about it made him irritated, so Ber scratched his head vigorously.

“Thinking about it now, it was fortunate that bastard was deceived by that princess. Otherwise, you would have spent your entire life there working like a slave, playing the role of that bastard’s shadow.”

“I think so too.”

When Kalian picked up his water cup, Ber reflexively grabbed the water pitcher and filled the cup.

“I take it the Countess still doesn’t know what kind of scheme that couple had?”

Kalian nodded while drinking water.

“Wouldn’t it be better to tell the Countess even now? Then she probably wouldn’t even glance at something like the 17th Domain.”

“That’s true, but she would suffer instead. She would struggle incomparably more than now upon learning that the past she thought was happy was actually a fabricated lie.”

That was true. Ber let out a deep sigh.

“Then what should we do? If we leave it like this and the Countess chooses the 17th Domain saying she wants to repay their kindness…”

“She won’t do that, so don’t worry.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because she values me more than that couple.”

“Pardon?”

What kind of nonsense is this again?

At these incomprehensible words, Ber asked back with a dumbfounded expression, but Kalian only looked at Ber with a meaningful smile.

“…Why are you staring at me so unsettlingly?”

“Was it unsettling?”

“Yes. Quite so.”

“Your instincts are still alive.”

The anxiety that had been tiny as a bean suddenly grew large. Though Kalian hadn’t said anything yet, Ber shook his head vigorously in alarm.

“I won’t do it. I won’t do anything!”

“I just need you to grant me two favors.”

“Not just one, but a whole two?”

“It’s not ‘a whole two,’ it’s ‘only two.'”

How could he be so shameless? Ber clicked his tongue inwardly.

“Whatever you say, I absolutely won’t…”

“I see you’re racking your brains over taxes. Shall I help?”

At this tempting proposal, his words about not doing it completely disappeared.

“Really, will you help me?”

“If there’s a give, there must be a take. If you help me, naturally I should help you too.”

“Hmm.”

Calculating in his head which side would be more beneficial, Ber cautiously spoke while gauging Kalian’s mood.

“First… let me hear the favor and then decide.”

“The favor is simple. First, meet Leilah today, or tomorrow at the latest, and tell her she absolutely must not choose the 17th Domain.”

“You could do that yourself, Your Majesty.”

“I can’t. I gave Leilah all the choice.”

After saying he would silently follow whatever choice she made, it would look bad to start giving orders now.

“So you do it instead.”

“Are you using me as a chess piece?”

“You were originally my chess piece, weren’t you? Though your master has changed now.”

At his blunt words, Ber shook his head back and forth.

He wasn’t offended or anything. He had always known Kalian was this kind of person.

And he was the one who had chosen to follow him knowing that.

“Understood. I share the same opinion, so I’ll speak to the Countess about that part without reservation. So, what’s the second favor?”

“I’d like you to forge a document for me.”

“F-forge?”

The first favor had been simple, so he thought the second would be too, but document forgery?

Ber gasped and waved his hands.

“Document forgery is clearly illegal. I can’t do such a thing.”

“It’s fine. I’ll take responsibility, and I’ll tell Hes about it too, so nothing you need to worry about will happen.”

“What on earth is the reason, and what kind of document do you want me to forge?”

“Leilah probably won’t choose the 17th Domain, but instead she’ll live with guilt in her heart for the rest of her life. Guilt about not being able to repay the kindness she received from that couple.”

Kalian muttered while fidgeting with his water cup.

“I don’t want her to live with such guilt. I want her to shake it off like dust.”

The thought that remnants of Fillen might remain in a corner of Leilah’s heart for life also made his irritation surge.

“So I’m trying to create a way for her to shake off that burden in a different manner.”

“What does that have to do with forging documents?”

Kalian smiled meaningfully again and gestured for Ber to come closer.

Though Ber was anxious, he was also curious, so he approached.

Kalian whispered his plan into Ber’s ear.

“…!”

Ber’s eyes widened to their limit after hearing Kalian’s plan.

Ber asked Kalian in surprise.

“Are you really okay with doing that? Your Majesty’s money will go into the 17th Domain that you hate so much.”

“Money can be earned again, but Leilah’s wounded heart can only be healed now, not later.”

“That’s true, but…”

“And if she can use this opportunity to shake off all her lingering attachments to that damned domain and those people, I’m prepared to pay even more money than this, so do as I say.”

* * *

“I read the materials well. Thank you for lending them to me, Baron Delonde.”

The next morning, Leilah returned the materials she had borrowed from Ber.

“This is a thank-you gift for lending me such good materials.”

What Elli offered was a high-quality feather pen.

“You didn’t need to give me anything…”

“I’m giving it because I want to, so don’t feel burdened and take it.”

“Thank you. I’ll use it well. But.”

After receiving the feather pen and materials, Ber examined Leilah’s face carefully and asked worriedly.

“Your expression looks a bit dark. Is there something troubling you?”

Leilah smiled awkwardly and brushed her cheek.

“Does it show that much?”

“Yes. You definitely have something troubling you.”

“Rather than something troubling, there’s something that won’t resolve itself.”

“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask what it is? I’d like to help if I can be of assistance.”

What should I do. Should I ask? Leilah pondered for a moment, then shook her head.

“It’s okay.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Ber. Though not as much as Kalian, she trusted Ber too, but the problem was that this place was the Imperial Palace.

Just like the Wizard Baron had done, someone might be eavesdropping on their conversation somewhere, or might accidentally overhear, so Leilah kept her words to herself.

It was also a story that wouldn’t be good to spread around here and there.

“I see. That’s unfortunate.”

“I have something I’m curious about too.”

“Please speak.”

“In the materials the Baron gave me, there was no data about the 17th Domain.”

At Leilah’s words, Ber furrowed his brow.

“Don’t tell me you have the 17th Domain in mind?”

“Oh, it’s not like that.”

Leilah waved her hands frantically and hastily added her words, worried that Ber might misunderstand.

“I was just a bit puzzled that all the other domains were there, but only the 17th Domain was missing.”

“Hmm. To be honest, I deliberately left it out.”

She naturally thought it was because it hadn’t been organized yet, but it was on purpose.

When Leilah looked at him with slight surprise, Ber smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.

“I’m sorry, Count. I was being too presumptuous.”

“No, you don’t need to apologize since you did it thinking of me.”

Though she was a bit surprised, she wasn’t angry or anything, so there was no reason to accept an apology.

“But the Baron hoping I wouldn’t choose the 17th Domain… it’s because of that person, isn’t it?”

When Leilah asked carefully, Ber nodded.

“Of course, if we look at the 17th Domain alone, it’s an excellent domain. If another nobleman had asked me which domain would be good to choose, I would have pointed to the 17th Domain without hesitation.”

“…”

“But not you, Count. You absolutely must not choose the 17th Domain.”

Ber spoke as decisively as cutting radish with a knife.

She didn’t feel bad about it. Rather, it meant he was that worried about her, so Leilah quietly thanked him.

“Of course, you shouldn’t let personal feelings interfere when working.”

Ber’s words continued.

“But people aren’t emotionless machines, and doing so isn’t an easy thing.”

That’s true. Leilah nodded in agreement.

“So it’s better to avoid what can be avoided. There’s no need to crawl into hell with your own feet, is there?”

Leilah smiled bitterly and murmured.

“Hell, you say.”

“It’s hell. And hell that makes even the people around you suffer.”

With a deep sigh, Ber’s expression became more serious.

“I hate to say this, but if you choose the 17th Domain, Count, the person who will have the hardest time won’t be you, but His Majesty.”

“…!”

“So please think carefully and make the right choice, Count.”

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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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