I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 259

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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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Side Story EP 2. Side Story

#1

[To my beloved friend, Leilah Aster.]

[I’m writing another letter after so long. Have you been well? I’ve been doing fine. Everything’s okay except for Father constantly nagging me to get married soon.]

[Father must have put me on the matchmaking market because marriage proposals are flooding in from everywhere. If there were at least some decent guys, I’d consider it, but they’re all worthless… Ugh. Why do only those types come after me?]

[And don’t be surprised, Leilah. I’m sending this letter before boarding the ship to the Empire.]

[I tried to send it earlier, but I got caught up dealing with Father and it ended up like this. I’m sorry.]

[When this letter reaches your hands, I’ll be on a ship heading to the Empire. I’m so excited thinking about meeting you after so long.]

[The scheduled arrival date is the 16th. I really hope I arrive on schedule without any accidents.]

[They say I can send a letter through a messenger bird three days before arrival, so I’ll send another one then.]

[Ah, thinking that I’ll see you soon makes me so excited and happy that I can’t sleep.]

[So please stay healthy until I arrive. I really miss you, Leilah.]

* * *

Diane’s second letter arrived, and the very next day, her third letter arrived as well.

Since it was sent through a messenger bird, the content wasn’t as lengthy as the previous letters but was brief.

[The wind direction is favorable, so I’ll arrive on schedule – we can meet soon!]

If the content of this letter was true, she would disembark from the ship either tomorrow night at the earliest, or the afternoon of the day after.

“I should clear my schedule starting tomorrow morning.”

Would that even be possible? I checked the schedule on my calendar.

Since Diane’s first letter arrived, I had been diligently handling work in preparation for her visit, so it seemed I could make time if I pushed myself a little harder today and tomorrow.

“I need to hurry.”

Diane had traveled such a long way to see me, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

Working at the Outer Palace would have been more convenient in many ways, but then my attendants would have to come to work on the weekend instead of resting.

Since I had been tormenting my attendants by pushing through work without weekends, today I worked from the manor instead of going to the office.

Kalian was happy that I wasn’t going to work, but pouted when he learned I would still be working.

“I’ve never resented your competence as much as I do now.”

His childish whining, so unsuited to his large frame, was adorable and made me laugh naturally.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and lightly kissed his cheek.

“Let’s have lunch together.”

Smooch, Kalian also kissed my cheek in response.

“Just lunch?”

“Dinner too.”

“Let’s have tea time as well.”

Hmm, that might be cutting it a bit close time-wise.

“I can’t even remember the last time I had tea time with you.”

Come to think of it, I had been too indifferent to him, using work as an excuse.

Only then did I realize that while thinking of my friend, I had been neglecting my family, so I nodded.

“Alright. Let’s have tea time together too.”

I could manage the work somehow by reducing my sleep time.

After making repeated promises with Kalian, I entered the study and immediately sat at my desk to concentrate on work.

I was carefully examining documents, pondering whether there were parts that needed correction, what the problems were if any, and how they should be fixed, when I heard a knock.

“Come in.”

I spoke casually, naturally thinking it would be a servant, but unexpectedly, the person who entered was Kalian.

I stood up in surprise.

“What brings you here?”

“It’s lunchtime.”

It’s already lunchtime?

Unable to believe it, I checked the desk clock.

Current time: 12:30 PM.

Since I had entered the study around 9 AM, a full 3 hours and 30 minutes had already passed.

“When did it get so late?”

“Time passed while you were concentrating on work. Come in.”

When Kalian gestured, a maid entered pulling a tray.

Kalian took the tray from the maid and personally set the table.

For him, a member of the Imperial Family, to do such menial work was unthinkable.

“I’ll do it.”

I tried to take over, but Kalian stopped me.

“It’s fine. I’ll do it.”

“But…”

“It was my wish to personally prepare food for my beloved wife, so don’t stop me.”

What kind of ridiculous wish was that?

It seemed like he was just lying to prevent me from doing it, but since Kalian was so firm, I let him do as he pleased.

While he set the table, I sat back down in my chair to look at the documents.

I was concentrating on the documents when he, having finished setting up, gestured to me.

“Come sit here.”

“Just a moment. Let me finish looking at this.”

If I stopped in the middle, I’d have to start over from the beginning later, so I tried to finish this first, but Kalian couldn’t wait and came over to my side.

“Is there much left?”

His warm breath tickled my ear.

He was definitely doing this on purpose because he was displeased that I wasn’t coming over and kept looking at documents.

Even this behavior didn’t annoy me but seemed cute, so I really must love him a lot.

“Just wait a little…”

I was about to ask him to wait just a little longer when something cold and soft touched my lips.

It was Kalian’s lips. Surprised by the sudden kiss, I turned to look at him, and Kalian smiled, his eyes crinkling prettily.

“You need to eat well for your brain to work well, so let’s eat first.”

His voice penetrating my ears was gentle, and his touch flowing over my face was tender.

As I always felt, he knew too well how to handle me.

I smiled and put down the documents I had been reading.

“Alright.”

“Then let’s go.”

I obediently sat on the sofa as he led me.

Lunch consisted of freshly baked bread with salmon salad garnished with various vegetables, and mushroom soup.

Kalian tore the bread into bite-sized pieces, spread jam on it, and held it out to me.

“Ah.”

“I can eat it myself.”

“I want to feed you. So, ah.”

Really, he’s so stubborn about the strangest things.

I obediently accepted what Kalian fed me.

If I had eaten lunch alone, I would have eaten quickly within 10 minutes and gotten back to work.

But eating with Kalian took a whole hour.

It wasn’t that I disliked it. There was no way I could dislike having lunch with Kalian.

I was just worried about whether I could finish all the work by tomorrow.

Of course, I could take time off even if I didn’t finish all the work. I just didn’t want to do that because it would make things difficult for the administrators below me.

“You look troubled.”

Kalian asked as he pushed the pudding the maid had brought toward me.

“Are things not going well?”

“No. It’s not that, but….”

I couldn’t tell him the truth as it would make Kalian feel unnecessarily guilty.

When I trailed off and closed my mouth, he placed the pudding spoon in my hand.

“When you’re feeling down, eating something sweet makes you feel much better. Go ahead and eat.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

I scooped up a bite-sized portion of pudding and put it in my mouth. Eating the sweet and soft pudding definitely improved my mood.

‘First, I need to reduce my sleeping time.’

Then what else could I do to handle work faster?

As I pondered while eating pudding, I felt Kalian’s gaze on me.

It wasn’t just a casual look, but an intense gaze that seemed like it would bore holes wherever it landed.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“It’s not me who has something to say, but you.”

“Me?”

“Ah, more precisely, it should be called a request.”

I had a request for Kalian?

What could that be?

I racked my brain trying to think, but nothing came to mind.

When I stared at him blankly, meaning I had no idea, Kalian smiled bitterly.

“You try to do everything by yourself too much.”

“Do I do that?”

“Yes. While the will to not rely on others is good, doing it too much isn’t good either. It actually makes things harder for those around you.”

In other words, I was making things difficult for Kalian.

“I’m sor….”

“Shh.”

As I tried to apologize, Kalian’s index finger touched my lips.

“There’s no need to apologize. I didn’t say that to hear an apology.”

I slowly blinked and looked at Kalian.

Meeting my eyes, he smiled again with his eyes crinkling prettily.

“It can’t be helped. This time I have no choice but to extend my hand first.”

Kalian touched my lips with his fingertips.

“May I help you with your work?”

“My work?”

“Yes. It’s too much for you to handle all that work alone.”

Kalian glanced at the documents piled on the desk as he continued.

“So let me help you.”

If he helped, I could finish the work on time without reducing my sleep, but….

“…This is my work.”

I gently caught his hand that was tracing from my lips to my cheek.

“So I have to do it. I can’t burden you.”

“I’ve said this several times before, but you try to shoulder everything by yourself too much.”

It wasn’t about trying to shoulder everything alone—it was natural.

Because it was my job to do.

From a very young age, I had been taught that it was natural to handle your own affairs yourself.

Everyone had told me that asking for help from others was something only incompetent people did, so I should develop the strength to solve things alone.

The Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot had said the same thing.

“You’re not alone. I want you to always remember that I’m by your side.”

But Kalian said that wasn’t the case.

It was a moment when the fixed beliefs deeply embedded in my mind were shaken to their roots.

No, the moment I heard his words, those fixed beliefs had already been uprooted.

My world revolved around him.

For me, Kalian’s words took priority over other people’s words.

“Then….”

I intertwined my fingers with Kalian’s hand I was holding and spoke in a small voice.

“Though it’s shameless… may I ask you to help me?”

“Of course.”

Kalian smiled.

“But may I receive compensation for granting your request?”

“Compensation?”

He wasn’t just going to help me for free?

Feeling somewhat deceived, I widened my eyes, and Kalian kissed my fingertips where our hands were intertwined while looking at me.

“Tonight, in bed, I want to make you cry a little… I hope you’ll allow me to do that.”

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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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