I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 266

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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

I’ve changed? What does that mean?

When I stared at him silently, puzzled by his cryptic words, the Emperor smiled and continued.

“The documents, I mean. In the past, even when others offered to handle them for you, you stubbornly insisted on doing everything yourself until the end. But now you immediately hand them over, so I thought you’d changed.”

When I glanced at the attendant after hearing this, the Emperor quickly added:

“I meant it in a good way, so don’t worry. Someone in the Count’s position should naturally know how to delegate to subordinates. If you try to do everything yourself, it makes those around you uncomfortable too.”

Having received similar advice from Kalian before, the Emperor’s words resonated with me.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“That’s a good mindset. I’ve rambled on about unnecessary things. Shall we go then?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As we walked to the Imperial Household Department together, we chatted about various topics. Most of the conversation was about Leo.

“Leo’s first birthday is coming up soon, isn’t it? Are you preparing for the party?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh my. There’s not much time left, you need to start preparing quickly.”

“There are still four whole months left, Your Majesty.”

“Only four months left, you mean. Party preparations always take a long time. Look at the New Year Festival. We started preparing in summer and we’re still working on it.”

That’s because the New Year Festival is a national event where distinguished guests from other countries participate, so of course it requires advance preparation.

But Leo’s birthday was different. While it was somewhat meaningful being his first birthday, it didn’t need the extensive preparation that the New Year Festival required.

However, the Emperor didn’t seem to think so, as he said something outrageous.

“Leo’s first birthday should be held in Crown Hall.”

Crown Hall? I was startled and said to the Emperor:

“Crown Hall is a banquet hall that has been used by the Imperial Family for generations. How could we use it for Leo’s birthday…?”

“Count, you’ve been living outside the Imperial Palace so you seem to have momentarily forgotten, but Leo is also a member of the Imperial Family.”

“…”

That was true. Since Kalian was the Former Emperor.

Still, Crown Hall seemed too excessive. Especially since there were already rumors going around that Leo would be the next Emperor, which made me even more reluctant.

“I was planning to hold it modestly at the Count’s estate.”

“Oh no, it’s my first nephew’s first birthday, how could we do it modestly? Absolutely not. We must make it spectacular.”

“But Your Majesty…”

“It’s an imperial command, Count. I absolutely cannot compromise on this.”

Ugh, he’s so stubborn. At times like this, it was obvious he was Kalian’s brother.

But I really didn’t want to hold Leo’s first birthday party in Crown Hall.

I was thinking about how to persuade him when I saw someone walking toward us from far away.

With the heavy rain pouring down and the surroundings dark, I could only see a silhouette at first.

“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”

So I didn’t know who it was, but when I saw the face that approached closer, I was startled.

“Why is Baron Delonde here?”

Shouldn’t he be having dinner with Diane right now?

When I asked in confusion, Baron Delonde answered as if he was even more puzzled.

“I was working. It’s not like this is the first time you’ve seen me working overtime, so why are you acting surprised…?”

“Then what about Diane?”

At my question, Baron Delonde blinked his eyes wide.

“Why is Viscount Andrian’s name coming up here?”

“Well, Baron Delonde, you had an appointment to meet with Diane today.”

“I don’t know why you have that misunderstanding, but that never happened.”

Ah, right. Diane said she had sent a threatening letter unilaterally asking to meet.

Even so, Diane had been confident that he would definitely come to meet her if he saw the letter.

But why is Baron Delonde here?

It was possible that they had a falling out before even having dinner and he came here, but unless he was seen near the Imperial Palace, that would be impossible timing-wise.

“Then did you send a reply to Diane saying you couldn’t come?”

I thought maybe he hadn’t gone out at all, but that didn’t seem to be the case either as Baron Delonde tilted his head in confusion.

“What reply are you talking about?”

“The reply to the letter Diane sent, of course. Diane said she sent you a letter yesterday.”

“I never received one.”

“That can’t be.”

“It’s true. I haven’t received anything from Viscount Andrian.”

From Baron Delonde’s expression, he didn’t seem to be lying.

There was no reason for him to lie either.

“I’d like to know what this is all about too.”

The Emperor suddenly interjected into the conversation.

Baron Delonde also seemed unable to grasp the situation and looked at me in bewilderment.

I took a deep breath for a moment to organize my complicated thoughts, then spoke slowly.

“Yesterday, my friend Diane sent a letter to Baron Delonde. A letter asking to meet today.”

“Oh, a date request?”

“Well… yes.”

It was more like a threatening letter than a date request, but it would be better not to mention that.

“But for some reason, Baron Delonde didn’t receive that letter and…”

‘Well, I can’t tell you the details, but I did write that I would wait until you came out.’

In the middle of my explanation, I suddenly remembered what Diane had said and paused.

Surely Diane isn’t still waiting for Baron Delonde in this pouring rain?

It was entirely possible with her, so I was worried.

I need to contact the estate immediately to find out if Diane has returned.

“Something urgent has come up, so please excuse me for a moment, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, oh. Sure.”

I hurried to the Magic Communication Room.

It would be faster to ask through the magic communication device than to send someone directly to the Count’s estate to find out.

Technically, using the magic communication device for personal matters is against regulations, but it was possible since I’m a member of the Imperial Family.

I had never been so grateful to be a member of the Imperial Family.

“Count?”

“Connect me to Aster Estate immediately.”

“Yes, yes? Ah, understood.”

The administrator on duty looked bewildered but followed orders and injected mana into the magic communication device.

The magic communication device glowed softly with a blue light and sparkled.

[What’s wrong?]

After a moment, Kalian’s face appeared in the communication device. We had successfully connected to the estate.

“It’s me, Kal.”

[Leilah?]

“Has Diane returned to the manor by any chance?”

[No. That woman went out in the afternoon and hasn’t returned yet.]

Oh no, Diane. You really are…

“…Is she still waiting for me?”

When I heard Baron Delonde’s voice from behind, I was startled and turned around.

“Please answer me, Count.”

Baron Delonde was standing at the door, breathing slightly heavily.

When did he follow me here?

“Is Viscount Andrian still waiting for me at the meeting place?”

“Probably… it seems that way.”

“That woman really… Haa.”

Count Delonde let out a deep sigh and held his head.

“Do you know where she is?”

“No. I don’t know.”

I had heard from Diane that she was going to have dinner with him and go see a circus, but I didn’t hear where they would be watching it.

“The meeting place should be clearly written in the letter, but since we don’t have that letter, we’ll have to send people out to search for her.”

“….”

At my words, Count Delonde stared at the floor silently, then soon turned around.

And as if someone was chasing him, he hurriedly ran toward the other end of the hallway.

Kalian, who had been quietly observing the situation, asked.

[Should we send people out to search for that woman?]

“…No.”

I shook my head while staring intently at Count Delonde’s retreating figure growing more distant.

“I don’t think we need to get involved.”

* * *

Clatter, clatter.

The sound of horse hooves suddenly cut through a world that had been filled only with the sound of fierce rainfall.

“….”

The owner of the horse hooves was Ber.

Racing through the pouring rain was extremely dangerous, but he didn’t care and kept running.

Because of this, the raincoat he had pulled down tight came off, and his face got completely soaked.

But Ber didn’t think about fixing his waterproof hood again and just kept gripping the reins.

His eyes looking ahead into the darkness were sharp. He also seemed deep in thought.

The rain made it hard to see ahead and the road was very slippery, but fortunately there were no people around, so he could keep running without stopping.

The place where Ber stopped after running for a long time was the town square.

Ber dismounted his horse and looked around widely.

The town square after the circus performance had ended was very quiet. Except for the circus members cleaning up, no other people were visible.

Diane wasn’t there either.

“…So she left after all.”

Of course she would. Logically, it wouldn’t make sense to keep waiting in this kind of rain when the appointed time had long passed.

Yet he had rushed here because she was someone who didn’t follow common sense.

What she had told Leilah about waiting until he came, and what Kalian had said about the Count not having returned home yet, also played a part.

So he had abandoned his work and rushed here urgently, but it was indeed a pointless act.

Ber chuckled at himself for doing such a foolish thing, feeling like an idiot, but at the same time felt relieved that she wasn’t there.

“…Let’s go back.”

There was a mountain of work left behind at the Imperial Palace.

He was about to mount his horse to return when he felt a presence behind him.

“….”

Without even needing to turn around, Ber seemed to know who had come and hardened his expression.

“You came after all.”

He still had some hope left, but hearing the voice made everything certain.

Ber slowly turned around.

At the same time, Diane approached and tilted her umbrella over his head to shield him from the rain.

“If you’re going to wear a raincoat, you should put the hood on properly. Why did you come with it only half on? Your head and face are all wet.”

Even at Diane’s nagging, Ber just looked at her silently.

Since it had been raining from the time Diane left the Count’s residence, fortunately she had an umbrella and wasn’t getting rained on.

But her face was pale, and her lips were bluish.

It was because she had been outside for a long time in the cold winter, with rain pouring down on top of that.

After quickly checking her condition, Ber took off the raincoat he was wearing and draped it over her body.

At his seemingly indifferent yet thoughtful consideration, a rosy blush appeared on Diane’s cheeks.

“Thank you.”

“…What kind of behavior is this?”

But Ber’s voice was colder than ice. He looked down at Diane with frightening eyes and said.

“If someone doesn’t come by the appointed time, you should just leave. Why were you foolishly waiting here? What if I hadn’t come!”

Ber frowned deeply and raised his voice in frustration.

Diane slowly blinked and gazed at Ber quietly, then soon smiled brightly.

“But you came. I waited because I knew you would come like this.”

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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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