I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 29

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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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#29

“Pardon?”

Leilah blinked her eyes as if she didn’t understand what he meant.

Kalian also realized he had asked a strange question and rubbed his face dryly.

“I asked because you followed along so obediently without even asking where we were going. Usually people would ask.”

“Oh, weren’t we going to Greenery Street?”

Greenery Street was a place where shops selling all kinds of nature-related items like seeds, trees, and flowers were gathered.

Kalian was slightly surprised that Leilah had seen through his intentions and asked.

“How did you know?”

“You said you were looking for plants, Sir Kal. So naturally I thought we’d be going to Greenery Street.”

“…I see.”

Kalian, who had tried to tease her only to be outwitted instead, nodded reluctantly.

Kalian resumed his stopped steps. Leilah followed behind him and spoke in a gentle voice.

“I hope the item you’re looking for will be there.”

Kalian replied curtly without looking back at Leilah.

“What if I use that item for something bad? Like killing someone, for instance.”

After a moment of silence at his chilling words, Leilah answered in her still calm voice.

“If you were to do such a thing, Sir Kal, there would surely be good reason for it.”

“Does that mean you trust me?”

Kalian stopped walking again and turned to look at her.

Quietly settled black eyes met confused blue eyes in the air.

“Is that it?”

“Yes.”

For a noble not to trust the Emperor, their sovereign, would be great disloyalty.

So she had to trust him, and even if she didn’t, it was proper to answer yes in his presence.

Of course, Leilah did trust Kalian.

Not only because he was the Emperor, but also because from their few conversations, she had learned that Kalian was a decent person.

If he had been a bad person, he wouldn’t have saved her and the girl from the ruffian.

Nor would he have bothered to speak to and comfort her when she was crying under the tree.

‘He also opened a path for me to become an administrator.’

Having received so much help, there was no way she could suspect him.

This feeling might change depending on how he governed the Empire in the future, but so far, that’s how it was.

“I trust you, Sir Kal.”

Along with her honest and straightforward answer without any artifice, a calm smile appeared on her lips.

There was nothing awkward about it. It was an ordinary smile, yet for some reason Kalian unknowingly frowned slightly and turned his head away.

Because of this, Leilah didn’t notice that his face had turned slightly red.

Neither did Kalian himself.

* * *

I first learned about quilt about 5 years ago, when a poor harvest struck our domain and the Empire.

The rainfall had been gradually decreasing since the previous year, which made me anxious, and as expected, a severe drought came that year.

Thanks to storing grain in the warehouse beforehand, we could somehow get through this year, but the future was the problem.

If the drought continued next year, and perhaps even after that, there would be no solution, so I desperately searched through all kinds of books for ways to prepare.

That’s when I found quilt. A miraculous crop that grows well even in desert regions where it hardly rains.

I immediately tried to import quilt, but at the time, Mulan, a desert nation, was at war with the Empire, so I couldn’t import it through official routes.

All I could do was obtain small amounts from wandering nomads.

So I constantly researched and pondered what other plants there might be besides quilt.

That’s why I know more about plants than others, but not enough to help other people.

I had boldly offered to help, but what if my insufficient knowledge was exposed?

I was worried, but fortunately he asked questions within my knowledge. I answered as sincerely as possible.

Every time I answered, Kalian looked at me as if he found it interesting.

That gaze felt burdensome, so I smiled awkwardly and turned my head away.

Then I discovered a necklace inside a luxurious glass case.

The necklace with a blue gem on a platinum chain without special decoration looked familiar.

Where had I seen it? Had I seen someone wearing it at a banquet?

As I was staring at the necklace while retracing my memory, Kalian, who had been talking with the shop employee, asked me.

“Is there something you like?”

“No. It’s nothing special.”

I immediately looked away, but Kalian, who noticed I had been looking at the blue necklace, gestured to the shop employee.

“I’d like to see that necklace.”

“As expected of distinguished guests, you have excellent taste!”

The shop employee quickly brought the glass case containing the necklace along with flattery.

“Speaking of this necklace, it’s not an ordinary necklace but a magical necklace made from spirit stone!”

Spirit stones were gems naturally imbued with magical power, and being that rare, they cost several times more than magical stones artificially created by wizards.

I heard that a spirit stone the size of a pinky nail was worth as much as a decent manor.

Kalian, who had been examining the spirit stone carefully, asked the merchant.

“What ability does this spirit stone have?”

“I’ll show you directly. Transform!”

When the employee picked up the necklace and spoke the activation word, the necklace sparkled.

I wondered what would happen. I watched expectantly, but even after time passed, nothing happened. A quiet silence settled over the shop.

“Nothing’s happening.”

When Kalian asked indifferently, the employee smiled triumphantly and extended his left arm.

“Huh?”

Only then did I notice that the employee’s left arm had transformed to look burly like an orc’s arm, and I opened my eyes wide in surprise.

Kalian also looked at the employee’s arm with a slightly surprised expression.

Seeing mine and Kalian’s expressions, the employee smiled proudly and waved his burly arm.

“As you can see, this necklace can transform parts of the body as desired. Release.”

When the employee spoke the activation word again, his arm returned to normal.

“How is it? Amazing ability, right?”

Well, that’s…

“What a useless ability.”

When Kalian spoke my thoughts, I glanced at him sideways.

The employee looked dejected and let his shoulders droop.

“I thought it was a good ability…”

“It’s useless.”

When Kalian delivered the final blow, the employee looked even more crestfallen.

It was indeed a useless ability, but there was no need to say it so bluntly.

I smiled awkwardly and comforted the depressed employee.

“Still, being a spirit stone, the gem is quite beautiful.”

“Right?”

At my words, the employee looked at me with a brightened face as if he had never been depressed.

“If it had been a magical stone, it couldn’t have produced such a subtle color, but as expected of a spirit sto-“

“Do you want it?”

Kalian cut off the employee’s words and asked abruptly.

I shook my head firmly.

“I don’t particularly want it.”

The employee looked dejected again at my answer, but it couldn’t be helped.

If I had answered yes, Kalian seemed like he would really buy it for me.

Even if it was someone else’s money, I didn’t want to spend it on unnecessary items.

Where would I even use magic that changes the body?

And in the first place, the reason I had looked at that necklace wasn’t because I was interested in it, but because it looked strangely familiar.

But I still couldn’t remember where I had seen it.

If I can’t remember, it probably wasn’t that important.

I brushed it off casually and turned to look at Kalian.

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

“No.”

“I see.”

If it wasn’t even in the largest shop on Greenery Street, there was no point in checking the other shops.

“Let’s call it a day.”

Kalian must have thought the same, as he suggested we wrap things up.

“Thank you for taking the time. I’ll remember today’s help and repay you next time.”

“Not at all. I’m happy just to have been of some help to you, Kal.”

I was about to say let’s meet again next time when Kalian held out a box.

Inside the box was the necklace with the blue gem I had seen earlier.

When did he buy this?

No, more than that, why is he giving this to me…?

As I looked at him in bewilderment, Kalian smiled brightly and said.

“This is a gift as repayment for helping me today, so accept it.”

He hadn’t even found what he was looking for, yet he was giving me such a generous reward for lending him a bit of trivial knowledge.

It was far more than I deserved. I waved my hands in panic.

“It’s really fine…”

“It’s an imperial command.”

My feeble refusal was blocked by an abuse of power.

How could I refuse when he called it an imperial command?

“Thank… you.”

I awkwardly accepted the gift Kalian was offering.

Kalian smiled with satisfaction.

“That looks much better than saying you’re sorry or that it’s fine. From now on, just answer ‘thank you’ to everything I say.”

It was an absurd request. How could I answer ‘thank you’ to everything he said?

“…Is this also an imperial command?”

But if it was an imperial command, I would have to follow it, so I asked carefully.

“Hmm, no.”

After thinking for a moment, Kalian answered cheerfully.

“I’ll make this a request.”

Whether it was an imperial command or a request, they carried the same weight for me. I nodded resolutely.

“Thank you.”

* * *

She does exactly as told.

Kalian chuckled quietly to himself as he looked at Leilah.

After the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot died, I heard she was the pillar who supported the precarious Williot Duchy, so I thought she’d be an iron-willed woman, but she wasn’t.

She was an innocent woman who cried easily. Her heart was soft too.

Yet it was fascinating how she would step forward firmly without wavering when the moment called for it.

I was curious to see what other sides of her I might witness.

Her smile was quite pretty too.

“My lord.”

Kalian, who had been looking at Leilah, turned around when someone called him from behind.

One of his loyal retainers and guard knights bowed respectfully and spoke.

“It’s time for you to return.”

Had that much time passed already?

Kalian glanced at the sky reddened by the sunset and looked at Leilah again.

Leilah was looking at the guard knight behind Kalian with slightly surprised eyes.

“Why do you look so startled?”

“It’s nothing… Do I need to answer ‘thank you’ to this too?”

“What? Haha.”

At her cautious question, Kalian burst into laughter, holding his stomach.

Leilah looked at Kalian with a face that said she didn’t understand.

She has some naive sides too. Somehow wanting to tease her, Kalian answered with a mischievous expression.

“What if you do?”

At Kalian’s answer, Leilah looked flustered and rolled her eyes around.

Her fidgeting lips repeatedly held the words she wanted to say, then switched to holding the word ‘thank you.’

This just makes me want to tease her more.

“My lord.”

But Kalian’s wish was thwarted by the guard’s urging.

Tsk, Kalian clicked his tongue and waved his hand.

“I’m joking. I’m canceling the request to answer ‘thank you’ to everything I say.”

“Ah, yes!”

Only then did Leilah answer energetically with a brightened face.

Rather than pretty, she had an elegant and refined face. She certainly wasn’t a dazzling beauty who would catch everyone’s eye.

Yet strangely, my gaze kept being drawn to her.

Was it born from curiosity? Unable to understand this inexplicable matter, Kalian tilted his head and turned around.

And for some reason, he took reluctant, lingering steps as he walked away.

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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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