I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 30
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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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#30
After fulfilling Kalian’s request, I tried to show Sara around the capital as she wanted, but it was too late.
I had no choice but to call a public carriage and head back to the manor.
“I’ll definitely show you around the capital next time.”
I said this because I felt sorry for not keeping my promise, but Sara shook her head.
“No, it’s fine. I saw enough today.”
“You only saw Greenery Street.”
“Oh, that was plenty to see. But I’m curious about something, Miss.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“That young master we met earlier, does he have a higher status than you, Miss?”
Come to think of it, Sara still doesn’t know who he is.
“He’s His Majesty the Emperor.”
There was nothing to hide, so I answered honestly.
Sara nodded as if thinking “ah, I see” at my words, then belatedly reacted and gaped her mouth open.
“What? His, His Majesty the Emperor? Th-that person was His Majesty the Emperor!?”
“Yes.”
“H-h-h-how could His Majesty the Emperor be…”
Is this really such a shocking fact that she’s trembling like this?
“Calm down, Sara.”
“H-how can I calm down! I saw the Emperor of Slaughter right before my eyes!”
“Sara.”
When I sternly called her name, Sara seemed to realize her mistake and shut her mouth, bowing her head deeply.
“I’m sorry, Miss. I was so flustered that I…”
“It’s fine. Just be careful with your words from now on. You could be dragged away for insulting the imperial family if you speak carelessly.”
“Yes, yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Sara nodded with a very tense expression. I patted her shoulder to tell her to relax.
The Emperor of Slaughter.
Sara’s words lingered in my mind. It wasn’t that I didn’t know the current Emperor was called the Emperor of Slaughter. I had just temporarily forgotten since I had no business with the Emperor.
And Kalian was so much more cheerful and pleasant than I expected that I couldn’t make the connection.
But it was all true. Kalian had killed his blood relatives, including his father, to become Emperor.
While people understood his actions, knowing that if he hadn’t killed them, he would have been killed instead.
They criticized him for killing even the young half-siblings and empresses who begged for their lives.
That was why he was called the Emperor of Slaughter.
…He doesn’t seem like that kind of person, but I don’t know the truth.
I suddenly lifted the necklace Kalian had given me. The blue gem on the platinum chain sparkled brilliantly.
Though the necklace’s ability was useless, it was pretty enough to serve excellently as a simple accessory.
“That’s a pretty necklace.”
Sara’s eyes sparkled as if she thought so too.
“Is the gem a sapphire?”
“No. It’s a spirit stone.”
“My goodness, a spirit stone! As expected of His Majesty the Emperor, even the level of his gifts is truly different!”
Is that so? I’ve never really thought about it that way.
I just felt burdened by receiving such an expensive gift. It kept bothering me that I couldn’t refuse because it was an imperial command.
I must repay him next time.
I made a firm resolution, feeling that I wouldn’t be at ease otherwise, and put the necklace back in its box.
Shortly after, the carriage arrived at the manor.
Leaving Sara to pay the carriage fare, I entered the manor first and stopped when I saw boxes lined up in a row on one side of the foyer.
At a glance, there were more than twenty boxes. Considering what the servants had already busily moved, it meant there had been even more.
“What are all these?”
The butler, who had been checking the boxes and giving various instructions to the servants, answered respectfully.
“These are items purchased by the young miss.”
Sisly, are they calling That Woman the young miss?
I understood that they couldn’t address her carelessly since she was carrying Fillen’s child, but I didn’t like them using the title “miss.”
It felt like That Woman and I were being treated the same way. It made me feel very unpleasant.
But it wasn’t wrong either, and if I pointed it out unnecessarily and it reached Fillen’s ears, it would become troublesome, so I let it pass.
There was also something more concerning right in front of me.
“That woman bought all of this? Not things needed for the duchy?”
“That’s correct.”
My goodness. What could she have needed so much that she bought this many things?
Even when preparing to attend the Emperor’s coronation party, there were fewer boxes than this. Despite preparing for two people, me and Fillen.
But the things Sisly bought alone were this numerous, so I gasped and opened the largest box nearby.
Inside the box was a pretty dress. The dress with a design that cinched the waist tightly wasn’t something a pregnant woman could wear.
The other large boxes similarly contained dresses that looked difficult for a pregnant woman to wear.
I could understand ordering dresses because she had no clothes to wear, but why buy dresses she can’t even wear now?
I frowned and opened the other boxes too.
The smaller boxes contained shoes, bags, and hats.
The even smaller boxes contained jewelry like necklaces and rings.
The large gems embedded in them looked expensive at first glance.
Just how much did she spend?
Curious, I asked the butler for the receipt.
“I’d like to see the receipt.”
“Here it is.”
I read through the list of items written on the receipt the butler handed me.
Seventeen dresses alone. Nineteen pairs of shoes…and so on.
The quantity of items was one thing, but what surprised me more was the total amount at the end of the receipt.
The receipt showed half a year’s operating expenses for the domain. No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes and checked again, the amount didn’t change.
To spend this much money in just one day, and for one person’s personal desires at that.
“She’s insane.”
The Williot Duchy wasn’t poor enough to be shaken by just this much, but it was still absurd.
Especially since most of the dresses were clothes Sisly couldn’t wear right now.
As a former princess, she couldn’t possibly not know that dresses go out of fashion and become unwearable after just a year, so what was she thinking?
I wanted to tell them to keep only a few and return the rest, but I couldn’t.
More precisely, I wasn’t in a position to do so. All authority had been transferred to Fillen.
Even if I had the authority, I couldn’t change what Fillen had permitted on my own.
“Here.”
So even though it bothered me, I returned the receipt without complaint.
The butler looked at me with strange eyes for a moment, then withdrew respectfully.
“Miss!”
Just as I was about to return to my room, Sara came running over.
Behind her were servants carrying an armful of books.
“The books you bought at the bookstore earlier have arrived. Shall I move them to your room?”
I was about to answer yes when Fillen appeared behind Sara.
I swallowed my words and lightly bowed my head to greet Fillen.
Sara and the servants also hurriedly bowed at the waist to greet him.
Fillen acknowledged the greetings with a light nod and looked at the books the servants were holding.
“What are all these?”
“They are books the miss purchased.”
At Sara’s report, Fillen let out a scoff as if incredulous and turned to look at me.
“What books did you buy so many of so uselessly?”
The word “useless” pierced sharply into my heart.
I controlled my slightly surging emotions and answered in a calm voice.
“They’re not useless. They’re all necessary books.”
“Necessary books?”
Fillen skimmed through the book titles and frowned slightly.
“Even so, there was no need to buy them. They’re all books that are in the study.”
“They’re books that aren’t in the study.”
“That can’t be. They’re all books I’ve seen before. Especially.”
Fillen picked up the book at the very top.
“I definitely saw Belbutt’s Tax Law Theory in the study.”
That book is in the study?
“That can’t be.”
“You’re quite confident.”
“Because I’m certain.”
When I answered without the slightest hesitation, Fillen frowned.
“You there.”
He ordered a servant to bring the list of books kept in the study.
A moment later, deep wrinkles formed on Fillen’s brow as he skimmed through the book list the servant brought.
As expected, it’s not there. Well, there was no way it would be.
I had gone to buy it after confirming several times that it wasn’t there.
However, I was annoyed that he didn’t believe my words and came at me like this, so I was about to ask again if I wasn’t right, but I stopped.
I didn’t want to hurt his pride and cause unnecessary trouble.
So I was going to just let it slide, but Fillen picked a fight.
“How nice to have such a good memory.”
At first glance it sounded like praise, but judging by his expression and tone, it was definitely not praise.
What’s gotten him all twisted up again?
Is he that displeased that I bought books?
A sigh naturally escaped me, but I didn’t show it. I looked at him indifferently and bowed my head slightly.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
As if this also displeased him, he twisted his lips.
Fillen shook the copy of Belbutt’s Tax Law Theory he was holding and asked me.
“You’re not thinking of getting involved in the ducal house’s affairs again, are you, Princess Tebesa?”
Ah, so that’s what it was.
Only then realizing what Fillen was worried about, I let out a small laugh.
It was somewhat absurd, but on the other hand, I understood.
Since I had bought so many books on tax law, welfare, and such topics, it was natural for him to have such a misunderstanding.
If I hesitated, it might cause unnecessary misunderstanding, so I answered decisively.
“No.”
“Then why did you suddenly buy so many of these books?”
What should I do? Should I tell the truth?
I thought about it for a moment and decided to do so.
It seemed like that would be the way to clear up the misunderstanding for certain.
To take the administrative exam, there was something I would need to get his permission for.
“It’s because of the administrative exam.”
“Administrative exam? You mean the exam His Majesty the Emperor announced for selecting advisors?”
“Yes. I’m thinking of taking that exam.”
At my answer, Fillen let out a small laugh. It was clearly mockery.
“I heard that many prodigies from the Imperial Academy are challenging this exam. Do you think you’ll be able to pass, Princess?”
“I think it’s something you can’t know without trying.”
“I’ve thought this before, but you’re overflowing with useless confidence, Princess.”
Fillen scratched his cheek as if annoyed.
“And it’s all groundless and useless confidence without exception.”
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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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