I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 51

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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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#51

Kalian was about to scold him for fearing something useless, but swallowed his words at Ber’s additional comment.

Indeed, the person who would be hurt most by this issue was none other than Leilah.

Then she’d cry again. Even though she looks strong on the outside, she’s tender-hearted inside.

Kalian had seen Leilah cry twice now.

The first time was under a large tree.

The second time was in his drawing room.

Until now, he hadn’t agreed with the saying that women’s tears were weapons, but seeing Leilah’s tears changed his mind.

She was that pitiful and heartbreaking.

It was like seeing a poor kitten soaked in pouring rain.

He wanted to comfort her and ask if she was alright, but worried that his meddlesome sympathy might hurt Leilah’s pride, so he couldn’t bring himself to do it and had stepped aside.

Suddenly recalling Leilah’s crying face made him feel bad, so Kalian frowned deeply and rested his chin on his hand.

“Should I send them all to the labor camp? Then they won’t be able to have such useless thoughts.”

“Please save your dreams for when you’re sleeping.”

At the predictable retort, Kalian’s eyebrow rose slightly.

“My aide is truly gentle.”

“I am rather gentle.”

Ber replied indifferently, then bowed his head.

“Well then, I’m busy so I’ll take my leave now. Please process the documents I gave you by tomorrow.”

“By tomorrow? That’s too tight a schedule.”

“Well, if it’s too difficult for you, you can submit it a bit later. Starting tomorrow, Count Tebesa will be handling that work instead of me.”

He had wondered why Ber, who always demanded strict adherence to schedules with fierce pressure, was backing down so easily, but there was a reason for everything.

Of course. That guy would never change.

Kalian let out an irritated sigh and waved his hand dismissively.

* * *

“Whew.”

As the time approached to go to the study to report to His Majesty, Leilah stood up with her documents and took a deep breath. Until now she had been on the receiving end of reports, so being on the opposite side felt awkward and made her nervous.

“Welcome, Princess.”

“Hello, Head Attendant.”

From frequently moving around as an aide, she had now become somewhat acquainted with Rahel, the head attendant. The head attendant looked at the documents Leilah was carrying and smiled slightly.

“Starting today, you’ll be reporting directly to His Majesty yourself, Princess?”

“Yes. That’s how it turned out. I’m nervous since it’s my first time.”

“You’ll do well, Princess.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

When Leilah sincerely expressed her gratitude, Rahel smiled warmly.

“Then I’ll inform His Majesty of your arrival.”

“Please do.”

“Your Majesty, Princess Tebesa has arrived.”

When Rahel announced Leilah’s arrival, after a brief silence, permission to enter was granted. Leilah bowed to Rahel in greeting, then went inside.

“Rahel, you come in too. Leave the door open.”

As Rahel was about to close the door, Kalian, who had been standing in front of the bookshelf reading, suddenly spoke. Though puzzled by the sudden command, Rahel immediately did as Kalian instructed.

Kalian had called for people but was just silently reading his book.

“Your Majesty.”

When Rahel called out softly, only then did Kalian close the book he was reading and turn to look at him.

“Repeat what you just said.”

Repeat what he just said? Surely he wasn’t asking about being called Your Majesty. It seemed like he was pointing out the announcement of Princess Tebesa’s arrival…

Count Kranten hadn’t been head attendant for long, but as an attendant belonging to the Imperial Household Department, he was a veteran who had worked in the Imperial Palace for a long time. He quickly realized his verbal mistake and hurriedly apologized. Not to Kalian, but to Leilah.

“I apologize, Count Tebesa. I’ve never used the title ‘Count’ for a lady before, so the title ‘Princess’ came out like a habit.”

“It’s fine.”

Leilah smiled awkwardly and waved her hand. In fact, she hadn’t felt anything strange or awkward when Rahel called her Princess either.

“I’ll be careful from now on.”

“You should be.”

Kalian spoke loudly, as if for the attendants who were eavesdropping on their conversation through the open door, rather than to Rahel.

“If I hear of such a thing happening again, I won’t let it slide. Understood?”

It felt somewhat exaggerated, but this much was necessary for Leilah’s position. Rahel answered that he would comply, then withdrew.

The door closed, and Kalian sat at his desk, looking at Leilah who was standing there somewhat dazed.

“Why are you standing there blankly?”

“Ah, I apologize…”

“Enough with the apologies.”

Kalian extended his hand.

“You brought a report, didn’t you? Bring it here.”

* * *

“Bring it here.”

So it begins now.

The slight incident with Rahel just now was completely erased from my mind.

I was so nervous that I forced my reluctant feet to move, approached the desk, and placed the report I had brought on his desk.

It was a compilation of proposals and reports from various departments, organized for Kalian’s easy review.

I had thought it would be easy since it was just organizing work, but I was mistaken.

There were documents with handwriting so poor I couldn’t read them, and people who proposed strange things.

As Baron Delrond had mentioned, documents submitted without official seals appeared quite frequently.

Checking for other problems one by one, classifying them, and then rewriting them was more arduous labor than expected.

Was that all? Investigating the background of issues mentioned in proposals and finding materials was also part of an aide’s job.

I finally understood why Baron Delrond worked overtime every day.

“Do you have any urgent business right now?”

Did I have urgent business? I thought for a moment, then answered.

“Nothing urgent at the moment.”

“Then wait there for a while. I’ll let you know if there are points to correct or parts to supplement.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“No need to thank me.”

Kalian chuckled and picked up the report.

I waited somewhat nervously, clasping my hands tightly together for his evaluation.

I thought he would just read the report, but he asked various questions while reading.

Why I had classified things this way.

Why this particular material was needed here.

What my opinion was on specific issues.

I used to ask such questions too when aides brought me reports.

I found it somewhat amusing that his behavior wasn’t much different from mine. The tension I had been holding loosened.

Since these were questions I had expected, I was able to answer calmly without trembling.

The more I answered, the more pages of the report turned, the more Kalian’s expression gradually changed.

It wasn’t changing for the better. His smiling face was gradually hardening.

He hadn’t reacted this way when looking at Baron Delrond’s reports, so there must be many lacking parts indeed.

“If you could point out the lacking parts, I’ll immediately correct them…”

“Lacking?”

Kalian’s eyebrow tilted.

“If this is lacking.”

Kalian put down the report he was looking at and picked up another document, waving it.

“The bastards who wrote this should all go die.”

…That would be praise, right?

“It’s praise.”

When he answered as if he had read my thoughts, I looked at him in surprise.

“For your first time, you did quite well. Good work.”

Kalian looked at me with a vivid smile playing at his lips.

“From now on, just do your reports to this standard. If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me or Ber right away.”

“Yes.”

“Then you may withdraw.”

I was about to bow politely with proper etiquette, but remembering his words that formal greetings were cumbersome and I should just nod instead, I lightly bowed my head.

“Leilah.”

Just as I was about to withdraw, Kalian called me as if something had suddenly occurred to him.

Leilah.

Even though it was my name, it felt somewhat unfamiliar when he called it.

Perhaps it was because I’d been called Count Tebesa all this time.

When I turned back to him, Kalian looked at me with slight concern and asked.

“Have you perhaps heard the rumors…”

“Pardon?”

“No, I was just going to suggest we have lunch together.”

Hmm, that doesn’t seem right.

“Have you already eaten?”

“Ah, no.”

“Then let’s have lunch together.”

“Yes. I’ll send word to Baron Delrond as well.”

Kalian hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a reluctant expression.

“…Do that.”

“Then I’ll see you again shortly, Your Majesty.”

I bowed to him once more, then left the study.

* * *

After Leilah left, Kalian stared quietly at the study door before letting out a deep sigh and rising from his seat.

He had tried to ask Leilah about the rumors concerning himself but couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Because he couldn’t think of what he should say in response if she said yes.

He couldn’t just tell her to ignore it indifferently.

Saying that wouldn’t make her stop caring about it anyway.

Saying no would also be troublesome.

He would end up stimulating her curiosity by bringing up something unnecessary.

So he hastily changed the subject by bringing up the completely unplanned topic of dining together.

This side of himself was unexpected, but it was also unexpected that Leilah naturally said she would contact Ber.

‘Are those two that close?’

Well, of course they’d be close. They’re together almost all day, so they couldn’t help but become close.

That part didn’t sit well with him either.

He had the pointless worry that rumors of her being with an outside man all day might spread and block Leilah’s marriage prospects.

…Well, I’m already blocking her marriage prospects anyway.

No aristocrat would be bold enough to marry a woman rumored to be the Emperor’s mistress.

But he wasn’t too worried. These were all baseless rumors that would quickly die down once Leilah showed her abilities.

And she had the capability to do so.

Kalian read through the report Leilah had organized again.

It was a clean report with only the necessary content neatly summarized.

He had told Leilah she did well for her first time, but honestly, this was perfect enough that calling it flawless wouldn’t be lacking.

He had only given moderate praise because he was worried Leilah might become lazy otherwise.

Following Ber, then Hilltain, and now even Leilah.

He had personally chosen only three people, and all three of them were excellent.

“I have an accurate eye for people.”

Kalian smiled contentedly, praising his own judgment.

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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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