I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 55

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#55

With the banquet just a week away, the entire Imperial Palace became bustling with activity.

As the Emperor’s assistant, the only remaining task was to make final confirmations that each department was handling their work properly.

“I can handle that alone, so Count Tebesa, please work on the childcare institution report.”

Ber said as he handed the documents he had gathered to a servant.

“The later it gets, the more delayed the establishment of the healthcare institution will be.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

When Leilah bowed her head in greeting, Ber waved his hand dismissively.

“Not at all. Thanks to Count Tebesa coming early, the work finished quickly, so this much is only natural.”

If Leilah hadn’t come, Ber would still be wrestling with paperwork.

Not only that, each department would have been constantly pressuring him, asking when it would be finished with the banquet so close.

Just thinking about it was terrible. Ber shuddered inwardly and expressed his gratitude to Leilah.

“Thank you for coming early, Count Tebesa.”

“Not at all. I was just doing what I needed to do.”

A pure smile formed on her lips. It was an innocent smile without a speck of dust on it.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Leilah politely greeted Ber and then turned around.

Ber watched Leilah walking away, half in a daze.

The servant who was holding the documents in Ber’s place looked at him questioningly.

“What’s wrong, Baron?”

“Oh, well…”

Ber scratched his head and turned around, then straightened up when he saw a group of attendants passing by.

He lightly greeted the attendants.

Since they served the imperial family closely, most of the attendants working in the Imperial Palace were children of aristocrats from viscountcy families or higher.

Although they had no titles themselves, their status was higher than Ber’s, so Ber had to greet them first.

However, the attendants didn’t acknowledge Ber’s greeting and passed by him while whispering.

“Look at that nobody trying to greet us…”

“Even if he received a title, lowly blood doesn’t go anywhere, but he seems to think he’s become the same kind of aristocrat as us.”

“That might be it. Those types are originally pretty stupid anyway.”

Every single comment was disparaging Ber.

When Ber looked at them, the attendants who made eye contact had their expressions change slightly.

They cleared their throats as if nothing had happened and disappeared with quick steps.

They can’t say anything to my face but always act like this behind my back.

It was so childish that Ber chuckled softly and turned his head.

However, the servant seemed worried and asked with concern.

“Are you alright, Baron?”

“I’m fine. It’s not like this is the first or second time.”

Ber shrugged nonchalantly.

About 10 years ago, when he came to the Imperial Palace to serve Kalian closely, he had experienced this countless times, so he was used to it now.

At first, he was hurt by their words and actions and even shed tears, but not anymore.

He had reached a level where he could let it go in one ear and out the other. He didn’t even blink at most comments.

But lately, the reason he kept feeling unsettled was all because of Leilah.

At first, he had been momentarily captivated by her perfect answer sheet and forgotten about it.

But soon, Ber became aware that Leilah was a count’s daughter and also a duke’s fiancée, and he seriously worried whether he could work in sync with her.

However, his worries proved pointless as he and Leilah worked together perfectly.

Not only that, unlike other aristocrats, Leilah didn’t look down on Ber.

She not only respected Ber’s opinions but also consistently used respectful language with him.

Although he was her superior, this was the first time he had received such treatment from an aristocrat.

Of course, people like Rahel and Odrin treated Ber with some respect, but that was purely professional treatment.

They didn’t treat him as warmly as Leilah did.

So Ber felt bewildered every time Leilah acted this way.

He wondered if she didn’t know that he wasn’t originally an aristocrat, so he had subtly brought it up.

But Leilah’s attitude didn’t change at all.

Rather, she said it was amazing that he had received a title despite not being born an aristocrat.

‘She’s a strange woman.’

Of course, it was strange in a good way, not a bad way.

So Ber didn’t dislike Leilah’s strangeness. Rather, it was refreshing and kept drawing his attention.

He felt like he would want to grant any request Leilah made.

“…With my current mood, I feel like I could even pluck stars for her.”

“What? What did you just say?”

“No, it’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Embarrassed by his own words, Ber mumbled vaguely and headed to the Outer Palace with the servant.

* * *

After frantically searching for and organizing materials in the library, it was almost time to go report to His Majesty.

Since Baron Delrond was busy with final preparations for the banquet, reporting was still my responsibility.

It wasn’t just any task but going to meet His Majesty, so I couldn’t be late.

I should stop by the study first to put down the materials and take the report.

And take ‘that’ too.

I gathered the materials in my arms and hurried toward the palace where the study was located.

“Ah!”

Then I tripped over something and fell. The materials I was carrying scattered everywhere.

“Ugh.”

I felt a stinging pain, probably from scraping my knee when I fell. My elbow was also throbbing.

“Oh my. Are you alright, Assistant?”

As I was trying to check my injuries, a high-pitched voice came from above my head.

When I looked up, I saw several women.

One of them was a woman I recognized from seeing her at a previous party.

I couldn’t remember which family’s daughter she was, but I remembered she had been next to Sophia.

One of Sophia’s followers, perhaps.

They were looking down at me and smiling. It wasn’t the kind of expression you’d make when looking at someone who had fallen.

That meant they had tripped me on purpose.

“Come on, get up quickly.”

One woman extended her hand to me while firmly stepping on a paper that had fallen at her feet.

A clear footprint was stamped on the white paper.

“Oh my, a mistake.”

The woman covered her mouth with the hand she had extended to me and widened her eyes.

“Sorry.”

Despite her words, her face showed no sign of being sorry at all.

So it was intentional after all.

I let out a hollow laugh and stood up.

When I silently stared at the woman, she raised her nose arrogantly and shamelessly asked back.

“You’re not going to make a fuss over a little mistake, are you?”

If I answered yes, they would do this kind of thing again.

If I answered no, they would definitely treat me as a petty person and spread strange rumors.

Either way, it was a trap.

…For other people, that is.

“Of course.”

The women smiled with expressions that said “of course” at my response.

The women’s eyes sparkled with unusual intensity.

Seeing my compliant attitude, they were clearly delighting in thoughts of the petty schemes they would pull on me in the future.

“But I’m a little worried.”

Oh dear. That laughter won’t last very long.

I smiled brightly as if responding to their laughter.

“I wonder if His Majesty the Emperor will forgive this as well?”

“Wh-what?”

The moment the Emperor was mentioned, the women’s expressions changed instantly. Their faces hardened and the smiles blooming at the corners of their mouths faded.

“Those documents the Princess just stepped on are reports I need to present to His Majesty the Emperor.”

It was a complete lie. They were simply materials I had organized, but I spun the lie without batting an eye.

“Since you stepped on them, I’ll have no choice but to tell His Majesty the truth about what happened because of the Princess.”

The face of the woman who had stepped on the papers turned deathly pale. The Emperor must be quite frightening indeed.

“A-are you trying to get revenge over one little mistake?”

“Revenge? Of course not.”

“If this isn’t revenge, then what is it! You could just rewrite them, but you’re insisting on reporting this…!”

“I’d like to do that too, but those documents are ones His Majesty ordered me to bring right away. There’s no time to rewrite them.”

I placed one hand against my cheek and tilted my head slightly.

“Well, I suppose I could tell His Majesty everything truthfully, ask for forgiveness, and then buy time to rewrite them.”

“…”

“So would you like to come with me to ask His Majesty for forgiveness?”

At my words, the woman jumped in surprise and shouted.

“Wh-why should I! This is the Princess’s fault!”

“You just said it with your own mouth, didn’t you? That you made a mistake.”

“Th-that…”

Still, she wasn’t shameless enough to claim she hadn’t said what she had said, so the woman couldn’t continue speaking.

“Well, if the Princess sincerely apologizes for her wrongdoing, I won’t tell His Majesty the Emperor that the Princess made a mistake.”

“…”

“What will you do?”

The women silently watched each other’s reactions.

The woman who had stepped on the papers bit her lips tightly with a flushed face.

“What will you do?”

“Lisa.”

A woman who had been silently watching tapped the back of the woman who had stepped on the papers with her arm.

The woman, Lisa, chewed her lips until they nearly bled, then hung her head low.

“I was… wrong.”

“What? I can’t hear you very well?”

“I said I was wrong!”

Lisa closed her eyes and shouted angrily.

I couldn’t feel any sincerity in it, but this should be enough.

If I provoked them further, they might harbor resentment and create even worse trouble.

“Good, now go.”

“…You really won’t tell His Majesty about what happened today, right?”

“I keep my word.”

Lisa and the other women watched me carefully before hurriedly leaving.

Even in the midst of that, it was amusing to see them being careful not to step on papers again.

“They could have picked them up before leaving.”

I was already short on time, and now I had to waste time on something like this.

I was sighing deeply while picking up the papers when I sensed someone’s presence behind me.

When I turned my head, I saw the silver-haired knight I had seen before.

He picked up the papers scattered on the floor and handed them to me.

Thanks to him, I was able to save time. I smiled brightly and took the papers the man offered.

“Thank you.”

The man’s expression changed subtly. It was as if he hadn’t expected me to say thank you.

Why? Do I seem like such a rude person? I felt slightly embarrassed.

If he was the Emperor’s guard, he might be someone I’d meet frequently in the future.

“I’m Leilah Tebesa.”

It would be good to at least make a simple acquaintance.

“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask your name?”

The man hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.

“…Hilltain.”

“So you’re Sir Hilltain.”

I straightened the papers that had slipped slightly, then bowed my head.

“Thank you so much for your help, Sir Hilltain.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————