I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 56

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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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#56

Thanks to Kyung Hilltain’s help, I was able to arrive at the study without being late.

I tucked the documents to report to Kalian in my arms, and ‘that thing’ in my pocket.

And as always, I greeted Rahel who was guarding the door and entered the Emperor’s office.

Kalian was sitting at his desk, looking over documents.

“You’re here.”

I gave him a light bow, then placed the reports I’d brought on his desk.

“These are the tax reports from each domain.”

Kalian’s gaze shifted from the document he was reading to the report I’d set down.

He picked up the document on top and quickly skimmed through it.

“There are opinions coming up that we should raise taxes again since we lowered them during the war.”

“They’re spouting nonsense.”

Kalian scoffed quietly and put the document back down.

“The war hasn’t been over for long and everything is still unstable overall, yet they want to raise taxes. Do they want to squeeze blood from a flea?”

That was something I agreed with as well, but…

“Still, I think we do need to raise taxes.”

Only then did Kalian look at me. His expression showed surprise.

“I didn’t expect you to say something like that. Why do you think so?”

“Because of the budget.”

I selected the budget section from the reports and moved it aside where he could see it clearly.

“As you can see, the budget is being consumed more than expected due to consecutive events, relief projects, bereaved family issues, and so on.”

Kalian’s expression became serious.

Naturally so.

The state of the treasury was serious even from my perspective. The long six-year war was the problem.

But if we collected too many taxes, the Empire’s citizens weren’t in particularly good shape either.

As Kalian had said, it would only amount to squeezing blood from a flea.

However, as the data showed, the treasury’s situation wasn’t good, so we did need to collect more taxes.

Of course, we’d have to take from those who have wealth, not from fleas.

“If I may humbly offer my opinion…”

I was about to share the opinion I’d prepared when Kalian suddenly grabbed my hand.

Not stopping there, he rolled up my sleeve.

What is this all of a sudden…

I was flustered and tried to pull my hand away from his grip.

But Kalian didn’t let go of my hand. Instead, he pulled my hand further toward him.

Because of that, my upper body leaned over the desk.

I supported myself with my other hand on the desk to keep from losing my balance.

“Your Majesty.”

“Are you hurt?”

Huh? Hurt? What… ah.

Finally realizing why Kalian was acting this way, I let out a small gasp.

He had seen the wound I got from falling earlier.

It was hidden by my long sleeves so it shouldn’t have been very visible, but he has good eyes.

“It’s nothing serious. I just scraped it a little when I fell earlier.”

I said that meaning he should let go, but seeing how his grip tightened, it seemed to have the opposite effect.

“You fell?”

When I nodded, the question ‘why?’ followed.

It would be better not to mention that the princesses tripped me.

I had promised to do that anyway.

“I was hurrying to make it on time for the report and my feet got tangled…”

Kalian’s eyes narrowed.

“So you’re saying it’s because of me.”

…Huh? Does it work out that way?

“Sorry.”

“No!”

When Kalian apologized, I shook my head in panic.

“It’s my fault for foolishly not watching the ground and rushing. Your Majesty has absolutely no reason to apologize.”

“You got hurt but didn’t treat it and came straight to me, so it’s my fault.”

“…No, it’s not.”

“Your answer was slow.”

Kalian smiled slightly and stood up from his seat.

Since he was still holding my hand, I had no choice but to follow his movements.

Kalian sat me down on the sofa and rang a bell.

An attendant who had been waiting outside came in. It wasn’t Rahel.

“Bring the court physician.”

A court physician for just a scrape.

“That’s excessive. Just bring some ointment. That will be sufficient.”

“Wouldn’t it be more certain to have the court physician look at it rather than just ointment?”

“Ointment will be fine.”

When I didn’t budge on my opinion, Kalian clicked his tongue as if displeased.

“Bring ointment.”

Even so, he accommodated my opinion.

Shortly after, when the attendant brought the ointment, Kalian took it and sat beside me.

“I’m going to apply medicine, so roll up your sleeve completely.”

“I’ll apply it my…”

“Should I call the court physician?”

It was a threat that he’d call the court physician if I didn’t do as he said.

I had no choice. Though I didn’t like it, I rolled up my sleeve and entrusted my wound to him.

“Tell me if it hurts.”

Kalian carefully applied ointment to the wound. His touch was so cautious and meticulous that it didn’t hurt at all.

“There are bloodstains on your skirt too. Did you hurt your leg as well?”

Ah, come to think of it, I had hurt my knee too.

Seeing my expression, Kalian asked as if incredulous.

“You forgot you were hurt?”

“Somehow…”

“How foolish.”

He clicked his tongue and pointed at my skirt with his chin.

“Lift your skirt too.”

…What?

Lift my skirt.

Even if it was an imperial command, I stared at him blankly at such an absurd order I couldn’t readily follow.

Kalian looked flustered as if he belatedly realized what he had said.

An awkward silence flowed for a moment.

Kalian was the first to break the silence.

“…Sorry.”

His earlobe, revealed as he lowered his head, was slightly red.

Kalian apologized while looking elsewhere, unable to look directly at my face.

“I had no intention of harassing you.”

“Yes. I know.”

I already knew that Kalian had said it purely to treat my wound without any other intention.

So while I was a bit bewildered, I wasn’t angry or anything like that.

Even that was completely resolved by Kalian’s apology just now.

When I nodded calmly, Kalian suddenly frowned deeply.

Why is he acting like that? Did I say something wrong?

I carefully retraced everything I had said so far, but nothing particularly stood out.

Still, seeing Kalian look at me like that, I must have said something wrong.

“If I made any mistakes, please tell me. I’ll correct them immediately.”

At my response, Kalian frowned even more fiercely and gripped my shoulders tightly.

“Leilah. You seem to be mistaken about something – the one who made a mistake wasn’t you, it was me. The person who should apologize isn’t you, it’s me.”

That’s… true.

“And when something like this happens to you, even if the other person says they’re sorry, you shouldn’t forgive them so easily. You should be angry.”

“But there was no malice…”

“How do you know whether there was malice or not!”

His shouting voice echoed thunderously throughout the study.

It was so loud that my ears felt momentarily muffled.

This was the first time I’d seen Kalian shout like this since meeting him.

That meant I had done something that wrong… but what exactly had I done wrong?

Knock knock-

“Your Majesty, is something wrong?”

Having heard Kalian’s shouting, Rahel, who had been waiting outside, asked cautiously.

“Nothing’s wrong! Everyone step back from the door!”

Kalian dismissed them curtly and turned back to me.

His blue eyes were clouded with anger.

“Did you understand what I said?”

To be honest, I didn’t understand at all, but if I said that, he seemed like he’d get angry again, so I nodded for now.

“Yes. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Only then did the wrinkles carved between Kalian’s brows fade.

But his anger hadn’t completely subsided, as he let out a deep sigh, released my shoulders, and stepped back.

“Sorry for shouting.”

Kalian ran his hands through his hair roughly and sighed several more times.

Then he set down the ointment in front of me.

“I’ll handle the reports myself, so go out and finish treating your leg.”

The aftermath of his shouting still hadn’t faded, so I awkwardly gathered the ointment and bowed.

“…Thank you.”

Kalian turned around and replied curtly.

“It happened because of me, so don’t thank me.”

Kalian, who had sat back down at his desk, gestured for me to leave.

As I was about to leave as he said, I suddenly remembered something I had put in my pocket and stopped abruptly.

Look at me. I need to give him this before I go.

I turned around again and stood in front of the desk where Kalian was sitting.

Kalian put down the report he had just picked up and looked at me.

“Do you still have something to say to me?”

“Your Majesty.”

I took out the box I had kept in my pocket and held it out to Kalian.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a gift.”

“A gift?”

Puzzlement settled in the blue eyes looking at me.

“Is today some special day?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then why are you giving me a gift?”

“I wanted to express my gratitude for everything Your Majesty has given me.”

Kalian leaned back against his chair and looked up at me.

“I don’t remember being good enough to you to deserve such a gift.”

“I remember it.”

And there were many such instances, not just one. I had plenty of reasons to give him a gift.

“So please accept it.”

When Kalian showed no intention of taking the gift, I set it down in front of him.

“Well then.”

And before Kalian could stop me, I bowed and fled from the study like I was escaping.

Rahel, who saw my hurried behavior, looked at me with wide eyes. His gaze seemed to ask if something had happened.

I replied with a light smile to indicate that nothing was wrong.

And I hurriedly entered the aide’s office.

Leaning against the closed door, I let out a big breath. My heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst at any moment.

This was the first time I had personally given a gift to someone other than Fillen.

And it was a handkerchief I had embroidered myself, no less.

It was a gift I had never once given even to the Dowager Duke and Duchess Williot.

Because my skills were too poor to show anyone.

I felt worried that Kalian might laugh at it, but also felt a subtle emotion.

It was like someone gently tickling the inside of my palm with a feather.

It was really strange.

This unfamiliar emotion was so foreign that I clasped my hands tightly together.

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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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