I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 62
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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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#62
Fillen panicked and hastily hid himself.
Fortunately, Kalian didn’t seem to notice Fillen and mounted his horse.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Leilah.”
Leilah, not Princess Tebesa.
Indeed, the two of them were definitely not ordinary acquaintances.
So she really had become the Emperor’s mistress.
Fillen’s eyes flashed dangerously as he gritted his teeth.
Fillen wanted to rush out immediately, but first waited for Kalian to leave.
Soon the sound of hoofbeats grew more distant until finally they could no longer be heard.
Now was the time. Just as he was about to go meet Leilah immediately, he felt a chilling murderous intent from behind.
Fillen drew the sword he always carried and took a defensive stance.
Clang-
The sound of sword clashing against sword rang out sharply in the quiet alley.
Even in the dim alley, Fillen immediately recognized his opponent by the dazzlingly gleaming silver hair.
The Emperor’s loyal hound, Hilltain.
Hilltain’s presence meant that Kalian had noticed he was here.
He thought he hadn’t been discovered, but apparently not.
Well, Kalian was also one of the outstanding knights.
If Kalian hadn’t left the battlefield midway to return to the Imperial Palace, he would have become the first-class hero with the most military achievements.
“I will convey His Majesty the Emperor’s words to Duke Williot.”
Hilltain spoke in a monotonous voice with almost no inflection.
“Stop uselessly hovering around Leilah and leave immediately.”
“What?”
Who was calling whom useless right now?
And hovering?
Fillen’s face contorted completely at the clearly disrespectful words.
“His Majesty is making an unreasonable demand.”
What bothered him most was being told to leave immediately.
“What’s wrong with a fiancé visiting his fiancée that would warrant such an order?”
Hilltain gave no response whatsoever to Fillen’s complaint.
He only stared at Fillen with an expressionless face.
Annoying bastard.
But his skills were certainly real. Though he didn’t want to admit it, Hilltain’s abilities were on par with his own.
Moreover, his assassination skills were even superior.
…As befitting a former assassin.
“What will you do if I don’t leave?”
Finally, Hilltain answered.
“If Your Grace does not leave, he said you will pay the price for defying an imperial command.”
The sword that had been pointing downward was once again aimed at Fillen with murderous intent.
Instead of responding, Fillen sheathed his sword.
“If it’s an imperial command, I have no choice.”
Even if it was an imperial command, he could have resisted, but the problem was Hilltain.
Fillen had no confidence he would lose to him, but no confidence he would win either.
Moreover, if they fought in a place like this and others saw them, it would become a laughingstock among other nobles.
That couldn’t happen. He couldn’t do anything that would tarnish the reputation of the Williot Duchy.
Only then did Hilltain lower his sword again and bow his head slightly toward Fillen.
“I will escort you to the Williot Duchy.”
The after-service was thorough, in case Fillen might have other ideas and return.
Even if he said it wasn’t necessary, he would follow anyway, so Fillen didn’t answer and simply mounted his horse.
* * *
As soon as I returned home, I heard shocking news from Sara.
“Duke Williot… came here?”
Sara nodded her head vigorously and shouted.
“That’s right! When did he throw you out, and now he comes looking for you! I have no idea what he’s thinking!”
I felt the same way.
No, there was exactly one reason that came to mind.
Asking me to return to the Williot Estate.
‘That’s ridiculous.’
Though I missed the Williot Estate, I had no intention of returning.
Would I be crazy enough to go back? To that suffocating place…
I was sufficiently satisfied with my current life. Working as an advisor was more enjoyable and rewarding than I had expected.
“Did His Grace say anything else?”
“Not particularly. Oh, he did say he would come back in the evening.”
“Really?”
What should I do? I don’t want to meet him. Should I run away?
But it wasn’t something I could avoid by doing that. It was something I would have to face eventually.
So I didn’t run away and waited for Fillen to come.
The entire time I waited, I felt uncomfortable and anxious.
Kalian had told me to rest well, but it seemed I wouldn’t be able to do that.
I skipped dinner and waited for him like that, but Fillen didn’t appear even as time passed.
“Did he really say he would come in the evening?”
“He definitely said that…”
Looking at Sara’s expression, it seemed certain that Fillen had said that.
Thinking he might just be a little late, I waited a bit longer, but Fillen didn’t come.
The moon waned and the clock hands eventually pointed to 11 o’clock.
Surely he wouldn’t come at this hour.
Then there were two possibilities.
Either Fillen had just said it without any thought.
Or something had happened that prevented him from coming.
I couldn’t tell which it was, but it was certain that Fillen wouldn’t come today.
While I was glad not to meet Fillen, it bothered me that there were unresolved issues between him and me.
I was also anxious that this problem might explode at the banquet.
I became even more reluctant to attend the banquet.
Should I… fake an illness?
* * *
In the end, I decided to attend the banquet.
It was my first banquet as an advisor, so I couldn’t skip it by faking illness.
Today I had no other schedule besides accompanying Kalian to the banquet, but I still came to work early.
It was to write a report about the childcare institution.
Kalian had said I could take my time, but the longer I delayed, the more the children would suffer, so I wanted to handle it quickly.
I was skipping lunch and frantically writing the report when I heard a knock-knock sound.
“Princess Tebesa.”
“Chief Attendant.”
It was Rahel.
I hurriedly stood up from my seat to greet him properly according to etiquette, but I couldn’t grab my skirt hem.
Right. I’m wearing pants right now.
To be precise, I was wearing the advisor’s uniform. To attend the banquet as the Emperor’s advisor.
How should I greet someone when wearing pants?
I had never appeared before others wearing pants, so I didn’t know.
After pondering, I recalled the greeting Baron Delrond used with other nobles and did the same.
Placing my right hand on my left chest and bowing slightly at the waist.
Rahel smiled brightly and responded with the same greeting as mine.
“This must be your first time with this type of greeting, yet you do it perfectly. Impressive.”
“You flatter me.”
“However, I recommend not greeting His Majesty the Emperor or others in that manner.”
I saw thorns in his smiling face that I hadn’t noticed before.
He found me disagreeable.
Was the head attendant also one of the nobles who didn’t acknowledge me as an advisor?
I hadn’t sensed such signs until now…
“It’s about time for you to go to the banquet.”
So it was already that time.
I had been so focused on work that I hadn’t checked the time.
“I’ll be out shortly.”
I hurriedly organized my desk and followed Rahel.
After walking down the long hallway for a bit, I could see Kalian in the distance talking with Baron Delrond.
Kalian, with his hair neatly styled up and wearing splendid formal attire, was… incredibly beautiful.
He was a man who suited the word “beautiful” better than “handsome.”
His blue hair sparkling under the brilliant lights gave him a mysterious, fairy-like atmosphere.
Newly aware of how outstanding his appearance was, I approached and stood behind him.
Only then realizing I had arrived, Kalian and Baron Delrond turned to look at me.
“You’re late.”
“My apologies. I was so focused on writing the report that I…”
Again, I unconsciously tried to grab my skirt hem, grasped at air, and clenched my fist tightly.
Not being adapted to pants, I kept making mistakes.
It was fortunate there weren’t many eyes watching now, but I couldn’t make such mistakes at the banquet.
“What’s wrong?”
Fortunately, Kalian didn’t notice my mistake.
“It’s nothing.”
There was no need to reveal my flaws, so I smiled as if nothing had happened and stood properly.
“Let’s go.”
Kalian turned around, his blue cloak fluttering.
Baron Delrond, myself, and numerous attendants and maids followed behind Kalian.
When we finally arrived at the banquet hall, Kalian stopped walking and turned to look at me.
“Leilah.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Prepare yourself mentally.”
“Pardon?”
What kind of mental preparation was he talking about?
I looked at him in confusion at his cryptic words, but instead of answering, Kalian gave an enigmatic smile and waved his hand.
Then the attendants blew trumpets, announcing the Emperor’s arrival.
“His Majesty the Emperor enters!”
The attendant’s resounding declaration silenced the people and focused all attention.
The splendidly dressed nobles all bowed their heads in greeting to the Emperor.
Kalian walked leisurely through the people who parted like the Red Sea.
The attendants and maids stopped at the entrance, but Baron Delrond and I did not.
We continued walking behind Kalian. When he sat in the seat of honor, we stood on the steps directly below.
Baron Delrond stood to Kalian’s left, and I stood to his right.
Standing below the seat of honor, I could see who had come.
Thanks to attending the Emperor’s coronation banquet, I saw quite a few familiar faces.
Naturally, Fillen was among them. Since I already knew he would come, I wasn’t particularly surprised.
However, I never expected that man to come as well.
“…!”
The moment I saw that shamelessly smiling face, I unconsciously clenched my fists.
Andante Tebesa.
The second son of Count Tebesa.
Unlike Count Tebesa who was obsessed with women and his eldest son who was addicted to gambling, he appeared decent on the surface.
He was kind to those around him and didn’t look down on servants.
He was also the only person who had cared for me when I was being abused by Countess Tebesa.
So I trusted and relied on him.
“Leilah, be good.”
I never imagined he would change like that.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m just giving you a chance to repay your debt to me.”
That eerie voice piercing my ears.
“Your skin is soft.”
Those terrible hands boldly caressing places no one had ever violated.
“I wonder if it’s even softer inside.”
That wet, filthy sensation licking my skin.
“That girl seduced me! Otherwise, there’s no way I would have lusted after my younger sister!”
No. I didn’t do anything.
I cried out desperately, but no one listened to me.
Instead, they scolded me even more harshly, saying I was lying.
They said that like my mother, all I knew how to do was sell my body.
They clicked their tongues and pointed fingers, asking if that’s how I wanted to live.
That’s how I was completely abandoned at the Tebesa Estate.
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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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