I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 70

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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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#70

I folded my parasol and entered the Nabeyya Trading Post.

The trading post was bustling with people. There were so many people that I couldn’t distinguish who were employees and who were customers.

“Don’t touch the merchandise carelessly over there!”

Ah, that person must be an employee.

I approached the man who had shouted loudly and asked.

“I’m looking for a man named Kun.”

I deliberately used formal speech to hide that I was a noble.

For that purpose, I had also worn the most modest clothes I could find.

Perhaps thanks to that, the man pointed toward the interior without much suspicion.

“If you’re looking for Kun, he’s inside there.”

“Thank you.”

I went inside as the man had directed.

There was a man examining goods packed in boxes.

When I approached, the man turned to look at me.

The man who looked me up and down straightened his hunched back and bowed his head in greeting.

“What brings a noble young lady all the way here?”

“How did you know I was a noble?”

“No commoner would carry around such a high-quality parasol.”

Ah, come to think of it, I was holding a parasol.

Still, the man outside didn’t notice I was a noble.

Since my noble status had been discovered, there was no reason to continue using formal speech.

“Sharp of you.”

“Thank you.”

Kun lightly bowed his head in response to my greeting.

“So what business do you have with me that brought you here?”

“Before that, I’d like to ask your name.”

“My name is Kun.”

I came to the right place.

I nodded and looked over the goods Kun had been examining.

Most of what was in the sacks were grains like barley and wheat.

“Are all these things here being exported to the Kingdom of Natsha?”

“That’s right. As you probably already know, miss, the Kingdom of Natsha is where our trading post does most of its business.”

Of course I knew that fact. That’s also why I came here.

“A lot of grain has been going to the Kingdom of Natsha lately, hasn’t it?”

“Don’t even get me started. We were already worried because there’s been a bumper harvest across the continent and grain was overflowing, but thanks to the Kingdom of Natsha buying in large quantities, we’ve had almost no losses.”

“Is that so?”

As I thought.

I examined the barley in the sacks and then looked at Kun.

“As I mentioned earlier, there are a few things I’d like to ask you.”

Kun answered with a slightly tense expression.

“If it’s something I can answer, I’ll answer it for you.”

“I’m not going to ask anything strange, so don’t be nervous. These are easy questions. Just answer what you know.”

I smiled as kindly as possible and asked him the questions I had prepared in advance.

Climate changes in the Kingdom of Natsha over the past 10 years, the staple foods of Natsha people, grain export volumes, and so on.

Each time I asked a question, Kun’s expression became more subtle.

His face showed he didn’t understand why I was asking such things.

“About that matter…”

Even so, he diligently answered all my questions.

“Thank you for telling me.”

I paid Kun for the information he had given me, then turned and left.

It took longer than I thought. I expected it to take around 30 minutes, but it took a whole hour.

Sara must be waiting, so I should hurry.

I hurriedly left the trading post and headed toward the cafe when I heard a familiar voice from somewhere.

“Me, the Emperor? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

This voice… His Majesty the Emperor?

It was a voice I could never mistake, even if I tried to.

Why would I hear His Majesty the Emperor’s voice on the street…

I hurriedly looked in the direction the voice was coming from.

“I’m just a nouveau riche, I tell you?”

Then I saw Kalian arguing with some burly men.

I thought it couldn’t be, but it really was His Majesty the Emperor.

I looked at Kalian in bewilderment.

Unaware that I was watching, Kalian continued arguing with the burly men.

“Are you really not?”

“No. If I were the Emperor, I wouldn’t be walking around alone like this, would I?”

Kalian was lying without batting an eye.

The burly men tilted their heads.

“Are you really not?”

“But blue hair is a characteristic of the imperial family.”

“Right. They say only royalty can have such vivid blue hair.”

“The only remaining royalty are the Emperor, Countess Cloud, and some prince whose name we don’t even know.”

“They said that prince is just a child, so the only one left is the Emperor…”

The burly men looked Kalian up and down with deep suspicion.

The onlookers who had gathered were also murmuring while looking at Kalian.

Kalian himself seemed unconcerned, but I wasn’t.

I was anxious and nervous that Kalian’s identity as Emperor might be discovered.

Of course, there would be guard knights protecting him nearby, but since unexpected situations can arise, I couldn’t stop worrying.

Moreover, I was even more anxious because when I looked around, I couldn’t see anyone who looked like Count Hiltain or guard knights.

I wanted to help somehow, but if I acted rashly, it would only make the situation worse.

But I couldn’t just stand and watch.

What should I do? How can I…

“If you don’t reveal your identity, I’ll cut you down.”

Shing-

One of the men drew the bastard sword he had been carrying on his back.

Dangerous!

Unable to watch any longer, I hurriedly ran over and grabbed Kalian’s arm.

Then Kalian looked at me in surprise.

The burly men and the crowd were equally surprised.

A moment of silence fell.

Having become the center of everyone’s attention, I swallowed dryly.

I had rushed out in my urgency, but now what should I do?

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

Not knowing what to do and just rolling my eyes around, a couple came into my view.

Seeing the couple, one method to break through this situation came to mind.

I would never have done this at any other time, but now I had no choice.

“H-honey!”

I squeezed my eyes shut and shouted. I couldn’t bear to look directly at Kalian’s face.

But even with my eyes closed, I felt like I could clearly see Kalian’s bewildered face.

I became anxious in a different way than before.

My mouth went dry and my head spun in circles. I wanted to run away immediately.

But that would look even stranger, so I forced my voice out with effort.

“What are you doing here! And why did you dye your hair blue again!”

“Ah.”

As if he finally realized what I was trying to do, Kalian smiled softly and pulled her waist into his embrace.

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

And he acted along with my performance.

I should have felt relieved that he was playing along, but instead I felt even more uncomfortable. My mouth went dry from nervousness.

I clenched my sweaty hands tightly and answered.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, but hair dye is expensive…”

“But honey, you like this color.”

Honey.

The word that embarrassed me even when I said it myself was even more embarrassing to hear from someone else’s mouth.

Moreover, it felt even more so because that person was Kalian, the Emperor and my superior.

I still couldn’t look directly into Kalian’s eyes and kept my gaze around his chin area.

“Right?”

It’s not that I particularly like it…

But if I said no here, it would be strange, so I nodded for now.

“I like… it.”

Kalian smiled brightly and lightly kissed my forehead.

In that moment, strength entered the hand that was gripping his collar.

The spot where his lips touched felt hot as if burned by fire.

I don’t think the kiss was really necessary…

“That’s why I did it.”

While I was in a daze, Kalian’s acting continued.

“It’s expensive, but I don’t want to be jealous of the Emperor.”

My heart pounded at his affectionate tone and actions.

“I also want to show that I love you more.”

He’s… good at acting.

Even knowing he was acting, his acting skills were so excellent that I was momentarily fooled.

“What a sweet husband! His wife is so lucky!”

“He’s putting all other men to shame!”

Whether others besides me were also fooled, I heard envious exclamations and jeering sounds from around us.

“I guess not.”

“Right. There’s no way the Emperor would walk around without bodyguards.”

The large men who had suspected Kalian seemed completely convinced that Kalian and I were a married couple.

This should be enough.

I tried to leave the scene while reading the situation.

“Ah!”

But I couldn’t because Kalian pulled my waist tightly toward him.

Not only that, but our bodies pressed completely together without even room for a sheet of paper between us.

Close enough to hear each other’s breathing.

Finding myself suddenly in his embrace, I panicked greatly and my body stiffened.

“Leilah.”

Kalian spoke quietly against my ear, just loud enough for me to hear.

“Since it’s come to this, could you help me to the end?”

What does he want me to help with? Is there still an unresolved problem?

I was puzzled but nodded for now.

“Good.”

Kalian smiled brilliantly again and gently stroked my cheek.

This is acting. He’s acting like we’re a married couple.

Even trying to calm my mind that way, it wasn’t easy because his acting was too realistic.

My oblivious heart kept pounding.

Worried that Kalian might hear my heartbeat, I barely managed to lift the corners of my mouth instead of speaking.

While trying my best not to be awkward.

“I went through the trouble of getting an invitation to buy you a gift, but they won’t let me in, saying I’m a suspicious person.”

At those words, I glanced at the large men instead of answering.

Even though I hadn’t given them a resentful look, the large men coughed loudly as if feeling guilty.

“Ahem, as you know, this is a place where we need to be careful…”

“Well, since it’s confirmed you’re not the Emperor, follow us! But you have to bring your wife too!”

Huh? I have to go too?

At the unexpected words, I looked at Kalian in confusion.

As if he didn’t notice my gaze, Kalian readily nodded.

“Let’s do that.”

No. Sara is waiting…

But since I had told Kalian I would help him to the end, I couldn’t say no now.

Then I at least wanted to explain the situation to Sara before going.

Otherwise, Sara would wait for me endlessly without knowing why.

“Um-“

“Don’t worry.”

As if he knew what I was worried about, Kalian spoke quietly in my ear.

My shoulders involuntarily hunched at the hot breath tickling my ear.

“If it’s your maid, Hilltain will safely take her home.”

So there was a bodyguard after all.

More than that, how did he know I brought Sara with me?

I wanted to ask, but there was no time.

“Shall we go, honey.”

Kalian led me while imitating an affectionate husband again.

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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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