I Won’t Pick Up The T*ash I Threw Away Again - Chapter 82

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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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#82

 

I left the bewildered Aldor behind and headed to the mansion dining hall.

 

Perhaps I had arrived early, as there was no one in the dining hall except for empty tables.

 

It seems everyone hasn’t arrived yet.

 

I had hurried my steps worried I might be late, but fortunately I wasn’t.

 

With time to spare, I leisurely looked around the dining hall.

 

The dining hall was as large and magnificent as the manor itself.

 

Sunlight streaming through the stained glass that occupied an entire wall broke brilliantly into various colors.

 

There were expensive sculptures here and there, and all the paintings hanging on the walls looked equally expensive.

 

There were many paintings in the annex too, so Baron Hutton must like paintings.

 

While I was carefully examining the paintings, the door opened with a clatter.

 

“Oh, there’s already a guest here.”

 

It was Baron Hutton. Beside him was Viscount Valdir, and I could see other aristocrats behind them.

 

Did they all come together while I came alone?

 

Since Aldor said he would escort me, maybe they deliberately excluded me.

 

“Princess Tebesa.”

 

Viscount Valdir called me with a displeased tone. He also looked angry.

 

Knowing why Viscount Valdir was acting like this, I immediately responded.

 

“I was very pleased with the dress you gave me as a gift. However, I accidentally spilled tea on it, so I couldn’t wear the dress here. I apologize, Your Excellency.”

 

Viscount Valdir’s eyebrows tilted at an angle.

 

“An accident, you say?”

 

I nodded calmly.

 

“Yes. It was an accident.”

 

“Princess!”

 

“Why are you getting angry, Viscount Valdir?”

 

Baron Hutton smiled good-naturedly and stopped Viscount Valdir.

 

“The diplomatic mission from the Kingdom of Natsha will arrive soon, so we shouldn’t make the atmosphere cold.”

 

“….”

 

“Come now, don’t frown and take your seat.”

 

Baron Hutton led Viscount Valdir to the high table.

 

The other aristocrats sat in a row beside them.

 

After everyone except me had sat down, only one seat remained at the very end.

 

At any other time, I would have sat in that seat without complaint, but not now.

 

I walked past all the seated people and stood in front of the aristocrat sitting right next to Viscount Valdir.

 

So his name is….

 

“Marquis Malpen. This seems to be my seat, would you please move?”

 

“What?”

 

Marquis Malpen looked up at me as if it were absurd.

 

“Why would this be the princess’s seat? Surely you’re not going to say it’s because you’re a count’s daughter?”

 

I heard someone snicker from the side.

 

It was clear mockery, but it couldn’t shake my heart or mind.

 

I looked straight at Marquis Malpen and said.

 

“Of course not. If we’re simply comparing status, you rank higher than me, Marquis.”

 

A count’s daughter wasn’t strictly a title.

 

Originally lower in status than a baron, but respected only because her father was a count.

 

“I’m glad you know that. But then why are you telling me to move?”

 

“Because I am His Majesty the Emperor’s representative.”

 

I traced the back of the chair he was sitting in with my index finger.

 

“Surely you wouldn’t say that your position ranks higher than mine as His Majesty’s representative?”

 

In private gatherings, status took priority, but in official gatherings, position took priority.

 

Usually status and rank matched so there were rarely any problems… but there were exceptions to everything.

 

This was exactly that case.

 

Of course, strictly speaking, I should sit in the high table seat where Baron Hutton was sitting, but since everything has its order, I made a reasonable compromise.

 

“My legs are getting tired, so would you please move?”

 

Instead of saying anything, Marquis Malpen sent a pleading look to Viscount Valdir for help.

 

But Viscount Valdir couldn’t say anything.

 

Of course he couldn’t. Everything I said was true.

 

“Or would it be alright if I report this matter to His Majesty the Emperor?”

 

Eventually Marquis Malpen stood up from his seat, and the dining hall atmosphere turned cold.

 

Everyone glared at me, but I calmly drank my water. It was just plain water, but it tasted as sweet as if honey had been added.

 

‘I should have done this from the start.’

 

I didn’t particularly like using power to suppress someone, but I had no choice.

 

If I didn’t do this, they would try to suppress me.

 

“Princess Tebesa.”

 

While everyone was quietly glaring at me, Baron Hutton smiled and spoke to me.

 

“When I first saw you, I thought you had a gentle personality, but you have a surprisingly bold side.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

I smiled brightly and put down the water glass I was holding.

 

“I have something I’d like to say.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s fine to call me Princess Tebesa in private settings, but I’d appreciate it if you could call me Count Tebesa in official settings.”

 

“Of course.”

 

If it had been Viscount Valdir, he would have been furious, but Baron Hutton didn’t and just smiled.

 

“I suppose I should use honorifics as well.”

 

Was he being sarcastic? Or was he speaking sincerely?

 

I looked carefully at Baron Hutton’s face to figure out which it was, but it was difficult to gauge his true feelings from his smiling face.

 

Then I should give an appropriate response.

 

“That’s fine. I don’t expect that much.”

 

“Haha, that’s a relief. Isn’t that right, everyone?”

 

“That’s… right, haha.”

 

“Ha, haha….”

 

Under Baron Hutton’s direction, everyone except Viscount Valdir and me forced themselves to laugh.

 

Just as the meaningless laughter was dying down, the diplomatic mission from the Kingdom of Natsha entered the dining hall.

 

“Welcome, everyone.”

 

Baron Hutton, Viscount Valdir, and everyone else stood up from their seats to greet them.

 

“Thank you for inviting us to dinner, Your Excellency Baron Hutton.”

 

Baron Azef exchanged light greetings with Baron Hutton, then sat across from Viscount Valdir.

 

The others sat beside him.

 

Diane sat across from me and right next to Baron Azef.

 

Diane, seeing me, looked slightly surprised and raised her eyebrows.

 

Why is she acting like that?

 

Is it strange that I’m sitting here?

 

When I looked at her puzzled, Diane calmly turned her head as if nothing had happened.

 

Soon after, dishes began to be served course by course.

 

Starting with appetizers, then cold hors d’oeuvres, soup, hot hors d’oeuvres, and so on.

 

Throughout the meal, I watched the food that the Natsha Kingdom diplomatic mission was eating.

 

As a result, my eating speed was naturally much slower. I also wasn’t particularly hungry.

 

“Count Tebesa, doesn’t the food suit your taste?”

 

Perhaps noticing this, Baron Hutton, who had been talking with Baron Azef, asked.

 

For a moment, everyone’s attention focused on me.

 

Uncomfortably….

 

I wiped my mouth with a napkin before answering.

 

“No. It’s delicious.”

 

“But you’re not eating much.”

 

“I’m saving room for the main course, so you don’t need to worry.”

 

“Haha, I was about to say there’s no time to lose weight if you were trying to, but since you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”

 

Unlike Viscount Valdir, Baron Hutton was good at jokes and gave off a warm image in many ways.

 

According to rumors, he had a sharp personality that made sailors and naval officers nervous, but I didn’t get that feeling at all.

 

The conversation was once again led by the three marquises.

 

The rest of us, including myself, participated in the conversation by occasionally chiming in.

 

I wanted to talk with Diane, but there were too many people around, making it difficult.

 

With the marquises conversing right next to me, it was awkward to suddenly bring up a different topic.

 

It can’t be helped. I’ll have to wait for the next opportunity.

 

Swallowing my disappointment, I focused on eating the main course.

 

“Count Tebesa.”

 

Just before dessert was served, Diane suddenly called out to me.

 

“Will Count Tebesa also be attending the conference in two days?”

 

A moment of silence fell over the dining hall. The Empire’s nobles all looked at me in unison.

 

Not only their gazes, but Diane’s sudden question left me staring at her blankly for a moment.

 

“Hmm, that’s….”

 

Taking advantage of that gap, Viscount Valdir opened his mouth.

 

No. If I let Viscount Valdir steal the answer here, it’ll be hard to recover.

 

“Yes.”

 

I clenched my fists that were resting on my knees and answered quickly.

 

“I will also attend. As His Majesty the Emperor’s representative.”

 

* * *

 

When the meal ended, Baron Hutton left first with the Kingdom of Natsha’s diplomatic mission.

 

I was about to leave as well when Viscount Valdir stopped me.

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

 

I knew what he was asking about, but I pretended not to know and asked back innocently.

 

“Ha, are you going to play dumb?”

 

Then Viscount Valdir snorted like an angry wild boar and asked more specifically.

 

“Who gave you permission to attend the conference? Don’t you know that all authority regarding conference attendance belongs to me!”

 

“Of course I know. But I am His Majesty the Emperor’s representative.”

 

I looked straight at the furious Viscount Valdir and continued.

 

“I don’t think Your Lordship’s authority is higher than my will as His Majesty’s representative. Am I wrong in thinking so?”

 

At my words, Viscount Valdir couldn’t say anything and kept his mouth tightly shut.

 

The wrinkles between his brows showed that his mood was not good.

 

After a moment of silence, Viscount Valdir let out a deep sigh and spoke.

 

“What can a princess do at a diplomatic conference? Are you planning to tarnish the Empire’s name?”

 

“Why do you think I can’t do anything?”

 

“Then can you do something? Ah, there is one thing. Taking up space unnecessarily!”

 

I frowned at the blatant criticism.

 

Even though he was a marquis with higher status than me, there was no reason to keep listening to such verbal abuse without cause.

 

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going.”

 

“Give it up right now.”

 

As I turned around, Viscount Valdir grabbed my shoulder and spoke through gritted teeth.

 

“Give up attending the conference!”

 

“I refuse.”

 

“Princess Tebesa!”

 

“Have you forgotten why I was included in this diplomatic mission? It was to prove my abilities at the conference.”

 

For that purpose, Kalian even gave me the privilege of being the Emperor’s representative.

 

“But now Your Lordship’s actions seem no different from going against His Majesty the Emperor’s will.”

 

Viscount Valdir’s mouth clamped shut like a clam.

 

He might ignore me, but he couldn’t dare ignore His Majesty the Emperor.

 

“Therefore, no matter what happens, I will participate in the conference.”

 

I stared straight at Viscount Valdir and drove the point home.

 

“If you want to stop me, you’ll need to get His Majesty the Emperor’s approval.”

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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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