Don’t Pick Up The Trash Once Thrown Away - Chapter 106

Kalian took great care of me and even sent me lunch, but I still couldn’t eat well.

 

All I could eat was three or four spoons of soup and two bites of salad.

 

I even already forced myself to eat something that my stomach couldn’t take.

 

After I finished eating, I had nothing to do. I tried to sleep, but I couldn’t because bad thoughts kept coming to my mind.

 

“Huu.”

 

I sat down on the sofa while rubbing my face.

 

Kalian told me not to do anything and take a good rest, but it was more difficult for me now. Because when I did nothing, I kept thinking about Philen. And the more I was like this, the more I felt I had to do something.

 

It would be best to work frantically, but I couldn’t do that because if I went to the office, Kalian would scold me a lot.

 

Then what should I do? Should I read a book?

 

It seemed like a good idea, so I immediately got ready to go out and headed to the library.

 

“Oh my, long time no see. Sir Thebesa.”

 

The librarian I knew well greeted me warmly.

 

The other librarian next to him also recognized me and tapped the familiar librarian from the side and said.

 

“Chelsea, you should call her Baron Aster now.”

 

“Ah, right. You have been granted the title.”

 

The librarian, Chelsea, bowed and apologized to me.

 

“I apologize, Baron.”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

I just got the title yesterday, so it was only natural if there were people who still didn’t know. I didn’t have the thought to criticize him for something like this.

 

…it was also a title that should probably be returned soon.

 

“Is there a book you are looking for?”

 

“No. I’m just here to look around, so you don’t have to worry about me.”

 

“Then you can find me whenever you need me.”

 

“I will.”

 

After the librarian left, I looked around the bookshelf.

 

As I was looking around, thinking about which book to read so that I could avoid distracting thoughts, a book suddenly caught my eye.

 

[Do Not Break the Red Rose]

 

Sarah had recommended that book before, but as it was too embarrassing, I couldn’t read even a single page properly.

 

Come to think of it, I haven’t left a note for Sarah.

 

I had to go home to leave a note for Sarah, but I was terrified because I might meet Philen again. But I couldn’t keep staying like this.

 

I’ll have to ask Baron Delrond later.

 

I didn’t know if I could ask him something personal like this, but there was no one else I could ask.

 

By the way, I remembered it was a very embarrassing book. Could such a book be in the Imperial Library?

 

I took out the book and opened it to see if it was different from the book I knew.

 

[Sessie’s face turned red. She had two jolting rises in front of her…]

 

Tak-!

 

Oh my gosh. It’s the book.

 

Why on earth is this book in the Imperial Library? 

 

I didn’t even read a single page properly, but my face was already hot as if it was on fire.

 

Even if I fanned myself using my hand, it hardly subsided.

 

It made me embarrassed to hold a book like this.

 

As I was about to put it in its place right away, I felt someone’s presence behind my back and he took the book I was holding.

 

I looked back in surprise.

 

“Do not break the red rose?”

 

“Your, Your Majesty.”

 

Why is he here?

 

No, more than that, the book he’s holding…!

 

“Pl, please give me that back!”

 

I panicked and tried to take the book, but Kalian held it so high that I couldn’t reach it.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

“What kind of book is this that can make you this flustered?”

 

Kalian opened the book in that state.

 

Don’t, don’t look!

 

Thinking I had to stop it somehow, I stretched out my hand as much as I could and jumped.

 

But it was still not enough. It was the same no matter how many times I tried.

 

“Your Majesty, please give it back!”

 

Still, I couldn’t let Kalian see it.

 

As I jumped as high as I could with all my might, the book touched my fingertips.

 

“I caught…!”

 

I lost my balance and leaned forward in an instant.

 

Fortunately, Kalian grabbed my waist and prevented me from falling unsightly, but instead, my face was buried in Kalian’s chest.

 

“…!”

 

His distinctive thick body odor penetrated deep into my lungs. It was a fresh and light scent. And it smelled like the sea.

 

…but why do I stay still like this?

 

“I, I apologize, Your Majesty.”

 

Realizing that I had been burying my face in his chest too much belatedly, I pulled back in surprise.

 

“…”

 

Kalian stared at me and shifted his gaze to the book he was holding.

 

His eyes were thinly folded.

 

“What an obscene book. I didn’t know you liked novels like this.”

 

“N, no!”

 

I hurriedly made an excuse because Kalian was about to have a strange misunderstanding.

 

“I, I just took it out because the title caught my eye! I don’t like it at all!”

 

“Really? That’s a pity.”

 

Kalian said as if he genuinely thought it was a pity and put the book in its place.

 

“I like it though.”

 

*****

 

I borrowed a book to read and left the library. Just in time, it started to rain lightly.

 

After receiving an umbrella from a servant, Kalian reached out to me.

 

“I’ll take you to the palace.”

 

“Yes. Then I will hold the umbrella.”

 

Kalian shook his head as I tried to take the umbrella.

 

“No need. It’s more comfortable for me to hold it.”

 

“But…”

 

“Didn’t I tell you not to repeat the same words over and over?”

 

Kalian said firmly and pulled my arm.

 

As I tried to avoid the rain with the small umbrella, I inevitably had to stick tight to him.

 

I was very concerned about our shoulders that kept bumping into each other.

 

I can use a separate umbrella though, do we have to use an umbrella together?

 

No, rather than that, how could His Majesty hold the umbrella himself? 

 

I was going to ask if it would be better to use a separate umbrella even now, but Kalian spoke up first.

 

“You didn’t eat lunch properly.”

 

It seemed like he heard it from someone.

 

“Did you not like the food?”

 

“No. The food was delicious.”

 

“Then why didn’t you eat?”

 

“I just had no appetite. I will eat well next time.”

 

I thought Kalian wouldn’t say anything more after this, but he was meticulous.

 

“You promised. So you have to eat properly for dinner.”

 

Oh my, I dug my own grave.

 

I wondered if I could have dinner properly, but I nodded for now.

 

I turned my eyes to my surroundings. The attendants and female attendants, who couldn’t avoid the rain, were running around quickly.

 

Seeing them reminded me of Sarah.

 

I need to let her know that I’m in the palace.

 

“Your Majesty, may I go to the aide’s office?”

 

Kalian made a small frown.

 

“Are you ignoring my words to rest?”

 

“It’s not that, I need to see… Baron Delrond.”

 

I unintentionally tried to call him Baron (using nim), but I corrected my words right away.

 

“Why Ver?”

 

“I have a favor to ask him.”

 

Kalian stopped walking and looked at me. He looked very displeased.

 

“What are you trying to ask Ver?”

 

“It’s not a big deal. I’m going to ask him to let my maid, Sarah, know I’m here.”

 

“If that’s the case, I can do it.”

 

He, the emperor, would do such a trivial thing? Was he going to ask the attendant? Then it was less burdensome than asking the Baron.

 

“Then, please. Perhaps Sarah is now coming up from her hometown to the capital. I don’t know when she will arrive, but she will arrive today at the earliest, or within two days at the latest.”

 

“That means she might be home now.”

 

As I nodded, Kalian ordered the attendant who was standing behind him.

 

“Attach someone at Baron Aster’s house. When a maid named Sarah comes, bring her directly to the palace.”

 

“I understand.”

 

I was going to leave a note or a letter, but as I thought this way was more certain, I left it alone.

 

While we were talking, we arrived at the palace.

 

I stood in front of the palace and bowed my head toward Kalian.

 

“Thank you for escorting me.”

 

Instead of saying goodbye, Kalian stared at me.

 

Does he have anything to say?

 

I stood upright and waited for him to speak. But Kalian didn’t say anything until the rain made his clothes wet.

 

“What…”

 

The moment I opened my mouth, tired of waiting, Kalian said.

 

“It’s cold when it rains.”

 

“Then you should come in.”

 

If it’s cold, you should come in. Why are you standing like that?

 

“Warm tea is perfect for a day like this.”

 

“You are right.”

 

“…”

 

Kalian’s eyebrow rose slightly as if he didn’t like my answer.

 

Kalian stared at me again, then turned around, clicking his tongue lightly. And without saying goodbye, he quickly disappeared without looking back.

 

He looked like a petulant child.

 

Why is he like that? Did I do something wrong?

 

I returned to my room with an uncomfortable feeling.

 

In the meantime, perhaps because the maid had come here, the room was tidy.

 

As I put the book I borrowed from the library on the table, a glass bottle next to it caught my eye. It was a glass bottle with strawberry candy in it.

 

Come to think of it, Kalian left it this morning.

 

I took a strawberry candy from the glass bottle and put it in my mouth.

 

The sweet and sour strawberry flavor filled my mouth.

 

I couldn’t even eat a lot of food that was sure to be made with high-quality ingredients. Sweet cakes and cookies too.

 

But strangely enough, I could eat the strawberry candy.

 

What a strange thing.

 

*****

 

In the evening, a female attendant of the palace brought me my dinner.

 

“His Majesty has asked you to keep your promise.”

 

…with those words.

 

I still didn’t want to eat anything, but I tried to eat as much as I could because of those words.

 

Unexpectedly, maybe because my heart recognized it, I accepted the food more easily than when at lunch. It might also be possible because it was a food that didn’t strain my stomach.

 

Although I was slow, I ate all the food the female attendant brought without missing a spoon until the end.

 

After she confirmed I had finished it all and left, another one came. This time again was an attendant sent by Kalian.

 

“It is from His Majesty.”

 

I received the box handed to me by the attendant.

 

Inside the box was a scented candle wrapped with ribbon. It was lavender scented that was said to be good for insomnia and mental and physical stability.

 

I couldn’t believe he would pay attention to such small details.

 

I was grateful, but at the same time, I felt uncomfortable because I didn’t usually pay this much attention to my aide.

 

Kalian was kinder and nicer than the average person, but I still thought it was too much.

 

No, of course, he was worried because I had been in trouble a lot.

 

I wanted to be of help to him, but I felt heavy because it seemed like I was constantly causing trouble.

 

Come to think of it, I also had something to give him.

 

The scented candle reminded me of that. I put the box down and took out small boxes from my luggage in the closet.

 

They were gifts for Sarah, Baron Delrond, and Kalian.

 

Originally, I was going to give Kalian the gift and tell him about Aldor’s doing and that someone tried to poison me, but it seemed like I had to change the plan.

 

I have to deal with Philen’s matter first.

 

If I couldn’t solve it, no matter how much I tried to solve other things, it’s of no use.

 

It was when I was fiddling with the gift for Kalian and thinking about how to solve Philen’s matter.