Don’t Pick Up The Trash Once Thrown Away - Chapter 147

The next day, late in the morning.

After reporting, I held out the envelope the Duchess had given me yesterday to Kalian.

“What’s this?”

Kalian, who received the envelope, asked, picking up the letter knife.

“Duchess Cloud asked me to deliver it to Your Majesty.”

“Duchess Cloud?”

“Yes. The Duchess said it was a list of ladies who, in her opinion, were qualified to become the empress.”

“What?”

His hand holding the letter knife stopped. Kalian looked at me in surprise.

“What did you just say?”

“It is from Duchess Cloud…”

“Not that.”

I was going to repeat myself like a parrot, but Kalian cut me out firmly.

“Does that mean the Duchess visited you in person?”

As I nodded, his beautiful eyebrows narrowed.

“She did something useless.”

Kalian clicked his tongue, annoyed, and tossed the envelope aside without opening it.

He doesn’t look so happy. Still, I need to say this.

While looking into Kalian’s mood, I said cautiously.

“The Duchess was very worried that His Majesty had no descendants until now.”

Kalian, leaning on the backrest, crossed his arms and looked at me. His face was like telling me to keep talking.

I couldn’t look Kalian in the face, so I continued with my eyes on the desk.

“And I feel… the same.”

The sound of the wind blowing through the cracks of the windows scattered faintly in the air.

“I also… hope that Your Majesty will bring in Her Majesty as soon as possible.”

“Really?”

His heavy voice echoed in the office.

When I looked up, I saw Kalian looking at me with slightly angry eyes.

“Do you really want me to bring in an empress?”

My mouth felt a little dry as if I had chewed sand.

“…yes.”

I put my hands together and answered half a beat late.

“That’s what I want too.”

The Empress.

The Empire’s First Lady. A position where you stood beside the emperor and were in charge of the housekeeping of the empire. There was nothing good about leaving such a place empty for a long time.

Because of it, no one was in charge of the upcoming New Year festival, making Duchess Cloud have to lend her hand.

“I hope you will bring in an empress as soon as possible.”

This was what everyone wanted, not just me. The people of the Empire wanted it so much enough to wish that I could become the empress.

I’m the empress? When I don’t have any wealth, family, power, or status?

What nonsense.

It’s a place that I don’t dare to wish for, nor do I wish for.

At my words, Kalian stared at me and then said with a deep sigh.

“Leila, you don’t know because you weren’t there when I took the throne.”

There was a lot of anger mixed in his cold voice that couldn’t be hidden.

“But I had declared I would not bring an empress or empress (concubine) in until the Empire was stabilized. So, I hope there won’t be any more fuss over things like this.”

He won’t bring an empress or empress (concubine) in until the Empire is stabilized?

That’s…

“It… doesn’t make sense.”

“What?”

Is it because of my unexpected response? His face shows so much anger.

Kalian looked at me as if to say I should speak no more, but I couldn’t. For Kalian, and furthermore, for the sake of the Empire, I had to.

“If there is no Her Majesty, who takes care of the housekeeping of the Empire, how can the Empire be stabilized?”

I said as I looked at my reflection in his blue eyes.

“If you really want the Empire to be stabilized… I think you should rather bring Her Majesty in, Your Majesty.”

I looked at him with a face that looked like I was about to collapse for some reason.

*****

After handling the outside schedule, Ver, who returned to the outer palace’s office, tilted his head when he saw the officials standing in front of the door, trembling.

“What are you all doing here?”

“Ah, Baron Delrond.”

Their pale faces, which looked like they couldn’t eat a bowl of soup just a moment ago, brightened instantly.

“Welcome, Baron Delrond.”

“We’ve been waiting for you, Baron.”

What is this? This uncomfortable hospitality.

Being welcomed like that made him feel bad, so he took a step back. He was going to run away, but he couldn’t because he was caught by the officials.

The officials then put the documents they brought in Ver’s arms.

“Please give His Majesty this for me, okay?”

“Please do it for me, too.”

As expected, there was a reason for their sudden welcome.

Ver’s face crumpled. He returned the documents he received back to the officials and flatly refused.

“I don’t want to. My work alone is enough to kill me, so how can I do your work? Do it yourself.”

“We want to do it ourselves…”

“But we can’t go in because His Majesty seems to be in a very bad mood.”

Kalian in a bad mood? He didn’t seem to be in a bad mood this morning though.

Ver glanced at the office, where the door was tightly closed.

Is Duke Williot visiting again?

Ver already heard from Kalian yesterday that Philen had come to apply for a return. Kalian said that he already refused adamantly, but no one knew.

Not good.

I have a lot to report today, and he’s in a bad mood?

It was also bad news for Ver.

“Alright. Make sure to repay me later.”

“Thank you, Baron Delrond.”

Ver’s misfortune was further aggravated as the officials, who were afraid of Kalian, left all the work to him and ran away.

“Huu, seriously.”

Either we should change the officials as soon as possible or hire more aides, hmph.

With a sigh that was boiling from the depths of his heart, Ver entered the office.

Kalian was sitting drooping on the sofa. One hand rested on his temple, and the other rested casually on the sofa.

He’s certainly in a bad mood, huh? But I don’t think it’s enough to make the officials run away, though.

“Your majesty.”

Ver, who was wondering, immediately changed his mind once he made eye contact with Kalian.

No wonder the officials ran away!

Kalian’s expression wasn’t good at all. His eyes were so fierce that if he could kill someone with his eyes, he would have already killed him dozens of times.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen his face like that.

Actually, it wasn’t that long. It’s only been about a year now.

Anyway, it was certain that something bad had happened, so Ver asked cautiously.

“What happened?”

“…”

Kalian closed his eyes without saying a word. It meant he didn’t want to answer.

He was curious, but if he poked around for no reason and the sparks flew, it would be a big deal, so Ver swallowed his curiosity and sat down.

He then tried to concentrate on his work, but he couldn’t because he was bothered by Kalian. It’s also because of the bloody energy that Kalian exuded, which made Ver’s body tremble.

Wow, my arm is shaking. I can’t write properly.

“Your Majesty, if you have something to say to me, please say it, and if you don’t, would you please leave?”

What came back to his words that came out of frustration was stinging gazes like a needle.

…I should have just put up with it.

Ver regretted saying it out and avoided Kalian’s gaze.

Kalian, who stared at the back of Ver’s head, opened his mouth.

“Arrogant.”

Is he saying I’m arrogant now?

It doesn’t seem so though.

“Are you referring to Duke Williot?”

Ver remembered that Kalian had been in a bad mood due to Philen’s sudden appearance, so he asked.

Deep wrinkles formed on Kalian’s forehead.

“Duke Williot isn’t arrogant. He is annoying.”

Ah, it’s not about this, huh?

So, what happened then?

“Come to think of it, I forgot to tell Leila that Duke Williot was here.”

“Yes? You forgot that?”

This morning, when he told him about it, it was Kalian who was acting like he was going to run to Leila at any moment and tell her right away.

How sweaty was he to make that emotion disappear?

[T/N: Sweaty = have a hard time/face a difficult problem.]

In winter, he should have changed his sweat-soaked shirt, but he forgot? It was absurd and ridiculous.

He was worried because it meant that something bad had happened.

“What happened?”

Kalian rubbed his face, saying.

“Leila told me to bring in an empress.”

“And?”

“That’s all.”

He thought there would be another big problem, but that’s all?

Ver laughed dejectedly.

“Why do you think she is arrogant? Baron Aster gave her advice based on her perspective.”

“How can that be advice?”

“Well, it’s because Baron Aster doesn’t know Your Majesty’s secret.”

Ver shrugged and continued.

“Everyone cannot say it directly because they are afraid of Your Majesty, but we are hoping that Your Majesty will bring in an empress. Duchess Cloud even held a tea party to find a lady worthy of the position of an empress, didn’t she?”

Kalian waved his hand in annoyance.

“Don’t talk about Esramel. She’s the one who blew it on Leila.”

“The Duchess? I mean, why are you angry with Baron Aster then?”

“Because Leila was talking arrogantly.”

Kalian frowned and told Ver exactly what he heard from Leila. Then, Ver looked even more reluctant and looked at Kalian.

“Why do you look like that?”

“…Your Majesty, do you like Baron Aster?”

What kind of nonsense is this again? No, more than that, I think he asked something similar before.

“What on earth are you seeing to think like that?”

“Do you not?”

“No.”

Kalian denied it firmly.

“But why do Your Majesty’s words and actions seem like you like Baron Aster?”

“That’s why I ask you, what are you seeing to think like that?”

“That…”

How can I explain it?

It was hard to explain because it was so obvious. It was like trying to explain how a fish breathed underwater.

…if so, should I make him know it himself?

Sometimes it was more effective to experience in person than a hundred words.

“You really don’t, right?”

“No.”

After receiving that definite answer once again, Ver asked with a strange smile.

“Then, can I confess to Baron Aster?”