Don’t Pick Up The Trash Once Thrown Away - Chapter 148

“What?”

 

Kalian was visibly bewildered and asked Ver.

 

Ver smiled and repeated himself.

 

“I asked if I could confess to Baron Aster.”

 

Kalian was silent for a moment, then said, sweeping his face.

 

“…don’t be joking.”

 

“I may be a lousy person, but I’m not lousy enough to make a joke out of this.”

 

“Are you serious?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Ver erased the smile from his face instantly and said seriously.

 

“I intend to sincerely confess to Baron Aster.”

 

When he said that, it’s not like he was joking.

 

I didn’t expect Ver to have feelings for Leila. 

 

“Ha.”

 

He couldn’t help but laugh at the unexpected fact. Kalian lowered his head slightly and touched his forehead.

 

Ver was 25 this year, and it was past the age of marriage.

 

He was in a situation where he couldn’t get married, but not Ver. That’s why he was thinking of pushing him as hard as he could if there was a girl he liked, but he didn’t expect that girl to be Leila.

 

“You can’t if it’s Leila.”

 

Ver tilted his head at his firm words.

 

“Why not?”

 

“She broke her engagement less than a year ago. The wound she received from that time hasn’t healed yet.”

 

“That’s why I want to take care of her even more. It’s not right to leave the wound alone.”

 

Kalian’s eyebrow went up.

 

“Sometimes it can be good medicine to leave it alone.”

 

“That’s Your Majesty’s opinion.”

 

Ha, look at this. He keeps talking back, huh? 

 

It wasn’t a day or two for Ver to do this, but he felt particularly unpleasant today.

 

Kalian got up from his seat, crossed his arms, and looked down at Ver.

 

Ver, who was shorter than Kalian, raised his head and looked at him. And so, the two had a snowball fight for a long time.

 

“Oh, my neck.”

 

It was Ver who turned his gaze first. His neck hurt as he kept his head up stiffly, so Ver groaned and rubbed his neck.

 

Only then did Kalian smile contentedly and tap Ver’s shoulder.

 

“Stop your useless thoughts there, and just focus on your work.”

 

Kalian walked past Ver towards the door.

 

Ver looked at Kalian’s back and said.

 

“The reason I have been hiding my feelings all this time is because I thought Your Majesty had feelings for Baron Aster.”

 

His hand that was going to grab the door handle stopped. Kalian turned his head and looked at Ver.

 

With a serious face without a hint of a smile, Ver continued.

 

“But since Your Majesty clearly said he doesn’t, I will not hide it anymore.”

 

*****

 

Am I being too nosy?

 

Is that why he is so angry?

 

It was when I met Kalian again that I was convinced about that.

 

While I was trying to concentrate on my work, Kalian suddenly came to the office. He sat on the sofa and looked at me without saying anything.

 

His gaze was so stinging that the side of my face where it touched stung.

 

I think he came here because he has something to tell me, but why is he looking at me like that? Does he want to bother me on purpose?

 

It bothered me so much that I couldn’t concentrate on my work.

 

I waited for Kalian to speak first, but it was already over an hour, and he still didn’t say anything.

 

“Do you have anything to say to me, Your Majesty?”

 

In the end, tired of waiting, I asked him first.

 

Then, Kalian’s lips pouted. But he still didn’t say anything.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

“…what’s your ideal type?”

 

The question that came up after a while was out of the blue.

 

I was bewildered when he asked about my ideal type. But I was even more bewildered because I had never thought about it.

 

“Why my ideal type all of a sudden…”

 

“Answer me.”

 

I could feel his strong will to hear my answer somehow.

 

What should I say? 

 

I answered stammeringly as soon as I thought of one.

 

“I think… a good person would be great. It would be great if that person was an honest and kind person who is kind to my people and doesn’t look down on them.”

 

When I had said it, I bit my lip gently because I thought I told him the opposite of what Philen had done to me.

 

I’m like an idiot. Have I still not gotten over Philen’s afterimage yet?

 

Wondering if Kalian noticed this, I looked at him. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to.

 

“Is that all? You don’t look at his status, wealth, or appearance?”

 

I smiled faintly and shook my head.

 

“How can I ask such a thing in my circumstances?”

 

“What’s wrong with you?”

 

Kalian frowned and said.

 

“You’re good enough.”

 

“Thank you for seeing me in a good light.”

 

“I wasn’t seeing you in a good light. I was only telling you the truth. You’re my aide, so you need to be more confident.”

 

Yeah, I need to be confident. Because it would be helpful to His Majesty too.

 

“Anyway, that’s your ideal type, huh?”

 

Kalian thought for a moment, then asked another question.

 

“What do you think of Ver?”

 

This time, too, was an absurd question.

 

By the way, many people have asked me what I think of someone these days.

 

“I think he’s a good person.”

 

“Again?”

 

It might not just be my feelings, but I felt like I had had similar conversations before.

 

“Baron Delrond is a kind man.”

 

“Like your ideal type?”

 

Is this where the conversation is going?

 

“I’m not sure about that.”

 

There were people in my family who seemed kind and nice at work but treated me harshly. For example, Count Thebesa and Andante. They were in that category. Philen was also like that.

 

Of course, I wasn’t saying Baron Delrond was like that. He was most likely not, but it wasn’t something I could tell by guessing, so I went around it moderately.

 

Then Kalian asked another question.

 

“Between me and Ver, who do you think is a better person?”

 

Why does he keep asking such difficult questions? Could this be the punishment for being nosy today?

 

“Answer me, Leila. Who do you think is a better person?”

 

Is this how a child feels when they are asked whether they like their mom or their dad? 

 

I was troubled when he asked me to answer something I couldn’t decide. It was hard to choose, but if I had to choose…

 

“Of course, it’s Your Majesty.”

 

The reason for choosing Kalian was simple. It’s because he was right in front of me. I chose him because Baron Delrond, who was not here, wouldn’t be offended by my words, and Kalian might be offended if I didn’t choose him.

 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

 

Kalian, who had no way of knowing that fact, smiled happily. Looking at him like that made my conscience prick a little.

 

“I don’t want to suddenly say something like this, but…”

 

The smile on Kalian’s lips disappeared.

 

What kind of question will he ask again with such a serious face? 

 

I held my hands together nervously and looked at Kalian.

 

“Yesterday, Duke Williot came to the outer palace.”

 

Philen… to the outer palace? 

 

“He said he wanted to return as he had been away for too long.”

 

He wanted to return? 

 

It was the most shocking thing I heard today.

 

My tightly held hands were released helplessly.

 

I didn’t want to be reunited with Philen again, that’s why I asked him to completely disappear from my life, but I didn’t think it would be possible.

 

As long as I was the emperor’s aide and Philen as Minister of the Marshal Department, we would be inevitably tied up. There was also New Year’s Day.

 

Still, I never thought we would meet this soon. I thought it would be on New Year’s Day at the earliest, but he’s already back to work?

 

I hadn’t seen his face yet, but I was already this nervous. I put my hand on my chest and took a deep breath. It was heavy as if someone had put a heavy stone on my heart. It was a little difficult to breathe.

 

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

 

I was taking a breath and calming myself down when Kalian grabbed my shoulder.

 

“Because nothing will happen.”

 

I blinked slowly as I looked at Kalian.

 

Kalian smiled gently and continued.

 

“No matter what happens, I will protect you, so you just need to trust and follow me.”

 

Strange.

 

I only heard his words, and nothing had been resolved yet, but my heart felt lighter as if everything had been resolved.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Breathing became easier again.

 

*****

 

After talking with Leila, Kalian stopped by the library.

 

“Your, Your Majesty!”

 

The librarians, who were resting leisurely, greeted Kalian in a hurry, stunned.

 

Kalian ignored their greetings and walked inside. A high-ranking librarian hurriedly followed Kalian.

 

“If there is a book you are looking for, please tell me. I will bring it to you.”

 

“No need. I’m going to find it myself, so don’t worry about it.”

 

“But…”

 

“Don’t make me say it twice. Just go.”

 

The librarian retreated awkwardly at Kalian’s words.

 

Kalian, who was finally alone, looked around the bookshelf leisurely. As he looked around the bookshelf for a while, he stopped at the particularly striking red book.

 

[Is this love?]  

 

“…”

 

Kalian’s expression became subtle. When he tried to take out the book, Kalian shook his head.

 

What are you going to do after reading such a book?

 

Kalian looked around the bookshelf again, thinking he shouldn’t do anything useless, and quickly searched for the books he wanted.

 

After a while, Kalian found the books he wanted and handed them to the attendant, who was waiting.

 

The attendant, who received the books without much thought, made a subtle expression when he read the title of the red book.

 

*****

 

It was an eventful day in many ways. And a bit hectic. Because of that, I couldn’t finish everything I had to do today.

 

I had given up horseback riding training and worked overtime, but there was still a lot of work left to do.

 

I can’t help it. I’ll take it home and finish it.

 

With a small sigh, I took the unfinished documents and left work.

 

Even in the carriage returning to the mansion, I continued to check the documents.

 

My mind was still cluttered with many thoughts, but I could concentrate because I was determined to finish it quickly.

 

As I was concentrating on my work for a while, the carriage came to a halt.

 

Have we arrived?

 

I looked out the window. I could clearly see the mansion, but it was outside the main gate.

 

Why didn’t he go in but stop here?

 

As I was about to ask Hans, I saw a familiar face out the window.