Don’t Pick Up The Trash Once Thrown Away - Chapter 153

“Uaghhh, Nero! I was wrongg!”

 

Ver, who was unexpectedly riding Nero, ran around shouting. To be precise, he was being dragged around by Nero, that ran wild like a foal as if he didn’t like Ver.

 

Meanwhile, Leila and Kalian didn’t approach him. As if not noticing it, Leila, who was practicing horseback riding, even went in another direction.

 

I told you. Nero is smart.

 

Kalian looked at Nero, smiling happily.

 

Leila’s riding skill was still poor but was much better than the first time. It was enough for her to be able to walk around on her own.

 

I’m supposed to be happy if her skill has improved, but why do I feel sad? 

 

Is it because I can’t teach Leila horseback riding anymore? Or is it because I can’t feel her soft yet warm body temperature anymore?

 

Kalian frowned a little while looking at Leila, who was riding the horse.

 

“Baron Aster, you ride well.”

 

Ver, who handed Nero’s reins to the groom, eventually came to Kalian’s side, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

 

His gaze was fixed on Leila. It was the same with Kalian.

 

“With her skill now, it would be no problem for her to parade on this New Year’s Day, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Ver looked at Kalian at his blunt answer.

 

“You don’t look very well. Is something wrong?”

 

“Not at all.”

 

What not at all? His expression looks very bad.

 

It seems to have something to do with Leila because his expression is like that while looking at Leila. 

 

“Did Baron Aster say something arrogant again?”

 

When asked by Ver, who recalled what he had said, Kalian’s eyebrow raised slightly.

 

“Leila never said something like that.”

 

“You said she did.”

 

“When?”

 

“You said she did before.”

 

Kalian thought for a moment and then said firmly.

 

“I don’t remember.”

 

You don’t remember? B*llsh*t. Looking at his face, he does remember everything.

 

“So, you don’t remember what I said before too?”

 

“What do you say?”

 

“That I’m interested in Baron Aster.”

 

Kalian turned his head violently enough to make a sound and looked at Ver. His gaze was somewhat murderous, but since Ver had seen worse, he could receive it casually.

 

“You seem to have not forgotten it.”

 

“Did you mean it?”

 

“I’ve told you many times that I mean it. I really like Baron Aster.”

 

Ver said with an infinitely serious look.

 

“That’s why unless you have feelings for the Baron, please don’t disturb me…”

 

“I have.”

 

Kalian intercepted Ver’s words and looked at Leila again.

 

“I have feelings for Leila, so you fold.”

 

“What are you saying now…”

 

Ver’s eyes widened so much that it couldn’t be compared to when he grabbed Nero’s reins.

 

Doubting his ears, Ver asked Kalian again.

 

“I, I just heard it wrong, right? Your Majesty has fe, feelings for Baron Aster?”

 

He was so surprised that he couldn’t speak well. His voice shook too.

 

Kalian, who was bothered by such Ver, didn’t answer, but Ver was persistent.

 

“Answer me, Your Majesty. Do you really have feelings for Baron Aster…”

 

“Yeah, I have.”

 

“You, do you feel that way because she’s simply your aide…”

 

“I like Leila as a woman. Is that enough?”

 

A shocking thing poured out of Kalian’s mouth.

 

Feeling a strong shock as if he had been hit in the back of his head with a hammer, Ver faltered with his hand touching his head.

 

“Baron Delrond?”

 

Leila, who was coming their way just in time, stopped in bewilderment when she saw Ver falter.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“He’s okay.”

 

It was Kalian who answered.

 

“He just stumbled like an idiot.”

 

A stinging gaze poured out along with the words. It was a gaze that told him to stand up straight without pretending to be weak.

 

I didn’t pretend to be weak though.

 

Ver felt unfair, but Kalian’s gaze was so stinging that he couldn’t say anything.

 

“I’m okay.”

 

And, as Kalian wanted, he stood straight up.

 

Contrary to his words that he was okay, Ver’s complexion was not that good. So Leila eventually got off the horse and approached Ver.

 

“Are you really okay?”

 

“Yes, I’m okay.”

 

“But your complexion doesn’t look good. Do you have a fever?”

 

She tried to put her hand on his forehead to measure his temperature, but before she could do that, Kalian grabbed her hand.

 

“Ver, if you’re not feeling well, go see the Imperial doctor.”

 

Again this time, Kalian said with his eyes.

 

Get out of here right now, he said.

 

Not long ago, it was Kalian who denied his feelings and said no. It was so ridiculous seeing his behavior change like flipping a palm in just a few days, which made Ver smirk inwardly.

 

In his mind, he wanted to pour out the things he was thinking about, but he couldn’t.

 

“Yes, yes. I’ll go see the Imperial doctor.”

 

Because his opponent was the emperor, and he was the emperor’s aide.

 

Eish, what a dirty status system.

 

It was a fact he already knew, but he still felt annoyed.

 

Ver left the practice riding field, cursing inwardly.

 

*****

 

Everything Ver told Kalian was true.

 

That he had feelings for Leila. And that he had been hiding his feelings all this time because of Kalian.

 

If Kalian didn’t have feelings for Leila, it was all sincere that he would go for her. That’s why as long as Kalian said he had feelings for Leila, he would close his heart.

 

He promised himself not to go out anymore and only watch from behind, but…

 

“Don’t go any closer to Leila than necessary from now on.”

 

…if you keep provoking me like this, I want to bother you, you know? 

 

“How much is necessary?”

 

Kalian thought for a moment and then pointed to his desk.

 

“From here.”

 

Then he strode over to the one-seater sofa.

 

“To here.”

 

Ver looked at Kalian with a bewildered look.

 

“Just that further?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“The distance between Baron Aster’s desk and mine is shorter than that. Are you telling me not to sit at my desk?”

 

“Is that so?”

 

As if he didn’t know about that, Kalian thought for a moment, then came up with an idea.

 

“Then, Ver, from now on, you will have to work only in the outer palace.”

 

It was, of course, a no-brainer.

 

“Why don’t you just expand the office?”

 

“Oh, that’s good, too.”

 

Kalian immediately rang the bell and called for Rahel.

 

“I’m going to expand the aide’s office. Prepare the construction.”

 

Ver was bewildered and asked Kalian.

 

“Are you really going to do it?”

 

“You said you wanted it, right?”

 

“I was just saying it.”

 

“It sounded sincere to me though.”

 

You hear it that way because that’s what you wanted to hear!

 

A silent roar spread inside Ver.

 

Either way, Kalian planned to expand the aide’s office. He wanted to make it bigger than the emperor’s office, but Rahel and Ver stopped him with their arms open.

 

“I probably can’t live up to my original life length.”

 

Ver, who barely managed to stop Kalian, muttered as he sat on the sofa, almost lying down.

 

Kalian, standing in front of the bookshelf, looked through the books and asked Ver casually.

 

“How’s the abolition of slavery going?”

 

When the orphanage project was in full swing, Kalian asked Ver to figure out a way to abolish slavery.

 

“It is impossible to abolish it right now. Slavery is deeply rooted in the Empire, and slavery is a law, not a custom.”

 

Although Ver looked like he was out of himself, he sincerely answered Kalian’s question.

 

“To abolish it, we must hold a meeting with the nobles and obtain the permission of the majority.”

 

“What are the chances that the majority will allow it?”

 

“Close to zero. Because the nobles are the ones who benefit the most from slavery.”

 

In particular, high-ranking nobles were the ones who received many benefits.

 

“Then, is there any way to make the young children not become slaves?”

 

“It will be difficult. It’s also the law that children take on the status of their parents.”

 

“Right.”

 

That’s why there are so many incompetent nobles.

 

Kalian clicked his tongue in annoyance.

 

“I want it all to be completely sorted out though.”

 

“You can take care of it later since now, you have a lot of other things to do.”

 

Ver smiled kindly and pointed to the documents piled up like a mountain on the desk.

 

Staring at the documents, Kalian muttered to himself.

 

“There should be two emperors.”

 

“You know there can’t be two suns in the empire.”

 

Ver replied firmly and stood up.

 

“Don’t think like that, and how about just hiring more aides? Since you are expanding the office, I wish you could hire one more person!”

 

“Mmm.”

 

As Kalian’s reaction was totally apathetic, Ver drew out his lethal move.

 

“If you hire one, Baron Aster will be at ease.”

 

Kalian’s expression changed in an instant.

 

“Choose good ones and give me the list.”

 

Seriously. I didn’t want to think like this, but it’s dirty and cheap.

 

“Yes, I will.”

 

I guess the greatest thing in the world is love.

 

* * *

 

“Yes? Expanding the office?”

 

It’s not even in the middle of the night, yet what is he talking about?

[T/N: In the middle of the night here is a Korean proverb where something happens unexpectedly.]

 

I asked Baron Delrond, perplexed.

 

“Why are we suddenly expanding the office that is still in good condition?”

 

“Ask His Majesty, not me. It’s all His Majesty’s idea.”

 

Baron Delrond shook his head and rummaged through the documents.

 

“Oh, why isn’t it here?”

 

“Are you looking for something?”

 

“Ah, I can’t find the document from the Finance department.”

 

If it was from the Finance department, it must be important.

 

“Did you leave it in the outer palace’s office?”

 

“I suppose so.”

 

Baron Delrond sighed deeply and stood up.

 

“I will go to the outer palace for a while.”

 

“Yes, see you later.”

 

Baron Delrond left.

 

Then, after a while, when I was working, I heard a knock.

 

“Yes, come in.”

 

It was Kalian who opened the door and came in.

 

I put down what I was working on and got up.

 

“Are you busy?”

 

“No. What’s the matter?”

 

“I’m going to fit my uniform for New Year’s Day, but I’m not interested in this kind of thing, and I don’t know much about it.”

 

Kalian said with a slightly awkward face.

 

“So I want you to help me choose… Can you spare me a moment?”