I Won’t Pick Up The Trash I Threw Away Again

Kalian's eyebrows drew a straight line. There was a hint of displeasure in his indifferent eyes.

“I've always thought it was strange.”

However, Esramel continued without caring.

“I thought there was something there, from when Your Majesty, who had no interest in the throne at all, killed everyone and took the throne, and also when Duke Giltian helped Your Majesty.”

Her bright blue eyes stared straight at Kalian. 

“I thought about why on earth it was like that, and then I came to the conclusion that there was some kind of deal between Your Majesty and Duke Giltian.”

“…”

“What kind of deal did you make with Duke Giltian? Perhaps…”

“Enough.”

Kalian cut Esramel's words and stood up.

Esramel couldn't sit still when the emperor stood up, so she stood up too. 

“If you have nothing else to talk about regarding preparations for New Year’s Day, I'll get going.”

“You are avoiding answering, huh?”

“Esramel.”

Kalian warned her by calling out her name directly, not by her Duchess's title.

“The only reason you survived at that time was because you had no interest in the affairs of the Imperial palace, let alone the throne.”

Dark blue eyes and bright blue eyes collided in the air.

“If you want to stay alive, stay still like that. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee your life.”

With those words, Kalian left the dining room. 

“You think I don’t know anything, don't you?”

Esramel, who was left alone, muttered as she stared at the spot where Kalian had been.

“…no, Your Majesty. I was able to survive because I knew everything.”

That's why I was able to avoid the fury without dying.

Because I knew everything. 

I survived because I knew I would die just like them if I was like this. 

“Huu.”

She wanted to let out everything that was in her heart, but she couldn't do that, so she sighed. Then she came out to let the servants, who came in, clear the table.

Esramel, who had come out of the palace, suddenly stopped and looked somewhere.

“…I think it has something to do with that child too.”

Otherwise, neither Duke Giltian nor Kalian would move.

“Should I meet him and ask him?”

Esramel shook her head at the sudden thought.

Not only was it hard to meet him, but she also couldn't ask him what she wanted to ask. Because that child didn't know anything either.

Esramel thought for a while, pursed her lips, then hurried her steps again.

When she had left the palace, someone blocked her way.

"Wife."

It was Duke Cloud. 

Why is he here when he should be locked up in his lab at this hour?

“What's the matter?”

“I heard you're having lunch with His Majesty the Emperor.”

Duke Cloud said with a slightly awkward face. His earlobes were a bit red.

Duke Cloud didn't tell the whole reason, but Esramel knew why he came. 

He's here because he's worried, huh? 

Esramel smiled gently.

A genius wizard who was crazy about magic. A hermit in his lab and the magic tower.

They were all referring to Duke Cloud. As such, Duke Cloud, in the eyes of the world, was never a good person.

But he was a good man and husband to Esramel. Although they weren't the kind of couple overflowing with love like many lovers, there was consideration and affection for each other. Even now, he was so worried about her that he abandoned his research and ran to her.

"Duke."

Esramel smiled and crossed her arms around Duke Cloud's arm.

Duke Cloud flinched, looking down at her.

Esramel smiled brightly as she looked into his shaking eyes.

“Do you not like it?”

“…no."

Duke Cloud replied one beat late.

“Then, let’s go.”

Duke Cloud moved as if there was nothing he could do as Esramel pulled him.

His arms and legs moved at the same time. His stiff shoulders never seemed to get loose.

That's how nervous he was. How could it still be the same for 10 years?

At first, she found him frustrating and pathetic, but not anymore. He was just so cute. 

I'm glad I married him.

Esramel rested her head on Duke Cloud's arm, thinking she had done a really good job of choosing him from among the numerous husband candidates.

She didn't want to lose this happiness she had barely got. To do that…

“…Duke."

Esramel stepped down from the carriage step she had stepped on and looked back at Duke Cloud.

“I have a place to go for a while, so could you return alone?”

“Are you going to the Duke of Huddlen?”   

Esramel answered with a smile. 

Duke Cloud's forehead wrinkled.

“I see you often with Duke Huddlen these days.”

“It's because there's something I really need to do.”

“Can’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you later when it’s all sorted out.”

Esramel reached her white hand out and swept Duke Cloud's shoulder to his arm.

“So, can you trust me and wait a bit more?”

As Kalian predicted, the talk about me should have been the empress quickly subsided.

Thanks to this, I could focus on my work in peace.

The official in charge of the childcare project had been assigned, but since the official was still inexperienced, I couldn't completely get my hands off. In addition, the number of people abandoning their children in front of the orphanage continued to increase, which was a headache.

There was a limit to the number of children that the orphanage could accommodate. And there was a limit to the amount of money that could be used. We also couldn't accept them because if we recklessly accepted them without any system, everyone would try to abandon their child. 

However, I couldn't leave the abandoned children alone either. I might be if it was a warm day, but it was cold winter now. There's no way for weak children to survive long outside.

What on earth should I do?

Kalian said he would talk to the other officials, but I couldn't wait. Because children kept being abandoned.

Do they really need to be punished?

I really hated it, but it didn't make sense to leave it as it was now.

First, we need to pretend to go out forcefully and scare them.

After thinking about it, I abruptly checked the time and got up.

6 p.m. It was time to go home.

“I'm going home first.”

I'll take the rest of the work home. 

Baron Delrond asked as I was only packing the documents I could take with me, leaving documents I couldn't take out.

“You're leaving work like a knife these days. Seems like there's something important to do, huh?”

At first glance, it sounded sarcastic, but it wasn't. Baron Delrond was only asking out of curiosity.

"Yes, there is."

“What is it?” 

Hmm, should I tell him? 

“It’s a secret.”

I thought about it for a while and decided not to say it.

"What? I'm becoming more curious, you know?”

"I'll tell you when it's done."

It was embarrassing to say because it was still unfinished. 

“When it’s done? Are you making something?”

"It's similar. It’s a little difficult because I have to not only make it but also have to pour out a lot of affection and communicate with it.”

"Yes? Affection and communicate?”

Baron Delrond's expression changed vaguely.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“I will tell you later. Ah, I really have to go now.”

A little more delay was going to make me really late.

“See you tomorrow, Baron Delrond.”

After saying goodbye to Baron Delrond, I grabbed my documents and hurriedly left the office.

Not long after Leila left, Kalian came in.

“Leila, this is…”

Kalian stopped after seeing Leila wasn't there.

“What is it? Where did she go?”

“Baron Aster has already left work.”

"So soon?"

“So soon? It's been 10 minutes since it was time to leave work."

Right. He was only a little flustered because Leila rarely left work this quickly like a knife.

“It’s rare.”

“Not really. She has been leaving work like a knife these days.” 

"Really?"

"Yes. Seems like there's something important she has to do. What did she say?”

Baron Delrond continued, tracing his memory for a moment.

“She said it was a little difficult since she had to pour out a lot of affection and communicate with it?”

"Affection? Communicate?"

Kalian frowned.

“Who does she pour affection into and communicate with?”

“I didn’t know because she didn't tell me either. She said she would tell me when it's done.”

She's doing a difficult job of communicating, and she'll let him know when it's done?

What a strange thing to say. 

He tilted his head at the combination of words that didn't suit her at all. He was very curious about what on earth Leila was doing.

“Do you have any idea? You should have felt something while you were together.”

“There is one thing I can guess.”  

"What is it?"

“Dating.”

Ver said with a serious face.

“I think Baron Aster is dating someone.”

"Dating?"

Kalian's face crumpled.

“But isn't her combination of words too strange to think that way?”

"Not really? First, if you pour your affection and communicate, it means that the opponent is a person, but you can't just do that to your friend, right?"

That's right.

“And she said she would tell me when it’s done. Doesn’t it mean she’ll say it when she gets married? Baron Aster has already broken off her engagement once, so she must be sensitive to this."

That's right, too.

Some parts still weren't clear, but most of them were right.

Is she really dating?

Kalian's face grew serious.

Baron Delrond, who was staring at Kalian's face, suddenly asked.

"Are you jealous of Baron Aster being dating, Your Majesty?" 

"Why should I?"

Kalian's voice rose slightly.

“Why should I be jealous?”

“Well, Your Majesty, who is about to turn 30, is still alone, yet Baron Aster is already dating.”

“Then, shouldn't it be you, not me, who is jealous, Ver?”

Kalian asked, tilting his lips.

“It’s not that I can’t, it's that I don’t, but you can’t, right?”

“No! What I can’t?!”

Ver jumped up from his seat and shouted.

“I, too, it’s not that I can’t, it’s that I don’t!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

“No, I believe you.”

Kalian answered halfheartedly and turned around.

Leila’s dating? 

He was annoyed for no reason as if someone was pricking his heart with a needle. An incomprehensible emotion made a deep wrinkle on Kalian's forehead. 

Am I really jealous of Leila being dating?

No, it isn't jealousy.

The reason I feel this way maybe is because…