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

Seeing Cecily's report, Kalian only asked one question.

“Do you want to keep searching?”

I really wanted to, but I shook my head.

"No."

With this many results, it was pointless to search more.

This ended Cecily's search. She was officially dead.

She's really dead, right? 

The thought lingered in my head for days.

“Huu.”

Because of that, I could hardly concentrate on my work and only sighed.

“Seeing you sigh, seems like there's something you are worried about.”

Oh, did my sigh hear all the way there?

I smiled awkwardly and looked at Baron Delrond.

"There's nothing."

“What there’s nothing? You even sighed like that.”

Ver thought for a moment and then uttered his guess.

“Is it because of that woman named Cecily? You can't believe she's dead, right?"

I couldn't say anything and just smiled at his on-point remark.

"Don't worry."

Baron Delrond comforted me with a smile.

“Because that woman is definitely dead. Even if she's alive, she couldn't be fine after falling off that high cliff.”

That's right.

“Don’t think about such a woman anymore. Just focus on what’s right in front of you.”

He was right. I sighed for the last time, letting go of all my worries. 

"I will. Thank you for comforting me.”

"Don't mention it."

Ver, who looked down at the document, looked at me again. 

“I have a question, may I ask?”

"Go ahead."

“Where are you going after work?”

Huh? Why all of a sudden?

Looking at him in wonder, Baron Delrond rambled a little.

“No, I have no strange purpose. So, His Majesty knows it, right? But I’m the only one who doesn’t know, so, of, of course, I'm not saying that it's weird…”

“I’ll tell you.” 

"Really?"

Baron Delrond's expression brightened at once.

Why is he so happy?

Laughter came out.

"Of course."

It wasn't a big secret anyway, and I had no reason not to tell him either.

“After work, I go to learn horseback riding.”

“Horseback riding?”

"Yes. I also want to parade around on horseback in this external event on New Year’s Day.”

“…so that's what it means by ‘communicate', huh?"

Baron Delrond muttered to himself.

"Baron?"

“Ah, it's nothing. But why did you hide it? That’s for a good purpose though.”

"It's because… there is no progress at all.”

I didn't mean to say this, but somehow I kept talking.

“I want to learn quickly, but I can’t.” 

“Don't be too impatient. You can take your time.”

“Really?” 

"Of course. Ah, should I teach you how to ride?”

“The Baron himself?”

"Yes. Your progress is slow, maybe because you don't fit in with the instructor. Wouldn’t it be better to learn from others then?”

It made sense, but…

“I feel sorry for taking the Baron's time for nothing.”

"It's okay. If the Baron knows how to ride a horse, it'll be convenient for me, too, so I’ll teach you.”

If so, how can I refuse?

Also, if Baron Delrond taught me, maybe I could learn more comfortably, so I accepted it with a smile.

“Thank you, Baron Delrond.”

“I found out about it too.”

Ver smiled triumphantly and said to Kalian.

Kalian had never liked that smiling face of his, but he didn't like it more today. 

Kalian asked with a frown.

"What?"

“'What'? Of course, what Baron Aster does after work.”

Ah, that.

As expected, there's a reason why he felt particularly displeased.

But why am I feeling displeased about it? Is it because I can't tease Ver anymore?

As he couldn't think of any other reason, it seemed to be the right one.

“Looks like I'm having fun teasing you.”

“Yes?”

Ver, who didn't understand Kalian's words, tilted his head and asked what he meant. But Kalian didn't answer and just inked the quill.

He must be hiding something. That's why he's so upset.

Ver, whose mind slightly twisted, said with a smirk. 

“So I decided to teach Baron Aster how to ride.”

Ttug-

The hard tip of the quill broke, and the documents were stained with ink, but Kalian only looked at Ver without caring about them.

“…who teaches who horseback riding?”

“I teach Baron Aster.”  

Kalian's eyebrow went up. 

“Are you capable of that?”

“Did you forget? I taught half of the Crowd Knights's members how to ride.”

Now that he thought about it, he was. 

He thought it was very convenient at the time, but now he didn't like it.

“Isn't Leila already learning how to ride?”

“She said her skill hardly improved, and I guess it's because she doesn't fit in with the instructor. So I'm going to teach her."

Kalian put his chin on his hand and looked at Ver, dissatisfied.

“You sure have time for that, huh?”

“It's because I only teach her on the weekend. She said she would treat me to a delicious dinner in return for my teaching.”

His arm that was holding his chin staggered instantly and lost its balance.

“Now, are you saying… you're going to Leila's house?"

“Maybe. Because she said that she would treat me, not buy me.”

Leila's house was the house he gave her as a gift. However, he was very displeased with the fact that she invited Ver to dinner before him. 

Of course, it's not just an invitation, but a repayment, but nonetheless… 

Didn't she also have a lot to repay me? 

The gap between Kalian's eyebrows narrowed.  

Kalian, who was tapping the desk with his index finger, suddenly looked at Ver. Ver was smiling as if he was in a very good mood.

I want to bother him. I want to see him cry.

“Ver.”

Then, I should see it. 

There were more than a dozen ways to bother Ver.

“Organize this within this week.”

Kalian smiled brightly and held out a pile of papers. There were so many that he couldn't hold it all with one hand.

“Wow.”

Ver frowned and exclaimed.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, you know that there are only four days left this week, including the weekend, right?”

"Yeah, I know."

“And you want me to organize all of this? Do you think it makes sense?”

When Ver asked in an absurd tone, Kalian shrugged as if he was sorry.

“I also want to give you a lot of time, but it’s urgent.” 

Urgent? It can't be true.

Ver, who scanned the contents of the topmost document, snorted inwardly. As far as he remembered, these documents only needed to be taken care of within the next week.

However, Kalian's insistence that it should be done within this week was too much. It was even more annoying because he could see why he was so stubborn.

“Do I really have to finish it within this week?”

"Yeah."

He asked just in case, but the answer was the same. 

Okay, if I have to do it, then I should do it.

How could an aide disobey the emperor's order?

Swallowing deep annoyance inside, Ver took the documents.

“Seems like you have to give up your weekend to do it all.”

Kalian, who put his chin back on his hand again, continued with a bright face.

“Then you need someone else to teach Leila how to ride, right?”

“Your Majesty will teach me how to ride?”

When I asked in surprise at the unexpected news, Kalian tilted his head.

“Why? Can't I teach you?”

"No. It's not that you can't, but…”

Just this morning, Baron Delrond said he would teach me, so why was it changed to Kalian?

Bewildered, I stared blankly at Kalian.

“It’s cold outside, so I’ll teach you at the palace. We can use the riding practice field.”

Riding practice field?

Isn't that where the Imperial family practiced horseback riding for generations? 

People, who were not members of the Imperial family, could use it when necessary, but using it for a personal reason like this was absurd.  

“How could I practice there…”

“Leila, what did I say before?”

What did he say before?

He had said so many things that I couldn't figure out which one he was talking about.

Kalian then said with a smile as he noticed that I was troubled.

“I told you to accept the favors I give you right away from now on, right?”

Ah, he's talking about that. 

“It's still the same now. So don't refuse it.”

“But I don’t think I can use it for personal reasons.”

“Who said it was for personal reasons?”

Then, it is not?

“Leila, why do you want to learn horseback riding?”

“To fulfill the role of an aide at the upcoming events.”

"Yeah. For public reasons. Not for personal reasons.”

That's true.

I finally understood why Kalian said that, and I accepted his offer.

"I understand. Then I will buy a horse and go to the palace on the weekend.”

“Buy a horse? You still don't have a horse yet?"

Why is he so surprised?

As I nodded, Kalian feigned a smile. 

“Then, whose horse have you been practicing with?”

“I practiced with the training horse that the riding instructor had.”

I hadn't bought it because I thought about buying it when I learned how to ride properly. The riding instructor also said it was a good idea.

So, when Baron Delrond said he would teach me, I thought we could go to the riding school and practice using the training horse there.

But I couldn't bring that horse to the palace, so I was going to buy one. What was the problem then?

“Is there a problem?” 

“No, there's no problem. If you're a beginner, it's right to practice with a training horse.”

Kalian thought for a moment before continuing.

“There's no need to buy a horse. I'll lend you one.”

“But…”

“I told you not to refuse, right?”

I shut my mouth at once. 

“Then, you can go home now. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Kalian, who was going to turn right and left the office, suddenly stopped and looked back at me.

“Leila.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Kalian was silent for a moment, then asked with his eyes twinkling. 

“Are you also going to treat me to dinner as repayment for teaching you how to ride?”