The Flower That Was Swallowed by the Beast - Chapter 15

Gauser, who came out half sober, looked different from Iris’ memory.

At Duke Whittle mansion, Gauser would always be seen in a suit, and his hair was always held with pomade where not even a single strand was loose, so he looked sharp and neat.

But the Gauser in front of Iris’ eyes right now has disheveled hair that hasn’t been cut in a long time and a shaggy beard. His clothes were also creased and dirtied.

If it weren’t for Gauser’s unique amber eyes, she might have turned away thinking she had come to the wrong person.

“What?”

The way he talks has also changed.

Gauser was looking up at Keivrand, not Iris.

Keivrand pointed to Iris without answering.

Only then did Gauser’s eyes turn to Iris.

Astonishments could be seen in his hazy eyes.

“Miss…?”

Gauser was one of the few people to call Iris ‘Miss.’

Iris smiled bitterly as she remembered the Gauser who had always called her Miss with a straight face.

In her previous life, she only knew about Gauser after he had become the financial manager of the royal family, so she didn’t know how he had lived before that.

‘So he lived like this. With his wife and children gone, he became lonely and distressed. However, he was able to overcome it and had carved a name for himself in my previous life.’

“A-are you really…Are you really Iris?”

Gauser asked again when Iris didn’t answer.

She looked quite different from when she was at Duke Whittle, so it was the same for Gauser to not recognize her.

“Yes. I’m Iris. But I’m not Miss anymore.”

“What? In the end…Did they finally kick you out? No, that’s not right. Maybe it’s better to be kicked out than be treated like that…”

The half sober Gauser pressed his forehead and blurted out.

“I didn’t get kicked out but left on my own. I’m married. Here, with Count Keivrand Green.”

Gauser widened his eyes enough for them to pop out and looked up at Keivrand.

“Count Green…ha…”

Tears welled up around Gauser’s eyes as he looked at Keivrand’s face with his mouth open for a long time.

Gauser sniffed and grabbed Iris’ hand.

“That’s a relief…I’m glad to hear that, Miss. I can’t believe you’re married to such a wonderful and great man…I’m so relieved…keup…heuk…”

Keivrand, who was staring at Iris’ hand caught by Gauser, softened his face when Gauser said, ‘wonderful and great man.’

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was just so touched. I apologize for my rude behavior…Please excuse me…Anyway, I was afraid your family would…No, it doesn’t matter now.”

Iris knew what Gauser was going to say.

Gauser had thought that the Whittle family would sell her to a guy like Alfred.

He was going to say that, but stopped himself because Keivrand was there.

“First of all, come on in. Ah…I couldn’t clean up the house…Wait a minute…”

“Gauser. Hold on.”

Iris called Gauser who was about to enter his house.

“I’m here to talk to you about something important. First of all, when you’re sober, come to the bar next to the central plaza.”

* * *

In Iris’ previous life, Alfred, who was the biggest merchant on the continent, loved bars.

Alcohol is alcohol, but it’s a place where you can hear all kinds of rumors, and if you filter them carefully, it can be very helpful for your business.

Alfred liked going to bars.

He didn’t come home for a day or two when he went.

What Alfred was doing at the bar, what kind of woman he was meeting, Iris wasn’t interested in it at all.

As Iris and Keivrand entered, the people sitting here and there stopped talking and looked back at the gleaming two.

Iris reflexively pushed the front of her fedora, covering her face, and walked behind Keivrand to a seat in the corner.

“Look. I said it was noticeable, didn’t I?”

Keivrand said as he sat down in a chair.

“It’s because of you. You’re too big.”

“I don’t think so.”

“It’s probably because of this hair color. It’s unique.”

Keivrand said as he fiddled with the tip of Iris’ silver hair with his index finger.

“If you don’t want to stand out, you better wear a robe with a hood, Irie. From your head to your toe. You have a look that makes people want to keep looking.”

Keivrand’s eyes didn’t fall off Iris, as if to prove his point.

Strangely enough, Iris felt restless whenever Keivrand stared at her with those eyes. Her chest would become itchy, her waist would tense, and her toes would prick.

“Anyway.”

Fortunately, Keivrand turned his eyes to the side.

“Do you know that people are starting to believe in the rumors about your secret relationship with Viscount Alfred Hutch more and more, Iris?”

“I know. There was an article a while ago.”

“It’s not like you don’t know the source of the rumor. How long are you going to sit and watch?”

“Have I suffered any damage from this rumor?”

“Not yet. But we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“Then let’s wait and see. It tastes better when it’s ripe.”

They haven’t had a meal yet, so Keivrand checked the menu with the intention of having a simple meal.

“How about salted lamb with cheese, rye bread, and vegetable stew with dried mushrooms? Oh, and I’m thinking of having a beer, what about you?”

Keivrand asked.

“I’ve never had alcohol before.”

“Oh, really?”

For some reason, Keivrand’s eyes shone as if he found it interesting.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re up to something.”

“Up to something? I just thought I would do something with my wife that she has never done before.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Iris seemed to know what Keivrand was thinking.

She has never had a drink before, and from her image, Keivrand was sure that she was a weak drinker.

Perhaps he would take pleasure in seeing her drunk.

However, there was something Iris didn’t tell Keivrand.

It’s true that she has never drunk before, but that was only in this life. She had drunk before in her previous life.

Very much so.

She knew exactly what would happen if she drank alcohol.

“Let’s stop for today. Gauser will be here soon.”

When they were just about finished with their meals, Gauser entered the bar.

“Oh, what do you know? Gauser? I hardly recognize you!”

“Weren’t you drinking until this morning, and you’re here to drink again? You’re going to die.”

“But why are you dressed up like that? Are you trying to seduce Selene?”

As if he was a celebrity, everyone recognized him as they chuckled.

Gauser replied dryly to them and walked toward Iris and Keivrand. People’s eyes followed him, so Iris regretted that she had made this the appointed place.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Miss.”

Gauser spoke politely.

“You’re very popular, Gauser.”

Gauser blushed.

“Oh, I’m a little…I’ve been drinking to forget the shock…”

“Sit down.”

As soon as Gauser sat down, Iris got to the point.

“Gauser, work for me.”

“What?”

“Lavent’s…”

As she was about to bring up her point for coming here, Iris noticed that everyone around her was listening, so she stopped.

“Looks like it’s not possible here.”

After paying, they went to a crowded market.

It was better to have a private conservation in a crowded place like this.

Walking between Gauser and Keivrand, Iris said in a small voice.

“There’s a gold mine in Lavent.”

“Yes, it belongs to Viscount Hutch.”

“It’s mine now.”

“What?”

“I want you to take care of it.”

“Ah…”

Gauser looked at Iris as if he couldn’t believe it.

“You keep surprising me. Lavent’s gold mine is yours?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re leaving me with that gold mine?”

“Yes, from hiring workers to managing the minerals they dug up. I’ll leave it all to you.”

“This…”

Gauser rubbed his chin with his palm. He looked both happy and confused.

“I appreciate your trust in me, but…Miss, I cannot carry such a heavy responsibility. As you can see, I’m just a drunkard now.”

“It doesn’t matter if you can do it or not.”

“What?”

“The important thing is…”

Iris stopped and looked up at Gauser.

“I just want to entrust you with my only property. The gold mine, Gauser, you’re going to take over it.”

It was a soft but commanding tone.

Some might take it personally, but Gauser didn’t.

Gauser remembered the Iris Whittle who used to be in a dark place at Duke Whittle estate.

A Whittle, but not a Whittle. A sad, pitiable child.

A child who wasn’t even allowed to look up at the sky.

A child shrouded in darkness, hit by the wind and scattered, who seemed so broken.

Such a child has already become an imposing Countess and was giving orders to Gauser.

From the bottom of his heart, Gauser became teary again.

“You’ve changed a lot, Miss. No, Countess.”

Iris smiled.

“Isn’t it nice to see?”

“Very much.”

Gauser closed his eyes tightly and opened them.

He pleaded with Duke Whittle to improve the treatment of Iris, but was instead expelled under false charge.

Because of the false charge, there was no one who would hire Gauser.

His wife was tired of the poverty and left with their child.

The child, who left while holding her mother’s hand, gave him a look of contempt and resentment.

Gauser, who had nothing left, drank to forget the pain and loneliness. He just wanted the world to end when he woke up from his sleep.

However, the world didn’t end, and the pitiful child that he had felt sorry for had come to him as a confident woman.

The child, who couldn’t even look directly at the servants, came to Gauser with confidence in her eyes and spoke.

“I’m entrusting everything to you because I trust you, so live for me.”

Only one answer existed in Gauser’s mind.

“I will live for the Countess.”

== Translator’s Note ==

1. Please report any typos, grammatical/spelling errors, sentences you find weird, and other etc…in the comment section .