The Flower That Was Swallowed by the Beast - Chapter 29

Because she didn’t expect Helena to ask such a question, Iris took a moment to organize her thoughts.

Helena and Wyvern stood quietly waiting for Iris’ answer.

“Mother, father. You can do whatever pleases you.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind? There’s no limit to what I do when I do as I please.”

“As much as you want. But mother, it’s okay if you don’t fight for me. I’ll fight for myself.”

“Then what can we do for you?”

“Just…”

Iris recalled her previous life in which this fine old couple had been killed in a terrible incident.

And how painful the two sons became after their deaths.

“Please remain in good health.”

Iris said, staring straight at Helena and Wyvern.

In a way, they were words that could be seen as flattery. But Helena somehow felt her heart move. This is because she could feel the sincerity contained in Iris’ violet eyes.

There were two kinds of people.

People you don’t like no matter how much you see them.

And then there are people you become attracted to as soon as you meet them, and you become attached to them even though you haven’t spoken much to each other.

For Helena, Iris was the latter.

She liked how bright Iris became when she smiled. It was the same Iris who looks innocent and vulnerable, but has a strong, lonely look in her eyes.

If Wyvern saw the eyes of a fighter in Iris, Helena saw ‘a little beast that was hurt but is trying to live one way or another.’

It stimulated Helena’s maternal instincts.

“Irie, I heard you got a unicorn as a gift.”

Wyvern broke the silence between Helena and Iris.

“Yes, but I don’t know how to tame it…”

“Give it a name, Irie. For something to exist, it must have a name.”

* * *

Iris was heading for the stable.

‘Name…What should I name it?’

She was going to name the unicorn after hearing Wyvern’s advice, but the only name that came to her mind was ‘White.’

‘I shouldn’t have made fun of Kei’s naming sense.’

When Iris tried to enter the unicorn enclosure, the stableman gave a worried look.

“Countess. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s okay. I won’t go near it.”

“You must never go over the fence. Okay?”

It was only after Iris was given a few more warnings that she was able to enter the unicorn enclosure.

There was a chest-high fence in the enclosure, and the door of the fence that was opened this morning was tightly closed.

White’s ears pricked up as Iris entered, and the baby unicorn approached the fence.

The baby unicorn stared up at Iris with its sparkling black eyes.

It was so cute that she reached out her hand without realizing it.

Sigh-!

Fortunately, she had removed her hand before the unicorn could bite it.

‘What a surprise!’

That was close.

“Little guy. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Hmph!”

The baby unicorn snorted. Like how Iris had been told that unicorns were smart, it seems to have understood what she said.

It turned around and tapped the ground with its back foot.

The straws and sand on the floor flew all the way to Iris’ dress.

“Hey, you’re so mean.”

“Neigh!”

The baby unicorn didn’t stop kicking its heel.

White pushed the baby unicorn’s back with her nose.

Only then did the baby unicorn, who stopped kicking its heel, burrow into White’s arms.

‘He’s mean but cute.’

“I have to name you, so what name do you think would be good?”

Iris asked even though she knew an answer would never come back.

“How about Little White?”

At the voice coming from behind her, Iris smiled and looked back, not realizing she was smiling.

At some point, Keivrand was standing behind her.

“He had already rejected that name.”

“Who suggested this sensible name?”

“Elly.”

“Oh, Miss Elly.”

Keivrand chuckled as if he was reminded of something.

“Why are you laughing like that?”

“It’s just that Miss Elly…No, it’s nothing.”

‘He laughed when he thought of Elly.’

It made her mood sour for some reason.

“Hey.”

Iris poked Keivrand’s forehead with her index finger.

“Why are you poking me, Irie?”

“I usually like to poke you.”

“I don’t think so.”

Keivrand wrapped one arm around Iris’ waist and pulled her in. He pressed his firm thigh against her and asked with suspicion.

“Do you hate it when I smile thinking about other women?”

“Why would I hate it? It’s up to you how you think and smile.”

Iris tried to push Keivrand’s chest away, but he wouldn’t let her go.

“Even when your lips are pouting like that?”

When Iris rolled her lips in and closed her mouth, Keivrand laughed.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

“Hm?”

Since her lips were rolled in, her pronunciation became strange.

“Something this cute. Are you doing this on purpose, so I can’t stand it?”

“No way.”

“I think you’re being cute on purpose.”

“Trying to be cute on purpose? It’s not really like that…”

She tried to push his chest back, but his lips were faster.

Keivrand’s lips overlapped her mouth and gently sucked in her lower lip.

Her mind would blank whenever their lips touched.

Sweet dizziness filled the void, but Iris managed to hold onto her reasoning and push Keivrand’s chest with both hands.

Keivrand, who had his lips peeled away, spoke while his forehead was pressed against hers.

“Why are you refusing so much today?”

“The kid is watching.”

“Kid?”

Iris moved her hand to point at the baby unicorn.

“Hahaha. Oh, yeah. You’re right. We can’t do this in front of a child. Hahaha.”

Keivrand smiled and let Iris go.

“I can’t believe he’s watching…”

Iris couldn’t understand why Keivrand was laughing so much.

It was amazing.

Keivrand’s laughter.

In her previous life, Keivrand was a man without laughter when Iris met him. Even when he smiled out of courtesy, it was so cold and sharp that she thought if she had stayed in front of him, her body would cut and bleed.

“Don’t look at me like that, Irie.”

Feeling Iris’ gaze, Keivrand swept his hair back and continued.

“I feel like I’m going to kiss you again.”

“That’s enough. I think we should name this kid first. Have you thought of any good names?”

“I can’t believe that’s enough. You’re saying this kid is more important than my feelings?”

“You’re not jealous of him, are you?”

“Why not, Irie?”

Keivrand stood between Iris and the baby unicorn.

“You’ve been staring at him the whole time.”

“I’ve been looking at you too.”

“It’s not enough. I wish I was the only one in those pretty eyes.”

“You’re too greedy.”

Keivrand put his arm around Iris’ shoulder in a natural way and turned her around, taking her out of the unicorn enclosure.

“I think I’ll be away for a few days. A week at the longest. I’ll be back before the wedding, so you can rest assured.”

She was going to ask him where he was going, but the wind blew through her hair.

At the same time, a name came to mind for the baby unicorn.

“Windy.”

“Huh?”

“This kid’s name will be Windy. Run fast and free like the wind. What do you think?”

She thought it was a good name, so she smiled brightly and looked back at Keivrand, who looked sullen.

“You don’t like it?”

“You hear that? The husband says he’s going away, and all she can think about in that beautiful head of hers is the baby unicorn.”

“It was a gift from you.”

“I didn’t give it to you so you would think about him all the time, Irie. I gave it to you so you would think of me.”

Keivrand seemed really jealous, so Iris felt strange. It wouldn’t be strange if they were an ordinary couple, but they were different.

Since becoming Countess Green, she already knew that Keivrand had decided to treat her as his wife.

But now Keivrand was acting like a man in love.

She wanted to ask.

‘Kei, do you really like me?’

But she decided not to.

What Iris wanted from Keivrand was trust and camaraderie, not love between a man and woman.

There is nothing more useless than the love between men and women. When the love that you give your life to ends, only pitch-black wounds remain.

In her previous life and in death, she had witnessed such a sight countless times. Friendship was more reliable than love, so Iris only wanted friendship from Keivrand.

She will also give that kind of friendship to Keivrand.

“Where are you going?”

Iris decided to ask a different question.

Keivrand erased his sulky expression and answered.

“I’m going to pick up the Sleep Stone.”

“There’s no rush.”

“It’s urgent. I want you to have a good dream.”

Keivrand’s voice contained sincerity.

Iris tilted her head slightly to the side and carefully stroked his cheek.

“I already feel like I’m having a good dream, Kei. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

* * *

Nathan, who was on his way to find the Sleep Stone with Keivrand, couldn’t hold it in and asked.

“Boss, did sister-in-law slap you in the face?”

Keivrand has been caressing his left cheek since earlier.

“No, I got something stronger than that.”

“Was it a kick?”

“…Nathan.”

“It’s understandable, boss. A baby unicorn as a wedding gift…Even Wallace knows you shouldn’t give such a thing as a gift to a fragile lady like sister-in-law.”

Nathan grumbled, but Keivrand didn’t care.

Taming a unicorn isn’t an easy task, but he believed Iris could do it.

He wasn’t sure what Iris will do, but the unicorn will be a good friend and companion to her.

[I already feel like I’m having a good dream, Kei.]

Iris’ voice, which he had heard earlier, pushed away the sound of Nathan grumbling.

Sweet voice, eyes full of sincerity. And the soft touch.

The feeling of wanting to do anything to have it, he decided not to put a name on this feeling for the time being.

If you hastily approach a wounded animal, it’ll run away.

* * *

At the lodging of the vice captain of the Divine Kingdom’s Order of Holy Knights.

Back after a long time, Edward found newspapers and magazines piled up on his desk.

His expression grew darker as he read them.

“Eddie!”

The door opened without knocking and Olson jumped in as Edward picked up a wedding invitation at the bottom of the pile.

“I heard Count Keivrand Green is married. Did you know that?”

Edward waved the wedding invitation.

“I was just invited.”

“Just invited? I heard he was already married.”

“It looks like he reported the marriage first.”

“Gosh. Even the great Count Green didn’t want to miss the flower of Duke Whittle and was impatient. I can’t believe he registered the marriage before the wedding…Well, when it comes to the flower of Duke Whittle…

Olson, who spoke up to here, stopped talking.

This is because Edward’s eyes staring at the wedding invitation were very cold.

“The flower of Duke Whittle.”

Edward muttered in a low-sinking voice.

“A woman raised by Duke Whittle, hidden in the mansion, to raise her preciously so he could sell to a good family.”

“Hey, what are you talking about? I heard that she was born weak, so he couldn’t let her go out because he cared for her.”

“Well.”

A cold smile spread across Edward’s lips.

“I’m disappointed in my brother. I can’t believe he was enchanted by a flower, and is bringing her into our family…”

The wedding invitation crumpled in Edward’s hand.

“So…you’re not going to the wedding?”

Edward threw the wedding invitation into the trash.

“I’ll go. To break up the marriage.”

== Translator’s Note ==

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