The Flower That Was Swallowed by the Beast - Chapter 40

The discussion on what women liked didn’t end until dawn.

With his men’s advice in his head, Keivrand returned to the bedroom.

Iris was still sound asleep.

Keivrand sat next to her, stroking her head.

[If sister-in-law had a dream about Windy, I think she likes animals…I’m sure she’ll like one as a gift. There are a lot of pretty puppies out there these days, so why don’t you give her a cute little puppy as a present?]

It was Nathan who said so.

A cute little puppy.

He was the only cute animal Iris needed, he thought.

After Keivrand turned into a wolf, he rolled next to Iris on the bedside and closed his eyes.

* * *

Iris had a very good dream.

It was a dream about Windy eating an apple after receiving it from her instead of eating her hand.

Waking up with a pleasant feeling, she felt something tickling her cheek. She inadvertently raised her hand and felt something bushy.

‘Huh?’

As she turned her head, she saw a thick tail.

A thick, black tail with glossy fur.

‘Kei?’

When she fully turned her head to the left, she saw the face of a big black wolf.

The wolf was sleeping peacefully without a care in the world.

Fangs that came out slightly between the lips, and the sound of breathing with a small growl.

Iris turned her head toward the tail again. She thought it would be nice to bury her face in the bushy tail. However, as she gently grabbed the tail with the intention of rubbing it against her face, the wolf made a ‘grr’ sound.

She didn’t mean to wake him up, so she quickly removed her hand.

Then, while looking at the hind legs that seemed to have been agitated, the wolf flipped over.

Raising her upper body, she looked down at the wolf.

The black wolf, who looked threatening when it was awake, was now sleeping with its stomach exposed and its legs up. She found it very cute.

‘He’s a heavy sleeper.’

Keivrand’s two large front feet wiggled around.

‘Is he dreaming of running in the fields?’

It was unbelievably cute that his big front feet, which were supposed to look threatening, moved to a certain rhythm.

Iris lost track of time as she watched the dreaming wolf.

At some point, the wolf barked and opened his eyes as if he had been attacked.

The dark, deep eyes wandered in the air before stopping on Iris.

“Irie.”

Keivrand’s voice when he was a wolf was more somber than when he was human.

But what’s the use of being somber now?

He had been dreaming so far, and she had seen him flapping his front paws and groaning.

“Why has my wife been smiling mockingly since this morning?”

“What do you mean, mockingly, Kei? It’s just…Well, it’s a smile.”

“I don’t think so.”

Schlik-

The wolf licked Iris’ mouth.

“Did I talk in my sleep, Irie?”

“No, you slept quietly and well.”

She thought he would never fall asleep next to her in the form of a wolf again if she told him that he was groaning and twitching in his sleep.

“Hm…”

Keivrand squinted with a look of suspicion and stared at Iris before jumping off of bed.

Iris, who guessed what the scene would look like in front of her, quickly turned her head.

Soon after, the voice of human Keivrand, came right behind her ears.

“Irie, why are you turning your head?”

“Hurry up and get dressed.”

“You’ve already seen it.”

“I’ve never seen it. I couldn’t even look at you properly because I was surprised.”

“Lie. The surprised look, didn’t you see it all?”

“Hurry up and get dressed, Keivrand.”

Keivrand chuckled as Iris scolded him.

Swish-

She heard the sound of him getting dressed.

“Irie, go somewhere with me today.”

“Where?”

“You’ll find out when we get there.”

Iris, who didn’t know that last night Keivrand had been discussing what women liked with his subordinates until dawn, wondered how he could take the time off from his hectic schedule for leisure.

She didn’t know if he was done dressing, but the rustling sound died, so she turned her head.

As soon as she thought she could hear Keivrand approaching the bed, his fingers touched her back.

His fingers moved down her spine, and she could feel it clearly over her thin slip dress.

“Clothes that aren’t as sexy as this.”

His index finger stopped near her tailbone and fell off.

“Dress in common clothes. I want us to travel around without too much attention to ourselves.”

* * *

“Common clothes?”

Christina’s eyes widened when she was informed of Iris’ attire for today in the drawing room.

“Oh, my. I think you’re going on a date.”

“Date? No way.”

“Why not?”

“We’re already married.”

“What does that have to do with anything? You can go on dates whenever.”

Date.

It was when a man and woman who have feelings for each other spend time together.

Iris has never gone on a date in her previous life.

Of course she has heard a lot about it. Because Britney always brags about it. Watching a play at the request of a handsome knight, and going to an exhibition at the request of a handsome self-made man…Britney always talked about it.

Dating a likable man was a distant thing for Iris.

As a Whittle before marriage, and as a Hutch after marriage.

Just surviving was hard enough.

Christina excitedly opened the closet and chose clothes Iris could wear, while Elly kept looking at Iris, as if she had something to say.

“Elly, do you have something to say?”

“Miss Iris. I’ll accompany you.”

“What?”

“I don’t know where you’re going, but it’s dangerous outside the mansion. I think I should accompany you.”

It’s dangerous outside the mansion, so why would Elly accompany her?

It would be the same for Elly, who was a fragile woman.

“Oh, Elle. What crazy thing are you saying?”

Christina, who brought an armful of clothes, pushed Elly away with her hips. It wasn’t even that hard, but Elly stumbled and was pushed aside.

‘She’s so weak…’

“Miss Iris, I’m sure the Count will protect you, so don’t even think about turning down the date.”

“But Iris. Miss Iris is…Miss Iris is so pretty! What if someone hit on her?”

“Oh, my.”

At Elly’s shout, Iris blushed.

She has heard plenty of compliments about her looks, but she didn’t know what to do when she heard such a straightforward and direct compliment from Elly.

“It’s up to you, Elle. I was wondering if there would be someone stupid enough to follow someone else’s date, but I never thought that person would be here.”

Christina muttered as she put a piece of clothing in front of Iris. As they spent more time together, Christina also seemed to be more comfortable around Iris and her remark was more blunt than usual.

Iris didn’t hate that. She wanted to be comfortable around these two.

Christina quickly changed her tone as if she had misunderstood Iris’ smile.

“I’m sorry, Miss Iris. Elle said something so silly that I didn’t know what came over me. Hohoho.”

“No. You can just relax.”

“If she relaxes, Miss Iris will die.”

Elly grumbled.

Iris changed her clothes and went out. Keivrand was waiting in front of the hallway.

“This…I told you to dress in common clothes, and you came out looking too bright. Who would see you as a commoner?”

“But this is the most ordinary clothes I have.”

“Hmm. You don’t have a hoodie?”

At Keivrand’s words, Christina quickly stepped forward and brought out a long hooded cape.

Keivrand put the cape around Iris and pulled the hood over her.

Then he took a step back, crossed his arms, and spoke as he looked at Iris.

“Well. You’re still beautiful.”

Iris didn’t know that Keivrand’s men had given him the advice of, ‘A woman is weak to praises,’ last night, so she wondered why he was acting like this today.

Elly, standing behind Iris, stroked her arm like she was having goosebumps.

“I can’t help it. I’m beautiful even if you put mud on me.”

Keivrand laughed at Iris’ words.

“That’s right. You can’t help it. We have to leave like this.”

They rode a carriage down the street in front of the mansion, and then got off before entering the main street.

Walking along holding Keivrand’s hand, Iris eagerly captured the view of the city.

It was her first time walking out of the city like this.

In her previous life, when she was locked up in the Duke Whittle mansion to when she was moved to Duke Hutch mansion, there was no opportunity to look outside like this.

The only way out of the mansion was to attend parties. She had never stepped on such a vivid scene since she was always in the carriage. She was also in a carriage last time when they headed to Tony’s Tavern because of the incident with Alfred.

Countless people were busily coming and going about their daily lives.

Young people carrying loads on their shoulders and shouting, ‘Clean the chimney, chimney!’, shoe polishers who sit side by side, and people who carry baskets to sell things.

As she passed by various people, they entered a clean and wide street.

“It’s quiet here.”

There were no peddlers, hawkers, or vendors.

“This is a no soliciting zone. You can only sell things if you have a store. It’s frequented by nobles and rich commoners.”

They walked straight down the shopping street as Iris listened to Keivrand’s explanation.

Where Keivrand stopped, it was a conspicuous building decorated in light pink and sky blue. A sign was attached to the entrance.

“This is the place, Irie.”

Keivrand raised his hand and pointed toward the entrance. Keivrand had the expression that read, ‘Look at this. You were moved, right? You were surprised, right?’

Iris stared at the entrance and then spoke.

“I’d like to see more of the streets than this place.”

At Iris’ muttering, Keivrand felt like his knees had been bent.

[There’s a teahouse in Archen. I guess that’s the trendy place these days. It’s very expensive, but women like the atmosphere there.]

[Oh, I’ve heard of it too. I heard the maids said they’d fall in love with anyone who takes them there.]

According to yesterday’s advice, ‘Archen’s Teahouse’ was a popular place among women.

Visitors are given a small teaspoon as a gift, which can only be found in Archen’s Teahouse, and women with these teaspoons are said to be the envy of everyone.

“If you go here, they give you a teaspoon as a gift.”

Keivrand told Iris because he thought she didn’t know. However, she firmly replied.

“We already have a lot of teaspoons.”

“No, that’s not it…The teaspoon you get here is very special…”

“I know, but I’d like to have more of the brush they were selling on the street.”

“Brush?”

“Yes, I want to brush Windy’s fur.”

It’s Windy again.

That damn Windy!

But he couldn’t show Iris that he was jealous of Windy.

[Boss, the most important thing on a date is that Miss Iris is happy.]

Jamie’s advice came to mind.

Right, if buying Windy a brush is something that Iris will like, then he’ll do it.

“Okay, then. Let’s go there.”

Keivrand turned around and began to walk. Iris quickly followed him and asked.

“Kei, are you angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“I think you’re angry. Oh! You really wanted to go to Archen’s Teahouse?”

“No.”

“I think so. Did you want a teaspoon? Then let’s go to Archen’s Teahouse. I like it there too.”

“No, Irie. I don’t want a teaspoon.”

“Then what?”

“What?”

“Why are you sulking?”

“I’m not sulking.”

Iris stood in front of the sulking Keivrand.

She looked up at Keivrand with her head close to his. Her index finger touched his lips.

“You’re sulking.”

Keivrand closed his lips.

“I’m not feeling well.”

As Keivrand sulked and protested with his lips pursed, Iris’ lips twitched.

== Translator’s Note ==

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