The Flower That Was Swallowed by the Beast - Chapter 46

“Jealous?”

Iris widened her eyes at the unexpected words.

“Yes, jealous.”

“Uh, all of a sudden?”

“Not all of a sudden.”

Keivrand gently grabbed the Crown Prince’s letter out of Iris’ hand, then spoke as he shook it.

“You’re looking at Iobet’s letter too seriously.”

“Oh…ah.”

Iris was puzzled.

She didn’t stare at Iobet’s face. She was just looking at his letter, so why the hell was Keivrand jealous?

As if Keivrand misunderstood her puzzled look, he covered his mouth with one hand.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m also embarrassed by my actions.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I’ve never felt anything like this before…”

Keivrand moved his eyes to the side as if he couldn’t look Iris in the eyes.

Iris thought Keivrand was cute for some reason, so she unwittingly reached out her hands and clasped his cheeks.

His gray eyes, which had fled sideways, turned back to her.

“All right, Irie. I won’t be jealous of this. I know I was a little silly this time.”

“No, that’s not it…”

Iris didn’t hate this side of Keivrand.

She was just shocked because she didn’t think this was something to be jealous of.

“Kei, listen to me.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. A wolf’s hearing is…”

With his cheeks clasped, Iris moved her thumbs to block his moving lips.

Keivrand’s lips were soft to the touch and she thought it felt nice.

“I might call another man’s name, look at another man, or smile at someone other than you in the future.”

Keivrand narrowed his brows.

“But Kei. I need you to know this. Everything I do, it’s all for you. And I won’t do anything to lose the dignity and honor of Countess Green.”

The wrinkles on Keivrand’s forehead slowly spread out.

“Okay? Do you understand?”

Keivrand opened his lips and playfully bit Iris’ thumbs that were still covering his lips.

His eyes glowed playfully.

“Okay. But there’s one thing you need to know.”

“What is it?”

“That I’m a more jealous man than I had expected.”

“I’ve already noticed that.”

“As expected, my wife is quick-witted.”

Keivrand pulled Iris’ slim waist with his arms.

The moment his lips were about to overlap with her’s, Iris recalled what the Crown Prince was doing at this time.

“Ah!”

Iris pushed Keivrand’s chest away with both hands.

Looking at the confused Keivrand who was denied a kiss, she spoke.

“Kei, boast about me to the Crown Prince.”

“Huh? No, of course I would…”

“What you’re thinking isn’t enough. Boast about me to the point where he’ll wonder if it’s okay to boast that much. You have to boast to the point where he’ll think you’re a little crazy in the head.”

“Ah…”

The dumbfounded Keivrand stared at Iris blankly.

Sometimes he feels like he doesn’t understand Iris, but this was the first time he can truly say he doesn’t understand her.

He couldn’t believe she was asking him to vehemently brag about her.

Iris pointed to her head with her index finger.

“Please brag about this part in particular.”

“I don’t need to brag about the fact that you’re beautiful.”

“No, not that, I’m talking about my head.”

“Head? You want me to boast about your pretty head that’s a little weird sometimes?”

Iris, who has been serious since a while ago, giggled.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Kei. I must have looked a little crazy right now.”

“Just a little crazy?”

Keivrand made a gesture of twirling his index finger on the side of his head.

Iris laughed.

He didn’t think he did anything funny, but he liked it when she smiled brightly.

“Please boast to the Crown Prince that I’m a very clever and visionary woman.”

“I like it when you describe yourself as clever and visionary. My, isn’t my wife very confident?”

“Don’t make fun of me.”

Iris punched Keivrand in the chest with her fist.

“Fine. But you’re not going to tell me why again, are you?”

“I’ll tell you.”

Surprisingly, Iris whispered in Keivrand’s ear about her plans.

The more she spoke, the wider his eyes grew, and when she finished, Keivrand spoke.

“You, really…You’re clever and visionary. On top of that, you’re good at reading people.”

Iris smiled gracefully.

“Yes. So don’t lie to the Crown Prince and just tell the truth. About a woman named Iris Green.”

* * *

Edward looked down from a window into the garden and frowned.

Keivrand and Iris were walking through the garden hand in hand. Occasionally Keivrand would giggle and joke with Iris.

He had never seen Keivrand act like that before. Keivrand next to Iris was really like a different person.

“Don’t be jealous, Eddie. That’s why I hear my brother has a brother complex.”

Celestine said, arriving and standing next to Edward at some point.

“No one said I have a brother complex, Cel.”

“I did. If you keep staring at her like that, other people will too.”

“That woman’s soul is strange.”

“It’s not that woman. It’s sister-in-law. And just because it’s your first time seeing such a soul, doesn’t make it bad. I’m sure you don’t know much about it.”

“Why the hell do you like her so much?”

Celestine looked back at Edward.

“She’s the one Kei likes.”

“If he likes the wrong person, it’s the family who has to stop it.”

“Iris isn’t the wrong person.”

“That woman’s soul…”

“And beastmen?”

Edward widened his eyes.

“Everyone says beastmen are wrong. They’re cursed by God. So Kei, Eugene and Jamie, are they all wrong?”

“Not like that!”

“It’s the same, Eddie. It’s the same.”

“No, it’s… ”

“Iris just has a unique soul. Beastmen is special. Iris is just a little special. However, neither is wrong.”

Edward couldn’t find the words to respond. Celestine turned to the garden again.

“It seems like Iris was abused when she lived at Duke Whittle’s mansion.”

“What?”

“At first, I liked her because she looked prettier and smarter than the rumors. But now, I like the confidence that she shows. She isn’t ashamed or tries to run from it even though she had been abused like that.”

Edward knew that Duke Reuben Whittle raised his daughter to be sold, so he never could have imagined that Iris would have lived being abused by them.

He has traveled to various places as a holy knight of the Divine Kingdom and met various people. Among them, there were children who were abused by their families.

And, all of their eyes were filled with lifelessness. Their souls were dark, muddy, and hazy as if it was about to be extinguished.

Such a thing didn’t exist in Iris’ soul. Rather, she had a soul that shines bright enough to hurt his eyes.

“But that doesn’t mean the pain of being abused is gone.”

Celestine patted Edward on the arm and added.

“Let’s not be a family that hurt her, Eddie.”

* * *

Windy, as always, stood next to his mother as he spit and kicked with a runny nose.

The dark eyes staring at Iris were full of vigilance.

White, Windy’s mother, gave Iris a sorry look, but Iris was lost in thought and didn’t notice.

It was great for Iris that Crown Prince Iobet will be attending the wedding. After returning to the past, the world seemed to be moving for her.

‘But I can’t be conceited.’

While holding an apple in hand to appease Windy, she was thinking about how to attract Iobet.

“You’re thinking of something else.”

A low-pitched voice came from behind.

“That kid won’t open its heart if you treat it like that.”

Edward walked next to Iris and took away the apple she was holding.

He looked at the apple like he had never seen one before and spoke.

“I heard Kei gave you a unicorn? Do you even know how great it is to receive a unicorn as a gift?”

Iris tried to grab the apple without answering, but Edward moved his hand to avoid her.

“Thinking of something else while one is in front of you, I don’t think you truly know the value of it…I don’t know why Kei gave this precious animal to a woman like you.”

“If you want to say that I don’t fit into this family, then go to your brother and say it. If you keep crying to him, he might tell you he won’t marry me.”

Edward didn’t look offended even though Iris was being sarcastic. On the contrary, he raised one corner of his mouth as if he found it interesting.

“Do you treat Kei the same way?”

“No way. I pretend to be cute, charming, and vulnerable in front of him.”

Edward laughed softly.

“I don’t think so. There are a lot of cute, charming, vulnerable women out there. More than half of the women want to have Kei, but he doesn’t even spare them a glance.”

Although Edward strode toward Iris, she stood still and looked up at him.

“I think you’ve got my family’s heart in your hands in a very strange way, but it won’t be easy to get my heart in your hands, Iris.”

Iris realized that Edward didn’t call her Iris Whittle anymore.

“Edward. I think you got something wrong, but I don’t want your heart, even if you give it to me.”

This time again, Edward didn’t feel offended and just smiled.

“Anyway, now that you’re part of the Green family, I’ll treat you like a family in front of others. But it doesn’t mean I trust you. I’m sure you’re not an ordinary woman.”

“I’m glad you’re going to be polite in front of others. I was worried that your actions would hurt my husband’s honor.”

Edward’s nose creased as he turned toward Windy. He threw the apple up, grabbed it, then spoke.

“Like it or not, you’re my sister-in-law, and it would be a disgrace to the family if you can’t tame a baby unicorn. I don’t want to be humiliated by you, so I’ll show you how to handle it.”

It was an unexpected consideration.

‘Yeah, Edward knows how Kei had tamed White.’

She was truly grateful that Edward was uneasy, as even Keivrand didn’t help.

“Unicorns are smart animals, so you have to treat them sincerely. It’s natural they wouldn’t eat an apple if you’re thinking of something else.”

‘I see!’

“And besides, she’s a child. You have to let her know that you’re focusing on that little girl with affection. You care about her so much, and you love her.”

Edward gave a friendly look at Windy. Then, surprisingly, Windy, who was next to his mother, approached him little by little.

He smiled confidently and offered the apple to Windy. Windy’s dark eyes towards Edward shone differently than when he looked at Iris.

“Eat, little gal. Move that little snout.”

Windy opened his mouth with a cute cry.

Then.

Chomp-!

He bit Edward’s hand hard.

== Translator’s Note ==

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

2. Winda name changed to Windy. It’s also a boy.