Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Only the figure of Iris was captured in those deep, clear eyes.

Iris felt like she was going to become lost in such eyes as Keivrand’s hot breath brushed against the tip of her nose.

She held her breath and stared at him for fear of her breath reaching his nose as well.

There was a stir in the pit of her heart. The calm ripple quietly spread and stimulated it. In her last life, to Iris, the eyes of a man were just objects of fear and disgust.

Therefore, Iris was perplexed by this strange feeling while facing Keivrand’s grayish-blue eyes.

“Haa.”

She exhaled without realizing it.

Keivrand’s thin lips moved slightly, as if Iris’ breath that had leaked through her red and moist lips had tickled him.

It was so close that it felt warm even though their lips didn’t touch.

She wanted to move away from his blood-red lips, which seemed as if it wanted to swoop in at any minute, but she stood straight and looked at him as she spoke.

“Aren’t I too big to swallow whole?”

Keivrand’s eyes narrowed.

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

The breath that flowed out with a low voice grazed her lips.

Iris slowly closed her eyes and then opened them.

She was determined to do anything for this new life.

It wasn’t a big deal to go to bed with Keivrand Green who had given her a great opportunity.

Beyond his ample eyelashes, she could see that he was waiting for an answer.

Straight forehead and thick eyebrows with slightly raised ends.

The deeply seated eyes shone as if they were testing her.

Before long, Iris opened her mouth.

“Whatever you want.”

As soon as her answer fell, Keivrand’s thick arms pulled her slim waist.

Her body clung to him.

His hot body pressed against her thin robe.

Then, he laid her on the bed with his arms around her waist.

The long, silver hair with a tinge of pink scattered like petals on the bed.

Iris felt Keivrand’s firm body pressed against her stomach and the soft bed against her back.

The big gown that was wrapped around her body opened at the top, revealing her round, slender shoulders.

Keivrand lowered his head and kissed her shoulder.

With his hot lips pressed down like a brand, Iris flinched.

Without realizing it, Keivrand had gently grabbed her wrist.

The large hand squeezed her thin wrist and was placed against the side of her face.

His lips, which had been holding onto her shoulders, came up along the shoulder line and stopped at the back of her neck.

As soon as his hot breath passed her throat like a shackle, Iris recalled her previous life.

In her last life, the weight of Alfred had pressed against her.

Iris held back from screaming.

‘I have to endure it.’

She closed her eyes tightly and then opened them up again.

She must accept this situation entirely.

Closing her eyes and avoiding the situation is for the stupid, fragile Iris Hutch of her past self.

Iris Green of this life will not close her eyes in the face of any fear.

Therefore, she suppressed her fear and stared at the ceiling with her teeth clenched.

She didn’t even realize that Keivrand’s breath, which had been brushing against the back of her neck, had faded away.

“You’re like a stone, Irie.”

Only when Keivrand’s soft voice was heard did Iris move her eyes.

His face, which was near her neck, was already facing her.

“Whether a woman is a stone or a flower, isn’t it up to the man to make that flower bloom?”

Keivrand looked down at Iris quietly.

She thought. Perhaps Keivrand was angry. Blaming a man in bed was completely challenging their pride.

But Iris had no intention of taking back her words.

Keirand, who had taken offence to this, will show one of two sides.

He will either force himself on her out of anger, or he’ll never touch her again because his pride was hurt.

It didn’t matter which of the two it was to her.

Keivrand gently swept a corner of Iris’ eye with his thumb.

The touch was so gentle that Iris was a little surprised.

She thought he would be angry.

Keivrand, who carefully arranged her messy hair on the bed, laid quietly next to her.

She turned her head toward him.

“Is that it?”

When Iris asked, Keivrand turned his head and faced her.

“I like to eat when it’s hot.”

“Oh, you’re also picky. But what can I do? I don’t get hot easily.”

“Well. We’ll see about that, Irie.”

She thought it was nice to hear his soft voice.

The tension escaped from her shoulder. As soon as she closed her eyes she felt exhausted.

Today, a lot of things happened.

Although she wanted to adjust her gown, a heavy feeling overcame her and she felt it difficult to move her hands.

“Go to sleep, Irie.”

As she fell asleep, she heard his voice again.

“Have a good dream.”

Well, will that be the case?

Iris has never had a good dream.

However, she thought the sweet voice she had heard before she fell asleep was quite pleasant.

* * *

As Keivrand listened to Iris’ even breathing, he quietly slipped out of bed.

Keivrand, who was the master of the house, had many things on his plate after Venerable Count Green left everything to him and retired.

Naturally he didn’t even have the time to care for a woman and thought that would be the case forever.

However…

‘She’s an amazing woman.’

Keivrand stood by the bed and looked down at Iris for a moment.

He, who had no interest in women, has heard rumors of Iris, the flower of Duke Whittle.

That Iris was so beautiful and gentle. That Duke Whittle was so fond of her to the point of never wanting to show her to the public. That if Iris gets even a small cut on the tip of her finger, Duke Whittle would tear up.

However, there were other rumors.

Such as the fact that Iris was the result of Duke Whittle and a maid.

And that Iris was treated worse than a maid in the Whittle family.

Such rumors were so insignificant that they were thought to have been spread by those who wanted to undermine others, and were written off as false.

‘Now that I see it, I guess not all rumors were false.”

Iris was a strange woman.

She seemed arrogant and strong, but also seemed fragile as if she would break down. Sometimes, like Iris had said, she looked like a weed that has lived in the depths of hell.

There was something about Iris that a finely raised nobleman could never have. And unlike ordinary women, those things kept pulling at Keivrand’s heart.

He wanted to know what it would feel like to hug her and see how she would react, so he had placed Iris onto the bed.

However, she had reacted differently than what he had expected.

She still maintained her lofty expression, but Keivrand, who was sensitive to other people’s feelings, could see she was terrified.

“Who hurt you, my dear Irie?”

Keivrand pulled up a blanket and placed it on Iris.

“Don’t tell me Duke Whittle did something bad to you?”

The face of the greedy Duke Reuben came to mind.

“If that’s the case, I’ll show him hell.”

He didn’t have to go that far for Iris. She was just an ally who had taken Keivrand’s weakness and made a deal with him.

This marriage was only for each other’s benefit.

But Keivrand has grown fond of Iris.

The arrogant strength that flows through Iris’ body, and the sorrowful weakness that sometimes leaks out.

The shyness that Iris unknowingly shows and the pleasant smile that she sometimes shows.

Affection doesn’t necessarily have to form just because they’re a man and woman. Affection can also arise from an alliance.

Just because he married Iris for political reasons doesn’t mean he intends to treat her thoughtlessly.

Whatever the reason for this marriage is, Iris is Countess Green.

‘You are now the flower of the Green family, Irie. So…You can bloom without fear. Everything in the Green family will move for you.’

Keivrand came out of the room and walked down the hall when someone came to his side and followed behind.

It was Juliette Merdi, Keivrand’s personal maid.

Juliette, daughter of Viscount Merdi, has been serving as Keivrand’s personal maid for three years now.

“Count. Shall I bring you some tea?”

“No. You don’t need to, so take a rest.”

Keivrand spoke coldly as he walked to the study room.

The study room where his men were supposed to be waiting for him.

Juliette continued to walk behind him.

He stopped and looked back at her.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes, it’s…”

Juliette hesitated, then looked up at Keivrand.

“Are…are you really getting married?”

“I’m not getting married. I’m already married.”

“The wedding…”

“Do I need that?”

“Ah…”

For some reason, Juliette’s expression brightened up a little.

“A political marriage. It was so sudden that I was wondering what was going on…”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“That…your wife is from the Whittle family…”

“If you’re trying to talk about my marriage, stop it.”

Keivrand spoke coldly, then turned to the study room.

Juliette no longer followed Keivrand’s footsteps.

Quietly staring as Keivrand’s broad back disappeared, she let out a loud sigh.

Keivrand Green.

She has admired him ever since she first saw him as a child. Because of Juliette’s father, she was able to step into Count Green’s mansion and become his personal maid.

Unmarried noblemen would often form a relationship with their personal maids and even get married.

Juliette was sure that Keivrand would show interest in her someday. She was often told that she was pretty since she was young, and there was no lack of men who had proposed to her.

It’s been three years since she has been by Keivrand’s side.

But Keivrand hasn’t paid any attention to her.

He didn’t seem to have another woman, so she believed that one day his eyes would turn to her, saying he was just too busy for love.

But suddenly, she heard that he was marrying the flower of Duke Whittle, Iris.

Iris, who was rumored to be as beautiful as an elf.

She had heard that many men were anxious to marry her, but she had never dreamed that Keivrand would be one of those men.

‘So it’s not like that. It’s just a political marriage.’

As evidence, Keivrand didn’t even throw a wedding.

No matter how grand or big the marriage is, Keivrand didn’t seem to have any intention of having a wedding for Iris.

The dark clouds that have hung over her since she heard about Keivrand’s marriage dispersed.

Juliette turned around with a big smile on her face.

== Translator’s Note ==

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