Jamie asked how I intended to treat the Witlow family from now on.
“Treat them well. Just like ordinary guests.”
Showing them that I am no longer Iris Witlow is enough. Any further rudeness would only harm the Green family.
“Ah, and Lady Iris. The captain is expected to arrive by tomorrow.”
“I see.”
After Jamie left, Iris dismissed the maids and sat alone on the sofa in the parlor, lost in thought.
Kay is coming back.
And Britney is in this mansion.
In her past life, Britney, who married the Crown Prince, kept Kay as her lover. Of course, it was a contract relationship born of necessity, not affection.
I don’t know about Britney, but at least for Kay, it was certain. After losing his family and even seeing Eldheart fall into an eternal slumber, Kay became capable of doing anything to achieve his goals.
Kay needed greater power, and Britney needed to keep the most popular man in high society by her side. They joined hands, and their alliance seemed to be well-maintained.
At least, until it was discovered that Kay was a beastman.
‘What about in this life?’
Iris reclined on the sofa.
‘Will Kay need Britney this time, too?’
Iris had no intention of letting anyone in the Green family die.
However, she did not know what kind of impact changing the future would have on the flow of time.
[Fate is inevitable.]
She had seen that phrase in a book she read once.
If fate is indeed inevitable, even if Iris saves the old Count and Countess Green and Jen in future events, another fate of death might be waiting for them.
Because she could not know the new path of fate, it was difficult to be sure if she could save them from the encroaching death. Iris squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again.
‘No, there’s no reason to fear things that haven’t even happened yet. I just have to do what I can right now.’
She tried to think about what she could do now and what would happen in the near future, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Britney and Kay.
In her past life, when she attended a party, Britney had told her to meet her in the garden in 30 minutes, claiming she had something to tell her.
When Iris went to the garden at the appointed time, she witnessed Britney and Kay kissing. Britney wrapped her arms around Kay’s neck, kissing him while staring right at Iris.
‘Look at this. Such a handsome man is my lover. I have a husband who will soon be Emperor, and a lover who makes high society buzz. Aren’t you envious?’
Britney’s eyes were saying just that.
Back then, and even now, Iris couldn’t understand Britney’s behavior. At that time, Iris was Alford’s wife, and she was in no position to harbor feelings for someone as incredible as Kay.
To Iris, Count Green was a distant, lofty figure whom it was difficult to even catch a glimpse of. Iris had never tried to take what Britney had, and Britney possessed everything that Iris could never reach.
So why go out of her way to show off such a scene?
Iris’s life was already dark and hopeless even without that.
Even if left alone, she would have lived in the mud and died there.
‘Come to think of it… they kissed. Kay and Britney…’
The scene, which she had watched and moved on from without much thought back then, felt vivid now.
‘What was Kay thinking then? Britney is pretty, so even if it was a contract relationship, he must have enjoyed it, right?’
Since men like pretty women.
‘Britney is also very affectionate in front of men… perhaps he was truly drawn to her.’
She wondered how Kay had treated Britney.
‘Did he treat her the way he treats me now?’
Kay was sweet in front of Iris. There were moments when he was so gentle that she felt like she might melt.
A strange emotion welled up from her lower abdomen to her solar plexus. Iris placed her palm quietly against her chest.
‘What is this…’
For some reason, she felt annoyed.
It was something that happened in her past life, and it shouldn’t have any bearing on this life.
No, she was worried.
She was worried that in this life, too, that scene where Britney and Kay kiss might happen.
That Kay would find Britney useful and start a contract relationship behind her back.
Iris bit her lower lip slightly.
She didn’t want to waste her emotions on things that hadn’t even happened, but she didn’t know why this irritation kept welling up.
She regretted allowing the Witlow family to stay in this mansion. She wished that Kay and Britney would never meet.
Iris lifted her legs and kicked at the air. Even so, her mood didn’t improve, so she kicked the air a few more times before realizing how ridiculous she looked and lowered her legs.
“Take it easy, Iris. Just take it easy.”
Iris closed her eyes.
She would feel better after a nap.
***
She felt a touch brushing across her hair in her sleep.
Fingers that had combed through her hair stimulated her scalp pleasantly.
‘Who is it?’
The answer came quickly.
‘Kay has returned.’
If so, she should get up and greet him.
But something hard and warm touched her cheek.
Lulled by the relaxed, pleasant warmth flowing from it, Iris fell back into a deep sleep.
+++
Last night, Iris had waited up late for Alford and dozed off for a moment.
In the meantime, Alford, who had come home drunk, had hit her, saying, “How dare you fall asleep before your husband comes home?” She had been struck dozens of times on her calves with a hard rod. Long, red streaks had been carved into her pale, soft skin, until blood eventually flowed.
Even so, Alford did not stop the beating.
After hitting her for a long time, he pointed his finger at her, saying, “Do better in the future, understand?” before collapsing onto the bed and falling asleep.
Iris could not sleep. The places where she had been hit were stinging and aching terribly.
Even though she would be forty in a few years, her lot in life, still being beaten like this, was pathetic.
She had thought many times that she wanted to change, but whenever the situation actually arose, she would freeze. Iris’s body, which had been frequently abused regardless of whether she had done something wrong or not, would lose the ability to move even if the other person’s gaze turned just a little bit vicious.
Iris sat there blankly, watching the men and women enjoying the party with happy expressions.
Her calves, struck last night, were throbbing with pain. They must have been festering because she hadn’t treated them properly.
She could no longer sit there smiling, so she limped out of the banquet hall. If Alford noticed she had disappeared, he would be furious, but she had no room to think about such future consequences right now.
‘It hurts…’
Iris wanted to cry, but she didn’t. She knew by now that shedding tears wouldn’t soothe this pain.
Sitting on a bench in a corner of the garden where no one came, she lifted her skirt slightly. The cool air entered under her skirt, and the pain eased just a little.
“Captain, Piamondo’s movements are suspicious. We must keep a close eye on him.”
She heard someone whispering.
“I came to this party precisely because of that. By the way, did you bring that earring?”
“Yes, I brought it, but… I don’t think this is a holy relic. Well, it is shiny and pretty, though.”
“Let’s examine it for now.”
“Please keep a close eye on Piamondo. I’ll be going first.”
She heard someone leaving. And then the sound of someone else walking toward her.
Iris held her breath and curled her body up. However, she could not hide from the man who emerged from behind the shrubs.
Count Cavebrandt Green.
Britney’s lover.
Kay seemed very surprised to find Iris, but he did not scramble in confusion.
“Viscountess Hutchis.”
Kay bowed his head slightly.
Iris was surprised that Kay knew who she was.
She knew that she, too, should stand up and accept his greeting, but she couldn’t. Her calves were aching as if they were being stabbed.
“Are you in pain?”
Kay asked with concern.
She almost burst into tears. It was the first time anyone had ever worried about her condition so tenderly.
Iris kept her mouth shut, swallowed her tears, and shook her head.
“You look like you’re in pain… you’re breaking into a cold sweat…”
Kay knelt on one knee in front of Iris.
Iris hadn’t even realized she was lifting the hem of her skirt.
Kay’s expression darkened as he caught sight of Iris’s calf between the folds of her dress.
“Just who did this to you…”
Iris hastily pulled her skirt down.
“It’s nothing, Count Green. It really is nothing.”
At Iris’s desperate words, Kay’s expression grew even gloomier. He stared at her for a long moment before speaking.
“Enduring and hiding things doesn’t solve everything.”
“I know. But… there are people who can only survive by enduring and hiding.”
Kay’s lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but he soon shook his head lightly and stood up.
“Understood, Viscountess. You should apply some ointment to that wound. Otherwise, you’ll be left with a scar on that pretty calf.”
“Thank you.”
Iris wanted Kay to leave quickly. She felt embarrassed to have been caught in such a state, and it was painful to pretend she wasn’t hurting.
Fortunately, Kay walked away through the shrubs.
Just as Iris was about to let out a deep sigh, Kay returned.
Caught with her lips parted, ready to sigh, Iris remained frozen, looking up at Kay with wide eyes.
Kay held his fist out toward her. Iris stared at his hand, wondering what he wanted her to do.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
Looking frustrated, Kay caught her wrist and placed something into her palm. It was an earring with a small blue gem.
Iris’s eyes went round.
“It’s Trisa’s earring. They say it brings good luck to those who possess it.”
“Oh…”
“May good fortune be with you, Viscountess Hutchis.”
+++
Iris opened her eyes.
*May good fortune be with you, Viscountess Hutchis.*
The warm voice lingered in her ears.
‘I dreamt of my past life.’
The gentle warmth and thoughtful consideration she had received for the first time.
It was strange enough that Kay, with whom she had barely shared a conversation in her past life, even knew who she was, let alone that he had pitied her enough to gift her an earring.
Trisa’s earring, said to bring good luck.
That earring had never brought her any actual luck, but every time she wore it, she could feel Kay’s gentle comfort, so she had worn it often, secretly hiding it from Alford.
On the night she died, Iris had been wearing that earring.
Remembering that day, a warmth spread through her chest.
‘Now that I think about it, Kay called my calf pretty back then, too. Is that just a habit of his?’
Iris couldn’t help but chuckle as the feelings she had toward Kay in her past life overlapped with the feelings she held for him now.
In her past life, Kay had been such a distant, formidable, and great presence.
In this life, he was a cute wolf who was called a fat dog and asked her to brush his fur.
“Did you have a pleasant dream?”
She was startled by the voice suddenly coming from beside her.
She turned her head to see Kay lying on his side, his head resting in his hand.
“Why are you so startled? You look like you’ve been up to no good behind your husband’s back.”
“When did you come in?”
“Late last night. You were sleeping on the sofa, so I moved you to the bed. You didn’t even notice.”
Now that she thought about it, Iris was indeed lying in bed.
Still in the clothes she had worn yesterday.
It seemed Kay had even taken off her boots.
“You should have woken me.”
“You were sleeping so soundly, there was no need to wake you. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, very.”
“Did you have a good dream?”
Kay asked again.
Only then did Iris realize that Kay must have used a sleep stone on her.
“Very much so.”
I dreamt of you.
A dream where you shared your gentle warmth with me.
“I had a happy dream.”