The Beast Swallowed by the Flower (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 23
“Isn’t Lady Gillette a bit too old to be called young still?”
Viscount Merdi’s face turned red.
“Please…… please…….”
Gillette did not want to believe the reality of her father kneeling and begging in front of Lisi.
Who is that woman? She only gained the honor of the ‘Green family’ by marrying well.
Despite living a debauched life, she married well and is making me end up like this.
But Gillette could not move an inch. She knew that if she moved here, the situation would only worsen.
Moreover, Viscountess Merdi, who had barely regained her senses, was gripping Gillette’s wrist as if to break it.
Only then did Gillette realize what she had done.
There were families in the world that one should not touch.
The Green family, blessed by the Holy Nation, was one such family. A family that even the emperor could not touch carelessly.
Gillette knew that fact as well.
She simply could not accept that Lisi had become part of the Green family the moment she married Kai.
Gillette closed her eyes tightly and then opened them. She hated it terribly, but there was no choice.
At this moment, what Lisi wanted was clear.
Gillette’s apology.
Gillette’s submission.
As Gillette tried to walk toward Lisi, the viscountess glared at her as if telling her not to do anything unnecessary.
Gillette whispered softly, “It’s okay,” and then headed toward Lisi.
Everyone’s gazes followed Gillette.
Soon, standing in front of Lisi, Gillette calmly knelt beside Viscount Merdi.
“I spread false rumors.”
In truth, it was Alford who brought up the story. But Alford would never admit it, and the maids present would not reveal the truth either.
“I was wrong, Countess Green. I have committed a great sin. Please punish me.”
Now, people’s eyes turned to Lisi’s lips.
The crime of fabricating a noblewoman’s scandal and spreading it even to other countries was grave. Moreover, it was the scandal of a noblewoman from the Green family and the daughter of Duke Wittelo. Everyone wore curious expressions, wondering what terrifying punishment Lisi would impose.
‘At the very least, exile.’
But Lisi said something that deviated from everyone’s expectations.
“There will be no punishment.”
Lisi said plainly.
“You spoke honestly and apologized, so I will forgive you. This matter ends here.”
Most of the commoners and nobles present thought,
‘How magnanimous. They say she’s the flower of the ducal house—has she grown too delicately?’
And some of the nobles present thought,
‘I thought the flower of the ducal house would be naive, but she’s not. I must be careful.’
Lisi forgave Gillette, and this fact would be written into articles by the reporters present and spread widely.
The magnanimous Countess Green who forgave the viscount’s daughter who fabricated and spread scandals.
But some present knew that this was not true forgiveness. If she had intended to truly forgive, she would not have uncovered the truth in such a setting. She would have quietly investigated behind the scenes, spoken privately, and forgiven.
With everything revealed in this place, neither Gillette nor the Merdi viscount family could escape the fact that they tried to tarnish the Green family’s name with false rumors.
The Merdi family would be ostracized among the nobles, pointed at and ridiculed wherever they went. This incident would follow every business the Merdi family undertook, and soon, all businesses under the Merdi name would surely fail.
However, since Lisi had forgiven Gillette, whatever treatment the Merdi family received henceforth had nothing to do with Lisi.
No one would say Lisi went too far.
Wittingk, the reporter from Elelbo, also grasped why Lisi forgave Gillette.
Normally, Wittingk would have written an opening like ‘The flower of the Wittelo ducal house had sharp thorns,’ but this time, he had no such intention.
‘Countess Green. An interesting person.’
The priest who had come to see Kai was also watching the entire scene.
As the events unfolded, the priest’s face grew paler and paler.
When Gillette finally knelt before Lisi, the priest himself felt like kneeling.
‘God. What should I do?’
+++
Lisi was soaking in a bathtub filled with warm, fragrant water, reading the newspaper.
The newspaper from Elelbo published this morning.
An article related to Lisi was on the front page.
The article written by Wittingk was favorable to Lisi.
‘Wittingk must have realized why I forgave Gillette. But he didn’t mention that part.’
That meant Wittingk felt goodwill toward Lisi.
In this era where the power of nobles was no longer absolute, gaining a reporter’s favor was important.
‘However…….’
[The flower of the Wittelo ducal house still possessed vibrant petals.]Lisi glared at the last part of the article.
The flower of the Wittelo ducal house.
A title that always followed whenever Lisi was described.
Lisi wanted to escape that title.
‘It won’t be easy.’
In her previous life, that title followed her until death.
Click—
At the sound of the bathroom door opening, she turned her head to see Kai entering with a tray.
Lisi reflexively looked down.
The bathtub was filled with floating, vivid red rose petals.
Through the countless rose petals, Lisi’s white skin glimpsed briefly.
She was embarrassed to show such a sight to Kai, but she did not want him to know she was embarrassed by something like this.
Iris, unflustered and composed in any situation.
Lisi wanted to become such a woman in this life.
She proudly lifted her chin slightly, but she could not stop her body from slowly sinking deeper into the tub.
“What is it?”
“I wanted to attend to my wife’s bath. And also to toast.”
On the tray Kai brought were fresh green grapes, cheese, wine, and glasses.
Kai set the tray on the table beside the tub and sat on the edge of the bathtub.
He trailed his fingertip long through the water in the tub.
Several red rose petals stuck to his beautiful finger.
Lisi watched blankly as he slowly peeled off the rose petals one by one and dropped them back into the tub.
He moved like an actor on stage, so intensely that she could not look away.
After removing all the petals, he slicked his wet hair back with his hand and smiled brightly at Lisi.
“You’re going to bore a hole through my face, Lisi.”
“Ah…….”
Lisi blushed and shifted her eyes to the wine bottle.
“I thought you wanted me to watch since you were acting like an actor.”
“I’ve never acted like an actor, but I’m glad it looked that way to you.”
“Not particularly…….”
“Shh.”
His index finger gently pressed Lisi’s lips.
The wet touch on her lips was hot.
He gazed steadily at Lisi with his gray-blue eyes and said,
“Stop talking, Lisi. Even if it’s a misunderstanding, let me enjoy it a bit more.”
When Lisi nodded, he removed his finger.
Kai skillfully poured the wine and handed the glass to Lisi.
As she raised her arm, which had been submerged, to take the glass, a splash created waves.
The rose petals covering Lisi’s upper body scattered and then returned to their place.
His gaze lingered briefly on the exposed skin in that short moment before looking away.
Lisi wanted to plunge her face into the tub, wine and all, but she elegantly accepted the glass.
“What shall we toast to?”
Lisi asked, gently swirling the glass to smell the wine’s aroma.
“The clearing of your false accusation. Our unprecedentedly splendid wedding. Gaining the favor of Wittingk, the reporter from Elelbo. Which one?”
As expected, Kai was sharp.
He too had read the article in Elelbo and noticed Wittingk’s expression of goodwill toward Lisi.
“All three.”
Lisi answered and extended her glass, and Kai lightly clinked his against it.
Clink—
A pleasant sound echoed in the bathroom.
Lisi savored the sweet wine spreading in her mouth.
In the warm tub, surrounded by the scent of roses, and the wine delighting her palate.
She already felt as if she had achieved everything.
Kai picked up a small piece of cheese from the plate and slipped it into Lisi’s mouth.
“Have you ever been to a wedding, Lisi?”
In her previous life, she had attended a few, but not in this one, so she shook her head.
Kai picked a grape and placed it in Lisi’s mouth, saying,
“It will be tiring. Both the attendees and the hosts get very tired.”
“You don’t seem to like parties.”
“Immensely. In that time, it’s more beneficial to go out, find holy relics, and subjugate barbarians.”
“I wanted to attend parties often with you.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to like parties from now on.”
Kai replied calmly and placed another grape in Lisi’s mouth.
Lisi, absentmindedly accepting the grape, realized this was the first time someone had fed her like this.
Is this what it feels like to be loved?
This man doesn’t love me.
Regardless of Kai’s feelings, it was clear he treated Lisi preciously.
‘In my previous life…… he did too. Though it was very brief.’
Lisi recalled the short encounter with Kai in her previous life and gazed at him quietly.
Feeling her gaze, he narrowed his eyes, leaned forward, and overlapped his lips with hers.
Lisi’s lips naturally parted to accept him.
His hand dug into her hair, and his breath hotly dyed her.
His lips were so hot that the warm water felt cold.
“When you look at me like that, I don’t know what to do, Lisi.”
He whispered softly with their lips still overlapped.
“You’re doing very well for someone who doesn’t know.”
He chuckled.
“You taste like grapes.”
“So do you.”
“Do you know, Lisi? Lately among the noble ladies.”
He took the wine bottle and tilted it over the tub.
Expensive wine poured out, dyeing the tub red.
“It’s trendy to bathe in wine.”
The wine splashed and fell like blood on Lisi’s nape and collarbone.
Was it because of the rich wine scent?
Or because of those unwavering gray-blue eyes fixed on Lisi?
Lisi became dazed, as if intoxicated.
She lifted her head to accept his approaching lips again, but he passed her face and buried his in her neck.
His lips moved along her neckline.
His wet lips climbed her nape and overlapped with Lisi’s lips.
This time, Lisi tasted grapes from him too.
The thought of sharing the same taste made her dizzy.
Reason faded far away, and desire filled the void—to melt into him and dissolve within.
His hand traveled down her neckline and grasped her round shoulder.
Suddenly, strength entered his hand.
Kai gripped Lisi’s shoulder tightly, then let out a groan and pulled his face far back.
Lisi looked up at him with wet eyes.
He lightly brushed her eye with his thumb and said,
“The wedding invitations are out, Lisi.”
Was it her imagination?
Lisi’s ears heard Kai’s voice trembling faintly.
Even though Kaelbrant Green, king of the beasts and guardian of holy relics, had no reason to tremble.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
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