Into the Rose Garden Novel - Chapter 26.3 - Side story 1 : Hey there, pretty Count. What's your name?

Aeroc’s mood hit rock bottom. To soothe a low mood, overspending was indeed the best. In reality, he didn’t even think it was overspending, but at least enjoying his fidgeting reactions beside him was pleasant.
“I’ll buy this.”
“As expected of Your Excellency. Your taste is excellent.”
The director, greeting a very important customer who had appeared after a long time, chimed in, glancing at Kloff standing beside him. Although for different reasons, Aeroc and the director watched Kloff’s reaction closely. But he didn’t get angry. On the contrary,
“It’s a beautiful painting. Looking at it, I feel peace of mind.”
He showed a perfectly normal, and thus abnormal, reaction. The director also looked surprised.
“Isn’t there anything about how old it looks, or if it will become expensive in the future?”
“It is not right to apply vulgar values to works of art.”
At this point, astonishment was required. Kloff Bendyke called money a vulgar value! He’s completely lost his mind! The director couldn’t close his mouth. Instead of answering the director, who was full of questions, Aeroc began buying indiscriminately.
“I like this too. And this. And this. I’ll buy everything on this wall.”
“Gasp.”
The director, who had initially been happily taking down orders, dropped his pen. The idiot’s complexion, which had been fine, also gradually paled. Aeroc chose only the most expensive ones and bought all the monstrous paintings and sculptures. If all of them were moved to the mansion, the art museum might have to close for a while. It couldn’t receive visitors while completely empty, could it?
“It’s not my money, but that price certainly doesn’t seem right. Perhaps you should exercise some restraint…”
“It’s not your money, so mind your own business!”
Kloff was a miser who was crazy about money. His allowance was only a few silver coins. How many humiliating demands did Aeroc have to fulfill to get that? It was a good thing it wasn’t rutting season; if it had been, Aeroc really thought his back would break from enduring his prodigious stamina, enough for twins. But at Aeroc’s command to mind his own business, he actually shut up. Aeroc’s anger flared even more, ignoring even the art museum director who tried to stop him, saying, “Your Excellency, you’re overdoing it…”
“Purchase order.”
At Aeroc’s single word, the director wiped his sweat and rushed to prepare the purchase order. Since Aeroc bought so many, it took quite a while. In the meantime, Aeroc waited on a sofa in the lounge, which was only open to important clients. Kloff, sitting opposite him, stared at him. Still clutching that damned flower in his hand.
(Why don’t you take it to your grave?)
“I didn’t know you were so wealthy.”
“Hmph, where do I look poor?”
“That’s not what I meant. I envy you, being able to have anything you want.”
“Is there a need to envy? If you scatter cheap smiles, you get what you want anyway. I got one flower with one smile, so if I had kissed him, I would have gotten the whole basket of flowers.”
It was quite a nasty taunt. Aeroc didn’t think Kloff actually had such intentions. At least, reason judged it so. But emotion wouldn’t allow it. What was that paltry flower? It was a common rose. Even though it was a humble flower, a world apart from the high-quality roses grown at the mansion, it was so beautiful that Aeroc felt jealous. Uglily so.
He seemed a little shocked. A sharp light flickered in his dark eyes, then was obscured by the shame that followed. Aeroc regretted it.
“…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s alright.”
Shaking his head nonchalantly, he twirled the flower stem with his firm thumb and long index finger. The slightly withered red flower fluttered, its petals opening wide. Aeroc’s gaze was drawn to it involuntarily.
“Have I ever bought flowers?”
“What?”
“It feels surprisingly unfamiliar yet strangely familiar, a contradictory feeling. What kind of person was I? Seeing the red flower, I feel like I’m remembering someone.”
“Who?”
I leaned forward and stared at him.
“Is there someone who comes to mind when you see a rose?”
“It’s not precise, but a plain, thin, and sad smile. Only a blurry feeling remains, so I can’t recall exactly who it is. Someone a little withered… like this flower. Perhaps I gave him flowers. Looking at this, I feel like memories might return. Judging by people’s reactions, I seem to have been quite ill-tempered, but it seems I also have romantic memories. Haha.”
And then he chuckled softly. Suddenly, a broken door appeared in Aeroc’s chest. Through it, a cold snowstorm raged fiercely. If losing his memory was some kind of omen, what should Aeroc do? Aeroc had barely pushed away cold, painful memories, but what if they returned now? As if his trembling heart had been exposed, Kloff raised his head and looked at Aeroc.
“Are you in pain again?”
“Ah… no.”
“You look pale.”
“Just a little tired.”
Just then, the director returned with the order form. Aeroc scribbled his signature without looking and quickly called for the carriage to return to the mansion. Inside the carriage, Kloff kept glancing at Aeroc. He seemed worried, and if the hurried carriage jolted even slightly, he would reach out to embrace Aeroc. Meanwhile, he couldn’t bring himself to discard the wilting flower. Aeroc pushed away his gentle hand and just stared out the window.
“Was your outing uneventful?”
Hugo, who had come out to the entrance, opened the carriage door himself and asked about Aeroc’s well-being. However, Aeroc simply replied, “Not really,” and went straight to his room. He felt Hugo’s presence as he stopped Kloff, who was following, at his cold attitude. He had no energy to care.
Aeroc put the receipt from the art museum into the box Kloff had designated earlier. After closing the meticulously crafted, heavy wooden lid, a tear dropped onto the back of his hand.
“They say you cry easily when you’re pregnant.”
Aeroc rubbed his eyes with his palm. His belly tightened again. He had blamed it for no reason, and the puppy was sulking again.
“It’s not your fault. I’m sorry.”
Aeroc diligently rubbed his belly with both hands. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to soothe the sulking child, unable to wipe them away.
Aeroc wanted to skip dinner, feigning tiredness, but Hugo wouldn’t allow it. At least Martha was on vacation for a while, which was fortunate. Or unfortunate? Aeroc wanted to get angry at her and throw a tantrum. Martha might have been able to cure that idiot’s idiocy with one swing of a frying pan. But Aeroc didn’t want to disturb her, as she was finally visiting her family. She would be back in a few days.
Aeroc washed his face and sat at the dining table with an indifferent expression. Kloff sat at the opposite end of the large table. Hugo’s petty spite, which usually annoyed Aeroc, was welcome today. Facing him was awkward. Aeroc wanted to eat quietly and quickly leave.
“By the way, Angel.”
Kloff called Aeroc during dinner. When Aeroc looked up, Kloff smiled softly. He was originally a man who smiled confidently, but seeing him smile so gently, without any aggressive possessiveness, made Aeroc feel as if his blood vessels were constricting in his chest.
Aeroc had seen that look before. Kloff smiled like that at someone else, not him. Needles pricked his heart. The hand holding the juice glass trembled.
That’s right. If he lost his memory… it’s before everything happened. That was the original Kloff.
A distant memory, one even Aeroc had forgotten, surfaced.
A natural confidence that drew people in, and a gentle strength. He wasn’t originally a spiteful, greedy person. He had clearly changed because of Aeroc. Even if he didn’t know it. Someday, if he regained his memory, Aeroc might have to let him go. Aeroc’s heart ached. The area around his eyes burned black. Fortunately, tears didn’t flow but evaporated hotly.
Kloff smiled gently, placed the teacup in his hand on the table, and then, with a new realization, posed a question to Aeroc, who was sinking downwards.
“I’ve wanted to ask this for a while, but what is our relationship?”
Suddenly, a judgment was thrown. Aeroc wasn’t ready yet. Where and how should he explain? Aeroc didn’t know.
Aeroc committed a terrible sin against Kloff, who should have been happy loving someone else, and against Kloff’s wife, and the child who was never born. And Aeroc ignored that sin. In the end, he returned and took revenge. Aeroc met a death befitting the sin he committed. But that was only his comfort; it did nothing to alleviate Kloff’s suffering.
God, who pitied Kloff’s innocent wife and child who died, performed a miracle and gave Aeroc a second chance. But Aeroc ruined even that. Kloff and the person who would bring him happiness were senselessly separated. Like a stray cat, Aeroc took advantage of that opportunity and became an Omega. Aeroc lured him, who lingered around pretending to dislike him, and eventually got pregnant with his child. Because in the previous life, Kloff imprinted on Aeroc. What a shameless person Aeroc is. How much shame can one forget?
Ah, is this the third chance? Poor Kloff, so he can pursue complete happiness. So he can escape from a sinner like Aeroc.
Aeroc’s eyes welled up. The half-filled apple juice glass trembled. Even trying to hold them back, his vision blurred, and his chest tightened. The puppy whimpered again. It hurt. But Aeroc couldn’t soothe it.
“Why are you crying?”
A flustered Kloff stood up and approached. He knelt on one knee beside Aeroc, who was silently bowing his head and shedding tears. Then, with a gentle gesture, he wiped away the tears.
“I don’t know what’s wrong, but did I ask an inappropriate question?”
Aeroc shook his head.
Aeroc think he doesn’t deserve Kloff’s concern. He have to tell the truth. Raphiel married and left a while ago. But just because things didn’t work out for them doesn’t mean Aeroc can stay by Kloff’s side. Only misfortune keeps striking. Kloff’s lost his memory. This is a chance to start over.
Tears poured out, and Aeroc couldn’t properly look at Kloff.
“Shh, don’t cry. Did I do something wrong?”
It was a voice of utmost tenderness, like the one from a distant memory directed at someone else. Just a single word, ‘It’s okay,’ held such powerful strength that it truly felt like everything would be alright. The most potent and gentle comfort in the world caressed the loneliness deep within Aeroc’s tightly guarded heart.
As Count Teiwind, Aeroc was surrounded by many people. There were always social gatherings, and he participated in various patronage events. Even without doing anything, invitations piled up from everywhere, taking time to select. Those who approached him each had their own motives. Whether it was for patronage or friendship.
Not many people were interested in Aeroc as a person, not just Count Teiwind. Even if there were such people occasionally, most only desired his appearance, and it was difficult to connect with them. Being an orphan with no close relatives, it was fine at first. He missed his mother terribly, and sometimes even his strict father.
He disguised the cold void with a polite smile. He tried to maintain the dignity of a Count, which his father had strictly taught him. But even as an adult, Aeroc was merely a child longing for his mother’s embrace. That’s why, upon seeing Kloff Bendyke, who was the complete opposite of loneliness, he succumbed to greed. He hated Raphiel, who was loved by Kloff, so much. He fell into the delusion that if he weren’t there, he might be able to have Kloff. But he only learned that those who know love can truly be cruel.
“Don’t cry.”
Unaware that his gentle comfort was only bringing more tears, Kloff tried hard to console Aeroc. Aeroc’s heart ached. This tenderness wasn’t for him. From the start, there was no comfort for Aeroc, Count Teiwind. Even after paying a terrible price because of Kloff, was Aeroc still trying to possess what he couldn’t have?
Aeroc barely managed to shake his head. He managed to pull Kloff’s hand away and wiped my tears with my own hand. Kloff smiled awkwardly.
“Were we close? So much so that you’re upset I don’t remember you?”
Instead of answering, Aeroc closed his lips and forcibly wiped away his tears. He tried to calm his crying and regain his composure. He didn’t want to delay any longer.
“We’re friends, Kloff. You’re my accountant and property manager, and I’m your client. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Then why are you crying? Why am I staying in this house and being nursed by an angel?”
“That’s because you got hurt when you visited my house. Even if it weren’t you, anyone who gets hurt in my house is my responsibility. I’m crying because I pity you for losing your memory, nothing more, nothing less.”
Aeroc tried to speak firmly, but his voice trembled slightly with tears. Kloff frowned and asked, “Is that so?” then said no more.