Odalisque - Chapter 102

They got off the train before reaching the destination indicated on their tickets.

It wasn’t that Liv didn’t trust Camille; rather, she felt that moving strictly according to the ticket’s itinerary wasn’t the best idea. Besides, Corida’s condition wasn’t great for a long train ride.

After disembarking, they chose one of the few inns in the area and rented a room under a false name. It was only after they locked the door, put down their belongings, and relaxed a bit that Liv realized how tense she’d been all along. Her shoulders were stiff, and it dawned on her that she’d been rigid with anxiety the entire time.

“Sister.”

“Oh, Corida. You’re tired, right? Get some rest.”

“You look like you’re about to collapse before I do…”

Corida wasn’t wrong. Liv’s face was pale and weary, as if she could faint at any moment. She had spent the entire day on edge, anxiously watching their surroundings, and the dark circles under her eyes were visible. Her lips were dry from not even having a moment to drink water comfortably.

“I’m fine, just rest…”

“Did things go badly with the Marquis? Is that why we’re running away like this?”

Liv paused, her hands frozen over the bag she was unpacking. She had already been wondering how much she should explain to Corida about their situation and how.

It was hard to explain to Corida, who imagined a romantic love story, why they were in this desperate situation, fleeing like criminals. After a moment’s hesitation, Liv finally said a single sentence.

“There was never anything between us, not really.”

Her eyes fell on the bundles of money neatly packed in the bag. Money she had received in exchange for taking off her clothes in front of the Marquis.

Yes, it had all started with this money. He wanted her body; she wanted his money—a purely transactional relationship. Liv had been fully aware of that from the beginning.

Perhaps she herself was the one who had ruined everything.

For the first time, Liv had such a thought. It was her greed, her misplaced emotions, that had caused her to forget her place and wreck everything.

“But you liked him, didn’t you, Sister?”

“No.”

“I remember how excited you were whenever you were going to see him.”

“I wasn’t.”

Liv firmly denied Corida’s words and turned to look at her.

Due to their strenuous schedule, Corida appeared quite tired. But her tightly pressed lips and clear gaze showed that, at least compared to Liv, she still had more vitality.

“Sister, do you think I haven’t watched you long enough to know?”

Corida’s confident demeanor made Liv sigh deeply. Liv quickly pushed her disheveled hair back under her hunting cap and hood, speaking in a brisk tone.

“He was just someone who helped with your treatment. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t finish the treatment, but now that we know what your illness is, we can deal with it.”

“This isn’t about my treatment, Sister. It’s you who’s acting strangely!”

Corida frowned deeply.

“Didn’t he care about you too, Sister?”

“Corida.”

“I really thought he liked you.”

Given the heap of gifts that had piled up at home and Liv’s frequent outings and overnight stays, it wasn’t unreasonable for Corida to have misunderstood. Liv let out a hollow laugh.

“He had no reason to be in that kind of relationship with me.”

“Is it because of me, again…”

“No!”

Her voice rose sharply.

Liv saw Corida’s eyes widen, and she snapped herself back to reality. But the emotions that had boiled up wouldn’t easily calm down. It seemed that a faint ember had been hidden in her heart—an ember of resentment that even Liv hadn’t been aware of.

Feelings she’d tightly suppressed and bottled up, unable to let out.

“Like you said, I might have…”

Liv’s trembling lips barely formed the words as she lowered her gaze.

Foolish, stupid Liv Rodaise.

“Yeah, maybe I did. But not anymore. From the beginning… it was never meant to be.”

The first desire she’d ever had in her life had to be for someone she shouldn’t covet. How foolish.

“You didn’t expect to stay by his side forever either, did you?”

Perhaps that was a relief. If anyone, like Luzia or anyone else, had realized that she genuinely hoped for some distant future with the Marquis, her heart would have been trampled in the mud, mocked even more.

“I’m going to rest. I’m a bit tired.”

It was a small blessing that she alone knew the pitiful truth of her broken, withered heart.

***

“Oh, dear. How pitiful,” Luzia replied in a lazy tone, waving her fan.

One of the people seated around her clicked their tongue and shook their head. “How did he get entangled with a woman like that…”

“Do they know where she ran off to?”

“With all those people coming and going, how could they find her so easily?”

The news that Marquis Dietrion’s mistress had run away and that the furious Marquis had mobilized even the police to search the city had quickly and discreetly spread among the upper class.

Of course, it wasn’t because Dimus had moved openly. Luzia, who had been monitoring the situation after the nude painting was displayed, had noticed Dimus’ actions and leaked the rumor.

“I heard she had quite the sordid past. Maybe she ran off after getting back together with another man,” Luzia said in a prim tone, causing another young lady to open her eyes wide.

“Another man, leaving Marquis Dietrion?”

“Who knows. Maybe she couldn’t forget an old flame. They say physical bonds can be powerful.”

“Even the great Marquis isn’t exempt from such things, it seems.”

Though they feigned indifference, a faint sneer couldn’t be hidden. Luzia’s words made the young ladies and madams sigh. Luzia covered her mouth with her fan, hiding a smile. She hadn’t expected Liv to flee so suddenly, but it made things far more interesting.

Scandal spread all the faster when it was more provocative. Now, Dimus Dietrion was as good as covered in invisible filth. He wouldn’t be able to pretend to be noble like before.

“To think this happened during the Cardinal’s visit, such a sacred time.”

“Causing such commotion during a holy period should be considered a sin. If it were Torsten, he wouldn’t have let it slide. What about Beren?”

Luzia looked at the young lady sitting next to her as she asked. The lady, who had been addressed, frowned uncomfortably.

“I don’t think it will go that far…”

Running away as a mistress might only amount to an entertaining story. But after Luzia pointed it out, some of them began to wonder whether they should treat it as merely a personal scandal.

“It’s certainly not a good look for a noble to appear to be toyed with by a mere mistress. Especially when the Marquis seemed to cherish her so much.”

“It’s the Marquis’ fault for not managing his mistress properly, but I doubt he wanted this outcome. So, that promiscuous woman, who dared to insult and deceive a noble, can’t be left unchecked. In a small city, the lower classes would quickly take after such behavior.”

“We should let our acquaintances know. We need to keep her in check to prevent her from causing trouble elsewhere.”

Luzia, watching the murmuring young ladies and madams, calmly sipped her tea. Hopefully, the mistress wouldn’t get caught by Dimus. But it didn’t seem likely that she had the means to completely escape Dimus’ grasp.

If only someone spotted her with an old lover, Dimus would be humiliated even more. Adding a line about the runaway mistress seeking refuge with an old lover wouldn’t be too far-fetched.

The man she had once seduced was, if Luzia remembered correctly… the eldest son of the Viscount Karin?

The title was inconsequential enough to be perfect for crushing Dimus’ pride.

Luzia smiled brightly.

***

It was a few days later that Liv left the inn.

Corida needed sufficient rest. For a few days, Liv anxiously watched the streets, fearing someone might come after them, but when she saw the quiet scene outside, she felt a sense of relief.

Still, she didn’t discard her disguise. It was too early to say they had completely left Buerno behind. Maybe it was excessive caution… but the Marquis’ anger wouldn’t fade in just a day or two. He was an arrogant man. It would be wise to keep a low profile for the time being.

“I was thinking… maybe we could go to Adelinde.”

“Adelinde?”

During their stay at the inn, Liv had pored over maps, searching for a new place to settle. She had finally chosen a city.

“Why Adelinde?”

“It’s a big city, so there should be a decent commercial area and plenty of job opportunities.”

Since Corida’s health hadn’t fully recovered, it was essential to find a city with a market large enough to distribute new medicines. Liv also needed to find a new job, and a moderately large city would be better for staying under the radar.

Most importantly…

“And there’s a girls’ school there.”

“A school?”

“Yes. Before deciding on studying abroad, let’s start by attending school. You might find that you want to study something else. We can make a decision after you’ve experienced different things.”

“Oh…”

Corida, who had been wearing a bewildered expression, lowered her gaze, her face reflecting mixed emotions. Liv gently patted Corida’s head and smiled softly.