Odalisque - Chapter 117

“What are you planning to do once I fall asleep?”

Liv had heard similar accusations from Dimus countless times by now, and she responded with a scoff.

“It’s surprising you haven’t tied me up yet.”

“If you run away one more time, you’ll get to experience it.”

“That’s not really my taste.”

Liv grimaced as if she truly hated the idea and then gave a bitter smile.

“Well, I suppose there isn’t much need to tie me up anyway. I can’t leave the mansion as it is.”

On that matter… there really was no other way. Dimus now felt that even when Liv turned her back on him, it meant she was naturally trying to leave him. The mere thought of letting her out of the mansion made him anxious. He knew he’d catch her again if she ran, but he didn’t want to go through the process of searching for her again.

What kind of behavior was this? Even when he questioned himself, there was no answer. He knew how foolish and inefficient his lifestyle had become, yet he saw no way to improve it.

“If you’re really that suspicious, why don’t you tie me up before taking the pills?”

“I thought you weren’t into that.”

“I just fear what people will say if you collapse. After all, I’d be the one by your side.”

“There won’t be anyone to blame you.”

Even if Dimus collapsed here in this mansion, it wouldn’t reach the outside world. Thierry, who was on standby nearby, would handle it promptly, preventing any major problems from arising. If anyone among his subordinates bore a grudge against Liv, they certainly wouldn’t dare express it.

“They’ve all seen what happens to those who lay a hand on you. Who would dare try it again?”

Dimus’ men had witnessed his wrath up close. They knew well enough how dangerous it was to cross Liv, and they’d steer clear.

Dimus picked up the medicine bottle from the table and casually tossed it into a drawer.

“What happened?”

Dimus paused, his hand on the drawer. Liv was watching him with a calm expression.

“I have no idea what happened in Buerno after I fled.”

Dimus hesitated briefly before closing the drawer fully. Then, in a flat tone, he began to explain.

“We found out it was Lady Malte who ordered the unfinished nude painting to be stolen, so we took her to court.”

Dragging a foreigner like Luzia to Beren’s court had been a humiliation for Malte. They had tried to settle things quietly, but now they were scrambling to relocate the trial to their own country to gain the upper hand.

As Dimus thought of their futile struggle, he let out a mocking laugh. Liv’s uncertain voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Why would she…”

“I rejected her marriage proposal.”

Liv’s eyes widened in surprise. Dimus studied her closely, wondering if there were other emotions behind her shock, but there was nothing else that stood out.

He hadn’t expected a specific reaction from her, but he still felt oddly disappointed. Pushing aside the incomprehensible feeling, Dimus continued his explanation.

“The artist who painted the grotesque piece had to testify in court about who ordered him, so I didn’t kill him—I just cut off his hand.”

Cutting off the artist’s hand was enough to effectively end his life. Lady Malte, busy dealing with her own troubles, wouldn’t bother protecting the painter, who would likely be killed for revenge once the trial concluded.

“The subordinates who followed Lady Malte’s orders are already buried. No one will ever visit their graves.”

No one would know where they were buried; they’d remain missing forever.

“Are you also curious about the fools who spread baseless rumors?”

As Dimus pondered whether to mention the small fry who had contributed to spreading the rumors, Liv abruptly asked another question.

“What about Teacher Marcel?”

Dimus frowned, having purposely ignored mentioning Camille.

“The last I heard, he was dragged back to Eleonore’s main residence.”

Dimus didn’t want to talk about Camille, but if he had to, it would be to emphasize that Liv would never meet him again.

Of course, Dimus didn’t believe Liv had any romantic feelings for Camille. It seemed more likely that she had taken advantage of Camille’s feelings for her.

And that was the problem—that Liv had knowingly exploited Camille’s affection.

Knowing Liv’s character, she probably felt guilty just for that.

“Are you worried about him?”

“He only helped me because I asked. It’s my fault he’s involved, so of course I’m worried.”

As expected, Liv’s face darkened.

Seeing her expression, Dimus felt a surge of irritation. Naturally, his words came out just as harsh.

“Help you? He probably planned to demand a hefty reward once things calmed down.”

Camille had played a crucial role in helping Liv leave Buerno and had the ability to track her down once the chaos settled.

Dimus would’ve loved to spill Camille’s blood. If he’d decided to take Camille to court like Luzia, he could’ve easily done so.

There was more than enough to charge him with—he had clearly pursued Liv, who was known to be Dimus’ woman, and had even tried to gather information on Dimus behind his back. Eleonore had probably taken Camille without a fuss because of these very reasons.

“If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have been caught up in this mess. If he hadn’t helped me escape, he wouldn’t be tainted by scandal.”

The reason Dimus had returned Camille to Eleonore without harsher retribution was exactly this—he knew Liv would blame herself if Camille suffered greatly.

Dimus disliked the idea of Camille garnering Liv’s sympathy. He wanted her to forget Camille entirely, even his name.

“You’re worried about his scandal, but…”

Aren’t you worried about the rumors I faced after you ran away? Is that why you haven’t even asked?

Dimus stopped himself, realizing how pitiful such a question would sound. Instead, an unspoken doubt crossed his mind.

If Liv claimed she knew nothing of what happened in Buerno, how was she aware of Camille’s scandal?

Dimus had been certain she had no feelings for Camille, but that certainty was now shaken. Could it be that her brief encounter with Camille had sparked something?

A seed of doubt began to take root. Now that he thought about it, Camille was the first person Liv had inquired about since their reunion.

Could they have planned to meet again after she had shaken off his pursuit…?

Despite knowing there had been no private correspondence between Liv and Camille, Dimus’ suspicions spiraled out of control. His expression hardened.

Liv, who had grown accustomed to the ups and downs of Dimus’ moods, seemed unfazed by his sudden change. Having seen his temper fluctuate dozens of times a day since their reunion, she appeared to have adjusted to the abrupt shifts.

Seeing her turn her attention away as if there was nothing more to ask, Dimus quickly spoke up, “Is that really all you’re curious about?”

“What else should I ask?”

Liv looked at him quizzically. Dimus was silent for a moment before speaking in a blunt tone.

“Don’t you want to know why I went up against the likes of Malte and Eleonore, how I could defy them, why they still can’t openly oppose me, even after all this, or whether there will be any repercussions in the future? Aren’t there plenty of things you should ask?”

Everyone else who had witnessed the situation had those questions. Of course, they did.

Malte and Eleonore were well-known noble families, and Dimus had openly fought them. The name of Marquis Dietrion, once known only in Buerno, had spread across two nations due to his disputes with those families.

The sudden emergence of Dimus had piqued everyone’s curiosity, and they all delved into the history and background of the Dietrion family.

But Liv hadn’t asked a single question about those matters. In fact, until Dimus brought it up, it seemed she hadn’t even considered it.

“Why would I ask about that?”

Her casual response showed no hint of interest.

She wasn’t curious at all. If anything, she seemed bewildered as to why Dimus was even bringing it up.