Odalisque - Chapter 132

Camille, unable to hide his astonishment, watched Dimus take a seat beside Liv.

Even when Camille first heard about Liv and Dimus’s reunion, he hadn’t felt this wronged. Was this man really the same fierce figure who had once threatened him so openly?

Despite seeing Camille’s face, which clearly showed his feelings, Dimus shamelessly faced him. His attitude made it clear he intended to listen in on whatever conversation Liv and Camille had. It was thoroughly impolite, but pointing it out wouldn’t make him budge.

Camille let out a hollow laugh, muttering under his breath, “I’d love to show everyone in Buerno this scene. They’d be shocked.”

“Whether they are or not is none of my concern.”

“Then why even…”

The question lingered on Camille’s tongue—why make such a big fuss if this was how it was going to end? But what good would it do to ask? Whether he got an answer or not, the result wouldn’t change.

To Camille, who still remembered Liv asking for help with a tired, lifeless face, Dimus’s behavior was despicable. He wanted to pick a fight just for the sake of it.

Sensing Camille’s lingering resentment, Liv hurriedly tried to wrap up their conversation.

“In any case, I’m truly sorry, and thank you. If you ever need my help, I’ll do my best to be of assistance.”

“There’s no need for thanks. Knowing you’re well is enough for me. That was my reason for coming to the capital, after all.”

Dimus frowned at Camille’s response. But perhaps due to Liv’s effort to conclude the meeting, he didn’t pick apart Camille’s words. Anyone who knew Dimus would have been shocked by his restraint.

Ignoring the look from Dimus that clearly told him to leave, Camille kept his gaze on Liv.

“And if you ever need help, Teacher Rodaise, please contact me.”

Camille pulled a card from his pocket, his contact details printed on it, and slid it toward Liv.

“I promise, I’ll do it perfectly the second time.”

“No, I…”

“If I stay longer, I’ll end up dead in the middle of the capital. I should be going.”

Ignoring the fierce glare from Dimus until the very end, Camille picked up his hat and stood, giving Liv a cheerful smile.

Just as he seemed about to leave, he hesitated, turning back to Liv with an expression that suggested he had more to say. Liv looked puzzled.

Seeing Camille’s hesitation, Dimus’s face twisted, and he opened his mouth to speak. But Camille spoke first.

“I fell for you at first sight, Teacher Rodaise.”

“Pardon?”

“I just wanted you to know.”

Dimus answered on behalf of the stunned Liv, his voice icy, “That’s rude and improper, Lord Eleonore.”

“Well, I’ve been wronged, so I think I deserve this much rudeness.”

“You’ve never heard the stories of those who’ve flirted with someone else’s lover and vanished without a trace, have you?”

“She’s just your lover—who knows what the future holds? There’s no harm in dreaming.”

With an annoyingly bright smile, Camille gave his farewell.

“Until we meet again, Teacher Rodaise.”

Perhaps feeling the true danger to his life this time, Camille left quickly. Liv watched him leave in a daze, her gaze following him as he hurried out of the shop. Then, instinctively, she grabbed the arm of the man standing next to her.

“No.”

“…What?”

“No kidnapping, no assault, no imprisonment—nothing.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Liv wondered if she’d gone too far with such extreme examples. But Dimus’s silence made her realize her request was more realistic than she’d thought.

Watching Dimus’s displeased expression as he pressed his lips together, Liv hesitantly asked, “Were you really planning to commit a crime?”

“This place is unpleasant. Let’s leave.”

Dodging the question, Dimus suddenly reached across the table. He picked up the contact card Camille had left behind and crumpled it, dropping it into a half-filled teacup. The ink quickly blurred, the letters smudging beyond recognition.

Destroying the contact card did little to ease his mood. Still looking as if he could shoot Camille on sight, Dimus clutched his cane tightly.

Liv understood his anger. She imagined if their positions were reversed—if she saw Dimus being pursued by another woman right in front of her—she’d certainly be furious. But she couldn’t just let it go, knowing Camille’s life might genuinely be in danger.

Dimus had both the power and the disregard for social rules to harm Camille without consequence.

Liv sighed. She had only intended to apologize to Camille, but somehow she had ended up stoking Dimus’s anger. Despite her guilt toward Camille, she had no intention of maintaining any connection with him.

“I won’t be seeing Teacher Marcel again.”

Liv quickly clarified, and Dimus scoffed.

“Obviously,” he replied curtly, his eyes still fixed on the spot where Camille had exited. Suddenly, Dimus turned to Liv.

“The same goes for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Falling for you at first sight.”

Liv’s green eyes widened. Dimus held her gaze, his tone cold and detached as he continued, “I fell for you before he did.”

***

After meeting with Camille, Dimus’s behavior became a bit odd.

It wasn’t that he had become suddenly more aggressive or excessively affectionate. Rather, he often stared at Liv in silence, lost in thought, as if grappling with something internally. At first, Liv wondered if he was contemplating what to do about Camille, but since he didn’t seem particularly violent, she assumed it must be something else. She asked him subtly a few times, but he never gave a clear answer.

Could it be about the ongoing court case?

In the dim light of early dawn, Liv gazed at the sleeping face of Dimus, pondering what could be on his mind that he wouldn’t share.

Dimus had been open with her about his background and past—something that symbolized his desire to keep no secrets from her and to show how close they had become. She couldn’t imagine him suddenly creating a new secret between them now.

The court case seemed the most likely reason.

What had started as front-page news—the scandal involving Marquis Dietrion and Lady Malte—had since faded, overtaken by new courtly romances. Liv, who had been keeping track of the trial through the newspapers, found it unfortunate.

Had something changed in the trial, now that public interest had waned?

As her mind wandered, a soft groan reached her ears.

“Ugh…”

Dimus’s once peaceful face twisted in discomfort. His breathing grew harsh and uneven, his clenched jaw showing the strain. Sweat glistened on his forehead. Liv quickly reached out to gently pat his chest. She could feel his heart pounding, muscles tense beneath her hand.

She wasn’t sure how effective her actions were, but if she didn’t do this, Dimus would wake in a panic and be unable to return to sleep. So Liv tried her best to soothe him, careful not to wake him.

Fortunately, her efforts weren’t entirely in vain. Ever since Liv began attentively caring for his nightmares, they had begun to lessen, albeit gradually.

Dimus could now sleep for a few hours without medication, holding Liv close. For several nights, Liv had taken on the task of calming his nightmares before allowing herself to sleep.

If her actions were futile, perhaps she would have stopped. But since she could see the results, she couldn’t bring herself to abandon her efforts.

Besides, she felt a strange sense of comfort while patting Dimus’s chest.

“As long as you stay by my side like this, I’ll be fine.”

This was the most certain way for Liv to know that she mattered to Dimus. Of course, he now openly expressed his affection for her in any setting, but…

It might seem a little morbid, but Liv took a quiet satisfaction in secretly affirming her importance to him this way. Seeing Dimus calm only under her touch filled her with a deep sense of contentment.

“That’s enough for me.”

It brought her joy to know she could do something for this seemingly complete man.

His bed always belonged to her, and she alone was the one who could see him sleep. Therefore, she was the only one who could soothe Dimus’s nightmares in the future—the only one.

As her steady pats continued, Dimus’s harsh breaths gradually evened out. The trembling of his lashes subsided, and the lines on his face relaxed.

Carefully, Liv withdrew her hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead, then planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. He remained asleep, his breathing steady.

Smiling softly, Liv settled into his embrace. Even in his sleep, he pulled her close.

Suddenly, his teasing words echoed in her mind.

“The same goes for me. Falling for you at first sight.”

Drowsy and slipping into sleep, Liv murmured in response, “Me too.”

From the moment they first met in the Pendance mansion’s drawing room, she couldn’t help but be captivated by this beautiful man. From the moment she first looked into his cold blue eyes, she had fallen helplessly to her knees.

Now she finally admitted it.