Odalisque - Chapter 137

Dimus no longer spent his time endlessly gazing down at the garden of the Langess mansion. There was no need for it. Now that Liv had returned to his side, the person who was the focal point of his daily life, he expected nothing but peaceful and tranquil days ahead.

However, life wasn’t always so accommodating, and recently, something else had been agitating him. It was the art lessons he had been taking. While attending these lessons alone had been less than enjoyable, having Liv join as a new student had made his displeasure sink to an even deeper level.

Today was no different. Dimus’s expression was nothing short of glacial as he exited the villa after the lesson.

Sitting with his chin resting in his hand, Dimus stared out at the rapidly passing scenery outside the carriage window and muttered to himself, “I should fire him.”

The carriage had already been filled with a heavy silence, as Dimus’s mood was more irritable than usual. No one in the carriage had missed his low mutter.

Having spoken so abruptly, Dimus pressed his lips together in a straight line, lost in thought once again. Charles, sitting across from him and watching his master’s grim expression, finally couldn’t hold back his question.

“…Are you saying we need to find a new teacher?”

“There are better artists out there.”

Not having attended the lessons himself, Charles couldn’t accurately guess the exact cause of Dimus’s foul mood.

Dimus was not the kind of boss to kindly explain the context of his discontent, so Charles’s gaze naturally turned to Liv, who was seated beside Dimus.

If anyone could provide an objective view of the situation, it would be her. Furthermore, if Dimus’s displeasure was just a matter of personal mood, Liv might be able to convince him otherwise. She was sensible enough to understand just how inefficient, bothersome, and time-consuming it would be to find a new art teacher.

Liv, catching Charles’s blatant and desperate look, gave an awkward smile before turning to Dimus.

“But having artistic talent and being a good teacher aren’t necessarily the same thing.”

“Indeed, Miss Rodaise, you have experience teaching students, so you would know best!”

So Dimus’s dissatisfaction with the art teacher wasn’t about their skill. It was just his own mercurial, demanding nature causing the trouble again!

Since there was likely no artist who could endure Dimus’s temperament, Charles hoped to avoid adding more tasks by supporting Liv’s argument.

With a beaming expression, Charles immediately praised her, but Liv furrowed her brow with a sheepish look.

“I don’t have enough experience to evaluate someone else’s teaching skills…”

“If the young lady of the Pendance family followed you around like a duckling, there’s no doubt about your ability to teach.”

Dimus, who had been silent after making his blunt statement, suddenly interjected. His voice carried not the slightest hesitation as he praised Liv. In contrast, Liv herself blushed slightly, clearly embarrassed.

“…Please, it’s ‘young lady,’ not ‘duckling.'”

Was that her way of accepting his compliment about her teaching skills?

Charles thought that perhaps Liv, after spending so much time with Dimus, was slowly becoming as brazen as him. With that thought in mind, Charles turned back to his master.

“In any case… Miss Rodaise seems to be satisfied with the current teacher. What should we do?”

At Charles’s subtle question, Dimus frowned. It was the usual expression he wore whenever he was about to lose his temper.

Was it too much to expect that a single word from Liv could overcome Dimus’s exacting nature? Charles, feeling anxious, was about to add, ‘I’ll find a new artist,’ when Dimus spoke up.

“Leave it be.”

Charles widened his eyes in surprise, but Dimus, clearly annoyed by his reaction, turned his head back to the window. Resting his chin on his hand and staring outside, he looked like nothing more than a sulking child.

Sitting beside him, Liv quietly watched Dimus before speaking softly, “Is it because of me that you don’t like him?”

“I didn’t like him from the start.”

It was as if he was trying to deny being so petty.

However, even to Charles, who knew nothing of the details, it was clear that Dimus was behaving pettily. Whatever the reason, Liv was undoubtedly involved in it.

And sure enough, Liv’s gentle words that followed confirmed Charles’s suspicions.

“He’s a teacher. When teaching, it’s common to give praise to boost the student’s confidence. There’s nothing personal behind it.”

It turned out that Dimus was irritated simply because the art teacher had complimented Liv!

Surely he wasn’t jealous just because someone else had given her praise? Most likely, he was unhappy about the atmosphere between Liv and the teacher when compliments were exchanged. Charles was well aware of how possessive and jealous Dimus could be—it was evident just from the vast collection of art pieces he hoarded.

And this was Liv Rodaise they were talking about. Dimus would glare at anyone who so much as spoke a word to her, so it was no surprise that things would end poorly if someone complimented her in his presence. Perhaps for the sake of the art teacher, it would be better to let him go.

While Charles was genuinely concerned for the art teacher’s well-being, Liv continued speaking with a calm demeanor.

“Besides, everyone knows about our relationship. At least here in Buerno, no one would dare flirt with me at the risk of offending you.”

Charles nearly nodded in agreement, given that it was his hard work that had spread those very rumors. In Buerno, Liv was known first and foremost as Dimus’s mistress, and to alter that perception, Charles had gone to great lengths.

The fact that Dimus had gone so far as to engage in a public trial against Malte for Liv was straightforward enough to communicate. But their first meeting and the development of their romance needed to be spun into a more appealing narrative for the public. Charles couldn’t even remember how many sleepless nights he and Adolf had spent weaving a convincing love story by blending fact with fiction.

As Charles reminisced with tears welling up in his eyes, he heard Dimus’s sardonic response.

“Just a lover.”

‘Just a lover!’ Charles fumed internally. That ‘lover’ title had been so painstakingly earned!

Had his master already forgotten the chaos of searching for Liv when she fled, or the aftermath of the trial and the challenges of returning to Buerno? All the sweat and tears his subordinates had poured into achieving this outcome!

Though a sense of injustice swelled within him, Charles swallowed his emotions. Instead, he continued thinking about the poor art teacher who had ended up on the wrong side of his irritable boss.

“Are you still thinking about Teacher Marcel’s comments?”

Charles, who had been contemplating how to warn the art teacher about the danger to his life, looked at Liv in shock.

On top of bringing up the art teacher, she now mentioned Camille Eleonore! Did she not realize how much Dimus despised Camille, who had once helped her try to escape?

“Ignoring advice leads to undesirable outcomes.”

“I doubt Teacher Marcel intended anything like that. His words didn’t strike me as realistic.”

“Of course not, because what he wants will never happen.”

Dimus replied arrogantly, casting a glance out the window to check their surroundings.

“We’re here.”

The speeding carriage gradually slowed until it came to a gentle stop. Liv, who had been so focused on Dimus that she paid no attention to the scenery outside, now looked around in surprise.

“This isn’t the mansion?”

“This is the new gallery currently under renovation. Although there are still many empty spots, I’ve already sent people to set it up, so you can go right in.”

Charles quickly explained, stepping out of the carriage first. Dimus followed, then offered his arm to escort Liv, who was still looking around in confusion.

The new gallery Dimus had purchased and renovated was still missing several pieces. Despite that, it had been decorated lavishly enough that it didn’t feel incomplete.

“Dinner is prepared inside.”

“Aren’t you joining us?”

“My guidance ends here.”

Charles, bidding farewell to the pair heading toward the brightly lit exhibition hall, stepped back. He needed to return and pray with Adolf for tonight’s dinner to go perfectly, hoping that it might alleviate some of his master’s irritability.

***

Liv knew that Dimus had multiple galleries.

They housed not just nude works but also other art pieces aligned with his tastes. The scale of these galleries was generally quite large, so it was intriguing to hear about this new place.

Dimus had said nothing as they entered the gallery, pushed along by Charles, so Liv was left to guess its purpose from its exterior.

Perhaps because of his newfound hobby of painting, he had built a gallery for his works? Maybe one or two of Liv’s drawings might be hung beside his.

“This way.”

Since she hadn’t found any clues upon entering, Liv simply followed where Dimus led.

The delicious scent of food wafted through the air, and she assumed they were headed to the dining area when suddenly—

“Oh?”

Liv’s steps halted abruptly. Her gaze fixed on a familiar signature.

“This is…”

“It’s a collection of the works of the Rodaise couple.”

Liv, her eyes trembling as she looked at the pieces on display, turned around. Dimus wore his usual impassive expression.

“I wasn’t sure what to fill the gallery with that you would enjoy.”