Chapter 34

The room had changed.

Liv had expected to be taken to the top floor as usual, but instead, the Marquis led her to a lounge on the same floor as the drawing room. It wasn’t a bedroom; instead, it had a large sofa big enough for two adults to comfortably lie down on.

It seemed like it wasn’t originally prepared for this purpose. The servant who had followed them belatedly hurried to close the curtains and tidy up the table and sofa. Even the usual pre-set wine was nowhere to be seen.

Liv turned her gaze away, watching the servant repeatedly polish an already spotless table until it shone.

Unlike the usual white-walled room where she would undress, this space was colorfully and luxuriously decorated, much like any other lounge in a grand estate. Amidst the lavish decor, a large piano in the corner caught Liv’s attention. It wasn’t just any piano; its size and appearance made it clear it was a top-quality instrument.

The Marquis, noticing Liv’s gaze fixed on the piano, asked in an indifferent tone, “Can you play?”

“A little,” Liv answered, though she couldn’t help feeling slightly dejected.

When she graduated, she had been confident she could play well enough not to embarrass herself, but she hadn’t touched a piano in so long that she wasn’t sure if her skills were still intact.

Seeing her unsure expression, the Marquis gestured towards the piano, as if telling her to play. The servant, who had been bustling around to tidy the room, was already gone.

Reluctantly, Liv sat down and placed her fingertips on the white keys. She rubbed the smooth surface, searching her memory, then relaxed her shoulders and lifted both hands.

Without sheet music, she had to rely on the few pieces she remembered.

Luckily, there was a piece that most well-educated ladies learned as part of their cultural upbringing. The composer had written it as a lullaby for his daughter, but the composition was so polished that it was often performed at concerts rather than just for putting a child to sleep.

Ding, ding.

The piano was perfectly tuned, producing a clear sound with each press of the keys. Liv had expected as much, but she was still surprised by the instrument’s excellent condition, causing her fingers to momentarily relax.

The melody that began to fill the lounge was delicate and shy, following the light taps of her fingers like raindrops.

Relying on her memory from years ago, her performance was devoid of any real confidence.

Surely the Marquis wasn’t expecting her to play at a professional level. All she needed to do was play well enough to be recognizable.

It was at that moment, as Liv was continuing to play, that she felt it.

Rustle.

A fingertip brushed horizontally across the back of Liv’s neck from behind. The soft fabric’s touch indicated it was certainly the Marquis’s hand.

Following that touch, the hair draped over the back of her neck was gathered and placed over one shoulder. A bunch of long auburn hair fell in front of Liv, crossing over her shoulder.

“What…”

Her fingers, which had been playing according to her recollection, began to slow. But the presence behind her did not disappear.

Thud.

A small sound, and the pressure around her neck eased. The sound repeated, thud, thud, as her dress loosened. Through the parted fabric, her wrinkled undergarments and bare skin were exposed without protection.

The slow melody came to an abrupt halt.

The hand that had been steadily unbuttoning her dress along her spine paused. For some reason, Liv couldn’t turn around, and her tense nerves were all focused on the presence behind her.

“Must I continue undressing you?”

It was the Marquis who broke the tense silence. Upon hearing his words, Liv flinched as if burned, quickly standing up. The half-undone bodice of her dress slipped slightly from the movement.

Clutching the fabric near her chest, Liv glanced back. The Marquis, who must have been standing close by, had already turned away, putting distance between them.

Until now, the Marquis had never once touched her body. Not during the many additional sessions she had worked.

Was he in such a hurry today that he felt compelled to touch her directly? Or was something wrong?

Did he expect her to play the piano completely undressed? What kind of taste was that…?

A whirlwind of thoughts spun through her head, but they were all meaningless questions.

The Marquis was known for making demands that were difficult to understand, and Liv had long given up on finding any deep meaning in his actions. Instead, she hastily removed the rest of her clothes.

It didn’t take long for the few remaining garments to vanish, and she stood before the Marquis, completely bare.

Was it because the room was different? Liv felt a renewed sense of embarrassment at her nudity. Perhaps sitting at the piano under the pretense of playing would feel less awkward than just standing idly.

Liv stole a glance at the Marquis. Seated on the sofa, he was looking down at his gloves, which were smudged with black ash, seemingly lost in thought.

“Shall I… continue playing?”

The Marquis, who seemed to be pondering something as he rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, looked up at her question. Instead of answering, his gaze shifted to Liv’s exposed leg.

It was the area that had been injured the worst when she fell, now marred with bruises and scabs.

As his eyes lingered, the injured spot began to itch, and Liv cleared her throat awkwardly.

Tilting his head slightly, the Marquis raised his hand.

“You see, Teacher,” he began slowly, grasping the end of his glove and pulling it off gently, “I prefer a clean body.”

The glove slid off smoothly, revealing his long fingers. Judging by the gloved hand, she had imagined his hands to be smooth, elegant, and pale, but instead, they were surprisingly large and sturdy, befitting a man.

If he held a gun, it would surely… suit him well.

“Yet oddly enough,” he continued, “your body, even if it’s a bit dirtied, seems acceptable.”

Liv, staring blankly at the Marquis’s bare hand, suddenly realized that this was the first time she had seen his exposed skin. The Marquis, who usually covered himself meticulously, had removed his glove in front of her for the first time.

Realizing this, her heart pounded loudly. Her blood circulated faster, and the back of her neck, which had felt his touch, tingled.

Not wanting to reveal her reaction, Liv forced a tight smile.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean by ‘even if it’s dirtied’…”

“By anything.”

The Marquis tossed the glove carelessly under the sofa. He seemed to have no intention of using it again.

“Preferably by something I desire.”

Heat flushed across Liv’s face.

Liv recalled Adolf’s reaction when drafting the contract for these additional sessions. He had laughed openly when she asked what she should do if the Marquis made immoral or lewd demands that weren’t written in the contract.

Adolf had acted as if it would be more surprising if nothing happened between her and the Marquis. But this situation…

Liv was no child, nor was she naive enough not to recognize the tension between herself and the Marquis. However, she wasn’t foolish enough to speak of it aloud.

It was better to feign ignorance, at least until he made his intentions explicit. She didn’t want to be treated as a woman desperately throwing herself at him. She couldn’t understand what had provoked such a reaction from him now.

Liv parted her lips, intending to ask once more about playing the piano.

But instead, the words that slipped out were entirely different.

“You attended Baron Pendence’s daughter’s birthday party, didn’t you?”

At the sudden change in topic, the Marquis raised an eyebrow.

“And?”

“…Many people speculated based on just your brief greeting. As you must know.”

The Marquis rested his chin on his hand, leaning back. He responded to Liv’s comment with a voice tinged with amusement.

“So?”

“I don’t know you well, but I’ve heard you usually don’t mingle closely with other nobles. So why visit the Pendence estate…”

Since the birthday party, the Marquis had not returned to the Pendence estate. However, the Baron and Baroness continued to purchase paintings and decorated their mansion meticulously, anticipating his return.

Liv, who saw this whenever she went for lessons, found it strange. Was the Marquis really intent on maintaining relations with the Pendence family? While his initial visit could be explained by the art transaction, was his attendance at the birthday party truly an act of friendship?

The more she met and interacted with the Marquis, the more the events at the Pendence estate puzzled her.

At least during the birthday party, it seemed… he might have had another purpose.

“Why are you curious?”

The Marquis’s blunt question almost seemed to peer into Liv’s thoughts. She set aside her speculations and answered politely, “Because I’m Baron Pendence’s daughter’s tutor. Ever since your attendance at her birthday party, there’s been quite a stir in her life.”

“Ah, so it’s the concern of a teacher for her student.”

For some reason, the Marquis found this amusing, and his voice carried a hint of mockery.

Liv, feeling awkward, tried to think of a more justifiable reason for her curiosity. But before she could say anything more, the Marquis replied briefly.

“To see you.”

Liv’s gaze, which had been resting on the floor, shot up. Her wide eyes took in the Marquis, who nonchalantly crossed his legs.

“Because in that setting, you’d be different from how I usually know you. So I went to see for myself.”