Chapter 39

“So, are you saying… the number of times will increase?”

“If necessary.”

Not only had she been introduced to a doctor, but she now also had an opportunity to earn more money. Within just an hour of arriving at the mansion, the problems that had plagued Liv seemed to vanish like a lie.

Moreover, all it took were a few words from the Marquis to solve them. It was all so effortless that it felt unreal, leaving Liv speechless.

Perhaps taking her silence a certain way, the Marquis added, almost as if he were doing her a favor, “I’ll make sure to exclude the days you go to Baron Pendence’s residence.”

It was as though he was making some grand concession.

“Eat the dessert too. If you leave it, the chef will be quite disappointed.”

At his words, Liv stiffly lifted her hand to grasp the cutlery. Yet her mind was filled with countless thoughts. Among all the confusion, the emotions that gradually grew in prominence were deep relief, gratitude, and a faint sense of excitement.

The Marquis was a man with the power to significantly influence her life, and she had caught his interest. She was beginning to realize just how incredible this was.

After her parents died, Liv had never leaned on anyone. With her younger sister to take care of, she always had to be the head of the household, the breadwinner.

But if she could stay by the Marquis’s side, if she could remain with him…

“Master.”

Lost in her thoughts, Liv snapped back to reality. Philip, who had knocked and entered, approached the Marquis. Judging by his cautious demeanor, it seemed he was mindful of Liv’s presence.

Liv consciously avoided looking at the Marquis and Philip, focusing solely on the dessert in front of her. However, she couldn’t stop herself from eavesdropping.

Philip spoke in a very low voice, making it impossible for Liv to catch what was being said. As she struggled to suppress her growing curiosity, she heard the Marquis mutter irritably.

“In person?”

Just as the Marquis’s expression grew visibly sharper, Philip’s expression also darkened.

Had something gone wrong? Should she discreetly excuse herself?

As Liv contemplated quietly setting her fork down, thinking it was inappropriate to enjoy scones at such a tense moment, she heard the Marquis click his tongue.

“Tsk.”

“What should we do?”

“Decline.”

“But…”

Philip’s face looked troubled as his voice trailed off, but the Marquis impatiently interrupted, making it clear he had no intention of reconsidering.

“Should I have to consider their opinion?”

“Understood.”

Philip bowed without further question. The Marquis, seemingly having lost his appetite, stood up abruptly. Liv, who had been watching, also stood up quietly.

She intended to say that she would take her leave now, but before she could, the Marquis spoke to her without even looking in her direction.

“Have you ever learned to ride a horse?”

“Pardon? I’ve had a few lessons, but…”

The Marquis glanced at Liv, who looked bewildered, and spoke as he exited the library, “Since you’re here, let’s go to the hunting grounds.”

It wasn’t a suggestion, and Liv had no choice in the matter.

Liv’s horseback riding skills, to be honest, were poor.

She wasn’t particularly athletic. When she was in school, she frequently received low grades in physical activities. She had nearly lost her scholarship once because of it.

It wasn’t just horseback riding or physical activities like sports; it was the same with things like dancing. Thinking she wouldn’t need to be an excellent dancer in life, Liv, back then a student, gave up on dancing and invested more time in other studies.

She didn’t regret that decision even now.

However… she did feel some regret that she hadn’t put more effort into learning horseback riding.

Compared to the Marquis, who rode his horse with great ease, Liv’s horse barely moved at a crawl. Thanks to the servant accompanying them and holding her horse’s reins, Liv could ride stably, but she would have struggled if left to manage on her own.

And it wasn’t as if the Marquis would have shown her any leniency just because she struggled. He looked to be in a particularly foul mood.

The servants of the mansion swiftly prepared for the Marquis’s sudden declaration of a hunt. It seemed they had all experienced such abrupt plans before.

They quickly readied the shotgun, stationed the beaters, and prepared the hunting dogs. Although this wasn’t a formal hunt and some things were missing, it was sufficient for appearances.

“This should do,” the Marquis said, prompting the beaters and trackers to move quickly.

Apparently, the Marquis had no intention of venturing deeper into the hunting grounds himself. Considering Liv had accompanied him, it wouldn’t have been easy to directly pursue the prey anyway.

Come to think of it, it was quite strange. Liv was of no particular help on this hunt. In fact, she was more of a hindrance.

Why had he brought her along?

Quietly pondering, Liv arrived at the conclusion that the most likely reason was to have someone to talk to. Otherwise, there was nothing she could contribute here on the hunting grounds.

Wondering what to say, Liv chose the easiest topic.

“Do you enjoy hunting?”

The Marquis, who had been staring off into the distant sky, waiting for a signal from the beaters, glanced sideways at her.

“Not at all.”

His response came without a moment’s hesitation, leaving Liv with a bewildered expression. Since he had an estate with its own hunting grounds, she had assumed he must enjoy hunting. Especially since he had come out to hunt the moment his mood soured.

Most people would turn to hobbies they enjoyed to alleviate a bad mood, wouldn’t they?

While Liv struggled to figure out how to react to the unexpected answer, the Marquis added a curt comment, “I do it because I must.”

“…Because you must?”

“Sometimes, there’s unavoidable killing that has to be done, Teacher.”

At that moment, a flock of birds suddenly took flight, flapping their wings in a noisy flutter. The Marquis, who had been holding his shotgun loosely, immediately raised it to aim at the sky. The long barrel unhesitatingly targeted its mark.

Bang!

At the sound of the gunshot, so close by, Liv’s shoulders flinched and trembled.

Bang, bang!

Two more gunshots echoed in quick succession. The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air, and Liv instinctively covered her nose as she looked up at the sky. The startled flock of birds was scattering in all directions. Liv, a novice in such matters, couldn’t tell if the hunt had been successful.

The Marquis, who had fired the shots without warning, calmly lowered the gun. He gave a brief glance at the spent cartridges scattered on the ground before casually reloading.

“Is this your first time seeing someone fire a gun?”

“I’ve never had a reason to see it.”

“You’ve lived quite a sheltered life.”

It was a tone he sometimes used—as if speaking to a child. Without thinking, Liv retorted immediately.

“I wouldn’t say that.”

The Marquis didn’t respond. However, judging by the faintly twisted expression on his lips, it seemed he wasn’t taking her words seriously.

There was no need for him to understand or validate the hardships of her life. Even if she tried to explain, he wouldn’t understand.

Still, Liv felt somewhat displeased at the Marquis’s attitude of assuming she was just some naive young lady.

“If I had truly been sheltered, I wouldn’t have ended up in such a relationship with you, my lord.”

The Marquis, who had been inspecting the shotgun, raised his head at her words. He stared at Liv’s stiff expression for a moment before narrowing his eyes.

“Then, Teacher, you must be grateful for that misfortune. After all, it’s what led you to stand here now.”

“Do you think I’m pleased to be in this position?”

“Yes.”

Liv closed her lips, seemingly at a loss for words. The Marquis, nodding nonchalantly, returned his focus to the gun.

“If I’m wrong, feel free to deny it.”

He spoke as if he wasn’t even considering the possibility that he might be mistaken. His attitude made Liv want to refute him right away, but for some reason, she couldn’t open her mouth.

It wasn’t simply because of the various intertwined interests between them. Of course, she had to cater to his whims, but more than that…

The Marquis was right. Deep down, Liv was pleased with her current position—being in a relationship that anyone would recognize as special.

“You are correct.”

The Marquis raised his eyebrows, apparently not expecting Liv to admit it so readily. Liv met his gaze steadily, then continued in an even tone, “It was inevitable for me, and you know that as well. There’s no point in pretending otherwise.”

“You accept things more quickly than I thought.”

“I’ve already given it a lot of thought.”

“Thought, huh… About what, exactly?”

“About how I should take your interest in me.”

The Marquis no longer concealed his amusement. He looked at Liv with an intrigued gaze and smiled slightly.

“And how did you decide to take it?”

“Just as it is.”

Liv lowered her gaze. In truth, she had no other choice.

The Marquis’s interest was like an endless, powerful wave, and she was merely a small boat, helplessly swept along. Even if she were to be overturned, shattered, and sink into the deep sea, there was nothing she could do.

Against such overwhelming power, resistance would only lead to destruction. Sometimes, surrendering oneself was the best way to increase the odds of survival.

“If you call for me, I’ll come; if you send me away, I’ll go; if you offer help, I’ll accept it…”

“And if I tell you to undress.”

“…Then I’ll undress.”