Chapter 40

Liv, who had answered in a low but clear voice, raised her eyes.

The Marquis no longer had a smile on his face. His expression was unreadable, and his gaze toward Liv appeared cold and somewhat relentless.

As their conversation came to a halt, the sounds of the forest—birdsong and the hum of insects—began to fill the silence between them. The peace seemed almost deceptive, as if the few gunshots had never shattered it.

“Signal for everyone to come back. We’re finished here.”

Suddenly, the Marquis handed his shotgun to a servant. Liv, watching this, spoke in a puzzled voice.

“The hunt…”

It seemed as though it hadn’t even properly begun.

Before Liv could finish her words, the Marquis responded swiftly.

“Didn’t you just say that if I told you to undress, you would?”

His cold blue eyes stared straight at her.

“Or, do you prefer it outdoors?”

Liv, her face flushed bright red, quietly gripped the reins of her horse.

***

Liv thought that this time he might actually demand something more of her. However, as always, he merely stared silently at her naked body.

From time to time, he seemed restless, tapping his fingers rapidly on the table or biting the end of his cigar. It looked as if something was weighing on his mind.

Nevertheless, in the end, he did nothing, and Liv returned home just as she always did.

“Sister!”

Corida, who had been sound asleep when Liv left, was now wide awake, waiting for her with bright eyes. As soon as Liv returned, Corida frowned and rushed over to her.

“What’s going on? Today isn’t a workday. Where did you suddenly go? I was so scared when I woke up, and you weren’t here!”

“I’m sorry, Corida. There was an urgent matter related to the extra work I’ve been doing lately.”

Corida, about to continue scolding her, paused as Liv handed over something she had brought. It was a basket Philip had prepared before Liv left the mansion.

At the sweet aroma emanating from the basket, Corida’s eyes went wide, her anger forgotten.

“Oh my goodness, what is this?”

“Things went well, so it looks like my workload will increase. I’ll have to go to work more often from now on.”

“Is this a bribe to make me okay with being left alone more often?”

Corida pouted, but her face was full of curiosity as she opened the basket.

Inside were scones, chocolates, and a freshly made tart, all of which Liv had sampled during tea time.

“It seemed you couldn’t fully enjoy the tea time while conversing, so I prepared this. Please don’t feel burdened—consider it a gift in the hope that you will visit again.”

Philip had said this with a hearty laugh. Liv had been swept along by his insistence that she take the basket since there was no one else to eat it. Now, seeing Corida exclaiming in delight, Liv felt a sense of relief.

After all, it was made with her in mind, so it would be best if it was enjoyed.

“Corida, listen while you eat.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“Someone heard about our situation and wants to offer some help.”

“Help?”

Corida, who had been chewing on a tart, opened her eyes wide in surprise.

Liv, gently brushing away the crumbs from Corida’s mouth, spoke in a calm voice, “They want to introduce us to a skilled doctor.”

The chewing stopped abruptly. Corida blinked rapidly, forcing down the tart with difficulty. Yet she couldn’t seem to find any words to say.

Seeing Corida’s complicated expression, Liv stroked her hair, as if to show she understood.

“If you don’t want to, we’ll refuse. There are other ways they can help us.”

Corida had nearly died at the hands of a quack doctor at a young age. She undoubtedly harbored even greater resentment and distrust than Liv did.

Liv remembered Corida hiding in fear whenever she saw someone resembling that doctor, long after the treatment had ended.

A considerable amount of time had passed, and Corida had grown up a lot, but had that fear truly disappeared? Liv wasn’t sure.

“But, sister, if you’re bringing this up to me, it means you think this person genuinely wants to help, right?”

Corida’s perceptive words brought a faint smile to Liv’s lips. Corida pouted and fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “Who’s the person that wants to help us?”

Liv hesitated for a moment, unsure how to introduce the Marquis’s identity. She couldn’t just tell Corida the whole truth.

After some contemplation, Liv decided to use Adolf as a pretext, as he was at least a familiar face.

“Do you remember Adolf, the agent for this house? He’s the one who introduced us.”

“Is he someone we can trust?”

“The doctor he’s recommending seems to be very skilled. All they’ll do is give you an examination to check your condition.”

Corida’s question was probably about whether or not the person offering to help could be trusted, rather than the doctor. Liv, however, cleverly twisted her answer. So much so that Corida didn’t even seem to notice anything suspicious.

As Corida put down her half-eaten tart and fell into thought, Liv studied her expression carefully before cautiously asking, “Will you be okay with it?”

“What would I have to do?”

“Nothing at all. If you’re okay with it, we’ll just meet with the doctor together.”

Corida looked unconvinced. “Do I really need an examination? I can explain my condition myself.”

“You need a proper diagnosis if we’re going to find a way to get you better.”

“But I already have the medicine I’m taking.”

“I told you, there’s a new drug. Instead of just relying on medicine like now, you could become as healthy as other kids. To do that, we need to examine your current condition first.”

After listening quietly to Liv’s lengthy explanation, Corida let out a shallow sigh.

“Alright.”

Liv had expected Corida to refuse, so she was surprised to see her slowly nodding.

“Really?”

“If you think it’s okay, sister, then it must be okay.”

This meant she trusted Liv enough to undergo the examination. She clearly believed that Liv wouldn’t recommend anything harmful.

For some reason, Liv felt her heart swell, and she bit her lip. Overcome with sudden emotion, she hugged Corida tightly.

“Yes, everything will be alright. I’ll always protect you.”

Everything was improving, and Corida’s health would surely improve too. Liv prayed desperately.

She hoped that this choice was the right one.

***

Dimus Dietrion, Marquis of several estates, had many mansions.

The largest and grandest of them all was his family home, the Langess Mansion. Situated on a vast estate far on the outskirts of the city of Buerno, it was an imposing stone mansion that could have easily been mistaken for a castle. No guests had ever been allowed past the front gate, and anyone who approached the estate was routinely turned away by guards.

The mansion’s exterior wasn’t well known due to the expansive private grounds and surrounding forest, leading to many rumors. Langess Mansion often served as the backdrop for the most gruesome stories about Dimus. However, it was also a place that everyone dreamed of visiting at least once.

It seemed that the writer of the letter shared this sentiment. Though they weren’t usually so persistent, it seemed they were repeating the same request.

“You don’t seem to understand.”

Ignoring the letter wasn’t difficult.

But how long could he keep this up? The fact that they had sent a letter explicitly stating their intention to visit suggested that every detail had already been planned. Plans that likely had no regard for Dimus’s wishes.

Dimus found the whole matter to be a nuisance.

“The response…”

“The same as before.”

Philip bowed and then left the room. Dimus watched him go before tossing the letter he held into the fireplace. He stared dispassionately at the paper as it was swallowed by the flames, then stood up.

The long hallway was beautifully maintained and spotless, but there was a chill in the air. Cold drafts that no tapestry or carpet could block seemed to seep into every corner of the mansion.

No matter how many fireplaces were lit or how much sunlight poured in, it was useless. The coldness permeated every stone of the mansion.

Sometimes, it felt like a cold prison—despite the lack of anything to confine him.

In reality, it was no different from a prison. The way he looked when he came here was no different from that of an exiled man.

How many years had it been since he came here?

Dimus idly counted the time. Though he couldn’t be sure, it had definitely been more than three years.

The first year had passed in a haze of rage and helplessness, with no sense of time. It wasn’t until the second year that he began going out, albeit infrequently.

When Dimus first arrived here, Buerno had been a nondescript rural town. Had he stayed quiet, as he had in the first year, Buerno would likely have remained unchanged.

The town’s revival had begun when Dimus started buying art like a madman.

Word spread that an avid collector resided here, and artists began flocking to the town. Politicians curious about the wealthy man’s identity started hosting events in Buerno and supporting art galleries. Since no one knew the “Marquis of Dietrion,” they concluded that Dimus must be a secret descendant of royalty.