Odalisque - Chapter 61

Liv’s eyes widened. The explicit mention of “our affair” somehow tickled her ears. She licked her lips and coughed awkwardly before adding, “Cardinal Calliope and his pilgrimage group will be visiting soon, so it would be troublesome if strange rumors start to spread.”

Did her words, which seemed to miss the point, annoy him? The Marquis furrowed his brow.

“Speak clearly so I can understand.”

“I heard you might be hosting some guests soon, Marquis.”

At Liv’s words, the Marquis’s lips twisted in annoyance. He seemed thoroughly displeased now.

“Who said that? Who’s investigating me?”

“It’s not that— I overheard it while teaching at the Pendence estate.”

“Ah, Pendence.”

The Marquis spat out the name “Pendence” irritably and clicked his tongue. His frowning brow was filled with irritation. In the suddenly tense atmosphere, Liv could only lower her gaze, cautiously watching the Marquis’s reaction. Judging from his response, it didn’t seem like the Marquis had any plans to host the Cardinal or the pilgrimage group.

But according to Million, they were acquaintances. Could it be just another exaggerated rumor, like the others about the Marquis? If it were false, they probably wouldn’t have told Baron Pendence not to prepare lodging.

Million’s words, which she had tried so hard to ignore, came back to her. Lady Malte, who had broken off her engagement, and the unmarried Marquis with exceptional looks.

Curiosity suddenly swelled up inside her.

“I heard someone from the pilgrimage group knows you, Marquis.”

The Marquis immediately reacted to Liv’s casual statement.

“Who is it?”

From his response, Liv instinctively knew that Million’s words were true. If it weren’t true, the Marquis would have denied knowing anyone outright instead of asking who it was.

Ah, so he really does know someone.

“I don’t know exactly who…”

There were more than a few nobles in the pilgrimage group, and Million’s imagination still seemed close to speculation. Yet just discovering a tiny possibility made Liv’s heart sink. Her own reaction felt so strange that she bit her lip.

She wanted to pretend to be indifferent, but she could feel her facial muscles stiffening. It was true that she was curious about the nature of the Marquis’s relationship with Lady Luzia Malte, if they really were acquainted.

Feeling unsettled, as if food she hadn’t eaten was lodged in her throat, Liv reached for her wine glass. Just then, the Marquis asked her a question in a cold voice.

“Who do you think it is?”

“Maybe… Lady Luzia Malte or…”

Half-distracted, Liv answered thoughtlessly, but a sudden noise made her look up in surprise. The Marquis had set down his cutlery loudly.

“I thought I’d feed you since your stamina isn’t great.”

After taking a sip of wine, the Marquis wiped his mouth, muttering to himself. Tossing his napkin beside the table, he rose gracefully and approached Liv.

Liv, bewildered, parted her lips to say something, but she couldn’t speak.

“Mm…!”

A hot tongue slipped between her parted lips. The rich scent of wine mixed with his saliva. His tongue thrust deeply from the start, roughly stirring inside her mouth.

There was no escaping it. The backrest of her chair prevented her from moving away, and his firm grip on the nape of her neck kept her head in place.

The sticky kiss continued for a long time. It wasn’t until her breath was caught at her throat that the Marquis finally let go of her.

As soon as their lips parted, Liv gasped for breath, her eyelashes trembling. She could see the Marquis’s blue eyes right in front of her, wrapped in a faint excitement.

“Why… so suddenly…?”

They had been in the middle of a conversation, and now they were suddenly kissing at the table. There was no context.

Seeing Liv’s flustered expression, the Marquis pressed his thumb firmly against her lower lip.

“Because you said something cute first.”

What on earth did he mean?

Even hearing his explanation, she couldn’t understand. The Marquis, seeing Liv’s bewildered expression, smiled faintly, his eyes narrowing.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of letting other guests into the place where I roll around with you.”

Liv’s face paled at those words, then quickly flushed bright red.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that…!”

“I understand why the rumor spread, but they won’t be staying at my estate.”

Liv, her lips parted, frowned and looked away. She tried to turn her head completely, but the Marquis’s firm grip on her neck allowed her only to avert her eyes.

“Is that answer satisfactory?”

“…Whether or not you receive guests at your estate is none of my business. It’s entirely up to you, Marquis.”

“I was merely asking if my answer provided you with personal satisfaction.”

His voice was gentle but insistent. His thumb, which had been pressing her lower lip, slowly moved down to stroke her chin and neck.

“Hmm?”

Liv swallowed dryly. Every time she took a shaky breath through her slightly parted lips, the Marquis’s thumb pressed firmly against her throat. Was this what it looked like to a victor holding his most beautiful trophy after a successful hunt?

Liv, trembling, eventually admitted honestly, “It is… satisfactory.”

Liv, her cheeks flushed, panted softly, looking very much like a deer caught by a hunter. Perhaps she looked rather amusing. Even though she knew this, she couldn’t quickly calm her ragged breathing. And most likely… the Marquis seemed to quite enjoy her disheveled state.

“Then it’s my turn to gain satisfaction now.”

The Marquis lowered his head again. Unlike the forceful first kiss, this one was slow and sweet.

“Shall we see if you’ve learned well from last time?”

The soft tablecloth crumpled beneath her back, sliding around haphazardly.

The sturdy table didn’t creak at all, despite the intense movements. Only the dishes, displaced by the shifting tablecloth, were nudged around until, eventually, some fell noisily to the floor.

Crash!

Despite the sharp clattering, neither of them looked that way. To be precise, the Marquis wasn’t interested, and Liv had no room to care.

“Ah…!”

Even though it wasn’t her first time, it felt like she was experiencing it all over again. The sensation of something being thrust deep inside was overwhelming, as if facing a trial for the first time. Each time it rammed into her, electric tingles ran down her spine.

Had their first time been like this too? She didn’t understand why it felt so unfamiliar.

Maybe it was because of the change in location. At least back then, they had been on a proper bed.

“Ah, ah…!”

“You haven’t improved at all.”

Amidst the creaking friction, she heard the Marquis murmur. Today, as always, he had only taken off his gloves. Compared to that, what about Liv?

Even though it was just the two of them, they were in a large dining room, and she was lying naked on the table. Liv had never imagined she would one day find herself sprawled out on a dining table, moaning so loudly it echoed in the room.

But it was far too late for shame. Her mind was hazy from the relentless stimulation, and she was too busy crying from the strange pleasure that mingled with the pain.

“Haa…”

“Ahh…”

The Marquis thrust his hips between her spread legs. Her body curled instinctively, but her protruding spine was pressed painfully against the hard table.

The embarrassment of doing something so obscene in a dining room was secondary; first and foremost, it was simply uncomfortable. The Marquis’s unyielding manhood showed no mercy, and the scorching heat gradually numbed her lower body. Her legs dangled in the air like sheets of paper, and the panties hanging from her calves fluttered with each movement, only adding to her sense of shame and depravity.

“Ah!”

The firm pressure deep inside made Liv arch her back. The Marquis hadn’t climaxed even once, but Liv had already lost count of how many times she had succumbed to pleasure. Desperate to escape even a little, she reached out and clung to his clothes.

It was futile.

“We need to keep practicing,” the Marquis whispered, almost teasing her. Liv wanted to retort, but all she could do was gasp for breath.

The slick sounds of friction grew faster. As his hips moved quicker, the fabric of his pants rubbed roughly against her wet skin. The rigid shaft repeatedly pushed into her, pressing against the deepest part of her walls until it finally stilled.

“Ngh.”

She felt a rush inside her lower abdomen. Goosebumps formed on her sweat-slicked skin. The Marquis’s manhood twitched and convulsed several times as it released, his arms supporting his body while he caught his breath. She could see beads of sweat on his disheveled platinum hair.

His furrowed brow and flushed eyes gave a glimpse of raw excitement. Liv, lying beneath him, stared at his face, entranced. Just as before, the Marquis maintained his composure during the act, only revealing unrestrained passion at the peak.

Liv instinctively tightened her lower muscles. The moment her contracting walls squeezed the base of his still-buried length, the Marquis’s hazy eyes sharpened.