Odalisque - Chapter 71

If you really don’t want the nudes to be leaked outside, leaving them in the basement of this mansion is the answer.

That’s what he intended to say. But instead, he found himself removing the paintings that had been hanging openly, just because of Liv’s words.

Dimus found his own behavior a little amusing. Even so, he didn’t particularly regret it, which was also a strange thing. He hadn’t managed to make Liv move as he intended, yet instead of being angry, he felt refreshed. Strangely so.

She was now getting quite skilled at asking for what she wanted. It probably wasn’t deliberate, but her way of asking definitely aroused something in him.

He was convinced of his actions. All the tricks and efforts he had made to bring her here were not pointless or meaningless after all. Rather, they were things he absolutely had to do.

How satisfying it was. Even at the moment right before climax, for just a fleeting moment, he had even thought he didn’t want to let her leave this mansion.

“Ha…”

A sigh mixed with laughter escaped him. His lust for her grew uncontrollably day by day. He hadn’t even known such a desire had been inside him.

Dimus quietly picked up a wine glass, staring absentmindedly at the bed sheets, which had been left in a mess from their earlier activities. Just as he took a sip of wine, Liv emerged from the bathroom, opening the inner door.

She wore a robe and was pressing her wet hair with a towel when she saw Dimus and opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“Marquis?”

Seeing her with her robe loosely tied, her wet hair, and her clear, porcelain-like face made his chest itch. He had been moving his hips between those plump thighs not long ago, yet here she was again, reigniting his every sense.

He took another drink of wine to quench his rising thirst. The glass emptied in an instant.

“Why do you look so surprised?”

At Dimus’s question, Liv lowered her gaze slightly, still looking flustered.

“I thought you would surely be gone…”

Until now, Dimus had always left first after their encounters. It wasn’t for any particular reason—he simply disliked the traces of their lovemaking on the bedding or the heavy scent lingering in the air.

He had no qualms about joining their bodies together, but he saw no reason to linger in a space sullied by bodily fluids.

Today, however, he had a clear purpose. There was something he wanted to give to Liv.

He had originally intended to give it to her before they had sex, but from the basement on, his arousal had taken over, leading him to embrace her without any leisure. Only after releasing his desire and seeing the exhausted Liv head to the bathroom did he remember the box he had prepared.

And so he had no choice but to wait. Seeing her shocked reaction made him feel somewhat peculiar.

Was it really that surprising?

“This is my mansion, so it shouldn’t be strange for me to be anywhere in it.”

“You’re right.”

Liv carefully pulled her robe tighter and glanced at Dimus.

“Do you have any instructions for me?”

“Must I always have an order to see you?”

“That’s not what I meant, Marquis. I just thought you must have some reason since you waited for me, even though you haven’t bathed yet.”

Her reasoning was perfectly sound. But for some reason, Dimus found himself feeling a bit sour.

Whenever he summoned her, he usually had a reason, but sometimes, there wasn’t one. Why did she think he had to have a reason to see her?

“Open that box over there.”

Dimus gestured with his chin toward the bedside table. On it lay a red velvet box.

“This is…”

Liv hesitated. She probably had an idea of what was inside just from the box. Given the precedent, it would be stranger if she didn’t.

“Open it.”

Dimus spoke in a casual tone as he filled his empty wine glass. Swirling the glass, the red wine sloshed inside the transparent vessel.

Liv, who had been watching Dimus, quietly opened the box. Her eyes widened at what she found inside.

It was jewelry. A necklace and earrings, far more ornate and beautiful than the ones she had received before.

Gazing at them with an overwhelmed expression, Liv cautiously spoke, “It’s quite late. Could we postpone this until another time? Corida is waiting for me.”

“Though seeing you wear nothing but these jewels is certainly delightful, that’s not why I prepared them. I’m giving them to you. Take them.”

Liv’s expression changed subtly at Dimus’s words. She stood there, staring at the contents of the box, before slowly speaking.

“…I’m in no position to wear such valuable jewelry. I don’t even have appropriate attire or any place to wear it to. So why not just leave it here, and… take it out when you wish…”

“Then I’ll make sure you have the right attire and the right occasion.”

“Pardon?”

Dimus set down the wine glass he’d been toying with and approached Liv. He pulled out an envelope hidden beneath the box that Liv hadn’t noticed.

Inside the stiff envelope was an opera ticket.

“Now we have the occasion; we just need the attire.”

Liv looked at the ticket in disbelief, then jerked her head up to look at Dimus.

“You want to take me as your partner?”

“Is that surprising?”

“I…”

Liv’s green eyes were filled with complex emotions. She opened her mouth but seemed unable to speak, her lips simply opening and closing. Dimus, watching her, gave a faint smile before taking something out of the box.

It was a sparkling diamond necklace. Made of thin gold strands, woven like a net with small diamonds, the necklace was designed to wrap broadly around the collarbone. Though he hadn’t picked it out himself, the moment he saw it, he thought it would look good against Liv’s fair skin.

And as he expected, it did.

Dimus unhesitatingly untied Liv’s tightly wrapped robe and put the necklace around her neck.

“That Eleonore man you seem so close with is investigating. It will all come to light eventually.”

“Can’t you stop it?”

“I could, but I don’t see the need.”

The cool necklace settled on her freshly washed skin. From up close, he could see the fine hairs on the nape of her neck stand on end. Dimus rubbed them lightly with his thumb and whispered in her ear.

“Is there really any need to hide it?”

Liv didn’t answer easily. Perhaps she had believed that their relationship would always remain secret. Her face, half-visible, looked pale.

“You don’t seem entirely happy with this relationship.”

“That’s not true. Rather…”

Liv, fumbling over her words, lowered her head slightly. She fiddled with the necklace around her neck and let out a sigh-like whisper.

“It’s just too much for me.”

“How about being honest, Teacher?”

Dimus lowered his hand, which had been touching the necklace and her neck, and picked up the earrings from the box. They were finely crafted, large, clear diamond earrings.

“Did you really want to keep this relationship entirely unknown to anyone?”

Dimus touched her earlobe. It was thick and clean, seemingly unpierced. He stared at it for a moment before inspecting the back of the earring.

The gold pin was sharp at the end. It seemed sharp enough to make piercing unnecessary.

“Did you really not want anyone to see you by my side?”

How could that be? Human desires are infinitely greedy. When things that seemed impossible begin to fall into place one by one, eventually one starts reaching for things far beyond one’s grasp.

Dimus knew Liv was deeply shaken by him. She would undoubtedly want more.

Liv, hesitating, lifted her head slightly. He thought she might act overwhelmed, but to his surprise, she appeared quite composed.

“If I stand by your side…”

Liv looked at Dimus.

“For how long will that be?”

To be honest, Dimus was curious about that himself. How long would he keep her by his side?

He was an avid collector. But a collector doesn’t obsess over a single object forever. Having never been this focused on anything before, Dimus couldn’t predict how long his interest in her would last.

One thing was certain: at least for now, he was very pleased with Liv. Enough to make their relationship known and cherish her openly.

“Just don’t let me get bored of you. You’ve conducted yourself well so far. How about trusting yourself a little more?”

“Ah!”

Liv winced, her eyebrows furrowing. Dimus, who had been toying with her earlobe, had pierced her skin with the earring. The sudden pain made her long lashes quiver.

A gleaming diamond earring now adorned the swollen red skin.

“It suits you.”

Dimus rubbed her flushed earlobe and the area around it between his thumb and forefinger, narrowing his eyes.

“Let’s meet a bit earlier next time. There are some shops we need to stop by.”

He handed Liv the remaining earring, telling her she could pierce it herself in front of a mirror. Just as he was about to turn away, Liv’s clear voice reached him from behind.

“Do you love me?”