Odalisque - Chapter 99

A sense of foreboding brushed against the back of Dimus’s neck. His gaze turned toward the desk, where a single sheet of paper lay atop its otherwise tidy surface. Everything else was in order, but that lone piece of paper sat conspicuously, as if deliberately left for someone to see.

As if drawn by some force, he reached out for it. Flipping it over, he was greeted by neat handwriting. Dimus’s face turned pale and rigid.

[Please understand the fear that I couldn’t endure, the fear that made me retreat. You are an excellent collector, and I believe you’ll quickly find something valuable. Unfortunately, that wasn’t me.]

Thud!

“Master!”

The sound of the front door being thrown open echoed through the house.

“The Roidaise sisters have disappeared!”

The paper crumpled in Dimus’s tightening grip. The handwriting, resembling its owner, was crushed beneath his grasp. He felt as though all the blood in his body was draining away.

***

Sweat coated her tightly clasped hands. Corida, noticing Liv’s tension, gazed at her with a worried expression.

“Are you alright…?”

“I’m fine, Corida.”

Liv whispered softly to Corida, pulling her hood tighter out of habit. She had dressed as a man, draped herself in a cloak, and pulled the hood low over her head, but she still felt uneasy.

Liv cautiously moved forward, with Corida—also disguised as a man—in tow. Through the passersby brushing against her shoulders, she could see the shared carriage they were planning to take. The guide’s shout that the carriage was about to depart also reached her ears.

“Two, please.”

Liv took out the money she’d prepared in advance, handing it to the guide, who gave her two tickets. Corida, standing beside her, quickly accepted them.

Even after boarding the carriage, Liv’s guard was not lowered. She had a good sense that the Marquis had people tailing her. The way he always seemed to know her every move—it wasn’t just intuition. She had little expectation that simply shaking off the carriage and coachman he’d provided would be enough to escape his watchful eye.

So for several days, Liv had dressed in the most common attire seen on the streets, taken the cheapest shared carriage anyone could ride, and roamed the crowded areas. All the while, she’d worried whether this would truly work. If the Marquis’s surveillance was as thorough as she feared, such minor tricks wouldn’t be enough.

The one who had given her courage was Camille. With his extensive experience in tailing others, Camille could tell if she was being followed. He assured her that the Marquis’s surveillance was looser than she thought.

After all, the people the Marquis had assigned to her were there to observe her daily life, not to prevent her escape.

Escape.

As the carriage began to move slowly, Liv swallowed dryly.

Yes, this was an escape.

An escape from the Marquis, who might discard her at any moment; from Buerno, where her reputation was in tatters beyond repair; and from the life that had turned into something akin to that of a clown.

“Where… are we going?”

Corida, who had been watching the rapidly passing scenery, whispered in a small voice.

Liv had had no time to properly explain anything to Corida. The decision to escape had been made impulsively, and preparations had been rushed. Though Corida’s face was filled with confusion at Liv’s sudden change, she didn’t protest.

“…To the train station.”

“Do we have tickets?”

“We’ll decide when we get there.”

They couldn’t risk buying tickets in advance and possibly getting caught. Liv planned to choose the soonest available train once they reached the station.

“…We’re not coming back, are we?”

“No.”

Immediately after giving a brief answer, Liv added with a sigh, “I’m sorry.”

If only she’d endured a little longer, they might have been able to settle down somewhere until Corida had fully recovered. Perhaps she could have even helped Corida with her education and future. If only she could have endured a bit more.

But she hadn’t been able to bear the humiliation and had ended up fleeing like a criminal.

The Marquis would be furious. Considering everything he’d done for Liv, his anger was only natural. She couldn’t return all the financial support he’d given her, but Liv had left behind everything she could at the house. She was traveling light.

The few things she’d taken with her were some newly acquired medicines and the money she’d diligently saved during her early days of extra work.

Oh, and a small pistol she’d taken, just in case.

“I’m making you suffer because of me again.”

“What are you talking about? Who do you think made me healthy like this?”

Corida scolded Liv in a low voice, her brows furrowed. Liv gave her a faint, bittersweet smile before turning to stare silently out the window. Outside, the sky was painted with the hues of sunset.

They had to reach the train station before night fell.

***

Dimus stared blankly at the subordinate reporting to him, whose face was as pale as a sheet.

“They were definitely seen leaving the event at the central plaza…”

The event at the central plaza was held at the same time as the Blessing Prayer led by the Cardinal. It was an outdoor prayer service for those who couldn’t attend the Cardinal’s ceremony directly. Naturally, the plaza had filled with all kinds of people from Buerno.

Because of that, tailing the sisters had been unusually difficult, but they claimed not to have lost sight of them.

“We saw them enter a souvenir shop, but after that, we lost track of them.”

The subordinates had been waiting at a spot with a clear view of the entrance. Since the shop was packed with customers, they’d decided against following them inside.

When the sisters started spending more time in the shop than expected, the subordinates assumed it was simply because the line for payment was long due to the crowd.

“We believe it wasn’t a case of kidnapping or robbery.”

“…Of course not.”

Kidnapping two people from a crowded souvenir shop made no sense. Even without that, the fact was clear: the Roidaise sisters had escaped. The piece of paper Liv had left on the desk was proof enough.

Dimus glanced at the crumpled paper in his hand. Several thoughts raced through his mind.

“We searched the area around the souvenir shop, but there were too many people…”

“Prepare the horses.”

Cutting off his subordinate’s report coldly, Dimus strode forward.

“We’re going to the train station.”

The subordinate looked puzzled for a moment but quickly obeyed, readying a horse without a word. Dimus mounted the horse with ease, taking the reins in his hands.

The moment he realized Liv had run away, he instinctively imagined what she would do next. It took only a moment to suppress his emotions and think rationally.

If she was determined to escape, her options were limited.

Today, the city was especially crowded with tourists. The reason she chose today was likely to blend into the masses.

Having successfully shaken off Dimus’s men, there was no way she would stay hidden somewhere in Buerno. Liv was smart enough to know that she’d be caught within a few days if she tried. So the next logical step for her was to get out of the city as soon as she lost her pursuers.

The best means of transport for her at the moment would be the train. She’d probably take a shared carriage to the station. The central plaza, even on ordinary days, was home to a large carriage stop.

Would she be in disguise? If she wanted to avoid even a passing glance, changing her clothes made sense. Most likely, she would be dressed inconspicuously and plainly.

Dimus’s blue eyes checked the darkening sky. Shared carriages stopped at every station, and today, with the extra crowd, progress would be slow.

With so many vehicles on the road, even the main thoroughfare would be congested, but Dimus, on horseback, could take a faster route to the station.

Provided he wasn’t too late.

***

“Help… Whatever you need, just tell me.” Camille, startled by Liv’s request for help, soon nodded vigorously.

Liv watched him quietly before speaking, “Would you really help with anything?”

“Of course.”

“What if I asked for help leaving Buerno quietly?”

Camille was momentarily speechless, clearly taken aback by the unexpected request.

“…Leaving Buerno…”

“As you saw, it’s become impossible for me to stay here any longer. So I want to leave quietly.”

“But…!”

“You know that the rumors about me involve you too, Teacher Marcel. My disappearance would be good for you as well.”

Camille’s face flushed at Liv’s blunt words. He was well-versed in the gossip of social circles, so he must have heard the rumors involving him too.

Camille, rubbing his face in embarrassment, let out a sigh before answering, “That part… I’m sorry for. It was thoughtless of me, and I’ve caused you trouble. I can only apologize.”

Liv watched Camille’s flushed face in silence before lowering her gaze calmly.

“If you feel even a little sorry for me, help me leave.”

“What kind of help do you need?”

Hearing Camille’s question, Liv’s hand unconsciously clenched. She looked down at their clasped hands, taking a moment to gather her thoughts, before speaking slowly.