Odalisque - Side Story 15

It was lunchtime, yet Noah’s answer referred to breakfast.

Without hesitation, Liv took Noah’s hand. During a festival, there was no shortage of food in the streets, so finding something to fill the child’s stomach wouldn’t be difficult. Most of the shops were packed with customers, but fortunately, Liv found a restaurant in a nearby alley where they could sit. The menu was simple—soup and soft meats—perfect for a child to eat.

As they settled at an outdoor table, Liv placed a napkin on Noah’s lap and asked, “Noah, what are your parents like?”

“Mom.”

“Yes, can you tell me about your mom?”

“Mom is…”

Noah frowned, fiddling with the candy basket and pursing his lips.

“You have to listen to Mom. If you don’t, the scary man will come for you.”

Liv nodded with a gentle expression. Noah’s response was oddly off-target, but thanks to their earlier conversations, Liv could easily understand his meaning.

So, in other words, his mom was strict.

Feeling satisfied that she had understood Noah, Liv smiled. It seemed she could now naturally lead the conversation without stumbling over what he said.

“I see. And what about your dad?”

“Mom threw him away.”

Liv’s determination to keep the conversation flowing smoothly was derailed in less than a minute.

Liv, who had missed her timing to respond, stared at Noah in shock. Noah, however, seemed oblivious to what was wrong.

It was possible… for a mom to leave the dad. Well, if a couple didn’t get along, they could split up, couldn’t they? He just expressed it a bit harshly.

While Liv was trying to rationalize Noah’s words, Noah beamed and added, “So now I’m meeting Dad number three!”

A third dad… That’s possible too. It’s not always easy to find the right person on the first try, so it wasn’t strange if there were a few failed marriages.

“But you know what’s amazing? Mom is number two.”

Number two… Wait, what?

“Mom number two said that if I don’t listen, Mom number three will come. That’s why I have to be good.”

“Let’s stop talking about your mom.”

Liv calmly stopped Noah from continuing. Fortunately, the food arrived just in time, and Noah’s attention quickly shifted to the warm soup. Moving the dishes around to prevent Noah from burning himself, Liv suppressed a sigh. The more she spoke with Noah, the more hopeless the situation seemed.

It felt increasingly likely that the officer’s words were true. What would she do if that really turned out to be the case?

Should she try to find a decent and proper orphanage for Noah now? But Noah was too small and young to be sent to an orphanage. Even if he could walk and communicate on his own, that was all he could do.

No, it hadn’t even been a full day yet. Wasn’t it too soon to conclude that Noah’s mother had abandoned him?

As she wrestled with her conflicting thoughts, Liv found herself momentarily setting aside her worries about Dimus, who might still be wandering the streets.

***

By the time Dimus finally reached the plaza after wandering through an unfamiliar alley, the sun was already setting behind the rooftops.

He had walked through the crowded streets for longer than expected, which left his clothes looking rather disheveled. Anyone who knew how meticulous and fastidious Dimus usually was would be shocked to see him in such a state.

Nevertheless, Dimus’ mental state remained surprisingly intact. Of course, he found nothing about his situation pleasing—the rude people bumping into his shoulders, the unknown stench lingering in the air, the incomprehensible mix of street noises—none of it.

But the fact that he was wearing a mask, and thus drawing fewer stares than usual, made it somewhat more bearable. Compared to all the eyes that usually followed him whenever he stepped out onto the streets of Buerno, this felt like true freedom.

Listening to Liv had indeed been the right choice.

Whose lover could she possibly be? She’s so intelligent and wise. If luck truly exists in this world, he must have used it all up by having someone so perfect, both inside and out, as his lover.

But it wasn’t just this that kept him steady. It was the thought of Liv, who must also be wearing her mask. She was a woman who caught everyone’s eye wherever she went, and if she had walked the streets today without her mask, amidst these drunken revelers, she would surely have been accosted within ten steps.

Knowing she was wearing a mask was a great comfort to Dimus in her absence.

“As expected, she’s not here.”

As he had guessed, Liv was nowhere to be seen. She must have headed back to their lodging.

Dimus finally turned to head back. Earlier, he’d struggled while wandering unfamiliar paths, but now that he’d been to the plaza once, he could find his way back directly.

Just as he started walking in what he was sure was the correct direction, Dimus stopped abruptly, glancing to the side.

At the end of his gaze was an officer on patrol, holding a mask. Something about that mask drew Dimus’ attention.

It looked exactly like Liv’s mask. Of course, it was a common design, so it wasn’t surprising.

Understanding this, Dimus was about to look away when his lips pressed into a firm line. Narrowing his eyes, he examined the mask in the officer’s hand more closely, then let out a dry laugh.

He must have been separated from Liv for too long if he was starting to see things.

“Hey.”

With his long strides, Dimus closed the distance between himself and the officer instantly, his gaze cool as he looked down. Up close, it became even clearer. This was indeed Liv’s mask.

The officer, whose path had been blocked without warning, responded irritably without properly looking at Dimus.

“My shift’s over, so find another officer.”

“Where’s the owner of that mask?”

“What?”

“Where is the owner? Why is some random idiot holding that mask?”

The officer frowned at Dimus’ provocative words, glancing between the mask in his hand and Dimus. He then hardened his expression threateningly.

“It’s not anyone you know, so move along.”

“That’s impossible.”

He wouldn’t mistake the mask he had placed on Liv’s face that morning.

Dimus’ lips curled crookedly. The mask covered his expression, so the officer couldn’t see the change as he spoke in a threatening tone.

“So what if it is? I was about to return it anyway, so back off.”

As an officer, he seemed confident in his physical abilities, as he made a show of his broad arms while tucking the mask away.

“Or do you want to see how rough things can get?”

“Rough, huh?”

Dimus, who had been staring at the mask, finally looked up at the officer, a faint sneer in his blue eyes.

“Sounds good.”

Just what he had hoped for.

***

Liv stared at the man sitting in front of her.

“…I thought you might pick a fight, but with an officer…”

She hadn’t meant to voice her thoughts aloud, and when she realized she had, she hastily closed her mouth.

“I only called for Roman.” Dimus frowned as he watched Liv, who stood speechless.

“I insisted on coming. How could I send only Sir Roman when you were here…”

Liv glanced around. A few older men in uniform looked flustered in front of Sir Roman, who stood expressionless. Behind them were a group of people glancing nervously in her direction…

“The police station, really.”

Dimus, at the police station!

To Liv, who was used to seeing Dimus, whose arrogance could intimidate even the police chief in Buerno, sitting here in a place meant for criminals was nothing short of shocking.

“Is this your first time visiting the police station?”

“I’m surprised that things escalated to the point where you had to come to the police station.”

Unable to wander the streets any longer, Liv had returned to their lodging with Noah. By then, it was nearly nightfall, and as expected, Dimus wasn’t there.

Noah, who had looked exhausted since they left the restaurant, fell asleep almost instantly after Liv offered him a bed. Just as she was turning her attention to Dimus, a message arrived at the lodging. It was from Dimus to Sir Roman: he was at the police station and needed to verify his identity, so they should prepare accordingly.

“Prepare accordingly” was Dimus’ way of saying to ensure everyone who had inconvenienced him faced appropriate consequences.

If it had been a minor altercation, it could have been handled at a nearby patrol station—but the police station?

Hearing the message with Sir Roman, Liv had hurriedly put on her coat. On the way to the police station, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. She should have gone to look for Dimus sooner.

It was clear he had gotten into some major trouble.

Hopefully, he wasn’t hurt anywhere.