Odalisque - Side Story 24

Dimus learned about Liv’s meeting with Milion a little late.

“…Ha, Pendance.”

Liv’s memory loss was strictly confidential and had not been disclosed to anyone outside. There was no need to stir up gossip right before their wedding, and revealing such information could easily be exploited negatively.

In Buerno, there were no longer people who dared gossip about Liv. Anyone remotely connected to any scandal had already been identified and removed.

Among those Dimus couldn’t remove was the Pendance family. Not because they were a prominent noble family in Buerno, but because of Milion Pendance, their only daughter and Liv’s student. The simple fact that Liv cared for Milion had allowed them to remain in Buerno until now.

Milion’s cheerful nature had spread good stories about Liv far and wide, which Dimus found quite useful. However, in the current situation…

“Madam has returned.”

At the servant’s report, Dimus grabbed his cane and stood up abruptly.

***

“Uh, um, I’m tired, so I’ll just go now.”

Corida, who got off the carriage first, slunk away as soon as she saw Dimus. That unnatural movement allowed Dimus to sense that they had talked about something during their outing—something that hadn’t been discussed before.

Liv, however, showed no noticeable change. Calmly alighting from the carriage, she paused briefly upon seeing Dimus waiting for her at the front entrance, before bowing slightly, without any apparent reaction.

“I wasn’t late compared to the time I told you earlier. Were you waiting for me?”

Perhaps today’s outing hadn’t caused any problems.

Dimus, who had just moments before sensed something amiss from Corida’s behavior, couldn’t help but be reassured by Liv’s serene expression. Or maybe he simply wanted to believe that everything was fine.

Dimus was feeling guilty and uneasy. If he made too much of an issue now, he might end up creating a problem that wasn’t even there.

After hesitating for a moment, Dimus spoke in a calm manner, “Did you have a good outing?”

“Yes.”

“I heard you met Lady Pendance today.”

At his words, Liv’s lips curved slightly.

“You’re well-informed. I just got off the carriage.”

Was it just his imagination, or was there something hidden beneath her gentle words?

“That’s…”

Or maybe he was overreacting.

“Your safety is always my top priority.”

His emotions fluctuated with every word, and his thoughts grew increasingly complex.

Yet Liv’s voice remained calm and steady. “Miss Milion is far too innocent a young girl to be any kind of threat.”

Her voice was impossible to read. Dimus felt more clueless than ever.

There were too many things preoccupying his mind, and he couldn’t trust his own judgment.

“You… lost your memory. Dr. Gertrude said we should approach the matter carefully.”

He tried to sound nonchalant, but a trace of anxiety slipped through. Whether Liv noticed or not, she responded lightly.

“It wasn’t exactly a meeting to discuss old memories. Though, I did hope a few things might naturally come up.”

She turned, as if to head inside the mansion, but then suddenly stopped and looked back at Dimus. Standing upright, she fixed her gaze on him, her eyes seeming particularly steadfast.

“It seems like you’re worried I might have heard something.”

Caught off guard, Dimus pressed his lips together tightly. Finally, he managed to respond.

“…Honestly, I’m not a good person.”

“Oh.”

Liv, who had been staring at him with a strange expression, slowly lowered her gaze. As her faint smile disappeared, her lips pressed together in a straight line, exuding a cold aura.

She stood still, without asking further questions, and then moved as if to leave again. Dimus instinctively reached out to stop her.

“Liv.”

He still couldn’t read any emotions from her green eyes. But at this moment, Dimus had a strong feeling that he couldn’t just let her go like this.

He knew Liv.

He knew how kind and considerate she was, but also how rational she could be—how she could prioritize reason over emotions when necessary.

Dimus had already accepted total defeat when it came to her, and he knew it would never change for the rest of his life. He didn’t want to provoke the anger of someone he could never win against. He didn’t even want to risk a tiny chance of it.

The memory of Liv’s calm, peaceful eyes still lingered, leaving him with some lingering attachment. However, he knew that ending this uneasy peace was the right thing to do. No matter how much he hid or avoided speaking of the past, it would not simply disappear.

Seeing Liv looking at him in confusion, Dimus spoke with difficulty, “There’s a place in this mansion you haven’t seen.”

Even without her memories, Liv was still Liv. She had the right to know her true circumstances.

Today, the basement door opened unusually heavily.

With a deep, heavy sound, the somewhat dark interior slowly came into view. Liv shuddered slightly upon seeing a tall figure covered in a white sheet right in front of her.

However, she soon realized that it was just a “human figure.” There were other large and small objects similarly covered with white sheets next to it.

“This place…”

Although everything inside was hidden under white sheets, Liv could tell at a glance that this space was a large gallery.

Dimus glanced at Liv, who was looking around with wide eyes, and then turned on the gallery lights himself. The darkness receded slightly, and the eerie atmosphere somewhat lifted.

After hesitating for a moment, Liv slowly stepped inside the gallery. She approached one of the covered figures and looked back at Dimus.

“May I take a look?”

When Dimus nodded, Liv grabbed the sheet and pulled it off. The human figure that had been partially visible beneath the sheet was now fully revealed.

It was a nude statue. The pure white sculpture was intricately detailed, down to each strand of hair and every crease of skin, appearing almost lifelike.

Liv, stunned by the beauty of the statue, turned her attention to the next covered object. Once again, Dimus nodded.

This process repeated several times, with multiple sheets ending up on the floor.

What emerged were undeniably valuable works of art. Liv was sure that the remaining covered items were similar.

“I took up this hobby to… solve a certain problem of mine.”

Dimus, who had been quietly watching Liv, finally spoke. Usually, he stood with a perfect, composed expression, but now he seemed to be avoiding her gaze, almost as if he was anxious.

“A hobby of collecting artwork based on a specific theme.”

That specific theme being “nudes.”

Liv listened to his words as she looked around the space. Even with a cursory glance, it was clear that the gallery was filled with numerous pieces—large and small sculptures, as well as hundreds of paintings hanging on the walls.

“Everything here is…”

“All of it,” Dimus replied shortly, finally lowering his chin slightly.

After some hesitation, he moved past the many displayed pieces and stood in front of an area that was not immediately visible. Unusually, the entire wall was covered by curtains, suggesting it was usually kept hidden.

Even as he reached the spot, Dimus seemed conflicted. Staring blankly at the box in front of him, he confessed in a somewhat melancholic voice.

“In truth, I lied to you.”

“About what?”

“About our first meeting.”

He pulled the heavy curtain’s cord, causing the gathered folds to part slowly to both sides.

“I didn’t fall for you the first time I visited Baron Pendance’s residence.”

The wall that had been hidden was now covered with paintings. These, too, were nudes—likely all featuring the same model.

“And our meeting wasn’t exactly romantic.”

“Ah.”

Liv let out a low exclamation. She stared blankly at the three nude paintings now revealed. Even without her memory, she somehow understood the context just from looking at the paintings.

“I understand now.”