Odalisque - Chapter 18

Her excitement was only fleeting. It was the price of the medicine that mattered. She couldn’t even imagine how expensive  the new medicine would be.

“But you work for an aristocratic family, so if you do well, won’t you be able to get the medicine using your connections?”

Liv smiled awkwardly. The pharmacy owner seemed to understand that she was shy.

She often changed the subject when it came to work, but the tactless pharmacy owner wouldn’t let it go. Perhaps the intention was to praise Liv.

Unfortunately, though, Liv was uncomfortable with it.

“Liv, isn’t the Vendons barony the place where you work?”

“It is.”

“Right! It’s all over the place! I heard that Baron Vendons is really close to the Marquis of Dietrion. Have you seen him? Are they really close enough for the Marquis to visit often?”

Millian’s birthday party was just a while ago, but it seemed that the rumor had already spread all over the city. Thinking that the Marquis’ popularity was so great, Liv made a sad look.

“I always left right after the class. So I don’t know.”

As though Liv’s casual acting was quite convincing, the owner of the pharmacy lamented without doubting her.

“Oh, what a shame. I thought the Marquis was some kind of ghost, but I guess he is a real living human being. You can’t imagine how loud the fuss is the servants of the Vendons are making! Even so, all they’ve seen was only from a distance or the back of the Marquis.”

“I see. Here, the price of the medicine.”

Liv swiftly paid the price because she wanted to end the conversation, but the owner of the pharmacy didn’t care and continued to talk.

“Liv, if you visit at the right time, you may be able to see the Marquis from afar. Try to ask the student you’re teaching.”

“What’s the point of seeing the Marquis?”

“Of course to lure out a good man who works under the Marquis! Wouldn’t someone working under the Marquis have a quite high salary? I heard that high-ranking people like the Marquis bring dozens of attendants around, so won’t there be a good one among them?”

Liv thought the owner was just going to let it go today.

Her expression turned bitter. The owner of the pharmacy had recommended this to Liv since the first time she met him. He always brought up that the son of a family is good, a man with this job is stable, etc.

He said those because he felt sorry for Liv, who made a living while taking care of her sick sister alone. The pharmacy owner seemed to think marriage was the definite way for Liv to get out of her current situation.

He didn’t just talk about it. He had actually introduced Liv to some men. They were bridegrooms he had chosen with all his heart and soul in his own way.

The results were not good every time. Liv, who had accepted the arrangement from him a couple of times because it was difficult to refuse, later drew the line politely but firmly, telling him to not do it anymore. This time, however, he began to express his worries with those words.

“It’s okay.”

“Liv, you can’t take care of Coryda alone forever. Do you know how tough the world is? You should meet a good guy before it’s too late. Even if you are old, you have a pretty face, so if you choose well, there will be someone who will fall for you. I’m telling you this because I think of you and Coryda like my daughters.”

“I don’t want to. You have given me all the medicine, right? I’ll be on my way. See you next time.”

Liv said farewell quickly and brought out the medicine. The voice of the pharmacy owner, who shouted, “Don’t spill it!” followed behind her back. Liv touched her throbbing head and walked quickly.

She, who was thinking of going straight home, stared at the narrow, dirty alley in front of her and changed direction impulsively.

In her mind, she knew she had to get the medicine to Coryda quickly, but she couldn’t bear it if she didn’t stop somewhere and remove the stuffy stone that weighed on her mind.

The place where she ended up after wandering around aimlessly was the chapel that she often visited.

Liv made a despondent look at the fact that this was where her feet had led her. She had nowhere to go, nonetheless.

Feeling somehow drained, she dropped her shoulders and swung her arms as she walked into the chapel. Someone in the front yard of the chapel seemed to have greeted her, but she was exhausted and could not afford to greet back.

Liv, who took a seat at the corner end of the chapel, did not even see who was around, let alone the statue in front of that person. She just sat down, put the medicine bag on her lap, and looked down at it.

Medicine.

Want to read more chapters and support us? Please consider becoming a patron to read up to 2 chapters in advance!