Odalisque - Chapter 240

“Demus!”

Demus, who had his gaze fixed on the sky and was lost in thought, snapped out of his thoughts. Approaching him was Luzia, leading her attendants in a furious gesture.

Demus had gotten distracted for a moment, spending too much time idling. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

His guards tried to stop Luzia, but Demus held out his hand to indicate that it was okay. Luzia pushed past his guards and strode toward him.

The black netting of her hat was halfway down her face, but it didn’t hide her angry face at all.

“I know who you’re counting on for you to do this, but do you think he’ll continue to help you?”

“Ha?”

“Who do you think will be of any use to him, you with your title in name only, or us, the Maltes? You will pay the price for making me stand here.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m only trying to defend the honor of the woman I love.”

“The woman you love? You filth! Do you think I don’t know that you’re using her as an excuse to get at the Maltes?! You must be in cahoots with Stefan to screw me, mustn’t you?”

Demus looked at Luzia, who was entirely wrong with her guesses, with a bored gaze before letting out a low sigh.

“If you miss that idiot, why don’t you go bite his ass instead of messing around with someone else’s woman?”

“Eeek…!”

Luzia lost her temper and clenched her fists. She was completely oblivious to the fact that where they stood now was in front of the courtroom, and that the reporters who had been standing there since the early hours of the morning, soaking in the dew, were looking this way.

Of course, their conversation would be inaudible to those reporters.

Still, even if they couldn’t hear the conversation, they could roughly guess what was being said. At the very least, they would know that Luzia was extremely angry right now.

Demus narrowed his eyes. He twisted his head slightly, so the reporters couldn’t see his face, and said sarcastically.

“We should wash off the foul-smelling mud as soon as possible. Don’t you think so?”

“What?”

“I promised her that if she got mud on her in the future, I would clean it off. But since my temper is so bad, I can’t simply clean it up. I’d better make sure it’s completely gotten rid of.”

The eyes behind the black netting blazed with fire. There was an audible grinding of teeth, and then Luzia swung her hand as hard as she could.

Slap!

It could have been dodged, but Demus gave his cheek easily. At the same time, there was a loud flash from somewhere.

It brought Luzia to her senses. She belatedly recognized the eyes watching her and bit her lip.

“My Lord!”

Chalres was startled, and Demus waved a hand at him, then stared at Luzia with cold eyes.

“Adolf, file charges for the assault separately from the ongoing case.”

Luzia blinked rapidly in confusion at Demus’ words.

“A-assault? How outrageous! You’re the one who committed murder in front of me!”

“Oh, no, Lady Malte. Do you have any witnesses, or even evidence?”

Luzia’s face flushed red.

Of course there was no such thing. She’d been too busy being horrified by Demus’ brutality, shooting people in front of her eyes, to care about such things. The rest of her missing men had probably been killed by Demus, too, but she’d have to find their bodies before she could pin the blame on him.

“If you have nothing else to add, excuse me.”

Leaving Luzia pursing her lips, Demus turned away high and mightily. There was a raw red mark on his cheek where Luzia’s long nails had scratched it, but instead of making him look ugly, it gave the cold man somewhat sad air.

With no one able to speak to him easily, he seemed to head for his carriage and leave as leisurely as he had entered.

However, Demus, who appeared to be ignoring everyone, suddenly stopped. His gaze locked over the crowd.

The people who had gathered where Demus’ gaze had fallen walked back with a murmur. As they retreated, there was a lone figure in the crowd.

It was Liv, who hesitated as though embarrassed by the sudden attention. She looked slightly flustered, as if she hadn’t expected Demus to find her so easily.

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