Odalisque - Chapter 251

Liv, however, seemed to choose the past in a heartbeat if she could go back in time.

Demus, not liking that, made a sour face and was about to say something, but Liv beat him to it.

“But then I wouldn’t get the present.”

“… The present?”

“Yes. I told you the other day. I’m only able to meet you because I didn’t grow up smoothly.”

Liv pulled up the corners of her mouth awkwardly. It was a smile that held a bashful and shy emotion.

Demus, who’d forgotten all about trying to show his displeasure, stared at Liv’s smiling face, and then asked in a low voice.

“Are you happy now?”

There was a hint of nervousness in the question, which came out in a hard tone. Liv, easily recognizing it, looked at Demus in surprise, then smiled a little more widely.

“Would that be a hasty conclusion?”

“No.”

Demus replied quickly and grabbed Liv’s arm. It was as if he wanted to keep her, who seemed to be drifting away to a place full of happy memories, by his side somehow.

“It’s a very clever conclusion.”

***

Liv knew the capital better than Demus did.

Of course, her memory wasn’t always accurate, but she still knew some of the historic restaurants and worthy places to visit. Thus, she considered herself a guide to the capital. It was fun to introduce Demus to her happy memories of the past, or to relive them anew.

Since Demus accompanied Liv without complaint, Liv was able to do whatever she wanted to do without fear of being judged, even though she had learned that the newspapers had begun to leak information about the woman who stood by Marquis Dietrion’s side.

The more places she visited with Demus in the capital, the less she cared about the talk about her. Whatever they said, it was all good.

“I always stopped in front of that candy store when I passed by, and my parents always scolded me for it.”

“Did you like candy?”

“It’s sweet and delicious.”

In a little girl’s eyes, the candy store was a big, colorful place. Now, as an adult, it was just a small, old store, but back then, the sweet aroma wafting from the candy store was magical.

“Good thing I gave you candy for practice.”

Liv, who had been looking nostalgically at the candy store’s old wooden sign, looked at Demus with questioning eyes. Blinking, Liv thought back to what he’d said a moment ago and then blushed.

A candy for practice. The memory of their first kiss, when he’d taught her how to smoke a cigar, flashed through her mind.

“… I didn’t eat that.”

“You didn’t?”

“It’s probably still at the house in Buerno.”

Demus frowned at Liv’s words. Liv averted her gaze, feeling embarrassed for no reason, before feigning nonchalance and changing the topic.

“You don’t even eat candies, so how did you end up with that in your drawer?”

She didn’t think much of it at the time, but in retrospect, it was a mystery. Seeing Demus up close, he didn’t seem particularly interested in snacks, and he didn’t keep candy or any of the kid’s snacks around.

Demus pressed his lips together in a straight line at Liv’s question. It wasn’t a difficult question, but when the answer didn’t come easily, Liv studied Demus’ face with a suspicious look.

“… Was it someone else’s snack?”

Even though she knew it couldn’t possibly be, the question came out bluntly, and Demus visibly frowned.

“There is no way I’d have another human’s snack on my desk.”

The look of disgust on his face showed that he wasn’t lying. But then why would there be candy in his drawer?

“I heard sweets are a good lure.”

“… What?”

“Well, you were so stiff like a precocious child.”

Demus answered in a nonchalant tone, as if his momentary hesitation had been a dream.

“I thought maybe a bite of something sweet would relax you.”

In other words, he’d set it up on purpose to coax her. She’d guessed that Demus had been pulling a lot of schemes, but it was odd to hear him say that he’d deliberately prepared even such a small thing. Liv chuckled and shook her head.

“I’m not the kind of child who would fall for candy.”

“If I remember correctly, the candy worked pretty well.”

“… It wasn’t the candy that worked.”

It was the unexpected kiss before the candy. Her first kiss with him, the one that was filled with the scent of cigars.

Demus slanted his lips upward as he guessed the unspoken words.

“I didn’t realize you preferred the smell of cigars.”

“Because I’m not a child.”

“You don’t have to emphasize it.”

Demus caught Liv’s chin lightly, and he ducked his head, ignoring the stares of the reporters and photographers who were secretly watching them.

“It’s a good thing you’re not a child. Thanks to that, we can do this.”

Liv’s lips parted in a small chuckle, but it was soon swallowed up without a trace by Demus’.

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