Odalisque - Chapter 89

“Yes. He will be opening an exhibition there, so he went to check out the venue. He’ll still need painting tools to paint his artwork for the show, so I’m sure the deal won’t be canceled.”

Liv was close to lamenting, but she managed to hold herself.

“Ah, oh. I see. Yes, I see.”

At the very least, this woman was obviously oblivious to the fact that the venue rental fee was going to come out of Brad’s pocket. Liv was horrified by the news of Brad’s decision to take the businessman’s hand.

She thought that maybe she should tell the woman the truth.

But she wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to meddle in and create discord in someone else’s family.

Having no clue what was going through Liv’s mind, the woman suddenly narrowed her eyes.

“Speaking of, did that guy never tell you about the exhibition? He would surely boast about it all over the place.”

As she said, based on Brad’s personality, he would spread the news about his exhibition everywhere. Liv immediately nodded in agreement.

“I did… hear about it, but I thought it hadn’t been settled yet.”

The one in charge of their household budget was not Brad, but the woman in front of her. Which meant that the bigger the problem Brad caused, the bigger the responsibility this woman had to take.

Liv, who knew all too well how economic hardship could drain a person’s blood, found it hard to look away.

When Liv finally made up her mind and was about to open her mouth, the woman waved her hand and changed the subject.

“Well, that’s what happened. By the way, you said you’re supplying painting tools, right? Where is your store? I’d like to see the receipt.”

The woman stared at Liv hard. Liv stiffened in panic once more.

“Sorry? Oh, we’re doing… small business through words. So, we’re unable to open a store. I don’t bring anything with me now. How about I show you the receipt next time?”

“When will you come again?”

It seemed that the woman’s mind was still filled with doubts. Well, Liv’s appearance was a bit off for a merchant.

Liv smiled with the reassuring smile she had honed as a tutor.

“I’ll pass it on to Mr. Brad when the studio opens.”

“Hmm. That guy might not bring it to me, so mail it to me.”

The woman, as expected, knew Brad’s character all too well. Liv nodded, trying to keep the smile on her face, then coughed and began to give a hint.

“By the way, ma’am. From what I heard about the… venue rental fee. Erm… I heard Mr. Brad had to pay for it, but I guess he didn’t?”

The woman’s complexion changed drastically at Liv’s words.

“What?”

“Sounds like you’ve solved that problem for the exhibition. Congratulations.”

The woman’s expression hardened as Liv continued. She then crumpled her face. Then as though she had figured out something, she began to spew out fierce curses.

Forgetting that she was supposed to give her address for the receipt, the woman gave a curt goodbye and turned away in a rush. Liv let out a long sigh as she stared at the back of the woman, who was quickly walking away.

She didn’t know if she did the right thing, but she hoped Brad would come to his senses.

He should know that it would be more productive to complete the Marquis’ painting as soon as possible than to listen to that businessman’s nonsense.

***

“Let’s go back.”

“Pardon, sir?”

The coachman, who had assumed they would take Liv, glanced into the carriage with a puzzled expression on his face. Demus, who had used the tip of his cane to pull back the curtains and peer out, averted his gaze with an impassive expression.

“Turn the carriage around.”

It was as whimsical as when he decided to pick up Liv in person. However, the coachman took the reins without complaint.

Liv, who hadn’t spotted the black carriage, trotted away. The coachman glanced at the back of her head, then turned the carriage around as his master commanded.

In the same manner as it had come, the black carriage quickly left the city of Buerno.

***

Adolf was unmarried.

Therefore, the whole “I have a sick daughter” thing he told Liv was totally an unscrupulous lie.

Normally, he didn’t like to lie, but that time he really had no choice. He could clearly see that Liv wouldn’t open up if he didn’t tell such a lie.

Since working for the Marquis, sometimes he had to do things he didn’t want to do, and he felt the same way about lying to Liv.

But unlike usual, his lie this time hit him harder.

Especially when he faced Coryda.

“Uncle, how old is your daughter?”

Adolf felt like his head was going numb from making up a story about his non-existent daughter. He thought it was more relaxing to read law books.

He was not a creative person, nor was he a person with high imagination. He couldn’t easily make things up because he was afraid it would be hard to clean up if his lie grew too big.

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