Liv thought about it and concluded that the most likely reason was “someone to talk with.” Apart from that, there was nothing else for Liv to do in this hunting ground.
Thinking of what she should say, Liv decided to bring up the simplest topic.
“Do you like hunting, my Lord?”
The Marquis, who was looking far at the sky, waiting for a signal from the beaters, glanced at his side.
“Not at all.”
The answer that came without hesitation left Liv with a puzzled look on her face. She assumed that since he had a mansion with a hunting ground, he would love it. Moreover, didn’t he rush to hunt as soon as he got in a bad mood?
Don’t people usually try to drown out their bad moods with something like a favorite hobby?
As Liv hesitated, unsure of how to react to the unexpected answer, the Marquis chimed in.
“I do this because I have to.”
“… Because you have to?”
“Sometimes some killing is necessary, Teacher.”
At that moment, a flock of birds flew over, accompanied by the sound of their wings in the distance. The Marquis raised his gun and pointed it at the sky in one swift motion. The long barrel was aimed at its target without hesitation.
Bang!
Liv’s shoulders twitched at the sound of gunfire coming from her side.
Bang! Bang!
Two more shots rang out in quick succession. The smoky smell of gunpowder hit Liv hard, and she reflexively covered her nose and looked up at the sky. She could see flocks of birds scattering in all directions, startled by the gunfire. As a layperson, Liv had no way of knowing if the hunt was successful.
The Marquis, who had fired his gun out of nowhere, lowered his muzzle nonchalantly. He glanced at the scattered empty shotshells, then casually reloaded.
“Is this the first time you’ve ever watched a gun being fired?”
“I have… no reason to watch it.”
“You grew up without difficulty.”
His tone was the one that he sometimes showed when he treated her like a child. Liv couldn’t help herself and quickly retorted.
“That is not necessarily true.”
The Marquis didn’t reply. But judging by the faint twist of his mouth, he seemed not to be taking Liv’s words seriously.
She didn’t particularly need to explain the struggles of her life, and she didn’t need his validation. Would he even understand if she told him?
Liv, however, was feeling aggravated by the Marquis’ attitude of concluding her as an immature young lady.
“If I’d grown up without difficulty, I wouldn’t have gotten involved with you in this way.”
The Marquis, who had been reloading his gun, looked up at that. He stared at Liv’s stiff expression, then narrowed his eyes.
“Then you should be grateful for that misfortune, Teacher. You’re here thanks to that.”
“Do you think I would be happy to be here?”
“Yes.”
Liv pursed her lips as if she were speechless. The Marquis nodded casually and turned his attention back to his gun.
“If not, feel free to deny it.”
Saying so, the Marquis looked like he didn’t think his conviction was wrong at all. He made her become a bit annoyed that she wanted to deny him at once, but somehow, Liv couldn’t open her lips.
It wasn’t simply because of some ways she got related to him. Of course, she was in a position where she had to play along with him, but more than that…
The Marquis was right. Liv was inwardly happy to be here, to be in a relationship with him that everyone could see it was special.
“You are right, my Lord.”
The Marquis raised his eyebrows as if he didn’t expect Liv to readily admit it. Staring quietly at the Marquis who was looking at her, Liv continued on.
“You must have known that it was irresistible for me, so there’s no use for me to pretend to be not.”
“You’re quicker to admit it than I expected.”
“Because I’ve given it quite enough thought.”
“Thought, huh… About what?”
“About how I should accept that interest from you, my Lord.”
The Marquis didn’t hide that he found this to be interesting. Staring at Liv with intrigue in his eyes, he drew a light smile.
“How are you going to accept it?”
“Just as it is.”
Liv lowered her gaze. For Liv, in fact, there was no other option.
The Marquis’ interest was an endless, gigantic wave, and she, standing in front of it, was no more than a small boat that could only be swept along. It didn’t matter even if that wave were going to turn the boat over, tear it to pieces, and send it sinking into the depths of the ocean.
Fighting against a force that was too strong would only make her crumble. Sometimes, just going with the flow was the way to increase the chances of survival.
“If you tell me to come, I will come, if you tell me to go, I will go, if you give me help, I will accept that help…”
“If I tell you to take your clothes off.”
“… I will take them off.”
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