129. A Friend’s Advice
Nikolai had noticed Luka’s feelings for a while now.
He became fully aware of it after returning from their covert mission.
The look in his friend’s eyes when he saw his sister-in-law was love.
He could recognize it first because it resembled his own gaze when looking at Katya.
And after coming to the capital, he became certain when he saw Luka anxiously worrying about Bianca discovering his true identity.
Actually, even if she found out, he could have just blamed Nikolai.
It was true that as her brother-in-law, he was worried about people with ill intentions trying to approach her by bribing tutors, so he had hired Luka as her tutor.
He could have said it was because of the Grand Duke’s orders and he had no choice, but he didn’t.
Luka couldn’t bear to face her disappointed gaze even for a moment.
Moreover, by then he could no longer hide his feelings, so he only tried to avoid her.
Becoming Bianca’s tutor wasn’t just because of Nikolai’s orders.
It was his own will.
The desire to stay close to the woman he fell in love with at first sight.
The wish to protect Bianca and Duke Smirnov who were left behind after Nikolai and Katya departed.
He didn’t want to deny his true feelings by relying on flimsy excuses.
Anyway, his decision ultimately led to the worst situation.
Instead of confessing his true identity himself, Bianca found out first.
And she ran away with disappointment before he could explain.
Since that day, like Bianca, Luka was going through his most painful days.
“So that’s what happened.”
Katya nodded quietly.
She could somewhat understand now why Bianca was rushing to get married, whether it was due to feeling betrayed or struggling to forget Luka.
“I’m sorry, Tia. For keeping it secret until now.”
“I’ll scold you for that later. Right now, Bianca’s situation is the most important thing.”
Nikolai couldn’t help but smile at how cute her threat to scold him sounded.
“Huh? Why are you smiling?”
“You’re probably the only person who would openly threaten to scold the Grand Duke of this country.”
“I’m completely serious though?”
“I’m already scared. Should I get a cane ready?”
“Do you…… perhaps enjoy being hit?”
Katya asked with a suspicious look.
Earlier, Mikhail had also begged to be hit once. Could the brothers share this trait?
“If you’re the one hitting me, I might try to like it.”
“Oh, please.”
“Getting hit by you might not be so bad.”
“You might think differently after actually getting hit?”
“Wouldn’t it depend on where and what you hit me with?”
Somehow the atmosphere kept turning strangely suggestive, making Katya roll her eyes and back away.
Nikolai frowned, looking disappointed at her reaction.
“Are you afraid of me?”
“Rather than afraid…… the Grand Duke seems to have quite perverted tendencies.”
This wasn’t the first time she felt this way.
It happened before too.
When she mentioned seeing some mischievous boys’ bottoms, he tried to pull down his pants saying he was confident about his lower body.
“I’m already scared about what you’ll be like after we’re married, if you’re like this now.”
“Doesn’t that make you look forward to our wedding night even more?”
“Is it too late to cancel the marriage now?”
“Why ask something so obvious?”
He approached and gently gripped her chin with one hand before giving her a light kiss.
Afterward, he pulled back slightly and whispered while pressing his forehead against his wife’s.
“Remember what I said? Even if you beg to run away and plead to let you go, I won’t let you go anymore.”
“Grand Duke, were you always this possessive?”
“Do you dislike it? I’ll change if you do.”
“Hmm, I don’t dislike it. If it’s you, Grand Duke.”
“Actually, I prefer being the one who’s possessed.”
At those words, Katya wrapped both arms around his waist.
His torso was too thick to wrap around with one arm like when Nikolai held her waist.
“Then I’ll have to hang onto you like a rope every day and follow you everywhere.”
“I should confess. You’ll have another reason to scold me.”
“What is it?”
“I just had a bad thought.”
“A bad thought?”
Katya tilted her head, not immediately catching his meaning.
His bad thoughts usually involved using force against men who approached his wife out of jealousy.
When it was just the two of them, what kind of mischievous thought could he have had?
“You said you’d stick to me like this wherever we go.”
Nikolai started explaining carefully at his love eye level, like he’s giving a lecture.
“Doesn’t that mean you’ll be with me 24 hours a day?”
“That’s right!”
“So that includes when bathing and sleeping too?”
Finally realizing her husband’s lewd intentions, Katya blushed and tried to unwrap her arms that had become like rope.
As her arms loosened, Nikolai hugged her waist himself.
“Of course, there’s no rule saying things have to only happen at night.”
“You’re such a pervert.”
“I’m sorry for being this kind of husband, but actually I’m not sorry at all. You’re the one who walked into this yourself.”
“Ah, Your Highness!”
He showered his rabbit-like wife’s face with kisses as she squirmed in his arms.
Every time his lips touched different spots on her face, Katya’s cheeks turned pink like ripe peaches.
She could push him away but didn’t want to.
At this point, maybe she was a pervert too?
“I wish tomorrow would be our royal wedding when we wake up.”
“We’re already married though.”
“Only in name. We can’t do any of the things married couples do.”
“I won’t ask what those things are.”
“Why not? Ask me. I’ll explain each one in detail.”
Katya let out a shriek as her husband pleaded and clung to her.
“What’s happening?”
“Are you alright, Your Highness?”
Thanks to that, Pavel and the guards waiting in the hallway burst in startled, creating an embarrassing situation.
Feeling like she wanted to hide in a mouse hole, Katya tried to cover her face with her strawberry blonde hair.
Only then did the doting Grand Duke finally let go of his wife with a chuckle.
***
That evening, Luka visited the Winter Palace after receiving Nikolai’s summons.
He hurried his steps since it seemed urgent when told there was something important to discuss, but he unexpectedly ran into Bianca in the hallway.
Fortunately, there were other people around besides just the two of them.
Surrounded by palace servants, Bianca gave him a slight nod like greeting a guest before passing by on her way somewhere.
She was dressed differently than usual.
She wore an ivory dress with a white veil.
Women in the Grand Duchy of Hersen often chose ivory for wedding dresses.
While ivory dresses weren’t exclusively worn for weddings, that was usually the case.
Moreover, Bianca had never worn that color before, either in the south or after coming to the capital.
An ominous feeling came over him.
Even when Luka arrived before the Grand Duke, that anxiety still hadn’t subsided.
Then thunderous news came from Nikolai’s lips.
“My sister-in-law is getting married.”
“……What?”
The teacup Luka was holding fell to the floor.
The sharp sound of shattering fragments seemed to mirror his own heart.
“I apologize.”
“No. Are you hurt?”
“Yes. I’m fine. The teacup, I’ll……”
“Don’t worry about it. What’s there to count between us? Besides, today is a joyous occasion.”
Nikolai didn’t seem to mind much about the broken teacup.
Then he told the story of how Bianca had long loved the man who saved her when she was young, and that man turned out to be Olen.
He seemed very happy that his sister-in-law had found her match.
But none of it registered in Luka’s ears.
His mind was in chaos from the news of Bianca’s marriage.
“According to court protocol, they have to wait until the royal wedding, so they decided to register the marriage first. They both firmly want to rush the wedding.”
It was principle not to hold major events before the Grand Duke’s royal wedding.
Even Klavdia’s engagement ceremony had been omitted.
Instead, Duke Norbert’s knighting ceremony was scheduled.
Since the Grand Duchy of Hersen was a nation of knights, they would bestow knighthood of the Grand Ducal house to the Grand Duke, Prince, and husbands of Grand Duchesses.
Of course, unlike Nikolai, Duke Norbert’s position was more of an honorary title.
Strictly speaking, Nikolai belonged to the Grand Ducal knights, while Mikhail unusually opted out of the entrance test as a Prince since he was bound to fail.
Anyway, for that reason, Klavdia and Norbert’s engagement ceremony was to be replaced with the knighting ceremony.
“So they decided to have their covenant ceremony before a priest today. I lent them the palace chapel.”
A marriage before a priest takes effect the moment it happens.
That’s why Ivan had tried so hard to take Katya before a priest.
At those words, Luka felt his heart sink.
His prediction wasn’t wrong.
The Bianca he had just passed was on her way to the chapel for the covenant ceremony.
He knew she would marry someone else someday.
But he didn’t know the time of eternal parting would come so soon.
“Won’t you regret it?”
Nikolai asked his friend in a low voice.
“It’s not too late yet. But once this moment passes, you’ll lose her forever.”
Finally understanding the Grand Duke’s advice, Luka jumped up and ran out.