132. The Second Son-in-law of House Smirnov

Baptiski and Luka left the mansion like that.

With the Grand Duke’s royal decree and the protection of House Smirnov’s knights, no one could stop them.

“Your Grace……”

After getting in the carriage, Luka hesitantly called out to Baptiski.

He felt truly ashamed before him.

Not only had he infiltrated his household under false pretenses, but he had also promised marriage to the daughter he cherished.

He recalled a conversation he once had with Nikolai.

“The marriage is between the people involved. Why do they need parents’ permission? Are the parents getting married?”

“Think about it. After carrying a child for ten months, giving birth painfully, and raising them preciously for at least 18 years, how would parents feel if someone just took their child away without a word? Imagine if it was Your Highness’s daughter.”

“Thief!”

He shouldn’t have given such advice to the Grand Duke.

Once again, putting himself in the other’s position gave him the answer.

If there was a man who had harbored ulterior motives toward his daughter, entered as a tutor while hiding his identity, caused his daughter emotional pain, and then proposed marriage…

If it were him, he would have grabbed that terrible man by the collar and thrown him out the door.

That would seem insufficient, yet Baptiski even defended such a person as his son-in-law before his birth father.

Saying not to touch his son ever again.

When he called him ‘my son’, Luka almost burst into tears right there.

Baptiski had taken his side even though he wasn’t his real child.

He never had such a relationship with his father Vikentiy.

If his son got involved in any trouble outside, he would have slapped him first upon returning home, accusing him of tarnishing the family name before even understanding the situation.

His brothers and everyone else in the family were the same.

They were people who cared more about appearances than substance.

Until staying with House Smirnov, Luka thought happy families only existed in fairy tales.

The time he spent in the South felt like a dream.

Those days were warm and brilliant like sunshine, as if he had stepped into a fairy tale.

It was partly because he had fallen in love with Bianca, but from the head of the household to all family members and servants, it was a home full of love and laughter.

He had wanted to stay there forever if possible.

He had thought he wanted to become part of this family too.

That had become reality.

“Stand up straight.”

Baptiski patted his son-in-law’s back with a stern face.

Startled, Luka straightened his drooping shoulders and stood upright.

“Yes. That’s how you should walk.”

“I’m, I’m sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?”

“For everything……”

“No need to apologize for situations that don’t require apologies. If you make a habit of apologizing, the sincerity eventually fades. The receiving party starts to conclude that this person’s apologies lack authenticity.”

Baptiski suddenly smiled as he said this.

“Here I am lecturing a young person again. I must really be getting old.”

“No, it was helpful.”

“Of course, I’m not saying to be stingy with apologies. One thing I’ve taught my children since they were young was to always express gratitude and apologies in words when they’re truly sorry or thankful.”

“……”

“Living in this world, I’ve seen many people who don’t say those words when they should, whether from embarrassment, shame, or pride.”

“Ah……”

Luka finally understood his father-in-law’s meaning.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

His eyes grew hot as he said those words.

“Yes. That’s enough. I didn’t bring you here to have you apologize to me.”

“Your Grace……”

“Isn’t that what family is? Sometimes we understand each other’s true feelings without many words.”

“……”

“I’m satisfied as long as you’re confident you’ll live happily with my daughter.”

“I will live well. As happily as you’ve trusted me to……”

His voice choked up and he couldn’t continue.

Tears fell freely.

His father-in-law patted his son-in-law’s shoulder like he’s soothing a crying child and continued speaking.

“They say children are gifts entrusted to us by the gods. We must raise them to the best of our ability so we won’t be ashamed when the gods come to reclaim them.”

“……”

“I believe a parent’s duty is to keep smiles on children’s faces until they grow into adults who can take responsibility for their own lives. Though the problem is they still look like children to parents’ eyes even after becoming adults.”

“……”

“You still look like a child to my eyes too. So cry just for today. As your father, I must be able to face the gods with dignity.”

Through the carriage window, he saw House Oblonsky growing distant.

A place he once called home.

But that was no longer Luka’s home.

Because from today, he had become Baptiski Smirnov’s son.

***

Bianca and Luka promised to hold their wedding after the royal marriage ceremony ended.

Until then, they would stay at the Winter Palace and move to the South after marriage.

They decided to register their marriage first, and just as Katya and Nikolai had Bianca and Luka as witnesses at their wedding in the South, this time, the couple would be witnesses for the younger couple.

“What you wanted to tell me……”

Sitting in the reception room, Luka asked with a tense face as he looked across at his sister-in-law.

He was currently having a private meeting with Katya.

On the day they were supposed to register their marriage, she had suddenly said she needed to speak with Luka alone.

Nikolai had also taken Bianca out for a walk in the garden, saying he had things to discuss with his sister-in-law.

Luka was sweating nervously, unable to understand what the Grand Ducal couple was thinking.

Perhaps they had suddenly changed their minds overnight and were going to oppose the marriage.

As someone who cherished her sister, Katya probably didn’t look kindly upon Luka.

And Nikolai, being devoted to his wife, would have followed Katya’s lead.

As he swallowed dryly with this bad feeling, Katya took something out of her handbag and placed it on the table.

“Take it.”

When she pushed it toward him, Luka picked it up.

He couldn’t tell if it was a book or notebook, it was quite thick.

A scene commonly used in melodramas came to mind.

When a child insisted on marrying someone of different social status, noble parents would call the other party and hand them such a book.

Inside would be property deeds or bonds.

It was the nobles’ refined way of telling someone to take the money and disappear.

Having abandoned House Oblonsky, if Luka were driven out of House Smirnov too, he would no longer be a noble.

So perhaps the kind Grand Duchess felt sorry to just send him away and was giving compensation out of mercy.

“I understand Your Highness’s intention but I cannot accept this. No, I must not accept it.”

Luka said with sorrowful eyes.

Katya was the sister Bianca loved most in the world.

Moreover, the Smirnov family members were now his real family, not just in-laws.

It saddened him to be in a situation where he couldn’t be loved by family.

Seeing Luka’s gloomy expression, Katya tilted her head.

“Cannot accept? Without even checking what it is?”

“I know what this is.”

“You know?”

“As your subject, I know it’s a crime to refuse what Your Highness bestows. But I love Bianca.”

“If you love her, you should accept it.”

“You mean if I truly love her, I should accept this for Bianca’s sake. It’s natural Your Highness thinks that way. I understand you don’t trust me.”

He answered with a trembling voice.

He was refuting gently but firmly.

Katya couldn’t understand why he was acting this way.

Having never seen Northern plays, she had no way of knowing this could be a situation causing misunderstanding.

“No, it’s not that I don’t trust you but I’m worried……”

“I’ll live well so you won’t worry. So I won’t accept that.”

“Well if that’s how you feel. Give it here.”

Katya took back the notebook her brother-in-law held out with an awkward expression.

“I suppose you wouldn’t be interested since the lady of the house usually handles household affairs. Oh dear, I’ve created an awkward situation for nothing. How shortsighted of me.”

“Household affairs?”

“Yes. After Mother passed away, I learned bits and pieces about managing the household by watching Father and the mansion’s butler.”

“……Pardon?”

“Though I’m not particularly talented at it, I’ve recorded things that need to be overseen generally.”

“Ah……”

“I didn’t teach Bianca because I thought she’d learn separately from her new family when she becomes lady of another household. I was going to give this to you since you’ll need it when you become head of the family, but I guess there’s no helping it……”

Realizing his misunderstanding, Luka hastily snatched the notebook from her hands.

“No! I want to learn! Please teach me!”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t accept it?”

“I misunderstood it for something else. I thought you were opposing us while giving compensation……”

“Why would I oppose? Though deceiving us was wrong, the Grand Duke shares that blame. I’m satisfied that Bianca is marrying the person she loves.”

“Your Highness……”

“Of course, that’s not the only reason I gave permission. As the husband of my beloved sister, I had to judge you carefully.”

Katya said with a smile.

“You’re also the only person the Grand Duke considers a friend. Above all, I saw for myself while living together in the South.”

“……”

“You are a good person.”

At the moment he won love, he gained family too.

Luka thought to himself.

How blessed he was to become family to such people.