17. Since You Took My Chastity

“What kind of nonsense is that? If you’re going to talk like that, get out, quickly!”

Katya stuffed a handful of money into Nikolai’s coat pocket and pushed his broad back toward the door of the reception room.

Just then, the door suddenly swung open, and the duke, having been tipped off by the butler, hurriedly entered.

“I-I greet Your Highness.”

As soon as he saw Nikolai, he knelt on one knee and paid his respects.

Katya blinked in confusion at this bizarre scene.

It was the first time she’d seen her father, a duke, kneeling before someone.

“Father, why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. My daughter didn’t recognize Your Highness’s noble visage and was rude. Katarina Smirnov, quickly pay your respects to His Grace, the Grand Duke.”

Katya tilted her head in confusion as her father suddenly called her by her full name.

The words didn’t quite register in her brain.

The land they lived on was the Grand Duchy of Hersen.

Therefore, the ruler of this land was also a grand duke.

But why was her father addressing Niki as the Grand Duke?

“This is His Grace, Grand Duke Nikolai de Vasily.”

Finally, the fog in her mind cleared, and her halted thought process began to function properly.

He had introduced himself as ‘Niki.’

So that ‘Niki’ was short for Nikolai…?

‘No way!’

Shocked, Katya covered her mouth with both hands and was about to prostrate herself on the floor when Nikolai grabbed her hands and helped her up.

“Don’t strain your ankle.”

He whispered softly, only loud enough for Katya to hear.

Even in this situation, he was concerned about her injured ankle.

“And you can rise as well, Duke. I apologize for dropping by unannounced.”

“No, Your Highness! How could you say such a thing…?”

“I’d like a moment alone to speak with Miss Smirnov. Could you give us some privacy?”

“Did my daughter do something wrong to Your Highness?”

The duke asked, trembling slightly as he stood up from the floor.

It was well-known even in the South that as soon as Nikolai ascended as Grand Duke, he had eliminated those who opposed him.

Southern nobles were relieved they only had to go to the capital during the noble council meetings.

While a sea of blood was spilled in the North, the Southern nobles lived comfortably, as if it were someone else’s problem.

They never imagined the Grand Duke would come directly to the South.

In any case, it was understandable for the duke to be fearful, knowing that the infamous ‘Bloody Grand Duke’ was acquainted with his daughter.

No one knew better than he did that Katya wasn’t an ordinary person.

Judging by the fact that she didn’t even know he was the Grand Duke, it was highly likely she had committed some blunder.

“It’s not that. I’m just here to settle a debt.”

“A debt, you say?”

“Nothing to worry about. And could the butler bring what I asked for earlier?”

This was a polite way of asking them to leave.

Though the explanation was not entirely reassuring, the duke couldn’t defy the Grand Duke’s orders, so he reluctantly withdrew.

The butler brewed the tea Nikolai had brought and poured it into two cups, placing them on the table with some refreshments before leaving.

The two of them sat facing each other at the table.

Katya stared blankly into the teacup in front of her.

It was black tea.

Suddenly, something Ivan had said came to mind.

“Do you know how the Grand Duke kills people? According to rumors, he invites them over and serves them tea.”

The tea served by the Grand Duke is a kind of deadly tea. But strangely, even after an autopsy, no poison is found, so it’s ruled as a mysterious death. That’s why they call it the Tea of Death.”

So, was this the poison meant for her?

Katya reflected on all her interactions with Nikolai.

A parade of embarrassing moments flashed through her mind like a life montage.

“Don’t move! I guess you don’t know since we’ve just met, but this is a real sword.”

“Ugh, I’m busy, and you’re annoying me. Get lost, will you?”

“It seems you’ve picked up a hobby that’s going to ruin your household.”

“Just a warning, don’t like me. I’m not someone you can handle.”

“Do you want to marry me? Do you like me that much? No matter how charming I am, don’t like me too much. You’ll only get hurt.”

Statements that were not only arrogant but also crossed the line.

“You’re just like Laika. Our family dog. It’s huge but scared of baths, just like you”

“Since you were born so beautifully, you should know the value of your life and not live recklessly, right?”

“What’s wrong with a flat butt?”

Brazen remarks that made her face burn just thinking about them.

Each one was a gem worthy of being inscribed on her tombstone.

Moreover, there were several times the Grand Duke had gotten upset.

“Just how poor do you think I am? Do I look so destitute that I’d haggle over such a small amount?”

“Are you saying I’m like a dog? That’s rude.”

She had also recklessly touched the Grand Duke’s body.

‘You should have just killed me back then. If you had, I wouldn’t be experiencing this suffocating fear and could have gone without a care.’

Katya swallowed dryly, feeling her throat parched.

‘Get a grip. Think. If he intended to kill me, he would have done it earlier. But since he kept me alive until now…’

After quickly running through her thoughts, she reached a conclusion.

Perhaps Nikolai had come to see her beg for forgiveness.

Since he said he came to settle a debt, if what he wanted was for her to bow her head and apologize, she could repay him that way.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize Your Grace and was… impolite…”

“Impolite? In what way?”

“Pardon?”

“Was it when you said I looked like a dog and washed my hair like one? Or when you worried about the finances of this country’s ruler? Or was it—”

“All of it! There are so many, I can’t even count. I’ll bow my head to the floor and apologize right here—”

Nikolai’s eyes sharpened at those words.

Katya’s willingness to go to such lengths made him speak with a sharp tone.

“Why are you trying to do something I never asked for? I clearly said that position would be too much for your ankle.”

“Don’t worry about that. Thanks to your treatment, it’s all healed!”

“I never asked you to bow or kneel, and I won’t in the future.”

“To show respect to Your Grace…”

“Let’s drop the etiquette talk here. Back to the main point, I’m here to collect a debt from you.”

Katya swallowed again, thinking that the moment had finally come.

Surely he wouldn’t demand her life as payment, right?

“How should I repay it? If you don’t want money…”

“You didn’t owe a debt in money, so I can’t take money from you. This is a completely different matter from yesterday’s lodging fee.”

“What kind of matter is it…”

“Last night was quite a trial.”

Nikolai said out of the blue.

“Pardon?”

“You wrapped your legs around me, leaving me no choice but to succumb without resistance.”

“S-succumb? What do you mean…?”

“You buried your face in my bare chest and wouldn’t let go all night. But I couldn’t tolerate you drooling on me.”

“Drooling? Where?”

At those words, he glanced down at his chest.

Finally understanding what he meant, Katya’s jaw dropped.

She knew she had a bad habit of moving in her sleep, but she never imagined she would do something like that.

“You’re quite skilled at teasing a man.”

“T-teasing?”

“That’s why I came to hold you accountable. How can I marry another with a body once tainted by a woman’s touch?”

Katya couldn’t believe her ears.

W-what? Tainted?

And he said once.

Did that mean she was the first to spend a night with the Grand Duke?

‘No way.’

The man sitting before her wasn’t the slightly awkward commoner Niki.

With such a handsome face and the fact that he’s a grand duke, despite the nickname ‘Bloody Grand Duke,’ women must have flocked to him.

There are all sorts of people in the world.

Like moths drawn to a flame, knowing they’ll get burned.

But she quickly realized her assumption was wrong.

“Since you took my chastity, you must take responsibility.”

“…What did you just say? Cha-chastity?”

“I’ve never bared my chest to anyone. I’ve never bathed with someone or slept rubbing bare skin.”

“No, just hearing it sounds strange! It makes me sound like a shameless person who stole Your Grace’s chastity and ran away.”

“If you take responsibility for me, you wouldn’t be shameless.”

Nikolai replied, crossing his arms.

“What do you mean by taking responsibility…”

“Marriage.”

“What?”

Katya closed her eyes tightly at those words.

Yes. Seeing how absurd this situation is, I must still be dreaming.

If she gathered her strength and opened her eyes wide again, she’d wake up.

That’s what she always did when she had a scary dream.

‘Calm down and focus. One, two—three!’

She opened her eyes with a start.

But despite her efforts, Katya was still in the reception room, and Nikolai was still there.

“Would you rather believe it’s a dream?”

“Haha… What Your Grace said is so unbelievable that it must be a dream.”

“If you’re not convinced, feel free to keep trying. I’ll wait.”

Nikolai leaned back in his chair, looking amused.

Faced with such an invitation, Katya, feeling embarrassed, gave up on escaping reality.

“Your Grace, if you’re just teasing me, please tell me when it will end.”

“Since I walked in here, I haven’t spoken a word in jest.”

“Then…”

“Take me as your husband and live with me for life. That’s how you can repay the debt.”

Katya let out a disbelieving laugh at this unprecedented method of collection.