Don't Tame the Tomboy - 20. Passed!
20. Passed!
“Are you suggesting a contract marriage with me right now?”
Katya couldn’t hold back any longer and asked.
This scene was a common trope in romance novels and plays.
“That’s an easy way to put it. It’s a timed marriage where we agree on an end date before starting.”
“Calling it a divorce sounds nice; but isn’t it practically a deposition?”
“If you’re deposed, you get alimony.”
“Alimony?”
“Originally, the religious sector doesn’t forbid the monarch’s divorce. According to doctrine, divorce is considered an unforgivable sin because it breaks the family given by the gods. But not all divorces could be prevented.”
In principle, the monarch’s divorce was forbidden, but Yuri de Vasily, the former Grand Duke of Hersen, found a loophole in religious law.
If the monarch’s wife devoted herself to religion, the Papacy in Arsetia would exceptionally allow a divorce.
Yuri forcibly sent Nikolai’s biological mother, Tatiana, to a convent to marry his mistress, Oksana.
Tatiana, trapped in the cold convent, spent her days in vain and met a lonely death due to an unforeseen accident.
The first thing Nikolai did after ascending as Grand Duke was to establish a law to protect future divorced grand duchesses, to avoid creating unjust victims like his mother.
Even if divorce was prevented, there was no guarantee that monarchs like his father, who would find a way to divorce, wouldn’t emerge again.
“If the divorce is due to the husband’s fault, the grand duchess receives alimony. The amount is significant enough that future grand dukes wouldn’t dare to dream of divorce. And if the grand duchess agrees, divorce is also freely allowed.”
Thanks to this, he received several protests from the Papacy.
But Nikolai pushed forward and succeeded in legislating it.
“And in addition, a law was made to transfer the dowry and property the Grand Duchess brought into the Grand Ducal house at the time of marriage to her ownership upon divorce.”
“To the grand duchess’s ownership? Not returned to the family?”
“If I marry you and acquire the Smirnov dukedom, it means that title and property would all become yours after a divorce.”
As a daughter, Katya couldn’t inherit the title and property.
So, when the Smirnov sisters married, their father’s title and property would belong to the designated son-in-law.
If neither married, it would go to a distant relative they didn’t even know.
Therefore, Nikolai’s proposal, which offered a way to preserve the wealth her father had built over his lifetime, was very tempting to Katya.
Moreover, living as a woman who cohabited with and broke off an engagement with the scoundrel Ivan seemed less appealing than being a former grand duchess.
With the title of former grand duchess, the fact that she broke off an engagement with Ivan would quickly fade from people’s memories.
“Then what do you gain by marrying me, Your Grace?”
“A thrilling honeymoon with you?”
Nikolai’s eyes curved into a gentle arc.
He was truly a dangerous man.
Not only was he dangerously handsome, but the words that came from his seductive lips were also exceedingly dangerous.
Even his clear blue eyes, which sparkled like the sea, were more lethal because their depth was hard to gauge.
Katya, who was looking at him as if she might fall for him, snapped back to her senses and continued.
“Other than that, there’s nothing left for you, Your Grace.”
“Why would there be nothing left? There would be lifelong memories to look back on before I die.”
“……”
“Take your time to think it over. I’ll give you as much time as you need.”
“What if I don’t accept your proposal?”
“Even if I’m rejected, as long as you want, we can remain friends. There’s no harm in having the Grand Duke as a friend.”
Nikolai elegantly hinted that he would be her solid backing.
As Nikolai was leaving the drawing room, he suddenly stopped and turned back.
“Tia.”
“Yes?”
“If you ever feel comfortable with me again.”
“……”
“Won’t you call me Niki like you did yesterday?”
There was no immediate answer from her.
“It felt really… good to be called that by you.”
Nikolai left the drawing room after saying that.
***
After that, Nikolai visited the Duke’s residence almost every day.
However, whatever his ulterior motive was, he always met only with Duke Smirnov and left without calling for Katya.
Katya, who had come out of her room to take a walk with Laika, spotted the familiar silver-haired man at the bottom of the stairs and quickly hid behind the wall with Laika in her arms.
It seemed he was heading to the study again.
He visited so often that he could now find the study on his own without the butler’s guidance.
She had no idea what he discussed with her father, as the Duke kept it strictly confidential.
While holding her breath and waiting for him to pass, she suddenly felt empty in her arms.
‘Laika!’
At some point, Laika slipped away and was running towards Nikolai, who had just come up the stairs.
Katya peeked out and called Laika in a small voice, but it didn’t reach the excited dog’s ears.
The oblivious dog raised its front paws to greet Nikolai.
A smile played on his lips at the enthusiastic welcome.
Even though the large borzoi’s tail was hitting his leg hard enough to hurt, Nikolai didn’t show any displeasure.
Worried that standing on two legs might strain the old dog’s joints, he simply lowered his body to meet Laika’s gaze and petted her head.
Dog owners naturally grow fond of those who are kind to their pets.
Katya, forgetting to hide, stood there watching him play with Laika.
When Nikolai absentmindedly looked up and found her, he stood up.
“I was about to take Laika for a walk.”
Meeting his gaze, Katya confessed awkwardly, even though he hadn’t asked.
“I see.”
“Let’s go, Laika.”
She tugged on the leash, but Laika sat down next to Nikolai and stayed put like a statue.
“What’s wrong with you? I said let’s go.”
Laika panted with her tongue out, looking back and forth between the two.
Nikolai didn’t know, but Katya, as the owner, immediately understood the dog’s intention.
Laika was suggesting that Nikolai join them for the walk.
Katya crouched in front of Laika to persuade the stubborn dog, who seemed gentle yet was quite stubborn.
“Laika, if you come down now, I’ll give you two more treats.”
“Heh heh…”
“How about three?”
“I like this person, sister1the word here is 누나, used by males to refer to an older woman. Passed.”
“Huh? Laika, you’re a girl.”
“…Then, sis2the word here is 언니, used by females to refer to an older woman.”
Wait a minute…
Realizing something was off, Katya quickly looked up.
Nikolai turned his face to the side, barely holding back his laughter.
Seeing that, her face quickly turned as red as a beet.
‘Why did I just naturally accept having a conversation with Laika like a human…!’
Overcome with embarrassment, Katya stood up abruptly to confront him.
“Ah, Your Grace!”
“If the dog could talk, it seems like that’s what it would say.”
“You can do ventriloquism too?”
“Why, is it charming?”
“No!”
“Still as merciless as ever. Go ahead, I won’t bother you anymore.”
Nikolai spread his hands as if surrendering and turned towards the study.
Since he retreated so easily, it seemed he hadn’t come to pressure her for an answer.
Laika naturally walked beside him as he left.
With the appearance of this loyal ally, he smiled and looked back to meet Katya’s gaze.
“What should I do? It seems your dog has already accepted me as your husband.”
“No way. That’s not right! Come here, Laika. He’s a scary person, a scary person!”
Katya gestured towards Laika and whispered very softly.
“Tia.”
“Yes?”
“My hearing is better than you think.”
“……”
Katya muttered softly, acknowledging that he wasn’t wrong.
“I told you, I can hear everything.”
“Are you on your way to see Father again today?”
“No. I heard from the butler that Duke Smirnov is out at the moment.”
“What? Then why…”
“The Duke said I could come by anytime to borrow books.”
“Then have a good time.”
Katya bowed her head slightly and turned around, holding the leash.
Walking away with a dejected Laika, Nikolai suddenly called out to her from behind.
“Yes?”
“You said before that you like knights. Do you enjoy jousting tournaments as well?”
“I do. But since they’re not held often, I usually satisfy my imagination by reading heroic tales or epics.”
“If there’s something interesting, could you pick one out for me to read?”
“Then just borrow the book and leave quickly. Got it?”
Nikolai chuckled softly at her words.
Had she reached the stage of being conscious of him?
“Depending on how you act.”
“What should I do?”
“If you keep being cute like that, I might want to stay permanently.”
“Goodness!”
Katya glared at him incredulously and started walking ahead.
Excited by the fact that Nikolai was joining them, Laika dashed down the hallway.
Meanwhile, another guest arrived at the Smirnov ducal residence.
“What brings you to the Duke’s residence?”
The butler gave a troubled smile to the uninvited guest.
Ivan didn’t listen further and pushed his way inside, looking around.
“Is Duke Smirnov in?”
“He’s out at the moment, so perhaps you should come back later—”
“Forget it. I’ll wait until he returns, so lead me to the drawing room.”
He unilaterally commanded the butler.
Ivan was seething with anger.
After Katya disappeared, he searched the area thoroughly but couldn’t find any trace of her.
If she had returned home and told the truth, given the Duke’s reputation as a doting father, there should have been at least a stern warning or a lawsuit from the Duke’s residence by now, but there was no action.
So he hadn’t thought Katya would have gone to the Duke’s residence.
When his investigation reached a dead end, he sent someone to spy on the Duke’s residence just in case, and upon receiving news that Katya was seen inside, he was furious and rushed over.
‘The father and daughter conspired to deceive me? I won’t let this slide!’
