35. Men Confident in Their Lower Bodies

Nikolai, who had dived into the water to search the bottom, surfaced after a while.

In his hand was Katya’s pocket watch.

Climbing back onto the dock, he safely returned it to her hands.

Soaked from head to toe, he removed his clinging chemise and wrung it out with great force.

The scene felt oddly familiar.

‘Where have I seen this before?’

It was that night they had spent together at the inn.

Back then, Nikolai had also wrung out his rain-soaked clothes just like this, twisting them with both hands.

Having spent a long time in the company of men during his covert missions, it was a habit that emerged unconsciously, without a second thought.

Katya, watching his arms—easily twice the size of her thighs—move with such strength, couldn’t help but gulp instinctively.

Just like she had thought back then, his body was truly something to marvel at.

As she stared intently at his sculpted physique, a certain clause suddenly popped into her mind.

「No touching each other’s body except when absolutely necessary. Example) When under suspicion of being a contract couple.」

What kind of idiot had come up with such a ridiculous rule?

Who was this clause even for?

Looking at that beautiful body, she couldn’t help but feel like she was the one losing out here.

Sensing her gaze, Nikolai raised his head.

Katya was so absorbed in admiring him that she didn’t even realize he was looking at her.

“I think I’ve mentioned this before—”

“…What?”

“If you want to touch, feel free. Whether you’re caressing me with your eyes or your hands, it’s all the same.”

This line sounded familiar, too.

Katya finally lifted her gaze, only to meet his eyes.

Startled, she quickly turned her head and covered her eyes with both hands.

“I didn’t see anything!”

“What’s there to be shy about now? You should be claiming ownership instead.”

“Ownership?”

Katya hesitantly spread her fingers slightly, peeking at Nikolai through the gap.

“This body is yours now, isn’t it?”

“Mine?”

“A husband’s body belongs to his wife.”

“Then are you going to claim ownership of my body too?”

She lowered her hands and crossed her arms in an X-shape to shield herself.

Nikolai chuckled softly at her words.

“Would you give it to me if I did?”

“No! My body is mine!”

“I think so too.”

“What? Are you joking again?”

“I’m serious. My body, your body—everything is yours. You can have it all.”

He began walking toward her.

Katya unconsciously took a step back.

What’s with this man? Why is he so overwhelming?

“Don’t avoid me. I’m not going to eat you.”

“You look like you’re about to, though!”

“What do you mean? I’ve already offered myself to you.”

“Ugh, no thanks! I don’t want it, I don’t want it!”

“Are you sure you won’t regret it? You liked touching me before.”

“W-What nonsense are you spouting now?!”

Horrified, Katya clamped her hands over Nikolai’s mouth.

If Boris or the knights overheard, it would definitely lead to a misunderstanding.

Even though they were engaged, she was still technically unmarried. To say she enjoyed touching a man’s body would surely get her labeled a pervert.

Nikolai’s laughter under her hand sent a ticklish breeze against her palm.

Startled by the sensation, Katya flinched, giving him the chance to take her hand and lower it.

“Can I ask you something I’m curious about?”

The Grand Duke asked gently, still holding her hands.

“You’re going to ask anyway, aren’t you?”

She grumbled in annoyance.

“I heard that the trend of men rolling up their pants in the South started because of you. Is that true?”

“I don’t know about trends, but the rumor you heard is mostly accurate.”

“What do you think I heard?”

“That when I was young, I went around stepping on the hems of boys’ pants and pulling their pants down.”

Katya admitted her ‘crime’ without hesitation.

Nikolai’s expression suddenly turned serious.

“You saw their… backsides?”

“Their underwear came off too, so I had no choice but to see.”

“You really did that to men who were just standing there?”

“Who said they were just standing there? They were flipping up girls’ skirts, so I showed them how it felt by exposing their rears.”

She retorted indignantly.

Of course, she hadn’t done it to just anyone.

Her targets were the boys who had caused trouble by lifting girls’ skirts to peek at their underwear.

She knew it was wrong, but she had her reasons for doing it.

“And then they’d cry, saying it wasn’t fair that they only saw underwear while we saw their bare bums.”

“So what did you say?”

Nikolai asked, barely holding back his laughter.

“‘Not my problem. That’s on you. If you don’t want yours seen, don’t try to see others’.’ That’s exactly what I told them.”

“Well said.”

“Honestly, I suffered too, seeing things I didn’t want to. Do they think I pulled their pants down because I wanted to see their butts? Anyway, after a few times, they stopped doing it.”

“A true champion of justice.”

Nikolai agreed, looking at her with an awestruck expression, as if he had fallen for her all over again.

“It wasn’t out of some grand sense of duty. Anyway, the title of Villainess of the South turned out to be quite convenient. No one dared to mess with me.”

“So that’s how the nickname came about.”

“When I showed up, people would get scared and part like the Red Sea to make way for me. Honestly, it felt pretty good.”

Katya said, brushing her nose with her finger.

She’s so adorable.

That’s what Nikolai thought as he chuckled to himself.

Surely, when the gods created Katya, they poured all the world’s cuteness into her.

“So, did that answer your question? It’s not too late to call off the wedding if you’ve changed your mind.”

“Why would I call it off? If anything, I like you even more now. A person should have spirit, just like you.”

“Ugh, maybe I should’ve just said I pulled their pants down because I’m a pervert who likes looking at butts.”

“Tia, I can hear you.”

“Wait, did I say that out loud? I thought I was just thinking it!”

Katya exclaimed, startled, clutching her small head and blinking in confusion.

She was so cute that Nikolai found himself wondering what went on in that little head of hers.

If he could, he wanted to peek inside.

“Even if you had, it wouldn’t change anything about the wedding. But…”

“But?”

“If that’s your preference, as your husband, I’d do my best to accommodate it.”

“How exactly would you accommodate it?”

“If you wanted to see, I’d make it a habit to show you whenever, wherever. Even if it’s outdoors.”

“You’re absolutely outrageous.”

Katya exclaimed in disbelief.

Is there any reason for my husband to turn into an exhibitionist?

It was truly a bizarre way of thinking, one she could never follow.

At that, Nikolai raised one eyebrow, looking displeased.

“Why? You’ve already seen other men’s butts.”

“I didn’t want to see them in the first place!”

“Well, those were probably not worth looking at anyway. I, on the other hand, take good care of myself, so mine’s quite a sight.”

“What?”

“Back then and even now, you’ve only had your fill of looking at the top half. You haven’t seen the bottom half yet, have you? Honestly, I’m more confident about my lower body.”

Then Nikolai grabbed the waistband of his pants as if he were about to strip. Katya, telling him to stop with the nonsense, grabbed the sheathed sword and threw it at him.

He caught the flying sword with one hand, chuckling.

“I’m serious. I’m quite confident.”

“Ugh, enough already! Your Grace, you really sound like a pervert.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It’s not a compliment!”

“Everything that comes out of your mouth sounds sweet to me. Did you coat your words in sugar?”

Nikolai gently held her chin, brushing her plump and soft lips lightly with his thumb as he spoke.

He was so eloquent that it was impossible to win against him in a verbal battle.

To think such shameless words could flow so easily from his mouth—he must have been a peddler in his past life.

“Do I have to hurl a bagful of insults at you to make you stop?”

Katya said this without thinking and immediately regretted it.

Even she thought she might have crossed the line.

Nikolai always let her win, but he was still the ruler of this country, and Katya was his subject.

He stared down at her for a moment before speaking.

“Shall we stop by a tea shop on the way and have some tea?”

“Okay, okay. I’ll stop fooling around now.”

“I meant tea, literally. When will you stop taking it as a threat?”

Nikolai looked disappointed, as his earnest suggestion for a date was mistaken for a threat.

“Um, I probably won’t ever drink tea with Your Grace in my lifetime.”

“Who will you drink tea with, then?”

“That’s not the point right now.”

“If you drink tea with another man—”

“Are you going to kill him?”

“Yes. The man.”

His terrifying answer came out immediately.

As expected of the Bloody Grand Duke.

“And what would the charge be?”

“The crime of drinking tea with my wife.”

“What kind of absurd, hastily made-up crime is that?”

“To covet the Grand Duchess—that alone is enough to make him a traitor.”

Nikolai said this, consumed by jealousy over a man who didn’t even exist.

His obsessive gaze betrayed a hint of madness.

Katya thought he truly seemed insane.

This time, she only thought it in her head.

“Did you just think I seem like a real lunatic?”

“I didn’t say it out loud this time!”

“It’s written all over your forehead.”

“What?”

Startled, Katya hastily covered her forehead.

It was an adorable sight, like a tiny chick flapping its wings.

Nikolai was so smitten by his wife that he felt like he was going crazy.

He playfully tapped her cheek with his index finger.

“See? This is why I can’t let other men see you.”

“Unbelievable.”

“I wish every man in the world except me would go blind. So they can’t even dare to look at you.”

“You’re not actually going to make that happen, are you?”

“I’m seriously considering it.”

He was a man with a terrible personality, blinded by love, and tinged with madness.

To think her husband was a hopeless tyrant.

Katya couldn’t help but make a face, predicting a rocky road ahead.