37. Ivan’s Counterattack

Nikolai, now draped in the shawl, glared at his fiancée with a dissatisfied expression when suddenly, a loud growl came from her stomach.

Embarrassed, Katya quickly grabbed her belly.

It was already lunchtime.

Seeing this, Nikolai walked over to where the knights were gathered, clapped his hands to get their attention, and announced it was time to eat.

The knights split into small groups, sitting in the shade and pulling out the simple meals they had brought with them.

It was only then that Katya remembered she hadn’t brought lunch, too excited about watching the sparring to think about food.

As she fidgeted with her fingers, wondering what to do, Nikolai, who immediately noticed her dilemma, approached her with a smile.

“I packed enough for you, too. Let’s eat together.”

“You brought something for me as well?”

When he opened a pouch from his bag, two hefty butterbrots stuffed with smoked ham and butter were revealed.

Nikolai took the larger of the two, wrapped it in a cloth, and handed it to Katya.

It was so big it could practically cover her tiny face.

The one meant for Katya was deliberately packed with extra filling, leaving his own butterbrot almost empty.

Unaware of his thoughtfulness, Katya happily accepted the bread with both hands.

“Thank you for the meal!”

As she took a bite, the salty, juicy Hersen-style sausage, kolbasa, burst with flavor, filling her mouth.

The unsalted butter melted smoothly on her tongue, blending perfectly with the salty ham, and the coarse but soft whole wheat bread tied it all together in a heavenly combination.

Nikolai wanted to ask if it suited her taste but decided against it.

He could tell just by looking at her expression.

From his observations so far, Katya had a particular habit of furrowing her brows and closing her eyes whenever she ate something truly delicious.

And then there was the finishing touch:

“Kiya—.”

It was the kind of sound you’d expect from a middle-aged man appreciating a fine drink, but when Katya did it, it was nothing short of adorable.

“This is amazing. How are you so good at cooking, Your Grace?”

“You’d probably find it faster to list the things I can’t do.”

“Your confidence is unmatched.”

“Of course. That’s the level required to govern a country.”

Katya chuckled and shook her head at his smug expression when something suddenly plopped onto her lap.

Laika had placed her thick paw on the hem of Katya’s skirt, her mouth wide open and tongue hanging out as if she’d forgotten how to close it.

Drool dripped steadily onto the blanket like a light drizzle.

“Laika, do you want some that badly? But what should I do? It’s too salty for you…”

Katya tore off a piece that hadn’t touched the ham and was about to give it to Laika, but Nikolai stopped her and instead handed the dog a piece of boiled meat.

The dog, now holding the meat in her mouth, looked as if she had just won the world, happily munching away.

“It’s boiled without any spices, so it should be fine.”

“When did you prepare something for Laika as well?”

“Just in case.”

“So not only are you good at cooking, but you’re also meticulous?”

“When we’re married, I’ll do it every day. I’ll even handle special meals for your dog.”

In truth, Nikolai’s invitation to join him in watching the sparring hadn’t been an impulsive question but a carefully planned move.

That morning, after leaving Luka behind in their room, he had borrowed the inn’s kitchen to prepare lunch for Katya.

Seeing her made him feel like a mother bird, constantly wanting to feed her.

And since he was aiming to score points, he had even prepared something for Laika.

The scheming man, who had executed today’s date flawlessly, lay on his side, propping his head up with a hand while casually biting into an apple.

His face was the picture of relaxed satisfaction.

Katya, unable to think of a proper response, simply stroked Laika’s head as the dog enthusiastically chewed and savored her meal.

Why did he keep trying so hard to appeal to her?

Wasn’t this the same man who once told her not to love him?

“Is she pretty just to look at?”

“Pardon?”

“Laika, I mean. You were petting her.”

“Of course she’s pretty. She’s getting older, but she still eats well, walks well, and stays healthy. It’s really admirable.”

“If we’re talking about admirable things, haven’t I done quite well today?”

Nikolai leaned his head subtly toward her as he spoke.

“It feels like I’ve gained another clingy puppy craving affection. Weren’t you the one who told me not to love you?”

“I’m not asking for love. Just spoil me with affection while we’re together.”

“If only you’d stop talking.”

Katya, unable to resist, gently ran her fingers through his hair.

“You’re too big to be called a puppy. You’re more like a wolf or a bear.”

“Still, I’d rather be a dog.”

“Why? You were upset before when someone compared you to a dog.”

“Wolves and bears can’t sleep in the same bed.”

Nikolai looked up at her with smoldering eyes as he spoke.

The ‘trainer’ decided she didn’t want to hear any more and stuffed a piece of bread into the mouth of the man who was as large as a bear.

After the meal, Katya diligently watched the sparring but eventually dozed off, her full belly making her drowsy.

Whenever that happened, Nikolai would reach out to support her head or let her lean on his shoulder.

Laika, meanwhile, had no qualms about resting her chin and front paws on Nikolai’s lap, snoring away.

Nikolai felt like a tree providing rest for weary birds, but he was content.

It was a peaceful afternoon.

Peaceful enough to momentarily forget all the burdens weighing on his shoulders.

As Katya drifted in and out of sleep, alternately watching the sparring and dozing off, the sun began to set and the training came to an end.

“Tia, wake up. It’s time to go.”

“Huh?”

At Nikolai’s gentle voice, Katya, who had been dozing on his shoulder, opened her eyes wide.

She felt as though she had only closed her eyes for a moment, but the sun was already setting.

“Is it over already?”

“You must have been really tired. I’ve been trying to wake you for a while, but you didn’t budge.”

“Really?”

“If you hadn’t woken up, I was about to carry you.”

Hearing that, Katya snapped awake and jumped to her feet.

She hastily grabbed the blanket and began rolling it up, accidentally sending Laika, who had been napping on it, tumbling onto the grass.

The startled dog immediately went on high alert, barking at the empty air.

“Woof!”

“Sorry, Laika. That was my fault. It’s time to go home now. Let’s go.”

Katya apologized as she grabbed the leash.

But Laika plopped her rear firmly onto the ground and refused to move.

No matter how much her owner tugged, the dog wouldn’t budge.

She looked completely exhausted and unwilling to get up.

“Are you really going to do this? Do you want me to carry you?”

When even that didn’t work, Katya sighed and bent down, pretending to lift the dog.

At that moment, Nikolai effortlessly picked up the tired old dog.

Despite Laika being a large breed and quite heavy, he lifted her with one arm as if she were a bag of bread.

“Oh, I was going to carry her.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Isn’t she heavy?”

“It’s fine. Now hurry up and follow me. Or should I carry you too?”

Nikolai waved his free hand, and Katya, clutching the blanket, quickly followed behind him like a small shadow.

When they reached the carriage, Nikolai opened the door, helped Katya inside, and then gently lifted Laika in as well.

After ensuring they were settled, he turned toward where Boris was standing.

“Aren’t you coming with us?”

Katya poked her head out of the window and asked.

“Oh, I just need to discuss something about today’s training for a moment.”

He said this while brushing the back of his neck with his left hand.

Nikolai had a habit of unconsciously doing this whenever he lied.

It was a quirk Katya hadn’t noticed yet.

“I’ll be back shortly, so just wait a moment.”

Nikolai walked over to where Boris was and began whispering with him discreetly before returning to the carriage.

The final act of his meticulously planned day was about to begin.

***

The shops in Padovangrad’s bustling downtown closed at 6 p.m., just like in other cities, with the exception of taverns.

In one corner of the busy district stood a law office that had been in operation for three generations, and it too followed the same routine.

After the head lawyer left for the day, the apprentice lawyer locked the door and went upstairs to the attic where his bedroom was located.

Like many apprentice lawyers, he lived in the office to gain experience and learn the trade from an established firm.

The office remained open late into the night to accommodate clients who might urgently need legal advice or wish to file a case.

In exchange for room and board, apprentice lawyers were essentially on call 24/7.

Exhausted from working late the previous night, the apprentice lawyer changed into his pajamas earlier than usual and lay down.

He turned off the lamp and was about to fall asleep when a loud banging suddenly came from the first floor.

“Can’t they ever let me sleep early for once?”

He sighed deeply and got out of bed.

As he was about to change into proper clothing, the banging on the door grew even more frantic, as if the person outside was about to break it down.

Resigning himself, he grabbed a lamp and descended the stairs in his pajamas.

When he opened the door, a man standing in the dimly lit street pushed his way inside without so much as introducing himself.

“Who are you?”

The apprentice lawyer asked sharply, clearly annoyed.

“I’m here to file a lawsuit.”

The man replied bluntly, speaking informally.

“I can provide basic legal advice, but if it’s a lawsuit, you’ll need to see the head lawyer tomorrow. If you leave your name here, I’ll make sure you’re the first to meet with him as soon as we open in the morning.”

The lawyer, stifling a yawn, slid a ledger across the desk.

It was a phrase he repeated every day, so much so that it had become second nature.

According to those around him, he even muttered it in his sleep, as if he couldn’t escape dealing with clients even in his dreams.

Usually, this line was enough to make most people quietly write down their names and leave.

But this man didn’t write his name. Instead, he looked the apprentice lawyer directly in the eyes.

“Ivan Petrovsky.”

“Yes, please write that down.”

“There’s no need to write it.”

“Pardon?”

“I want you to take on my case.”

“I’m just an apprentice. I’ve only ever assisted with cases; I’ve never actually handled one myself…”

The apprentice lawyer scratched his head awkwardly, his words trailing off.

“Don’t you want to become famous? You’ll have to strike out on your own and open your own practice someday.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“I have a story that will shake the world. Would you like to hear it?”

Ivan said, curling one corner of his mouth into a sly smirk.