38. The Scheming Side of My Man
“Today was a great opportunity to see close combat techniques, but I was too sleepy from being full to see it properly.”
Katya said with a regretful expression while leaning her face against the window.
Thanks to this, her squirrel-like chubby cheeks were pressed, unintentionally showing off their cuteness.
“Why did you serve so much lunch?”
“If you were too full, you could have left some.”
“If you leave delicious food, you go to hell.”
“Then it is my fault indeed.”
Nikolai readily admitted his guilt.
“The crime of making such delicious food in abundance, filling your stomach and causing drowsiness. I’ll accept any punishment willingly.”
“Please invite me again next time.”
“You can come whenever you want to see me.”
“Grand Duke, actually there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
Katya removed her face from the window and quickly put on a serious expression.
She clasped her hands together and her eyes began to sparkle brightly.
Only one of her cheeks that had been pressed against the window was tinged peach-colored.
Whatever request came from her mouth was accompanied by such cuteness that made it impossible not to grant.
“What kind of request is it?”
“Promise you won’t refuse first.”
“I promise.”
“Pinky swear.”
The Strawberry of the South said while wiggling her little finger.
Nikolai linked his pinky finger as she asked.
Katya pulled their chain-linked fingers and bumped their thumbs together.
“We’ve sealed it with a stamp.”
“Was that also part of it?”
“My mother taught me that when making promises, you must always seal it with a stamp.”
“So what does our Miss Tia, who takes promises so seriously, want?”
At those words, Katya firmly held his hand with both of hers.
“Please teach me swordsmanship.”
“What?”
“While I’m somewhat confident in my shooting, no matter how much I practice alone with a sword, I don’t improve. My thrusting power is weak, and once I swing with force, I can’t quickly change direction nimbly, so I immediately show openings.”
She honestly shared the shortcomings she had felt while training hard following instruction manuals until now.
Nikolai silently watched her.
“Are you considering refusing?”
“No, I was thinking about how to teach you.”
“Aren’t you against it? Earlier you were going on about these delicate arms and small frame.”
“Of course I’m worried, but how could I stop you from doing what you want to do? You wouldn’t listen even if I tried to persuade you. I figured it would be better if you learned from me since you’re going to learn anyway.”
Nikolai couldn’t bear the thought of Katya getting hurt when he wasn’t around, even in his imagination.
He thought if he couldn’t stop her anyway, the best solution would be to teach her himself while being as careful as possible.
“But teacher, honestly, do I have any potential?”
“Since you have some basics, you’ll catch up quickly.”
“Really?”
Her expression of joy with wide round eyes looked like a rabbit finding tasty lettuce, which made Nikolai unconsciously smile.
“It’s not easy to threaten me with that heavy sword.”
“Don’t you think it’s an unsuitable hobby for a woman?”
“There’s no need to follow what others deem suitable. If you want to do it, do it. As long as you don’t get hurt, it’s fine to learn.”
“How can I not get hurt when using weapons?”
“That’s why I need to always be by your side. To keep you from getting hurt.”
When it came to combat, he couldn’t entrust Katya’s lessons to anyone else.
If she got hurt, he would be more worried than she would be.
“Thank you, Grand Duke.”
Katya made a polite bow while seated, neatly placing both hands on her stomach.
“No, should I call you Master now?”
At those words, Nikolai narrowed his eyes in displeasure.
After trying so hard to break free from the ‘Grand Duke’ title, now what, Master?
The person making him so anxious with just one title change was smiling brightly without any particular thought.
Katya, who had been looking at the scenery outside the window, sensed something strange and turned her head toward Nikolai.
“Huh? Isn’t this where your lodgings should be, Grand Duke?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why isn’t the carriage stopping?”
Their carriage just passed through the town where the inn was located.
“We’re going to the Duke’s residence together.”
“Our house?”
“The Duke invited us for dinner tonight. As a ruler, I can’t ignore a subject’s sincerity.”
“Father did?”
“Then you must return to your lodgings right after dinner. Understood?”
Katya said with eyes full of suspicion.
Though he was her future husband, he was the most dangerous man in the world.
She couldn’t trust him at all. Was he plotting something?
“Of course. Why, would you like me to stay?”
“It’s the opposite, okay? I’d really like you to go home quickly, wash your feet, and go to bed.”
“What a controlling wife, even managing the time I return.”
“Are you regretting marrying me now?”
Katya smirked while twitching her eyebrows.
“I like it. Keep controlling me like that. I’ll throw away all state affairs and come back.”
“I think we’re saying different things. I want to chase you out of our house quickly. After we’re married, you can come home as late as possible.”
“How could I leave you alone when I’m worried about you?”
“You’re the most dangerous one, Grand Duke.”
At those words, Nikolai silently smiled in acknowledgment.
When the carriage arrived at the Duke’s residence, it was already dark outside.
After the Duke’s first daughter had gone out, there had been no news, and the people of the Duke’s residence were waiting in front of the main gate with worried faces.
Katya apologized with an apologetic face to the servants visible through the window as they passed through the gate.
Only then did they return to their positions with relief.
The gates of the Smirnov Duke’s residence closed only after all the horses carrying the Grand Duke’s knights were let in.
Just as Katya was getting out of the carriage with Nikolai’s escort, Duke Smirnov came running out of the entrance, having heard the news of the Grand Duke’s arrival.
“My, Your Highness! What brings you here at this hour…?”
Unlike what Nikolai had said, the Duke seemed completely unaware that he would be visiting.
Before Katya could sense something strange, Nikolai took the initiative.
“I was wondering if we could have dinner together tonight.”
“Pardon?”
“We’re on our way back from training, and since we only had a quick lunch outside, my knights are quite tired and exhausted. It’s too far to the inn, so I’ve taken the liberty of coming here.”
Katya looked up at him in disbelief at this blatant lie.
No, we just passed by the inn, didn’t we? The original lodgings were actually closer to the training grounds!
“Liberty? Not at all! Quick, escort His Highness inside.”
And so the invitation was made on the spot.
As Nikolai was about to follow the butler’s guidance inside, Katya grabbed his sleeve and glared at him while whispering.
“Grand Duke, I thought you said you were invited?”
The short sentence contained many implications.
It seemed an explanation was needed.
“Ah, did I use the past tense? I should have used the future tense. Hersen grammar is quite difficult, isn’t it?”
“Your Highness, please come in.”
At the voice of his future father-in-law, Nikolai smiled, let go of her hand, and went inside first.
Having been deceived, Katya glared at his innocent back while fuming.
‘Y-you incredibly shameless person!’
Of course, she couldn’t say it out loud.
At dinner time, everyone gathered around the long dining table in the formal dining room.
Katya kept glancing at the snake sitting across from her without lowering her guard.
“Sister, were you on a date until now?”
Excited about her future brother-in-law’s surprise visit, Bianca whispered in her sister’s ear.
“It wasn’t a date.”
“Why are you being so shy about it?”
Her clueless sister grinned while nudging her arm with her elbow.
Soon the table was laden with an elaborate feast.
Though the Duke’s residence chef always put his heart into cooking, today he mobilized all his knowledge and skills since the guest was the monarch.
It was quite an impressive spread considering the sudden situation.
“It’s not much, but please help yourself.”
As soon as the Duke finished speaking, the Grand Duke’s knights began eating hurriedly.
“It seems my knights were very hungry. It’s been a while since they’ve had a proper meal.”
“Is food not provided at the inn?”
“Ah, that’s not what I meant. While it’s somewhat inferior compared to eating at the palace or ducal residence, we’re getting by fine with no lack of anything.”
When the Duke asked with a worried face, Nikolai waved his hand with a smile.
“I’m fine. Though I’m not sure about the knights.”
He added while throwing a glance at Boris.
The aide who read his master’s intention exchanged looks with the knights.
The knights who quickly received the order began complaining.
“Oh, don’t even mention it. The meals are just rock-hard tough bread, boiled potatoes, and soup that’s been reheated in the same pot for days with no trace of ingredients.”
“R-reheated for days?”
Bianca who grew up sheltered, Alyona who was serving beside her, and the house’s butler were all shocked at this shocking statement.
“Surely you mean they store it separately and reheat it?”
Alyona said, unable to believe this reality and trying to deny it.
“Sigh, how could we expect that from a regular inn, not a luxury hotel? The only ingredients are the dried soup chunks floating around that were stuck to the pot walls, haha.”
“Right. How fortunate that we can at least feel some texture?”
“The meals aren’t even the worst part. The beds are the problem. They’re so hard that my shoulders get stiff and my whole body is bruised when I wake up.”
“Isn’t that because of all the bedbugs?”
“Ah, is that it? I was wondering why it was so itchy. Haha!”
Bianca dropped her spoon in shock at the inn’s unhygienic conditions.
“We’re suffering like this, so we’re worried about how His Highness will endure.”
“As I said earlier, I’m fine. Isn’t this the charm of traveling incognito?”
Nikolai smiled and moved his shoulders, making cracking sounds here and there.
The people’s eyes filled with tears at seeing their ruler suffering.
Katya, who alone couldn’t adapt to this atmosphere, could only blink her eyes.
‘Just what kind of situation is this turning into?’
Warning! Warning! You’ve fallen into a trap!
Her intuition was screaming that.
