41. Bianca’s Private Tutor
Nikolai was equally startled by the unexpected appearance.
‘Why are you here?’
That was exactly the expression he had while looking at Luka.
“Please sit in that chair.”
Katya, who knew nothing, offered him the empty chair in the center.
As Luka tried to explain, there was a knock from behind, and Bianca opened the door, poking her head in.
“Oh, it’s not over yet? I thought the last one was earlier.”
“This is supposed to be the last one. Want to come in?”
“Is that okay?”
Bianca smiled brightly and walked past the man standing with his back to the door, heading to the interviewer’s seat.
Sitting next to her sister, she made eye contact with Luka and finally recognized him, shouting,
“Oh? Hello. What a surprise to see you here!”
He was the customer she had met at the perfume shop.
Seeing her friendly greeting, Luka unconsciously sat down in the chair.
“Oh my, I thought you were an attendant, but you’re a tutor?”
At those words, Nikolai shot his friend a questioning look as if to say ‘what’s this about?’
Luka deliberately avoided the Grand Duke’s gaze.
What kind of situation was this?
He only knew that Nikolai had promised to marry Katarina, this house’s eldest daughter, and that he had gone today to formally greet his father-in-law, Duke Smirnov.
From the looks of it, they seemed to be conducting tutor interviews.
But why was Nikolai sitting in the interviewer’s seat, and why was the perfumer who had wrapped the cheap perfume here?
“You know each other?”
Katya asked her sister.
“Oh, well…”
Bianca paused for a moment, not knowing where to begin explaining.
Then she remembered how she had accidentally wrapped the wrong perfume for him. She needed to explain, but this wasn’t the right place.
“Maybe you should leave? Since we’re choosing your tutor, it might be hard to make a proper evaluation if you know each other, because of personal feelings.”
“Wait, Tia.”
Nikolai, who had been quietly watching, or more accurately, glaring at his friend, interrupted the sisters’ conversation.
“We’re not even sure if they really know each other.”
“What?”
“How does my sister-in-law know this man? He doesn’t look like he’s from the South.”
Agreeing with her fiancé’s sharp observation, Katya nodded.
“Oh, we just happened to meet at a shop. We only exchanged a few words, I don’t really know him. I just assumed he was an attendant to some demanding and peculiar noble.”
“Demanding and peculiar noble?”
“Yes. He said his master ordered him to find some perfume and really pressured him about it. He kept sighing and grumbling while looking for the perfume, so I felt sorry for him, thinking his master must be quite difficult.”
“Ah, so his master sent him on a perfume errand?”
Nikolai’s eyebrow twitched as he immediately realized the story was about him.
He smiled slyly and cast a glance at his impudent servant who dared to speak ill of the Grand Duke.
Luka naturally avoided his gaze.
Even while looking away, he could feel the sharp stare burning into his face.
“I’m quite curious about which family it is. The master has a nasty personality, and the attendant has a loose tongue.”
“…….”
“With his neat appearance, I thought he was a young boyar raised like a greenhouse flower, but I didn’t realize he was a commoner.”
At those words, Luka turned to meet Nikolai’s eyes.
Then he began sending silent signals with his eyes, as if begging him to stop there.
Seeing him seemingly afraid of his identity being revealed, Nikolai found the situation interesting.
What exactly had happened between these two?
He glared at Luka with a fierce expression.
Now he had to do his duty as the future son-in-law of House Smirnov. As the strong male member protecting this family with only an elderly father and fragile daughters.
Bianca was his wife’s beloved sister.
If anyone was trying to get close to his sister-in-law, whether friend or not, he would break all their limbs–
‘Kind and gentle words.’
Nikolai controlled the evil thoughts rising in his mind.
Katya had told him to pray to the gods when he had crazy thoughts.
Though he wasn’t religious, it was right to try to become human by suppressing his tyrannical tendencies to avoid worrying her.
“Since he doesn’t even have a resume, why don’t we just send him away?”
At Nikolai’s words, Luka was about to stand up gladly but stopped when he heard what followed.
“How can someone without any preparation teach others?”
Upon reflection, it was offensive.
Whenever the Grand Duke caused trouble, it was Boris and himself who had to clean up the mess.
Moreover, he had been selected as Grand Duke Nikolai’s companion and studied under the same teacher, proving his exceptional abilities.
Yet being treated like this here somewhat hurt his pride.
“Please give me a chance for the interview. I managed to arrive here just in time with help from many people.”
“Then instead of a resume, how about translating ancient text right here? This entire page.”
Katya pushed forward a book written in ancient western language and some paper.
“How long do you think it will take?”
“Ten minutes should be enough for one page, including polishing.”
Bianca blinked in surprise at those words.
The book was as big as a woman’s torso.
And with such tiny writing, though it was just one page, it would easily contain at least 1,000 words, yet he said it would only take ten minutes.
Isn’t this practically the level of dictation?
Luka walked to the interviewer’s seat, took the materials, returned to his place, and began quickly scanning the book while diligently writing something on the paper.
The interviewers left the room, leaving only one attendant, so the interviewee could concentrate.
As soon as the door closed, Nikolai leaned toward Katya and whispered quietly.
“You know ancient languages?”
“No?”
“Then how will you know if the translation is correct?”
“Grand Duke, you’re good at it, right?”
“To some extent. Were you planning to leave it to me?”
“Actually, I have another backup plan besides you.”
Katya pulled out a book she had been holding.
“It’s the complete Hersen translation. I prepared it in advance in case we needed to conduct such a test.”
It was a kind of answer key.
Nikolai laughed softly seeing her proudly reveal her trade secret.
She was quite skilled at being clever.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re cute.”
“We’re not alone, you know?”
Katya slapped his muscular arm hidden in his sleeve, conscious of her sister.
“So it’s fine when we’re alone?”
“Ugh! That’s not what I meant!”
“Sister.”
Katya turned around at that quiet voice.
“Yes? Bianca, what is it?”
“I forgot something, so I’ll be right back. If the interview ends, please tell him to wait a moment before leaving.”
“What?”
“I’ll be right back!”
Bianca quickly walked toward her bedroom, leaving her sister and future brother-in-law behind.
She had been keeping the real perfume that Luka had been looking for since that day.
She had planned to give it to him if they ever happened to meet again, but she didn’t expect that day to come so soon.
Somehow, her steps felt as light as feathers.
Katya tilted her head curiously watching her sister walking bouncy with excitement.
“Is she that happy?”
“What?”
“Bianca seems really excited about studying.”
She continued with a warm smile.
“Actually, she was sickly since childhood and couldn’t graduate school.”
“School?”
“The Molnisky Girls’ Academy, we attended there together.”
“You were from Molnisky Girls’ Academy?”
Nikolai asked in surprise.
Everyone knew about Molnisky Girls’ Academy.
It was currently the only school for women in Hersen, and its educational standards were exceptional, making nobles across the country desperate to enroll their daughters every year.
A Molnisky diploma was practically equivalent to proving one’s qualification to become the mistress of a noble house before marriage.
“Doesn’t suit me, right? It didn’t really match with me, and Bianca was sick, so we withdrew before reaching the upper grades.”
“But during the interview, you seemed very knowledgeable. That’s not the kind of knowledge one can learn in lower grades, is it?”
“Self-study, I suppose. As I mentioned before, my reading comprehension improved from reading to my mother when I was young. So even after withdrawing, I would order books to read at home whenever I was curious about something.”
Nikolai stared at her with his mouth agape.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I think I’ve fallen for you again.”
“All of a sudden?”
“How can I not fall for someone who’s independent, knowledgeable, and skilled in both literary and martial arts?”
“About being skilled in both literary and martial arts—that’s an exaggeration. Anyway, that love-struck perspective is the problem. Get a grip, Grand Duke!”
Seeing his eyes dripping with love, Katya clapped her hands as if trying to change the atmosphere.
“Anyway, the conclusion is! Bianca is very passionate about learning. She finished studying other subjects with tutors before becoming an adult, but recently she seems to have developed an interest in ancient languages and music. I want to give her everything she wants.”
“Such affectionate sisters.”
“I take after Father and am healthy, but Bianca takes after Mother and is often sick, so I feel guilty.”
“Why do you feel guilty?”
“Whenever Bianca falls ill, big or small, I think: if it was impossible for both of us to be born healthy, I wish I had been sick together with Bianca.”
How could anyone call such a kind and good-hearted woman a villainess?
Nikolai gently stroked her peach-colored cheek with the back of his hand.
While the sweet atmosphere continued between the prospective couple, someone entered the lobby on the first floor visible below the railing.
To be precise, it was two men.
His eyes suddenly widened upon discovering them.
Nikolai knew these two men’s faces clearly.
‘Why are those guys here?’
People who shouldn’t be here had dared to intrude into the sanctuary of him and his beloved family.
They were intruders who had appeared in the peaceful Smirnov ducal residence.
The son-in-law of House Smirnov’s senses sharpened at the appearance of these unwelcome characters.
