43. I’m the Teacher and You’re the Student
“How could you hire a vagabond like me without even a resume?”
Luka stood up abruptly and protested.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t asked your name yet. What’s your name?”
“Luka–.”
Having unconsciously confessed his name to Katya, he quickly thought of another surname.
“It’s Tranov.”
“If you’re a Tranov, do you know Boris?”
Oh no. Of all names, he had made up Boris’s surname.
Nikolai bit his tongue to hold back his laughter.
One lie would lead to another and soon snowball.
‘Why did you have to claim to be a commoner and make things difficult?’
Luka glanced sideways at Nikolai, whose shoulders were shaking, then spoke.
“Yes, that’s right. The Tranov family has produced vassals for nobles for generations. That’s why I’m acquainted with His Highness the Grand Duke.”
He said this while respectfully gesturing toward the Grand Duke with both hands.
Thinking about it, this wasn’t such a bad situation for him.
As a tutor, he could see Bianca up close.
However, at those words, Nikolai’s expression instantly hardened.
‘What, are you going with the setting that we know each other?’
Just as he was about to make some excuse after being caught in this whirlpool strategy, Katya clapped her hands.
“Oh, that’s wonderful! I was actually going to have you sign a confidentiality agreement in case you recognized the Grand Duke while working here. But since you already know each other, it’s as good as having your credentials verified.”
“Indeed. It’s truly fortunate.”
“Grand Duke, why didn’t you say something from the beginning if you knew?”
When the arrow of questioning turned toward him, Nikolai cleared his throat.
“Tia, well…”
“So that’s why you acted like that earlier? You said you didn’t like his appearance, but now I see it was all an act?”
“It seems His Highness really doesn’t like me. I’ll have to try harder. Haha…”
Luka laughed brightly and joked, but unlike his mouth, his eyes remained serious.
Nikolai leaned back against the chair in a slanted position and lifted his chin.
‘What? Why. A ruler can criticize if he wants to. Got a problem with that? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, you fool.’
His expression seemed to say exactly that.
“But I can’t stay in the south for long since I applied because I needed quick money during my vacation.”
Originally, he had planned to return together when Nikolai finished his southern tour.
“How long do you plan to stay?”
“I think I can stay for about two to three more months.”
“Since you’ll be a live-in tutor, if we calculate daily lessons, that’s about 60 to 90 days of classes. Please make your lesson plans accordingly.”
“Live-in?”
Luka asked like he’s hearing this for the first time.
He thought he would only need to visit a few times a week.
It was a condition preferred by most applicants since they could save money on room and board.
“Yes. When can you start? If you tell the butler about your accommodation, I’ll send workers to move your belongings to that place the day before you start.”
“No! I don’t have much luggage, so I can manage alone. However, I have some matters to handle, so could I start from next week?”
“That’s fine.”
“Then I’ll take my leave now.”
As Luka bowed and was about to leave, Katya stopped him.
“Wait a moment. I think Bianca had something to discuss with you, Mr. Tranov. Could you wait a bit?”
“Me?”
“Tia, I’ll take him out. I’ll show him around the house until my sister-in-law comes.”
Nikolai stood up almost at the same time as Luka.
“Oh? Then I’ll come too.”
“We need to catch up since it’s been a while. You stay and finish your snacks.”
He placed a baked confection between her plump pink lips as she tried to stand up.
Caught off guard with the pastry in her mouth, Katya nodded in understanding while chewing.
“I’ll be right back. Just wait a little.”
After giving Katya an affectionate smile, Nikolai put his arm around Luka’s shoulders and whispered in ventriloquism.
“Smile, smile.”
Understanding that command somehow, Luka flashed a stiff smile at her and bowed before leaving with him into the corridor.
More accurately, he was practically dragged out.
As soon as Nikolai closed the door, he removed his arm from Luka’s shoulders and approached him with a frightening expression.
“What exactly are you plotting? Why did you show up at the interview?”
“The servants here brought me. I thought they were taking me to meet Your Highness. I never dreamed they would mistake me for an applicant and let me into the interview room. But Your Highness, how could you hire me?”
“I had my reasons. Anyway, I can’t lie to Tia. So confess the truth to Tia and my sister-in-law right now.”
“You seemed to do it quite well earlier.”
“Want to die?”
“When Your Highness says that, as I’ve mentioned numerous times, my knees go weak thinking it might be real.”
Luka sighed as he answered.
Seeing this, Nikolai narrowed his eyes and became serious.
“I’m not joking.”
“Then why didn’t you just reveal my identity right there, saying this person is my friend?”
“I was going to, but in the current situation, you’re actually the safest option.”
“What do you mean?”
Nikolai took him downstairs and hid behind a wall, pointing to the waiting room.
Through the glass windows designed like a greenhouse, they could see Gregory and Olen anxiously waiting with other applicants for the results.
“See those two men there—the one with the balding head and gray hair, and the one sitting next to him?”
“Yes. Is there some problem with them?”
“They’re both courting my sister-in-law and are trying to bribe applicants to plant spies in this house. That’s why I failed all the other candidates—those who received recommendations from them and those who might be bribed in the future—except you.”
“What? How can such scoundrels exist?”
Luka shouted indignantly.
He was outraged not only because he had feelings for Bianca but also because the very idea of using scholarship for such impure purposes was despicable.
“That’s why I’m giving you this mission. I judged you to be trustworthy. I’m right, aren’t I?”
His hand gripped his most trusted friend’s shoulder firmly.
Luka found himself nodding repeatedly without realizing it.
He vowed never to reveal that he had fallen in love with Bianca at first sight and had been longing for her since then.
He never dreamed she would be Nikolai’s sister-in-law until he entered this house.
He had one more reason to give up on Bianca.
Nikolai was already such a devoted husband who would die for Katya even before marriage—if he learned about his feelings for his sister-in-law, he wouldn’t let him live.
He couldn’t quit being a tutor now, especially because of those sinister men.
‘It’s a relationship that can’t continue anyway once I leave for the north.’
When he learned she was this house’s daughter during the interview earlier, he thought it was fate.
For a brief moment, he was happy thinking they were of the same boyar class, but Luka quickly came to his senses.
His father, Duke Oblonsky, disliked Duke Smirnov.
He was leading the expansion of power centered around Grand Duchess Oksana and the late Grand Duke’s youngest son Mikhail. There was no way he would look favorably upon Baptiski Smirnov, who wouldn’t align with any faction.
While lost in thought, Nikolai spoke again.
“She’s a sister my wife cherishes like her own child. I’m saying this out of concern, but if you harbor any ill intentions toward my sister-in-law… you know? If you try anything foolish, I won’t let it slide as the son-in-law of this house.”
“You needn’t worry.”
Luka responded to the Grand Duke’s threat.
It was a love that could never be realized anyway.
Being a tutor was an opportunity to be near her, even if briefly.
He wanted to be a little greedy.
Perhaps becoming a tutor was for the best. Since ancient times, the relationship between teacher and student was said to be like that of parent and child.
If he defined their relationship this way from the start, wouldn’t it be easier when he had to give up?
‘When the contract period ends, I’ll let go of these feelings too.’
So it wasn’t a lie.
At that moment, Bianca, who was heading to the interview room from the second floor, saw the two men below and waved.
“Brother-in-law!”
She quickly came down to where they were.
“Why are you here?”
“I was just showing the interior of the house to him before he left. He’ll start working next week. Mr. Tranov, thank you for your hard work today. You may go now.”
Nikolai, who had said earlier he couldn’t lie to his wife and sister-in-law, told the lie naturally.
“Oh, you passed? That’s wonderful! May I see him off? I have something to ask him too.”
Though he seemed slightly uncomfortable with his sister-in-law’s request, he stepped aside willingly.
The man who was extremely affectionate to his wife’s family members gave Luka a meaningful look, warning him to remember his words, before leaving.
Luka, who had been sweating nervously, finally met Bianca’s eyes after the Grand Duke disappeared.
His heart started pounding upon meeting her again after longing for her so much that she appeared in his dreams every night.
Meanwhile, the butler hurriedly entered the interview room where Katya was, carrying a lawsuit document.
However, Katya didn’t seem very surprised by the shocking news.
“I thought it was too quiet. This is just like Ivan Petrovsky, being so cowardly and petty.”
“What should we do?”
The butler asked with a worried face.
“Keep it secret from Father for now. And send a letter to Ivan. Tell him to meet me tonight.”
“Shouldn’t we inform His Highness the Grand Duke?”
“I’ll meet that bastard first and tell the Grand Duke afterward. You haven’t seen what the Grand Duke does to Ivan before. If he finds out about this lawsuit against me, he might really kill him this time, saying he’ll cut off his head.”
She didn’t want to tarnish Nikolai’s reputation anymore because of her, especially since he already had the image of a tyrant.
Now that Ivan knew she was the Grand Duke’s fiancée, he wouldn’t dare imprison her this time.
Still, as a precaution, Katya planned to bring the knights with her.
“Don’t worry too much. I have everything planned out.”
Katya said with a meaningful smile.
He would regret not giving up and continuing to act disgustingly clingy until the end when she had been so lenient.
