53. A Close Call
When the Grand Duke’s knights rushed over, the assassins had already vanished.
They disappeared without a trace as if by magic, leading the knights to conclude it must have been stray cats or birds.
These assassins were highly skilled professionals.
They were on a completely different level from those who had targeted Nikolai before.
Until now, all attempts had failed like autumn leaves in the wind due to the Grand Duke’s keen senses, superhuman strength, and the knights’ protection, but this time felt different.
Though they didn’t know about the marriage plans due to strict secrecy, Nikolai appeared to be in love.
When his guard was down, there would be a chance of success if they struck with professionals.
This was why the assassin group considered this the perfect timing.
Unaware that this peace was the calm before the storm, laughter bloomed inside the Smirnov mansion.
“Your Highness, has your jaw dropped?”
Boris, who had finished delivering gifts and came to see the Grand Duchess’s wedding dress, asked with a snicker.
Nikolai stood like a statue, unable to close his mouth as if his jaw had truly dislocated.
Katya, wearing the dress, scratched her mouth awkwardly at the speechless Grand Duke.
“Is it not to your liking?”
“…I was praying.”
“Pardon?”
“Unholy thoughts entered my mind.”
At those words, Bianca hid her reddening cheeks behind her hair.
But Katya knew exactly what he meant.
Nikolai was seriously contemplating how to blind all other men.
“Your Highness, you should only have pure and righteous thoughts.”
“The one who caused this shouldn’t say such things.”
“Is it really alright?”
“How could it be alright? It feels like my chest has been cut open and my heart has rolled all the way over there.”
Nikolai pointed to the opposite side of the reception room with a serious expression while tracing his chest with his finger.
“Must you describe being lovestruck in such a gruesome way?”
“I’m just describing exactly how I feel.”
In truth, Nikolai’s words were not an exaggeration.
When she appeared, everyone in the reception room gave her a standing ovation.
The staff had shown their skills for their Grand Duchess by not only fitting the dress but also styling her hair and applying new makeup.
Her hair, which she usually wore half-tied or tightly bound like a ponytail, was now elegantly twisted and pinned up.
This revealed Katya’s long, graceful deer-like neck, adding to her beauty.
The ivory dress enhanced her smooth, white skin.
The silhouette, fitted at the top and flowing generously below, accentuated the curve from her slim waist to her hips.
“I am truly fortunate to have you as my bride.”
Nikolai took her hand and briefly kissed her soft knuckles.
Having bathed that morning, she emanated her characteristic sweet scent.
“You always have this scent.”
“Scent?”
“I’ve always wondered, what perfume do you use?”
“I don’t use perfume.”
Bianca interjected into the conversation between the two who were gazing at each other as if they were alone in the world.
“If you’re smelling strawberry, that’s the soap scent.”
“Soap?”
“I make the soap my sister uses myself.”
“So it was soap. It was soap…”
Nikolai smiled with pure joy at finally discovering the source of the strawberry scent.
As far as he knew, there was no strawberry perfume available in the market.
That’s why he couldn’t find it no matter how hard he looked.
“May I request the same soap?”
It was an innocent question, wanting to smell like her as they did that night at the inn.
“Your Highness wants str-strawberry scent…?”
Bianca rolled her eyes awkwardly as she asked.
She was so flustered that she used ‘Your Highness’ instead of brother-in-law.
It was truly an ill-fitting combination.
“I’ll find and make a scent that suits Your Highness.”
“It’s meaningless if it’s different from Tia’s. I want to always smell the same as Tia. Like when we bathed toge- mmph!”
Before more inappropriate words could escape, Katya stood on her tiptoes and covered his mouth.
‘This man really has no filter!’
Bianca looked between the two with confusion before raising her index finger as if finding a solution.
“Ah! Then I’ll try making a new blend that both Your Highness and Sister can use together!”
“No, there’s no need! The Grand Duke washes just fine!”
“No, Sister! I suddenly really want to try it. Why haven’t I thought of making a scent that both men and women can use before? I’ll work hard to find one you can use starting from your honeymoon!”
Katya smiled helplessly while watching her enthusiastic sister.
Looking over Bianca’s shoulder, she noticed Nikolai and Baptiski had grown quiet again after making eye contact.
The wedding was approaching soon.
Thinking they couldn’t delay any longer, Katya made up her mind and spoke.
“Father, shall we all go fishing tomorrow?”
“Fishing?”
“You love fishing, Father. Your Highness, are you good at fishing?”
“As I said before, it would be faster to list what I’m not good at.”
Nikolai said while running his hand through his hair with an arrogant expression.
“Our father is quite skilled at fishing too. How about a competition between you two?”
“A competition? Well…”
Baptiski trailed off, seemingly uncomfortable with the idea of competing with his monarch.
Though she understood his indirect refusal, Katya wasn’t one to back down.
If one person lacked motivation, she just needed to provoke the other opponent to drag them to the battlefield.
“Come on, Father. Are you backing out because you’d feel sorry if the Grand Duke loses?”
That one comment gently pricked at male pride.
“Me, lose?”
“Father’s skills are quite extraordinary.”
“That makes me curious. Duke, if you’re free tomorrow, let’s have a match.”
Nikolai turned to his father-in-law with competitive spirit ignited.
For Baptiski, it was an order disguised as a suggestion that he couldn’t refuse.
***
The competition was finally set for the next day at the lake where Baptiski usually fished.
Everyone packed plenty of food and gathered at the lakeside, feeling like they were going on a picnic.
The mansion’s butler and Alyona bet money on Nikolai’s victory.
They couldn’t attend the competition due to other schedules.
Besides them, Baptiski bet money on the Grand Duke winning.
“Are you perhaps pitying me?”
Nikolai asked with a distinctly uncomfortable expression, questioning them.
Everyone except Baptiski himself had bet on his victory.
“Not at all, Your Highness! My skills are so humble they barely qualify as ability, I couldn’t possibly compare to Your Highness!”
“If I see any attempt to deliberately lose, I will truly be angry.”
“Your Highness, how could I dare…!”
“Hey, stop fighting and start now!”
As soon as Katya gave the signal, both fishing enthusiasts simultaneously cast their lines into the lake.
From that moment on, both competitors entered a state of complete focus, dedicating all their attention to fishing.
Katya gestured to Bianca and Luka as previously planned.
The three of them tiptoed away from the competition site.
They intended to give the two men time alone to open up to each other, even if it had to be done this way.
While the three were walking through the forest chatting, Laika, who had been following them, suddenly stopped, buried her nose in the ground, and kept sniffing.
“What’s wrong, Laika?”
The dog wouldn’t lift her nose from the ground.
Laika was familiar with this place as she often came fishing with Baptiski.
But today, she seemed to have caught an unusual scent different from normal.
Katya crouched down, held Laika’s forehead, and gently lifted her head.
On the ground, slightly muddy from the morning’s light rain, faint footprints were half-erased.
As if someone had attempted to hide their traces.
“Whiiine–”
Prevented by her sister, Laika whimpered and started lightly scratching the ground with her claws.
“What could it be?”
She grabbed a handful of the disturbed soil and brought it close to her nose.
Katya’s eyes changed instantly when she caught the scent.
Though faint, there was definitely a smell of gunpowder.
This wasn’t for hunting. This was Smirnov family’s private property where hunting was prohibited according to the Duke’s wishes to protect nature.
Though there were farmlands just over the mountain, the tenant farmers weren’t the type to trespass here without permission.
Moreover, farmers rarely had access to guns or training, making them unlikely suspects.
Katya slowly stood up and looked around to trace the footprints’ path.
But they abruptly stopped in front of a tree after just a few steps.
Katya took out the musket she had brought in case of wild animals from her bag.
Seeing her loading the gun, Bianca approached.
“Sister, what’s wrong?”
“I need to check something quickly.”
“I’ll come with you. What if you get lost?”
“I know this forest better than anyone.”
She knew the geography thoroughly from going wild boar hunting at the villagers’ request.
“The servants and knights are guarding nearby, so stay within their range while taking your walk. Understood?”
“Is there a wild boar? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“I’ll go with the knights, so don’t worry. Understood?”
“Sister!”
Katya disappeared into the green forest thick with spruce trees, leaving her sister and Luka behind.
