He was a man who seriously considered making men blind so that no one could see Katya.

“Look, Your Grace!”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

Nikolai shrugged his shoulders, looking innocent as if asking what the problem was.

It was a smile that was 100% pure.

Could this person, who committed sins without any awareness that his actions were wrong, be the epitome of pure evil?

They say that those who are originally without evil are the ones to fear the most.

“I was joking when I said that. You didn’t find it funny, huh?”

“You called that a joke?”

“There is a lot I need to learn from you. If you become my partner, please teach me patiently how to have empathetic conversations.”

On the day of their proposal, he had said those words seriously, not as a joke.

Where should she even begin teaching this hopeless man?

Since she had decided to accept him as her spouse, she mustn’t give up on him but guide him well and send him into society.

‘I’m his guardian for a year.’

“For now, let’s not get serious. When such thoughts come to mind, put your hand on your chest and calmly reconsider your actions.”

As she placed her right hand on her chest, she held his hand with her left and made him imitate her actions.

Nikolai restrained his laughter and obediently placed his hand on his chest as she instructed.

Seeing his face filled with worries, she felt an urge to play a prank.

“If you think it’s crazy to wait for the voices of the gods, you can give up.”

“How do you listen to the voices of the gods?”

“Haven’t you heard sermons in the temple? You pray and wait for a response.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t know.”

Nikolai nodded, his expression filled with enlightenment.

Katya sighed deeply, unbeknownst to her, she would have to teach him even the doctrines.

Although the path ahead seemed dark, she had decided to take responsibility until the end of the contract period, which was their marriage.

“Now, try it yourself. Bring both hands together, close your eyes. And then speak about your worries to the gods in the sky.”

“Do I just talk about my worries?”

“You can talk about your worries, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness, express gratitude, or ask questions about life. Now, close your eyes quickly.”

Feeling that he was following along well, she opened her eyes halfway, he still had his eyes wide open, so Katya urged him to continue.

As the Grand Duke brought his hands together and closed his eyes, she also closed her eyes, seemingly relieved.

Nikolai secretly opened one eye in the middle and looked down at her.

Her tightly closed eyes and the wrinkles forming on her forehead were too adorable, to the point where he almost kissed her on the forehead.

In the process, a prayer involuntarily escaped his lips.

“I keep having impure thoughts, and I can’t control myself.”

“Right, right.”

Katya nodded her head while keeping her eyes closed.

Nikolai bit his lip, holding back his laughter, and continued speaking.

“I thought about the cause and realized there was one thing.”

“….”

“There’s a woman who keeps driving me crazy.”

Katya, who was silently listening to his prayer, tilted her head, feeling something was off.

Nikolai stared at her intently and moved his lips again.

“So, we should get married as soon as possible. Then, I think this impure heart of mine will calm down.”

At the clever proclamation-like prayer, Katya’s eyes fluttered open.

Nikolai had already bowed down and was suddenly close to her.

“It’s about you.”

“No, why do you pray so casually? And what do you mean by you?”

“So you’re still going to call me Grand Duke after we get married?”

“If I don’t call you Grand Duke, what will I call you?”

“Just call me the ordinary ‘My Duke’ or ‘My Husband,’ something like that.”

“It’s complicated, I feel awkward!”

The prospective Grand Duchess protested with a blush on her face.

“Really? Then I’ll scratch it for you. What’s so bad about being a couple?”

Nikolai wrapped his arm around her shoulder, as if offering his support, and led her to the place where they could talk.

Now it was time to feed his beloved wife lunch.

Though the outing was nice, it was urgent to take care of their meals and fatten her up a bit.

He thought it would be best for her to gain some weight on her slender arms and legs so that she wouldn’t be afraid of being blown away by the wind.

“Don’t even dream about it!”

Katya had said everything while being led by him.

At least in terms of names, she couldn’t possibly compromise.

“How naughty. I’ll just dream about it, then.”

“No, you’re going to keep me waiting, nudging me until I do, or better yet, just give up right from the start!”

“Why do you know me so well even before we’re married? It feels like you and I are destined for each other. Right, honey?”

“Eek!”

With a flushed face, Katya pushed him away with all her might and quickly took the lead in the conversation.

Boris, who was walking Laika nearby, approached with a puzzled expression.

“Did Lady Katarina leave first?”

“She’ll be back soon.”

Nikolai sat down on the ground for a moment and petted Laika’s head, speaking with a confident tone.

Boris tilted his head in confusion as Nikolai’s assurance, but then they heard the sound of hooves getting closer.

Just as he said, like a boomerang, Katya returned and got off the horse.

She had forgotten something along the way and realized it belatedly.

Nikolai, anticipating her return, stood up and greeted her.

“You remembered what you forgot, a bit late?”

He smirked, raising one corner of his mouth.

Not realizing that she was an unwitting hostage in his grasp, Laika just panted and wagged her tail.

“Are you trying to hold Laika hostage in a deadly manner?”

“You’re the one who left behind a beloved dog like a younger sibling.”

“Ah! Please stop calling her that!”

“Honey, it’s human nature, when you’re not supposed to do something, you want to do it more.”

Ho….. ney?

Boris momentarily doubted his ears.

Witnessing this extraordinary sight, his spine shivered with a strange sensation.

Why had he stayed by the side of the soon-to-be newlyweds all this time, while the scent of the wedding was in the air?

Boris tightly closed his eyes and quickly fled from the unexpected affectionate advances of the Grand Duke.

“Look at you. Even the Grand Duke’s closest aide can’t bear it and is running away.”

“You’re going to see a lot of that, so get used to it.”

“I have to see everything, even the most unpleasant sights. Being a secretary is truly an tough job.”

“Don’t worry about other men in front of me. They’re just jealous.”

“So you say that you normally only think about those words and don’t say them out loud?”

As Katya said that, she grabbed the leash Boris had left behind.

“Are you going somewhere? I’ll take you there.”

“I came here riding our carriage. Why would you offer to take me somewhere?”

“I can’t feel at ease if you’re going alone. Don’t you need someone to accompany you?”

“But right now, it seems like you’re the most dangerous person to me.”

“I’ve been caught.”

Nikolai said with a hint of regret.

He was indeed a skilled manipulator.

Whether she went ahead now or waited, it was the same situation facing this chain of confessions.

Katya knew well that her fiancé, who was already showing signs of impatience, wouldn’t leave her alone to go by herself.

Rather than wasting her strength in a pointless struggle, she chose to stay here.

“You should watch me practice. Just wait until it’s all over and then we can go together.”

“I’ve already chosen a good spot.”

Nikolai, as if he had been waiting, led her into the shade of a spacious tree and took out a blanket from his bag, spreading it out.

“Isn’t this a blanket? Why lay it on the ground?”

“It’s fine. We can wash it later.”

“But still–”

“I can’t let you sit on the bare ground.”

In the face of his insistence, Katya finally took a seat on the blanket.

Laika liked the softness of it and quickly rolled over on top of it, pulling it up with her front paws and smearing it with her slobber.

Noticing the dog enthusiastically licking the blanket, Katya exclaimed in surprise.

“Laika, no!”

“Eek—”

After being forbidden by her owner, Laika spat out the cloth she had been chewing on and flattened herself on the floor, extending her large paw and sweeping the ground, as if expressing her dissatisfaction.

“Let her do what she wants.”

“But still, it’s the Grand Duke’s blanket, isn’t it? Don’t you carry it for emergencies?”

“Do you know about that too?”

“I saw it in military books.”

Katya showed off her limited knowledge.

“Well, it’s going to get dirty anyway and it needs to be washed. It’s fine, so keep going.”

Whether she understood Nikolai’s words or not, Laika resumed fervently sucking on the blanket.

Katya felt like she had taken on the role of a villain, but strangely, she didn’t feel bad. No, she actually felt good. It’s natural for people to open their hearts to those who treat their offspring well.

“I think it’s because the Grand Duke’s scent is on it.”

“What kind of scent do you smell from me?”

Nikolai asked with a slightly tense face.

He felt uncertain because Luka had fallen for a perfume scam, and the expensive perfume he had been waiting for didn’t arrive.

“Well, I’m not sure–”

Katya’s actions halted unintentionally as she pressed her nose against his.

It was because she belatedly realized that Nikolai, who was still not wearing his shirt, had hung his wet clothes on a tree branch.

Nikolai, feeling the gaze on his exposed upper body, took the opportunity to enjoy the attention and acted oblivious on purpose.

It was a confident expression that he had regained.

The knights who were training in the distance began to murmur and gossip as they looked in their direction.

“Why are you not wearing your shirt, Your Highness?”

“I think my clothes got wet. They’re hanging over there.”

“Why don’t you take out spare clothes? You have them, don’t you?”

“Why would I? I guess I’m trying to show off my good physique at a time like this.”

“You used to be afraid of even simple thievery, but now your manipulative skills are quite advanced, aren’t they?”

While everyone was eagerly watching this situation, Katya suddenly covered him with the shawl that was hanging on her arm.

It seemed like she did it out of concern for the cold.

The knights who witnessed the scene of the failed manipulation burst into laughter.

When Nikolai heard their laughter and glanced in their direction, everyone quickly pretended to focus on their training again.

“It seems that Your Highness has met his match.”

He may not be aware of it, but Katya was a natural animal trainer. Among them, she specialized in dog manipulation.