Katya snatched the hand that touched her cheek and narrowed her eyes as if displeased.

“Did you forget about the contract? It’s prohibited to touch me like this anytime.”

“Was there such a contract?”

“Don’t play innocent. How can you not know it’s inappropriate?”

Seeing her grumbling, Nikolai chuckled again.

“So, do you have any candidates you like?”

“Candidates?”

“I mean the interviewees. Wondering if there’s anyone you’re interested in.”

“The interviews haven’t finished yet. We need to reach a conclusion after considering everything.”

At her words, Nikolai’s brow furrowed like a folded scroll.

He couldn’t understand how Luka ended up coming to the interview venue, but he wanted to kick him out.

Was Luka trying to meddle with Bianca because of some hidden agenda, despite claiming to be a simple commoner?

‘Why did he have to use a false identity? She doesn’t know his name, why deceive her about his status?’

Temporarily forgetting that he had considered Luka as the only friend he could trust enough to be a witness at his wedding, Nikolai felt a twinge of annoyance towards him.

“The problem is that we only have male applicants. Are there no female applicants?”

“Perhaps there are no women who know the ancient language? It’s not taught even at Molniski Ladies’ Academy. Such advanced subjects are reserved only for men. I was quite surprised when Bianca said she wanted to learn it.”

“I’m concerned about bringing in unfamiliar men, excluding the household staff who already work here.”

“Except for cases where they teach and care for young children, most tutors are usually men.”

Katya shrugged her shoulders as if asking what the problem was.

Nikolai sighed briefly and grasped her small shoulders.

“Tia, it’s not easy to trust the guys. They are all like wild animals.”

“But you’re also one of the guys, Grand Duke.”

“Of course, that’s why I can’t trust myself either.”

“Why are you suddenly saying this? Until the last applicant arrived, you didn’t seem to care that much.”

“I don’t particularly like that friend. I don’t even like his face.”

Nikolai said, his lips pursed.

Earlier, Luka nervously gestured with a slight nod, as if asking the Grand Duke not to reveal his identity.

Does he really have some hidden agenda?

Nikolai never even thought about becoming friends with him before.

Even if he accepted him with a hundred concessions, what kind of person was Oblonsky, the Grand Duke?

Nikolai trembled at the thought of Luka being related to Oblonsky.

If there was a family he hoped he and his father-in-law wouldn’t marry into, the Oblonsky family was at the top of Nikolai’s list.

As thoughts raced ahead in his mind, Katya’s voice reached him.

“I like him, you know?”

“What? Who?”

“The applicant inside.”

“Is he more handsome than me?”

Nikolai asked, glancing at his friend.

In reality, Luka was known as the nationwide handsome man. The rumors about his good looks spread throughout Hersen, even though the Smirnov sisters paid little attention to it. The north was divided between Team Cold Handsome and Team Warm Handsome, each having their own preferences.

The parents of the Nikolaipa girls, who called the Grand Duke’s face the truth, suffered headaches due to their naive daughters who wanted to marry the ‘Grand Duke of Blood.’

Apart from a few nobles who wanted to line up for the Grand Duke, most were trying to marry off their daughters before they became Grand Duchess candidates.

In contrast, the Lukapa girls enjoyed a merry following as their parents had also endorsed Luka.

While he might not become the Duke of Oblonsky as he wasn’t the eldest son, he was destined to inherit other titles the Duke held. He was also considered an excellent future son-in-law due to his courteous and kind personality.

Nikolai didn’t care about others’ opinions, but it seemed different when it came to Katya.

“It’s not about that. He just has a charming impression, that’s all.”

“Then what about me?”

“Well, Grand Duke, you have a somewhat intimidating presence.”

“Intimidating?”

“Your eyebrows are a bit fierce.”

Katya lifted the corners of her eyes with her hand as she spoke.

Seeing that, Nikolai playfully pulled down his own eyebrows.

“Was this your preference? Speak up. I can’t change my face for you.”

“No, it’s not that. I just like men who are naturally bad-looking but have a nice personality. It’s unexpected.”

“Am I kind-hearted?”

“Hmm, now that I think about it, you might not be that kind-hearted.”

“Why? I’m a very kind and upright man.”

Despite being in a committed relationship and even on the verge of marriage, Katya found Nikolai amusing as he constantly tried his best to appeal to her.

“Alright, it’s been 10 minutes. Let’s go inside.”

She turned and opened the door, with Nikolai getting up to follow her.

Gregory and Olen entered the lobby of the Smirnov manor, pushing each other playfully.

They had come to check the trends and how the interviews went with the recommended tutor candidates.

They were sponsoring them on the condition that if they were hired, they would report back to Bianca with good things to say about them.

Although they don’t have the same head, they seemed to think alike.

Actually, it wasn’t surprising that the two men had similar levels of behavior.

“Huh? I told you not to push. Since last time, I’ve been wondering how someone like you doesn’t know how to respect an adult. If I had married my first love, I’d already have a child of Olen’s age–!”

“Yes, yes. I envy you for being of mature age. Then you’d know that Lady Bianca is the age of your child right? I wonder if you have no conscience or if your mind is just pure.”

“What? Yekki¹As an exclamation, it is a sound made when scolding or angry with the force of hitting. It is mainly used for people of the same age or younger., this guy!”

Hearing the teasing voices from below, Nikolai inadvertently frowned.

They were familiar faces.

Vote for your brother-in-law

The names finally came to mind as Nikolai remembered something.

They are the bastards who recommended Ivan to come here.

‘Why are they here?’

Just then, Alyona, who was instructing the maids to clean the corridor, looked down briefly and shook her head, muttering to herself.

“Oh dear, they’re here again.”

“Do you know them?”

“Oh my, what a surprise! I didn’t know Your Highness was here.”

Nikolai waved his hand, signaling Alyona to stop trying to greet him formally with a tray in hand and a slight bow.

“Enough with the greetings, just answer the question.”

“Um, they are Count Gregory and Lord Olen of the House of Menshkov.”

Nikolai was familiar with Marquis Menshkov, as he was a Boyanin in the north. But, it felt like he had heard these names somewhere else before.

“Letters of recommendation……!”

Nikolai snapped his fingers as if something had clicked.

It was the name of the letter of recommendation submitted by each of his two highest-scoring applicants.

“They’re suitors of Princess Bianca, each recommending a tutor, and they’re here to see if they got the job.”

Nikolai realized that now was not the time to worry about Luka.

As if dragging Ivan into this predicament for the purpose of marrying Bianca wasn’t enough, they even tried to include a household tutor.

If they were going to such lengths, there was a possibility that even if they rejected the candidates recommended by the two, they would try to buy another tutor ultimately.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

Katya, who was waiting inside, opened the door and asked, tilting her head.

After expressing his gratitude to Alyona, Nikolai resolutely entered the room.

He didn’t want to talk to Katya about what they had done.

If she knew that Bianca’s suitors had gone to the extent of trying to buy her enemy, Ivan, to marry her, she would feel humiliated.

If he, himself, was infuriated by this, how much more hurt would Katya be, who appeared strong on the outside but was tender on the inside?

Nikolai took a seat and glanced at the paper submitted by Luka.

He already knew how excellent the translation would be, even without focusing on reading it.

Luka, deeply knowledgeable in academics, particularly excelled in ancient languages, to the extent that he could rival even the masters.

“I compared the translation with the previous version, and I think it’s fine. In fact, the sentences here seem smoother. What do you think, Grand Duke?”

Katya whispered to him, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Just a moment, Tia.”

Nikolai asked for a moment of indulgence from her and turned towards Luka.

“We are looking for a teacher who can teach ancient languages and music. How much do you know about music? Can you handle musical instruments?”

“Just the basics.”

Luka replied, looking puzzled.

Nikolai knew what he was capable of, and they both knew he was going to fail this interview.

Although he was swept into it somehow, he wasn’t a household tutor after all.

“Then, would you mind playing the flute that’s placed there?”

Katya asked, and Luka hesitated before picking up the flute and started playing and singing.

Despite claiming to know only the basics, Luka’s performance was heavenly, with a mesmerizing tone that made it seem like he belonged in paradise.

Katya had already completely inclined her heart towards this applicant, but she watched Nikolai closely, sensing that he might not approve.

Don’t they say that women understand other women and men understand other men?

Nikolai also hesitated, suspecting that there was something about Luka that he found disconcerting, which might be the reason for his opposition.

As soon as the performance ended, Nikolai gave a standing ovation.

Startled by his sudden gesture, Katya and Luka looked up at him.

“I have never heard such a beautiful performance in my life. And on top of that, his proficiency in ancient languages! I dare say, you won’t find anyone with this level of talent no matter where you search in the entire kingdom. His skills rival those of a professor at the Hersen National Academy. He’s a talent not to be missed, and you’ll regret it if you let him go.”

Upon hearing such high praise from Nikolai, Katya blinked her eyes for a moment. It was the first time that someone as well-educated as Nikolai had acknowledged someone in such a way.

“Uhm… You’re hired.”

“What?”

Luka asked, bewildered by Katya’s words.

As if silently asking the Duke if this was really okay, Nikolai just smiled slyly.

He looked back at the Grand Duke as if to say, ‘This shouldn’t be happening,’ but Nikolai only smiled wryly.

My dear friend, it looks like you’ll have to be my sister-in-law’s household tutor for the time being.

At that moment, another guest arrived at Duke Smirnov’s estate.

“This is a document served by the court?”

The butler of the Count’s house asked the postman, looking puzzled.

“Yes, it’s a lawsuit summons sent by Ivan Petrozsky to Katarina Smirnov.”

“A lawsuit? What is all this about?”

“It’s a lawsuit for the crime of marriage fraud.”

Ivan’s counterattack had begun.

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  As an exclamation, it is a sound made when scolding or angry with the force of hitting. It is mainly used for people of the same age or younger.