CH 9

Nikolai doubted his ears.

‘Shall we take a break over there?’

It was a line that men often used to seduce women into spending the night with them.

But Katya had said it with such an innocent, innocent expression on her face.

Nikolai, who was blushing up to his ears, swallowed hard.

He was glad that the darkness around him prevented Katya from seeing his face blaze with malice.

Looking up from her humming, Katya cocked her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“……You want to take a break?”

“Yes. Until it stops raining.”

“And if it doesn’t stop raining?”

“Then we’ll spend the night together, I guess.”

Katya shrugged, looking nonchalant.

‘Am I the only one who’s trash right now?’

Nikolai felt a little dumbfounded.

He didn’t know what to make of this woman who could so easily suggest sleeping together between men and women.

No, maybe it was an advanced strategy.

Nikolai didn’t know much about women, but it was possible that southern women were more outspoken and fiery than their northern counterparts.

So was she flirting with him?

“Is this kind of situation common in the South?”

“What situation?”

“This situation of going to an inn together.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never slept in an inn, so I don’t know. I always sleep at home.”

“Are you saying, then, that you have never said these things to anyone but me?”

Nikolai’s eyebrows twitched subtly.

“Why are you asking so many questions? What are you talking about?”

“About taking a break.”

“Uh, it’s the first time I’ve ever been out in the rain at night. We should stay out of the rain, and we can’t go much further when the horse is so tired.”

Katya said, gently stroking the horse’s mane.

The horse whinnied and rested his head against her touch.

She had actually suggested that they take a break because she was worried that the horse was tired.

So the bottom line is

‘I’m the only one who’s trash.’

Nikolai ran a hand through his rain-soaked hair, trying to clear the thoughts from his mind.

Somehow, he was glad that he was the one who had heard her say it.

He felt lightheaded as he imagined Katya saying the same thing to other men, men he’d never met.

‘Wait a minute. Why should I be giddy?’

She really was a confusing woman.

When Nikolai’s silence was over, Katya smiled and spoke up.

“Is it about the money? Don’t worry about that. I’ll pay.”

As she said this, she started digging around in her pockets, and then looked up in confusion.

She hadn’t had her wallet in her pocket since she’d dropped it while arguing with Ivan’s men on the way back from paying the bill at the cabin earlier.

Bianca had given it to her at the villa, but other than that, Katya was penniless.

“I’ll pay for your stay. You saved me money at the shop, so I have enough.”

The man said that, but being a lord’s daughter meant she couldn’t strip the lord’s citizens.

“But–”

“I don’t live in debt, whether it’s a favour or a grudge.”

“Then I’ll owe you again, for the rescue, for the hug, for the lodging.”

“If it bothers you, you can pay me back someday.”

Nikolai said with a shrug.

Of course, he had no intention of taking anything from her.

He’d just helped her out of the kindness of his heart, and after today, they wouldn’t be seeing each other again.

“How would I know who you are and where you live? What if I just eat and leave?”

“You can eat all you want.”

“Don’t. I’m not the kind of person who lives in debt, so at least give me your name.”

“Name?”

“I need your name so I can find you and pay you back.”

“…… Nikki.”

Nikolai hesitated, then answered.

It was the nickname his late mother used to call him.

It was a name he hadn’t allowed anyone to use since her death thirteen years earlier.

Not even his father, the Grand Duke, could call him Nikki.

Unsure why the name came out of his mouth, Nikolai soon realised why.

“I’m late in greeting you. Nice to meet you, Nicky.”

It had been so long since he’d been called by that name.

It felt strange to see her smile broadly and extend her hand to him.

It was nice to hear his name pronounced in her voice.

Nikolai parted his lips, not wanting to take her hand.

“What is your name?”

He asked, already knowing it from Boris, but wanting to call her by name.

“Me?”

If it’s ‘Katarina Smirnov,’ there was hardly anyone in this area who didn’t know her.

He didn’t know her face, but her name reminded him of a southern belle.

She didn’t want to give that impression to the man who had first taken a liking to her.

“Do you have a better option than me?”

“Three social seasons have passed, the young ladies are almost all getting married as soon as soon as their coming-of-age ceremony ends at 18, and Lady Katya is already twenty-one.”

“Everyone else wants to marry Lady Bianca, but I think it would be more fun to live with Lady Katarina.”

“Since you mentioned hunting as a hobby, you must be aware that taming wild beasts can be quite rewarding.”

It wasn’t the first time Katarina had heard such comments.

Upon meeting her, southern men split in two.

Either they’d flirt with her before they got involved, or they’d try to get her off the rails somehow.

Nikolai, unlike most of the men she’d met, didn’t try to cut her down to size.

Caught off guard by the reverse question, Katya blinked her green eyes like they held a forest, and then her lips parted.

“Tia.”

She threw around the shortened version of her nickname, Katya.

It wasn’t her full name, but she wasn’t lying either.

“Tia. Nice name. Nice to meet you, too.”

Nikolai smiled lazily and took Katya’s hand in his own.

But the smile didn’t last long.

***

“There’s only one room?”

Nikolai asked again, his face wet with embarrassment.

“How many times have I told you that?”

The innkeeper scratched his ear in annoyance, and Nikolai quickly grew impatient.

“You’re not trying to manipulate the situation to get a higher price, are you?”

“What?”

The owner stood up from behind the counter with a stern look on his face.

The owner was a giant in his own right, second to none in the neighbourhood, but he was no match for Nikolai, the tallest man in the North.

And his martially trained body was all muscle.

After a moment’s hesitation at the height difference, the owner glared at him, unable to back down, and Nikolai locked eyes with him.

Katya stepped between them and intervened, grabbing Nikolai by the waist.

“Don’t talk to me like that. I genuinely don’t have a room available. It would be advantageous for me as the owner to offer two rooms if I had them.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, you young bastard.”

“What did you just say, bastard?”

“Yes, I said bastard. What are you going to do?”

Katya, who had been looking around, wiping her brow at the sight of the snarling beasts again, suddenly pointed to the mantelpiece.

“That’s a lot of guns. Do you collect guns?”

“Just a hobby. I guess you’re interested in guns too?”

“Yes! Can I touch one?”

“Sure.”

With that, Katya picked up one of the ones on the wall and held it up.

It felt cool in her hand.

“Wow, these have been off the market for a long time, they’re hard to come by and few people know about them. You must be an expert on firearms, you have a great eye.”

As Katya’s eyes travelled over the various firearms and she let out an exclamation of admiration, the innkeeper lifted his chin smugly.

“I’m kind of like that.”

“With all these firearms, I assume they’re all registered with the country?”

As the innkeeper turned to retort to Nikolai’s comment, Katya raised a hand to silence him.

“There’s no gunpowder in there anyway, so what are you being so uptight about?”

“Hmph, yeah. I don’t even have to register it unless it’s for real use. There’s no way a commoner like me can afford to pay a gun tax, so even if I wanted to use it, I’d just keep it on display.”

“Sure. Taxes, gunpowder, and upkeep.”

The grumbling owner’s expression softened at Katya’s words.

“So are you staying or not?”

“How much did you say the room cost earlier? It’s all we’ve got…….”

Taking the money out of Nikolai’s wallet and placing it on the counter, Katya gave him a rabbit-like look.

“I’m in a good mood. Just take it. There’s only one inn around here, and there’s nowhere else to go in this heavy rain anyway.”

“Really? Thank you!”

Katya replied with exaggerated joy as she took the room key.

There was a reason she’d been so gentle with the owner up until now.

“Treat your lover well, young boy.”

“…Lover?”

Before Nikolai could say more, Katya tugged on his arm and led him to the stairs.

“I’ve saved you the price of a room, and you’re going to keep pestering him like this?”

Katya whispered as she led him up the cramped stairs, still holding his arm.

“What kind of a penniless bastard do you think I am, that I should grovel for a pittance like this?”

“Well, whether you have money or not, you have to live frugally. When you’re single, you can live as you please, but when you’re married, it costs so much money.”

Nikolai, who had stopped in his tracks, grabbed her hand and spun her around to face him.

Katya swayed and grabbed his shoulders with both hands.

Nikolai gripped her slender waist to keep her from falling.

“Why do you keep bringing up that stupid marriage thing?”

“What?”

“It’s not like you have anything to do with me.”

“W-What are you talking about?”

“If that’s not the case, do you really have the intention to do so?”

He said, glancing up at Katya.