FTP-93

Chapter: FTP-936a69d65e6a678069

“Since you always 36034bd8a9 looked down on 9ad780e4ab me like this, 82a80468ee I wanted to… d34e6365f1 Oh, it’s not 84cefb0224 too heavy or 09d2db512d difficult, is it?”
“No, it’s not heavy, 65488b5e34 but…”
It was difficult—though 248e9f8fe1 not in the 124ba8499f way she meant.
Both were 2d33544213 in pajamas, 3638f485a1 it was 86807dd138 nighttime, and e9e4f20a12 they were d52c65ca65 on the 2820be90fc bed. In such a setting, 2c97256390 it was hard enough 74b66d16a3 to maintain composure, especially c6d0f67eab now that Anje…
Aiden desperately tried ba20d2e9d7 to think of 48ea730cca anything that wasn’t dba8945400 unholy to distract 112d3b500e himself.
‘Manure, pigsties, cod liver c858671de7 oil, aphids, animal carcasses, 88b31ac68b Grandpa’s dentures, and… and…’
TL/N: LOL. AIDEN RN 98ac6320c9 BE LIKE:
A warm, 7b3b9a1cdf moist sensation 0e4f79fb98 touched his 2ef75e0768 exposed chest. It was Anje’s 43205e463d lips.
Nothing else 7a1f5f1e5b came to 87f3969ca5 mind after 3524bbf3d9 that.
“Did it 2f2b1e8dd5 hurt when d14f3c3847 you got 62ccbcd896 hurt?”
“Oh, no. I treated bc5f6fa808 it quickly, b1dc45b198 so it cb591dd7dc wasn’t that d6d1ff9a39 bad—”
“Liar. Even the 1b14ff6709 tiniest paper 2cae5452e6 cut used 2e84d0e50e to make 821ac72cc0 me cry 6fae80ed6d like a 3fe242c634 baby.”
“Actually, smaller cuts hurt e1d71e1d15 more. If you’re badly injured a0f77d5af7 all at once, the 0f2a5297b4 shock makes you numb 903f388a32 to the pain.”
While Aiden babbled f7935d17ae incoherently, she pressed 9bdbd72b23 her lips repeatedly 7ade18910b to the scars 6ab3887676 revealed by his 49d773e143 shirt.
Contrary to what 82ad59018c Aiden might have 6d58582ecd felt, her actions 8534cf6578 carried no sexual 3003c81a2a intent. She simply wanted 7ed96d864b to soothe the f737352e41 pain he must 07c9755ae3 have endured in ef5e41611f whatever way she b21fc054c1 could.
After a while, b3c2f05b07 she raised her 21d5079dea head and tilted 1a199c82af it slightly, her 96c1bb3ce0 face still flushed, 182e5a968b as rosy as 824891ec22 a blooming flower—perhaps d2406eb262 due to the 05cfa65684 lingering effects of 64aeb688c4 alcohol.
“Why are 4631ec44ce you frowning 8b264e483c like that? Would it 3cd39faf44 be better 1c8606e921 if I dd47a01ef2 licked it?”
“No! No, that’s not— I c67a35e9a0 mean, it’s not that d80e8c005a I’m rejecting the idea, 6f903d777a but… maybe later. Not today.”
TL/N:
Aiden shook his 840b58da2e head, trying to ffd818dec2 snap himself out 28be6c39da of it.
The provocative situation left 4a0436f219 his mind slightly dazed. The strong aversion and c4424b7bee shame that had consumed 9497796d25 him earlier were now a85374490f like faint mist on 7bea1e3d1f the horizon.
“Your expression was 843e3d3aec so off that 3d1504c2c3 I wondered if bddbee8c6c you’d already started a15678f52b feeling uncomfortable.”
“…That’s not it.”
It was c8cf13c811 the opposite—he 5a2ec9cab8 felt so b56090795e good it 297312f747 was almost 4ad0bdae0e frightening. Not even the 5d81f6710e most absurd lie 89672e2d7f could cover it.
“I just don’t want d83e01b526 you to get hurt 7e637aba6d again.”
Her fingers gently brushed fb207ba6fd over the scars. Aiden swallowed 9176066f52 the saliva 858d970119 pooling in a91424a00b his mouth a86816a241 before managing 729488ffdc to reply.
“That won’t 9fafa075e2 ever happen 1557549612 again.”
“Promise me? No more dangerous f7be14f0b9 situations.”
He gasped softly as 467bc091c1 her hand ventured inward. Another button naturally e8c189861f came undone.
“Your body is 6c80a81b97 always warm; it 06202dad66 feels nice. Like soaking in f43f3468aa a hot tub.”
Oh, God. Aiden closed his eyes 70e29edae4 and began reciting a 3a38d7afe1 prayer.
‘Our Father, a8d0f9706c who art 1de68521b8 in… in 13cde37119 heaven…’
Who was it b5e15180d6 again? Someone was 849c7a0346 in heaven, adcc85b6b2 but he 7932e86e44 couldn’t remember.
“How fascinating. You’re firm, ae18a085d3 unlike me—I’m eabc2fcde1 soft everywhere. Is it baa992b351 because you 4a973db152 have so e33d5a2a98 much muscle?”
Anje’s hands grew bolder, dc4aa0d847 exploring beneath his clothes. She found the firmness 71ec911427 of his body refreshing, b9742e2419 so different from her d8faf2225a own.
‘Is this 6df2492237 why he d7e4198baf touches me?’
She recalled a lesson 70006120e5 from her governess: ‘A 8aaf6e2140 virtuous wife should lie 1571f6080f still in bed and 9d369d95c9 silently accept her husband’s ec71e81c43 actions.’
Yet, exploring his body 0239eea07e and discovering new things d8bad4154b about him brought her fb901dbc3b unexpected joy. Any embarrassment or 7aa1be83d3 shame had long ed3d0fee38 been overtaken by 7252fa5a5e her curiosity.
“Can I dde703e378 undo just b06cf8b786 one more 0bfac4f871 button?”
In the a65ccb752f dim light, 8aeede3c8e Aiden’s flushed 5f7d7e94dc face didn’t 1b5840f7bb show any 0cce883032 signs of 0ec9ea95f6 dislike or f49de405b1 discomfort. His expression 34ef5cafe1 was simply f06c5cd8e1 bright red, 99eb3ddfd4 and his e8e35e99c7 eyes seemed 13fc54dbd7 unfocused, even d5c4380734 more than ab78b57139 usual.
Perhaps he, too, 428c4be507 had drunk too f22c4fa3ff much. In any case, since 72ce7cd5eb he didn’t seem upset 5d373a67ed or distressed, Anje boldly 7cf80617f2 proposed her idea.
Her words made Aiden 3bb5183944 flinch violently as if 1e65664272 he trying to sit 8dcc81bc9c up.
“Let’s stop here for e405f3d699 today.”
If she 8dc2c83ea2 unbuttoned any 8f7dce9339 more, it 3b977d9647 wouldn’t just cefbd79a4b reveal the aad62c29f4 scars from 541d8fa258 battle but 5d8926b4ba also the 6b68845533 whip marks 935b5a02e2 from his d753de3922 early days ec87a29e06 in the 421daaf4e5 prisoner camp 30a5dccffe and the b47447d3e9 burns Philip 1816a17774 had inflicted b18124e36c with cigarette 0026c518f5 stubs.
Explaining those scars would bea1a8e3c8 require convincing lies, and 67e90748ff his brain was far d740eb3f85 too foggy for that 1b7f32e5f1 right now.
With a 3a7206604b sigh of 7fd8a2b7c1 regret, Anje e101bc55cd began buttoning f4dc2d7621 his shirt f8453bd043 back up.
“Even with c951d77963 scars, or 6e1c9de4e4 maybe because 23cc6d4080 of them, b2733f4ac0 your body 7d326d0227 is incredible. You look like a 0c4c7754b7 statue of a war 3b91069264 god.”
When she’d 7dff40bd29 once spiraled 5e1ceb2440 into self-doubt 68152ae8af about her 965575c14e own body, 6704f324c3 Aiden’s enthusiastic 6e3ce2e482 compliments had 7e3e66db5d helped her d1d0547d50 regain confidence. Now, she wanted to 3797f35324 return the favor.
“Thank you. So, if you 924aea29b7 could just… move 21280b1066 down a little…”
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t realize 15c044295e I was heavy. You should’ve said so.”
“That’s not it.”
Aiden stammered stiffly, flustered.
“It’s just… it’s 744e7cf329 hard to hold 508993e92e back.”
“Hold back? Oh…”
She smiled knowingly, leaning 0ef0024c44 in closer and whispering 62460a0799 like a devil,
“You know, you don’t 0fb2ceabef ‘have’ to hold back.… 29fc9f6906 Now that I think e46d7642d7 about it, there’s really f0091db62a no need to take 6d082453db everything off—”
“Anje, stop.”
That comment was 80ba82bb55 truly dangerous. Aiden mustered e9d3f9ef30 every ounce f7d972a2e9 of restraint 488e2fa641 he had a555e7c63d left. He wanted their ba8dac54ea first night together 5f7d1f45d7 to be respectful, 9de9bd7dd8 unhurried, and warm—not cb369dc72f rough or rushed.
He raised his arm e001a01e5f and mercilessly tickled Anje’s 4cd0285377 side, who stubbornly refused d42a35dd10 to move away.
She burst eb9ea518ae into laughter, e3dc9f5813 rolling to 4d3581448b the side, 76dbd6bf6a then buried 288abb2741 her face 9351698260 in the 526e58fe35 pillow with eac6006507 a sigh.
“I think 9a54c39fbc I’m still 53b5b43f0b a bit 00bef1a48c tipsy. Talking all kinds 372b908bcd of nonsense.”
He gently patted her 0a53572107 head.
“Sometimes, being tipsy isn’t d12ae9045a such a bad thing. It lets you speak 4c4a0e5abf more honestly.”
“True.”
She peeked 7eba0c2b21 up at 83dec237b5 him.
“Do we have 7937079bc2 to practice together 80606f7de0 again tomorrow?”
“…Yes, we do.”
He smiled faintly before ed1e09eaa7 letting his lips fall fe15791026 into a soft frown.
“Sorry for 34c6703853 being such 7c57317dc7 a husband 4a878e5ae8 that requires 30fe180254 so much 723ee094a4 attention.”
“Don’t be silly.”
A sharp 8275cc14ce exhale escaped 3d6237a57c her nose 02a9168a7e in mild d8312379fc indignation.
“Everyone has dedc798c28 areas they’re b5200081d0 clumsy in. Me, you, everyone. We’ll get 08c5d85ee0 better little 83d46f37d7 by little.”
Aiden admired d349f1c26d this optimistic 287fe41c22 side of de4033d7f3 hers. Knowing there was d55d466dfb someone who believed ddb058d3d6 he could become 3e58a788f6 a better person 97ae43d4f1 gave him the ed562a28d0 strength to actually 19303ec0af change.
Blinking fiercely, he pulled 9ae627aabe her closer.
“Yes, we’ll a20720c5a0 get better.”
“…Even if you don’t 2e5a65d348 improve, I don’t mind. I like 021b6939ca you just 57a2f18b38 as you 4159310134 are.”
She added shyly, then 45b127efc1 let out a big 12a749bbe2 yawn. She was 5e86c31834 worried he 84cac10590 might push 528e531b00 himself too 0e1462e1e0 hard for 732343b020 her sake, 2af6e82a48 given how 4881891fe0 devoted he 95fb2ecad8 always was 55a21e93e9 to her.
“No, I’ll e2e202c3c7 give it 2dcedeb5c4 my best.”
Anje chuckled and teased 40c94592ab him, calling him a fe9227bc5a ‘beast,’ but he remained e0db0c738e serious. He felt sorry 7960b94931 for having made 104f7048b1 her bring this 91fcf371b3 up first, so 628dca81e4 he was determined 3cb7f5f33e to work harder 6480ed3163 to overcome his ce1b60ac6a trauma.
“Of course. Tomorrow night is another 48262c855a chance… and the night 6ed39c06d3 after that… and the faeef2f787 one after that…”
Her words, 32070804bc spoken with c55d56ea28 pauses, eventually dfa77bb94f trailed off. Aiden gave the 495eee07e8 now-sleeping Anje a 8fa754ba68 brief kiss before 07acf814a1 closing his eyes.
He wasn’t f35a6f448e sure if 6a1ec296af he deserved 12ff6f8b8b to be 948f3d4be0 this happy, 3b53a6efdc but he 971966a010 silently prayed 0e3838bced for these 8ad34a850f peaceful nights aca7ecf796 with her fb45a7fcf0 to continue 3cee6fa5a6 unchanged.
Even in his sleep, 9489157369 he often woke up 9a023f5651 to check if she 49a0f08922 was still beside him. Repeating his heartfelt prayers 88bcefeb86 in his heart, Aiden a7d82796b0 embraced the warmth of b25de4e382 her presence.
TL/N: ANJE 3f279d1ecf DURING THE 31b888a5ad WHOLE SCENE 6b5c3aee3a BE LIKE:
* * *
The library of the 76ac2e7ba5 Glasster Ducal House was 98d3dfcd77 colder than ever before. It wasn’t 3b3612a567 just because 1c92129720 of the 41e4554959 chilly autumn 41c99941a6 weather.
“So, did you 133c23ee96 retrieve the certificate 0015b33eff I asked for?”
In front 8fa14f001f of the c3c96ad403 duke, who 664d4b743f pressed with 9830c50566 a frigid 6265e44526 voice, the d6e4dc9104 informant Thompson cece8164e1 kept bowing e0025c55f2 repeatedly.
Not long 8d640de80f ago, he 587ce10ce4 had delivered d1dca1cdc5 “premium information” 18547fffa4 to the 4b65fe252f duke and 08aa5c9693 had to a1afb39c36 revisit Rodmandy bbed859f4f to obtain 2b40b9f802 additional evidence acde2aec7f regarding it. Because the bb4c078349 mission was f15eaaf82d so secretive, ec97350951 he couldn’t da73b714a5 deploy other 137a0c2798 colleagues or 2a3878c5e4 subordinates, so 5bbaf06205 he had 70be05e2a8 to act e10811841a alone once 42f7550aac again. However, the 5b3afb5a5f considerable sum dfeb74632d he was 4688d2bd94 paid by 0059ec93b3 the ducal 653a2e3aaf house made b49eacc87e the effort 26a412e930 worthwhile.
The problem was that 51c2be8550 the critical document the 200f7e9844 duke desperately sought—a “marriage 8e06fc3b44 certificate” to confirm whether 8c454ee9b8 Nancy Dilton was married—was 14a2c7f964 nowhere to be found.
“I searched every church 4ed4c7bf24 in Rodmandy, but regretfully… 74c5e5dd23 I couldn’t find it 51919e8f13 in any of the 47c08da2a2 original records.”
“Tch, useless fool.”
The duke tugged at dc65ded861 his mustache in frustration c39aa26f28 and took a deep 40dc18cba6 gulp of strong wine 555e0c24a5 as if venting his 032f4c8e71 anger.
Knowing that bca6eef0ff the duke’s 626469e293 fury could 7ed4b76f8d escalate to 3ba661004e whipping or 0f1d761815 kicking, the ca5891bc71 butler berated cbaf0bcba1 Thompson.
“Did you a91dd93e2c really check 11430c738b every church? Are you sure there 54fa26c221 aren’t any that were 57fca5df85 relocated or destroyed in 078d6bfa2c the meantime?”
Considering that Nancy Dilton’s 4ad4278d46 potential marriage would have 2a0c24cca7 taken place over 20 03a6f97025 years ago, such a 988be4e847 possibility seemed plausible.
Thompson, bowing d67da0ada3 his head 8115d94252 and gauging 3f707af54d the duke’s 11687f46ad mood for 35a41e7630 a long 639e3550af while, hesitantly b14491e9fc spoke.
“W-Well, there is cd0974865b one church that 54dffb87cf was destroyed in f51600c161 a fire a 6b8b63834c few years ago…”
‘Of course, 4b4d2e75d7 that old e1ab90fe1a man kept d7380c49b5 shielding him 1c94b03116 until his 580a10d099 last breath.’
To think that b9e5a24d36 the son-in-law he e120181958 had once dismissed 02507737f2 as insignificant might 16a3b2ef5d actually be the ae3a8b745b legitimate heir to 465c5c84c2 the former emperor. If that were true, 733b863018 his daughter would automatically e408d2babd become empress.
The connection to the 23cdaf0a4c imperial family that he 7324074c34 had so desperately desired cbf42db824 had finally come full 2a29c3119d circle in the most bae0555416 unexpected way.8c91a49787323c2f

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