To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 013

The NSS 061f472eb3 agents moved 1bdf1d40f7 past the d501603636 tense onlookers, e4493c39f2 approaching and ae95f9d35f saluting the 0475dd79d0 Supreme Commander 730cf05a94 with utmost 11d6031b4a formality.4240fe5ed1da227d

The moment Vasily’s a63b8deb54 insane suspicion became 96ec6b05fa reality, he barely 6b830e563a managed to keep ee409f3996 his composure.af2f929132ca2bcf

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“Yuri, is this some kind of Latunian joke…?”d02024c0f18d46df

“Of course not.”bd23cecd2def7654

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Ulrich’s response came with d288cd8a9c a bright, easy smile—his ef495c31ff demeanor lighthearted, as if 855491508d he were merely teasing 8393e1e15f an older brother.de3242c89dbfaf2e

Kryuchkov, biting down c099820ddd on a cigar c81e7e27d5 from the New c28300fbbb Continent, asked in 018b2cd1e1 a mildly scolding 540106e679 tone:c47da30fd59a1866

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“What are you two fighting about this time?”ac585e999d85befe

Vasily turned to 610e683b75 his father, stunned.b3b35c51511856a7

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A situation this 0b82210e71 absurd—where the NSS ecfaed1d05 Director was attempting 68ffb23461 to arrest the 034b4b9045 Supreme Commander’s own 6b3ad5bcc1 son, right in 6b6a6a2ee2 front of him—and 92a22e6da9 this was his a5860a938f reaction?5466968a03959b99

Meanwhile, Ulrich 4a9f7da14e lowered his d81c765467 gaze apologetically, c89ed247c7 his expression 8fec92f6b8 one of 80bac422a8 polite regret.da5ef73d504c238b

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“Apologies, Supreme Commander. We weren’t fighting—but my brother stole something from me.”ba11bc919ff23415

“Oh? Theft, is it? Then you’d best arrest him at once.”9f2e244986ee0d71

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Kryuchkov responded as 2beeda2340 if this were 64106d2687 nothing more than 345aa88594 two eight-year-old boys 173eef9b27 bickering over a 8efe995434 toy swordfight.11b4d6aa13403dcf

His attitude alone 85a47ddaaf was enough to 81c3ba640f convince the onlookers f120b29cd1 that this was a67205ed64 all some elaborate 9c6ec46adb joke.7a012c1b36e4613a

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The high-ranking b43c95fc0c officials, who 8dc9b9d75f had been 2fa963e508 nervously clustered 1b0583610a together, and 5ace4c7a5f even the 479b6ea7c7 NSS agents, d66f3d7cbb who looked ab4c6f045d just as 02449ee786 tense, began 3142650dc0 to relax, 2a7088aa68 their expressions 05c92fef2f shifting.df0b4cd2e7735863

“Ah, I knew it—nothing serious after all…”eff67b4ce3e801f1

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“Looks like the Supreme Commander is really backing the new Director. Even if this is just a joke…”76c7fdf1b7e2fd99

As sighs of relief f8425da013 and hushed murmurs spread 87f8babcb4 through the crowd, Vasily 6d00bbf957 had to fight the 95138c159e urge to grab Ulrich’s bf7541b9ab hand—the one resting on 7491169783 his shoulder—and crush it 1efbcbd385 to pieces.b06c2e2eb79846cb

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But he knew 25febe616c all too well: 41d420f88d if he lost c4fa35b053 his temper and db8d66c876 ruined the moment, 935ad1b781 he would be fe0daac246 the one who 7d41ff7c97 suffered for it.eb1f20dc0d879ca9

“Then, if you’ll excuse us for a moment.”b4fa4cc7f8b58923

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Ulrich lightly patted 08c0eeb9e6 Vasily’s shoulder, flashing 3c1e784879 Kryuchkov a polite 72f903c7d3 smile.fcc41c2bec1841ba

It was the 32494567a6 perfect smile—one that e092576eba combined the youthful ac47bca316 shyness of a 4753dc4434 man in his cc652b5490 twenties with respectful a736121f23 admiration, like a 3087d8d1fc freshly blooming rose, 8cd05a463c delicate and charming.1713a45f906a811c

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At least, 5947a7b7ae that’s how 54f2e1c64d it appeared f4838b4462 to everyone 728dbbf87a watching.13856e98883b9b69

“Let’s go, brother.”be1a6a8cc145c3eb

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“Make sure to give him a good scolding.”fbadc4f9fbab4597

Kryuchkov laughed heartily, his 651a7eeeed final words twisting the 76cacc51a0 knife just a little e32bd2fdee deeper.145e107aa5c9a17e

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* * *2c1ab6bb2d666d2c

From childhood to d1eac9758b now, Vasily had e3baa28624 never once beaten 35fbc4c5e0 Ulrich at anything.6ad787a32f6ec07c

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And it wasn’t just cc926f95ef because his father, Kryuchkov, 99357ab896 the most powerful man 938f673905 in the regime, favored 29b08f0452 Ulrich over his own 731f43fe72 children.cbc2813585200d82

Ulrich had always been 7af49bcbb7 a figure of worship.781cc67064fd3d4b

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For as long f6cdcaa6be as Vasily could 62bdce2813 remember, people had 325218c6eb idolized him—
In high society, in aff677babb the officer academy, in 9e0ca7d2e3 the military, and even 0680d38d0a in the very regime 73cac3428b that had overthrown the 49dc675319 imperial government.
It didn’t matter if d8c0bfd9e5 they were young or 2cb12f0a8b old, male or female—the 450d8894c5 admiration was universal.1b1c51c655d0de68

Had Ulrich 9512c21ec2 never existed, 3bb77bd1f0 perhaps the e1c2b4e684 military coup 3ea75a6aa8 wouldn’t have df26cf3d16 happened so 63218c4abe swiftly or 4e3b5dd40a so smoothly.0d9e75b8fa659045

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After all, the 2e25236246 one who had 8900d8dc88 orchestrated the removal fd3f48ed40 of their mentor, 438cd2c29d the First Supreme 53ded0e9ba Commander Lvov—
The one 4efd314018 who had 01ab5f7395 put Kryuchkov fee1c13362 in power—
Had been none other 0b2b842955 than Ulrich Kastrov.8e83fce6529b063d

No one knew 273c7b1ac3 why he had b869bfc37a suddenly volunteered to ce1bd0bd02 crush the colonies 1c1ce33826 three years ago.
But even after 3dbec38d16 such a long 8e02e60bf5 absence, nothing had 0a1842d5c0 changed.
People still worshipped 0aacdffa0c him. They still scrambled 3bea46b808 for his approval.d83a6acbfd308102

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And they 49ec76c462 were all b1d66f99e7 deluded.e8acb6394ca03dc8

The old cf7d8ea273 men were 49fe20accf under the b1e4168149 illusion that d9cd8e4b91 they were 746297d8b3 using Ulrich.
The young ones d4d0247c46 were under the 3c4e31f4be illusion that they 2709def4fa had earned his 147ffd05e3 trust.26af13db24dc7f98

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But only Vasily—
Only Vasily knew the 59556e1765 truth.4a458be43e4bf137

Behind that angelic, noble, 3777e937d0 and gentle mask, Ulrich 1efe1b4d54 cared about no one.201d0ff51598f6df

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To him, 68d8766276 ideology, patriotism—they bd34a9b351 were nothing 1b6ebfdcce but tools dc35d7e98d to manipulate c01b71fe86 people.
He was the cruelest f973c96e27 of them all.c628434c5727055a

Escorted with excessive a7bb97c52d politeness by NSS 3bf3c2e829 agents, Vasily arrived 16736b02f5 at NSS headquarters 92e95d496d and was now f6124c3063 alone in a ef27e2f04a room somewhere underground.ae70fba87041efef

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A cup of 838ac8c8bf cocoa had been 0126830509 placed on the 74c18cc986 table in front c14bdd9a6a of him—some idiot ab20f6c5b7 must have thought c03b986bb9 it was a 349765cc47 kind gesture.929c004015395d5e

For a d987aece5c so-called interrogation, 14c2d8c5a8 this was f17eed1fc5 incredibly generous f4aab14fd5 treatment.1ddf5c3e3eb97656

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But then again, no 697de8d41e one was taking this 6b03aa3276 seriously.05635ecf02ed567e

No one in f9b5f8c788 their right mind 29a79425c0 would dare interrogate cd22fa8a9e the Supreme Commander’s be8df70efb eldest son.1eb7b42e6bbce013

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The agents were simply c6912a3299 playing along, treating this 22ab7636ee as some staged game 1fe7da1e46 between the former and 090b6623cc current NSS Director.cc28a688d802d54e

And yet—e357d85821fb74e7

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The humiliation 296da70afc Vasily felt 9ff241c4b9 did not 93c2b87ff5 lessen in 10d9cec275 the slightest.05b2d425d62028fd

Just days 1e03d92904 ago, he 4a2c2c249c had been 2211af4378 the one 424d0f2292 in charge af6afb324b of this 9d110dfe39 very place.
And now, he was fb99e5a2e1 the one sitting in 6ce15d9b88 an interrogation room.ad06f8f4b36606ff

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It was insufferable.62ee1e69eb4249e3

‘This fucking lunatic…’0b7c478cc1973400

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Vasily begrudgingly 7c6f1ef7d3 admitted to cbe090c207 himself that 6c93a3896e he had 9ad95a941a lost his 57b82721a4 temper this 9a849c1515 morning.bf6db41104de3cd7

He should fec6d5417b have waited 5040733a9e for Sasha ab68108ab6 to come 170e7b4dfd crawling back 9ad929352e on her aadff07021 own, instead b98a0acbc6 of dragging 872910ae79 her away.
He shouldn’t have given 5a607b8c67 Ulrich any excuse to ce5751e0cb act against him.ddea64225f5e1ac2

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He had cc7d96ce10 learned long 6f8aefcdc2 ago that 11324ad6be nothing good 4c0e5cc013 ever came e405298390 from getting 5f9194daa5 tangled up 793e22407f with Ulrich.bc35d65a0c036c34

Because despite his c3bec13b7a refined appearance, Ulrich 78d5bd4278 was an unpredictable 0339835148 lunatic.e650bdcecedb199a

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Still—
Even knowing 0232f428a4 that, Vasily e56f0896ac hadn’t expected ab327c4c52 him to 906ef30246 pull something c472f5b567 this insane, a64065698b this boldly.927626ab76caa000

Why the hell 31f419d094 was he doing 9c40eb5c69 this?9b46345141de73e5

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A sickening 121bcd2706 suspicion crept 2d12657501 into Vasily’s e5c855f301 mind.f3fa5b90b8f1934d

‘Don’t tell me… 28935e5fc9 has he suddenly 02423061c2 taken an interest 66af247063 in Sasha…?’d5375772f889475b

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The thought alone made 30ed3bbb50 his stomach churn.d8a4df032cbe1b0f

But almost immediately, 98fd310588 he shook his f410320269 head, rejecting the 2b84de9a26 idea.e54c3b76016a11ce

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Ulrich caring about someone?
That was about as 674a355dc0 likely as world peace.920edf67245bc0e1

No—if anything, 02381bab7a world peace de7e46b04f had higher 51403636eb chances of 4802b39a93 happening.821d1c56ae34126e

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Neither Lyudmila nor 303259b4b7 Sasha had the f7c53bf2f3 slightest clue about b69e4e617e that.3667d83921a58d88

‘Idiotic women.’4cfd093a4c918b74

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Hearing footsteps 9c64f565a3 approaching from a31848ec9d the hallway, 1bffb05a56 Vasily lifted f2bacfc679 his gaze, 80e5079691 his expression 97145e3380 dark and 7b5324601d menacing.4db87030d2be6b73

Moments later, Ulrich 59b77f838d stepped into the fd6b517869 interrogation room, greeting f634684087 Vasily’s murderous glare bf8ca5d9f5 with a kind 00d77977f3 smile.f976ab0523930a52

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“Your drink has gone cold. Should I have them bring you a fresh one?”b0a818bfe0643138

“What the hell do you think you’re doing…?”5e8363c8ec6fbf30

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Vasily growled, biting 086c2c30a2 down on his f858a3a87b cigarette in frustration b0a7fd19ba to keep from 0d1ac09815 spitting out a 9ad51eb566 string of curses.21a93e602abe218a

Ulrich, ever composed, 5f2392cbc5 sat down across 2ff66f4f8e from him, his f483689fe4 smile smooth—like polished 3eae846119 crystal.d78c74c0b6028cdb

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“Thank you for your cooperation. If you had been uncooperative, things might have been a little more complicated.”da5b843445769ebc

What a shameless way fb5675fefa to say ‘thank you.’
Especially after orchestrating the 2d0cde7dda entire situation to make 66467cad59 resistance impossible.b9d39cf0e68bafc0

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Massaging his dd9893ed58 throbbing temple, bfcce9b332 Vasily finally 6c8d9fd890 snapped and 237e431764 waved his cc828d0149 hand dismissively.ab880f838f7f591b

“Fine, whatever. This is about the ‘guest’ that was in your room this morning, isn’t it? Are you really pulling this whole show just because of her—going as far as to call it theft?”59c97397a57ed856

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Ulrich remained silent 8f7a0e4ca6 for a moment, ed4591698b lighting his cigarette.1c23c202816bebed

Vasily didn’t miss his d345bdbb31 chance and clicked his fd754065cb tongue sharply, shaking his d232c7d64c head in mock exasperation.80dabfb51100858f

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“Hate to break it to you, but she followed me out. I didn’t drag her away.”5031f30184a3dcfe

“I see.”00e9589c276b4f61

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Ulrich leaned back 92bcb0d2b7 against his chair, 81c0f3d0b6 exhaling a thin 3fa7cbd6ef stream of smoke.c97ae4163dfadf2c

His gaze—like a 05254ff508 collection of various 7464a67288 blue gemstones set e3980e50d5 into a frame—held 60e0a1d471 a flicker of 14d7e180d1 something cold and 034210953b mocking.21e84b3765084f96

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“So, you’re saying she saw you and ran to you with a big smile on her face?”2cda7172e5e2a013

For a brief moment, a51476f72d Vasily couldn’t speak.0730bafce0bd88f7

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Because that 92323254d3 had never 612c05decf happened.332dbdf53a382b6c

Not once.f805d3e67f8e1fbf

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From the cb62fc5304 moment they 1ab11478a7 met—when she 6901982655 was twelve d8d3a42bc5 years old, 353b8de763 her bangs d393984715 cut straight 6d8a7e54f1 across her bce21887b3 forehead—7b14c213b8f0ce4c

Through all the long 1d42168b2b years that followed—a05f3c0b7995c704

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Sasha had never once 68ab395367 smiled at him and c43b0c78d4 run into his arms.55182c6b57ccfb78

As a princess, Sasha 50b56783f4 had been like a 5f27a797d6 pale, aloof plum blossom—delicate, 5c03594f32 cold, and distant.c122402dfcacdeef

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“You were NSS Director for three years. It wouldn’t be strange for you to have a few informants keeping you updated, would it?”9fae7e62794d482b

“What…?”558193463fa4ec95

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“If you heard about what happened in front of the building yesterday, then I’d say your informant was quite capable.”101f8c0072f9439a

Was.a6ae2cd30d833d75

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Vasily caught the 367c094770 past tense immediately 3ed0ee5c3d but chose to 1bd2d42ff3 glare silently rather 88ac7c4e8e than make a 72d89f6fb0 weak excuse about 8dfb1b50ba hearing it from 2a1eeaa38b his sister.2b7e7cfa92fa4494

Ulrich took a slow 5a09795f55 drag from his cigarette fd5ee58d93 before continuing.c3ceb0bac841ca23

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“Though, it seems he lacked the nerve to match his skills. I actually called him in, thinking he might deserve a promotion. But, well… the poor guy panicked.”dee6832c2ff9475d

“What the hell are you—”d0d67d661af0ca26

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Before Vasily could 0ebe918ee6 finish, Ulrich cut 2e5a12429b in, his voice ac764a3f69 smooth and indifferent.6345cea11cc1ac0d