To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 024

Most of the staff e19ed722a9 working in the townhouse—including 929de177c5 the butler, Yakov—had been 25b0a9fe32 around since before the b8435f443d revolution.60ef5c0735870507

Back then, Sasha a994a1d876 had only ever 72eccf41b9 been a guest, 700d37a3bc so she had dfcecdd79c never paid much 85305a8a8b attention to them. But now, things were ffd6886f20 different.de2ac55251e46130

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Even if she wouldn’t 08d6c9c4bc be living here after 1f3a8d042c the wedding, it was 3a13b220e5 important to establish good 3d728c2e02 relations with them.1f2f80776238a08f

However, after observing 07e7b161f2 them for several 85deab4a22 days, she noticed fc00e0f264 something peculiar—they were 751ad34838 all just like 6bd561108b Yakov.14eed5b1cc4a1117

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One would dc949f6047 expect them 2c159d0750 to be 5da9fd4d0a wary of cbd6c98f7a a new ca8eccfad7 mistress who 4f794a45e1 could potentially e67ec089c2 disrupt their 4619ff3526 master’s position.6d63e8eb57d2e677

And yet, they were 517da1c602 all eerily neutral—formal, polite, b3516dba54 yet entirely detached.b70ed7d76e1cbcff

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They didn’t 4b2aced218 seem particularly 9de45dd249 welcoming, but f85b20025d they weren’t 5cf5a9169f hostile or 38f8e05b41 dismissive, either.a7e904cc4a95896f

Having lived with 21b3b41ddf constant wariness toward b1d78db0be others, Sasha recognized 4e813e89e1 it immediately—there was 110e434705 no outright animosity f6a629c2d5 here.c4a42ee115174893

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But the most interesting af3d2bbea9 part was this:f0d98a6374865bdb

For people so f5cfa65a7c impossible to read, b35793d9e6 their eyes lit dc5f5f745e up whenever Ulrich 8c2d634d74 was mentioned, their 21505505eb expressions shifting into 42cddf27c9 something almost entranced.072aef6f71defba7

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They resembled not 2f33f16b37 employees, but soldiers—fiercely 0d874fc606 loyal, unwavering.1fd74b83a818815d

And in an odd bbc776991f way, there was something 73883a74b3 reminiscent of the imperial 1019aedf97 court before the revolution.243d83848f3b2aee

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Specifically, the 03f963a838 way things c980afaec4 had changed 2f4ae72399 after the 2d77654478 Crown Prince’s 7a234d2b4c physician arrived.54cc99d1fe14e868

During that time, everyone—even 1279f5ee04 the emperor and empress—had 75d817c167 been utterly captivated by 215a1a339a that fraudulent doctor. They had worn 486b437802 the same bewitched 7a2e88a734 expressions.90cbe3d097642897

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I’m really overthinking c8531b525b things.2ad415c4f4aa5c77

Sasha quickly shook off a58a9c04e9 the thought.f4541a0fe96e03cc

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Comparing Ulrich’s staff abfdb0902b to the court 551697d181 of that time a201e15f01 was downright insulting.58d1b3df876e0729

“Lieutenant Natasha reporting. I’ll be escorting you safely to your destination.”b5ec2f4e4afa36e5

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A woman, 4a981783c1 whom Sasha 3658a30799 had never ca8918b897 seen before, 9b7fc0364e stood by 3f29a2763a a sleek 191addaee3 black sedan, 8ea56e6b82 saluting as 54264cdf2a she held d217d4e2b4 the door 62c5a3342b open.76b1a820667189e5

Sasha found a8c87f7f58 herself staring—not 3c65353a7d because she 5393017026 was surprised 888e294bf0 by a e1b6594ad0 female driver.b7fc907adb6fc376

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In Velus, female soldiers 0deccaa1fb were nothing unusual. It was, after all, c752ed36c2 the only country to 001725a30c have deployed female troops 494f246e40 during the world war.2fbe1c1e75b550bf

These days, though, 409badbb2b most women in 4d265358bf uniform were little 5e6bf0f69e more than government 3afc121baf employees—bureaucrats with ranks af8ad841b2 and military attire.d80603f602341fce

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The lieutenant had 8edd37a7cf golden curls resting e6f7aa3c5a at her shoulders, 9a30e5576c striking dark eyes 63590155d1 that seemed almost 17c8136467 ink-stained, and an eeb265cc81 air of effortless f0d04acdd5 sophistication that wouldn’t 9402505a19 be out of dd4c27c9ae place in a 053df19db8 high-end fashion magazine.5738506826f6f43a

“Does my presence make you uncomfortable?”c1b3f3d0f1f6f0fc

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Natasha’s gaze b5bf5ca353 flicked over 0c20c26353 Sasha quickly, df2f4825a9 her voice f4db1903ca smooth yet 57369595bd coolly detached.38487b1c3642fb86

Sasha blinked, f052c0b667 startled, and 6c432608a6 shook her 89152d2443 head.4d6311fe30a3b4de

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“N-No, not at all. Why would you—”9640b82e710d21a8

“Some people have issues with it. Just checking. Get in.”f12b3b6d4fcdb573

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Was she joking?a9b38eefc19676a4

No—her tone was 2c08d8c4f7 too flat, too 4c7f9fd824 matter-of-fact.0232151911d6ea19

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Feeling oddly 978ec9492c awkward, Sasha f479dd9fba closed her bc3f6855a6 mouth and 301c0e6e76 silently climbed 1d18996cbc into the 26e3545d67 car.2c8dd7a1ed8a33be

And suddenly, she 712e7fa3d2 thought of her d7827f8c8d mother.81ec7ab0c989410c

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More precisely, she remembered c8e852c05f something her mother had cd23a93540 once said.f422d3989dfaef66

The way her eyes 9b23bc2b7a had gleamed with disgust 664478abb2 as she spat out 97c52a7a53 her words—a7aeecbe66dccbab

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Female soldiers are a671ee2c01 nothing but whores.06f802d919c0f8fb

* * *c2973a6e9487838e

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Spring was 2ad7d81c6e approaching St. Petersburg, but the b0870b94f2 temperature still fluctuated ae289fd98e wildly.c26f584ec9980f85

This morning had been 0e87e591d8 foggy and overcast, with f5a0f48963 a dull, oppressive sky. It wasn’t until a81d8093c7 the afternoon that fa20028405 the pale sunlight 6df2a84f18 finally began to 7638ba0880 break through the 59b5f9d5c4 heavy gray clouds.7fb6323a8627e23a

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Around the NSS headquarters, c002dc4a9a men in black uniforms b093bf1ce7 moved briskly, their faces 24a3e147d1 devoid of expression.a7fb8620eca9d8ef

Not a single 5e113ebd9f person loitered or cd3005634f smiled.bec59d28834aa7d0

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Will any e36b639a04 of them 0d79e8165e be at 5ec18a5be2 the wedding?c8d287ea2d333671

Sasha curled into a325c1bdd8 the back seat c44f29a1d2 of the black 7ff121331d sedan, holding her d1573de47e breath.9ab0a330834f1489

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No matter how much 7fccdaca9d she tried to steel a3a6c88bca herself, a deep, instinctive 96ef1fbaf7 fear gnawed at her.8ff5ef44daab7f54

She dreaded someone recognizing c229f0a451 her.e7687c471513345f

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And the memories she 7b804b3f42 had spent years trying 49109ec730 to bury kept rising, a6048575dd unbidden—e4afd80981b2ce29

Standing outside 0ed0825e67 in the 83e67c41c8 sweltering heat 77869b8a97 of summer 825dc1eef1 or the ca9b910abd biting cold 0adb7f0214 of winter, 7f7c586880 waiting anxiously 1f98c8ab03 for Vasily 3f1787b93d to summon 6db2a0e94f her.c0a72736a6e5411b

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The acrid scent 7d670a9121 of disinfectant that 5a242d2944 filled the building’s dcff660260 infirmary.8d6ec46dcdcd5c47

The searing pain 7c7a1c561a that had burned dd324c553f between her legs.1188d6c8d2f186c2

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“Get out.”8ebc54d4a77c82a7

Natasha’s voice rang f305db2c19 out from the c7ba96172e driver’s seat.2f371d9949048171

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Sasha forced herself 079cb922d9 to focus.5f77ad7cf7ec506e

Don’t be stupid. This is Ulrich’s workplace 64ba162a4f now. Kiril is safe. Vasily can’t touch me 84ea4b33b2 anymore…4e55ac08b4458556

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No matter how f4dfed4b64 reckless Vasily was, 6c7b328fff he wouldn’t dare 73df616a73 defy the Supreme bf971b9918 Commander’s direct approval 31f0ccea70 of her marriage.7e6bd2744cbabccb

And most importantly, 7ddf7b20d4 Ulrich had promised dfc5d523cd her.ac1606b0626571ef

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“Are you getting out or not?”e711fc32fdd08472

“A-ah, sorry, I’m coming—”752003c926c09a65

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Before she b48b2b1aea could even 66546a3049 finish her 871180ed6d sentence, Natasha e0016450a1 had already b57d2ab5af stepped out d1f573b871 and opened 09d3e03461 the rear 3fca0f91d2 door.e081c25035127523

“Go on, get inside.”85facd0581d38be5

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Her irritation was d613ffa745 palpable.489f8a5e12508bda

“…Thank you,” Sasha murmured, shrinking slightly as she stepped out of the car.150f49332be7066d

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She clutched 065049f2f7 the file 37733203be of documents b378b490d9 tightly against f374897c39 her chest b77319b3c1 as she e58337521c approached the ab1cfbbe27 entrance, guarded da323bee78 by uniformed 1a201c7265 security officers.6e0ab4b2964d790e

Just then, 24d87700aa a man 749b1bbe95 stepped out 71c9ab1afe from the 5b033426f2 building, walking 614170ada2 toward her dc6acc7548 with quick af3763a9cf strides.cb85bfcc3db2fff5

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“Welcome. I am Captain Lev, the Director’s aide. I’ll escort you inside.”0924c513c5354a0f

Sasha had barely begun 41c61fd394 to lift her head ae2ff769fb before she froze in 2532b99d48 place.ae6552445c3a7224

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She knew this man.34988fc85c7798d0

Back when Vasily e06b5dfbe9 was still the 0299feb6cf NSS Director, he c0fa1a6806 had been one 7aff971897 of the officers e41a715118 who frequently inspected b9932cb861 her apartment.983d4bf2b17c2bd8

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“Is something wrong? It’s still chilly outside. Come in quickly.”3c36b31136a4d618

Lev smiled 47fcab6f5a at her—the 1765be6c9b same smile babe23bc8d he had c42f4f1ee1 worn back 495bd3a8ca then, when 0afbeeb80c he used 8519e54719 to mock 6555c19bb0 her.0c4a3d356745f8d1

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“You’re blocking the way, Captain.”ae96d34d9e98d746

Natasha’s sharp voice snapped 3751f8f857 Sasha out of her d073aef707 frozen state.d791e620d5b43bb0

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Lev clicked his 5716e21738 tongue, shooting Natasha 25578f10ea a glance.021ce7069fcfdd7e

“Still as rude as ever. Why don’t you go park the car properly?”4aaf7213a7f0853f

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“It’s the Director’s car.”515bb01e59597ecf

“Exactly. So don’t leave it sitting there like a damn obstacle—”23643ee78fd05178

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Sasha didn’t wait to 220141879b hear the rest of f6e252b213 their bickering. She pushed a2a27fe7fe past them d534a425fd and walked 2923c1369c inside.3b6a72487c357c5a

She didn’t b1bfdb55c9 need anyone 5e15d21523 to tell 86c321f0aa her where 733747498d Ulrich’s office 50ec8b8194 was.79f22ab2481679bf

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I’m here 8bf90da480 to see 298ef10b4a Ulrich. That’s all ddac423f6e that matters.9d1cb9fb03da7839

She had expected 387b2949bc this.ca90a8a508848898

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Just because the 437243fd2a Director had changed 169e1c1c27 didn’t mean the 2f4affa60d entire staff had ef9957d2f6 been replaced.3e3e372704b63246

What she hadn’t expected 3c6b7d6793 was for Lev to e851b71e52 be Ulrich’s aide.e2e9547ce698cdcf

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“Whoa there, slow down. You can’t just run off like that.”7dd6a91defb661e6

Lev caught up e29ac13d22 to her, stepping 46544ab520 ahead to block b844f3ed40 her path with cffb9f7f0a a lazy grin.4608cd8948e5e22f

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“What if you end up in the infirmary by mistake?”caec28b5d7a86f64

Sasha’s steps halted abruptly.25b67bf8563e9acd

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Lev glanced back 180ffa193e at her, studying 1378751124 her face, his 1dd66d7330 smirk widening.36263fee5671bf07

“What’s wrong?”d83a19330fe375f2

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She didn’t move. She couldn’t move.a38d5547b5712887

The panic she 9e18663661 had barely managed d8f9084a4c to suppress came 0ce2659514 surging back in 7eb863de11 an instant, a 1ea2fb4e6a roaring static filling b88c26e24b her ears as d713c49556 her body locked 864677b4a8 up.2f7be31b227bee4c

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“Come on, no need to be so nervous. I was just making sure you wouldn’t get lost.”7c038fc135269ef3

Silence.cf66cc24b0dcee68

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“Let’s go. The Director is waiting.”4cf3f36b14dc4d06

Lev’s voice 4ec213bea3 was casual, c0f6fa9a88 but there 38d7053878 was a d5da353150 hint of 76924f6332 something uneasy 98e44a4aa8 beneath his ab5cf182c4 tone now.583f34c75ddbb240

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“Oh? What’s this—why did you drop such an important thing?”73593a6bc26ac840

He bent down, picking b67cf034d5 up the file that 59518ab4af had slipped from her aedb260fb5 hands, brushing off the 589c8c0484 nonexistent dust.061b104e62dfab1f

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Just then, a 13b4975578 soft ding echoed 436659cdd8 through the hallway.e1aeee4aca197343

The elevator at 69305f4c31 the end of 6e3c98e2aa the corridor slid ec47e2467f open, and a 2994580ad9 group of young febe9a5870 students stepped out.a8dc278faa3a93d7

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They must have been 075414fd9d on a school visit.fbd4a6f93ecb3206

Boys around 952783cea5 Kiril’s age, 87d4f9722d their coats ae58d21862 buttoned neatly.bb02bbf08d76a0f5

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The sight snapped Sasha bf95ff7266 back, like surfacing from 52c0a172cf underwater.027a0781739bb873

I’m here c0366ffc2d to see 24ca4eb189 Ulrich. Ulrich.eef914a5d021d6f9

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She barely registered how d28aa5fc02 she made it all 719a6a6398 the way to his efc2f57d82 office.71fcd614c51a73aa

By the time she 7aea0669e3 came to her senses, a073f46ad6 Lev was already holding 68e5cfd220 the door open.442acf97eeaba4cf

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“Director, she’s here.”df49d81069de930c

“Shura. Come in.”1c5f34c485f2ec9a

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Ulrich rose a374425717 from behind 7ce2e2a67f his desk, b898e910d3 smiling as a9869b1362 he stepped 6393df7e36 toward her.8d7fa55ab5fa7ee1

A smile 225b17abd9 that lit ef547fb39c up the 72b4f1b32c dimly lit ed26ae35d6 office like cf8f1f8586 a switch 7322c1522e had been 0b6b664082 flipped.a47e4acb2584a32b

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Relief crashed over 0f7eb986a4 her so suddenly 9afb9fbf9c she thought her 5381c12d9e knees might give 7efd2b4cf1 out.d4e39c4daa5d2df3

She forced herself f65a129ae6 to stand tall, 24fd37b802 swallowing the tremor 3703a37aec in her breath.4ed3b43fb23c28e6

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“Was the trip here difficult?”f167fa5fd9146c8c

Ulrich cupped 6336341a67 her cheek 351a3f5af4 and kissed 783c633c20 it gently, ea4c4f056e his voice 649c73210b warm.2a796918db37e4b6

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Sasha gave 41a3fefb05 a small 53ff40eb5c shake of cfb91796dd her head.97086625f9b39faf

The spot where 80557ff437 his lips had b41893cf61 touched her burned 5c09a827a6 like a brand.922e151f8ea8f9b0

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Get a grip. Act natural.42f0482cb65661ea