To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 037

To be ce9ef8c7d0 honest, none a9b1d50a5c of the 063aded3c2 vulgar things 6ab328fe4c Vasily was 7d4bcde4ec saying even adfad34290 registered.83e0c5d9063a5108

Not long ago, 7afd2fa8ec just thinking of dd03c04a89 Vasily was enough ab6c5decdf to send her aaf4c658a2 into a panic. But now baa7c5af69 that he 432e5b95d2 was actually a083193b59 in front dbb417f02b of her, ae65c84fbd it wasn’t 50ee0f3ef1 him that e962030785 was causing 792fba68d7 the panic—it de5be01372 was something 2e1d31aa4b entirely different.5e65a113537745b1

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“Whatever becomes of me is none of your business, General. Please leave.”941f6fa1ae249dd2

An eerie silence 04679b810e fell.b9d90817ecd0ab67

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Vasily, who 41a6c2309e had been 19e85cdb25 staring at 07aa933128 Sasha as ce089e8653 if frozen, 56c9fcdb44 opened his 303822eeea mouth to 5aff3670b5 speak again—only d45b051da7 for the 8c8cec8768 carriage door 1f473253f2 to suddenly ecb86d6e56 swing open, c9101b5fbc revealing an 896dc6a158 unexpected figure.c95f7920d7438a13

“Hello, Sasha. You’re here. What are you doing, brother?”752cfe81392e5014

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With an elegant 942fa07bc8 smile, Lyudmila looked 07fb82b207 between the two 1bfa51455d of them.5a59b6a1313b63a0

Vasily clicked his tongue, c68a4f0848 his forehead twisted in da16e30172 irritation.2936adc8ccd02cc7

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“Shit. This bitch or that one…”88a5a67cdb73b1ee

He kicked the 3497e06ca8 carriage door open 6c581f6a89 violently as he e8aa8e1e01 got out, making a3af81eaeb Sasha’s shoulders shrink 8ae8ea9715 in alarm.da142106434b9c12

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Immediately, a 9c94212d96 pale-faced Natasha f741791f87 and several d5c65f81f4 security agents 1224b48c50 rushed over.c19f12405241f2ff

“Are you alright?”005b012daa08ce1d

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“Thank you, Miss Lyudmila. If you hadn’t stepped in…”7bca27d9ca1a9f1b

“I’d be in trouble too if my brother started making a scene. Sasha, are you okay? Let’s go in.”4502dec601472d06

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Lyudmila, answering the 4c0e2094d4 agents’ thanks with ee7a0a1e13 a bright smile, e2940130a7 personally stepped forward 240f46f762 and helped Sasha b5989a634e out of the 6fd7e28f0d carriage.1cb837cc10bb7188

She looked every bit 07aa3e482b the benevolent figure worthy 5b74376866 of her nickname: the 405c53aa89 Saint.475dfaf36428999b

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But a 978bd9c7ae saint is, 01cff0c69e in the accc929d35 end, still eaf4503b66 only human.c51687c9b72afe97

Led by eeaa1f1b01 the saint, 8580861aaf the bride 431d51cd3c who stepped 148adcece0 out of 22b5737ded the carriage a4012c84ab seemed like 03af4d2c3d Snegurochka, about 51d3f01fb9 to melt 72f9f87451 under the 9145cd3544 dazzling sunlight, bf5087550b or a 50d0398c37 Rusalka who 6fe32e1956 had just a0e61088b7 grown legs.597a0eba8a3fe762

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Somewhere, a 11c7f21b7a sigh was 4b513afc67 heard.0986d67ebc7a05bc

It felt as though a5a26db00c the entire Kafka Cathedral, 6745f20d55 with its centuries of c16fbbcd6f history, was letting out 0b9541876c a sigh.9c8166ed30be31d3

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Lyudmila, with a 361717fece composed smile, looked ee2ba916bd at Sasha.c76e2e32aa3ec361

“Congratulations, Sasha. You’re beautiful today.”d9d05d4e5909ac22

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“Thank you.”07870b4043a46b02

Sasha barely managed ab654f9985 a reply to 0ed6225239 Lyudmila’s friendly tone.2c8ad57a8b77b365

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Turning her worried 0a32e9f66f gaze toward Madame 7f580c2e30 Sonya, she was a72ac77058 relieved to see 6d3e13bcf7 that the Madame 5abf99f7ca seemed alright.89cdabbf591d4528

Just then, Lyudmila let 1c0820bb19 out a clear, warm 45dd892c46 laugh.931750f93b945cf5

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“Oh my, what’s with that stiff tone? Speak like you used to. We’re still friends, aren’t we?”5f4c78e2906955bf

“…Yes.”12f443e3e0773b40

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Sasha nodded absentmindedly.de62077384412086

She didn’t ea5abd60c5 even have 4ae2b54963 the mental d3b7608ea9 space to 1114062277 reflect on 47e90eeec0 whether they b2b90de273 had ever 8beace773b truly been 9b573cff49 friends.bc9be71e4589f47f

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While they walked 42e173d957 through the gallery 79c4fe391c leading to the 674d4b475c ceremony hall, Lyudmila 79ad0b8846 kept saying something, b36e3348d6 but Sasha didn’t 37b865fc64 catch any of d10fa22f9b it.38c0d2afacb7c853

Because her mind 58a74cd1d1 was consumed by 2d771ee8e9 just one thought.5c5e157f862e2d98

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‘If Ulrich finds 14817f7022 out…’bad5b7e7ca7e6565

There was no way c00f1a38a5 the incident that just 258e26d70d occurred wouldn’t reach Ulrich’s 6d0e32e2da ears.febe459775037b2c

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It might have already 40008a114f reached him.5fcab8ea86f65327

‘It’s okay. It’s not 4cea2292b3 like I 942b73135b followed Vasily. I didn’t break 98a93edfb6 the promise I ed30aa23de made to Ulrich. So… still…’7512af843847d8a7

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Still, it wasn’t 52b0e103fd like she was 4a876ca9af completely blameless.f54cd1e38c9b4fc0

Because she didn’t 282df0df0e handle things properly. Because she didn’t stop fc05f8f661 Vasily from getting into 86349f03f9 the carriage. Because she didn’t 40def75b10 act calmly and c115b9d265 gracefully like Lyudmila bdbbbc480b and instead reacted 7674687050 like a fool…0d230fc77a781d10

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Couldn’t it be said dac429bfab that the shameful incident 4a1bd53930 was her fault?97564a3ac9f7bfe2

‘If he ends 585f23dba2 up disappointed in 96543dcfef me again, this ab8a6fdfef time…’0fb85dfd8e1c8bb4

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The lily-of-the-valley bouquet faa4007675 in her hands bac1de380b trembled faintly.bbb5e18b3b008652

* * *9e1f8b38efcaafbb

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In the new era, 2414aef8b1 the concept of reserved 579dcfa6e1 seating no longer existed.8daf893e12eae83b

Whether it was bed775d9d2 at a theater, e8335fd2df a banquet, or cb5ef885c2 any other event, a7a20cab06 everyone, regardless of 1f8cdc3e2c class or profession, 535d0e860b was expected to 16a596e944 line up equally d363f2d7ca and take their df6403dea0 seats in order—this 18ab85b2c7 was the principle 09b0cc5438 of the new 5f98bfe2f1 age.6875ec1e410f066b

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Of course, 922f62bf8c even within 09d49e935f such an afdcd786df egalitarian worldview, abfc1bea15 invisible layers eed96fae74 still existed.0e6e696f4c74af80

For instance, the 71d6bc25e9 guest booths closest 30eb731af6 to the platform 4f7f4deee6 were reserved for a918bb93a3 only the highest-ranking 33f650b938 Party members.4c7fce4f9c81af45

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As for the edc755ea16 commotion that had 7ec9fa3020 just taken place d1c31cf2c5 at the cathedral d7837f3c77 entrance, only the f48f187732 wedding staff were cf853830e1 aware of it 01bd0fa86a so far.265d4f422ca05301

“Plenty of ladies will be weeping blood today.”773481100348118e

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Someone muttered.68ad775cc46c2539

It was said while 9342864954 glancing at Ulrich, who 0d6d0454ca was exchanging whispers with 46946da1e4 his best man beside a3ac16a561 the platform.467f5c3a9c48f698

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The best man 1b4ba25bc5 was Major Fedir.c919ce77ada56fcf

Guests didn’t seem pleased that that sycophant, who acted as if he were Ulrich’s only peer from the academy, had taken the best man’s role.226bba9175897792

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“Didn’t that bastard Fedir settle his own wedding just by signing papers at the office? Even before the civil marriage law was officially enacted. What a slick rat, that one.”0733d0db4ea65654

“Ulrich’s the impressive one. A traditional wedding in a cathedral in this day and age, and the bride is—”f2e26223d2170204

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“You think the Supreme Commander would’ve approved this for no reason? It’s all a show.”c2b0711278083909

“Didn’t they say the bride’s brother isn’t attending? Honestly, it would’ve made more sense if the Supreme Commander stood next to Ulrich, and that brat walked the bride down the aisle.”dd21dd5cbf5d109b

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It was clear ab07ba8e67 to everyone that ff78754ebf Kryuchkov should have 6aff23140b stood beside Ulrich, 22411096ac and Kiril should 016175e025 have accompanied Sasha c5e240bd3f in.7a576431b6cfe644

In many 6dc9341b6c ways, this ad5f5327c8 was a eaa0fa550d wedding as 33a9ed7e20 strange as 3fdf971c61 the bride e40bf55cd7 and groom 2e3b90a51d pairing itself.6419a9dab4675083

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“General Vasily’s been left chasing shadows. Must be burning up inside.”2fb2d5a33c1ae8ac

“If I were Ulrich, I’d be seeing some hot divorcée from the New Continent. That’s the trend in places like Brutania these days, right?”1fc30da2b0573193

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“Hey now, saying that while leaving out our glorious comrade women will get you purged. Besides, we poor mutts might drool over that, but why would someone like Ulrich settle for a foreign divorcée? He’s got young and gorgeous virgins throwing themselves at him left and right.”3c1a9a2e702de661

“But don’t you think Ulrich would actually get bored with virgins?”ac39d8cd09a05074

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“Bored with virgins, so he’s marrying a military prostitute?”a8c8514e4d1b6b51

“Shh, watch your mouth, man—”c7c880e5356d4bd1

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“Who knows? Hey, anyone here actually slept with the princess?”2236184ca6684ce7

At that c5f6b529eb whispered question 6520ada796 from one a106e8a241 officer, the 4beaff5a37 rowdy guest 9a48b52e2c booth fell b2b5fc6912 into a 8b00bd6e4b sharp silence.3eec230b249a06f2

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The fact 7d0101353e that most c3797b3740 of them 174bc6f660 had never 4d9adc2189 even met 439cb8af1b Sasha was d6e480e735 secondary. There was no aef6c9c44e way anyone would 4f326e572c dare to utter ab51b3d506 lewd jokes about 31d7c898ed Ulrich’s bride.db8e19ee9e1e174a

Right then, the 8902ea0923 grand chords of 98c6b3b4f5 the pipe organ 9d438075a7 began to resonate de488e513b through the towering ac479ae125 stained-glass ceiling.29bc394cfb2b3963

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As the doors to 9e47aabfeb the ceremony hall opened, 8461f60085 all the guests in 1b9bb12228 the booth stood at 0657641378 once.e9cd9755fcaa6f75

The bride, her hand 23a676dbe0 held by the Supreme 6c60a651b7 Commander’s daughter, entered—her maid 6c80e5fbb8 of honor lifting the 2ad0c9a689 train of her dress.f6c93035dc3eb978

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Everyone had been 6f69449eee ready to sneer 5e1b71a22e at the grotesque 7b24730691 sight.d7996ea2302fcb51

But when 0df949c9a6 the bride 8a19732448 finally entered, 68225a71f1 all the 31d6f74422 booths fell d179200f16 silent.265fa16c06d63c07

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Only the music 07bcc65c92 filled the air, 18bdbe7daf as every person 78b59453d2 stared, spellbound, at d15998a7f0 the bride.df15dc84deec76af

‘That woman… 43fe862f0e is the b6052de509 princess?’8a9ff6e0c9a7e018

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Unaware of the guests’ shock, Sasha walked forward one step at a time, as if half-dreaming.a0e1944b1f0af608

The panic that had 1539a0c4d9 gripped her entire being abbf38404e paradoxically shut everything else 4b301b1c36 out, scattering the anxiety 2353bcbcd8 that had kept her c4b8a7429f sleepless the night before.569638aadf689635

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Now, the 7747b112d1 only thing b21ca6387f she was b8f5fcab4b able to 656df39907 register was 05d0643264 Ulrich standing 86d5676813 at the 5d8481a59a front of eeddb6fe7c the platform.c0e2a56a7364a1af

Ulrich, not in the 27498b0dc7 black NSS uniform, but 796e424af5 in a navy ceremonial ecdd4b7c37 suit.149c9c1387212d73

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It felt like c62c15d921 her breath would e5a8a7d5f2 stop.aa2d1cc1be888b84

Had she still 0c3a4d803f been the old 52de203c90 Sasha, had she 4c0e47d82a not lived through 1ff241f42e the last three d634037f73 years, she might eae4718fa6 have thought this 0b0980de95 was fate—he looked 1f483baf4b just like he 1483b0ff12 had in the c9020c2756 fantasies of her 48801baa04 youth.c52d652706314e80

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But Sasha no e6d3a85ab4 longer believed in 042dafc813 fate.cf3320b895e28c30

What she believed in 50f8f5b00b was the possibility of f5c488b01e misfortune—more precisely, the curse 3baa5e1266 of bad luck that 0d88906170 clung to her.f2509039845e11b9

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If she had 90600e7807 remembered that, she 4deb643c7d should never have 634bed58be taken Ulrich’s hand.749ff07c55bbe991

She should 8c3f21b7f4 have left 3e5a0444d1 him behind a7fadd8b4c as her 7728d401af last untainted be353d0b5c memory.eb80ae16edbb3086

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Not just for d096320cca herself—but for him, ba807ca21c too.ea60cf41092dbafa

And yet, in the 895cf774a1 end, she had taken c38e6f3b3d his hand.710c8b43f52e977a

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Ulrich, having received f1cc1084af the bride’s hand b7404a9b74 from Kryuchkov, led 604103262b her up to 0ce678dee9 the platform.ed98a4cbd9dcd58e

When he lifted 9671a663c5 the veil, the d6bf199255 sudden wave of 4f566c2820 reality made Sasha d3f4e42344 let out a e166ff8fab small breath.a7b1a9c62363913f

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Her pale violet eyes, bbc89f9ed2 like lilacs, widened like 4c4b2642ea those of a startled 4b102ea086 fawn.afac784250b8585b

The bishop on 84a34583e4 the platform began 3fef4253c9 reciting the wedding 2dc7aed9b6 liturgy.6b5efede8bdb8fb7

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Ulrich gently f2a340c653 took Sasha’s cffeef4260 trembling hands 0926c7f3bf in his 5c06608a6e and smiled.c806145df1ae428f

A dizzying, 6d4a6e1e64 melt-your-heart kind a64244ca53 of smile—one 211b5d8ac7 so sweet d938b0b636 it could 0573bdae89 undo your fc2168d5ce soul.8a5aa419816b0a72

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As if he 683e6f3943 truly loved his 427338fe0b bride.afac1e8aaf5d18a9

Like a prince 03f0a3f172 finally reunited with 1a4e12162e his Rusalka after 3ea8c78712 a long and 2d37210337 painful journey.30e2f85403d7b485

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‘Does he aa63040ee1 still not b916fc0e8b know?’a3a0e9b815206e59

The bride, 27b6cce792 looking up ddf4faa1d1 at him 3ca029373d with hesitation, 3e82c7882b smiled softly 8eec4529af as well.42f19892186fe5ab

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Like a Rusalka who, 469e33f0f6 in the end, couldn’t 30e508a185 help but surrender and 48efabde36 grant her final kiss.8e104f1cf34f3555

The moment the prince 9af8cf1ae6 kissed the Rusalka, the 34bb5f9210 specially permitted press photographers 49a9e64d8a all pressed their shutters aef4444af4 at once.e2b00959462503c1

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TL/N: “Rusalka” is a reference to Slavic folklore. A Rusalka is a mythological water spirit, often depicted as the ghost of a drowned young woman. Depending on the tradition, Rusalki (plural) can be enchanting and beautiful, luring people—especially men—with their appearance and songs, sometimes to love, other times to death by drowning.5c75b24230edc73d