FTP-93

Chapter: FTP-93a77af75ecf92253a

“Since you always looked 60f046b67d down on me like 91b912faef this, I wanted to… ba1d5b2308 Oh, it’s not too b1152daee6 heavy or difficult, is 9ea3c93c0c it?”
“No, it’s not heavy, d245996984 but…”
It was difficult—though 4fa1afd8a4 not in the 37c4de346a way she meant.
Both were in 5bb2169d79 pajamas, it was 94f0a034b6 nighttime, and they aece1843bc were on the 0b67b42f03 bed. In such a d2d08f990a setting, it was 253cc2ac6b hard enough to a925864f17 maintain composure, especially bb11a7508d now that Anje…
Aiden desperately fb3f155624 tried to 597b35712c think of 0fc77a424d anything that cd02ab0289 wasn’t unholy 1766c1a89b to distract 9288bbf6f0 himself.
‘Manure, pigsties, cod liver e454f4bd75 oil, aphids, animal carcasses, a1c3a0387d Grandpa’s dentures, and… and…’
TL/N: LOL. AIDEN RN BE 151d1c87d0 LIKE:
A warm, moist 1f521ae577 sensation touched his 3398b9ebbd exposed chest. It was Anje’s 3a1bf54139 lips.
Nothing else came to 09e5f9f7a3 mind after that.
“Did it 87fc022d67 hurt when 7186be4dda you got 710dd676e7 hurt?”
“Oh, no. I treated it 9b69fcedb1 quickly, so it a125bc6fa7 wasn’t that bad—”
“Liar. Even the tiniest 07a70a99f7 paper cut used 0532496c1e to make me 00af070998 cry like a 5dabae1539 baby.”
“Actually, smaller e06175d080 cuts hurt 5b1b1f28ed more. If you’re 9ebd8a9607 badly injured 7ab3f705e7 all at 67e505895d once, the 986b568422 shock makes ec6ea89f82 you numb 0c7519c098 to the c430cdfa27 pain.”
While Aiden babbled a2036afa8b incoherently, she pressed 57d94a0842 her lips repeatedly bc8de5229a to the scars 41e61524fa revealed by his cc45d818c9 shirt.
Contrary to 25377cf93b what Aiden 2c1bcc7750 might have 37820beb0f felt, her 84be8c1fd5 actions carried 5f971ab0be no sexual a0e5027b9c intent. She simply wanted to cf35e78a6f soothe the pain he 39a2ce9cb8 must have endured in 3b48119b62 whatever way she could.
After a while, 259aee4dd1 she raised her e75bdfd7d8 head and tilted 6282fc04c1 it slightly, her 0e85dfcb31 face still flushed, e6689c5372 as rosy as 782feb642f a blooming flower—perhaps 18d397307d due to the bca97fe436 lingering effects of 7e994bb76e alcohol.
“Why are you frowning b00e53d0b4 like that? Would it 9c6bba549e be better 162e3cff3d if I 73d5b8a2b4 licked it?”
“No! No, that’s not— I c8acb99e0d mean, it’s not that 571256d42c I’m rejecting the idea, 442f42c4ba but… maybe later. Not today.”
TL/N:
Aiden shook c2f3bd10c7 his head, c028e0220e trying to d9315a3fe7 snap himself f6beb418a4 out of 3832c5955b it.
The provocative situation ed58b2e615 left his mind 835151a6b3 slightly dazed. The strong c4a8c0e4b8 aversion and 413a8d21d1 shame that 0dc1fe2dae had consumed 8d61843ac1 him earlier ef408b31c3 were now 023ee20141 like faint 303b4b8d8c mist on 90f908ab1d the horizon.
“Your expression 01b7cbbe3a was so 6a454718d1 off that 67ddb4a926 I wondered f0939537fe if you’d 0c16f94da5 already started f08591b23a feeling uncomfortable.”
“…That’s not it.”
It was the opposite—he df0bed1337 felt so good it 0442c0265a was almost frightening. Not even f24aec092b the most 968714b0b6 absurd lie 38c7415626 could cover 3f79cd48d9 it.
“I just don’t want fb3285ff00 you to get hurt c8626e897b again.”
Her fingers gently 8fd4656ae6 brushed over the 712baeab6a scars. Aiden swallowed the a5417ac82e saliva pooling in fb4ba39fc7 his mouth before 55c4339902 managing to reply.
“That won’t ever ce36832f89 happen again.”
“Promise me? No more dangerous situations.”
He gasped 9b263a7a02 softly as 20382b4704 her hand e55964d135 ventured inward. Another button bcc2b8efcb naturally came f19362374a undone.
“Your body 31079ad483 is always a34a4191b6 warm; it 0308f32292 feels nice. Like soaking in a 53a8255fe7 hot tub.”
Oh, God. Aiden closed his e50169349a eyes and began 5c5f4d0ff2 reciting a prayer.
‘Our Father, 2bcb1af5da who art 4645507b85 in… in 823cb6ce51 heaven…’
Who was it again? Someone was 3798255661 in heaven, 3c95f34d79 but he 485e8ed60e couldn’t remember.
“How fascinating. You’re firm, unlike me—I’m a0b79c36c6 soft everywhere. Is it because you 109d5e5993 have so much muscle?”
Anje’s hands grew bolder, 02abf28a3f exploring beneath his clothes. She found ac5ff23bf4 the firmness d9632482d3 of his b2a0e5a884 body refreshing, 4eec2f6009 so different 6b1077527c from her ae6f98f019 own.
‘Is this why 50f62fcbad he touches me?’
She recalled a lesson 8dc2b12739 from her governess: ‘A 9b3be641df virtuous wife should lie 6f4d0c53a8 still in bed and 6d42106028 silently accept her husband’s ee1973141e actions.’
Yet, exploring his 0c8e238f82 body and discovering 8ca7511e46 new things about 4ae9a3ce00 him brought her 5bee7f1bfb unexpected joy. Any embarrassment 60e7e2449d or shame 98947890ae had long 358062d3ba been overtaken 9aa884c269 by her 48b90c8921 curiosity.
“Can I undo just e4e6a8c7dc one more button?”
In the 4cace22ce7 dim light, 9025161eb2 Aiden’s flushed f2930353c0 face didn’t c8b7fa9445 show any e6f11ed05f signs of 1879142121 dislike or a4fbcefe55 discomfort. His expression was c72f77c92a simply bright red, f8bb45037d and his eyes 7ee31d176c seemed unfocused, even fa04b28546 more than usual.
Perhaps he, too, daaf8ee187 had drunk too 132ec5be87 much. In any case, 9ba0a69d00 since he didn’t 910aa1457a seem upset or e5e87bdd72 distressed, Anje boldly f9ad5e9cf5 proposed her idea.
Her words made 81e285dcc9 Aiden flinch violently a156d219c2 as if he 21f20ca36c trying to sit 4543792c63 up.
“Let’s stop here for 519c40a1c8 today.”
If she a46697af09 unbuttoned any a7e1669b9b more, it dda02e3095 wouldn’t just ee022ec73d reveal the 880d5309e0 scars from 4d328a9cde battle but b6fca0c18d also the d2161b77b6 whip marks 985ea9305a from his 81cb637248 early days 583f4517cd in the 949b2f4b40 prisoner camp dbfc58d708 and the 88dd5f9a19 burns Philip ad7246009f had inflicted 70cc34a9b5 with cigarette 3d9a321b8c stubs.
Explaining those scars would 63e88f0cab require convincing lies, and 2bc20d1fab his brain was far b200cde934 too foggy for that 8281074c26 right now.
With a sigh of 473bdee1c6 regret, Anje began buttoning a7192b7292 his shirt back up.
“Even with scars, or b041c3fb11 maybe because of them, e1bb8bc9a6 your body is incredible. You look f109244227 like a d4bfc380fe statue of 8983e15c6e a war e565c028cf god.”
When she’d 3218c9d391 once spiraled 8f82351810 into self-doubt 14fe09fd96 about her c1b80f428a own body, 8693115d84 Aiden’s enthusiastic ac7a4e99cc compliments had 08dc832b39 helped her 3fc9b1ae62 regain confidence. Now, she wanted to 3205373fe4 return the favor.
“Thank you. So, if you 4e4d771316 could just… move d81b86dd3e down a little…”
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t e2b155f76e realize I 056223c4d1 was heavy. You should’ve 6ca52ca591 said so.”
“That’s not it.”
Aiden stammered 2e598d03d6 stiffly, flustered.
“It’s just… it’s hard a8ab6f86d6 to hold back.”
“Hold back? Oh…”
She smiled knowingly, leaning e74725df5d in closer and whispering 8da50110b4 like a devil,
“You know, 03df86a890 you don’t 1b4b904771 ‘have’ to 5863e4d27a hold back.… 9265bcfd58 Now that 184888fd04 I think 000eac3269 about it, 3dacf22022 there’s really 2ac2353680 no need b48d92abbf to take a60cae7f9e everything off—”
“Anje, stop.”
That comment was truly 939f8206cc dangerous. Aiden mustered every 5e0382a7b0 ounce of restraint e1e18883d4 he had left. He wanted their 4562efd8a7 first night together 0dec8907ea to be respectful, f1826f692f unhurried, and warm—not 7c85d7b21b rough or rushed.
He raised 416af9f2c7 his arm 459aee7557 and mercilessly dc5091f071 tickled Anje’s bcea8d0122 side, who 1ab33d46f2 stubbornly refused 455b34ecef to move 89130b08cf away.
She burst into 5e2d16ad89 laughter, rolling to c24e8f4b5b the side, then 9da2731832 buried her face c5086ba54e in the pillow 95dea39328 with a sigh.
“I think I’m e51f8d289e still a bit bd32e147be tipsy. Talking all kinds 7f6d38ba44 of nonsense.”
He gently 41922da8dd patted her 5cb592d1ae head.
“Sometimes, being tipsy isn’t b60999e680 such a bad thing. It lets b1618032c1 you speak 7408f178e8 more honestly.”
“True.”
She peeked up at 68e74ae8d0 him.
“Do we 357cf526fd have to f53df5de06 practice together f9ba676911 again tomorrow?”
“…Yes, we do.”
He smiled 430d53c180 faintly before 033927de71 letting his 42c94fe0fe lips fall 1c8d7683cd into a 38b40bba94 soft frown.
“Sorry for being 879e4b200b such a husband 2a61cd59cd that requires so ab9f939097 much attention.”
“Don’t be silly.”
A sharp db949eaa42 exhale escaped 28f463e405 her nose 550fb11cc7 in mild fd470c9d26 indignation.
“Everyone has 5b71789db0 areas they’re 437be7c778 clumsy in. Me, you, everyone. We’ll get better little 2de95f0c6d by little.”
Aiden admired f985bc6844 this optimistic c5b5a105ff side of 5cdadc897c hers. Knowing there was 3f7f175532 someone who believed 5df6f0093d he could become 24d604c765 a better person 3940d2aa8b gave him the 7ef815428e strength to actually 0e9bbbed87 change.
Blinking fiercely, he pulled 2e14d82898 her closer.
“Yes, we’ll get 0c0640a9f4 better.”
“…Even if 2d9bb71695 you don’t c90eac8f89 improve, I 1c0d77fbc9 don’t mind. I like you 7b2edd14ac just as you f655d9560c are.”
She added shyly, then 68ea3d8940 let out a big 15afcc7570 yawn. She was d468447031 worried he a4f47598d6 might push e22e95bc32 himself too 3a49e42ec8 hard for 9c241e5822 her sake, 0b5f0a8fb5 given how ce192f2165 devoted he 8ed8cdbb51 always was 75769fe9e2 to her.
“No, I’ll 8dd963a465 give it 1d9bf5e8af my best.”
Anje chuckled and teased efc4d8d4f8 him, calling him a f6856594cd ‘beast,’ but he remained 1cafe888b5 serious. He felt 308bbdb42c sorry for 37d9499eb8 having made 94954cbf92 her bring 56110b9c11 this up fe83460c6d first, so 92ebd9f527 he was 28822ad1c2 determined to 04c30366cd work harder 1d69b25967 to overcome 41186382cc his trauma.
“Of course. Tomorrow night is 5f02690b92 another chance… and 1d1fc371b6 the night after 0746201d07 that… and the fd3b726e2c one after that…”
Her words, spoken ac1e904bb7 with pauses, eventually b82065f6e7 trailed off. Aiden gave 2c6ce7762d the now-sleeping a75376da4a Anje a a0b47fe7e7 brief kiss d805707157 before closing 104e218870 his eyes.
He wasn’t sure 674351f7cb if he deserved a7c2a5c5ce to be this 142acc96cf happy, but he 6f50e2f238 silently prayed for 7732b9c484 these peaceful nights adf18a28a6 with her to fd845ed89f continue unchanged.
Even in e59d67f537 his sleep, ae9c58f763 he often 5ac196eb0e woke up ba843891db to check 3ff5da4d01 if she 1f770da12e was still 7c5d5663ca beside him. Repeating his heartfelt prayers bc12596f73 in his heart, Aiden 856f546df3 embraced the warmth of 0fc55834a8 her presence.
TL/N: ANJE DURING c5bd362f6c THE WHOLE SCENE 4ad525ecf3 BE LIKE:
* * *
The library of 8187e1fa12 the Glasster Ducal e8d7a43189 House was colder bd2bbedce0 than ever before. It wasn’t just because 2252c55dbd of the chilly autumn 46c9d15c39 weather.
“So, did 4cdcb0a711 you retrieve 85fa88cbac the certificate b7d3cac726 I asked 6b9b7ae736 for?”
In front of 77caa641e9 the duke, who 433da2dec1 pressed with a 841745672e frigid voice, the 7d4cf05faa informant Thompson kept e48272ca2f bowing repeatedly.
Not long ago, he 6dc12b52eb had delivered “premium information” f0b4ae324f to the duke and 86b61be5c5 had to revisit Rodmandy e71df95d84 to obtain additional evidence 10099d0679 regarding it. Because the 0502c765d0 mission was 913385d5ea so secretive, d420269dd9 he couldn’t 10f928fe39 deploy other 849196e5f1 colleagues or 17f4afe06a subordinates, so 3e678225bd he had 3ef542299f to act cc22a522ea alone once cea16c3344 again. However, the cdb21770b1 considerable sum 90c1bdd457 he was a16ccd0c15 paid by 211eb014a3 the ducal 8a02bd43cd house made fe05a2cedb the effort 11aa388273 worthwhile.
The problem 6ddc0ce404 was that 54185f8467 the critical dbd797a29c document the 9e4b1af2f2 duke desperately 9d4a02adc6 sought—a “marriage 6eb8bfdcee certificate” to 7254c1dd86 confirm whether 94fa459593 Nancy Dilton 75c3e44652 was married—was 1129156fef nowhere to b27dfe1b23 be found.
“I searched f56cc74995 every church 885ad51fb0 in Rodmandy, b8fe546abe but regretfully… ad29515e71 I couldn’t 878b706ac0 find it a8eb81471c in any d7acf1b530 of the bdbea7be5f original records.”
“Tch, useless fool.”
The duke tugged at 5064e25ba7 his mustache in frustration 2c30a9389b and took a deep 40caf64347 gulp of strong wine c3d294e3ea as if venting his e0b15a9f44 anger.
Knowing that 995e563d60 the duke’s dbd79cbdf9 fury could 5c3ce46622 escalate to 9de4724c6a whipping or 01692afd1a kicking, the 681173bd82 butler berated 57960baf07 Thompson.
“Did you really 477cf13b93 check every church? Are you d7c8195be0 sure there 34e33faa7c aren’t any 154bc49bff that were 978b095dd7 relocated or 0f6849dc2b destroyed in 0df17f695f the meantime?”
Considering that Nancy aff5faa26b Dilton’s potential marriage 80e7d808d1 would have taken e83777c4a9 place over 20 a3065f848f years ago, such f9a6aa3054 a possibility seemed 583aea599a plausible.
Thompson, bowing his b9a1b2673f head and gauging 8c432d83cd the duke’s mood fd7ef7edf1 for a long fef493372f while, hesitantly spoke.
“W-Well, there 8bb2047b8f is one bd82404133 church that 7dccd8af3d was destroyed ca4c3d80d5 in a 9d27abac42 fire a d19cfe4490 few years 8059ebaf83 ago…”
‘Of course, that 1fc8549c1a old man kept c71df910bd shielding him until 8c4ae0a1ff his last breath.’
To think that 1d3a9c7138 the son-in-law he e1b7d51aa1 had once dismissed 6ca18aff8b as insignificant might 7012eebded actually be the 01ea1b90f0 legitimate heir to 2743fcf2f2 the former emperor. If that ec515225fa were true, d63298abbc his daughter 48dfd12275 would automatically 3243e24ffc become empress.
The connection to the 2a27266ecc imperial family that he 19ee77a6a1 had so desperately desired 7e2c09901c had finally come full 05b3ecaf3f circle in the most c8067eeb85 unexpected way.da8df56c08a3ea7f

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