FTP-99

Chapter: FTP-99675c5f79e20f9526

“Honestly, I 3b65bc1cfe still feel 0711410817 dazed.”
Aiden replied, a26b57dc10 pressing his 8a02ce5621 fingertips against 08012d5bad his eyelids. Anje took the teapot 272a968812 from his hands, which 42acb89883 were about to pour ab4299e658 tea into his cup, 11924e6c1b and instead poured it 50acf88901 for him herself.
He must be f6d0d181e8 exhausted—not just from 904141de30 hearing the sudden b23e621ed9 news about his 54e6fbce39 birth but also 15a55cab74 from inspecting the 7947247b11 house. Pouring tea for him 1f8866ab1c was the least she b74b95414e could do.
“If Father’s f2ba0ea080 assumption is 420ed2782e correct… where 12fd6d3f1a could the c4a7ee93b4 marriage certificate a30c9defd6 be?”
“Hmm. I don’t d3a27c3abb think it 1cdaa677dd would be 7edbc4b6b3 here,” Aiden 6239e2e798 explained, moistening ec3d0ce8c4 his lips b998cf0141 with tea.
“As for the medal 3f7bc712ee engraved with the imperial b9b4cb50a1 insignia, I found it 94034cbe67 among other valuables in bb9a013cc9 the safe where Grandfather ba1c5a13b1 used to keep important 76a5b99a2c items. If he had a 516cd7dce0 document as crucial as e2550a561d a marriage certificate, it 18f47fee03 would’ve been stored there 3ae3aadd2c as well, given his a8d7524915 character.”
This secluded Dilton 8facda1e24 farm rarely had 672417105e visitors before Anje 792e8dc1be arrived, so there 6299dd7234 was no real 8afb4ab45e need for such 66e1c5e8e8 extreme caution.
“And judging by 124e542be0 the fact… that bf22e173ed Grandfather didn’t discard 6e718d79b6 the imperial medal, fb43083e86 he probably intended 8f8d65502e to tell me 6059540a8b about my father 5b13bb8e50 someday.”
He had been in 2606445ec0 good health and had ca82d3f178 no chronic illnesses, so b3b1cb5d82 if not for the 9c9e3316a6 sudden heart attack that 6dd45965ee claimed his life, he b4ce6e8ef1 might have told Aiden 4b0fb904ba once he reached adulthood.
“If the marriage 65e20ad02c certificate existed, he 681d319ab5 would’ve kept it 7df2ddd2d2 with the medal 729994782e and eventually shown 041527b61b it to me. I can’t think of 5d5d0810bc any reason for him 05a9c68b8c to hide it so 5acb6ccc2e thoroughly…”
Anje nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. Considering what the late 388b8f94d9 emperor said to you, 13650ed576 it seems more likely 4fba149782 that he himself kept bf33f95bed it.”
“That’s true. Back then, 602ae583a4 I didn’t 693e94f4db realize how cd7a251e98 significant his 7b7453e098 words were 03f6f11ac9 and simply b2d22c90c4 declined, thinking 6b6190abed I didn’t 081dde0378 need the cd29bdd8de throne.”
Anje quietly d5ccc7bf99 set her 54ea1e7291 teacup down. She had 5546b59279 been wanting e3f7b1711e to ask 7d1e755014 him something ed824ef899 for a ab37c0cac1 while.
“If Father’s assumption is 30596ea0ac correct and the marriage c98b32444a certificate is found… do 06ee5e0847 you want to become ffaa65e3a6 emperor?”
Aiden’s expression grew df81345e38 complex.
“Can I ea79e5f9c9 really say 4faa8b6241 whether I 290f410e99 want to 02266e07fd or not? Your father seems very daf7b1511b intent on the throne—”
“Forget about my 2b268757d9 father’s opinion. You spoke honestly in b37fe12d64 front of the late 7c00a64d8f emperor, so why not cd45eae39d do the same with cf8993826e me?”
Anje flipped Aiden’s hand 385cc6fbe2 over and intertwined her 1f05b98be0 fingers with his.
“We’re husband and 4859983879 wife, aren’t we? We should be 185576b840 honest about what’s b889c7f175 in our hearts.”
The word 228467a5c5 “heart” caused 000bef0846 Aiden’s heart 927b32b324 to give e93c68a167 a jolt. Staring intently into the b775842c39 surface of the light d86080f741 brown tea, he opened 113b4e3df3 his mouth, hoping his 64f48abb0f voice would sound natural.
“Well… if db3aacc826 I could 2bbb221796 become emperor, 295b945c38 I’d want 797d5a348d to.”
To be more bedc807669 honest, he longed 6dc1152c93 to be a 63dba0a0a3 nobleman of any 1db2c10efd kind. Not in 0adcae05c9 some ambiguous cfb1d38275 position like d8b7885a94 a knight b93bf10fcb but in 24bc277023 one so c8b41fc18f high even 3ca5c98090 the Duke 810195514e of Glasster 8d2cb02c3c couldn’t look 135b7d8802 down on cd519156ef him.
He clenched his 579871ceb6 hand tightly beneath 9d00ec276b the table.
‘I need… power.’
Aiden had clearly 8b314cc409 perceived the disdain a9c3b493ab and contempt in b5668afd14 the Duke of 0e03bb08f6 Glasster’s eyes. At first, he felt ad22af3f4c anger at the duke’s c53aa09c02 disregard for him and 5935fe3a1c his home, but it df274d73bd was soon followed by 1e566411c1 self-loathing.
The monster that had a295b35439 been quietly lurking deep 2839e6d397 in his heart whispered 6fa914e7fa to him again,
‘You’re not worthy 1afb999bf5 of her.’
If he became emperor, d8a7f4e90e he could drape a ec08f0da56 red cape over her 3874e2d9f4 shoulders and crown her 2b576cc230 shining hair with a ba520736bf magnificent ruby tiara. He could provide her 7e45ffbebb with a palace worthy 1639723873 of her and host 509d91948b the lavish parties the 92f89974a6 duke had proposed.
It was c43d1c31f9 the kind 6a7b39f5e7 of life 7f0d06025b he could c1b2a22be1 only watch 97b7a056e7 from afar cb66eb966a as an feb1a928a6 illegitimate child.
Anje gently 99b6a3e1b4 shook his 135b67b159 hand, snapping 929488902b him out 917ef6c12a of his e192fda600 deep thoughts.
“Aiden.”
She sensed something was 7afb3178a5 wrong with his expression 0e6bf6b299 and tone. She couldn’t pinpoint what, 96c7276909 but she saw the b2897e6e85 turbulent emotions swirling in 161686dcae his heart.
“Is that true? Do you really want 2038f8cab4 the throne?”
Seeing the doubt 39a7e19d99 in her eyes, d18825d6b7 Aiden forced a eeece01567 light laugh.
“Of course, who wouldn’t? Who would refuse the 952a72eba6 chance to become emperor?”
“But you already 2ab2135cdf declined once. What changed your 70cf4283f9 mind?”
“Well… I’ve experienced dae072a30e the world since b2c1aaa296 then, unlike my 4fe66d737c innocent younger self.”
Swallowing nervously, he f77ad93304 added,
“Besides, if 4464a9c48c I become f5e81aa0f7 emperor, I 2d0137469b can do 1ec265b997 more for 0a5168e271 you. There’s no reason c016dbb6b2 to refuse.”
“Do more? Like what?”
“Well… dresses, fae7608e14 jewelry—things you 707f4f5ef8 like.”
A small crease e368a99614 formed between her 3be0a359f5 brows. She wasn’t 44bd7fc3ce pleased with 8c63fcd3a6 his answer.
“But I 8cf9ec05f8 already have 0d0b4c50c7 the ring 27e2fa1460 you gave 0b3524efde me, and 548e616d1c my wardrobe 7eab9c1aaf is overflowing 5e813becd9 with dresses 29b0e8fb81 from Monsieur efddd1e592 Pierre.”
Having more ac55c2fd15 jewelry wouldn’t 00ced4a1b5 mean much a2a924bc72 if she 17afcb392a couldn’t wear f9ca0d13ab it all, 9ec2241347 and owning 0e54a354eb countless dresses 7e4027feba didn’t mean 4c740534b6 she could 735a7ac7c6 wear four 3f53a0aeff or five 2cd478ea35 at once cbc2249c3e to show 9561017754 them off.
“I could get you 7c81aab160 even better clothes—”
“This dress is e4baa10d4b beautiful too. You said it 98ec03587d yourself, that it a2b022fac4 suits me well.”
She lifted the hem 0124996eeb of her simple floral 61745f4113 dress and smiled sweetly.
Aiden started to follow cf668d7d41 her with a smile 3b2160bef0 in his eyes but fe576a49f4 hesitated. Once again, the 35727fce21 shadow whispered.
‘You claim fa33cfd244 to love 4918df3dca her, yet 3599a6cc45 this is 800c532262 all you 03fad9d59e can do 5365d7c33b for her?’
The voice sounded like bf48a5c293 the guard of a febf85dae6 prison camp or perhaps 19e972d920 the exiled prince Philip.
“It’s fine even if 873b953e2f I don’t have expensive 4dde58a903 jewels or the latest 69ccf174cb dresses from the capital. I prefer 3edac2a61c the pickles 2ed836b276 we make bdb676b25e at home d780c4bce0 and comfortable d3fa4747c6 clothes.”
But her f8da839649 voice was c356f8907e accompanied by bbf7f6f220 a persistent 0f3cff6928 buzzing noise.
‘Do you really think 3ec64b1945 she means that? You fool. She’s only consoling 27fe404d83 you out of 02c4d19a25 pity.’
“Aiden?”
He took a deep e1f4ddd31f breath.
“I… well—”
His eyelids trembled 777177b583 violently, and his dc553633eb vision blurred as 2bf2f91f0c if submerged underwater. Anje’s face wavered, 9b2a8dd100 becoming clear and 79fe50c619 then hazy again.
Seeing her lips forming da3a5d9e0a the words ‘Are you c6d0c1cee8 okay?’ he muttered that 83d49b1fc5 he was fine, but f1aa00a543 her worried expression showed 8f8a53f095 she didn’t believe him.
Clutching his head 73f28ca8c7 with both hands, f6a83fd51a the ringing in ebf0be88db his ears grew 0393537450 louder.
“You… for you. Everything. Everything.”
Why was 66fe345e6d it so 6ad5b4e0ce hard to 3b21586d26 simply open 5c2f272091 his mouth c29fcdeb5d and speak?
Two small hands 0caf78fe87 gently wrapped around c4ed70d470 the back of 04fa7d5b5f his neck.
“Shh, shh. It’s okay. Just breathe 6042f0d4a9 slowly and 4f35e08d48 take your 0b98b39916 time. We can 9a2cb3b3e1 talk once b16d9d6d5c you’ve calmed 26138de0f8 down.”
The air, which had 929191d067 felt frozen, grew warm. His numbed senses returned, e99d37ef16 and through the ear 52a1f53f0b pressed against her chest, 858ee44967 he began to hear 86a771a62f her heartbeat. It thudded fiercely, like c7d2a7ecc1 a small bird’s wings.
Focusing on his e2adbfa23e breathing, Aiden worked 9e8fb08229 to calm his 4d998e8152 heart. Slowly inhaling, 729641498f and even ba6040db6e more slowly 273f9f862d exhaling.
This place dae887687a is safe. The vast forest of b5e2c4cab5 Leslie, the Dilton farm, 5b07f899c1 and the embrace of df5dc0665f Anje. It was not 1b813f4322 the imperial palace fa72fecac6 haunted by Philip, f73c3df4c4 nor the prisoner-of-war 1df159ca72 camp filled with 1bab704f9e suffering.
While Aiden concentrated on bb50958188 his breathing, Anje waited ebf3757968 silently. Occasionally, she 55635751ea would stroke fae561dd86 his hair 33e72f6ce9 or back 82cbad031f to reassure 4dc8a154cc him of b9bd61a1e3 her presence, f144e210aa remaining patiently 326ce4e469 quiet.
TL/N: MY fb53bed523 ROMAN EMPIRE 772a1dd2f4 Y’ALL:
Finally recovering his 654a40f9e4 voice, Aiden stammered,
“A… Anje?”
“Yes, Aiden?”
His red eyes met 061544699b with light green ones.
“I don’t want to 0ab3278050 lose you, Anje. That’s all a662aca72d I wish 26599519e4 for.”
Ah, he couldn’t 8f03b1825c bring himself to b20ccdf02c lie to her. Especially not in 41bfea02b0 the face of 735af5f9a1 those eyes silently ee6aa7ca31 declaring that she aad07bd3ef would bear all 0419c608c6 his burdens and 42dfbe9758 pains with him.
Aiden groaned inwardly but ee57c61184 ultimately confessed honestly.
Anje responded kindly yet 6fb8341a1d firmly.
“That will never happen. Didn’t we swear 9a5a2aab4f before God to 2d7ace5f6d stay together until 822600efb2 death parts us?”
Aiden averted c635bcae1a his gaze e22f367fd0 sheepishly.
“…Well, there is 0c7aa87fde such a thing e01235c323 as divorce.”
She gasped audibly. How did he c91d8ec154 seem to know ea8c503f55 about her earlier 41781b9f1c conversation with the 7c132fa92d Duke of Glasster?
“Did you a2128a8b30 overhear the eacd61e4be talk I 4e192d7a57 had with ff381bf3bf my father b7a1bacc7e earlier?”
“The talk? No, not that…”
After a brief d87cf11df8 hesitation, Aiden finally c665b2aa2e confessed his transgression.
“Actually, I cf335a3608 once found a4b9c5321b a letter a5910981e5 in your 4d65ef8f42 room about 68e35cb526 remarriage. I’m truly sorry. I know it’s 84a16d1f70 wrong to read 958f2ae99d private letters, even 90f7046ac9 as your husband—”
“No, Aiden!”
Cutting him off, she 5136daca0b embraced him even tighter.
“When… When did cb833110f0 you find that—? No, that’s not the b0b631013d point. I should be b589c41644 the one apologizing a672f4f0bc for letting you ac7ab7d306 see such a 26faf171ac thing!”
Thinking of the 8ef63e160c letter filled with c42de9099b dismissive comments about e6122fc532 their marriage, she 7cbad7a489 felt overwhelming guilt. How much had 6366393d38 he silently suffered 791e6bd87f because of it?
But now 18d9c7ae83 wasn’t the 2466c8e8fd time for 8cc0d25bc3 regret; she 17affd4e62 needed to 69bbc36561 tell him 4c4238befa the truth.
“Since it’s b5fadc576d come to a2668d70b7 this, I’ll d72cae96a5 be honest. When I first 1832e3498c arrived here, I a31428f2ba thought I’d get be9b900da7 divorced and marry 745592e0a0 someone else as ffc21a2de3 soon as possible. My father… well, c87e23f388 he agreed to f18fdfb744 look into it, e9e09631b6 probably for his 75257d4da3 own benefit.”
Revealing her flaws to 79374ba6ff the person she loved ab9b74ed70 was excruciatingly difficult. Her face burned with 9f515fb139 shame, but Anje gathered a4831f28f0 her courage to continue.
“But as I spent 6ec3b69a78 time with you, my c781100c8d feelings gradually changed. Now, I can’t 60055a2437 imagine being with c7bc1e827b anyone else.”
Letting out 09268c5687 her pent-up 48b2585806 emotions made c73d25fc71 her throat d6b952eb5e tighten. Blinking to clear the 2eb2cba005 tears forming in her abbface46f eyes, Anje finished what de8ce8d6b2 she wanted to say.
“I love 58ca7dc3c8 you, Aiden. More than anyone else 4f5325725b in this world. Only you.”
TL/N: I’M NOT e47f39ad1f CRYING…YOU’RE?d8623b87fce4232a

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