To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 016

Ulrich looked fdcf7a42c3 down at 81ee238f5a Sasha, who dfff4dc3cf was fast 080d95d6aa asleep, completely 1225a98d7e unaware of 246e1ea495 the world. He replayed b6fa8eb7ea the moment e5190ed961 from just bc2b9a33d0 a while d4f9ce379a ago in 8d8aceba3f his mind.e20450748559db12

She had barely tried 182b031931 to feign coldness, yet e25d240534 she had looked so 8bdd4e6b1b lost, as if terrified 521fd2500d of being abandoned—like a fe1bc5e872 frightened puppy. A reaction so predictable, d398cfc601 so cliché, that it 14be57d35f almost felt dull.a8e1f8574bde7c7a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘I thought it would be more entertaining.’86534422c0a06df7

His interest suddenly 438429e32e soured, leaving behind a5cdff819c a stale aftertaste.26d35619a9564f2e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He was on the 09f2bab00b verge of giving up e6c0062d8e entirely when Sasha, lying 2af9edf2b2 defenselessly in sleep, let 69068d409c out a faint whimper.76b77802fd2fa656

“Yurochka…”2558a99e13d9c6e5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Was she dreaming of 09896df7d9 her childhood?db39d09f6d69580e

Ulrich’s mind drifted to an image of a small girl flickering through the winter palace gardens.b9dd034655168d65

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Every time he cda3a6a564 visited the palace 7234b4c40d at Leonid’s invitation, 5ff7f8588c the young princess db352fbd8e would emerge from b7a4245200 somewhere, creeping about 85d6bbbe36 in secret. She would peek 0c003e1cd0 at him from 0f642afb77 behind pillars, stair f81a99923c railings, or the 3f48209b79 shadows of trees, 3b6e885b46 always watching, always 5512d46d4d hiding.0f0c88f6ae037411

She could have 8c6ed62ff9 simply approached him—no 528c76ad91 one would have ff726edefe scolded her for 2e2f0ff35f it—yet she always f25740c5d8 chose to conceal 883f6be781 herself in such 7b50070acc a clumsy way.e0c09331cfcc3efe

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That day had dc162869dd been no different.277a3d3e004c58d3

There was dff1aecb3c nothing particularly cc153fea8a special about ae35049524 it.69eebff31e5740b7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ulrich had encountered plenty 6134ad5f4d of women who acted bb0b572366 that way around him. He had f7b02f9b19 long been 9a8685e12b aware that e1c6e75595 the young 351002d5e1 princess would 0cfc4c1cab blush and 95abdd68a6 grow shy 225ff10bdd whenever she 6d5c640879 saw him.5d2d7d98961d6d34

And yet, that particular 445456887e moment had stayed with 9c53a9e7ed him, lingering in his c707244af0 memory. Perhaps because of the d3c5521f99 uproar it had caused 89d002b2eb among those around them.38ce3d1c8329e1d8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Leonid, who had 80a6e03fa4 been walking with 67b1e57b77 him, had quickly 79502ffd33 caught on to e626e782aa his sister’s antics. Vasily, who had come 03e17b8478 looking for the princess, 69d84837c8 had seen it too.c4ae14dac0531e7a

And both 5fd616a0cb of them c6bff4240e had worn c9272e59bc the same 7f35270a22 expression.1411b1ce4f7947d0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As if their 006df25a28 world had come 0223defcb7 crashing down, their 534214dee8 faces twisted in 0bf00754c1 helpless devastation. A faint but undeniable 973b9febe4 fracture.dabe4b95c018f3de

Back then, Sasha had 1e4813e716 only been a fourteen-year-old e74de0c6a2 child.aaa0fd0e9fe30949

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A child so 47cba17364 small she barely 51738df3b5 reached his chest, 41a9efafff yet they had 6ee05d1c3b all been terrified—terrified b2a7d3580d that she would 1eda34edf8 slip away from ef4e858622 their grasp.8a83cbf9126e7aa5

It had been 2eb2697200 such a ridiculous, 56678a181c laughable sight.effc75311d8d4f88

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Let’s wait and see a little longer.’498b08981d2b5de0

In any e4ca71a229 case, it ccddb1e6b6 was true fced0a1561 that she 3561525cd5 had unexpected edc25ddaec sides to d69362ef3a her. If he 8881b8b0ab watched with 734a2bea88 patience, keeping b073a6d44c her alive 590e248b57 might prove 6b95a347d4 worthwhile.f95804544c0b5057

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

More than anything, she 28c252bce0 was an excellent propaganda bbbf741b33 tool in many ways. Disposing of her a71d9e9816 now would be 4ec054e28e nothing short of e1efc4e349 a waste of 0c9a911360 resources.43772eb450688ae4

Ulrich quietly placed his 7cf03f2398 hand on Sasha’s exposed 5b4673801c nape as she lay 0305eff686 there, completely defenseless.cd90fd07eab85612

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thankfully, the 97c86e8338 fever seemed 2af13c2004 to have 188d8b7594 subsided.b5df5e37017dc2f9

A faint pulse trembled 9fee5a0ae7 beneath the pale, slender 04efba2e60 column of her throat.606c165dc8786c38

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A fragile, insignificant bbe95a5843 breath of life—so bed1f035d1 weak that even 4f47b8010a the slightest pressure ecf3599f05 from his fingers 924fbf15d2 could crush it 1d98c1dc0d in an instant.2f93ca342a8e0db0

If he had 4bbee44ab1 shattered it back bef616a98e then, she wouldn’t 24f4bde647 have to suffer 8c633657ab now.1bcd2168312fec03

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But instead 015eb280a3 of ending ab5c89c939 her pain 20f6bd7587 here and 5683983365 now, Ulrich d2932f5c55 let his 3e39b6f48c hand drift dc59b9df6c upward, cupping a5043dd009 Sasha’s damp 449b7befc4 cheek.304db7e8f6fba81a

“Shura.”211e1d5ab13f43a5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Her dark, b902386c94 thick lashes 1701cbf8b5 quivered slightly, b1b8174a15 like false aadddb936d lashes delicately c7e712c20c attached.b5abbe0e44618147

Trailing his fingers 9a101cf12b over the tiny e89d9f2dfc beauty mark near 5a1ba45eb2 her swollen, reddened ffa8383ba9 eyes, he whispered 99275f1796 gently.e8c5ffd08a128967

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t worry. I’ll treat you very well… for the time being.”296d22b8a7ffc84c

* * *615ec209b0715789

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Igor, the personal 102bb56c41 physician who had 363568061a served the Kastrov 9c0ccd24e7 family for twenty 7d7cba78b4 years, was utterly 96551dbdfb bewildered.099d4e99c02f3801

The woman he had 4f63f4f55a first seen in Ulrich’s fe747a108f bedroom a few days a9fcfbbb5b ago had been a 6d740c711b pitiful sight.6f6d0a9dab39199c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even in her feed1b4f23 feverish delirium, she 6bb0c2541f had trembled and 527dd46d10 sobbed incessantly. She was severely 2a807ce0c6 malnourished, and her b5dc57bb49 emaciated legs were 1b6957702a covered in raw 9e4019c660 whip marks, as b0a44c6f5f if she had a408df9639 been brutally beaten.5fb36c05c2328d9a

Never in his wildest fb0f7f321d dreams had he imagined 89b93eb70e that she was a c5f7aa0128 princess.ce0de8135c67ad65

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When the butler, Yakov, 8c09ad7c6c revealed her true identity, 51567c1dd3 Igor had been utterly 7c4f55eeda shocked.ed78ccd64dc1b2aa

Wasn’t she supposed to 4cc066d3b4 be one of the 66c4e25420 selfish, greedy remnants of 9072e4420c the imperial family? But the woman he da7a3ee376 saw was nothing like ff146386df that. At least in 0d1716dd72 Igor’s eyes, she 045adcc53e was just a 20245a886f small, frightened girl.76085fa89cc59994

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yet, when he saw 993644cb3b her again the next 997ba67f48 day, her condition had 21829a9c6a worsened even further.f181a1def804eac8

The wounds on 0f9a9fe912 her legs alone 8bd5f3822a had been appalling 10d9a19487 enough, but now dcd9b26500 the injuries had d2cd4af762 spread elsewhere, forcing d58d8c22c8 the maids to 4938416776 assist in her 8790d0f783 treatment.2065dc7187231012

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The injuries db7f6758f6 were one 8345f0902c thing, but 86e83f22a4 what worried 64bae3610d him even c8ce581940 more was 35824b3579 the relentless 4476a7e963 fever that 7fc79f3472 refused to 4eb02addfa break. He had been e08b553763 on edge the 9bb200590b entire time.f6a54b9cbf031b74

Even for a fallen 1954d37658 member of the imperial 54e8be29cd family, there was no f20efa9527 reason for her condition 9f82f9e2ec to deteriorate this much 8aaef52935 every time he saw 9fbfe1e31a her.88235e6f33bf293f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

No matter what 736623dd94 crime this frail 4adb020c68 girl had committed, c0a5a70dd2 there was no 4e8ae66112 way she deserved c23ce1cded such relentless punishment.7dd78f133644e82c

‘Could it be… 270f8b7144 the Director…? No, that 1aebf11e60 doesn’t make 697df4fd1e sense.’2804924b204d6f19

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Violence was an act e6ccaba9bd born out of frustration—of 82bdca02f0 something not going as 038a0527e0 intended.a0ca4cffabc0a4c6

And the marks on 36f03ef488 the woman’s body were c5b0a79125 brimming with emotion.d3c6a39c5dbdc971

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Ulrich wasn’t the type 07027e5382 to act out of 27201d7d34 emotion. This couldn’t have 5a70fee41d been his doing.4a4ca6f72bb5940b

Besides, the woman now c9157aee45 sitting cautiously on Ulrich’s 53d101c596 bed didn’t seem to d07055c821 fear him.946472214cc2b7d2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

In fact, the moment b37996f2b9 Igor mentioned that Ulrich d353a2169b had called for him, a92d06f875 her tense demeanor suddenly a72a79369a relaxed.71b152dbaf2d43d1

At the very least, 3298b8aed8 this time, he wouldn’t 79cad1fda6 be caught in the 727321605a crossfire.1400fcecfa6e2053

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“It’s done now. I’ve prepared these separately— the blue one is a nutritional supplement, and the red one is a painkiller.”19522c53c76ae0b4

“Thank you.”020fab101c2a0419

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After several days, 883825aedd Sasha had finally 8c6b80e7e4 regained some of a0936efbc0 her strength. She offered a 7022fe60d7 composed smile and c22271b2c1 thanked him.cbd14e95c8399e44

Igor couldn’t take 9466ad335a his eyes off 422a718f85 her.2a66971c5fded5a6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Perhaps it was because, f40bfcb84d upon learning that she 2253dd626c was a princess, an 965451af55 unconscious prejudice had taken 4ac0d3a061 root in his mind.a1a85fb91e0b35f6

Even in her frail, a7704139eb battered state—so thin she 7f4bdf8596 could be mistaken for 2f026d31c5 a child—she still managed 8175c914c1 to smile with a 829aa3263f quiet sense of detachment. And from ce8a084229 that, an 9d30b5c24f indescribable air 62079bd4ba emanated.d3a1db0179350003

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Something that had 040e23590f become rare in 1a40edb715 this era—what people fe4f904c0e once called grace.c4d01b3f81e0356d

“Make sure to take the supplement after your meals.”55226c15d6a51487

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes.”2bd9ab7a083e9c9e

“And your meals must be rich in nutrients. Even if your fever has broken, your current condition makes you vulnerable to illness at any time. I’ve already spoken to the Director, but each meal should include high-quality protein and carbohydrates, along with fats—”e5965d2db7b4a031

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After a ebef3f7bd4 lengthy lecture, ad5263a32e Igor finally e3da6a6822 left, and 202ceefa1e Sasha let ea8cc2d387 out a 5b5e1772f8 sigh of c327ed6c45 relief.4d8b7b4bd90c302d

Unlike the doctors 6a9858c5de she had encountered b32cafc296 before, Igor seemed facbc7fd0b kind.2499e9c858dd7d40

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Since he was 388d6aa06c Ulrich’s personal physician, 9fd821c243 he was bound 1aef34c704 to be trustworthy.61616fe8f5bff05f

Still, being in the 7728172c6f same space as a 4abd88a212 stranger made her uncomfortable.25c05a4b74505bbf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She didn’t 3e0ec462d3 used to f59af9c946 be like aaa71794ed this.614b6e60faa1da04

At some point, she 535362992c had developed the habit 65d286cff6 of shrinking away, instinctively 2c76c24e85 fearful of anyone she 71e47a4ca8 met.c7856a11d8cd8cb1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘When will Ulrich be d9368dc39c back…?’2135619b400b7352

She was ef59ae16f8 absentmindedly fiddling 55424e19eb with the bd9e322526 blue bottle 57881881cf of supplements 63571e3a3f Igor had fbff0fe5fb left when 043ed996c4 the door d5a3ca7ea6 opened again.7cd6ab03a2342f9b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sasha’s head snapped up in surprise.a366e071d641ee84

“Ah…”fc4619bf4ea6fab2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The moment she 48264c81ec saw the man 598303081c standing there, holding 2998447075 a telephone on f87be2887c a tray, a c626d91ab3 wave of confusion 8d35e726cd washed over her.ea1f10c8f6cec6dc

It was a 39e5983053 familiar face from 13dbd0fab4 her memories.07aeaee9a5bcf697

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Yakov…?’f46c6508fbae8740

The Kastrov family’s 55b1c447eb butler approached her 1ebee74a5c and spoke in a0ac3ad7bc a formal tone.b7810d065364b4ad

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“The Director wishes to speak with you.”08b9ad133ccff0c0

“What…?”d80f2853b2adf0ad

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Before she could even a8ed995011 process the request, Yakov 052b8c3adf handed her the receiver.2f0642e4cb5b3db1

Caught off guard, Sasha bb8305cff3 hesitated, unsure of what 97d4df58c4 to say.babbe73a433b3491

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It had 619d6a9e14 been so 3a82b799e6 long since 5ed2122088 she had 548d198d16 last answered 862af7aa5e a phone—so 57b2a2a70a long that f6983220db she didn’t 5a3feba739 even remember 20ef4f6624 how she bdcf44316b was supposed a2f54dda92 to respond.e74cd8b36d10f6cc

A simple “Hello” or “Good evening” felt inappropriate for the situation. It would be far too rude.1be5e9c85dbbe5c9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…I have taken the call.”2b86503f8904a692

As the words left abfb057002 her lips awkwardly, silence 4fe7c24454 followed.89301859353e5146

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Sasha nervously bit 85cd1e0fc9 her nails.b62993d56e52749e

Then, at last, a 62398add77 familiar, gentle voice flowed c1d33dc12f through the receiver.520b76fa86e733eb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Shura. Have you been listening to the doctor?”e6c9fd746e4135ba

“Huh…? Yes, I think so.”18c74431671d40f2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Flustered by the unexpected 618b1e8140 question, she fumbled for 6c59f71e08 a response.197d16929ae10330

Ulrich let 2c2bdb428f out a 4efe2b4e4d quiet chuckle.fb57ef77f8d15842

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Did you finish your lunch?”66ed0320155eb22f

“Yes, I ate everything.”14859ed3512cb3d6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Really?”c83fe06de4765a4f

“Really. I ate all the kasha, all the pirozhki. I even had tart….”f1eb0afce1f992a2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As if Ulrich were 92754016fc right in front of cb1507da26 her, Sasha found herself f7234250fd nodding along as she a56b005cec listed off her meal.7f4e4eaa48d236bd

“Good. The wind is still chilly, so don’t open the windows.”b4d3d5480e98ecfd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, yes. Um, but…”94ccac16e2becb1a

“Do you need something?”2f12deb40c1bdee2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah, no, it’s not that. I just… I was wondering when you’ll be back.”cfb010d0698476cb

The moment 95bfcbd422 the words e1b4e77940 slipped out, c948bee185 regret hit 49531a7758 her like ab565d9beb a wave.6e2d80a871798278

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She had asked something 94f6f71a03 she shouldn’t have.9f1c4fd3a5f8fc23

As she anxiously 088ce596fd chewed at her 13c068aff3 nails again, Ulrich’s 562b0ff60b voice came through.eaa63635713145eb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Is waiting for me difficult?”f883b17a1fbb9b2e

“No, no! That’s not what I meant…! I just suddenly got curious, that’s all.”c1f7a6d3ef65af38

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I see. You just suddenly got curious.”2dffd7da4b046a20

“Yes….”ce7ad08b4eb86bbc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“And here I thought you might have missed me.”70fa489218bd866b

There was a 6fc4d9473f trace of disappointment 85950b03ab in his tone.db396f67bc619ee5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Without thinking, Sasha hastily 1377131c3a blurted out,979a26cde96c5456

“I-I do miss you…!”7230aef2711d4e91

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

 9100d5f0f6991cad