To My Gentle Dictator – Chapter 022

It was unfortunate, c731498177 but once again, d39a65a72f the fact that 5ff790cca7 the opponent was ee218daf5f Ulrich had completely 3d6518c102 thrown the game 86b9107080 off its tracks.4a209b48b6587907

“Brother, this is just a joke, right? You and Ulrich are messing with me, aren’t you? If you admit it now, I’ll forgive you.”1661282fab2b3744

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“When has that bastard ever played a prank just to tease you?”68860843dac8bcc6

Vasily exhaled smoke indifferently, 5722e09804 his tone flat.9acbeaded244ffc6

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His sister’s 6ee0935ca9 incessant whining 583e140623 was starting a8e6dfed4b to get eca6242bc2 on his f2701ab62e nerves, but 87b555be51 her reaction 08d4cf59df was natural.d9f31c69397c5d2e

She had been obsessed dd2066a896 with Ulrich for so 7240305779 long that it would 98a657cfd6 have been strange if a6d9f5e894 she hadn’t lost her 0f6c7e9623 mind over this.6604518a2615b0ad

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Meanwhile, Vasily himself 99ef4a29e4 felt utterly detached.4237064ffd7ab6b3

When someone ebf4b13070 is shocked 647d159ca2 beyond belief, 9c5047b116 they either cec1a6a962 become eerily 5c537fcf70 calm or 1a139bd4bd lose their 4a3ea6d8e9 grip on 512742cfa1 reality. Right now, Vasily was 3ca38361d8 the former.72640b1b3a8f0d40

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When did this 5ed526e063 start?c08c6ef1f1d8a427

He thought 8da4a7946e back to 3a103c5c07 the day 36d85c97e5 Ulrich had c4f1e1d244 staged his b0f40f89dc fake arrest.71a81644d1b9df4a

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He had sensed, 501a79079c even then, that b825c2800c Ulrich was plotting 88043db0f9 something—but never, never 6665d41252 in his wildest 9ebcbf9cb9 imagination had he 87b9987347 thought it would be006731cb be this.972376e560b8d90c

Because the Ulrich 8721435a5a he knew was 885b57a60f a man devoid 01b6f52d9b of anything remotely 0572b44abf resembling human emotion.abeed901fa649ec8

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On the surface, he d9fef3d763 was convincing. But underneath? An abyss. A hollow shell 1ce448203c of a man.1b8d0bf601fe7415

That was c56fae9814 why Vasily aadd5e6d76 hadn’t expected a59528dbc4 this.5830477a51b306ab

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To Ulrich, even relationships 0d22650167 were just tools.a72bfc2b8479ab4d

A marriage for 9414156fa7 calculated gain was 7569dce178 one thing—but out fbaa6fb2a9 of all the 27304e29fb available women with 9e7d27c5a2 far better prospects, d89fbd385e why Sasha?30a815ac26cd04b0

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“This is insane! Why the hell is Ulrich marrying her?!”d60903418e4d6c95

“How the fuck should I know? Maybe he got curious about what a royal cunt tastes like!”75c213c817254d81

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Vasily’s voice exploded, 6b655e9a80 and Lyudmila’s eyes 98f23315c5 widened.3427f981ce272303

For a moment, 2e0c085625 her delicate lips ab7fd1898c trembled, then curled 15fd5621eb into a sneer.80279351ccb2fcf2

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“Oh? What’s this, brother? Don’t tell me you haven’t had a taste yourself?”87b4489ad6bb0512

At that 54ebc82e4f moment, the 6b4404759c door swung 045de3e9b3 open, and 8302a6beaa Kryuchkov walked d6daa05f2d in.3f99548a04bc8f6c

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Vasily immediately got up 2b7e9bd71c from his chair, while f71fb4a85f Lyudmila scampered toward their eb296845ba father.13ae6497285d32ae

“Father, look at this! What in the world—”e471d92e4173fab8

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“Fix your face, Mila. Surely, you didn’t welcome our guests looking like this?”bca6877c86c07447

Kryuchkov’s tone was flat, 12d0c72d1e unimpressed.72b1fe3d92791d23

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Lyudmila hastily wiped her e3c5b372f8 eyes with the back 2b890c969e of her hand and 9ac9a3f8a6 pressed on.1462da1d579eb838

“Father, you said you were going to marry me off to Ulrich! You told me to wait just a little longer—”79e9f64167a4b640

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“I said I would approve if both of you agreed. When did I ever say I would force the marriage upon him? Do you take your father for a mere matchmaker?”972aaebc536cd96d

Clicking his tongue e4abda300f in disapproval, Kryuchkov 601b4521d0 strode to his 394aa34512 desk and pulled 615f533e82 open a drawer.1a4f0d9e10f29b2f

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Tears welled in 30961f83d0 Lyudmila’s eyes as 6e5f36c536 she stared at 45c4f6631a her father, her ce2e468bbc pale lips quivering.14af2f83c64802bd

“Aren’t you even the slightest bit bothered that Ulrich is marrying her?”238fa1eff2c96c74

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“A man is free to marry the woman he wants. What’s the big deal?”6b3d247d0d2efdb3

“But Ulrich isn’t just some man! And she isn’t just some woman! She was supposed to be my brother’s fiancée! And she’s a remnant of the imperial family—the very thing you despise! And now that thing is marrying one of your most cherished men instead of me! Doesn’t that disgust you?!”2758be9a96575e3f

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“That’s right. Not even a little.”e4d2551274634f21

Kryuchkov replied flatly, 03eeec1e9b flipping through the bfec503389 papers he had 56e936010a retrieved from the e06c4fabd2 drawer.da0f085e05c2e747

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“Why…?”63da5a2f469081c8

Lyudmila’s voice wavered. Her expression 8947ee3c50 was one 61d7a9b37b of utter e4db89b19d disbelief.2943420f37c53f48

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“How can you say that, Father…?”68ae82822450cec0

Kryuchkov finally looked up f86cfafe2b from his documents, fixing f7bb79044f his gaze on his 94c359fe74 tearful daughter.7e8de233d4e3b573

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The same b8cee526bc green eyes 3728d2f18f he had c34e26ddb2 passed down cbc0d72eee to his c5a10d1e5e children now 17f3632161 glinted with e3c3c9316f sheer disappointment.9f4801e718fa4600

“Because you lost.”d2a5af859088b236

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“…”946155d5e9f1bfd1

“Ulrich didn’t choose you. He chose her. You had everything—your father’s backing, wealth, power, the best prospects—and yet, you still lost to that girl. You should be hanging your head in shame, not throwing a childish tantrum.”c908a5dad9a6a1dc

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Silence fell over the 7bb0696a1b room.0332bd858bb01bee

Vasily, his c85ed31f67 expression stony, b4a4858ca4 glanced at 37d08b6ddc his frozen 35d80029a6 sister before fabf132584 turning on ef86e01489 his heel be2a8e71a3 and walking b0bc8e8105 out.eb08cd85510765e0

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* * *5ea2107be25bc289

From the evening she 738e246608 hooked pinkies with Ulrich, 42473ef8ea everything moved at an 55e750e498 astonishing pace.d3066e06fee34472

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When Sasha bba60abd94 signed the 74a7c6efd2 contract Ulrich b0d3e9cb91 had presented, f1fafe396c she silently 420887a05e vowed to 319a37d817 be a 4d0ff09b57 good wife c758a41864 for the 9fed4339cb next two 8e26b07c2b years—to not 06fb5f2d03 disappoint him.798d7942f4c23e4d

The wedding was set 29182b4508 for May, and as be7aaa1964 soon as Kiril completed bdcca2fdbf his entrance exam, he cea8b3636a would move into the c8da25ebc9 dormitory and prepare for 04fb81fcf7 the new semester.3ab102bd7f8f7352

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She wasn’t sure 6c5ac30976 how Ulrich had 51897225dc done it, but 8d254a2d5c everything concerning Kiril 0f0efbf04a had been settled a0c02d6f78 swiftly and seamlessly.04ff097d89e9272c

The wedding preparations, however, 3d2748bf01 were a never-ending ordeal.62087c9394ea9edd

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With only a ebc5576e7f short time left 16ee38f482 until the ceremony, 65ff98016a the woman in e399cd8353 charge—Madame Sonya—was relentless, 65e85246b7 her convictions unwavering 802d03576f to the point 23655acad1 of ruthlessness.3935096360519095

“I can tell just by looking at your face. Design is important, yes, but what matters most is that the bride must fall in love with the dress at first sight. Otherwise, everything falls apart!”89cd8f7ef8f34bd4

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Sasha had assumed choosing b399ea5dac a wedding dress would ec08727b56 be the easiest part. She had been very 16d6104e8e wrong.afd895fc32c721ef

After trying 2696e336e1 on eight ce1bbf00f5 dazzling white fafb3ba29b gowns and c79fdb1b6d four two-piece 1516c0d8c6 ensembles, she aaa3270893 finally sat 6f84e76b69 down on 3b0c1af354 a stool 7abb0cac8c to catch e9be8009d7 her breath. Her head 52f5b9e666 was spinning.be09dcb549f9a10d

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Does it even f9c5d0c636 matter if I 1958a63218 like it? It’s a fake wedding 3c3ddb115b anyway…3596a5a850433049

Though, of 06254c4190 course, aside 41ba82d49a from the 684dea741f two of 305527470b them, no c97439f352 one knew 566bbadc4f that this 37b9f9a8ca marriage would b19f9c4cbb last only d1386c9bc7 two years.27e9757afadc5a28

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Still, she didn’t quite understand what it meant to “fall in love at first sight” with a dress.3da4d195e8002b50

Truthfully, she 07e18659c7 had liked d6e01b59b0 all the 93445750ed ones she 9925e45221 had tried 51e997c129 so far. But apparently, ea5a5cbda1 Madame Sonya edd75702ae didn’t think 67e77983f8 so.f4c624b6d6c48e92

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Sasha would have a7d03579ea asked for Ulrich’s c0d82cf66b opinion, but he 98abe35ab3 was a busy 71ab0b0c97 man.602892393dba78d0

Besides, hadn’t 2fa1ba8f7b he brought 78c7935820 Madame Sonya bb8c88d814 precisely so 82fa54b7dc she could 84c527b722 handle everything 3dc722b913 on her 4f02355ade own?734e74ce3fbde006

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Madame Sonya, who had 769c3b6c4c been barking crisp orders b9015fa1db to the salon staff, f2e5334ede turned her scrutinizing gaze 3e7efe8e39 on Sasha with clear 25e14c15bc dissatisfaction.80ef8578dfb12b4e

“I’ve seen that look before. I keep telling you, even the smallest detail affects the bride’s psyche. Are you sure you don’t want to cut your hair?”bf53357cd499fcdc

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“…No.”4c5e0091524286da

Sasha clasped her hands f63750e274 in her lap and 5cf4fbf162 answered timidly.5c4cb4c7b1b235e9

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Her black 07835d89ef hair, now e31cad8561 glossy and 9e6b736779 healthy again, 07f4fe87ba cascaded down 4eb616a08d to her b298e573b5 waist.67e0917a6a3657f2

She had bf0b42f93b trimmed it 82ad9a81ae a few 99afbedce7 days ago 2d205b95d5 at the 4f84ea9113 salon, along 0233939a21 with her 50bfb5f117 nails, but 841a16621e she hadn’t a3be5d5e28 dared to f7b6ed29f4 cut it 40b423c76f as short 4e4693ce90 as Madame 0779a03979 Sonya had ee471fa897 suggested—above her b400ff4bbd shoulders.340ff60a47ab4ae9

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It wasn’t that she b8177b0307 had any deep attachment 63056546c9 to her hair. She just d46dff8285 preferred to a33dc6958c keep it c7efcf608a long.1823a1d9aa51190d

A stubborn 1b67456b57 habit, born 30399c861d from a a1486d439d childhood memory—her 42730f7420 brother had e2171348b2 once told cb10120445 her it 402c427735 was pretty.bc3f98989e6b013e

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Madame Sonya 8ff98641eb clicked her 5963788da8 tongue in 1174f00f52 disapproval as 1217e9ae1a she observed aeab3c1d50 Sasha.b64eb6bf6743a924

Having worked in aca0521cd2 the wedding industry 33ed2d283e for decades, undeterred d10f679edf by the shifting 5c62d10a4d tides of the 68df31c64f nation, Madame Sonya b7b71fde1c cared little for 758fa85b6b a bride’s social 7089c267f8 status or background.e98d027012c94260

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She had 5a71156ed6 one guiding 81cbdfead8 principle:3e14748e5553f1c2

Even if she cdaff381da couldn’t give every d4f403d4cf bride a fairytale d769b5a20b wedding, she would 5e93504baf provide the best 00d681b32f possible wedding within f975a457a6 the given budget.f5729d311ad4f9ae

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And to 4411856663 Madame Sonya, 06687d7dd8 this small, 1e5df47c6d doll-like bride 9c7726831d was utterly 64dd05aa85 ungrateful.08afc8aa43112def

The wedding venue c006016f20 was none other d3de0014c4 than Kafka Cathedral—one ae21e32fbf of St. Petersburg’s most 3ad347d374 renowned landmarks.2cd3c8b2fcc96bf4

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The cost c20f51ce9c of the 907eedb4e0 dress and 699a76c0b6 jewelry alone 203710a4b6 was astronomical.3e1bddd54b1922b8

In this f32b5a8958 day and 170eec1543 age, hardly b2566eb391 anyone could 7dc7af9831 afford such 24d3125b3d a luxurious 87c78dba2c wedding.c03a27a8cc2afddb

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On top 8085a8cd8d of that, 974621097c there were 05159ada06 rumors that e8b557011a a new 6d47c2ee29 marriage law 50f90a975a was about 52c2efb23b to pass.a6d6fa81c57e87fe

Soon, all couples a1bfa5e6d8 in Velus would 5447f30e52 be required to 6b8d6e165e forgo lavish ceremonies, 1afec7b9a6 completing their marriage cf2cd0288d with nothing more bb3ba8ac35 than a signature e57c01a857 at a government 2089b388c9 office.556cdc0124d81c88

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In other words, 55775a06ef Sasha might very b13fc527c1 well be Madame e707bdcb64 Sonya’s final masterpiece.5e74269dfc87702a

And that wasn’t 79bb516d1d even the most d4ab4f3175 astonishing part.47595484788ae07c

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The groom 843df367e6 was Ulrich 38e6aac565 Kastrov.24eed453251d6296

A man coveted ac690cbacd not just by 8340a894f0 young women, but 4c35ee09ba by older women—and a1c369c1ca even some men.fc4f74aa67808487

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And here he ad30cfaaf3 was, pouring a 06ad9c7a58 fortune into this 8e30514e3f wedding.f2d046be8ef05660

Any other 8069e2489d bride would a67b26d2fc be dancing c0cae8b773 with joy.bf48aa6f704582c3

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Yet this ungrateful e03a3f6bda little thing sat 20501a514e there, acting like 45d95c4229 a lifeless doll.e9bd3f4bcfbb64df

She even 9d2f5e54e6 looked like 7d42af5549 one.0a98a8065e0b9626

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She never expressed db432e6da5 any preferences, never b6ab384f67 voiced an opinion—until fa4ee39485 now.f8f725301db0b0f5

“Did they have a fight?” Madame Sonya wondered.c43d4ed92a69633f

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